NOW Sets Up Fund For Houston Mom

HOUSTON -- A leading women's rights group says it plans to help the Texas woman accused of drowning her five children.

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Hear About Formation Of Support Coalition DISCUSSION Should NOW Help Yates' Defense?

The National Organization for Women says that it will raise money for the defense fund of Andrea Yates, who is facing capital murder charges.

The president of the Texas chapter of NOW, Deborah Bell, says that the group is forming the Andrea Pia Yates Support Coalition.

"To be there for her on a personal basis, woman to woman, that's the basis of feminism right there," Bell said. "You've got to care about all women."

Bell can't recall when NOW has taken a murder defendant under its wing, but she contends that Yates' case isn't just about money.

"We want her to have a good defense and because we would like to see some funds raised for treatment and research and education," Bell said.

Bell says that the coalition hasn't taken any money for Yates, but that a fund-raiser is planned for Sept. 11 along with a candlelight vigil outside the Harris County Jail.

However, Justice for All, an organization that defends victims' rights, believes that NOW should stick to issues of social equality for women and let the justice system handle Yates' case.

"If she's found competent and sentenced to death, then NOW should be proud of that because it's equitable," Dianne Clements of Justice for All said. "Because she is a woman she should not be excused or reconciled with the fact that she brutally murdered her five children."

Yates' mother is happy that NOW has decided to help her daughter.

"I think it's wonderful," she said. "Anytime somebody does something for Andrea, it makes me feel better. I really need her. She was the one to take care of my husband and me, and now I'm there for her."

Meantime, a local prosecutor says that he's gotten dozens of e-mails about the case.

Some of the messages say that the children's father, Russell Yates, should also be held accountable for their deaths.

The messages say that he shouldn't have left his wife alone with the kids because he knew she was mentally unstable.

A competency hearing for Yates is scheduled for Sept. 12.