Last night Casey Anthony, the mother of a toddler missing since June, 2008, was back on the news. This time, it was pictures of her apparently being “wild” and partying. The pictures were taken long before her daughter went missing; I don’t understand why they have any news value at all. They only value they have is shock value – “look at this trashy ho!” But it’s not just harmless fun at Anthony’s expense. It puts the double smack-down of sexism and classism on Anthony, and it pisses me off.
Normally I’m not interested in these sorts of lurid stories of missing babies and suspicious parents (Anthony didn’t report her daughter missing for almost a month and was charged with child neglect, making false statements and obstructing the investigation into her daughter’s disappearance). And far be it from me to defend anyone who may have harmed a child.
But the hypothetical jury is still out on this woman’s guilt. She has not had her day in court yet, and in the U.S., people are to be presumed innocent until proven guilty.
What do these pictures prove? Only that a grown woman partied and drank with her friends. Last time I checked, that was still legal. The only people who are getting upset by these pictures are those who are all too eager to judge someone as “trash.” Either because “moms shouldn’t drink and have a good time or they’re bad mothers,” or because “this proves she’s white trash.”
Mothers have just as much a right – hell, a need – to cut loose and have fun like an adult once in a while. And last time I looked, middle-class and upper-class people drink, too.
All these pictures are doing is reinforcing these sexist, classist assumptions and ensuring Anthony will never get a fair, unbiased trial.
Classism + sexism = biased jury for Caylee Anthony’s mom
March 3, 2009 · 24 Comments
Categories: Uncategorized
Tagged: Casey Anthony, Caylee Anthony, missing girl, missing toddler
24 responses so far ↓
Renee // March 3, 2009 at 12:53 pm |
The same was done in the Scott Peterson case. His and Laci’s life was examined, talked and written about way before the murder of Laci occured. The same is being done in this case. You could call it ‘Research of personality and character’.
Molly // March 3, 2009 at 12:58 pm |
Everyone knows that a 22 year old will party & have fun whether they’re mothers or not. Some of those pictures are from AFTER Caylee was “missing”. That’s what people have a problem with. She was supposedly searching for her daughter. yeah
friendlymom // March 3, 2009 at 12:59 pm |
Any pictures taken before Caylee’s disappearance is irrelevant. However, many of these pictures were taken after she disappeared. This is damning for Casey, because how many mothers would be out partying and smiling while their three year old daughter was missing? None, that is how many. The pictures that are proven to have been taken after Caylee disappeared are strong circumstantial evidence that must be submitted. I will agree, any taken before hand, should and will not have any bearing. I do not know how old you are, but I am 41. I like to go out and have a good time, but I have not, and would not conduct myself in a way that might ever be an embarrassment to my children. A responsible parent would think like this. Is this an example to set for a child? Why live like a hypocrite and teach by saying “Do as I say, not as I do”. That is moronic. Women should have the right, and do, to have a good time. But if they choose to act like whores, then they shouldn’t get angry when people tell them that is what they appear to be. We should carry ourselves the way we want others to think about us, or to think ahead on how today’s action may hurt us later, or a future husband and children. It is taking responsibility.
Brenda // March 3, 2009 at 1:02 pm |
Just wondering if there was any proof to this that these pictures were taken a year ago before her daughter’s disappearance? It could probably be easily checked in to as far when those festivities went on by questioning the friends that went out partying together, such as the blue, red, and white party.
Lindsay Beyerstein // March 3, 2009 at 1:03 pm |
Agreed. Casey Anthony is being tried in the press for being a “party girl,” as if the partying itself had anything to do with what she allegedly did to her daughter. It’s doubly damaging because Anthony happens to be a pretty unsympathetic character. The media coverage is reinforcing the stereotype that sexually and socially active women are generally despicable people.
Lori // March 3, 2009 at 1:21 pm |
I agree with your post generally speaking but many of the photos were taken after Caylee went missing. Those at the photos at issue and are highly relevant, in my opinion.
Mona // March 3, 2009 at 1:37 pm |
The problem is that many of the photo’s were taken after Caylee went missing and Casey was supposedly out looking for her. Well at 2 years old I don’t think that Caylee would have been at any of the Bars or party’s that Casey went to. There is nothing wrong with anyone having a good time…..I am a 48 year old mom (my kids are 27, 21, 20 and 18) and grandma (6, 4 and 1) and going to New Orleans next weekend with a bunch of girlfriends and you bet we plan on getting crazy and letting loose BUT the difference is none of us has children that are missing and we all have spouses or responsible babysitters not an allegded Nanny.
friendlymom // March 3, 2009 at 1:46 pm |
Having a good time, and behaving like a tramp are two entirely different things. People are naturally going to treat you the way you portray yourself to be. If is walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, is it not a duck? The issue here is that many of these photos were taken during the time Caylee was missing. She is the one smiling for the cameras, and seemingly happy as a lark. Whatever you don’t want made public, for fear of embarrassment, for one don’t do it, and certainly do not capture it in photos, or write it down.
