Is there any possibility of a Plea Deal on the Murder Charges?

[thedeviledadvocate]

Do you mean if she is innocent of premeditated murder but guilty of a lesser offense like manslaughter or something? I am not sure what you are asking.

I realize this is a difficult concept even in a hypothetical, because the media has just about everyone, except the defense team, convinced that KC is guilty, but my question is
Hypothetically speaking,
If KC is innocent of the charges of premeditated murder, aggravated child abuse, and aggravated manslaughter of a child, as in somebody else was responsible for the death of Caylee, then would any plea resulting in jail time be acceptable?
In other words, even if she didn’t do it, is she in so much trouble that she would be better off accepting a plea deal and serving the time offered in the plea?

In this hypothetical, KC is innocent of the charges, and accepting a plea deal would not be justice for Caylee. It would however, allow the real murderer to roam free to murder other children. Accepting the plea deal in this hypothetical would appease the masses, and the much despised KC would be off the streets for a number of years.

I am asking this hypothetical question because there are some people who still believe KC is 100% innocent of the 3 main charges. Personally, I have some doubts as to whether she committed premeditated murder, but I think she is guilty of some wrongdoing, I’m just not sure to what extent that wrongdoing is.
As far as my answer to the hypothetical question, If I was accused of the premeditated murder of my child, and aggravated child abuse, and the aggravated manslaughter of my child, and I was 100% innocent, I would not find any plea deal acceptable. If I am innocent, I am innocent, and I would not care what the media, LE, or the prosecutor said. I would not plead guilty period.

 

[Kentjbkent]

I realize this is a difficult concept even in a hypothetical, because the media has just about everyone, except the defense team, convinced that KC is guilty, but my question is
Hypothetically speaking,
If KC is innocent of the charges of premeditated murder, aggravated child abuse, and aggravated manslaughter of a child, as in somebody else was responsible for the death of Caylee, then would any plea resulting in jail time be acceptable?
In other words, even if she didn’t do it, is she in so much trouble that she would be better off accepting a plea deal and serving the time offered in the plea?

In this hypothetical, KC is innocent of the charges, and accepting a plea deal would not be justice for Caylee. It would however, allow the real murderer to roam free to murder other children. Accepting the plea deal in this hypothetical would appease the masses, and the much despised KC would be off the streets for a number of years.

I am asking this hypothetical question because there are some people who still believe KC is 100% innocent of the 3 main charges. Personally, I have some doubts as to whether she committed premeditated murder, but I think she is guilty of some wrongdoing, I’m just not sure to what extent that wrongdoing is.
As far as my answer to the hypothetical question, If I was accused of the premeditated murder of my child, and aggravated child abuse, and the aggravated manslaughter of my child, and I was 100% innocent, I would not find any plea deal acceptable. If I am innocent, I am innocent, and I would not care what the media, LE, or the prosecutor said. I would not plead guilty period.

The problem I am having with even considering how I would feel about this hypothetical situation is that I do not believe that the MEDIA is responsible for the general public being convinced that KC is guilty.

I could consider this hypothetical if there was no such thing as the Sunshine Law and all information that we know as fact at this time was SOLELY gained from media reports.."WFTV said....so it must be true...."

My opinion is that most people have formed an opinion based on the documentation they have seen through the Sunshine Law....investigative reports, interviews, test results, etc.....and we usually view those before the media even has a chance to do an on-air report of their perspective.....

So if all the documentation mentioned above did NOT appear to lead to KC as the suspect in this crime, I don't think anyone would be suggesting she take a plea....they would want to find WHO did it...

 

[Soju]

I realize this is a difficult concept even in a hypothetical, because the media has just about everyone, except the defense team, convinced that KC is guilty, .

snipped with respect and BBM.

First I want to tell you that I really respect the way you ask questions and express your opinion. You're fair and open-minded and not tunnel-visioned by your opinion, if that makes sense.

Anyway, regarding this part of your post, I'd disagree and say that at least for me, it's not the media that has me convinced of KC's guilt: it's the evidence and her behavior. I take all media with a huge grain of salt, and have formed my opinion myself.

 

[Blaise]

snip cool post

If I had nothing to do with the death of my child, yeah, I wouldn't take any kind of a plea, death penalty be damned.

However, if I had nothing to do with the death of my child, none of my other actions would be the same as Casey Anthony. And that's non-hypothetical.

