Summing Up the Trial of the Century

The trial of the century is over, and while the defendant, Casey Anthony, sleeps soundly after being acquitted of murder, the rest of the country is left in a state of shock.

Not guilty? Really?

Whether the jury came up with the right or wrong decision in this case, I'm not going to discuss. It doesn't matter - the trial is over; the jury has spoken; and it's done. Ms. Anthony goes free in a week.

However.

However.

There's a niggling question in the back of my mind that I have to address, and it is this...

How - in all that is holy - did the jury reach a decision in less than 11 hours???

There were 33 days of testimony...

Over 400 pieces of evidence...

And 7 charges against Ms. Anthony...

And yet the jury would have us believe that they could review the testimony, review the evidence, review the judge's instructions, and then deliberate on not ONE - but SEVEN charges against her - in LESS than 11 hours???

In the honor of full disclosure, I should say right here that I have never been on a criminal jury...and I never will be, due to circumstances in my life from long ago...let's just say that attorneys seem to frown on having crime victims sit on a criminal jury. Go figure.

Anywho, I HAVE sat on a civil jury.

Fifteen years ago, a man and wife filed a lawsuit against their insurance agency...their house had been robbed, their jewelry and fur coats taken - and the insurance had refused to pay damages on their claim.

There was a problem...in that the couple had never ADDED these items to their insurance, and therefore, did not have insurance on the items taken.

But, but, but - they argued in court - they had INTENDED to add these items, and the insurance agent should have known they INTENDED to add these - and therefore, they should be reimbursed for these rather costly items.

After listening for a full day of testimony, we, the jury, adjourned to our jury room for deliberations...and we deliberated.

We didn't make a rush to judgement. We sat and looked at all of the testimony, all of the evidence, all of the papers entered into court - and we then, and only then, began deliberating.

It took over four hours for us. And this was a rather "simple" case, as cases go.

The Casey Anthony case was far from simple - and yet, seven unanimous decisions (3 Not Guilty; 4 Guilty) were reached by 12 people in approximately 10 hours and 45 minutes.

Unbelievable.

One of the jurors has said that the evidence just didn't add up.

I'm sorry...but if you ask me? The math just doesn't add up.

Peace.