Andrea // March 3, 2009 at 2:41 pm |
Far be it for me to judge a girl in her 20s having a good time. I know I had plenty of good times in my 20s, some might have even called me a partying ho–I don’t pass judgement. But some of Casey’s ho partying pictures were taken AFTER her 2 yr old toddler went missing. If that were my 2 yr old–my partying would have ceased the second she was not accounted for. That alone-waiting 31 days to report it- should keep Casey locked up in my opinion. For the record,my partying days were done 9 months before my child was born! And, again my opinion, it is not a sexist issue or a class issue, it is a character issue.
Bogart // March 3, 2009 at 3:56 pm |
In my opinion the pictures are not about Casey they are about a mother who claimed to work & have proper care for her child. So far her “working” is up in the air. She claims she worked but there is no proof of her having a job for quite some time. what . . . 2 or more years? As her having proper care for her child while she was at “work” there were times Caylee was in her grandparents care but thus far there is no proof of a “nanny”. No one has ever met this “nanny”. She stated to someone she paid her “nanny” well, but how could that be without a job?
I am glad that thus far no pictures show Caylee was around as Casey partied. But to me the question is who was Caylee in care of while Casey partied? And I think the courts are curious as well to this. Especially seeing there is no proof of Casey working, or having a nanny, but enjoying partying a lot.
I guess one could see this as a set up against woman, maybe even trying to label Casey . . . I don’t know . . . I see it as LE is frustrated on getting answers that the only one can give them, Casey, is not giving. You have a murdered child with no answers to how who what where or when.
To me if the lawyers are upset about the imagine this is giving of Casey then they in turn should show more pictures of Casey as a mother with her child. There are some pictures out there but sadly Casey opted to show more of her having “fun” to the public by placing them on her myspace & facebook & where ever else she did.
Just my thought on the pictures & the right of the public to see them.
~ May you ALWAYS be Blessed & may you ALWAYS Bless others ~
Sophie // March 3, 2009 at 4:16 pm |
I think we can assume that any photos of Casey with short hair, bleached or not, were taken prior to Caylee’s disappearance.
They’ve been shown before, so their release is irrelevant.
It’s no secret that Casey cared more about partying and behaving luridly than she did about her reputation or for that matter, being a responsible mother.
I don’t think the defense has anything to worry about regarding these photos, they’ve been out there long ago, Casey put them out there, so she shouldn’t cry about it now.
Hilde // March 3, 2009 at 5:49 pm |
Fine, there are People want to believe Casey didn’t commit a Crime,that is their Opinion.
Myself I can’t ignore all the known Facts and Evidence in this Case. I have a Brain and I am able to use it,it tells me Casey is responsible for her Daughters Death.
It is up to a Jury of her Peers legally to decide her Fate of Innocence or Guilt beyond a reasonable Doubt.
Sadly the Murder Victim in this Case Caylee not even 3 Yrs. old at the time of her Death won’t be able to speak for herself.
The Prosecution will be Caylee’s Voice.
As far as the Pictures, some are taken before Caylee was missing any one can see that at the same time some where taken while Caylee was missing
for instance the 4th of July Party Pictures.
I couldn’t care less what that Woman did and whom she did it with.
It is a different Story when she went out partying after her Daughter was missing and it didn’t face her at all, she didn’t even report her own Daughter missing, if it wouldn’t been for her Mom calling 911 who knows
when Casey finally would have told someone Caylee was gone.
So, give me a Break, All her Lies and her Behavior and the Evidence mounting against her put Casey A. where she is right now and rightfully so.
The only One I have Compassion
for is Caylee, she is the Victim in all of that, let’s be clear about that!
We All have our Opinion and this is mine.
Myself I don’t care what is going to happen to Ms. Anthony, she will have to live without her Daughter Caylee and she knows what she has done
and will have to live with that Knowledge.
She destroyed the Best thing ever happened to her that would be her Loss.
Not to mention what she has put her own Parents through who loved their Grand Daughter Caylee.
