Casey Anthony trial...

[Italiahaircolor]

Casey will change her name, relocate and you might never see her again. That's what Karla Holmolka did. She got away with videotaped murder and no one in Canada or anywhere knows where she is today. They think the Carribean with her new husband and at least one child. She did not write a book or anything. She was determined to slip away and she did. She was highly intelligent and she always got her way. Don't know what will happen with Casey ultimately, but she got away with something, and that's the end of my investment in thinking about her life. I think her parents enabled her too.

If only...

But, probably not.

Casey liked the attention this case brought her and probably can't wait to run wild, like a caged animal. People, inside the home when Casey was bonded out between arrests, said that she watched the media out the window and that one day, when it was storming, she got upset that no helicopters would be hovering. It's sick. But, it's true. If you watch the snippets of her being brought in/out of jail, she always makes contact with the camera--slightly, and she always has this smirk...like the attention is good or a honor bestowed upon her. I'm thinking specifically of the video when she was brought into jail wearing a blue short sleeve sweatshirt.

Now, with the acquittal, I think she's going to be smug and I think she's going to plow, head first, back into her life--drink up the lime light from the people willing to work with her. I wouldn't be surprised if she takes off for another state--FL might be just too dangerous and rumors were that she was headed towards TX. But I think, for a while at least, she's going to use her name as a brand and market it.

And lets face it. The girl is broke, b-r-o-k-e. She's a high school drop out, she's a convicted felon (check charges, lying to cops), she doesn't have a penny to her name, and she never owned anything to cash in on, like a home or car. She's in debt up to her eyeballs. She had more charges pending against her civilly. She can't go away just yet. She is going to need to make fast cash and she's going to have to face the upcoming charges in court. Those things aren't going away...so she's not just going away.

I think I have to mentally prepare myself.

 

[Italiahaircolor]

One of the jurors said that they couldn't find Casey guilty of child neglect or abuse because they didn't know exactly WHO was responsible for the care of Caylee. How stupid is that?

Well I don't know then. Casey wasn't charged with child neglect so something got lost in translation there.

Rikki Klieman told CNN that she wasn't surprised at the verdict because the jury didn't have time to sift through all the charges in an 11 hour deliberation. She implied they didn't have time to go through the lesser charges.

I understand lesser charges can be confusing but damn it, they're on the docket.

Probably nothing can be done now but it is disheartening.[/quote]

There was something, it may have been the aggravated child abuse charge that elicited that response from the juror. But whatever it was, or wasn't, as you pointed out, it meant nothing to the case at hand. It had zero relevancy when it came to what the jurors were asked to do. And it just gives more weight to what Klieman said, there was no way--even if they had stuck to just the facts--that in 11 hours they could have all come together and agreed. Many of the people who posted on this thread from the beginning have spent several times 11 hours contemplating things, and still, we don't always agree. It's senseless and we can talk about it and try to understand, but we won't. Even as the jurors cash in and come forward, we're still all going to be left feeling like "wow"...

 

[JewelFreak]

What do you want to bet she ends up in L.A.? Plenty of sleazos for her to play with & rip off, & if publicity is to be had anywhere, that's the place.

Did you hear that she refused to see her mother today when Cindy went to the jail to visit? Swell girl, after Cindy perjured herself for the brat.

 

[Italiahaircolor]

I say LA too. No doubt. But she won't be able to afford it for long .

I heard about the Cindy thing! She hates her mother, won't see her...but accepted $200.00 prior to the trial beginning so that she could have clothes to wear. . When will Cindy learn? You know the visit wasn't about Cindy laying down the new law, it was probably so she could grovel forgiveness from the little twit.

If I were Cindy, first of all, things would be way, way different. But, still, I'd let her go. Go be free. Go figure out how to make this bella vita thing work for yourself. Done and done. My message to her would be this: you're off the hook, and your out of my life, you lying little b****...now don't ever contact me or your father again because we are like SOOOO done with you.

 

[Italiahaircolor]

I just wanted to share thing song with everyone, bring the attention and focus back to what this whole madness is really all about...what was really lost...

http://tasteofcountry.com/rascal-flatts-gary-levox-caylee-anthony-song/

 

[diamondseeker2006]

It is hard as a mother to think I'd ever give up on one of my children, but in this case, if I was CA's parents, I would have to detach from her. She has really ruined their lives in so many ways.

