The Criminal Justice System - 2593 Words

In the criminal justice system there is very rarely a single linchpin that can be pointed to and held responsible for the failure to convict a seemingly guilty person. This reigns true for the very public prosecutions of both Casey Anthony and George Zimmerman. In the eyes of a vast majority of the public, fueled by media spectacle and opinion, Anthony and Zimmerman were guilty even before they ever saw the inside of a courtroom. There simply could be no other answer. The public was subsequently outraged when, after what seemed to be trials of certainty, juries acquitted each. The public sought to find someone, or something to blame. The verdict could not be accepted and many turned their focus to condemn the workings of the criminal†¦show more content†¦In each case we can seek to highlight what the defense did right, what the prosecution did wrong, the evidence in each case, the media s role, and how all of these things worked together to lead the juries to decide the way they did. Overview of the Cases It is important to start with a brief overview of the cases to re-familiarize the details and circumstances; for brevity, only an overview of each case is presented. In July of 2008, a 2-year-old Caylee Anthony is missing as her grandmother calls the police to report that her daughter s car smells as if it had contained a dead body (CNN, 2014a). When questioned about the whereabouts of her daughter, Casey Anthony admitted that she hadn t seen her in 31 days. She claimed that Caylee was with her nanny, Zenaida Fernandez-Gonzales (Hustmyre, 2014). One day after the 911 call Anthony was arrested on suspicion of child neglect, filing false official statements, and obstructing a criminal investigation, she was later released on bond; meanwhile Caylee is still missing (CNN, 2014a). In September of 2008 the police announced that they did not believe that Caylee was still alive, and in December their suspicions were confirmed (ABC News, 2011a). Anthony was to face trial for the murder of her daughter; prosecutors would seek the death penalty. Anthony s jury was sequestered throughout the trial, and after only 11 hours of deliberation they announced that they acquitted Anthony of any culpability in her