I wasn’t going to touch this one, but #YouNeedaHelmet when you read some of the appalling and misguided comments about the Casey Anthony verdict. As everyone on the planet who hasn’t been living under a rock knows Casey Anthony was found not guilty of murder, aggravated child abuse and manslaughter for the death of her daughter. Here’s a fairly good news report on Tuesday’s court proceeding - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/05/casey-anthony-trial-verdict_n_890173.html#s303265&title=Casey_Anthony_Verdict
Many things bother me about the public nature of this trial and the outrage following the acquittal. A subtitle to a news article read “jury finds Casey Anthony did not murder her toddler.” We all should know that is not what a jury “finds” in a criminal trial. The jury finds the facts and the judge applies the law. Understanding the system and how it works is key to reflecting on the outcome.
There’s no question that facts of this case are egregious. A two-year old child’s remains were found in a plastic bag five months after her grandmother reported her missing. Casey never reported a missing child to the police. She didn’t even admit her daughter was missing for a month. She lied repeatedly and both her stories and her actions were, quite frankly, bizarre. Then there’s the shovel thing and the odor in the trunk business. But are those facts sufficient to convict Caylee Marie Anthony’s mother of her murder? Was she guilty beyond a reasonable doubt? The jury said no.
So, what does that acquittal mean? It means this case is over. Period. End of story. I am amazed how many seemingly educated, thoughtful people have been clamoring for a retrial and/or an appeal by the state of Florida. Are these the same people who were shooting illegal fireworks off at all hours of the night this past weekend celebrating our independence and our American way of life? Have they ever read the Constitution? Do they understand what it says, and, more importantly, what it means? I’m saddened to discover that they do not.
There are many troubling aspects to this media circus of a criminal proceeding. The graceless Nancy Grace is and has been a distraction if not a disgrace. Pun intended. The legal taking heads on the cable news networks have soundly and severely criticized Casey’s defense team and Jose Baez, in particular. These may be topics for another post, but let me end with this. We may never know what “really” happened but the jury has spoken. Let’s respect that.