 

[Italiahaircolor]

It is hard as a mother to think I'd ever give up on one of my children, but in this case, if I was CA's parents, I would have to detach from her. She has really ruined their lives in so many ways.

I want to be a mother, but it's been an incredibly difficult process, and I don't have any children...so for me, to think about the blessing of becoming a mother, and then the circumstances under which I would turn my own child way...it's hard, no doubt.

But I think that if Casey walks away from this, back into the fold of her family, wealthier than she'd dreamed to be, living a life of adoration by the people who feed off of this sort of thing...it's just the wrong message all the way around. As a mother, you may not have the ability to stop two out of the three...people want to hear her side and will pay her for it, men will flock (as we've seen already) to woo this girl...but something has to be done on a family level to send the message that they know she's not a good person.

Because, and lets be honest here, court of law and public opinion aside...Casey built a defense off slamming her family into the ground. She accused her father of rape and helping her hide the body, she accused her brother of molestation, she let her mother perjure herself with the computer searches--including neck breaking. We don't know what we don't know...we can draw conclusions, but we can't go beyond that. George, Cindy, Lee...they know what happened in so much as what their involvement was or wasn't. If it wasn't, and they just pretend that this never happened, that Casey never ruined their lives like she did...wheres the lesson? They are still her parents, and I think that now is that time to draw the hard line. If she were my child, she would be homeless once the jail released her. Go sleep on Baez's couch, cause you're not welcome here.

 

[texaskj]

Where's Henry Fonda when you need him?
Certainly no one in that jury room had the balls to do what his character did in 12 Angry Men.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I just turned on Dateline on NBC and it is on the case. Pretty good so far.

 

[mrhand]

Some of you (and you know who you are) are pathetic. Gleefully gobbling up all the tabloid news and pretending you care about justice.

Totally disgusting. And just to show how easily you were manipulated by the media, read this:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/if-caylee-anthony-had-been-black-would-you-know-her-name/2011/07/06/gIQAtTW23H_story.html?hpid=z2

 

[monarch64]

Some of you (and you know who you are) are pathetic. Gleefully gobbling up all the tabloid news and pretending you care about justice.

Totally disgusting. And just to show how easily you were manipulated by the media, read this:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/if-caylee-anthony-had-been-black-would-you-know-her-name/2011/07/06/gIQAtTW23H_story.html?hpid=z2

I COMPLETELY agree with you, Mrhand. So many people buy into the stories...without taking time to really think about FACTS. Oh, they think that they're reading/watching/gleaning facts, but they're really just being fed canned lines from publicists and don't even realize it. Very sad.

What is even more sad is that people post these songs that have been written/recorded by people WHO ARE MAKING MONEY OFF A TRAGEDY and they are not only getting emotional over it, they are buying the songs, or downloading them, etc. Does it really make you feel better to listen to a horribly sad song mixed by people who KNOW How to market this crap so that they can make money???

Please, if you are so concerned with Caylee Anthony's spirit, get out and vote locally for your prosecutor. Set an example for states all over the country. DO something that will actually make a difference in mistreated children's lives.

 

[Maria D]

Some of you (and you know who you are) are pathetic. Gleefully gobbling up all the tabloid news and pretending you care about justice.

Totally disgusting. And just to show how easily you were manipulated by the media, read this:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/if-caylee-anthony-had-been-black-would-you-know-her-name/2011/07/06/gIQAtTW23H_story.html?hpid=z2

I COMPLETELY agree with you, Mrhand. So many people buy into the stories...without taking time to really think about FACTS. Oh, they think that they're reading/watching/gleaning facts, but they're really just being fed canned lines from publicists and don't even realize it. Very sad.

What is even more sad is that people post these songs that have been written/recorded by people WHO ARE MAKING MONEY OFF A TRAGEDY and they are not only getting emotional over it, they are buying the songs, or downloading them, etc. Does it really make you feel better to listen to a horribly sad song mixed by people who KNOW How to market this crap so that they can make money???

Please, if you are so concerned with Caylee Anthony's spirit, get out and vote locally for your prosecutor. Set an example for states all over the country. DO something that will actually make a difference in mistreated children's lives.

