While the rest of the country was coming down from their 4th of July high on Tuesday, July 5th, Casey Anthony was just beginning to celebrate. Anthony was found not guilty of killing her two year-old daughter Caylee and will soon walk away a free woman. Her renewed independence is not being taken well by many who think she has gotten away with murder. Let’s take a closer look at the case.
Although it’s been confirmed that Anthony hid news of Caylee’s death, covered her nose and mouth with duct tape, and indecently disposed of her remains in the woods, there is simply not enough hard evidence to say without a doubt that she actually killed Caylee. Jennifer Ford, also known as juror number 3 in the case, told ABC News, “If you cannot prove what the crime was you cannot determine what the punishment should be.” It’s hard for many Americans to accept the idea that a person in this country could kill with impunity due to a lack of evidence.
The facts that were brought to trial were that Caylee was not reported missing for a month, Casey spent the days after her daughter’s disappearance partying, and even got a tattoo that reads ‘free life’. Furthermore, ‘chloroform’ was searched repeatedly on the Anthony family computer and Casey’s vehicle reeked of an unidentifiable odor which was proven to be consistent with some kind of decomposition. Most would think that the mounting evidence was enough to pin Casey as the murderer, but to the twelve jurors these clues only scratched the surface.
One good thing that came out of this trial is a bill being proposed by California legislators. It’ll be called ‘Caylee’s Law’ and will make it a felony for parents not to report a child less than twelve years of age missing within 48 hours. If you’re still a skeptic of America’s judicial system perhaps you’ll find comfort in a thing called karma.
Like Casey Anthony O.J. Simpson was found not guilty of murder despite plenty of evidence pointing to him as his ex-wife’s assailant. The surprising verdict of his 1995 trial left America shocked and shaken. As fate would have it, thirteen years later Simpson was sentenced to 33 years in prison for other serious run-ins with the law.
It’s a challenge to digest the idea that dangerous people could be living next door to us or our loved ones. But let’s look at it another way. What if jurors were to be so strict as to convict the accused with little to no evidence? Innocent people would be thrown behind bars all the time. America is the land of opportunity, justice, and equality. The July 5th verdict of the Casey Anthony trial enforces those values.
References:
Blogs.sacbee.com
CNN.com
Msnbc.msn.com