Closing Statement
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Closing Statement: The Casey Anthony Case
Distinguished members of the jury,
We have endured a protracted and challenging trial but have reached its end. I am here
today to advocate for Caylee Anthony, the victim in this case, who is innocent, on behalf of the
State of Florida. This case was about a child’s right to live, and a mother’s failure to protect that
life.
Beautiful young Caylee Anthony had her entire life ahead of her. She was removed from
this world far too young, and her senseless death was heartbreaking. We are responsible for
tracking the individual who caused her death and making them answerable. What I want to tell
you is that Casey Anthony, the defendant in this case, lies and was irresponsible in caring for her
Caylee. Casey is accused of killing her child. To prove this charge, we have to establish three key
elements beyond a reasonable doubt: first, that the defendant was responsible for the victim's
murder; second, that the accused was acting with premeditation; and thirdly, that the defendant
proceeded with malice aforethought.
Let us begin with the first element. Consider the act's causation. The evidence proves that
what the accused did resulted in the victim's death. We had shown that Caylee Anthony was in
the defendant's custody when she was last seen alive. The accused lied to her family and
authorities regarding her daughter's location for a month. However, when the police started
looking into it, the defendant eventually took them to Caylee's corpse, which had been dumped
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in the woods in a garbage bag near her home. According to expert evidence, the remains were
discovered with tape across the victim's lips, indicating suffocation. This proof leads to the
defendant being responsible for her daughter's death.
The other element is
mens rea,
which is the intent to kill. Although we do not know what
went on through Casey Anthony's head at the moment, she murdered her daughter, sufficient
evidence points to a clear as well as deliberate act of murder. Such is not the deeds of a mother
who mistakenly harmed her child; they are those carried out by someone who intended to murder
her. We have shown that the accused took time to organize the child's murder. She looked up
chloroform on her personal computer, searching for "how to make chloroform" as well as "neck-
breaking." She then suffocated her kid using duct tape, a process that might have taken many
minutes to complete. That was not a spontaneous or abrupt act; rather, it was a determined and
calculated strategy.
Next, we come to malice aforethought. This element
(actus reus)
indicates that the
defendant intended to commit murder or with a callous disregard for human life. In this instance,
we established that the defendant was a reckless and negligent mother who was not concerned
for her daughter's safety or well-being. She frequently lied to her family and the authorities,
claiming that Caylee was with a nanny that did not exist. While her daughter was gone, she
partied and lived her life, including participating in a "hot body" contest. These acts demonstrate
a blatant disdain for her daughter's well-being and a total contempt for human life.
The evidence is overwhelming in this instance, and all these elements prove that the
defendant committed the offense. We have established that the defendant killed her daughter with
premeditation and malice. Throughout this trial, the defendant has lied, deceived, and
manipulated. Caylee Anthony was an actual person, a lovely young lady with her entire life
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ahead of her. She deserved to grow up, to be adored and cherished by her mother. Instead, the
individual who was meant to protect her murdered her in cold blood.
I implore you, jury members, to find the defendant guilty of first-degree murder. Nothing
less is acceptable in the name of justice.
Thank you very much.
[Closing Argument for the Defense]
[Rebuttal by the Prosecutor]
The defense lawyer argued that the evidence presented against the defendant was
circumstantial and that there was no concrete evidence linking her to her daughter's killing. In
response, I would argue that the proof presented in this case is direct as well as compelling—it is
not circumstantial. Our evidence demonstrates that the defendant is the last individual to see her
daughter alive and well, that she lied to her loved ones as well as the police about her daughter's
location, and that she looked up the murder technique on the internet. According to expert
evidence, the victim's remains were discovered with duct tape covering her lips, proving that the
defendant intentionally smothered her daughter. All the information provides a persuasive picture
of the defendant's guilt when considered collectively.
The defense additionally argued that the prosecution had failed to provide any motive for
the defendant to want to kill her daughter. However, motivation is not required for the crime of
murder; thus, we do not need to establish one to succeed in getting a conviction. Nevertheless,
we have provided proof that the defendant was a careless and reckless mother who put her
daughter's well-being second to her own egotistical needs. Her desire to rid herself of her child is
strongly motivated by this in and of itself. The defense has tried to portray the defendant as a
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victim of media hype and hasty judgment. However, this is not a case that was litigated in the
media; instead, it was tried in a court of law, based on facts provided and arguments made by the
two sides. The prosecution has satisfied its burden of proof since there is substantial evidence
against the defendant.
In addition, the defense contended that the defendant's actions following her daughter's
abduction were inconsistent with guilt. The evidence produced by the prosecution, however,
demonstrates differently. The defendant told untruths to her parents regarding her daughter's
location, went partying and getting a tattoo when her daughter was absent, and only declared her
daughter missing a month later. These are not the behaviors of a worried mother but of somebody
attempting to cover up a horrific crime. The prosecution's burden of proof has been satisfied, and
justice dictates that the defendant be liable for her daughter's death.
Finally, I urge you to carefully analyze the evidence in this case and base your decision
on the information provided. Justice requires that the defendant, accused of the most heinous
offenses, be made to answer for her daughter's death.
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Work Cited
Lohr, David. “Casey Anthony Trial : Day 1, Part 1 : Opening Arguments.” YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oILRGY4obtA&list=PLZQ8HI-rMK-
6vqzUJchX9l9qkp2Prx7K7