Courtroom TV Paper

CJA 224

Courtroom TV Paper

Introduction

The Casey Anthony case was one that received much media attention. The trial lasted for over 33 days, in which both prosecutors and defense attorneys battled over the evidence that was presented in this case. (Gavett, 2012) Through the case the prosecution and defense brought in numerous experts which helped spur the media attention. The case was about a mother who was accused of murdering her two-year-old daughter in 2008. This paper will cover the case and ultimately reveal the results of the case.

What was the crime the defendant was alleged to have committed? What are the elements of that crime?

The crime that Casey Anthony was accused of was the murder of her two-year-old daughter in her home back in 2008. The remains of her daughter were found near the Anthony home. During the investigation there was no significant evidence found such as DNA, murder weapon, and no confession of the crime. (Gavett, 2012) During the trial the prosecution could never prove that Casey Anthony committed murder. The elements the prosecution presented to the jury were quite vast. The trunk of Anthony’s car had the smell of human decomposition. The defense used the expert the prosecutions called upon as a witness against them. Stating that this was the first case the expert had dealt with concerning human decomposition and created doubt in the minds of the jury. Other element included the internet searches found on the Anthony’s home computer for how to create chloroform (Gavett, 2012).

Is there sufficient evidence to believe the defendant guilty of this crime beyond a reasonable doubt?

“No person may be convicted of a criminal offense unless there is some proof of each element of the crime independent of any admission made by him outside of this trial… (Frank Schmalleger, 2010)”. The defense in the Casey Anthony trial was superior when it came to presenting the elements of the case and casting a showdow of doubt upon most evidence presented. The evidence presented such as the chloroform searches seemed to have been strong enough to help explain some of how Casey Anthony’s daughter died. The defense was able to prove that in fact Casey had not searched on how to make chloroform but that her mother admitted to the search. The defense did the better job and Casey Anthony was not charged with murder. She did end up being charged with obstruction but for the murder of her two-year-old daughter she was found not guilty.

Identify the legal defenses used in this case. Explain what the defense entails and if it is viable.

In the Casey Anthony case, her defense attorney took the factual defense route, which claims that Casey was not present during her daughter’s death and that she was innocent. Her lawyers told court that the father was to be blame for the death of her daughter because he was the one who found the child drowned in the pool and said that he tried to hide the body and planted evidence to make it look like it was her daughter’s faults for the child’s death. (Sarokin, 2011) Casey Anthony also uses the excuse defense where she tells the court that she was raised to lie about things due to her past. She tells the court that when she was young her father and brother sexually abused her but decided to hide the secret from everyone because she was scared to say anything. As a result of her past, this made her lie about certain things her whole life. (Sarokin, 2011) The entire family seemed dysfunctional and none of them seemed to be able to tell the truth in court and even though Casey Anthony was thought to lie the entire time, the jury believed it was not enough evidence to proof her guilty.

Conclusion

The Casey Anthony Trial was a long hard fought battle and while many feel that Anthony was let off easy the prosecution worked its hardest to prove their case. The justice system is not always perfect and will allow some to slip through the cracks it is sad when cases such as the Anthony case rules in the defenses favor. The Factual defense proved to be strong enough to keep Anthony from the Murder charges brought up against her.

References

Gavett, G. (2012, April 17). Casey Anthony Trial Lawyers Speak Out About the Case’s Controversial Forensics. Retrieved November 17, 2014, from PBS: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/criminal-justice/real-csi/casey-anthony-trial-lawyers-speak-out-about-the-cases-controversial-forensics/

Frank Schmalleger, D.E (2010). Criminal Law Today, Fourth Edition. Pearson Education

Sarokin, J. H. (2011). The Reason for the Not Guilty Verdict in the Casey Anthony Case. Retrieved November 15, 2014, from The Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/judge-h-lee-sarokin/casey-anthony-jury_b_898550.html