Logophile-One of the best « Moody Monica // March 3, 2009 at 6:29 pm |
[...] a doubt one of the best I have stumbled upon in quite some time. The topic today– ” Classism+Sexism=biased jury for Caylee Anthony’s Mom.” If you have not yet done so…go by and read. There are many other interesting topics as [...]
Moody Monica // March 3, 2009 at 6:41 pm |
I don’t think the author is implying that Casey is innocent…or asking for compassion. Just that the pictures or the fact that she partied should not be what convicts her…
I don’t think it is wrong to point out that she should be treated as innocent until proven guilty…that is the whole basis of our legal system.
I think what the author is trying to say is…that because the public has already convicted Casey based on seeing her party and viewing her as a tramp…that there is no way she can get a fair trial.
johninflorida // March 3, 2009 at 6:54 pm |
What you are stating is a “syllogism”, or logical appeal. It is like saying,
“All birds are green”.
“The King of Spain is a bird”.
“Therefore the King of Spain is green”.
You show flawless logic in your statements just like above. Since, however, the above and your the initial premises are false, (not to mention absurd), we arrive at a conclusion that’s perfectly consistent with the premises but false), not to mention ridiculous. The tool of logic functioned perfectly, but we need something else to ensure that the basic premises are valid. (More information).
“What do these pictures prove? Only that a grown woman partied and drank with her friends.”
“Last time I checked, that was still legal.”
“Mothers have just as much a right – hell, a need – to cut loose and have fun like an adult once in a while.”
That is all correct as individual statements but the premises are flawed when you include all the logic and come to a conclusion that when your two-year-old kid is missing you neither tell anyone and you continue to party hearty. The flaw occurs when we add a missing child and this is why most are seeing it as a ridiculous thing to do, to go out and party and have photos to show it.
Baez and the entire Anthony family is living a “syllogism” or does one live in a “syllogism”, I’m not sure about that. They see the flawless logic in their premises but fail to see that the conclusion arrived at is ridiculous because the initial premises are false.
On the prosecutions side I guess you would just call it “mounting evidence.” When all put together it paints one and only one picture of who could have done this horrible thing. Photos both before and after the murder show character and that is needed in trials to show how people are and have been living and acting as it is all part of good logic.
Mary Ann // March 3, 2009 at 6:58 pm |
I don’t think anyone is judging her because she is partying at her age. But I will judge her for her parenting abilities. She was partying after her 2 year old child was supposed to have been kidnapped and missing. She never even reported her missing for 31 days. You don’t do this as a parent. If my child was missing for an hour I would be panic stricken. What’s wrong with her? I’ll tell you she is self centered and don’t care for her own flesh and blood, she partied because she felt freedom at last, no kid to take care of, and now she could party and do what ever she wants. That is why I and many others feel she should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Her child is killed and put in a trash bag and thrown into a swamp,and you want to know why we’re judging her. Are you condoning this conduct.
robin // March 3, 2009 at 8:28 pm |
Well just as you think there are others out there who think the same as you do. Some say it shows “frame of mind” while her daughter was missing. The photos do not do anything for me at all. I could do without seeing them as sooooooooooo many people have photos like this. Though soooooooooo many people would report their child missing and panic. So even though someone is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, I don’t care who I heard of not reporting this to LE, I would immediately have an opinion. I cannot help it and I am a parent. I am being totally honest in the fact that all the media hype has nothing to do with my opinion. I heard transcripts and yes if it weren’t for the media or the Florida laws I might not of heard them. So let’s say I didn’t, I would be 100% sure if I was on the jury hearing the details for the first time, I would have the same opinion. So where I am coming from, as a mother and child advocate, I cannot see any other than finding her guilty. Just my opinion and I will not be on the jury pool. I think it is human nature to always have an opinion even if you try to look at things subjectively, fairly and factually.
So to sum it up; I think she can still get a fair trial………….end of story. I am not alone who think the photos will not make a difference. Besides I don’t believe they were private on photobucket, she just didn’t think they would be an issue in a murder trial. So she obviously didn’t mind people seeing them before and if she is innocent why does she care? Is she going to be convicted on the photos alone? I don’t think so!
robin // March 3, 2009 at 8:37 pm |
Partying is one thing and lying when your child is missing is another. Someone said you were saying the public has already convicted Casey seeing her party and viewing her as a tramp. I hope you are not saying that as I think whatever opinion the public had months ago is the same regardless of photos. However they could have left the photos for the trial as far as I am concerned. I won’t look at them.
esprit1993 // March 3, 2009 at 9:06 pm |
I believe the prosecution will use the many photos (over 1,000) to show that KC took pictures of everyone in her circle and if they can show with a list of names that almost every single person in her life were photographed at one point or another and many holding Caylee – they can prove the absence of one very important photo, that of a Nanny who took care of said child for 2 years, that of said nanny who KC claimed to sleep over her house, to play with her children, to vacation with – the missing photos of a woman that she spent almost 80% of her time with.
