Not to confuse my summer obsession with what is sure to be remembered as one of the low points of the summers of 2008 & 2011, but I just watched my favorite host react on live television as she heard the verdict come down yesterday and I felt compelled to share it here.
I tried to embed, but alas could not figure it out...use this link to view the video on it's original site.
No doubt my next post will have little if nothing to do with Casey Anthony and most likely, be entirely focused on the start and predictions for the upcoming season of Big Brother, but this is an interesting bridge that I will use to move forward.
As Nancy Grace would say, "Goodnight Friend".
Wednesday, July 6
Tuesday, July 5
disservice of justice
SOTD: TBD (feel free to suggest one of your own)
I still remember, while getting ready for work, listening to the Today show and hearing the audio from the very first call Cindy made to 911 when Casey finally admitted that after 31 days Caylee had been missing.
I remember, as the sorted details about how the child went missing and the events that occupied her mother's time began to unfold, how I watched in disbelief that someone could be so reckless with not only her life, but the life of her innocent daughter.
I remember becoming obsessed with this case when the jailhouse tapes were released and it seemed that each day held more clues as to where little Caylee might be, still alive, and Casey's behavior and dialogue with her brother and parents provided insight into her sociopathic mind.
I remember watching live coverage on CNN, December 2008, while sitting at my desk at work when remains were uncovered in a wooded area just blocks from the Anthony home. Perhaps this is the thing I remember most. Countless tips had passed through the family with little more than a smirk of acknowledgement from Casey, but on the day these remains were found Casey had a panic attack that required the assistance of a doctor, before a positive ID had even been made. This is the day I no longer had a reasonable doubt that Casey committed this hanious crime.
I found myself unemployed with nothing but time on my hands in January of 2009. It had become regular practice for me at this point to tune in each night to hear the latest on Nancy Grace and any other program that might feature new details as they emerged. My interest in this case grew exponentially when I no longer had my work to focus on; there are some who might say my obsession with this case was my way of displacing the void that was created when I lost my job, and the truth is, they are probably right.
Regardless of why I was obsessed, make no mistake, I was consumed with a need to know every possible detail that might come to light. Countless nights were spent scrolling through, hundreds, maybe thousands of pages of evidence and depositions. I read every text message that was placed into evidence. I watched and re-watched the jail tapes for clues in the dialogue and body language between Casey & whichever family member she might be talking to. I searched tirelessly until I found the mysterious message that Cindy posted and then retracted from her MySpace page.
Like many, I have questioned how much Cindy & George really knew and when they knew it. My belief is that they knew the child was dead long before the body was found, but I don't believe for one second that either of them had a hand in her death. I do believe that if anyone knows the complete truth, it is Lee Anthony, Casey's brother. There seems to be a bond between these two that goes far beyond the 'incestuous' relationship the defense claimed (which I don't believe actually happened by George or Lee), but from jailhouse tape conversations, the reference to CMA at Caylee's memorial and Lee's limited presence for the trial (he was only present for the day he was subpoenaed as a witness), I strongly believe these two are thick as thieves and if she confided in anyone, it was him.
Here's where I think the case was lost: the motive. The prosecution argued that the motive for killing Caylee was that she was beginning to talk and Casey was afraid she wouldn't be able to keep up her lies. I don't believe this because anyone who can look an officer in the eye and lie to their face about where they work and then get into a squad car and hold steady to that lie all the way to the point that a member of the human resources personnel staff is standing in front of both of them explaining that she has not been an employee for over a year, isn't worried about the ramblings of a toddler.
Instead, I believe her motive was not driven by a desire to end Caylee's life so much as it was to punish her mother by taking Caylee out of her life for good. It was only briefly mentioned during the trial, but on the last night the Anthony's saw Caylee alive, Casey and her mother got into a huge fight over checks Casey stole from her elderly grandmother. The exchange got so heated that Cindy grabbed Casey around the neck and began to choke her. It was a month later, when allegations that Casey wrote checks she stole from a friend on the infamous Target shopping trip, that Cindy showed up to Universal Studios, where Casey told her she was working that day, to find that not only did her daughter not work there, but she claimed to be in Jacksonville with Caylee only to fess up days later that Caylee had been missing for over a month.
