Casey Anthony - Not Guilty of First Degree Murder

[Anjin-san]

The state presents it's case,the defense refutes it.A jury decides.Flawed? Of course as most humans are,...

RIP little girl.

KB

[silvermedalist]

This is another Travesty of Justice. OJ II if you will. Complete idiots on the jury. Common sense has to come into play once in a while. The bitch is guilty. The only big question is whether it was premeditated or a cover up. But the poor child deserved alot better. Another sad day in the US justice system.

[Kiwi_Zep_Fan87]

I have been following this infamous case for quite a while now through shows like Anderson Cooper 360. I will be lying if I said that I wasn't disappointed by the verdict. Whenever I saw photos of that innocent little girl, Caley Anthony, I was always hoping that "Justice will FINALLY be served". Sadly, that wasn't to be! Shame really!

[2bitnogoodjive]

I was always hoping that "Justice will FINALLY be served".

Not with these prosecuting attorneys:

[Bingo]

If the tape is on the mouth, not guilty in the south.

[bouillon]

Never heard of this case until today. Reminds me of the Madeleine McCann case over here. I wonder whether Kate McCann has ever had a lie-detector test...

The 'Hot Body' contest part shocked me. What was the mother thinking?? No way is she hot.

[Knebby]

Never heard of this case until today. Reminds me of the Madeleine McCann case over here. I wonder whether Kate McCann has ever had a lie-detector test...

I'm sure she has. She is CLEARLY not guilty, and shame on you for buying into the Portuguese smear campaign. Dan's probably right - if reading newspapers leads to words like these, we should ban them all.

[lzzoso]

Like most people, I was somewhat shocked by the not guilty verdict. Two things that I now think of about this trial:

1. If Casey Anthony did not murder her own daughter, who did?

2. Casey's defense claimed that her own father sexually abused Casey when Casey was younger. If the defense claimed this in court, Casey obviously had to agree to this claim and let her defense team bring it up in court. If this really happened or not, I have no idea. I think it was a ploy for the defense to help bolster their case. Now that Casey was found not guilty, imagine what this does to Casey's relationship with her own father? Unless he somehow agreed to this defense claim (and I could never see how he would agree to something like this just to help get his daughter found not guilty). We all know that sexual abuse is completely repugnant and incestous sexual abuse is probably the worst taboo ever.

[bouillon]

I'm sure she has. She is CLEARLY not guilty, and shame on you for buying into the Portuguese smear campaign. Dan's probably right - if reading newspapers leads to words like these, we should ban them all.

I can't see any reference to her taking a test. She said she would, then refused to. She also apparently refused to answer 47 of the Portuguese police's questions.

I haven't 'bought into the Portuguese smear campaign', and I don't read newspapers. I always form my opinions from my own observations, and I have formed my opinion on the McCanns from their very own words and body language. Here's just a little taster for you, which could almost be a satirical take on revelatory body language:

In my experience, if it looks and smells like a rat, it usually is a rat.

[Knebby]

Disgusting. Are you a parent? I am. I gave my own child Calpol, the "sedative" mentioned in that interview, on many an occasion to help with a good night sleep. It's an over-the-counter medicine, and I know all about it - as the McCanns, as Doctors, certainly would have. It's a whole fecking different kettle of fish from the MURDER that you are accusing them of.

Ask yourself a simple question - if you had murdered your own daughter, with no apparent motive, managed to dispose of her body, and, despite being arrested and interrogated by the police, "got away with it", would you then spend the rest of your life trying to keep your daughter's disappearance in the public eye???

As you said - if it looks and smells like a rat, it probably is. If it looks and acts like desperate parents tortured by the agony of their mistake and desperate to find their daughter, it probably is.

[BIGDAN]

Disgusting. Are you a parent? I am. I gave my own child Calpol, the "sedative" mentioned in that interview, on many an occasion to help with a good night sleep. It's an over-the-counter medicine, and I know all about it - as the McCanns, as Doctors, certainly would have. It's a whole fecking different kettle of fish from the MURDER that you are accusing them of.

Ask yourself a simple question - if you had murdered your own daughter, with no apparent motive, managed to dispose of her body, and, despite being arrested and interrogated by the police, "got away with it", would you then spend the rest of your life trying to keep your daughter's disappearance in the public eye???

As you said - if it looks and smells like a rat, it probably is. If it looks and acts like desperate parents tortured by the agony of their mistake and desperate to find their daughter, it probably is.

Well said Knebby.

Kind Regards, Danny

[2bitnogoodjive]

Evidence of human decomposition was found in the trunk of Casey Anthony's car. A car that was proved that only she was using during the time her daughter was missing.

I don't see how or why the jury seemed to ignore that.

Possibly because a forensic chemist for the defense refuted the evidence.