The photos will be used to show that – as well as how many times this mother photographed herself partying it up.
If “nothing beforehand” were relevant then I doubt that LE would do a little thing called “Investigating Crimes” now would they? Of course what came before is relevant. The case did not begin when she murdered Caylee…that is when it ENDED!
The manner in which she carried herself for the months or even years prior to the killing of Caylee are very significant, I believe also. Partying.Sleeping with multiple different guys.Partying. Never working a bit. Partying. Stealing from family, and from friends. Partying. Lying to everyone with those huge fantastic lies about her life. Partying. Her thousands of phone calls, and her thousands of text messagings back and forth. And all that partying! When would she have time to be mother of the year anyway!???
I believe all of her actions as partygirl, and all of her non actions as being a loving, nurturing mother are proof positive that she was too busy and too preoccupied for Caylee.
And in addition to the pics themselves, there is also the fact that according to her friends there were hundreds of pics of Caylee in her accounts and after she “went missing” KC deleted them. I am curious as to what she deleted. I can’t imagine if I had a truly missing child that I would delete ANY pic, no matter how bad or blurred and would want to hang on to as many as I could and would want as many pics as possible out in the public domain so that her face could be spread far and wide in as many different outfits, expressions, moods, lights, whatever to find my child. All of it goes to motive.
Perhaps what she deleted was what would show she was guilty of child neglect and abuse at a minimum, and perhaps actual evidence is in those photos: ie: Caylee WITH the blanket, or a pic of the blanket laying around the house or the car or someone elses house…maybe pics of Caylee in the clothing she was found in, or who knows until the photos are viewed. One thing is certain, they should be admitted as they are relevant!!!!
JMHO!!!!
Hilde // March 3, 2009 at 10:46 pm |
When it comes to the Trial I believe the Release of all those Pictures
won’t have as much of an Effect on the Jurors as many believe.
The 12 potential Jurors will look at All the Evidence presented to them in Order to reach a fair and just Verdict for the Defendant.
Mona // March 3, 2009 at 11:22 pm |
None of the Anthony’s are smart enough to realize that deleting the pictures and e-mails from accounts didn’t delete them from the hard drive…….so I am sure that LE has all of the pictures and everything else from Photobucket, Facebook and Myspace that they all tried to get rid of on the computers.
D.R. Bartlette // March 4, 2009 at 11:29 am |
I feel I should explain myself here:
When I first watched the piece on Nancy Grace, one of the first things Grace said was that these pictures were taken *before* Caylee went missing. It was only about halfway through the segment that a picture of Casey dancing and putting her hand on a woman’s breast was shown – and identified as having been taken *after* Caylee’s disappearance.
OK – I can see how showing pix of a parent partying it up after thier kid is missing would be relevant to the prosecution’s case. But the majority of the pix shown on the Nancy Grace show were identified as having been taken beforehand. That is what I was talking about. Well, that, and the underlying classist and sexist assumption that the “wild partying” somehow proves she’s an unfit mom. Hell, looking at this case, there are so much more evidence of her unfitness, why would the prosecution need any more???
GB // March 4, 2009 at 11:47 am |
I was just researching the timeline, and noticed something I must have missed before. Casey was texting her friend, Troy Brown, who was begging her to come over for sex, and she was making one excuse after another. On the 8th of May, 2008, after repeated claims (over a period of days) that both her mom and her nanny were unavailable, Casey refers to the nanny as “Zani.” Again, this was in early May. Has anyone heard an explanation for this?
Beatrice // March 11, 2009 at 11:16 am |
If Casey ever, in her life, was innocent of anything, she
is not allowed to have it. Surely there is something, somewhere that had been considered of value, what about
when she was as innocent a two year old as Caylee. I wonder why we have not seen pictures of Casey as a child?? The one pic where NG keeps remarking Casey has her hand on another womans breast is pitiful. Her hand is simply in the air and the photo, at a quick glance appears to be such. This is a hateful thing NG does with that one pic. Who knows and said Casey is
naked under the American flag? The fact that she was
not” looking” for Caylee “after missing” means more than any pictures.