Casey Anthony - guilty, or not?

[Heart]

A different perspective on "Caylee's Law:" I worked with a survivor of horrific intimate partner violence whose husband suffocated their 2-month old under a mattress and forced the mother to bury the child. Because they were poor immigrants the authorities didn't know or care about what was happening in this family. When the mother was finally able to flee the house in which she had been literally imprisoned and hop a bus to escape, she was so traumatized, she could barely speak. Eventually, with help, she alerted authorities who arrested her husband.

How do you think Casey's Law would affect this mother?

(And I hope no one thinks that prosecutors wouldn't use such a law against a poor battered immigrant victim of domestic violence -- because I can assure you they would. There are hundreds of such victims imprisoned all across the U.S. right now).

Heart

[princessbelle]

Originally Posted by Heart

A different perspective on "Caylee's Law:" I worked with a survivor of horrific intimate partner violence whose husband suffocated their 2-month old under a mattress and forced the mother to bury the child. Because they were poor immigrants the authorities didn't know or care about what was happening in this family. When the mother was finally able to flee the house in which she had been literally imprisoned and hop a bus to escape, she was so traumatized, she could barely speak. Eventually, with help, she alerted authorities who arrested her husband.

How do you think Casey's Law would affect this mother?

(And I hope no one thinks that prosecutors wouldn't use such a law against a poor battered immigrant victim of domestic violence -- because I can assure you they would. There are hundreds of such victims imprisoned all across the U.S. right now).

Heart

Surely under these circumstances it would be dealt with differently. She certainly was fearing for her life.

Thanks for giving this a different perspective. Information is always a good thing.

[Novelafemme]

Originally Posted by Heart

A different perspective on "Caylee's Law:" I worked with a survivor of horrific intimate partner violence whose husband suffocated their 2-month old under a mattress and forced the mother to bury the child. Because they were poor immigrants the authorities didn't know or care about what was happening in this family. When the mother was finally able to flee the house in which she had been literally imprisoned and hop a bus to escape, she was so traumatized, she could barely speak. Eventually, with help, she alerted authorities who arrested her husband.

How do you think Casey's Law would affect this mother?

(And I hope no one thinks that prosecutors wouldn't use such a law against a poor battered immigrant victim of domestic violence -- because I can assure you they would. There are hundreds of such victims imprisoned all across the U.S. right now).

Heart

This is just horrific, Heart. Thank you for sharing as this scenario is one that needs to be addressed before implementing such a law.

[JustJo]

Originally Posted by Novelafemme

This is just horrific, Heart. Thank you for sharing as this scenario is one that needs to be addressed before implementing such a law.

Absolutely, yes. It seems like it could certainly be written to address a situation in which the parent feared for their life or safety and still address the "Casey situation" in which she was clearly just partying on and having fun.

[Mister Bent]

Originally Posted by Jess

Oklahoma woman calls for parents who fail to notify police of missing child to be charged with felony; more than 37,000 supporters join in less than 24 hours.

More than 37,000 people in all 50 states have joined a Change.org campaign calling for a federal law -- called “Caylee’s Law” -- that would make the failure of a parent to notify law enforcement of a child’s disappearance a felony.

Originally Posted by Heart

A different perspective on "Caylee's Law:" I worked with a survivor of horrific intimate partner violence whose husband suffocated their 2-month old under a mattress and forced the mother to bury the child. Because they were poor immigrants the authorities didn't know or care about what was happening in this family. When the mother was finally able to flee the house in which she had been literally imprisoned and hop a bus to escape, she was so traumatized, she could barely speak. Eventually, with help, she alerted authorities who arrested her husband.

How do you think Casey's Law would affect this mother?

(And I hope no one thinks that prosecutors wouldn't use such a law against a poor battered immigrant victim of domestic violence -- because I can assure you they would. There are hundreds of such victims imprisoned all across the U.S. right now).

Heart

Heart, you raise an excellent point. While Caylee's Law only means that a parent could be charged, not convicted. Unfortunately, that means we have to trust the police and the justice system in the handling of those cases. Ideally, proper investigation would clear an abused or otherwise victimized parent. I think one thing that the Casey Anthony media circus underscores, and which has been discussed here, is the schism in our justice system when it comes to race. I can imagine a scenario where the mother you wrote about and Casey Anthony are both put in the situation of having to explain where their child is, or why their child is missing, and only one of them walking out of the police station.