A reoccurring theme that was present through all the depositions and collective evidence was how self-centered Casey was. From the story of how Casey resented that Cindy was the first person to hold Caylee after she was born, to the report that Cindy actually preferred Caylee call her 'Mom', there is no doubt that from the moment her life began, Caylee was the center of Cindy's universe. Casey, on the other hand, was no longer the center of attention, no matter how hard she tried. I don't believe she ever really took to the role of mother and over time, I believe she began to resent Caylee for even being born.
Getting back to the motive, after the fight with her mother, I believe Casey left that night with the intent to hurt her mother the only way she knew how, to completely remove Caylee from her life forever. Blinded by rage, I believe she began to set motions in action that eventually proved devastating for little Caylee.
The prosecution did a great job, but despite their best efforts, I believe there were two factors that determined the outcome of this trial; the first was when Casey chose not to take the stand. Perhaps the single smartest thing she's ever done, by keeping her mouth shut, she contained her voice within the two and three year old recordings which her attorney came out at the very beginning and acknowledged contained multiple lies. The second factor was the jury. Whether it was the possible death sentence or a misunderstanding of the definition of 'reasonable doubt', once details about personal predisposition of each of the individual jurors began to emmerge, I had a gut feeling Casey would eventually walk free. However, I was not prepared for the jury to only convict her of lying to law enforcement. At the very least, the evidence of child abuse was present, but the fact is, as soon as this Thursday, Casey Anthony might be released, free and clear. I have to wonder how someone like Casey Anthony is expected to live a normal life after captivating the entire country with her lies and self-destructive behavior.
I remember many things about the events that surrounded this case and eventually, the trial, but after today, I will forever remember how inefficient our justice system truly is. I suppose justice comes in many forms and eventually, I believe justice will be served for the death of little Caylee Marie Anthony.
I still remember, while getting ready for work, listening to the Today show and hearing the audio from the very first call Cindy made to 911 when Casey finally admitted that after 31 days Caylee had been missing.
I remember, as the sorted details about how the child went missing and the events that occupied her mother's time began to unfold, how I watched in disbelief that someone could be so reckless with not only her life, but the life of her innocent daughter.
I remember becoming obsessed with this case when the jailhouse tapes were released and it seemed that each day held more clues as to where little Caylee might be, still alive, and Casey's behavior and dialogue with her brother and parents provided insight into her sociopathic mind.
I remember watching live coverage on CNN, December 2008, while sitting at my desk at work when remains were uncovered in a wooded area just blocks from the Anthony home. Perhaps this is the thing I remember most. Countless tips had passed through the family with little more than a smirk of acknowledgement from Casey, but on the day these remains were found Casey had a panic attack that required the assistance of a doctor, before a positive ID had even been made. This is the day I no longer had a reasonable doubt that Casey committed this hanious crime.
I found myself unemployed with nothing but time on my hands in January of 2009. It had become regular practice for me at this point to tune in each night to hear the latest on Nancy Grace and any other program that might feature new details as they emerged. My interest in this case grew exponentially when I no longer had my work to focus on; there are some who might say my obsession with this case was my way of displacing the void that was created when I lost my job, and the truth is, they are probably right.
Regardless of why I was obsessed, make no mistake, I was consumed with a need to know every possible detail that might come to light. Countless nights were spent scrolling through, hundreds, maybe thousands of pages of evidence and depositions. I read every text message that was placed into evidence. I watched and re-watched the jail tapes for clues in the dialogue and body language between Casey & whichever family member she might be talking to. I searched tirelessly until I found the mysterious message that Cindy posted and then retracted from her MySpace page.
