Research and Analyze the Crime: Casey Anthony, Specific Media Reports
Step 1: Crime name: Casey Anthony
Step 2: Research the crime.
Step 3: Research media coverage of the crime. Can you identify the various kinds of coverage? (i.e. newspapers, televisions news, shows like Primetime, Dateline, ID channel, internet, radio, magazines, etc.) Locate (read and/or watch) specific media reports.
Step 4: Identify and compile a list of adjectives or phrases that the media uses to describe the defendant. How do these paint the individual? Does the coverage appear slanted? Presume guilt or innocence?
Step 5: What are the potential conflicts between first amendment and sixth amendment in your case?
Step 6: What are some steps that judges and/or lawyers may take/have taken/ attempted to take to protect the defendant’s right to a fair trial? Step 6: Do you agree with these decisions? Why or why not? Do you have any additional or different suggestions? Do you think the public had a right to, depending on your case’s situation, know more or less about the case than was allowed?
Step 7: Do you think these individuals are able to get a fair trial, considering the degree of media coverage.
Step 8: If the defendant is, or will be, found guilty that he/she will legitimate grounds for an appeal? (You can draw on case history here to help inform this decision)
Step 9: What are the dangers of restricting media coverage of a criminal trial? What are the risks?
Step 10: When balancing the first and the sixth amendment, what must be considered? In your opinion, what tips the scale one way or the other?
Casey Anthony
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Casey Anthony stood accused of , murder aggravated manslaughter and child abuse of her two year old child Caylee Marie Anthony whose remains were found (CNN, 2011). Anthony first denied knowledge of her child’s whereabouts, despite evidence that of decomposing body having been placed in her car during the time her daughter died (CNN, 2011). Involved in check fraud during the time her daughter disappeared. Wide media coverage of the trial brought attention to details of the case, but she was found guilty of providing false information to law enforcement. Major media outlets covered the ongoing trials of the case about the judgment, while highlighting opposition to the case being dropped (CNN, 2011). The media used words such as mysterious, arrogant and lying, while alluding that Casey had purchased chloroform and her behavior after her daughter’s death was suggestive she had something to hide.
There is a conflict between free press as guaranteed in the First amendment and fair trial in the Sixth amendment. The media sensationalized the trial, but the judges prevent journalists from publishing sensitive information of the trial, without imposing speech-restrictive alternatives. Restrictive orders to covering certain aspects of a trial may be applied in some circumstances to ensure a fair trial so long the restrictions do not infringe on the first amendment. Nonetheless, the public has a right to know the details of the Casey Anthony trial. Even though, publicity of the Casey Anthony trial garnered interes...