Where did the prosecution go wrong?

[~n/t~]

I agree 100%! Not death qualified at all. No one wanted to deal with the responsibility of imposing death, they were just asked if they would consider it. I would not have been on the jury b/c I would never impose it, I am against it, and would stay adamant about it. Some of these jurors did not say what they really felt. During jury selection most were against it, but asked if they would consider it. I do not fault Judge Perry for that, it is a part of the process.

I fault him. He wanted this to be over by July 4th. A woman juror had a cruise scheduled for the 7th (IIRC) and he said they would be done by then. WHAAAAAAAAT?? How could he guarantee that to a juror? A death penalty case with deadlines? I have never heard such a thing in my life.

 

[tehcloser]

The first mistake, which was also the last mistake, was ever treating the A's like grieving grandparents when they so obviously were not. Treating them as if they were left big holes in the story.

 

[wallflower67]

I think JA did a great job with the circumstantial evidence he had, but there were a few times when I wondered if what he said could have gone over their heads. I'm in the medical profession, and very into forensics, psychology, science. I had to explain some of the forensics to my family members multiple times before they got it. And I like to think they are not stupid!

So maybe JA could have "dumbed it down" a bit.

 

[mfcmom]

Look the only way we can combat these people is to not buy a book, watch movie or any tv associated with the Anthony's, lawyers or jury. I for one am taking the Thirty dollars or so I would have spent on a book and sending it to the Orange County SA's office to be donated to the cost of this trial or to the Guardian ad Litem program. We have strength in numbers guys lets do something to make this right.

 

[hollyblue]

I agree. I think GA created a lot of doubt with his lies, mannerisms and ways of answering questions on the stand. I almost wonder if this was a defense skillfully crafted and he really did fall on the sword for his daughter, without completely going over the edge.

GA and CA both fell on the sword big time for the defense of CA. Way too obvious, imo, but it worked. Prosecution over-charged with the evidence they had and the fact the August finding by Kronk was never followed up. How much evidence was destroyed between Aug and Dec?

The injustice was formulated before this even went to trial. IMO

 

[burbqueen]

I think I have a crush on Richard Hornsby...seriously. I agreed with everything he said on the websleuths radio show. The prosecution should have filed more charges on ICA. Other than that I think the prosecution did a good job, also they should have taken to task the accident theory.

 

[cityslick]

As others have said, as well as some TH's, they went into this with a 1st degree murder charge and perhaps they shouldn't have. They never even considered putting up a 2nd degree charge (if that was possible) so therefore it gave the jury no out. It was an either or situation for them. Either the jury believed she premeditated killing her or she didn't kill her at all. If you look at it strictly from that perspective, it's not hard to figure out how they found her NG on 1st degree.

Now the other charges (manslaughter, child abuse) are a whole different story. I'm dumbfounded how child abuse was a NG verdict. Not that it would of meant much in the long run, but at least it's something.

 

[BeanE]

Hi jakpot can we have a link to go with your quote? Thanks

Looks like it's just a random anonymous comment left under a blog post:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/JRMiller47/casey-anthony-trial-anger_n_890988_95766314.html

 

[trafluer]

I don't think the prosecution really did anything wrong....

....with the minor exception of over charging her. I never thought she should get the DP. I really did/do believe she drowned....but I believe that was due to ICA's negligence. She should have been charged with something much less that was so easily proven (negligent homicide, improper disposal of a corpse) etc.

You hit the nail on the head with the negligent homicide and abuse of a corpse charges. I do want to add that I feel like JA was sarcastic and a bully. When he was smirking and laughing at Jose Baez, I lost a little respect for him. It was unprofessional. He is obviously a very smart man but not very likeable. Casey was entitled to a defense and he could have handled that fact better. LDB was much more professional but she at times came off like a strict school teacher reprimanding the witnesses. They were like a snobby high school clique. With that being said I do believe they put their hearts and souls into this case and did it all for the right reasons. This is just my opinion as to what I felt while watching the trial. Right or wrong, I wonder if it contributed to this aquittal. So sad all around.

 

[Ambiance]

All I can say is what convinced me - reading the 31 day time line.

I never was a big fan of the prosecution's presentation like most were here. To me they overdid every technical witness to the point of extreme boredom and underdid the other aspects.

To me they should have focused completely on the day of June 16th hour by hour, on a big chart, with all the pings. Created a story.

 

[LiveLaughLuv]

I thought the prosecution did the best job they could. Where do you all think they went wrong? Was the jury listening to the same trial we were listening to?????

I have a strange feeling the jury disliked the State and the contention between Ashton and Baez...

I also feel the State didn't use all the evidence either. There was so much those jurors didn't know that we have known for the past three years.

Why wasn't greatgrandma pleasea used as a witness for the state. She knew how much contention between mother, child and granddaughter was that contention?

Why didn't they put Uncle Rick on the stand, Tim Miller? Why wasn't the bodyguard brought in and tell of the time she was with ICA? Hearsay? I can't for the life of me figure out what made this jury not convict...I hope they talk one day but I must believe they too are in fear of their life. They must know they've let a guilty person go free or do they? I hope now that is is said and done and they do some research, although it's too late, they will at least acknowledge to themselves what an error in judgement was made...Sickening that they didn't see the truth for the truth but took lies for the truth...sad indeed...JMHO

No justice for Caylee came on July 5, 2011

 

[Never4GetCaylee]

All I can say is what convinced me - reading the 31 day time line.

I never was a big fan of the prosecution's presentation like most were here. To me they overdid every technical witness to the point of extreme boredom and underdid the other aspects.