Monarch64, did you even read the link to the post you are agreeing completely with? The article doesn't "show how easily you were manipulated by the media" at all. It's an article about a case with some similarities in that a mother allegedly killed her child(ren), pleaded not guilty, evidence was circumstantial, bodies decomposed so cause of death not definitively determined. The differences were the mother/children were black, there was no 6 month search for missing bodies, the defendant waived a jury trial, and, drumroll, the judge found her guilty and sentenced her to life in prison. While it may very well be race that made that case less sensationalized than the Casey Anthony one, the months long search, outrageous lies, dysfunctional family and bizarre screw-ups (remains found twice) certainly contributed. And now it's the fact that Casey Anthony was not convicted of any charge involving killing her daughter.

While I wouldn't argue that the media is never manipulative, it bugs me that this is what Mr. Hand puts forth as evidence of that. This in itself shows the complete lack of critical thinking skills that I'm railing against.

 

[JewelFreak]

I'm tired of being accused of sensationalism by kids. This is our justice system at work -- trials in the U.S. are open for a reason: so citizens are aware of what's going on. I find it fascinating, depressing & inspiring all at once & always have done. This was an evil crime. Unless you choose to buy fairy tales about molestation & dominance, it is a sterling example of good vs. bad -- a "plot line" that resonates through history even before tales were written down. Yeah, I was hoping to see justice done; it was not.

Any of us are entitled to an opinion and entitled to express it. If you don't like that, go away from this thread. For someone who is too superior for all the lowlifes here, Mr.Hand, you pay an awful lot of attention to it. How about all of you holier-than-thou people take a chill pill & stop insulting those who disagree?

--- Laurie

 

[lbbaber]

I have read this thread daily and appreciate those that have kept it going---regardless of the poster's particular opinion. What I dont like or understand is why insults have to be thrown (and you know who YOU are). How is that productive? This thread isnt an attack on anyone here. It isn't degrading anyone here. Why get so nasty?

And if you are so above discussing the case like us 'brainwashed' morons then why bother to be in the thread?

To those that believe this is a fair and just verdict (and so rudely expressed what you think of those of us that don't)----I hope and pray that if anything ever happens to someone that YOU love, you will get not only a FAIR jury but 12 people EXACTLY like this.

 

[dragonfly411]

Some of you (and you know who you are) are pathetic. Gleefully gobbling up all the tabloid news and pretending you care about justice.

Totally disgusting. And just to show how easily you were manipulated by the media, read this:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/if-caylee-anthony-had-been-black-would-you-know-her-name/2011/07/06/gIQAtTW23H_story.html?hpid=z2

It's pretty pathetic that you feel the need to insult people. For your information I watched the trial live streaming and listened to what they had to say, not the media.

As to the song Monarch, it is a youtube video as of now and I don't believe they intend to sell it. They wrote it in memory of a girl who died. The country music world is a bit different than Katy Perry and the likes. Sometimes the artists do things to help... i.e. the Haiti recordings which sent the money earned to Haiti.

Some people should think before speaking.

 

[Italiahaircolor]

All I can really say is wow.

This is thread was started to discuss a case that has touched a lot of people, not a thread encouraging people to attack or belittle others who don't agree with you. But, apparently those lines have been gleefully crossed, and for that, I say SHAME ON YOU. Talk about shifting the focus...shine a light on yourselves, please, your behavior is DISGUSTING.

How dare any of you (and you both know who you are) come here and preach to us how we should think and how we should feel. What gives you the right to express any of that? If you're so concerned with the constitution...read up on it, we can say, think, feel, watch, listen to anything we'd like. So, If you have something constructive to say, by all means...take the floor. But the personal attacks, those are just a sign of your character. And, you know what, it's very telling.

I won't stoop to your level and call you names, although I could throw in some snarky words and bitting comments (believe that)...but just know, I'm appalled.

And that song...it's not for sale...it's not on iTunes and it's not mass market. It's just a guy, who happens to be famous, who wrote a song and had the means to put it out. Why anyone has to look for lions where there are only kittens amazes me. Not everyone is the bad guy, so really, get over it.

ETA:

I do not care if Caylee was black, white, purple, green, brown or blue. It has, for me, zero baring on my outrage.

But, for sake of the discussion you should so want to have, the reason that case was different than this one, the reason Casey Anthony and Caylee Anthony grabbed the headlines they did WAS NOT because of their skin color, it was because Caylee was missing. If you remember, when the case first broke--that's all it was, a missing child in Flordia. Those 5 babies butchered by their mother (and yes, I think justice was done--and yes, I care) were found in their home. Does that make it any less hallowing and heartbreaking? Absolutely not...not by a mile. But the case was solved instantly. The mother wasn't hiding the babies or making excuses or anything Casey Anthony did that added the insult to the injury.

