Casey Anthony Acquitted: Media Frenzy Lives On

With yesterday's reported "surprise" decision of the jury in the acquittal of Casey Anthony on the charges of first degree murder, manslaughter, and aggravated child abuse, it has come as no surprise to this reader that the media frenzy which has been the hallmark of this case, continues.

After all, the media and talking heads on cable news set this entire trial up for such reactions by the entire manner in which the reporting of this case, its investigation and prosecution, progressed over the past three years.

What has completely amazed and shocked me was not the outcome of the trial and the jury's determination, since there was no conclusive evidence or eyewitnesses to just what had occurred brought forth during the weeks long trial, merely spectulation and supposition, but the reactions of the press and those legal analysts, lawyers and judges which has not abated but has been fed and accelerated.

People, again, who should know better.

After all, our entire justice system is grounded in affording juries in the jurisdiction in which the alleged acts occurred to make the determination insofar as the fate of the accused (although this trial was moved , also) based on the FACTS AND EVIDENCE presented - not emotional appeals, nor fabricated testimony or suppositions.

And this trial was full of them, so much so that the trial itself mimicked Ms. Anthony's behavior during the initial stages and investigation of her daughter's disappearance.

Circumstantial evidence, contrary to those talking heads and legal analysts, is not a firm enough basis in which to convict someone of premeditated, first degree murder. It didn't take a CSI DNA investigation, but simply tying in all those loose ends on the evidence, such as the duct tape, or the chloroform searches, to the suspect.

That didn't occur in any fundamental way in which a jury could find for guilt "within a reasonable doubt."

Mark Furhrmann, and other "lawyers" who have also weighed in with their outrage, in this former legal professional's opinion, should be disbarred.

After all, a jury of one's peers is the hallmark of our American judicial system, and it is THEY, not the lawyers or even the judges, who have had their say and have submitted their verdict.

For those that continue to bash this decision, and Ms. Anthony's perceived guilt, let it be said that after all the publicity this trial has engendered, I seriously doubt she will have a carefree lifestyle, or reap tremendous wealth hereafter on some book or TV movie which might be made. And if so, I believe her 15 minutes of fame will be short-lived, and will not last past the next high profile crime or news story.

Maybe she should speak to O.J. Simpson for enlightenment on just how well his life has gone after his high profile acquittal, since this trial was so very similar in both the media attention involved, and post mortems.

I hope Ms. Anthony gets the help she needs, and goes on to live a life of anonymity and eventually realizes just how lucky and fortunate that it was a jury verdict that was rendered due to the really poor investigative work of detectives after her daughter was reported missing (over six months to find this child's body, found a short distance from her parent's home?), and the leads and work of the prosecution (no fingerprints AT ALL on that duct tape?).

The jury has spoken.

America, CNN, FOX, Nancy Grace, Mr. Fuhrmann get a life and recognize America's justice system has been wrong based on circumstantial evidence in the past on many, many occasions, and as those founders believed "better one guilty man to go free, than one spend a day behind bars (not to mention pay the highest price under our criminal justice system).

The ultimate judge will have his due eventually, and already knows the truth, and will render HIS verdict.

The Casey Anthony Trial: High Political Legal Drama?

This past six weeks and so very similar to the O.J. Simpson murder trial, America and Americans have been force fed almost daily the high political drama and details of the disappearance of Caylee Anthony, and subsequent farce of a trial of the woman charged with murdering her young daughter, Casey Anthony, in a Florida courtroom and broadcast nationwide day after day.

Even on the 4th of July, this trial has overshadowed America's Independence Day celebrations, with no less than five or six lawyers or judges on many of the cable news stations analyzing body language, trial testimony and offering up their opionions, legal or otherwise, as far as the guilt or innocense of Ms. Anthony.

A brother weeping on the stand testifying about how hurt he was at not being informed of his sister's pregnancy.

A father who has been alleged to have abused his daughter, and whose personal life also has been the subject of speculation.

A mother who was at work at the time, but who was highly involved apparently in the raising of her grandchild and at times appeared to be more mother to Caylee than Casey.

Another overblown murder trial for the benefit of an increasingly intrusive media into America's courtrooms, since this is a Florida state murder trial and crime against the state, although is being broadcast not simply in this country nationwide, but even abroad for other nefarious purposes.

