Case Study: The Casey Anthony Trial, Media Coverage, and its Effects

This report provides an analysis of the Casey Anthony case, focusing on the extensive media coverage and its potential influence on the trial's outcome. It begins with a historical overview of the crime, starting with the initial missing person report filed by Caylee Anthony's grandmother and the subsequent investigation that focused on Casey Anthony. The report explores the theoretical analysis of the crime scene, highlighting the challenges posed by Casey's misleading statements and the discovery of Caylee's remains. The report further examines the media's involvement, noting how intense coverage created public pressure and potentially biased perceptions. It delves into the forensic evidence, including the investigation of Casey's vehicle and the discovery of decomposition odors. Ultimately, the report concludes that while Casey Anthony was acquitted of murder charges, the case underscores the significant role media plays in shaping public opinion and influencing legal proceedings. Desklib offers a range of similar solved assignments and study resources for students.

Running head: CRIME IN MEDIA
Crime In Media

CRIME IN MEDIA 1
Introduction
The report will analyse the case of Caylee Anthony whose body has been found and the
charges have been made against her mother Casey. Caylee Marie Anthony was an American girl
that lives in Orlando, Florida with her mother Casey Marie Anthony and maternal grandparents
(Battaglia, 2011). The report will analyse the arguments and defences taken by her mother. The
theoretical analysis of the crime scene will be discussed. There are various evidences has come
out from the investigation will be discussed. The case when reported it has been highlighted in
media. The perception role of media role will be described and the effects on the case outcomes.
Description of the Crime in its Historical Setting
The case has been first started when Caylee Anthony grandmother had made a report that
her granddaughter Caylee Anthony is missing. Grandmother told to the investigating officers that
from 31 days her granddaughter is missing. She also told to the investigating officer on asking te
questions with her mother Casey Caylee has been telling different stories about her
granddaughter. The investigation was than mainly focused on the Casey. Casey had been found
repeatedly lied about the whereabouts about her daughter. Few days later, the decomposed body
of her daughter has been found near her house (Sigillo & Sicafuse, 2015). The process of
investigation started and various facts has been started to reveal. Caylee Mother who had taken
many defences in his favour and had repeatedly changed his statement. Caylee defended herself
by stating that she was panic and therefore has changed her facts repeatedly. The investigating
officers have also found the smell of the decomposed body in the car of Casey. The case had
been highlighted in the media and therefore it has been created the pressure of judgment on the
judges (Hare, 2018). Caylee had been accidentally drowned in her grandparent’s pool and she
hides the truth because she feared from her father George Anthony. The continues lies has
created the problems in the investigation that has created the problems for the case that has been
analysed.
Theoretical analysis of a crime event
The crime scene photo admitted into the evidence shows that there was a wooded area
where Caylee Anthony decomposed body had been found. In December 2008 in an investigation,
the Caylee body was found that is duct taped corpse near Anthony’s Parents home. It has been
identified as a sheer horror and has an idea that the mother has killed her own child. The crime

CRIME IN MEDIA 2
event had been defined by Casey that she and Caylee has been kidnapped by Zenaida Fernanadez
Gonzalez that has also been identified as “Zanny”, Caley’s Nanny. However, she has never been
seen by her family or her friends, in actual there was no nanny. Another lie of the Caylee that
she has told the police that she worked with Universal Studios that was also been found to be a
lie that she is telling to her parents for years (Cloud, 2011).
The crime event that has taken place can be well understood by the investigation that has
been taken by the investigating officer. There are certain misleading information has been given
by Casey Anthony in the investigation that has made the investigation more complex. However,
the evidence have been found of the decomposed body but it nowhere proves that Casey was
killed by her daughter. The crime event has been described by various factors that have been
analysed in the case.
Media involvement and coverage of the case from investigation to disposition
The case has been highlighted in media as every aspect of the case has been covered by
media. Through media, the case has been flooded all over the nation. It has an impact that a
ticket has been charged for the trial and there has been a huge line for watching the trial. In
accordance with media who have already thinking Caylee had murdered by her mother. The
media has created pressure on the process of investigation and mainly on the decision of the
Court. The media had changed the presumption of people as created that Casey is liable for the
murder of her daughter (Pafundi, 2010).
The crime event had been investigated by the forensic department. Detective Charity
Beasley had investigated the vehicle of Caylee mother. He has photographed the vehicle from
outside and inside. The vehicle from outside was looking clean but when he opened the door of
the vehicle he can smell the odour of death. A smell that was coming is not easy to forget in the
lifetime. The smell that is coming is of human decomposition that what is identified from the
detective from the forensic point of view. The investigating officer has analysed that at some
point of time there was a dead body in the car. It has been further the investigating officer has
found the hair inside the car on the trunker’s edge. The dirt residues and some type of fragrance
have been found in the vehicle. The hair found is a very tough thing to preserve, locate and to
collect. It has been further identified the case but still the evidence that they had not get that can
found Caylee mother guilt for killing Caylee (Findlaw, 2018).

