Jennifer Ford, the first member of the Casey Anthony trial jury to speak publicly, wants to clear up a few things about Tuesday’s stunning not guilty verdict.
Namely, don’t take it as a full exoneration.
“I did not say she was innocent,” Ford told ABC News on Wednesday. “I just said there was not enough evidence. If you cannot prove what the crime was, then you cannot determine what the punishment should be.”
Casey Anthony Verdict Reading
The jury’s decision shocked many observers, but it was also difficult for the panel, she said, explaining why no one spoke to media after the verdict.
“Everyone wonders why we didn’t speak to the media right away,” Ford said.
“It was because we were sick to our stomachs to get that verdict. We were crying, and not just the women. It was emotional and we weren’t ready. We wanted to do it with integrity and not contribute to the sensationalism of the trial.”
Ford said that what some called a baseless defense theory – that Casey Anthony’s 2-year-old Caylee accidentally drowned in the pool and she lied for years – was actually more believable than the prosecution’s evidence.
“I’m not saying I believe the defense,” she said. “Obviously, it wasn’t proven so I’m not taking that and speculating at all. But it’s easier for me logically to get from point A to point B” via the defense argument.
Therein lies the prosecution’s problem. As convinced as almost everyone is that Casey Anthony killed Caylee, there’s little iron-clad physical proof.
Ford said that couldn’t make out logically the prosecution’s argument because there were too many unanswered questions about how Caylee died.
Namely, how Casey Anthony would have used chloroform to smother her 2-year-old, then put her in the trunk of her car without anyone seeing it.
“If there was a dead child in that trunk, does that prove how she died? No idea, still no idea.” Ford said, explaining the rationale for the verdict.
“If you’re going to charge someone with murder, don’t you have to know how they killed someone or why, or have something, where, when, why, how?”
“Those are important questions. They were not answered.”
Casey Anthony was convicted on four counts of lying to officials. She will be sentenced at 9 a.m. this morning and could face a year for each count.
However, she has already served close to three awaiting trial for murder, so it remains to be seen whether she will serve any more time behind bars.
Did the jury get it right? What do you think: Casey is …
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