It's not the media that has colored my opinions. At least not directly. The media has made me aware of:

* 31 days
* Partying while my child was missing
* Initial lies to law enforcement
* Lying about Caylee calling on 07-15-08
* The "they only want Caylee back" statement
* The strut

And on and on and on and on and on. These are not opinion pieces. These are cold, hard facts.

Casey's behaviors and actions have led me to the opinion that she is guilty, and if the state just sets these forth, in a simple, linear fashion -- 'this happened, and then this happened, and then this happened', for the life of me, I can't see how anyone can find her not guilty.

Blaise

 

[LetJusticePrevail]

Soju, I agree with you and add...

JB asserted that the public's disgust (implying guilt) for KC was due to the media's negative reporting of her. For me, that's an insult to my intelligence. I do not dislike KC because of the media's take on her! I dislike KC because of what she's done and failed to do. I grew extremely protective of Caylee because the person/s that should have been protective of her were not. I feel a sense of obligation because maybe ... just maybe Caylee will feel that sense of commitment that she deserved but did not receive from her family.

So with that, it's KC's actions that scream of her guilt. Action's many of us were aware of before the media started chiming in. But action's that the media began reporting on and have continued to report on likely for the simplest explanation, which I share...who can fathom or have compassion for a mother who shows no regard for their child.

snipped with respect and BBM.

First I want to tell you that I really respect the way you ask questions and express your opinion. You're fair and open-minded and not tunnel-visioned by your opinion, if that makes sense.

Anyway, regarding this part of your post, I'd disagree and say that at least for me, it's not the media that has me convinced of KC's guilt: it's the evidence and her behavior. I take all media with a huge grain of salt, and have formed my opinion myself.

 

[Kentjbkent]

In my particular case, the media is responsible for bringing my attention to this case, BEFORE it was a murder case and when it was still a MISSING CHILD case. I first heard of Caylee Anthony on the NG show when she "disappeared".

It was the media that drew my attention to following the story of looking for a missing Caylee, but then it became my own perceptions and thoughts that led to my assumption of guilt based on document releases.

I live 8 hours from Orlando, so if not for the media, I would have never been aware of this beautiful little girl. But the media bringing the story to my attention does not make KC any more guilty.....or innocent.

 

[cyberborg]

Soju, I agree with you and add...

JB asserted that the public's disgust (implying guilt) for KC was due to the media's negative reporting of her. For me, that's an insult to my intelligence. I do not dislike KC because of the media's take on her! I dislike KC because of what she's done and failed to do. I grew extremely protective of Caylee because the person/s that should have been protective of her were not. I feel a sense of obligation because maybe ... just maybe Caylee will feel that sense of commitment that she deserved but did not receive from her family.

So with that, it's KC's actions that scream of her guilt. Action's many of us were aware of before the media started chiming in. But action's that the media began reporting on and have continued to report on likely for the simplest explanation, which I share...who can fathom or have compassion for a mother who shows no regard for their child.

ITA ..... added to that, BC and the A's have admitted a few times that KC was involved but (CA feels) she must have had help. [They have revised this recently to they don't know.] Given the hypothetical above --- added that KC is involved then how do you address her involvement and lack of help (quite the reverse)?

For me personally, I don't think anyone else was involved or helped KC else Caylee would have been lost forever in the mountains. KC acted completely alone and is guilty --- that comes NOT from the media, not at all but from KC's own actions, KC's own lies and, the discovery.

KC has trapped herself with her own web of lies and whle the direct physical evidence is tenuous (as we know it today) the rest is solid and overwhelming.

I agree that egos will preclude a plea deal and it seems the SA no longer needs one. It is for the Defense to act.

 

[BeanE]

my question is
Hypothetically speaking,
If KC is innocent of the charges of premeditated murder, aggravated child abuse, and aggravated manslaughter of a child, as in somebody else was responsible for the death of Caylee, then would any plea resulting in jail time be acceptable?
In other words, even if she didn’t do it, is she in so much trouble that she would be better off accepting a plea deal and serving the time offered in the plea?

snipped for space

I personally very strongly believe that noone should plead guilty to any charge of a crime they did not commit. Unless, as part of a plea deal, they are given the opportunity to plead guilty to a charge lesser than what they did commit, and thereby have a significantly better chance of receiving a less severe sentence than they were likely to receive should they plead guilty to a charge as serious as the crime they committed. They'd be a fool not to.

I believe, however, beyond the shadow of any reasonable doubt that Casey Anthony is guilty of the premeditated murder of her baby Caylee.

