You can’t convict on circumstantial evidence

Not easily, anyhow. It raises reasonable doubt in a juror’s mind, which usually leads to acquittal. And so, as Bernie (who paid some attention to the trial while I paid none) neatly predicted a few days before the jury acquitted her, Casey Anthony walked. Well, by August, probably.

The news and entertainment media will now proceed to destroy her, one headline at a time, probably for the rest of her life. But comparing her to O.J. Simpson, as some talking-head nincompoops have, is just stupid. The cops had him cold, but they screwed up their evidence, also creating reasonable doubt.

The doubt was there from the get-go with Casey because the inept cops and the abusive prosecutor never had anything except innuendo and name-calling. And for that they kept her in jail for three years. Suspicion ain’t supposed to be enough, folks, and (whether she’s guilty or not) it’s a good thing, too, or the mob would rule us all.

0 responses to “You can’t convict on circumstantial evidence

  1. You are correct, Sir. If they had tried her for being a white trash party girl, and the rest of her family for being as screwed up and dishonest as Casey, maybe something would have stuck. Yes it was mishandled from the get-go, turned into a real media circus, especially down here, only 50 miles from the rat kingdom. That wasn’t the only unjust trial, they go on a daily basis throughout the country.

  2. Dick Stanley's avatar Dick Stanley

    Oh, indeed. Here in the land of the district-attorney-for-life (though he recently, mercifully, retired) we’ve been treated to all sorts of similar shenanigans. The old “innocent-until-proven-guilty” idea is way past its sell-by date.

  3. Once upon a time, circumstantial evidence, innuendo and outrage at a child being murdered would probably resulted in a convinction. It is a good thing we are (usually) past that.
    As for the live wall to wall sensational TV media coverage went, it hit a new low, at least till the next sensational trial.
    It is probably a foolish idea, but it would be nice if some time a sensational TV media covered trial was about a murdered black or hispanic girl.

  4. And yes keeping Casey Anthony in jail for three years, (whatever happen to the Constitutional guarnatee of a trial without undue delay), seems greatly excessive. She was not Khalid Sheikh Mohommad.