Casey Anthony - guilty, or not?

[scootebaby]

Heres a question/thought....if there was no Zanny why did Caylee actually tell her grandma she went to Zannys? Does noone remember that little snippet? she was 2..unable to lie to that degree so there HAD to be someone she identified as Zanny.

i mean if u watch Cindy Anthonys testimony and earlier tv appearances she discusses the fact she talked to Caylee about this.

[little_ms_sunshyne]

I think that Casey Anthony's actions make it hard to not believe she is guilty. However, the state has to prove that she is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Much like many others, I do not believe the state has done a great job of doing so. Everthing is circumstantial.

In regards to this turning into a circus....One of my very best friends lost her grandparents a few years back. They were murdered. The media made a circus of that case as well. I remember how hard it was for her to even turn on the television. Channel after channel..that is all she saw. Images of her grandparents being taken away in body bags and detailed descriptions of how they were murdered. She felt as if though she could not escape from the nightmare, not even in her own home.

I am guilty of following the case and being interested legality and forensics aspect of it. But I do hope that these families are able to find closure and that they may be able to finally mourn the loss of this little girl.

Anyhow, that is my two cents worth of nothing.

[JustJo]

Originally Posted by little_ms_sunshyne

I think that Casey Anthony's actions make it hard to not believe she is guilty. However, the state has to prove that she is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Much like many others, I do not believe the state has done a great job of doing so. Everthing is circumstantial.

You're right...it is all circumstantial, but people are convicted on circumstantial evidence all the time.

I doubt that they'll recommend the death penalty. I think they would have wanted more hard evidence in order to do that.

My guess is that she'll get convicted, and a very long sentence. And I'd further guess that her life is not going to be easy in prison either.

I feel for your friend whose grandparents were murdered. I know that the media has the right (and even the responsibility) to report what's going on, but I often wonder if they even give a thought to the family of the victim in those situations. How horrible for your friend to be bombarded with those images of people she loved.

[AtLast]

I don't think her defense attorney represented her well overall. From the start, I have felt he was in it to make a name. A very arrogant person- which I think hurts in a jury believing she is not guilty. He did not pull together many of his opening argument "theories" well at all. And due to Casey's continued lying and bizarre stories and behavior, I don't think the jury will buy any of his assertions, mainly based on not liking him.

The feuding between her attorney and the lead prosecutor was shameful in terms of how it could influence a jury. Almost felt like mal-practice at time- for both of them. If she is convicted, it wouldn’t surprise me at all if she won a new trial on appeal because of some of the actions between attorneys during this trial. The judge seemed pretty disgusted with the lack of professionalism that went on at times. I don’t blame him- this is a capital murder case. And I do believe that all defendants deserve fair representation.

It is a circumstantial case but she is a very disturbed young woman and the whole Anthony family seems very dysfunctional. However, I do think she is responsible for her daughter's death. If it was accidental, my bet would be through Casey's negligence. If anyone was not ready to have a child, she wasn't- nor did she have good parenting herself. This family just strikes me as a mess in general.

It could have been an accidental death, but not as her lawyer proposed with her father as part of a cover-up. I think that if this were true, it would have come out in the investigation. I do not believe she was sexually abused by him or her brother and that is saying a lot because I spent a great many years working in child sexual abuse. Actually, I was angered by the defense's use of "planting" this as a way to demonstrate reasonable doubt.- this isn’t something to use as he did- far too many people are sexually abused. But, I can see that this child's death could have been accidental (unrelated to the pool drowning story and abuse allegations. and that Casey's dysfunctional and personality disorders prevented her from doing the rational thing- calling the authorities and explaining exactly what happened.

My guess is that she is convicted, but maybe not on first degree murder. The whole damn thing is just tragic.

[JustJo]

Originally Posted by AtLastHome

It could have been an accidental death, but not as her lawyer proposed with her father as part of a cover-up. I think that if this were true, it would have come out in the investigation.

I agree. I can't see a retired police officer doing anything to cover up a truly accidental death. That doesn't make any kind of sense.

Even if Casey was negligent and it resulted in a truly accidental death, her father (as a retired cop) would know that people aren't generally held responsible for that...and I believe he would have reported it.

Yes, I think the whole family is an amazingly sad dysfunctional unit...with Casey a pathological liar, and her family enabling it for years...and, apparently, doing some lying of their own as well.

The critical piece for me, if I was sitting on that jury, is her actions in the 31 days when her child was "missing." For me, that spells guilt. Maybe I'm close-minded or whatever....but I once lost track of my son when he was 2-1/2, in the Borders bookstore at the mall (he liked to play hide and seek and I didn't realize he was "playing" with me at that moment)...and I was a screaming banshee of a wreck within about 2 minutes flat.

More importantly, when my son finally popped up and said "boo mommy" and laughed....and I started breathing normally again...I apologized to everyone I had alarmed in the immediate area of the store. And every single one of them reacted with something along the lines of "oh no, I would be freaked out too, you're fine."

Everyone understands a mom whose child is missing and who is freaked out, screaming for help, calling the cops, losing her mind.

How does a parent not report a missing 2 or 3 year old for over a month?

And how does that parent go party, dance, drink and get a tattoo that reads "Bella Vita" while they believe their toddler is missing?

I know that the defense tried to paint that as her dysfunctional form of grief....but I just don't buy it.

[cinderella]

I am in total agreement with what you've said here. Very well thought out and sensible. You should've been a lawyer!

