Victim impact statement *MERGED*

[KeyboardCat]

SOMEBODY will stand up for Caylee Anthony. I don't think there are prerequisites to be met in order to give a victim impact statement (meaning being a blood relation, or being in actively involved in her care near the time of her death.) But for the record, I don't believe that George or Cindy Anthony will volunteer to do this.

Edit:

Please let me clarify. Every time one of you post your opinion, sleuth, or even just supporting one another, you ARE standing up for Caylee. Just because none of you here will not be invited to give a victim's impact statement doesn't mean that no one will standing up for her. Right now in the court of law, the State of Florida is Caylee's voice. I have an incredible respect for Websleuths.com, and every single poster here. I may not have much to add in terms of expertise on anything, I'm not particularly educated, but I am grateful for the welcome I feel I've received here. Each and every one of you has stood up for Caylee. Stand with pride.

 

[MD MOMMY]

I have a feeling this is when we will see Lee and just as he did at the memorial he will do it in a way that ticks us all off. JMO.

 

[LinasK]

Who decides who speaks for the victim?

Is this something the SA does, if so I don't think they will call on any of the Anthony's to speak for Caylee knowing that will turn their speech into being about saving KC.

I think Uncle Rick would be an advocate for Caylee rather than Casey. He may be the perfect choice...

 

[TorisMom003]

I think Uncle Rick would be an advocate for Caylee rather than Casey. He may be the perfect choice...

I agree with you. Uncle Rick has been one of the few that has called Cindy out for her allowing Casey to lie, steal, whatever. Does anyone know if Grandma Shirley is listed as a witness (for either side)? If so then I would imagine that Uncle Rick will be in town to support his mom. If he is in fact in town then I can see him being more than willing and able to speak on Caylee's behalf. Frankly I would love to hear him speak for Caylee as I don't think he would sugarcoat anything he says.

 

[lisalei321]

I am trying to find who did the victim impact statement for the Diane Downs trial. I know her parents stood behind her as well, and still do.

I'm not positive, but I thought the victim impact statement came from her Daughters testimony?

That's how I seem to remember it.

I wonder if they would allow letters from the public?

 

[Purple Iris]

I also have to agree with those of you that have brought up Uncle Rick ~
Yes, Grandma Shirley as well as Uncle Rick are on the witness list.

I'm not sure if the Grund's would be permitted to give a statement, but, they also would be excellant choices, IMO.

Other's that I have been very curious about are George's side of the family ~ They have been completely off the radar, not even a blip.
If I remember correctly, Cindy didn't get along with them {?}, and, didn't she say that during her vacation time, that she had wanted to take Caylee and Casey to Fort Meyer to visit with George's parents, and, "do some bonding"?

But, there is a strong disconnect within the entire extended family members for some reason ~ So, in that regard only, it would be interesting to hear what they would possibly have to say if they decided to speak on Caylee's behalf.

 

[Horace Finklestein]

I tend to agree with what most people have posted. Caylee has been nothing more than an afterthought and has been paid lip service by the Anthony family, that's it. They may have loved her at one time, but they certainly don't any more, regardless of what they might say. This has been about KC for them, ever since KC got into trouble. Comforting themselves through anger and denial and false accusations has become more important to them than facing the truth to honor Caylee. GA is ineffectual and defeated, CA is well, I'll just hold my toungue but I think she is the unwilling architect of this whole situation and is a borderline personality, Lee seems cowardly - he tried to make a bold statement for Casey, proclaimed how important she was, then disappeared. (I guess there's no more need for taking applications for assistants for the Anthony family?) Kinda like KC might have done. Any statements they give would be for KC.

 

[Mamabear1963]

I'm not positive, but I thought the victim impact statement came from her Daughters testimony?

That's how I seem to remember it.

I wonder if they would allow letters from the public?

I was trying to scan through websites and the book Small Sacrifices...I was wondering if the SA that adopted the children did it. Or it could have been a combination.

It would be a blessing if the Grunds would be allowed

 

[sumbunny]

The Grunds giving a victim impact statement as a voice to Caylee: not sure if there would be any weight to it, given that the Grunds were not an active part of Caylee's life, for a good 2 years before she passed. Correct me if I am wrong...

I believe the grunds are closer to caylee then we are. I'm sure they saw her grow up. Casey still kept in contact with Jesse. In fact she took a shower at his house after caylee was deceased, and babysat caylee quite a bit from what I've read. I do believe they loved Caylee and wouldn't be a stretch to give a victim statement for her. Casey did in fact "pin" him as a father at one point, and he gladly assumed the responsibility at that time.

 

[Reagan]

This is sort of off topic, but after the victims spoke in the Melanie McGuire case for William McGuire, Judge DeVesa (and Prosecutor Patty Prezioso my hero!) gave MM quite the smack down when rendering her sentence. I hope JP will do the same.

"The depravity of this murder simply shocks the conscience of this courtroom," Superior Court Judge Frederick DeVesa said as he issued the sentence, calling the crime especially "heinous" and "cruel."