 

[mysteriew]

First in order to get a plea deal, the state would have to offer one. And in this case they have had to publically fire police officers, implications have been made that the LE and the SA is not trustworthy, the state's attorney has had a complaint filed with the bar, complaints against the defense attorney have been filed with the bar and many other offensive tactics on both sides. I don't think that a plea will be offered. Besides all that, there are too many unanswered questions the public wants to know. It was a heinous murder. And too many fingers have been pointed at innocent people. If they offered a plea deal now, it could affect too many other people. At one point they took the death penalty off the table. Then when Caylee was found, they put the death penalty back on the table. I don't think they will offer a deal.

KC is of course able to plead guilty at any time. But if she pleads guilty there would still be a mini version of a trial in order to get the facts of the case before a jury so that they could make a decision about the sentencing. Options being of course LWOP or death. I think if she pleaded guilty now that would be her best chance to get LWOP. At her age, LWOP would seem like a worse sentence than the DP.

But looks like they will be going to trial. They will most likely shoot for an innocent verdict. They will be gambling on one lucky believable witness and one juror who will believe.

 

[hroark2112]

I would love to see KC have to stand up in front of a judge and tell exactly what she did, in exchange for a life sentence. To see her accept responsibility for what she has done, in front of the court, her parents, friends and the public would make me feel that a life sentence was acceptable.

As to the question of whether she is a danger to society or not, I can't imagine allowing her to reproduce again. I'll take the opposite side here...assume she didn't do it...her actions that led up to the "kidnapping" and her actions while she was "kidnapped" would make me never want to see her procreate again, even if she didn't actually kill her daughter. Even if she didn't kill her daughter, her behavior was disgusting.

Remember that a guilty plea would require her to attest in open court to acknowledge what she did. I'd be OK with that.

 

[suepitzl]

KC in my opinion is guilty of premeditated murder. It became very clear to me in the hearing on Friday, it was if she was re-living the horror she put her child through..........her grasping at her own wrist when JA mentioned the premise that Caylee may have been restrained..........I think she just lost it..............

 

[seagull65]

I realize this is a difficult concept even in a hypothetical, because the media has just about everyone, except the defense team, convinced that KC is guilty, but my question is
Hypothetically speaking,
If KC is innocent of the charges of premeditated murder, aggravated child abuse, and aggravated manslaughter of a child, as in somebody else was responsible for the death of Caylee, then would any plea resulting in jail time be acceptable?
In other words, even if she didn’t do it, is she in so much trouble that she would be better off accepting a plea deal and serving the time offered in the plea?

In this hypothetical, KC is innocent of the charges, and accepting a plea deal would not be justice for Caylee. It would however, allow the real murderer to roam free to murder other children. Accepting the plea deal in this hypothetical would appease the masses, and the much despised KC would be off the streets for a number of years.

I am asking this hypothetical question because there are some people who still believe KC is 100% innocent of the 3 main charges. Personally, I have some doubts as to whether she committed premeditated murder, but I think she is guilty of some wrongdoing, I’m just not sure to what extent that wrongdoing is.
As far as my answer to the hypothetical question, If I was accused of the premeditated murder of my child, and aggravated child abuse, and the aggravated manslaughter of my child, and I was 100% innocent, I would not find any plea deal acceptable. If I am innocent, I am innocent, and I would not care what the media, LE, or the prosecutor said. I would not plead guilty period.

Very well said, DA, and I agree with this. It was my impression that any deals that were offered were unacceptable because they hinged on Casey admitting guilt for something she didn't do. My concern also was if Casey ever had a chance at any degree of immunity early on, but didn't take it either because she was in la-la land, or she was still too scared to rat someone out, or because she falsely believed her lawyers would be able to get her acquitted without her having to rat out the other party, or whatever the case may be, that is such a shame. Or if she rejected any deal that she should have taken because her lawyers advised her against it. I hope this didn't happen, I was always concerned about this (especially not knowing if the defense was being paid or by whom.) I don't know if any appropriate deal was ever offered. The deal I did hear about at some point was one which the defense thought was unacceptable.
I also have my doubts that Casey committed pre-meditated murder, think she may be guilty of something but not sure of the extent. I think her silence (i.e. not reporting) most likely indicates guilt of something, I'm not sure of the extent, but her non-reporting could also have been due to other causes.
I am still concerned that JB's desire to keep her from talking (possibly because he thinks she may be guilty, even if she's not), and her propensity to live in a fantasy world, may have prevented her from taking some kind of deal when she should have or possibly even from fully explaining the situation to her defense team. I assume the defense team don't ask the defendant too many questions trying to ascertain the defendant's degree of involvement, just in case the defendant is guilty. Is that right? I also think it's possible that Casey's not sure what happened, and worry that not enough investigation was done to figure out what did happen. Excuse typos etc, tired fingers typing here