I mean crime is money to these media types, and a great profit generator.

Much also has been said about the "standing room only" lines to get one of those coveted seats in the courtroom. And even one member of the public was charged with contempt of court for not following the judicially determine courtroom decorum during this public drama.

The jury is now out, after receiving their rather lengthy jury instructions.

And before the jury is in, I'd like to add my opinion since the opinions of so many have been publicized by those who should know better, those in the legal profession who have used also this trial to build their broadcast careers most of all.

Much of my opinion is also based on supposition, which is hardly a legal standard but mine just might have a little more credence than some of the outlandish scenarios set forth by both the prosecution and defense in this case.

Ms. Anthony is guilty of involuntary manslaughter, if anything, since no direct physical evidence was ever presented which would render a capital murder charge even remotely possible.

But that doesn't mean that this particular jury will not so find, as publicized as this trial has become.

No charge of malicious intent or "malice aforethought" was ever set forth, or proven. No eyewitnesses. No physical evidence other than a "smell" or some duct tape found "around" the site Caylee's body was found.

Perhaps Ms. Anthony, as immature as her behavior was both before and after the events surround this charge, should never have been a mother to begin with.

Perhaps she had both an overbearing mother and father herself, and has issues of her own which truly need addressing if she is ever to mature, or become a mother again.

It certainly appeared that way due to the center stage her own father and mother have played in this drama.

I wonder if she was raised a Catholic, and thus the option of an early abortion, or birth control were simply out of the question.

Maybe she felt having this child might bring her closer to a mother and father whom she could never please, no matter how hard she tried.

As has occurred in many homes across America both in the past and presently in the increase also of single mothers and parents not simply due to divorce, but also family pressures.

And where has the father of this child also been? Contrary to the sexual abuse charges, neither father nor brother fathered Ms. Anthony's child, so just who and where is he?

However, none of the above would justify or explain away a child's death.

Most likely from the little I followed the trial and case in its earlier stages before my time and interests lie elsewhere, my conclusion is as follows:

Ms. Anthony found single parenting not to be what she envisioned as an unmarried, young 25 year old. Her mother worked, and could not help with the day to day care of her grandchild, and Ms. Anthony hardly made enough to support her and this child after she moved out of her parent's home.

She was unemployed for the most part, yet hardly had the free time then to also date as most girls her age do, if she had no backup during the days or evenings during the week.

An overindulged child herself with a working mother, and policeman father, she decided she wanted to party and searched the internet in order to find a way to make chloroform, a sleeping agent, so that her young daughter would sleep while she was out in the evenings and early morning.

She used too much, nor was she around to check on her daughter then to even see if she was still breathing after she left for the night. Perhaps her parents did not approve of her life style while living in their home.

Arriving home, she found her daughter dead or in a coma, and panicked placing her in the trunk of her car until she could figure out what to do, concocting story after story when her parents inquired about her daughter's whereabouts.

Finally, she dumped the body when she had the time to think things through, until her car was then towed and her parents had to pick it up from the tow lot, with Cindy Anthony then hoping against hope that her daughter's continued lies were truth, not wishing to believe the worst of her own daughter, and flesh and blood - or maybe feeling somewhat responsible also, due to the state of their relationship at the time of Caylee's disappearance.

The rest the nation then was made privy too, unwillingly or not, as the hot story of the moment unfolded and due to the adorable pictures of this young toddler, and the high drama itself of this dysfunctional family - again, not unlike many in this country with the growing number of absentee parents for whatever reason, but mostly economic.

Will Casey beat a capital murder charge due to all the hype this past six weeks?

I wouldn't bet on it.

This story has been so juicy, and so profitable for so very many.

I expect that a capital murder conviction will be returned, if only to give the lawyers at least ten to twenty more years to go through the appeals process.

While Ms. Anthony is, of course, in jail where she would most likely be anyway under an involuntary manslaughter charge in order for the state to then also, in the end, get their due on the expense of this six week exercise in American "justice."

But I may be as wrong as all those political analysts, "judges" and "lawyers" who followed and put their spins on this story for six very long weeks.

Happy Independence Day, America, just in case you forgot.