Not Guilty Doesn’t Mean Innocent

Casey Anthony

In what’s been described as the most criticized case in US history since the OJ Simpson trial, Casey Anthony has walked away from the trial she faced for the death of her daughter as a free woman which is surprising to many people. It’s unbelievable that a mother in her right mind would go on a 31 day partying spree before reporting that her child is missing, but that's what she did that cast the shadow of suspicion on her. However, they say that although the whole defense had gray areas, her actions portrayed that she’s a liar not a child killer. Regardless of that fact, the public has judged in the court of public opinion and found her guilty.

Like most people, I believe she’s not innocent, even if she didn’t kill her daughter. However, following the law to the letter, which is what the jury did, they couldn’t convict her of the crime when it wasn’t proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that she killed her daughter. Don’t you just love it when the judicial system works perfectly for some, but not for so many others?

Anyway, since her acquittal, the response has been an immense outpouring of love for little Caylee, and a call for judgment for her. While few including me, imagined the vitriol Casey's acquittal would elicit. The jurors aren’t having it easy either. It’s gotten so bad that one juror is said to have quit her job and fled the state. I don't blame the woman because there's no price for peace and safety. Another juror said, “She had a hand in something." Some men are even proposing marriage to her and some people sent money to her commissary account. This shows there are all kinds of people in this world.

To each his own, but I guess the response and where the sympathy lies depends on who you can relate to, a young innocent child that didn’t ask to be born, but was brought into the world by a mother of questionable character, or the young mother, Casey, who was immature and not ready to become a mother when her sexual activities made her one. This makes one wonder why God ignores the pleas of so many barren women who would make excellent mothers investing their life savings in fertility treatments to no avail and give Casey who apparently didn’t want a child, one. It’s really baffling.

Either way, it doesn’t matter what we think. God sits on his throne directing the affairs of man. So if Casey is guilty, we may all think she’s getting away with something when she’s really not. OJ Simpson was acquitted of murder, when he didn’t appear to be innocent. I believe this was God’s way of pacifying the African American community who have been historically shortchanged and mistreated in many ways including legally, which is understandable. The verdict also lent credibility to the competence of an African American attorney, Johnnie Cochran, who was from a non-ivy league law school, which many often doubt in the sometimes elitist legal profession. However, where is OJ now? Isn’t he in jail all over again for doing something so trivial in comparison to murder? That's how God works. He uses the foolish things to confound the wise.

In this case, Casey’s attorney, a Latino man, Jose Baez’s credibility and competence has been proven because he did his job of defending his client very well. However, OJ’s situation really reinforces the fact that God’s court is different from man’s court because his ways are not our ways. This case will come full circle as well because the way God does things is very different from how we as human beings think or do things. Proverbs 19:21 states, "Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that will prevail." So, we may not see or want to believe it now, but God is in control and he will take care of the matter as he sees fit.

May Caylee's soul rest in perfect peace...