Today a jury of her peers has found Casey Anthony not guilty of killing her little girl. She was even cleared of the lessor charges of manslaughter. While she was found guilty of several misdemeanor charges, the jury unanimously declared not guilty. The immediate reaction is predictable but remarkably shocking; almost bloodthirsty. What a remarkable irony: just one day after this great nation celebrates all things freedom and liberty, the success of a free nation dependant on a constitution we all claim to love, the reaction on the 5th of July seems to imply the constitution and our values only count if they agree with ME.
Let's be clear. Maybe Casey Anthony did indeed kill Caylee Anthony. And she most definately could be found guilty of being a bad mom and an unclassy young lady. And she is now a convicted liar. But the law provides for innocent until proven guilty and beyond any shadow of doubt. There must be clear and definitive evidence of guilt. Simply put, the state did not prove Casey Anthony guilty. And being not guilty, in these here United States of America, does not mean innocent. The jury did not declare her innocent, they simply say not guilty.
Hundreds of my Facebook friends have responded immediately with shock and outrage. She is guilty, no doubt about it. She did it. She should die. She is an animal. And these same friends, I venture to say celebrated all that America claims to be just yesterday, our Independence Day. My we have become a bloodthristy nation. We love revenge. We want the worst to always be proven true. And we put way to much trust in these crazed TV talking heads like those on Headline News, CNN, Fox, that tell us all we need to know; as if we are all too stupid to think for ourselves. Or even worse, that their opinions are more important than the system of law and justice, that on balance, has served America well for some 235 years.
And let's talk about the death penalty. The state was hell bent on pursuing death penalty vis-a vis first degree murder. Is it possible, that if the state would have begun at the top of it's list a manslaughter charge, we may have found a different version today? Let me clarify; Casey Anthony was also found not guilty today of that very same charge. But I count that as all the time and effort put into the death penalty charge. Not until this nation begins to decry the death penalty will we see great progress in real criminal justice. The death penalty continues to not be a deterrant, is not inexpensive and way too often, even in this great nation, kills the wrong guy. What purpose would be served if Casey got the death penalty? The answer shouts one thing and one thing only: revenge. And here we need to apply, for those of us of great faith, the Catholic Church teaching on death penalty. Recourse to the death penalty is reserved for those situations and cultures that, failing to use the death penalty, would be at great risk to the common good. As Pope John Paul II put it: a civilized nation like the United States of America should use it rarely, if it ALL. The death penalty, on balance, does not serve us well or serve the will of God. And for those who want to trot out the render to Ceaser quote, well, who interprets Scripture for you? It would be well out of context to go there.
One more thing. There will be a thousand times more outrage at this verdict, and the fact that there is no justice for this one special, beautiful little girl, than the 4,000 plus little babies killed in abortion mills in this great nation today, and every other day. A nation that for now some 38 years so non-chalantly kills it's young is a nation that has become immune to violence, murder and injustice.
My advice: move on my friends and practice what you claim to believe. And move away from this crazy secular mixed up world and follow God's ways and God's will placing all our trust in Him.
I felt surprised that the verdict was not guilty, but then I had to remind myself that one is not to be tried in the news and that as it had not been my duty to sit on the jury I have not been privy to the evidence as presented or the instructions of the court, so I must accept the outcome. Better to spend one's energy helping to avoid more tragedies on other little ones.
ReplyDeleteYour gloss on this tragic story is so very valuable. Our Church is one of so very few voices of reason on matters of crime and punishment. What with society rushing to condemn and to focus on retribution, is it any wonder that a culture of life is so elusive for society as a whole? Do we believe that each and every sinner can be redeemed? Do we acknowledge that none of us would be in a state of grace but for being redeemed by Christ?
ReplyDeleteOur system of justice, flawed though it may be, is a lot better than the calumny foisted upon us by the media. Have people become more hateful in these last years? Seems like it to me.