Most of you probably have heard the ongoing controversy surrounding Amanda Knox, an American student who spent four years in an Italian prison. She was convicted of murdering her roommate in 2007 but was acquitted of these charges yesterday. At the time this article was written, Casey Anthony had been found not guilty of murdering her daughter; Amanda Knox was still in prison.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2011/07/07/casey-anthony-sentencing-what-she-could-teach-amanda-knox.html
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ReplyDeleteOne thing I found very interesting in the article was the segment describing how Casey Anthony's defense had coached her how to act during the trial, while Amanda Knoxx's defense did not. It brings into consideration how much appearance and attitude can affect the jury. This could relate to the rhetorical device pathos, which, as we discussed in class today, appeals to the emotions of the audience. It makes one wonder if this emotional coaching that Casey received had helped her win her case, while Amanda's audience appeal hurt herself. In my opinion, I think it did make a difference in the two original decisions.
ReplyDeleteI found the quote at the end of the article to be very true. I believe that a large part of why the verdicts were different in the two similar cases were because of where the trials were held. The article states that the United States and Italy have almost opposite justice systems. I also agree with Justin that the appearances of both women to the jury could have played a large factor in the two verdicts.
ReplyDeleteThe differences between Italy’s and America's judicial processes are extremely interesting. In America, the judicial system is obligated to provide a rapid trial and an unbiased jury. During Anthony's trial, the court found unbiased jury members and the case was wrapped up in 6 weeks. However, in Italy, it was as if the judges wanted the jury members to be biased and find Knox guilty bases upon the long, inconsistent breaks in the trial and the judge’s influence on the jury during court. The jury's exposure to the public opinion during the trial was most likely the major contributor to Knox being found guilty. This shows how influential the public opinion is on high profile cases such as these. I wonder what Knox’s fate would be if she was to be tried in America.
ReplyDeleteI would have to agree with what Justin said about how appearance and attitude in the court room can affect the out come of the trial. I do not understand why Knox's lawyer did not tell her how to act and that what she was doing was actually hurting her in trial. On the other hand, it makes the reader wonder why Knox acted the way that she did. Everyone knows that the way she acted is suspicious behavior for someone being accused of such allegations. So in that sense I cannot blame the court for ruling the way they did. However, I think that the article could have gone a little more in depth of the details of the case. Such as evidence wise witness testimonies and other facts that would help the reader (aka ME) help have a little more back ground on the trial so that I could maybe have the same emotion to the article as someone who knows the situation in both cases.
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ReplyDeleteThis article makes me doubt of the fairness of the law. After reading the whole paper, it is not hard to find that the results of judgment depending on how lawyers lead and what evidences attorneys provide. Though the judicial system is different in American and Italy, murder is the nature of crime is constant. It will be ridiculous that the charges are diverse because of the places the juries held, the way murderers wore and the attitudes they had in the court.
ReplyDeleteI think it is a little bit misleading when the author try to implicate reader to make a comparison between these two women, even though their circumstance are both exist some strange place. Actually, these two women are in the totally different judicial system. In Italy, in Knox’s case, the two professional judges guided the discussion based on their knowledge of jurisprudence, and that leading the Italian jury to a guilty verdict. It is a kind of judicial system that willing to convict without a clear and reasonable doubt. But in Anthony’s case, the American judicial system lead the suspects are innocent until they are proven guilty. And she got benefit from this system because the police cannot find sufficient evidences to prove she killed her daughter Caylee.
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ReplyDeleteThough a murder trial should theoretically be based purely on evidence, jury members can't help but notice how the defendant acts during the trial. In Amanda Knox's case, that may have been her biggest downfall. Sure, her lawyers didn't prepare her for the trial and they deserve part of the blame. But Knox showed up to her first trial, where she was being accused of murder, wearing a Beatles t-shirt and tight jeans. Really? My sister dressed up when she went to court for her second parking ticket. Knox was being convicted of murder, and apparently she was saving her nice clothes for a more important occasion, maybe a job interview or something. Job interviews are hard to come by in jail. The article goes on to state: "Knox behaved like a spectator throughout her trial, doodling in a notebook and rarely lifting an eyebrow to witnesses except to give them the occasional quizzical smirk." Knox might as well have told the jury she truly and deeply did not care whether she went to jail or not. I imagine that threw up some red flags for the jury. She looked either insane or guilty, and she wasn't claiming insanity, which only leaves one choice: guilty. And yes I think her lawyers dropped the ball, and the jury should have had cold hard evidence against her to sentence her to prison time, but her lack of common sense played a major part in landing herself in jail. At a certain point, you kind of have to know a little bit about how the world works and look out for yourself, and Amanda dropped the ball there.