Caylee went missing and world searched. Tips were called in across the globe and people held out hope she was alive. Had she not been found, I'm assuming this case would have tappered off--as so many missing person cases do. But she was found, and circumstances around that were chilling. It revived in the need for justice. Her mother was suspicious...with her own actions pointing the finger at herself.

If you want a FAIR comparison of how the nation reacted, look up Susan Smith. Her boyfriend didn't want the kids, so she made up an african american car jacker, and drown her children--strapped in their car seats. The world HATED her...for the merciless killing, the lies and the accusations.

Those that care about this case don't simply care because Caylee was white...and SHAME ON YOU for assuming so. That's revolting.

 

[FrekeChild]

I think whats coming into play here is that a lot of people are too emotionally invested in this story. There don't seem to be a lot of posts from people who aren't agreeing with the acquittal and to be honest, after the responses to my own posts, I'm not terribly surprised. There have been plenty of insults thrown around from both sides (saying that these people are young, uneducated/how terrible the education system is now and how you're terrified for the future, really? I have my BA in psychology, I think logically and critically all of the time, I've grown up around lawyers and politicians, I work in a law office, my husband the criminologist who studies this stuff for a living and also agrees with my assessment of acquitting her, are both from this generation you mock. Not to mention Italia and Laila...who agreed somehow with this terrible generalization) and I don't see why everyone expects everyone else to agree with them.

I knew when I posted that I'd be jumped on and openly scorned for my opinion because I was going against a very vocal majority. But guess what? Not everyone is going to agree with you (the general you). I am too jaded to get worked up about this crime. Yes, it's terrible that this little girl died. A lot of kids die every day by negligent parents Do I think that Casey would do it again (if she even did it in the first place)? I don't. She's not stupid. She's already been through this circus once. JvdS is an entirely different creature...and yes he did it again. However, they aren't really comparable because the crimes are completely different.

I really don't see the point in belittling other people's opinions. Asking for clarification? Fine. But openly mocking and degrading someone because they don't agree with you? Not cool.

 

[AmeliaG]

If you want a FAIR comparison of how the nation reacted, look up Susan Smith. Her boyfriend didn't want the kids, so she made up an african american car jacker, and drown her children--strapped in their car seats. The world HATED her...for the merciless killing, the lies and the accusations.

I'm originally from South Carolina; the outrage over Susan Smith was incredibly subdued compared to Casey Anthony even if you compare public sentiment before the verdict. I was actually surprised that her pointing suspicion to an unidentified black male didn't create more outrage considering her trial was so close in time to the OJ Simpson trial.

I think the difference in media coverage between the 90s and now has a lot to do with it. Back then, we had CourtTV that had reporters who were passionate for helping the American public understand our system of justice with all its strengths and weaknesses. I quoted Rikki Klieman above because in the OJ Simpson trial, she gained a lot of credibility on CourtTV as a knowledgeable authority on jury behavior. She discussed extensively focus group interviews she had done with juries on her own trials as well as focus groups on prospective jury pools. Some of the findings from those focus interviews were quite shocking but you had to believe it because of the credibility she brought to whatever she commented on. Her credibility after almost 20 years of reporting on the legal system is still intact.

I''ll be honest with you. I don't like Nancy Grace; I don't like her sensationalist style of reporting. She is the main reason I didn't follow this trial because her influence today is very strong on crime trial reporting and I think its detrimental. All you have to do is compare one of her current TV segments to one of the old CourtTV segments of the OJ Simpson trial to tell a big difference in reporting.

She got her start on CourtTV at the end of the OJ Simpson trial and she is nowhere near Rikki Klieman's caliber as a legal expert. I personally believe that she is speaking as the former fiancee of a murder victim rather than as a former prosecutor. There is nothing wrong with that, John Walsh has gained a considerable reputation as a victim's advocate but he is not presenting himself as a legal expert; whereas she is still referred to constantly as a legal expert. Her former prosecutor gig got her the spot on CourtTV. So when she expresses outrage, shock and apparent disbelief at something which I suspect from hearing other legal experts that she should know as a former prosecutor, then yes, I have a problem with that, especially given her influence on public opinion today.