The intent is good, however, toward an effort to keep children safe and making parents more accountable (because apparently some have forgotten that fundamental concept of parenting). My question is what's to be done for a child like Christian Choate, of whom the state seems to have lost track? Maybe that's a different thread topic, but it raises all sorts of questions for me, like what is the state's responsibility in a situation like his, in which Child Protective Services had been involved?

[Mr. Moon]

Originally Posted by Heart

A different perspective on "Caylee's Law:" I worked with a survivor of horrific intimate partner violence whose husband suffocated their 2-month old under a mattress and forced the mother to bury the child. Because they were poor immigrants the authorities didn't know or care about what was happening in this family. When the mother was finally able to flee the house in which she had been literally imprisoned and hop a bus to escape, she was so traumatized, she could barely speak. Eventually, with help, she alerted authorities who arrested her husband.

How do you think Casey's Law would affect this mother?

(And I hope no one thinks that prosecutors wouldn't use such a law against a poor battered immigrant victim of domestic violence -- because I can assure you they would. There are hundreds of such victims imprisoned all across the U.S. right now).

Heart

Thank you Heart! EXACTLY what I've been saying. Making blanket laws about this is very very dangerous. Typical Governmental move though. They do it about everything. Making blanket type laws is invasive to my personal rights! (I'm still traumatized about seat belt laws....like my flying body is such a lethal weapon).
Seriously though. There will be no "common sense" when it comes to this law. There will be a simple blanket law, you don't do it, yer arrested. They won't care about circumstances because you can't possibly think up all the circumstances that could arise to hold someone up from notifying them. Isn't anyone outraged by these type laws and how they could be used against us? too much government in my life I tell ya! Ugh! Calm down people, and stop the mob mentality! I know of two other situations that happened RIGHT NOW where children were killed by caretakers/parents. Happens all the time somewhere on this earth. It is sad but knee jerk reactions aren't helping!!

rant rant sorry!

[NJFemmie]

Just two days after a Florida jury found Casey Anthony not guilty of murdering her 2-year old daughter Caylee, four states are drafting legislation being referred to as "Caylee's Law," which would tighten requirements on missing persons reports.



Lawmakers in Florida, Oklahoma, New York and West Virginia have all announced that they will propose versions of the law. This comes at the same time that an online petition for a "Caylee's Law" went viral on Change.org, which has collected over 300,000 signatures.
Oklahoma Rep. Paul Wesselhoft said that the petition, created by Michelle Crowder of Durant, Okla., caught his eye and the eyes of his constituents.
"Yesterday, I got a lot of emails from my constituents who are very outraged by the trial and the verdict," Wesselhoft told ABCNews.com. "We're all outraged that Caylee did not receive justice. There's no question about that."



Wesselhoft, a Republican, plans to propose a law at the start of Oklahoma's legislative session in 2012 that would make it a felony for a parent of guardian not to notify authorities within 24 hours of a child's death. He also plans to propose a requirement for parents to notify runaways under the age of 12 in a timely manner, although he admits having a time table for that is "more difficult because you don't know when the clock starts," he said.



More here: http://abcnews.go.com/US/casey-antho...ry?id=14020260

[girl_dee]

Maybe it's me but isn't even 24 hours kinda long for a missing 2 year old?

[Jess]

Originally Posted by NJFemmie

Just two days after a Florida jury found Casey Anthony not guilty of murdering her 2-year old daughter Caylee, four states are drafting legislation being referred to as "Caylee's Law," which would tighten requirements on missing persons reports.



Lawmakers in Florida, Oklahoma, New York and West Virginia have all announced that they will propose versions of the law. This comes at the same time that an online petition for a "Caylee's Law" went viral on Change.org, which has collected over 300,000 signatures.
Oklahoma Rep. Paul Wesselhoft said that the petition, created by Michelle Crowder of Durant, Okla., caught his eye and the eyes of his constituents.
"Yesterday, I got a lot of emails from my constituents who are very outraged by the trial and the verdict," Wesselhoft told ABCNews.com. "We're all outraged that Caylee did not receive justice. There's no question about that."



Wesselhoft, a Republican, plans to propose a law at the start of Oklahoma's legislative session in 2012 that would make it a felony for a parent of guardian not to notify authorities within 24 hours of a child's death. He also plans to propose a requirement for parents to notify runaways under the age of 12 in a timely manner, although he admits having a time table for that is "more difficult because you don't know when the clock starts," he said.



More here: http://abcnews.go.com/US/casey-antho...ry?id=14020260

and this is precisely the time that we ( generally/ collectively) need to contact our lawmakers/ representatives with the knowledge of the abused spouse type of scenario that Heart mentioned above.