 

[seagull65]

I have a feeling the only deals that were offered were not appropriate to Casey's level of guilt/involvement, and I don't expect any other deals will be offered. I think KC had very, very brief window during her interviews with LE to tell if she was not the guilty party, guilty of a lesser degree of involvement, guilty of a lesser crime, etc, but that that window slammed shut before she even had a chance to come out of la-la land. Then since then, the defense just kept her from talking, in case she was guilty, or just because they noticed she had a crazy way of saying all kinds of weird stuff that didn't make sense, and were afraid this in itself would make her look guilty even if she isn't (just as it did during her drive around with LE and the discussions at Universal). I hope they haven't allowed her to have false hope that she will be acquitted without telling what she knows. If only she could have been confronted more and made to face what was going on. Then again, maybe no degree of confrontation would have brought her out of her la-la land, or she might just plain not know. MOO

 

[Bobbisangel]

Baez talked about this less than a MONTH AGO to CF News 13 (11/21/09). There is video of him along with the story.

http://www.cfnews13.com/News/Local/2009/11/21/will_anthony_take_a_plea_deal.html


Don't know if the SA would or not, or even if a deal like this is possible, but it seems to me that maybe 40-50 years, with no possibility of parole until then, just to save the ENORMOUS cost that this trial will be, would not be a bad deal.

Casey would be an old lady of 60-70, her parents would have likely have passed on by then, and she would have nobody but Lee when she got out. No real friends, no job, nothing. And nobody would care at that point, would be a little News coverage, but no major story. IMO

I don't look for her to be offered any kind of a plea deal. I think the Pros has enough evidence to hang her high and so there is no reason to give her anything. She had her chance and said no...even if offered I don't think that she would take a plea because as Baez said...there is a whole nother story out there that no one has heard and Casey wants her day in court so her story can come out...my words. I can just imagine the story she has to tell!
Baez is a fool if he thinks anything out of Casey's mouth would be the truth. I really wonder if she has that whole defense team snowed?

 

[seagull65]

IIRC what the A's said regarding Casey having to have had help was early on while Caylee was still missing, it was in reference to their belief at that stage that Casey might be hiding Caylee somewhere with the help of a friend or associate, right?

 

[Melanie]

Is it too late for Casey to take a plea deal? and if she did, would she get LIPWOP?

But she would have to take it before her murder trial starts right? what about her Check Fraud trial?


Does anybody think she will plead guilty and not risk going to trial?

Nah, never. Too narcasistic -- just like Scott Peterson. Thank the Good Lord the 2 of them never got together. They'd probly become serial killers.

 

[Melanie]

KC in my opinion is guilty of premeditated murder. It became very clear to me in the hearing on Friday, it was if she was re-living the horror she put her child through..........her grasping at her own wrist when JA mentioned the premise that Caylee may have been restrained..........I think she just lost it..............

I agree with you - IMHO she was reliving the killing in her own mind and couldn't run away from it. Only when JB whispered in her ears did the non-tears start coming. She kept poking at her eye, but I never saw any real tears (hey, maybe she doesn't have tear ducts).

When the pros. went into the detailed description of the killing, is when I saw real fear in her face. For herself mind you, not for Caylee.

JMHO.

Mel

 

[DairyGirl]

I would like to see KC take a plea because it would give closure for those who have been praying for justice for Caylee ever since we heard about a little girl going missing for 31 days while her mother partied. It would force her to take accountability for her actions, force her parents to accept who she really is and give validation to those who couldn't stomach her bold face lying and just wanted her to admit the truth. Hopefully she would have to give details about what she did so people will know that what they thought happened really did despite the outrageous stories she gave from the beginning.

 

[seagull65]

don't worry, Deviled Advocate, we know you didn't say that.

 

[seagull65]

I thought I saw real fear for the first time too, whether for Caylee, Caylee and herself, only herself, I'm not sure. I think it was the fear of being confronted with what really happened to Caylee. MOO