It is especially worrying when I hear the Casey Anthony judge concerned about releasing jury member names because of potential death threats. Yes, I do believe that Nancy Grace's influence today on crime reporting has led to this situation and I think, if her influence doesn't go unchecked, something serious is going to happen sooner or later.

 

[JewelFreak]

Amelia, I understand your distaste for Nancy Grace & I agree with it. Plus, she doesn't come across as very smart. She isn't responsible for opinions here, though. I avoid her program; it's repetitive & sensationalist & frankly, boring to me. Have never looked at her ratings, but several channels (& the internet) carried this trial live and commentators on it.

Many of the opinions here appear to come from people who watched the trial itself & formed their thoughts from that. With all the outlets for info & outlook today, one person isn't powerful enough to cause people to think one way or another. Especially not Nancy Grace, who's kind of small potatoes most of the time.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

I definitely agree that the televising of the trials adds to the hype about a high profile trial. I certainly did not get my coverage from Nancy Grace. I think I have watched less than one complete show of hers ever. I watched some of the trial and read updates from news websites on other days.

The Susan Smith trial was very different in that she was found guilty, and I think there was simply less of a cast of characters and mysterious questions in that story. Once they found the car with her children, it was pretty much cut and dried.

 

[kenny]

I heard about Nancy Grace several months ago.
I was curious so I found a U-Tube video of her.
I watched for a moment, vomited and turned her off.

She seems deft at getting certain people all worked up and foaming at the mouth - people with extremely low IQ.

 

[Italiahaircolor]

I think whats coming into play here is that a lot of people are too emotionally invested in this story. There don't seem to be a lot of posts from people who aren't agreeing with the acquittal and to be honest, after the responses to my own posts, I'm not terribly surprised. There have been plenty of insults thrown around from both sides (saying that these people are young, uneducated/how terrible the education system is now and how you're terrified for the future, really? I have my BA in psychology, I think logically and critically all of the time, I've grown up around lawyers and politicians, I work in a law office, my husband the criminologist who studies this stuff for a living and also agrees with my assessment of acquitting her, are both from this generation you mock. Not to mention Italia and Laila...who agreed somehow with this terrible generalization) and I don't see why everyone expects everyone else to agree with them.

I knew when I posted that I'd be jumped on and openly scorned for my opinion because I was going against a very vocal majority. But guess what? Not everyone is going to agree with you (the general you). I am too jaded to get worked up about this crime. Yes, it's terrible that this little girl died. A lot of kids die every day by negligent parents Do I think that Casey would do it again (if she even did it in the first place)? I don't. She's not stupid. She's already been through this circus once. JvdS is an entirely different creature...and yes he did it again. However, they aren't really comparable because the crimes are completely different.

I really don't see the point in belittling other people's opinions. Asking for clarification? Fine. But openly mocking and degrading someone because they don't agree with you? Not cool.

I'm sorry if you felt I jumped on you, I was really only trying to counter what you knew with what I knew.

As far as the criticism of age, that does cut both way. Have you ever been somewhere and watched a child get away with something you yourself, as a child, never would have been able too? And watching it, did you not feel like it was wrong? When the poster who mentioned age said there was a problem with our generation, I agreed as it pertained to this case. Our generation-the ones who grew up with DNA and shows like CSI...we have come to expect something that previous generations didn't depend on. That's what I agree with. I think people expect to much from the legal system and when it's not there, we have a hard time understanding why that is. That's all. Nothing more, nothing less.

I respect your knowledge of the law and can absolutely appreciate what your background leads you to believe. My husband, who has a degree in intelligence and interned with government agencies--law agencies--believe's she guilty. Does that make him right and anyone else wrong simply because that's what he studied in college? Not at all. He'd be the first to tell you that himself. But, as with you and your husband, he looks at things with a different scope. My sister, who is also a psychology major, believe's she's guilty. And, as far as lawyers are concerned...some have said guilt, other's have said innocence. At the end of the day, it's all in how you look at the evidence and the background information with your own life experiences and own common sense. If those things tell you she's not guilty, okay...I can't argue that...but likewise, mine tells me she's guilty, and that as well can't be argued.