The part you posted about what Casey was doing while her child was supposedly missing, is key. I've never had children, but judging from the way my mom was with us 3 kids, and how she protected us with the ferocity of a lioness with her cubs...I can well understand how a mother feels if her child is missing - even for a second! So yeah, Casey's behavior during those 31 days is just not right - how could any mother do that??!! It is very telling of her guilt!

Originally Posted by JustJo

I agree. I can't see a retired police officer doing anything to cover up a truly accidental death. That doesn't make any kind of sense.

Even if Casey was negligent and it resulted in a truly accidental death, her father (as a retired cop) would know that people aren't generally held responsible for that...and I believe he would have reported it.

Yes, I think the whole family is an amazingly sad dysfunctional unit...with Casey a pathological liar, and her family enabling it for years...and, apparently, doing some lying of their own as well.

The critical piece for me, if I was sitting on that jury, is her actions in the 31 days when her child was "missing." For me, that spells guilt. Maybe I'm close-minded or whatever....but I once lost track of my son when he was 2-1/2, in the Borders bookstore at the mall (he liked to play hide and seek and I didn't realize he was "playing" with me at that moment)...and I was a screaming banshee of a wreck within about 2 minutes flat.

More importantly, when my son finally popped up and said "boo mommy" and laughed....and I started breathing normally again...I apologized to everyone I had alarmed in the immediate area of the store. And every single one of them reacted with something along the lines of "oh no, I would be freaked out too, you're fine."

Everyone understands a mom whose child is missing and who is freaked out, screaming for help, calling the cops, losing her mind.

How does a parent not report a missing 2 or 3 year old for over a month?

And how does that parent go party, dance, drink and get a tattoo that reads "Bella Vita" while they believe their toddler is missing?

I know that the defense tried to paint that as her dysfunctional form of grief....but I just don't buy it.

[Medusa]

I havne't been watching the case but I have caught a few random clips here and there.

Can someone tell me what the discussion or line of questioning was about how Caylee's body got to the woods? Did the prosecution claim that Casey put it there? What did the defense claim?

Did I read somewhere that the defense claimed that the Dad put it in the woods?

I didnt watch closing arguments but I would have heavily stressed that Casey partied for 31 solid days as her child's body lay decaying in the woods. I probably would have juxtaposed photos of Casey in the "Hot Body" contest with photos of Caylee's corpse.

[iamkeri1]

When her Dad died when she was 15, my daughter rarely showed her grief. I was with her whenever she was not in school, and she was very stoic about it. "People do not need to know how I feel, There is nothing they can do about it. I cry when I am alone in my room at night. People will use it against me. You can't trust people. If they know I am weak they will use it against me." were things she said to me.

Casey Anthony is not a very likeable person. We don't like the way she focuses on herself rather than her daughter. This means 1) she is disfunctional OR 2) she is grieving away from the cameras. All evidence against her is circumstantial. I don't have an opinion as to whether or not she is guilty. I do not believe that the state has made their case. I believe that if she is convicted, it will be more because she is disliked than because of proof of guilt.

Smooches,
Keri

[cinderella]

Ms Sunshyne, whether we agree or not, EVERYONE'S opinion counts as far as I'm concerned. Thank you for your posts, please continue telling us what's on your mind - I for one, am interested in knowing.

Originally Posted by little_ms_sunshyne

I think that Casey Anthony's actions make it hard to not believe she is guilty. However, the state has to prove that she is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Much like many others, I do not believe the state has done a great job of doing so. Everthing is circumstantial.

In regards to this turning into a circus....One of my very best friends lost her grandparents a few years back. They were murdered. The media made a circus of that case as well. I remember how hard it was for her to even turn on the television. Channel after channel..that is all she saw. Images of her grandparents being taken away in body bags and detailed descriptions of how they were murdered. She felt as if though she could not escape from the nightmare, not even in her own home.

I am guilty of following the case and being interested legality and forensics aspect of it. But I do hope that these families are able to find closure and that they may be able to finally mourn the loss of this little girl.

Anyhow, that is my two cents worth of nothing.

[NJFemmie]

Originally Posted by scootebaby

Heres a question/thought....if there was no Zanny why did Caylee actually tell her grandma she went to Zannys? Does noone remember that little snippet? she was 2..unable to lie to that degree so there HAD to be someone she identified as Zanny.

i mean if u watch Cindy Anthonys testimony and earlier tv appearances she discusses the fact she talked to Caylee about this.

2 year olds can lie. 2 year olds can also be coached.
What was interesting in this case was that EVERYONE was found to be some sort of liar. Cindy may be up for perjury charges. I mean, it's hard to believe ANYONE in this case, including the guy who found the body.

[cinderella]

Keep in mind that Casey's mother, Cindy, lied about doing an online search for chloroform, to protect her daughter. Why wouldn't she lie about Caylee's 'Zanny' story?

This woman is torn - she lost her grandchild, and now she may lose her daughter as well. She wants justice for her grandchild, but if she knows that Casey is responsible for Caylee's death, she fears compromising her daughter, and at the same time knows she must be punished. It is a hellish situation to be in - no wonder she broke down on the witness stand!

Originally Posted by scootebaby

Heres a question/thought....if there was no Zanny why did Caylee actually tell her grandma she went to Zannys? Does noone remember that little snippet? she was 2..unable to lie to that degree so there HAD to be someone she identified as Zanny.

i mean if u watch Cindy Anthonys testimony and earlier tv appearances she discusses the fact she talked to Caylee about this.