Victim impact statement *MERGED*

[ZsaZsa]

I think Rick Plesea should be given the opportunity.

 

[LinasK]

I think the bolded sentence was meant to say "why should someone who has family to give a VIS be valued by the courts more than someone, like Caylee, who has no family to give a VIS."

I kind of understand that sentiment too. I feel bad for those who may have been all alone in life with no loved ones to speak at trial.

Ah, but Caylee does have family, just not her immediate family. She has Uncle Rick and Grandma Shirley, both of whom may speak for her!

 

[Mamabear1963]

I was just looking at the with the new pictures of Caylee here: [ame="http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?p=5186669#post5186669"]5.14.09 Some "NEW" photos on CBS website--(plus a question) - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community[/ame]

And wondering if there would be a time to show some of these pictures...could Caylee speak through these pictures...how this crime has impacted her life?

Sounds a bit bizarre...but I really feel the jury needs to get to know Caylee....not as remains with duct tape...but as she was in some of these pictures

 

[logicalgirl]

I'm wondering if it is going to be George who will give the victim impact statement for Caylee. Watching him the last couple of hearings, he seems to be disassociating himself more and more from Cindy and ICA.

That is if he hasn't broken down completely by the end of the trial. It's possible that Jeanne Barrett said some things to him that really really upset him regarding what ICA is claiming to be true.

Yes, I know - he's let Caylee down terribly in the past ...but I dunno - he's not looking so good these days. As reality is creeping closer and closer. I wonder if his friend Jim has been in touch.

 

[believe09]

I must have misunderstood the thrust of the argument against Impact Statements...is there a belief then that a victim who does NOT have an impact statement is somehow shortchanged?

I dont think I see that as accurate, fwiw....Impact Statments are an opportunity to talk about loss in order to ensure the maximum punishment, correct or no? I doubt that any jury or judge discounts a case where no one feels the need, or is available to come forward and talk about the pain the crime has caused....but then again I sometimes live in a dream world.

 

[cecybeans]

Maybe the State should just blow up a photo of Caylee. and play the video of her reading her book, and sitting on her great grandfather's lap as an impact that this child's life ended because of her mother's jealousy killed her.

A while back there was a website where they "aged" a photo of Caylee to what she would look like as a young woman. I've posted before that this one Photoshopped pic just took my breath away. It took Caylee out of the world of some charming little toddler with cutesy clothes and accessories and put it straight into the realm of fact that this was a human being who might have wanted to go to law school or be a doctor or spend her life helping children or any number of other ways she might have spent her time being happy, fulfilled and a contributing citizen. Seeing an extrapolation of her as someone every bit as equal to KC made me even madder because it highlighted that KC the inveterate thief stole not only a sweet child from the world but more importantlly stole a person's entire future as an adult, in a way that all the real photos we've seen just don't do justice.

The website was quickly removed, but I think it would be only justice for KC and her family to look into the face of Caylee at trial as she might have been if she had been allowed to grow up and be present to deliver her own VIS.

With that in mind, would there be any way the state would allow a deceased minor to have some sort of legal representation, similar to a guardian ad litem, to present the VIS on her behalf? Particularly since the people who should be representing her interests have apparently abandoned them to stand with the person who was responsible for her pain and tragically early demise?

 

[Bobbisangel]

Your post is so eloquently stated that I am sure your daughter is watching you from above and thanking you for your strength to stand up for her since she no longer can. Even though I survived my ordeal, my heart goes out to you as I can not imagine losing a child. I too was able to give a victims impact statement to the man who kidnapped , raped me,shot my dog, among other things. He made a plea bargain and as you said it did bring some closure. This happened in Florida and since he escaped from prison twice he was kept in the jail and all this happened over a TV monitor. My then husband did not want to read his statement so someone from rape crisis read his. It is my hope that there will be some state agency that will be there on the behalf of Caylee since her immediate family seems to be on the other side of justice. If not we all know that she is in our hearts as we seek Justice for Caylee.

I'm so sorry that you had to go through such a horror. I can't even begin to imagine. I like to say that I'm not a victim but a survivor and I think that you are one too. The word survivor..to me...holds power while the word victim doesn't. I refuse to let the killer have anymore power over me then he had for years while on the run.

Caylee breaks my heart. I just hope and pray that someone stands up and speaks for her. I don't expect the Anthonys to do it. I really would like Lee to surprise me though. I hope that George and Cindy do nothing. I hope they realize how it will make them look if they stand up and speak for Casey. They have a choice to make and they would be smarter not to do anything. I wonder if Uncle Rick ever met Caylee. If he knew her I wish he would stand up for her. Above all though, someone has to speak for this baby girl.

 

[The World According]

Maybe on behalf of her great grand father the State could play these:
Turn it up to hear Grampa very quietly humming to her. I bet seeing her was the sweetest thing in his life, hands down!



[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OS648U0xTI0[/ame]
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMzedR5LV5Q[/ame]
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T613YgLw_HE[/ame]

Do you remember how you felt the first time you saw these? Imagine the jurors. Yes, if I were the prosecutors I would close with Grandma saying Grampa misses Caylee.
He will miss her, forever. Now THAT is victim impact!!!

 

[ScubaTwinn]

One year almost to the day we stopped talking about this. Now we're questioning again who would give the statement on Caylee's behalf.

