As most of the world already knows now, young Florida partier Casey Anthony, 25, was completely acquitted of the murder of her 2-year-old daughter, Caylee. A firestorm of thick emotion quickly erupted and spread throughout the nation.
All differences aside, people of every race, age, gender and walk of life united in disbelief that this woman, who was the last to see her daughter alive, would get away with murder, literally. She admittedly lied to police throughout the investigation and was found guilty on four counts of filing a false report. She will be sentenced on those charges on Thursday, July 7.
Because I have been closely following this case for three years, as I do most national missing children or child murder cases, I nearly was bowled over by the news of the acquittal. Although the possibility fleetingly crossed my mind, I, like most of the nation, was positive that a conviction would be secured. Though quite circumstantial, the evidence had stacked up squarely against Anthony and that she alone cold-heartedly used chloroform on her sweet, beautiful, innocent, loving child and duct-taped her mouth before she slipped away to heaven.
How could the jury return such a verdict? Talking heads can debate all they want about what the prosecutors did and did not do. Many say that they focused on the wrong motive and that the jury just couldn’t “wrap their minds around” a young mother killing her baby in order to enjoy partying and having sex. Many suggest that the prosecution should have focused on the jealousy that Casey had toward Caylee because her own parents loved her so and because she and her mother would often argue over the raising of the child.
All of those factors probably played a part, but I think the more subconscious reason she was found “not guilty” is more simple than that: America is overly fascinated with high-profile celebrity, or celebrity-like, figures, and Casey Anthony is a young, sexy (Have you seen the photos of her in the club taken after the baby was missing?), fashionable, very white woman.
If her name had been Shaquita Anthony or Bonquisha Anthony that knew her child was missing for 31 days before telling anyone; that was shaking her money-maker in the club with other men and women; who lied to her parents and police repeatedly; who got a tattoo that read “Beautiful Life” while the fate of her child was in question; and who demanded, stomped, ranted and raved in jail like a spoiled brat, she would be awaiting her sentencing on Thursday for a murder or, at the very least, manslaughter conviction.
Where’s the justice in America? Where’s the justice for Caylee, with whom I’ve fallen in love by just watching the footage of her when she was full of life?
As I posted on my Facebook page:
R.I.P. Little Caylee Anthony. Those idiots may have acquitted your mother of your murder, but “Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord.” This world is not our home, and justice here is weak. Justice is in God’s hand.
Just another day in America, where racism and inequalities still abound. I only can hope and pray that this unjust verdict will continue to stir conversation and lead to numerous organizations and laws that will work toward protecting and valuing the lives of all children.
–arnell pharr
