Casey Anthony Trial

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by Jen

Why was the trial televised?

Is this common in the US? I get Headline News here, and the trial was on pretty much every day, and it was really surprising to me. Why this trial and not any other?

They cynical/truthful answer? Cable networks made lots and lots of money publicizing the death of a child and dramatizing it.

[BluPhire]

Originally Posted by Kevin

They cynical/truthful answer? Cable networks made lots and lots of money publicizing the death of a child and dramatizing it.

Add to the fact there is not such a thing as news happening 24 hours, you gotta pad the schedule.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by Kevin

They cynical/truthful answer? Cable networks made lots and lots of money publicizing the death of a child and dramatizing it.

I think that's truthful and not cynical.

Trials like this and the O.J. Simpson trial (since that was brought up in this thread) are good for television. They interest people and are like watching a movie. They have the effect of unifying those who agree with aspects of the case and dividing against those who disagree with aspects of the case. I will never forget how much this society was hilariously divided after the O.J. Simpson trial. It truly was hilarious and people who were otherwise "not racist" were saying a whole damn lot of racist things after that not guilty verdict. It went way beyond anger over accused domestic violence and accused murder. It showed what happens when people feel threatened/afraid and challenged by some outcome, specifically a not guilty verdict. And that impact would not have been felt so heavily if we weren't able to watch it on TV--"if it doesn't fit, you must acquit...." After the Simpson not guilty verdict, people were so mad and suddenly my friends and I were not only the representatives for Black folks at this PWI like we normally were (LOL), we were now the representatives for those who thought OJ was not guilty. Afterall, you apparently couldn't be Black and think he's guilty...or not give a shit beyond the celebration of the legal system acquitting a Black man for a change. Yeah, the media knew what it was doing when they covered that trial. It began with the media coverage of Simpson running from the law in that SUV. That's nothing but a good movie on live TV.

I am seeing a similar dynamic with this Caylee Anthony verdict. If you understand the jury's verdict, you clearly have no compassion and understanding for a CHILD victim. God forbid if you're a WOMAN who feels this way. Maybe you're even as loose and careless as Casey Anthony was depicted as being. Heaven forbid you can grasp the legality regardless of whether you agree with everything on a personal level.

/longass rant

[honeychile]

I haven't read this whole thread, but the talking heads just said something interesting: The jury sees a much different trial than we do. All of the times that the jury is taken out of the courtroom yet we still see what happens just doesn't exist for them.

It would be interesting if any one of them sees the whole trial on dvr and change their mind.

[BetteDavisEyes]

Originally Posted by honeychile

It would be interesting if any one of them sees the whole trial on dvr and change their mind.

If I recall correctly, years after the OJ case, many of the jurors said that after learning more information about the case that was kept from them while they were sequestered, they would have chosen to convict him.

Originally Posted by lovespink88

My aunt just changed her Facebook profile picture to a picture of Caylee.

One of my friends just posted on her status that as a tribute & remembrance of Caylee, we should all turn on our porch lights at 9pm.