[Knebby]

Possibly because a forensic chemist for the defense refuted the evidence.

I'm interested in this - in what manner was it refuted? I read that several people said that the car smelled like there had been a body decomposing in it - what was the defense line?

[2bitnogoodjive]

I'm interested in this - in what manner was it refuted? I read that several people said that the car smelled like there had been a body decomposing in it - what was the defense line?

Here's a link

[Knebby]

Here's a link

Thanks

[dazedcat]

Not having followed this trial at all, I think the charge of murder one was a grave mistake. First degree murder is the hardest thing to prove unless the prosecution has iron clad evidence. Apparently they didn't. If the jury had received instructions from the presiding judge to convict on this charge only, then they had to acquit due to the lack of irrefutable evidence?

From the little that I have read about this case the woman got away with murder. When they went after her for pre-mediated first degree murder though, they failed at proving it. Unfortunately that's how the system works here.

Doesn't make it any better to swallow though.

[Electrophile]

While I agree the prosecution screwed up by not including a lesser murder charge, they did include manslaughter as one of the charges, which while not capital murder, would put her in prison regardless. The jury didn't just say she wasn't guilty of premeditated murder, they said she wasn't guilty of the child's death, no matter to what degree she was charged with participating in it. She even walked on the child abuse charge.

As a side note, the moment I knew Casey Anthony was a sociopath irrespective of whether she killed her kid or not (and I believe she did), was when she allowed her defense team to say that her father molested her. What kind of diseased mind would allow someone to paint their father as a kiddie-diddler, while presenting no evidence of it in open court? I hope her father sues her and her defense team until they don't even have socks on their feet anymore. In this country, even the accusation of child molestation can destroy someone's life, much less a conviction. That's when I knew this bitch was twisted beyond any hope of redemption.

[dazedcat]

While I agree the prosecution screwed up by not including a lesser murder charge, they did include manslaughter as one of the charges, which while not capital murder, would put her in prison regardless. The jury didn't just say she wasn't guilty of premeditated murder, they said she wasn't guilty of the child's death, no matter to what degree she was charged with participating in it. She even walked on the child abuse charge.

As a side note, the moment I knew Casey Anthony was a sociopath irrespective of whether she killed her kid or not (and I believe she did), was when she allowed her defense team to say that her father molested her. What kind of diseased mind would allow someone to paint their father as a kiddie-diddler, while presenting no evidence of it in open court? I hope her father sues her and her defense team until they don't even have socks on their feet anymore. In this country, even the accusation of child molestation can destroy someone's life, much less a conviction. That's when I knew this bitch was twisted beyond any hope of redemption.

Ok, I didn't realize a manslaughter charge was involved. That makes it even worse then. Unbelievable really.

[Walter]

not just her father, but brother also! George won't do anything about this, unless he divorces Cindy. She controls EVERYTHING in that household. Lee, her brother, didn't come to court at all, except for the days he was testifying. It looks like he is completely removing himself from the whole lot of them.

As a side note, the moment I knew Casey Anthony was a sociopath irrespective of whether she killed her kid or not (and I believe she did), was when she allowed her defense team to say that her father molested her. What kind of diseased mind would allow someone to paint their father as a kiddie-diddler, while presenting no evidence of it in open court? I hope her father sues her and her defense team until they don't even have socks on their feet anymore. In this country, even the accusation of child molestation can destroy someone's life, much less a conviction. That's when I knew this bitch was twisted beyond any hope of redemption.

[Walter]

I'm interested in this - in what manner was it refuted? I read that several people said that the car smelled like there had been a body decomposing in it - what was the defense line?

He refuted by saying that reminents of food (velvetta and salami) would also provide the fatty acids that were found in the trunk?!? But had nothing for why the smell was there 2 years after the fact. They still had a can in evidence that still smelled like human decomposition, in the courtroom. But the judge ruled it could not be opened because it might cause bias in the jury - given that 4 jurors said they had smelled human decomposition before. They called it the "can of death".

After reading that on-line tabloid link that was provided, I remain convinced that the jury did not understand the scientific evidence presented, made their decision based on personalities involved and wanted to get the hell out of there and get home. They, in no way, looked over the mountain of evidence - visual, audio and scientific - in the 10 hours they deliberated.

The fallout from all of this, beginning tomorrow with the sentencing on the 4 misdemeanor charges she was found guilty of, is going to be very interesting. A psycho like Casey will not stay out of the spotlight for long. She will be making the rounds, but public perception will be much different than the 12 jurors. Her personality and mental illness will get her in trouble again, it may a little while (or not) but it will. I hope nobody allows her to make a buck off her daughter's death, but I'm too much of a realist to believe otherwise.