I agree, very much, with what you said about belittling comments. There is room enough in this discussion for everyone and no one should be made to feel targeted or offended by what is said. But, with that said, this is an emotional hot bed, the nature of the beast, and tempers will flare I suppose on both sides of the issue. At the end of the day, it's just no good, it takes the focus off the little girl whose life was lost for reason and will never have justice for it.

 

[JewelFreak]

I watched for a moment, vomited and turned her off.

 

[lbbaber]

I'm another person with a B.A. in Psych (as well as a B.S. in Education and finishing my Masters in Special Ed) who believes she is guilty as sin. Everyone in my social circle has at least one degree but most have several more.....and everyone I have spoken to thinks she is guilty. What does that mean? Absolutely nothing to be honest.

Degrees do not matter when it comes to this case. They shouldn't even be mentioned and I am not quite sure why they were brought up in the first place. It takes common sense to put the parts of a circumstantial case together and, sadly, many people are lacking in that department.

Also, why is it being assumed that people in this thread have gotten their information and opinions from Nancy Grace? She is sensational and opinionated to say the least---I get it!! But what does that have to do with the people that have poured over the evidence every night while watching the trial and formed their own opinions based on what they viewed? If someone believes that CA got away with murder then that person is automatically lumped in with Nancy Grace and should be insulted and called names?

 

[AmeliaG]

JewelFreak - my comment was general - not pointed towards anyone in this thread. I totally respect that everybody here saw the trial except for maybe me so I'm not commenting on this actual trial - just the trend in this style reporting and her influence on it and public opinion in general.

My own personal opinion is that one person can make a difference especially if they're in the media because if they're successful, they can influence other media outlets. Once a program gets high ratings, other media outlets start to copy them. I believe her influence was multiplied because of her impact on other media. Her network HLN has been a prime beneficiary of this trial not only from her show but others - Her programs and her interviews are probably the most highly quoted by other media outlets. I believe this speaks to her influence on public opinion in general on this type of case.

As I said, I totally respect that everybody here has watched the actual trial and was influenced by the proceedings they saw. What you ladies have posted is not my concern, my concerns are things like the fear of death threats against jury members and Casey's parents. Maybe I'm biased because I do not like Nancy Grace but she has a track record, Duke Lacrosse team, the suicide, and now that she is pretty much recognized as a key influencer by other media outlets in this trial, whether individuals here feel they have been influenced themselves, its my opinion but I do not like her influence in general - NOT necessarily the opinions of members on this thread. As I said, I think something is going to happen sooner or later. I hope i'm wrong.

ETA: I agree, diamondseeker, not only the car and the bodies but the confession made the Susan Smith case more cut and dried. That made it easier to convict her - the jury didn't sentence her to death, there was some outrage over that but really not much.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Amelia, I am from SC, too, incidentally.

 

[lulu]

FrekeChild-I don't mind discussion and disagreement-it used to be my career. I'm happy to have a pro-acquittal person(s) to ask this question.

The duct tape was over the baby's mouth and nose. We know the duct tape, blanket, garbage bags, laundry bags came from the Anthony home.If the duct tape killed her, that's first degree murder. What is the scenario in your minds that results in complete exoneration? If I could I'd ask a juror because I'm baffled. If someone wanted it to look like a kidnapping why the duct tape over both the nose and mouth? And why the heart sticker? I really need yo understand this. Thanks.

 

[JewelFreak]

Amelia, I'm not offended -- didn't take your comment personally. You could have a point about Nancy G. but I have seen media people on opinion programs scoff at her. I think she's viewed as the tv version of tabloid newspapers & her influence is maybe similar. Whatever, huh?!

However, I stand by what I wrote earlier. I don't know what degrees have to do with anything either -- since we're talking about the jury, and there were no advanced degrees there, not that it matters. From the little any of them have said (until they're paid to say it), I agree there was little common sense among them nor did they think critically about the evidence -- in 11 hrs they didn't have time to think about the evidence at all. If they had worked over everything & had concrete reasons for their verdict I doubt more than half the country would be as outraged as they are. "Well, we couldn't figure out who was responsible for Caylee," does not make them look careful & thoughtful. "George must have done something to Casey," when there was NO testimony about it AND the judge told them speculation is NOT evidence. If he had, it still doesn't excuse murdering a 2-yr-old baby. They could not manage to get out of the fuzz surrounding them.

