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Community Corner

Moms Q&A: Reaction to the Casey Anthony Trial

Our Moms Council shares views on the jury's not guilty decision

Each week in Moms Talk, our Moms Council — Susan Masone, Siri Heinrichs, Cristina Fowler, Christine O'Brien and our intrepid columnist Lauren Kim — takes your questions, gives advice and shares their solutions to the problems vexing all of us.

Have a question you would like to share, or just want to provide your opinion on the question of the week? Head over to the comments section to do just that.

So grab a cup of coffee and settle in as we start the conversation today with the following question:

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As a mom, what is your reaction to the Casey Anthony trial verdict, and what do you think of the public's response to the verdict?

Lauren Kim: I was disappointed by the verdict, as I believe that Casey Anthony is guilty of murdering her daughter. I haven’t followed the case intensively, but followed it in its final days as the case neared its close. I thought for sure that someone who seemed so guilty of committing such a cruel, terrible crime would no doubt be locked up for the rest of her life. The fact that such a heartless woman (who didn’t even report her child missing until after a month’s time) could go free seems terribly wrong to me.

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I was also disgusted by the defense put up for the woman by her defense team — the team seemed to offer any explanation that they thought would stick with the jury. (The defense team even threw Anthony’s family “under the bus,” as commenters have suggested, claiming that Casey Anthony was a victim of sexual molestation by her family and suggesting after the police spent months looking for the child that the little girl was not murdered, but had drowned, supposedly because the girl’s grandmother had left out the ladder to the family pool.)

But, I am trying to stop thinking about the case. There are so many children in the world who could use love and assistance — the best thing I can do is focus on being the best mom I can be and providing love and care to my own children, and helping out as much as I can with others in the community to help ensure that the kids in our community go on to live happy and productive lives.

I know that there is a lot of public outcry to the outcome of the trial — hopefully everyone will find a way to divert all that energy away from Casey Anthony and focus instead on helping those in need and the ones we love.

Susan Masone: I have seen a small fraction of what actually transpired in the courtroom. I am sure there is a lot more to the story than we were actually shown.

I do not know what the mental stability of Casey Anthony is, but I can only assume that she is a very immature, mentally unstable person. I cannot imagine any person who is of sound mind who could commit such a heinous crime and be able to go through life unbothered by their actions. To come up with an excuse of her troubled childhood or past memories leading her to such a horrid act is just inexcusable. There are plenty of people who have lost everything due to war, family illness, natural disasters etc., who do not turn to a life of crime. Without knowing all the details in this case, I would like to believe that there was a mental illness involved, and that is a huge issue society needs to face in this case and many others.

Cristina Fowler: Sadness. Shock. Sitting at my desk, I was stunned when informed by my co-worker of the verdict. While I did not follow the court case, I did from time to time come across articles or news stories recounting the evidence and trial. Based on my layman's knowledge of the law, I assumed Anthony would be found guilty. Most of my family and friends were disappointed in the verdict as well. Almost immediately, my attention turned to my own children. The desire to see them and hug them was overwhelming. I picked up the phone later in the day to hear their voices.

A guilty verdict would not bring back Caylee. A guilty verdict would not save any other children who are also in danger. But perhaps something positive to honor the memory of Caylee will come of this tragedy. Sen. Nicholas Sacco introduced Caylee's Law, a bill designed to make New Jersey among the first states in the nation to require parents to promptly report a missing child. Under the current law, failure to report a death would be a felony. May Caylee rest in peace.


Christine O’Brien: I did not follow the case closely, so I do not know all the details. However, from what I’ve gathered, a little girl lost her life in a very suspicious manner and her mother did not report her death until one month after she “disappeared.” The heartbreak is that a young life is gone forever and her mother, who appears to
have been involved, was found not guilty and will be set free. I agree with the consensus and feel that her mother should have received a harsher punishment, especially for not doing everything in her power to find Caylee right away.

Let’s hope that from this tragedy some innocent lives can be saved. There is a petition is going around promoting "Caylee's
Law."
If this law is passed, it would be a felony for parents
who fail to report a missing child to police.

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