[silvermedalist]

Not having followed this trial at all, I think the charge of murder one was a grave mistake. First degree murder is the hardest thing to prove unless the prosecution has iron clad evidence. Apparently they didn't. If the jury had received instructions from the presiding judge to convict on this charge only, then they had to acquit due to the lack of irrefutable evidence?

From the little that I have read about this case the woman got away with murder. When they went after her for pre-mediated first degree murder though, they failed at proving it. Unfortunately that's how the system works here.

Doesn't make it any better to swallow though.

You summed it up perfectly. They should have gone for two with an option of manslaughter. Bad move. Even harder to convict a "good looking" woman. Sad but true. And the bitch has not an ounce of remorse. I feel bad for that child. Hopefully she is in a better place.

[silvermedalist]

While I agree the prosecution screwed up by not including a lesser murder charge, they did include manslaughter as one of the charges, which while not capital murder, would put her in prison regardless. The jury didn't just say she wasn't guilty of premeditated murder, they said she wasn't guilty of the child's death, no matter to what degree she was charged with participating in it. She even walked on the child abuse charge.

As a side note, the moment I knew Casey Anthony was a sociopath irrespective of whether she killed her kid or not (and I believe she did), was when she allowed her defense team to say that her father molested her. What kind of diseased mind would allow someone to paint their father as a kiddie-diddler, while presenting no evidence of it in open court? I hope her father sues her and her defense team until they don't even have socks on their feet anymore. In this country, even the accusation of child molestation can destroy someone's life, much less a conviction. That's when I knew this bitch was twisted beyond any hope of redemption.

I agree totally. Its bullshit. I hope the judge at least keeps the bitch in jail for the two years he has that he can, to let her perhaps think about what she did? If its possible to get any emotion out of her?

[Walter]

I agree totally. Its bullshit. I hope the judge at least keeps the bitch in jail for the two years he has that he can, to let her perhaps think about what she did? If its possible to get any emotion out of her?

Emotion? Only when it involves herself!

She has been for almost 3 years already and the max he could give her is 4, so they are saying it will probably be time served. Who knows, nothing would surprise me at this point!

[bouillon]

Disgusting. Are you a parent? I am. I gave my own child Calpol, the "sedative" mentioned in that interview, on many an occasion to help with a good night sleep. It's an over-the-counter medicine, and I know all about it - as the McCanns, as Doctors, certainly would have. It's a whole fecking different kettle of fish from the MURDER that you are accusing them of.

Ask yourself a simple question - if you had murdered your own daughter, with no apparent motive, managed to dispose of her body, and, despite being arrested and interrogated by the police, "got away with it", would you then spend the rest of your life trying to keep your daughter's disappearance in the public eye???

As you said - if it looks and smells like a rat, it probably is. If it looks and acts like desperate parents tortured by the agony of their mistake and desperate to find their daughter, it probably is.

Er, sorry, but where have I accused anyone of MURDER?

Yes, I'm a parent, and I've given all three of my kids Calpol and/or Calprofen. But I only give it to them when they're ill, not when they cry for hours on end (which I've never allowed them to do) or impede my socialising. But my point wasn't about Calpol, it was about evasiveness and deception.

As for your question: if my child disappeared, I would be anxious to be as helpful and unobstructive as possible in the investigation. This would include answering all questions fully and frankly, regardless of how irrelevant or offensive they might appear. If I fell under suspicion, I would volunteer to take a lie detector test, regardless of whether the results were admissible as evidence, because I would find it unbearable to have my grief compounded by the thought that anyone could possibly believe I might be responsible. Finally, no way would I hire a publicist or spokesperson. If I had anything constructive to say, or any questions to answer, I would do it myself, secure in the knowledge that I had nothing to hide and therefore would not be in any danger of saying anything incriminating.

How's them apples?

[Knebby]

My thoughts EXACTLY!

And mine. I was waiting to be pounced on for that, but I used my words carefuly. For me, I meant a good nights sleep in the case of an illness which would disrupt that(for them). But I personally know people who have used Calpol, and Dimetapp, to help their children sleep after a trans-Atlantic flight. It's actually safe, and not immoral to do that, and I can see why people have.

The body language that was shown to us in that video was in relation to that question, the use of a sedative like calpol. I suspect you may well disaprove of this, but they knew that it wasn't harmful, and I personally don't have any issue with that, though it isn't something I would do. This is in NO WAY evidence that they were involved in the disappearance of their daughter - but quite obviously an uncomfortable question for them because they knew that it would lead some to be critical of their parenting - which is obviously where they had already made a crucial mistake in leaving their chidren alone.

I am very clear that they made mistakes. I am equally clear that the consequences they have had to endure, and their daughter has had to endure, far outweigh any that they may have deserved.

I see no paralells whatsoever between these two cases, the comparison sickens me.