CRIME IN MEDIA 3
The defendants argued their case and defended lies of Caylee by stating that she has told
lie in panic. In a whole investigation and evidence presented against Caylee, mother did not
proved Caylee guilty of murder. It has been argued that the Court does not provide judgment
emotionally but in accordance with the evidence and facts (Crime Museum, 2018).
The Judge has found Caylee mother not guilty and acquitted her from all charges of
murder. However, Judge has found Caylee guilty for providing false information to the law
enforcement.
Media Effect on Case Outcomes
The case has come into the limelight when media start covering the facts and it has
affected the proceeding and the case outcomes in a big manner. This is well known but it has
been a less considered aspect of “trial by media”. The media has already declared without the
verdict of the court that Casey is guilty of murder of her daughter Caylee. Due to media, it
becomes hard for a defendant to get back into society and to find a job. Even though the accused
has been acquitted by the Court but the society will see him as a criminal. The defendants in
many cases had also get death threats and attacks. The media has made the mindset of the people
on one thing without having proper evidence. The defendant can get the death penalty and
serious charges because when there is a public pressure and therefore judgment becomes
pressurized. If the judgment is not in accordance with the perception and the people questioned
the legal system and judiciary (Unidev, 2018). The Court does not go on emotions but on the
facts and evidence. It becomes difficult for the defendant to prove him not guilty when there is
already a media perception. There are various cases where the person has been wrongfully
exonerated due to media perception. There are six out of one case in the U.S has been
wrongfully exonerated. Media had already made the Caylee mother guilty for killing her
daughter. After the execution by the court to Caylee mother that has been highly criticised by
media. People on Facebook and Twitter have been flooded with criticism for the jury that justice
has not been done by the judges (Stelter & Wortham, 2011).
Conclusion
It has been analysed from the judgement of the case that Casey had been acquitted from
the charge of murder of her two years daughter. However, she has been charged for the various
lies she has gone through the whole process of investigation. The crimes scene has been

CRIME IN MEDIA 4
investigated and the body was found in a decomposed state that has created the media attention.
It has been analysed from the analysis that the media has already made the perception regarding
the case. The case has been further examined and various evidence have come from the car of the
Caylee family. The evidence does not be able to prove that Casey had killed her daughter. The
case has showed that the role of media in the case outcomes and how it makes the perception of
the public.

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References
Battaglia, N. A. (2011). The Casey Anthony Trial and Wrongful Exonerations: How Trial by
Media Cases Diminish Public Confidence in the Criminal Justice System. Alb. L.
Rev., 75, 1579.
Cloud, J. (2011). How the Casey Anthony Murder Case Became the Social-Media Trial of the
Century. Retrived from:
http://content.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2077969,00.html
Crime Museum (2018). Casey Anthony Trial. Retrived from:
https://www.crimemuseum.org/crime-library/famous-murders/casey-anthony-trial/
Findlaw (2018). Anthony v. State. Retrieved from: https://caselaw.findlaw.com/fl-district-court-
of-appeal/1621490.html
Hare, B. (2018). 'What really happened?': The Casey Anthony case 10 years later. Retrieved
from: https://edition.cnn.com/2018/06/29/us/casey-anthony-10-years-later/index.html
Pafundi, B. (2010). Public Access to Criminal Discovery Records: A Look Behind the Curtain of
the Criminal Justice System. U. Fla. JL & Pub. Pol'y, 21, 227.
Sigillo, A. E., & Sicafuse, L. L. (2015). The Influence of media and community sentiment on
policy decision-making. In Handbook of Community Sentiment (pp. 29-42). New York:
Springer
Stelter, B., & Wortham, J. (2011). Watching a trial on TV, Discussing it on Twitter. Retrieved
from: https://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/06/business/media/06coverage.html
Unidev (2018). Social Media’s Influence on the case Anthony Trial. Retrieved from:
https://www.unidev.com/web-marketing-insights/article/3422/Social-Media8217s-
Influence-on-the-Casey-Anthony-Trial.aspx