To me they should have focused completely on the day of June 16th hour by hour, on a big chart, with all the pings. Created a story.

I agree about the day of June 16th. I was very surprised they didn't bring in her computer/cell activity on the day of the 16th. IIRC didn't it show she was on her cell or on the computer or texting constantly except for 2 silent hours that would have been when GA had already left for work?

 

[MyTinkieGirl]

IMO....I've been basically formulating "my" opening statements for a while....not gonna go there. In my mind, right now...I need to go the "shoulda coulda woulda" route....and turn the channel, close the web page and flip over any magazine/newspaper dealing with this.
THAT being said...let me preface this to say....I love JBP to death....BUT, IMO, I think he did the SA a GREAT disservice by calling it quits on the first day of closing statements.
Again, IMO....IF there was ANY chance of BOTH sides NOT being able to finish their closing and states rebuttal, he should have called it a day instead of rushing one of the most important parts of the judicial process and splitting it up, just IMO.
The jury was left to think about an "over simplied" and defense skewed explaination of the jury instructions and IMO, formulated their opinions based solely on that.
After that, IMO, all the rest of the rebuttal and judges reading of the REAL instructions were just blah blah blah in their ears. I can almost bet they did NOT bother to re-examine ANY evidence....nor even bother to read the"real" jury instructions.

Sorry....BUT, I truly believe that JBP was bound and determined to get this case done...AND, done by a certain day, come hell or high water.


Oh, and OT....I'd like to go dig up each and EVERY yard the A's supposedly did this animal burial "ritual" at....between the "miraculous" stains in the trunk that were present when the car was bought....and the animal burial BS....AND, "surprise, surprise", the bags were magically closed with duct tape.....ohhhhhh, I better just get on my bike and work off the 5 lbs I gained this month!!

 

[kashell]

ITA with the consensus that the critical motive element was missing. IMO,it all came down to Cindy. The closing, in fact the entire motive theory of the prosecution was only one little part of the story.Casey didn't kill Caylee because she just wanted to "party". She killed Caylee because of Cindy. Her mother wouldn't let her run around like she wanted to because she wanted Casey to be a mom, and stop stealing and stop lying. Cindy threatened to take custody. Cindy found out she was stealing from her dad. Saw her dad w/Caylee that day, and came home to an unrepentant, lying Casey. They got into a fight. Hands around the neck. Casey disappears and makes excuses. Myspace messages. "Where is the angel?". "Everybody dies, everybody lies". Car found. Casey found. Casey said "I'm a spiteful *****". "They just want Caylee back". Cindy "I thought they were off visiting friends". When she KNEW they had not left on good terms. Jesse Grund says the relationship had been contentious since Caylee was born. THAT is a motive a jury would have understood. Why was it not used? Because CINDY would never have testified to that, never confirmed that Casey hated her. Cindy is the reason Casey killed Caylee, and Cindy is also the reason Casey is walking free.
And the final nail? "Why did Casey not tell this accidental drowning story once she realized her lies wouldn't fly? Because she would have had to supply a body. And that body would not have been skeletonized yet. Evidence would have been there to conclusively prove cause of death. The evidence would have proven murder.
End of closing
You know, the irony is that I would have believed something like an accidental drowning had taken place and Casey tried to cover it up with a fake kidnapping if she had come up with this story within the first few months. I believe Casey both hated and feared her mother enough that if something happened to Caylee she would have tried desperately to cover it up, because she knew her mom would never ever ever forgive her. But the fact that she didn't come clean early on indicates that she was trying to keep them from finding evidence pointing to, at the very least, felony child endangerment.
But it all came down to Cindy. No way would she testify to any of those events. And that is what sunk the prosecutions case as far as motive went.

 

[fifteen89]

Does anyone agree with her screeeeeeeeeching on this? That JB threw the Prosecution a curve ball in his opening statement saying Zanny never existed (even though since it's been pointed to JVM since she first started saying this that LKB said it to her on her own dang show a looooooooong time ago) and JVM says the Prosecution didn't 'adapt' to the Defense's new theory and went straight ahead with their 'old script' and went through all the lies.

To me going through all the lies was a HUGE part of the Prosecution's case - that everything Casey did was consistent with guilt, proving there's no way Caylee's death was due to an accidental drowning.

Can some one make her stop, please??? I don't watch her show on purpose, yet it seems every single time I pass by the tv she's on screaming the same thing over and over and over.

 

[Falcon7]

He probably won't be smiling in court again for a while...

I think the smile/laugh during JB's closing was awful!
Burdick saying "use your common sense" in her closing.
Case was overcharged.
Physical evidence was very very weak.

 

[Soulmagent]

I agree about the day of June 16th. I was very surprised they didn't bring in her computer/cell activity on the day of the 16th. IIRC didn't it show she was on her cell or on the computer or texting constantly except for 2 silent hours that would have been when GA had already left for work?

The errors in the reports made it impossible to present. IMO.

 

[Murphismo]

Two words. Jury selection

 

[RANCH]

The errors in the reports made it impossible to present. IMO.

Errors in which report? Computer or cell phone? Phone pings show her being in the area of the Anthony house on June 16th when both sides said she was there.So the pings meant little.

 

[beachbumming]

One, the jury just couldn't process the forensics. Also, they obviously didn't understand they had the option of lesser included offenses they could convict her of. I firmly believe they didn't understand the jury instructions and held the SA to "beyond all doubt" and not "beyond a reasonable doubt." For whatever reason they just didn't get it.