And yes, American public education is a tragedy. We score low among other nations. Employers are frustrated because they say they can't find workers able to handle jobs they need filled. So many kids come out of school unable to read well, much less critically, or to write an understandable report. Students are being cheated & their lives affected. The rest of us too, as shown by the above.

Freke, I don't know where I mentioned you in that post. But that's emblematic of what I wrote there -- it's un-PC to judge anything negatively in case somebody, somewhere, gets in a fuss. If you choose to take personally a statement obviously not intended that way, I guess it's your choice & your blood pressure. Kind of a waste of time, if you ask me. Better would be to answer the question above -- I'd like to know too.

--- Laurie

 

[AmeliaG]

Amelia, I am from SC, too, incidentally.

Ah, diamond seeker, a fellow Sandlapper. I haven't been there in 10 years but I still have the accent.

I think with Susan Smith, the shock came with her confession and things died down by the trial. I remember she seemed at first so sympathetic and so pitiful when I first saw her on TV crying for help to find her missing children and it really looked like police were looking for that unidentified black male so it was a shock to learn that she knew all the time that her children were in the bottom of the river. Its kinda like, we believed you, we had sympathy for you, and now we learn this. Outrage may be a strong word but my family was pissed. My reaction when I first learned Casey Anthony didn't report her daughter missing for 30 days was similar-I was like WTF. At Susan Smith's trial, I remember there was a reenactment of the car being sunk into the river and you realized how long it took to sink, that was hard to watch. A conviction definitely helped people believe that justice had been served.

But I have to hand it to CourtTV, they did awesome coverage of that trial which is why I may be disappointed in the current state of trial coverage. They had a call-in show where some callers were really mouthing off some ridiculous stuff and the CourtTV correspondents treated all the callers with respect, empathized with their disappointment, but they didn't feed the most outrageous reactions. I don't think that would happen today.

 

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JewelFreak - my comment was general - not pointed towards anyone in this thread. I totally respect that everybody here saw the trial except for maybe me so I'm not commenting on this actual trial - just the trend in this style reporting and her influence on it and public opinion in general.

My own personal opinion is that one person can make a difference especially if they're in the media because if they're successful, they can influence other media outlets. Once a program gets high ratings, other media outlets start to copy them. I believe her influence was multiplied because of her impact on other media. Her network HLN has been a prime beneficiary of this trial not only from her show but others - Her programs and her interviews are probably the most highly quoted by other media outlets. I believe this speaks to her influence on public opinion in general on this type of case.

As I said, I totally respect that everybody here has watched the actual trial and was influenced by the proceedings they saw. What you ladies have posted is not my concern, my concerns are things like the fear of death threats against jury members and Casey's parents. Maybe I'm biased because I do not like Nancy Grace but she has a track record, Duke Lacrosse team, the suicide, and now that she is pretty much recognized as a key influencer by other media outlets in this trial, whether individuals here feel they have been influenced themselves, its my opinion but I do not like her influence in general - NOT necessarily the opinions of members on this thread. As I said, I think something is going to happen sooner or later. I hope i'm wrong.

ETA: I agree, diamondseeker, not only the car and the bodies but the confession made the Susan Smith case more cut and dried. That made it easier to convict her - the jury didn't sentence her to death, there was some outrage over that but really not much.

I'll admit that I watched In Session and HLN for most the trial coverage--I like Vinnie Pollitan. And, yes, I caught snips of Nancy Grace--did I watch her every night? No. Did she make me view Casey as guilty? No. But, all the things I heard over the past three years about case together with things I did heard Nancy Grace say, encouraged me to research the case more on my own. I drew my conclusion. No one is responsible for my opinion outside of myself.

As far as Nancy Grace's reputation proceeding her? The suicide and all of that...I can't comment because I don't know enough about that. Like I said, not a huge follower. But, I do believe that NO ONE can make you kill yourself from a single interview...even if the interview is hard or uncomfortable or cruel. It's very, very sad that Melissa Duckett felt killing herself was the answer, and it's also heartbreaking that the little boy was never found. So, someone could look at the suicide as a manifestation of guilt or the effect of being railroaded...we'll never have answers.

I think the Susan Smith case was similar in so much as she killed her children for a particular lifestyle. But, the world was different then. We didn't have the 24/7 news access, like we do now. There was no twitter, no facebook, so barrage of information at your finger tips. If the same thing happened now, I have a feeling that the outrage would duplicate this. People have very little tolerance for child killers...even other felons in jails.