Random thoughts in no particular order:
* Like most here I am horrified by this verdict. No only will there be no justice for Kaylee, but the opposite -- her killed is about to CASH IN. Casey is now a celebrity, she is now the person to be seen with, she is the coolest cat in any room. People will want their pictures taken with her, they will want her autograph.
* While it is absolutely NOT a popular sentiment here, I have said for some time now that JB was a good attorney and doing a fine job...
* JA and the prosecution team, on the other hand, did a fantastic job and then failed spectacularly at the end with their closing. The left out a very criticial point of their rebutal...
* They never CLEARLY explaned to the jury what beyond a reasonable doubt meant. Mr Mason did a FANTASTIC job creating the illusion that anything less than absolute 100% air-tight PROOF was a "reasonable doubt." The prosecution pretty much allowed that nonsense to stand unchallenged, which likely goes a long way towards explaining why....
* This jury had already reached a verdict before they retired. They went back there with the opinion that the prosecution had not "proven" their case. They also, likely (and this is also gonna annoy some here), felt that...
* Mr Ashton acted like a complete tool during the defense closing. The guy was arrogant, cocky, and a bit of a jerk during the best of times, and that likely was a bit off-puting, but that stunt during the defense closing was outrageous. And I say this as a HUGE FAN.
* Please please PLEASE stop with the "Kaylee is in a better place" and "God will punish Casey" stuff. Please. It's offensive as hell to some of us.
* The folks who are using this verdict as an excuse to condemn the entire jury system make no more sense than those who would say that all mothers are as fatally flawed as Casey. It's not perfect, but our system is the best in human history, and generally when it makes a mistake it is in favor of the accused. It's designed that way for a reason -- it is better for a hundred guilty to go free than for one innocent to be wrongly condemned.
* It is totally inappropriate to villify the defense team for the actions of Casey or defending her. They did their job, and very well. They won a case that NO ONE thought could be won.
* This verdict is NOT an excuse to abandon the search for justice for everyone else or to quit these forums. If anything it is a call for more activity.
Thanks for reading.