Like many, I have questioned how much Cindy & George really knew and when they knew it. My belief is that they knew the child was dead long before the body was found, but I don't believe for one second that either of them had a hand in her death. I do believe that if anyone knows the complete truth, it is Lee Anthony, Casey's brother. There seems to be a bond between these two that goes far beyond the 'incestuous' relationship the defense claimed (which I don't believe actually happened by George or Lee), but from jailhouse tape conversations, the reference to CMA at Caylee's memorial and Lee's limited presence for the trial (he was only present for the day he was subpoenaed as a witness), I strongly believe these two are thick as thieves and if she confided in anyone, it was him.
Here's where I think the case was lost: the motive. The prosecution argued that the motive for killing Caylee was that she was beginning to talk and Casey was afraid she wouldn't be able to keep up her lies. I don't believe this because anyone who can look an officer in the eye and lie to their face about where they work and then get into a squad car and hold steady to that lie all the way to the point that a member of the human resources personnel staff is standing in front of both of them explaining that she has not been an employee for over a year, isn't worried about the ramblings of a toddler.
Instead, I believe her motive was not driven by a desire to end Caylee's life so much as it was to punish her mother by taking Caylee out of her life for good. It was only briefly mentioned during the trial, but on the last night the Anthony's saw Caylee alive, Casey and her mother got into a huge fight over checks Casey stole from her elderly grandmother. The exchange got so heated that Cindy grabbed Casey around the neck and began to choke her. It was a month later, when allegations that Casey wrote checks she stole from a friend on the infamous Target shopping trip, that Cindy showed up to Universal Studios, where Casey told her she was working that day, to find that not only did her daughter not work there, but she claimed to be in Jacksonville with Caylee only to fess up days later that Caylee had been missing for over a month.
A reoccurring theme that was present through all the depositions and collective evidence was how self-centered Casey was. From the story of how Casey resented that Cindy was the first person to hold Caylee after she was born, to the report that Cindy actually preferred Caylee call her 'Mom', there is no doubt that from the moment her life began, Caylee was the center of Cindy's universe. Casey, on the other hand, was no longer the center of attention, no matter how hard she tried. I don't believe she ever really took to the role of mother and over time, I believe she began to resent Caylee for even being born.
Getting back to the motive, after the fight with her mother, I believe Casey left that night with the intent to hurt her mother the only way she knew how, to completely remove Caylee from her life forever. Blinded by rage, I believe she began to set motions in action that eventually proved devastating for little Caylee.
The prosecution did a great job, but despite their best efforts, I believe there were two factors that determined the outcome of this trial; the first was when Casey chose not to take the stand. Perhaps the single smartest thing she's ever done, by keeping her mouth shut, she contained her voice within the two and three year old recordings which her attorney came out at the very beginning and acknowledged contained multiple lies. The second factor was the jury. Whether it was the possible death sentence or a misunderstanding of the definition of 'reasonable doubt', once details about personal predisposition of each of the individual jurors began to emmerge, I had a gut feeling Casey would eventually walk free. However, I was not prepared for the jury to only convict her of lying to law enforcement. At the very least, the evidence of child abuse was present, but the fact is, as soon as this Thursday, Casey Anthony might be released, free and clear. I have to wonder how someone like Casey Anthony is expected to live a normal life after captivating the entire country with her lies and self-destructive behavior.
I remember many things about the events that surrounded this case and eventually, the trial, but after today, I will forever remember how inefficient our justice system truly is. I suppose justice comes in many forms and eventually, I believe justice will be served for the death of little Caylee Marie Anthony.
Wednesday, June 22
long overdue, really good news
SOTD: Vega 4 - "Life Is Beautiful"
Let me first say that I am blessed. I am blessed in more ways than I know, for reasons I may never understand. Blessed with the most supportive & thoughtful friends, a resilient family and the good sense to know how lucky I am!
