Casey Anthony Trial; Edition 1

Since this is one of the biggest trials in recent years, I'm going to be watching the proceedings and outcome with the eyes of a hawk, particularly because this case may result in a death penalty and has already opened with enough drama to comprise an entire Lifetime movie. I admit it: I already think this woman is as guilty as sin. However, I can also see her family as accomplices, and I think they are all shady as hell. I think after this case, charges will be levied against the grandparents; I think the prosecutor is just waiting because he doesn't want to screw with the jury's prospective of his witnesses.

That being said, I can also analyze this case from a purely intellectual standpoint, and I realize the state has to prove all elements beyond a reasonable doubt for this woman to be found guilty of murder. This is a tough burden, and if there is any doubt in a juror's mind, they CANNOT convict her of capital murder.

Which is why I think it's shitty the defense has claimed in their opening statement that Caylee Anthony died in an accidental drowning. It's shitty...and genius. By the time this child's body was found, the level of decomposition was certainly to the point that a drowning death would be impossible to determine. (If I'm not mistaken, you'd need lung tissue to show that, and I doubt a good sample of lung tissue remained to make this determination.) Then defense raises allegations that Casey Anthony was sexually assaulted by her father from the age of 8, which goes to show why she acted erratically in the time period after her daughter's disappearance.

All in all, this is a great opening argument. You cast doubt, you throw stones, you shift blame. You point fingers at everyone. You make the jurors feel sorry for the defendant. You confuse the issues. One fact remains, however:

This little girl is dead. Her body was dumped like trash in the woods. The meter reader found her. Regardless of whether or not her death was accidental, her mother lied to protect her own ass for SIX MONTHS and refused to identify the location of her child, or even that she had died. This little girl was treated, by all accounts, as a meaningless piece of garbage.

A lot of questions are going to be posed during this trial, and I'm not sure how the defense is planning to answer them. If this death was accidental, why did they not call authorities? How are they going to introduce anything about this accidental death without Casey Anthony testifying (which I think will be critical as to whether she receives the death penalty or not--they are now going to HAVE TO put her on the stand)? Why did authorities find duct tape over the child's mouth and nose? Why were searches found on Casey Anthony's computer regarding "neck breaking," "chloroform," and other ways to murder someone? And how the hell does the defense expect someone to believe that someone who has been sexually abuse would react to her daughter's death by going out to the clubs and pretending everything is all right? (There are plenty of sexual abuse survivors out there that I'm sure are shaking with rage over this defense as I type.)

This is the case of the decade. I predict the jury will find her guilty of murder and sentence her to life in prison. Regardless, it will not ever bring Caylee Anthony back, and that is truly tragic.