Tag: Casey Anthony

I was driving to the jail to see a client when I heard on the radio the verdict would be announced at 2:15. The breathless commentators at HLN were in top form. One even announced Casey Anthony's parents were undoubtedly en route to the court, "hearts pounding in their chest" as if they were right there beside them. All of the commentators I heard predicted a guilty verdict -- citing the prosecution's closing argument. A few hedged their bets by saying juries are unpredictable. Not one called it for the defense. [More...]

Update: I think the defense caught a break when the Judge recessed the trial after the defense closing until tomorrow, forcing the prosecutors to wait to give their closing rebuttal. Now the jury gets to go home and consider the arguments of both sides equally, without the prosecution having the advantage of two bites at the apple. Even though they aren't supposed to, some may make up their minds today, and any leaning towards the defense, may be listening with a closed mind by the time the rebuttal comes tomorrow. The prosecutor's laughing during the defense closing may have backfired big time. Also, isn't it a bit disrespectful for the Court to hold trial on the 4th of July?

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Original Post

If you liked the old days of Court TV, tune in to Headline News where Vinnie Politan, Jean Casarez and Janie Velez-Mitchell are dissecting the closing arguments in the Casey Anthony trial. It's not quite like the old Court TV, it's more like Court TV on speed, with a surreal intensity. Every word is enunciated with such emphasis and varied tone inflection, you see their lips form every word. It's more like listening to sports announcers at the Superbowl than legal analysts, as they continue to hype this so-called "trial of the century." They keep talking about the passion of the prosecutor in closing, but when they play clips, in comparison to them, he's sounds like he's speaking in a monotone. Put another way, the old Court TV was like watching a golf match, while this is like watching an Xtreme Sports or snowboarding competition. [More...]