If you have visited my blog before, you are probably already aware of my brother's brain cancer and subsequent surgeries. And judging from the number of phone calls, text messages and emails I've received over the last several weeks, I know many of you have been waiting for an update. It might sound crazy, but I've been putting off the 'Blog Post Update' because the news is so good I was almost afraid I would jinx it in someway by validating it here...I know, crazy, right?!?
So here you go...
The second surgery was MUCH easier for Andy. I guess they got a lot of the really painful and traumatic stuff out of the way the first time around. For the second surgery, an entry point had already been established, so getting to the cancer was breeze! Additionally, going in the 2nd time, our expectations were lowered as we had already been informed it was unlikely they would be able to get it all out and at least a few rounds of chemo were to be expected.
Imagine our surprise when after two weeks at his follow up with the Neurologist and Radiologist Andy was told THEY GOT IT ALL!!! No more surgery, No loss of vision & No Chemotherapy! (Have I mentioned how BLESSED I am?!?)
He continued with follow up visits for most of May and dispute bringing some of the sharpest minds in the medical field together for a round-table discussion about his case, there are still many anomalies associated with his diagnosis & recovery that continue to be a mystery. I think I have come to the conclusion that some things just aren't meant to be understood and instead of asking why it happened, I will ponder how so many positive things can come out of something so awful. As a whole, we are a stronger family with more tremendous faith and a deeper appreciation for the simple things in life.
Looking back at the last 4 months, I still can't believe what a roller coaster my life has been. If Andy's cancer was a free fall down the track, then I definitely feel like I'm climbing the next hill and moving on to a new and more exciting thrill!
I am so thankful to have such great friends and beyond grateful for my brother's health & speedy recovery!
Let me first say that I am blessed. I am blessed in more ways than I know, for reasons I may never understand. Blessed with the most supportive & thoughtful friends, a resilient family and the good sense to know how lucky I am!
If you have visited my blog before, you are probably already aware of my brother's brain cancer and subsequent surgeries. And judging from the number of phone calls, text messages and emails I've received over the last several weeks, I know many of you have been waiting for an update. It might sound crazy, but I've been putting off the 'Blog Post Update' because the news is so good I was almost afraid I would jinx it in someway by validating it here...I know, crazy, right?!?
So here you go...
The second surgery was MUCH easier for Andy. I guess they got a lot of the really painful and traumatic stuff out of the way the first time around. For the second surgery, an entry point had already been established, so getting to the cancer was breeze! Additionally, going in the 2nd time, our expectations were lowered as we had already been informed it was unlikely they would be able to get it all out and at least a few rounds of chemo were to be expected.
Imagine our surprise when after two weeks at his follow up with the Neurologist and Radiologist Andy was told THEY GOT IT ALL!!! No more surgery, No loss of vision & No Chemotherapy! (Have I mentioned how BLESSED I am?!?)
He continued with follow up visits for most of May and dispute bringing some of the sharpest minds in the medical field together for a round-table discussion about his case, there are still many anomalies associated with his diagnosis & recovery that continue to be a mystery. I think I have come to the conclusion that some things just aren't meant to be understood and instead of asking why it happened, I will ponder how so many positive things can come out of something so awful. As a whole, we are a stronger family with more tremendous faith and a deeper appreciation for the simple things in life.
Looking back at the last 4 months, I still can't believe what a roller coaster my life has been. If Andy's cancer was a free fall down the track, then I definitely feel like I'm climbing the next hill and moving on to a new and more exciting thrill!
I am so thankful to have such great friends and beyond grateful for my brother's health & speedy recovery!
Monday, April 25
wait. wait. wait.
SOTD: Michelle Featherstone "I'm There Too"
I've been putting off this update because I really didn't want to post more bad news, but due to the multiple emails and messages I've been getting for the last few days, I decided to share the information I have, regardless of how minuscule or not at all up-lifting.
So here it goes...
