There's no doubt in my mind that some demonic spirit was present at the time, since this kind of evil is well outside the order of natural evils. I hope that doesn't make me "insane."
The fact that Yates was behaving irrationally doesn't preclude the possibility that she was behaving with malice. Evil is irrational by nature, but not all irrational acts are evil, such as a person's mistaken belief that he is the King of England.
Apparently, the jury believed that her acts fell into this latter category (irrational but not evil), but this seems to me to be impossible, since a mother's natural disposition is to care for her children. An evil force outside of the normal course of nature is a necessary to cause such a profoundly evil and disordered act.
Regardless of the jury decision, I'll be happy as long as she is confined to prison for life. I skimmed the article, and didn't see any reference to her sentence.
Post #79 has more info. She could possibly be released at some point:
If Yates is found innocent by reason of insanity, she will be committed to a state mental hospital, with periodic hearings before a judge to determine whether she should be released — although by law, jurors are not allowed to be told that.
Most Christians don't believe in demon possession anymore.