Casey Anthony Trial

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by katydidKD

Alleged sexual abuse*

That's not how it works. Go fuck yourself.

Originally Posted by HannahXO

While I agree that race/class issues play a part in all of this, there is a simpler explanation: there was a suspect, with a clear motive, on trial. It was not a perfect case, so there was a lot of suspense involved. She had a chance of being caught. Those three other children? Who knows if there was even a suspect. Or conversely, it was a cut-and-dry conviction with no drama. This was interesting to the public because there was a 50-50 chance of someone going to jail for this little girl's murder. Only 50-50, no more, no less. (OK not technically if you get into the statistical analysis, but the simplified version is that there were 2 possible outcomes- conviction or acquittal.)

But we cared before there was a trial. And the same biases affect media coverage of investigations, and thus the quality and thoroughness of the investigations. The fact that 'drama' is how we decide what we care about is not particularly more promising. And we don't cover cases involving minorities the same way because it's not dramatic... why? Because of the bigotry of low/shitty expectations?

I still come down to what do WE as the viewers do about it? Stop watching Nancy Grace and the like might be something, but what else?

Will any kind of investigation continue? While I personally believe Casey is veryyy guilty, I can see how there was not enough evidence to convict her. And while she cannot be tried again, will there be any investigation to absolutely rule out other suspects? If Casey is innocent (actually innocent, not just "not guilty") then someone who killed this child is walking free. How does the justice system handle that?

If they don't have any other suspects, or at least strong suspects, then no, they probably won't do anything unless they think they can convict her for something else (or someone else for accessory or something). The justice system did its job, the prosecutors apparently didn't, but the system did.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

That's not how it works. Go fuck yourself.

As it pertains to the case, they were accusations of sexual abuse.

As it pertains to her overall condition and circumstances, completely different.

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

As it pertains to the case, they were accusations of sexual abuse.

As it pertains to her overall condition and circumstances, completely different.

Alleged being only used in the court system, unless someone's on trial for the abuse it's not considered 'alleged.' It seemed that it was Casey's abuse, not her allegedly abusing her child, that was referring to, yes? (See what I did there?)

I was listening to an interesting NPR segment on rape victims in the justice system and one of the prosecutors made that pretty clear and I'm rather fond of the definition.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

I was listening to an interesting NPR segment on rape victims in the justice system and one of the prosecutors made that pretty clear and I'm rather fond of the definition.

So that's the legal definition and not a particular prosecutor's definition?

As the trial is concerned, you're right that the point wasn't to prove she was really sexually abused. But, that doesn't make the abuse not an accusation.

[katydidKD]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

That's not how it works. Go fuck yourself.

Yeah, actually it is. Thats why Baez was ordered to not mention it in closing.

[BluPhire]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

But we cared before there was a trial. And the same biases affect media coverage of investigations, and thus the quality and thoroughness of the investigations. The fact that 'drama' is how we decide what we care about is not particularly more promising. And we don't cover cases involving minorities the same way because it's not dramatic... why? Because of the bigotry of low/shitty expectations?

I still come down to what do WE as the viewers do about it? Stop watching Nancy Grace and the like might be something, but what else?

.

There isn't anything else you can do. The moment the media became a money making ratings gathering entity, you are subject to the bottom dollar. Unfortunately these cases fall into legislating the heart. You can do things like this and bring up the fact that we all have biases that affect us, but it will take time and a wait and see approach because just as much as it took time to get us here, it will take time to get us out of it. So the media will continue to feed the masses what they want.