Andy is doing relatively well. Last week he returned to Chattanooga for another MRI; this one is to prepare for his next surgery, which will happen next Monday, May 2nd. The goal with the next surgery is to remove the cancer cells left behind during the previous surgery. Considering the amount of pain he was in after the first one, Andy was extremely reluctant to go back under the knife, but the doctor explained, if the second surgery isn't successful and they don't remove all the cancer cells, it will be terminal. I'm not sure I've ever hated a sentence more in my life.
The whole family was together for Easter and although he can now fully open his eye, I can't spend more than a minute or so with him without getting queasy and faint. It's not that his face is really hideous, I just have a heard time watching people I care for go through difficult things, especially painfully physical things like this!
So next will be the 2nd surgery on Monday, May 2nd. Please keep saying your prayers and hoping for the best. We are all just tip-toeing around until we see how things turn out after next week.
Sorry for what is probably the vaguest update I've ever written.
I've been putting off this update because I really didn't want to post more bad news, but due to the multiple emails and messages I've been getting for the last few days, I decided to share the information I have, regardless of how minuscule or not at all up-lifting.
So here it goes...
Andy is doing relatively well. Last week he returned to Chattanooga for another MRI; this one is to prepare for his next surgery, which will happen next Monday, May 2nd. The goal with the next surgery is to remove the cancer cells left behind during the previous surgery. Considering the amount of pain he was in after the first one, Andy was extremely reluctant to go back under the knife, but the doctor explained, if the second surgery isn't successful and they don't remove all the cancer cells, it will be terminal. I'm not sure I've ever hated a sentence more in my life.
The whole family was together for Easter and although he can now fully open his eye, I can't spend more than a minute or so with him without getting queasy and faint. It's not that his face is really hideous, I just have a heard time watching people I care for go through difficult things, especially painfully physical things like this!
So next will be the 2nd surgery on Monday, May 2nd. Please keep saying your prayers and hoping for the best. We are all just tip-toeing around until we see how things turn out after next week.
Sorry for what is probably the vaguest update I've ever written.
Monday, April 4
not at all what we were expecting
SOTD: Jo Dee Messina "Bring On The Rain"
In the few weeks that have passed since we heard about Andy's tumor, we've had time to absorb the shock and prepare ourselves for the probable diagnosis that would come after his surgery today.
Or, at least I thought we had.
Let me explain...
His surgery began around nine o'clock this morning and when I hadn't heard anything at lunch, I called mom to check in. It was at this time I learned that it had been over an hour and a half since she had been given an update, but at that time, it was simply that he was asleep and the surgery was going well. I took this as a 'no news is good news' situation and continued to wait by the phone.
Around 2:30pm I got a call from mom with the good news I had been waiting for, Andy was out of surgery! But there was bad news, and it was far worse than any of us were prepared for...
The tumor was larger than the doctors were expecting and despite their best efforts, they were unable to remove it all. It was discovered that the tumor was not Lymphoma as originally thought, but perhaps worse, it's a rare cancer that the doctors aren't familiar with. There were a few complications and a little more bleeding than normal which is expected to make for a longer and more painful recovery process. In the end, it took two screws and a plate to piece my little brother back together.
Cells from the tumor are being sent to three of the best cancer research hospitals in the region and he his expected to return to Chattanooga next week for more definitive results. As for his current condition, I spoke with mom again around six o'clock tonight and she said he is in a lot of pain. He was able to see and recognize family members in his room about an hour earlier, but she said he did have some trouble completing sentences (which in all honesty could be a side effect of the sedatives or pain meds). Mom also mentioned that she didn't think Andy was aware of the outcome as of yet and she didn't know how or when they would try to explain it to him.
Assuming he doesn't have any set backs overnight, we anticipate he will be released tomorrow. He's got a tough road ahead, especially now that the worst case scenario just got even worse. None of us know what will happen next or how to prepare Andy for the difficult days that lie ahead, but we appreciate all the kind words and prayers you've sent our way more than you will ever know.
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