Houston ? Facing his wife across the courtroom for the first time, Russell Yates calmly described to a jury Wednesday how Andrea Yates tried to commit suicide two years before she drowned their five children.

Russell Yates said his wife tried to kill herself by overdosing on her father’s sleeping pills in 1999. Andrea Yates was treated and released but three weeks later was found with a knife to her throat.

Russell Yates

Russell Yates said he got the knife away from her, but then decided to put off further action until Andrea Yates’ appointment the next day with a psychiatrist who was treating her for severe postpartum depression.

Russell Yates’ lawyer asked why he didn’t call the doctor right away.

“In hindsight, I guess I should have,” Russell Yates said. “We thought we could keep an eye on her.”

Andrea Yates, 37, has pleaded innocent by reason of insanity to the June 20 drownings in the family’s bathtub. She could face the death penalty if convicted of capital murder in the deaths of 7-year-old Noah, 5-year-old John and 6-month-old Mary. Charges could be filed later in the deaths of Paul, 3, and Luke, 2.

As he entered the courtroom, Russell Yates smiled at his wife and then told jurors the two decided to have a fifth child despite her bout with postpartum depression. Russell Yates said he thought she was cured.

The husband, who sometimes rocked nervously on the witness stand, described what he thought were his wife’s nervous habits, such as picking at her hair and constantly carrying around their latest baby.

“We didn’t see her as a danger,” Russell Yates said of the behavior, which followed the birth of Luke, their fourth child.

“She was obviously very sick,” he testified. “We were just sitting and waiting to see if (medication) worked.”

At the time, Andrea Yates was being treated by psychiatrist Eileen Starbranch.

Starbranch testified earlier Wednesday, saying she remembered Andrea Yates being “warm and loving” with her four sons for the five months she was under her care. But Starbranch warned Russell and Andrea Yates against having more children to avoid future psychosis.

Starbranch also said it was the couple that decided Andrea Yates should stop taking medication.

Russell Yates testified that the doctor initiated that decision and said there was a 50 percent chance that Andrea Yates would again suffer from psychosis if she had another child.

“She said if we did have any more children she would like to start Andrea on an antidepressant early,” Russell Yates said.

He told jurors the doctor discouraged, but didn’t forbid, the couple from having more children.

Starbranch said when she counseled the couple against having more children neither of them reacted strongly. She added that she “definitely” did not recommend Andrea Yates quit her medication.

A medical chart note on Aug. 18, 1999, the day Starbranch gave the advice, reads:

“Apparently patient and husband plan to have as many babies as nature will allow!” the psychiatrist wrote. “This will surely guarantee future psychotic depression.”