"The nature and the complexity and the scope of this criminal episode involved many, many overt actions committed over a three-week period spanning four different states, and reflected a willfullness and a malice that goes far beyond the elements of the crime of murder," the judge said.

Assistant Attorney General Patricia Prezioso told the judge there is "ample reason" to give McGuire the maximum penalty.

Patty Prezioso - "This defendant desecrated his body then she tried to desecrate his memory," she said. "(Melanie McGuire) continues to deny her part and displays a total and complete lack of remorse. She displays an arrogance as if she is entitled to be above the law. She should never, ever walk free again."

There were other things the judge addressed like the fact she threw her husband like mere garbage, etc.
http://blog.nj.com/ledgerupdates/2007/07/mcguire_due_for_sentencing_in.html


This case is so unique. It will be hard to say what will happen during the sentencing phase. And not if, but when. I suspect GA and CA will plead for KC's life, but not say anything on Caylee's behalf.

ETA: At least the State will stand up for Caylee. In that I have confidence.

 

[notthatsmart]

I do not think the state is going to get support from the victims family to Kill Kc. . IMO

 

[Mamabear1963]

I do not think the state is going to get support from the victims family to Kill Kc. IMO

Which is precisely why we are saying Caylee has no voice no one to stand up and say things like:

She would be finishing K and ready to move into 1st grade...with bright and eager eyes to learn to read and do math.

She should be learning to roller blade or ride a bike...going to the zoo...

But that was all stolen from her...cut short...by the very one that should have been helping her and cheering her on.

 

[Elphaba]

Does Florida have a state guideline for admissable victim impact statements?

 

[believe09]

I think the question of who might give an impact statement is a great one. Caylee's Great Grandmother and Uncle Rick certainly seem good choices. I would think that anyone who baby-sat her outside of the family might want to be heard. Maybe even Amy....The Grunds are good choices as well.

 

[Cat13067]

I do not think the state is going to get support from the victims family to Kill Kc. . IMO

You just never know how the evidence will affect the family. Maybe one of the family members will be so angry when they see the remains of Caylee it just might wake them up to the fact their daughter/sister/granddaughter/neice murdered their precious Caylee.

 

[KariKae]

I truly wish they could track down Caylee's biological father to give an impact statement. KC denied him the chance of every knowing Caylee.

 

[Elphaba]

This is a very interesting subject to research... trying to find out if VIS admissibility is left in the hands of the judge over the case, in Florida. I came across a case from up north where a judge wouldn't let a family give a VIS in regards of their daughter because the daughter was the victim, not them...

ETA: ok, it was an Illinois judge who allowed a written statement from the family of the girl injured by a drunk driver, but would not let an oral statement be made by them because they were technically not the victim.

 

[justbeachy]

I would fall over from shock if G or C gave a victim impact statement in regards to Caylee. Caylee may be deceased in their eyes, but if Casey were convicted, I'm sure they would believe she was wrongly convicted and therefore would see HER as the victim.

 

[Bobbisangel]

This is why I hate the whole concept of victim impact statements and believed they should be done away with. The very concept of them holds that some citizen’s lives are more important than others and thus the killers of widows without children and orphans, and little children like Caylee who was killed by the only parent she ever had, with her grandparents as accessories after the fact, are now often given less sever sentences then people who were loved by their family.

I love the basic concept of our laws, that murders are seen as committing crimes against the state; that the victim is the citizenship of our country as a whole, and thus all our lives are equally important, whether we are a deranged street person or a well loved grandmother. But since the ‘70’s when they started allowing these ‘victim impact statements’ some lives have been seen as more important than others under the law and I thus believe they should be declared unconstitutional.

On the other side of that are the victims who are greatly helped by being allowed to make a victim impact statement and face the killer. I can only speak for myself but facing the killer of my daughter in a courtroom where he had to sit and listen to every word that I had to say was very healing for me. I think I can speak for my entire family as well including my children and grandchildren. Even though we knew that nothing we had to say would affect him it was healing for us to be able to face him and say what we needed to say. His daughter got to face him...13 yrs old....and she got to say everything thing that she wanted to to her father. He had to listen to her all the while wanting to get up and knock her on her rear. She talked for quite a while but she got it all out and it helped her as she had had to hold all of those feelings in for 8 years while he was on the run. She didn't get any answers but she did get to let him know how what he did had affected her life. I personally am thankful for victim impact statements. I am thankful that myself and my family were able to speak to the killer who took my daughter away out of his selfishness. I'm thankful that my granddaughter got to face her father as that is the one and only time she will ever have that chance. The judge already knew what the sentense was going to be as he had pled guilty. It might be different after a trial with the death penalty on the line but I really believe that if you asked every victim who ever got to give a victim impact statement they would agree with me...they are thankful that they got to give a statement.

 

[manatee]

So are you saying that there has been one wrong, and that person is now dead? As for punishing the person that murdered Caylee it is our legal system that allows jurors, and judges to punish the murderer to the fullest extent of he law which in this case is death.

"kill KC"...where have I heard that language before?
Agree with you Cat, although I'm not pro DP.