I say yes, you say no, OR People are Strange

Enjoyful

BTW, excellent analysis, Athena!

Edited to add from the LOLCatz bible:  It happen.  Iz good.

Anonymous

Oh, how I love the Ignore button.  May have missed some saccharin, but I'm a honey in my tea person.

BOOKS.  One of my favorite things in the world.  Old fashioned paper ones, haven't gone techy on Kindle (yet?).  Mystery, don't know if anyone has yet named P.D. James.  For serious stuff, for a real British "cozy" ) (cosy?) I LOVE M.C. Beaton.  Just a hoot!  One of her protagonists is an "older" ( tho much younger than me) woman named Agatha Raisin, and the first book about her was "Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death."

I am now reading my last unread George Eliot, Romula.  Will be bereft when I finish,I'ved saved it for years to have one to read.  Also read every Iris Murdoch novel.  Not "light" but I love them.  Also finished Virginia Woolf's fiction. As for "lighter" - Major Pettigrew's Last Stand was delightful.

BarbaraA

Maybe it is just me but it seems to me that Stephen King has lost his 'edge'. Maybe it's me. I have almost all his books and the ones lately just don't seem as good.

E, you are right, the jury wanted proof beyond 'all' doubt. Such a shame. So she got 4 years...big deal. Caylee is still dead and no one will pay the price for her death.

Enjoyful

Mystery novels just aren't my cup of quiche.  Have any of you read Christopher Moore's books?  Talk about a hoot...go buy one!  Now!

leggo

I didn't watch the trial....that's the way it was put to the jury? "any doubt?"

Enjoyful

No no, reasonable doubt was explained to the jury, gracie.  I think the jury lifted "reasonable" to an unreasonable standard.  My personal opinion.

1Athena1

I am actually pro death penalty (although it is often used too liberally, IMO), but the sentencing in a case should be decoupled from the decision on guilt or innocence. I agree, E - the Casey jury may have been swayed by the prospect of death. Their decision should have been made based only on the merits of the case. In being swayed by the penalty, as at least one juror admitted, they were acting as judge too and not just jury.

leggo

No Barbara, it's not just you. I like his old work so much, I'm willing to wait until he gets back on track. Seems he lost his edge after that accident.

Enjoyful

I was pro death penalty, until I found out that the death penalty costs more than lifetime incarceration.  I don't want to waste any more time or money on anyone who deserves a death penalty.  Let them rot in jail.

leggo

I wonder....when they voir dire the jurors in a case like this...do they ask them their views on capital punishment you think?

leggo

How does the death penalty cost more? I'm confused.

ETA: is it because of the constant appeals?

Enjoyful

Yes, gracie. 

crazy4carrots

Speaking of costs -- the defence must be costing the Anthonys a bundle.  Wonder how they'll pay for it?  Doesn't seem as though they're rolling in dough.

I'm anti-death penalty and grateful that the Canadian government 40 years ago abolished it.  Otherwise, a young 14-yr-old boy who was accused and found guilty of murdering a 12-year-old girl in Ontario would have been hanged.  He was found innocent some 35 years later, and the police never investigated other options.  They were so determined that he was the ONE.   The family still doesn't know who killed their little girl. 

leggo

Hmmmm, sad state of affairs. Prison, in my opinion, is too good for some people. Some good, law-abiding people don't even have cable and three meals a day.

Alpal

They absolutely ask for opinions about the death penalty. Quickest way to get thrown off a jury in a capital case is to express a strong opinion (pro or con) on the death penalty.

Enjoyful

I've been called for jury duty twice but never selected.  Apparently lawyers don't like auditors on the jury.  :-D

jancie

Lindasa - Baez did this pro-bono - he wanted the exposure as a defense attorney.

The state may go after Casey for $300K - I believe that was the cost for searching for Caylee at the time the state believed Caylee was kidnapped by Zanny the Nanny.

BarbaraA

They never picked me either, E. I *was* a CPA for 20 years but let it lapse, as I do systems now and those certifications take all my time.

Agree, Gracie, 3 hots and a cot is too good for some 'people' (using the word loosely).

Enjoyful

When I audited a detention center I took a tour and believe me, it's no picnic in there.  And that's just a pre-trial detention center - imagine what penitentiaries are like!

leggo

I don't know about the one's in the US, but some of the pens here are waaayy to nice for the kind of people they house. Why should they have all the amenities.?????

Enjoyful

And free health care!

crazy4carrots

Study after study after study has determined that the death penalty is not a deterrent.  I'm still confounded that a society that treasures life can allow its government to take the life of someone.  JMO, of course, cuz I'm a bleeding heart liberal.....Besides, there are much more effective and satisfying ways of punishing a murderer.  Whatever happened to hard labour?  

leggo

My son's high school was designed by the same architect who designs most of Canada's prisons. I think that's hilarious.

Enjoyful

HAHAHAHA gracie!  Does it look like a prison?

crazy4carrots

In the eyes of some kids, probably!

leggo

Yes, it does. It was built in 1976, and it's a beautiful building, but you can tell. The layout is identical.

crazy4carrots

But not as many locks and bars, I hope!

pip57

Linda, I am with you on the death penalty.  Why let them off easy?  Let them spend the rest of their lives looking out at barbed wire and watching their backs in the shower.

leggo

Oh, and they have a big long empty stretch of floor they call the "blue mile" leading to the weight room that the kids call "the pit". (Where some of the less desirables hang out to give each other tatoos with safety pins and pen ink). It's so ironic.

1Athena1

Funnily enough, I do believe in humane conditions for detention, but sadly I also think some people are beyond repair and should get hanged sooner. The tragedy of putting innocent people behind bars will continue as long as fallible human beings do the judging. But I think the death penalty should not be used for single murder cases. It should be specially reserved for terrorists, serial killers and war criminals only (oh - and drug traffickers). Not for cop killers or even child killers if they are single murders. The multiple murder/crime standard would make it more difficult to ice an innocent person.

I also believe in humane conditions for people not in prison. Humane includes guaranteed access to healthcare for all. In the United States of America, the only way such a human right is guaranteed is if you commit a felony and go to prison. I say: yes, if the felon is worth keeping alive, treat him like a human being and give him health care. But first guarantee it to the innocent. In the US, certain human rights are only given to those behind bars.