We ( the people) have their attention, now it is up to us to make them aware of the potential dangers of the previously mentioned pitfalls of a "blanket law".

Conversations like the very one going on here, is what will help our representatives help our families. I do not see the action of the change.org petition initiator as negative or dangerous. I see it as an excellent opportunity for follow up from an informed public.

[Andrew, Jr.]

I have been glued to the TV watching this case. One of the protestors was carrying a sign that read "Somewhere a village is missing 12 idiots." Then there was a young guy on the other side of the red tape on the opposite side of the protestors who was carrying a sign "Marry Me Casey!". It boggles one's mind.

I do think that Casey isn't safe living in Florida. She does need to move, change her name, have plastic surgery, and move on with her life. However, I do think we will hear her commiting another crime for some reason or another. It is another OJ Simpson but with Casey.

I would like to know that since Casey is a convicted felon for the check fraud issues, does she have to pay the $4,000 when she is released from jail next week? And is there a time table for her to pay back the State of FL for the various searches for Caylee, police support and so on?

The jurors distrust of George Anthony really surprised me. I think most of those women jurors were single mothers who just disliked men in my opinion.

[scootebaby]

Andrew,i mean no disrespect,but ur statement of "single women who dislike men" is way off base and out of line. Altho it was a 7/5 split(if i recall correctly) i know of at least 2 female jurors were married. As for George....he made himself look untrusting..the way he went around answering instead of directly,or getting into a pissing match with Baez


The jury being blamed is ludicrous...they admitted they wanted to convicted,but the evidence THEY needed wasnt there. It took a lot of strength for them not to vote out of emotion--i cant imagine how hard that is.

As for pymt Casey is responsible for the $4000 court cost (which a pymt plan will be set up) as for what if any is her part in the search for Cayleee wont be determined until the hearing--which im unsure of when that happens!

[girl_dee]

Originally Posted by Andrew, Jr.

pport and so on?

The jurors distrust of George Anthony really surprised me. I think most of those women jurors were single mothers who just disliked men in my opinion.

Huh? ...........

[Andrew, Jr.]

Everyone has the right to their own opinion. That is why Baskin Robbins has 31 flavors.

[tantalizingfemme]

Originally Posted by Andrew, Jr.

I think most of those women jurors were single mothers who just disliked men in my opinion.

Can you explain how single mothers = women who dislike men? I find this really offensive as a single mother.

[JustJo]

Originally Posted by Andrew, Jr.

The jurors distrust of George Anthony really surprised me. I think most of those women jurors were single mothers who just disliked men in my opinion.

Excuse me?

I know I'm not the first one verbalizing this, but this statement is offensive.

There are an awful lot of us who are single mothers....and I would venture to guess it has no impact on our opinions about men.

As a matter of fact, both my partner and I are the single mothers of boys. Are you trying to tell us we dislike men? And, if so, when are we supposed to suddenly start disliking our sons?

You're calling this an "opinion" - which it is....but it's the same kind of opinion that leads to racism, sexism, sizism, ageism and all of the crap we're all supposedly working hard to rid ourselves of.

[NJFemmie]

Originally Posted by Jess

and this is precisely the time that we ( generally/ collectively) need to contact our lawmakers/ representatives with the knowledge of the abused spouse type of scenario that Heart mentioned above.

We ( the people) have their attention, now it is up to us to make them aware of the potential dangers of the previously mentioned pitfalls of a "blanket law".

Conversations like the very one going on here, is what will help our representatives help our families. I do not see the action of the change.org petition initiator as negative or dangerous. I see it as an excellent opportunity for follow up from an informed public.

Agreed. It would be inevitable and completely necessary:

Rikki Klieman, a Los Angeles-based criminal defense lawyer and former prosecutor, said that while she supports the Anthony verdict, she also finds it reasonable in some cases to elevate misdemeanors, such as failure to notify, to felonies.

"But we have to have a debate about defining this," she said. "In some of the proposed laws I've seen, the times are very short. Yes, 31 days is too long, but I can think of many situations in which 48 hours would be too short. We can't put parents and caretakers in a situation that may not be their fault. We have to pay attention to reasonable complications and circumstances."


http://www.philly.com/philly/news/ne...125199389.html


So far, the petition elicited over 600,000 signatures making it very clear that although the general public is outraged - something needs to be done. Every state that has adopted this is working on their own version of it - in attempt to keep it reasonable.