re: #128 lawhawk

I was actually leaning the other way - that a quick verdict would be in favor of the prosecution. So much about this situation screamed for justice, and the dead child gets none.

She got lucky that law enforcement screwed up the search/evidence, and that may be what saved her from getting guilty verdicts.

This was a case based on circumstantial evidence, and to me, her actions were quite suspect (as was the grandfather’s). You don’t just go and hide the body of your child if it was an accidental death. That raises all kinds of questions about whether the death were truly accidental. The science isn’t there (or the jury didn’t find sufficient CSI/NCIS-type science) to support guilty verdicts. I think the latter may have something to do with this.

I wonder to what extent jury decisions are driven by the possibility of the death penalty. Does it make it harder to literally “pull the trigger” on a guilty verdict?

Haven’t been following the trial at all so I’m not sure whether that would have played a role here.