Same views? Different views? New posters since 5/14/10, any views?

If she could stand it and was able, I would like to see Great Grandmother give the statement (CA's mom).

 

[uklaw]

Cindy, George and Lee washed their hands of Caylee almost two years ago.
IMO they will speak on Casey's behalf.
I don't know if anyone can speak on Caylee's behalf if they didn't have regular contact with her through out her two years on this earth.
If it is possible for the dead to look upon the earth I woud like to think that Caylee would be so happy to know that we in the blog world care so much for her and have spoken up for her every day from the very first time we heard her name.

I am unsure how this would work in practice and this may be a better question for the legal thread.

Floridian law, if IIRC allows the next of kin/relatives of the victim in a murder trial to make a victim impact statement by way of allocution not subject to cross-examination.

ICA is the next of kin of the victim in this case but I am almost certain she wouldn't be allowed to make a "Victim Impact Statement" at her own sentencing upon any conviction she might have for murdering her daughter. That would be quite a bizarre, although interesting, situation.

However, GA/CA have not been charged with or convicted of any crime in relation to Caylee's death. Therefore, I am almost certain they have a right under Floridian law to make a victim impact statement at any sentencing and not be subject to cross-examination. Although I imagine there will be some degree of restriction on what they can/cannot say in such a Victim Impact Statement to ensure proper court decorum (no swearing), right to due process (no insuations/speculations), I don't think there will be much restricition on the content of this Victim Impact Statement.

Therefore, depending upon whether or not they support their daughter (which I imagine they still do) I think it would seem possible they could use a Victim Impact Statement to make a plea for LWOP rather then DP.

I cannot be 100% certain but I am very sure that Jesse will not be allowed to make a victim impact statement. However, might he be able to appear as a witness to describe Caylee's attributes to the jury and what a nice little girl she was?

*Delves into the FL statute* (will be back in a bit)

 

[lowens1975]

CA/GA arent' a voice for Caylee now and I don't feel they will be a voice for Caylee at trials end, IMO.

They choose to back their daughter instead of backing an innocent child because Inmate Anthony views this as betrayal..

I truly feel if CA or GA speak it will not be a victims impact statement. They will ask for the judge to be lenient in his sentencing, if found guilty. They will try and impact the court with they lost their granddaughter and don't want to loose another child via lethal injection. They will still deny Inmate Anthony's involvement...JMHO


Justice for Caylee

I think the they have both put Caylee in the place Casey was when they said "We know where Casey is, we're concentrating on finding Caylee". Paraphrased. In other words, they know where Caylee is now, know they can't bring her back. I think all of their efforts are focused on saving ICA, they would minimize the loss of Caylee to save her.

 

[drip~drop]

Who will speak on behalf of Caylee?

Uncle Rick?
Grandma Shirley?

who?

 

[alwaysonmymind]

Who will speak on behalf of Caylee?

Uncle Rick?
Grandma Shirley?

who?

I believe Jojo will. He will gather the strength he needs to get through this and will do what's right for Caylee.

jmo

 

[Horace Finklestein]

After the "memorial" I'm afraid to think what the victim impact statements might have in store. I assume the Anthonys will try to take full advantage of it to weave that magic we're all so used to. It seems like an odd dynamic though, because wouldn't that be tacit admission that ICA is guilty? I'm confused!

 

[lowens1975]

From Wikipedia: A victim impact statement is a written or oral statement made as part of the judicial legal process, which allows a victim of crime the opportunity to speak during the sentencing of their attacker or at subsequent parole hearings. In some instances videotaped statements are permitted.

I say play a collage of videos. Show them Caylee, who she was, let HER speak.

 

[mydailyopinions]

IMHO, I think this whole trial will be Caylee's Inpact Statement.

If the prosecution opens with the picture of Caylee across a huge projector, the impact will stand no matter who is on the witness stand or what they are saying.

Caylee's statement will come forward through each and every player in this case, regardless of good or bad. Caylee will come through Baez with each question he asks..she will show that Baez is only concerned with the mother who killed her. Caylee will come through Casey- showing the jury exactly what she had to go through during the last stages of her little life. The lack of remorse she will show is a direct sign that Caylee is in that room telling her story.

 

[Tiki]

I believe Jojo will. He will gather the strength he needs to get through this and will do what's right for Caylee.

jmo

ahhh - but would CA allow that?

 

[Irish_Eyes]

Whether or not they speak at sentencing, I'm betting CA, GA, and LA will be able to speak on behalf of ICA during the penalty phase if that's what it comes down too....which would be interesting....if she runs over them with the bus during the trial and then has to look to them during the penalty phase to get up and testify as to why the court should have mercy on her and spare her life.

 

[TorisMom003]

If Gradma Shirley is up to it I would love for her to speak for Caylee. IMO she has already shown that she loved Caylee very much. I also think that they should show the last known video of Caylee with her Grandpa. He won't be able to speak about his loss and how it has affected him but Grandma Shirley could speak for him if that is allowed. I really don't expect to have Cindy, George or Lee speak for Caylee. They have so far proven that their concern is with protecting Casey.

 

[JSR]

IMO no one will speak on Caylee's behalf. I'm sure ICA's family will speak on her behalf to save her life. I'm not sure the State will be allowed to show a video of Caylee unless it was on behalf of a family member and in my opinion no one in the Anthony family will want to speak.