ReplyDeleteI thought the difference between the judgment systems of Italian and American is the main reason of why Anthony goes free, but Knox still being imprisoned. Both Juries' opinion has influential position in judicial processes. The American jury deliberated alone with little legal guidance. They need to make decision by themselves without the public audiences' opinions. That is effective way to avoid the bias. But Italian jury is on the total opposite way. The judges guide Italian jury to make a guilty verdict. I don’t know too much background information about two countries’ judgment processes. But after read the article, the first question I have is which judgment process is fairer. Probably switch the place of two cases, Anthony will be the person who is suffering in jail cell, and Knox is going to be free.
ReplyDeleteI have once heard about the judgment system of the United States. The judges are not able to say whether the suspect is innocent or not. The jury decides it. Jury is a group of people selected from citizens, which means anyone could be chosen. Sometimes, jury bias because of they emotionally think the suspect is guilty. Thus, I think in this case Anthony’s defense's advice played a vital part. Anthony was make-up free and behaved like a innocent mom, while Knox acted like she did not even care about the her own future, showing disrespect to the court. A bad first impression left a bad image of Knox to the jury. Plus, the American judges did not give any guidance. Different lawyers and different judgment systems results in huge differences in sentences.
ReplyDeleteI find it interesting how the media and how people are so fascinated with women murder trials. People don't expect to see a woman on trial for murder because women have the stereotype of being loving and caring and not being cold killers. I also find it interesting how the article stated that the reason the Casey Anthony was acquitted of murder was because her defense team coached her on how to act in the trial and that the reason Amanda Knox was convicted of murder was because her defense team told her to act herself in trial. I think the difference between both trials was the fact that Anthony was on trial in the U.S and that Knox was on trial in Italy. Both countries judicial systems are different the trials were run differently. I think that they can not be compared the only similarity in both trials was that the accused were both women in their early twenties
ReplyDeleteA point not mentioned yet is the credibility of the author Barbra, or "Barbie" Latza Nadeau. It could be seen in the tone of her writing that she had a clear bias against against Amanda Knox. In fact, Barbie wrote a book on the subject matter in 2010 proclaiming "how Knox's family's heavy handed effort to control the media coverage disotrted the facts, inflamed an American audience, and painted an offensive, innacurate picture of Italy's justice system" (206). Couldn't the actions of Knox's family be considered coached as well?
ReplyDeleteWe compare those two crimes because there are so many similarities. First, the murderers are both women and the media and public pay much attention in how these trial would be judged. Second, they both misled the investigators at the beginning phase. Howevrt, we are surprised to find the fate of two women diverges much even though they had done similar crimes. I think the main different is due to the judgement system in Italy and american. American system is finding evidence to justify your innocent and the Italian one seems to gather evidence to prove you are guilty.
ReplyDeleteI found it is interesting that the law between Italy and United States are totally different. In United States, People are innocent until they are proven guilty. However, people are treated as a prison no matter they are guilty or not in Italy.I found more interesting is in United States, maybe people like to prove a suspect is innocent while in Italy, the court tries to make suspect guilty.So if Amanda was in United States，perhaps she has been released a lone time.
ReplyDeleteI found this article very interesting because of the two totally diverse law system and the totally different results of these two cases. However, I definitely agree with Regina that I have kinda doubt about the justice of the law. How come two countries bring about two different results for two similar cases. And it is so interesting that why people should be in prison if they are not proven guilty or not. Hence, as Chunyao said, if Amanda was in United States, she must has been released for a long time owing to American law system. But I really think that laws are something bring the facts and justice to the public and the parties. Hence, why the difference in the laws bring about different results to people who is guilty like Amanda. It should be a valuable question to think about.
ReplyDeleteI would say that due different judicial system in both the countries it led to almost opposite results. Most of the verdicts in the case were different in both of the cases it must be due to the trials held. I would agree with Justin about the attitude and appearance in the courtroom can affect the decision of the jury. I would say that the system of both of the countries is different but murder is a crime and they should be punished in a similar manner no matter where do they live.
ReplyDeleteDespite the the systems variation between Americans and Italians, the truth has come out and justice has been served even after years. We can’t blame anyone but learn from this incident and work for better system word wide. Both stories should remind us to open our eyes and for judges and juries to think beyond and long before make a call that might impact someone future or life as there are a lot like Amanda.
ReplyDeleteAs I believe that Casey Anthony’s attorney had told her to lie to save her butt from prison and I still can’t believe she got off for lying in court and for abuse of a corpse her own daughter. But to the defense of Amanda Knoxx I believe the evidence that had put her in prison was messed with and contaminated , so the call to release her is a good on.
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