What Constitutes Guilty?

For the last two years or so, a story about a missing girl, Caylee Anthony, who was eventually found murdered captured the attention of so many.  It was a sad story about a two year old little girl who never got a chance to show her full potential, because her life was cut short.  By whom, and why, appears to be the unanswered questions given yesterdays acquittal of Casey Anthony.

I didn't really follow the case very much as I have my own life to lead with my own children and my own set of worries and problems in life.  All I know is that whenever I did see the mother on the news, she just made my stomach curdle.

Who made me feel that way about her?  Was it the media coverage?  Was it just the tidbits of information that was filtered out over the course of the last several years?  OR Was she really a truly despicable person and I could just see through all her crap and that is what made me dislike this woman?

I couldn't understand how a mother could have a child "gone missing" for more than 24 hours and not report it to "authorities".  For me, my child would have to be missing for 10 seconds or maybe even less than that and I'd be calling the authorities.  Thirty-one days went by before Casey reported her child missing.  During those 31 days she was reportedly enjoying life and partying like a rock star.  Hmmm, this smells a bit fishy to me.  It was also her very calm and passive attitude about all of this that just doesn't sit right with me.  A mother who has lost a child, loses a piece of herself.  The grief never ends and it cuts you to the core, especially under such a tragic circumstance.  Yet, I have not noticed one ounce of grief in Casey Anthony.  Maybe the couple of years in prison have hallowed her out and that's why she seems to be emotionless when it comes to the death of her child.  Although, I have a hard time believing that as well.

The circumstantial evidence was rather glaring .....  to state a few ......

• The lies about a fictitious nanny.
• The smell of "death" in the trunk of Casey's car.
• Chloroform found in the trunk of Casey's car and internet google searches were made on chloroform, neck-breaking and death.
• Duct-tape, plastic bags and laundry bags found at the crime scene were discovered at the house Casey and Caylee were residing at.

However, there was no direct link between the circumstantial evidence and down right proof.  There were enough "holes" in the prosecutors' case that the burden of proof was not achieved and there was a shadow of doubt that Casey could actually be guilty of murdering her child.

I think everyone - including myself - thought this was a slam-dunk case against Casey Anthony.  Especially from the picture painted by the media of Casey Anthony.  She came across as very guilty.  I'm glad I didn't have to sit as a juror on that trial.  I would have been torn between following the judicial governing rules and my gut feelings and instinct about Casey Anthony.  I am a rule follower by nature.  I would have had to do exactly what the jurors did.  I would have had to acquit Casey because there was a lack of burden of proof.  If there was even a minuscule amount of doubt I would have been forced to adhere to the judicial process and acquit.  And, yes, even if my heart and intuition told me that she was as guilty as sin!

Many people are dumbfounded that a jury heavily seated with women and moms could acquit Casey Anthony.  So many people have complained that the judicial system failed in this trial.  I don't see it that way.  Given what little bit I know about other countries' "judicial systems", the United States is where I would want to be if I was standing on either sides of the courtroom.  The United States adheres to the philosophy that a person is "innocent" until proven guilty.  This is huge!  We are one of the few countries that rule in this manner.  If I was on trial, I certainly would want to be "innocent" until proven guilty.  I also wouldn't want my guilt to be based on circumstantial evidence.  If that was the case, so many innocent people would be incarcerated unjustly.

We should be happy that our judicial system requires "guilt" be proven.  That guilt isn't merely defined as a person's opinion on another person, but rather based on solid evidence.  Evidence that can prove without a shadow of a doubt a person is guilty.

I think its important that our judicial system maintains this philosophy.  I'd rather see a few bad-doers go free then a whole mass of innocent people being punished because we just felt they were guilty without any solid evidence.

What may have failed in this case is the prosecutors.  Maybe, they jumped the gun a little too early in prosecuting Casey Anthony.  Maybe, a little more time needed to be used to gather solid evidence rather than just circumstantial evidence.  Maybe, the prosecutors needed to scrutinize jurors a little better.  The judicial system didn't fail in this case, the attorneys prosecuting the case failed to show a burden of proof in Casey Anthony's guilt!

My gut instinct tells me the whole family and a few good friends are involved with the acquittal of Casey.  I think that a set of people know the full story and they are just that good at covering their tracks and adhering to their "unwritten code".  My gut tells me that if the prosecutors started going after individual family members or friends for the death of Caylee, there would eventually be "slip-ups" and the truth would come out.  Unfortunately, the truth will be that Casey killed her child because she didn't want to be a mom anymore and she unfortunately will not be able to be tried again because of "double jeopardy".

I know one thing for sure, I'm going to give my kids an extra hug tonight!