I have sat on juries before that have gone to verdict and I think that in a murder of this stature and profile; I simply in my opinion, feel that the information was too complex!  Look at the law instructions for instance-very complex I think that even to understand just that would have taken many hours alone.

I think that while the jury did do its ultimate job-it went to verdict, it deliberated and it brought a result I think it was a pressured one. I think and I am almost certain someone of those twelve (at least one) went home full knowing that the vote they cast for not guilty was not the one they wanted to cast forth. No one will ever admit to feeling the pressure of another or even all other jurors. Not one person wants to stand up and say that they want to be the “possible one” who does not see it everyone’s way!

Even though the judge will ask-is this your true opinion? Is this the vote you wanted to cast? When at that point it has gone that far no one would ever say No I want to change my mind it’s not my vote, can we revote! It just doesn’t and I bet almost never has! It has past the point of no return!

So while I personally think this has been a horrifying miscarriage of justice, and I personally think that a mockery has been made of our system; it is our system.

So next time when you get called to jury duty-you do the damnest thing you can to get on that jury! Remember you can make a difference, maybe it won’t be now but it could be in the future. Sadly, there will be more Casey’s out there to come. Those kids that think they should bear no responsibility for their actions-the ones that are given too much and the ones that are never told no! We all know one-that’s not dysfunctional at all-it is our society! Our society is what is dysfunctional! I have heard many stories about a young girl out there partying it up, who winds up prego, who doesn’t tell family or friends, and who hides it. I also know families that do not ever “air their dirty laundry”! Why should they?

What was dysfunctional was the fact that our society accepts the irreverent actions and behavior of teens like Casey. I am hoping that somehow the parents will be able to get the help they need. Cindy will be a healthier person if she not let Casey back into her home. I hope that they both (Cindy & George) will be able to see the forest for the trees and know that this awful circumstance that is the creation of their daughter, is just that a creation by their daughter. This kind of event could strengthen them and their marriage or it could rip them apart. Such a shame!

Casey will languish eventually (when she’s done partying it up) when she finally comes to Earth perhaps she will make herself sick, as sick as she has made all of us! I think the lump in throat and the ball in my stomach must be the Casey Anthony Syndrome. Once one gets this, it may take some time to pass!

In the meantime, hugs your kids, your stepkids, your grandkids, your neighbors kids, and treat them right so they don’t grow up to be the next Casey Marie Anthony!

Just my thoughts, just my opinions, and always in a conversationaltone.

Mary Caliendo

After speaking with the lawyers present and then the lawyers spoke with Casey Anthony and then once everyone was back in the courtroom seated, the judge then called for the recess.

No one is quite sure what is taking place at this point. Jose Baez was not present in the courtroom during this activity. There are various speculations as to why the recess is now taking place. We will see at 8:30 A.M. tomorrow. As it stands currently only 11 prospective jurors have been chosen. Judge Perry needs 12 sworn and seated along with a handful of alternates to begin the trial on Monday morning.

Just my thoughts, just my opinions, and always in a Conversationaltone.

Mary Caliendo

After eight days of jury selection, it has ended with twelve actually being seated.

One prospected juror was most likely shocked as he was admonished and assessed a fine for contempt of court for violating 3.830, which was not to discuss the matter. He was on the cell phone talking to someone about trying to get out of jury duty. He was fined no jail time but a stiff fine of $450.00, the juror agreed to pay the fine in monthly installments of $50. 00 per month by the 10th of each month. If this person does not pay for the contempt of court charge he will be arrested and will serve jail time! 

This judge is setting his rule in his court room. Further news, according to the Orlando Setinel about 50 passes per day will be given out to the general public. The general public can begin lining up at 5:30 A.M. for the first come first serve tickets. They will follow strict rules once in the court room. The trial is expected to last anywhere from 6 to 8 weeks.

The family and friends of Casey Anthony will be able to sit in a section behind her but the media has the entire first rows as well as the upper balcony of the courtroom.

There are two areas that will be designated free-speech zones where protestors can assemble to protest Casey Anthony.

Well, at the time of this writing, court is on lunch recess but will return around the 1 P.M. hour for continued juror selection.

Will continue to post any new developments as this case moves forward toward Monday morning.

Just my thoughts, just my opinions, and always in a Conversationaltone.

Mary Caliendo

So put on your seatbelts the long ride is about to begin where the lawyers will take us on roads well worn and traveled and then some new roads will be merely dusty trails that they will blaze! Good Luck and the posts about to begin!  Drew Peterson can’t be too far behind!

This will be groundbreaking and historical in the State of Illinois. The Third District Appellate Court will let us see the inside of the arguments, of which is extremely rare. While this is not the criminal case being tried itself, the prosecutors are there to bring forth an effort to have at least 13 hearsay statements included  in the criminal trial of Drew Peterson.

Peterson is 57 years old and is currently being held and is charged with killing his third wife Kathleen Savio in 2004, and while he is a person of interest/suspect in his fourth wife Stacy Peterson disappearance, he has not currently been charged in any way regarding that case. Drew Peterson is in the Will County Jail in lieu of a $20 million dollar bail.

More on this story as the proceedings develop.

Just my thoughts, just my opinions and always in a conversationaltone.

Mary Caliendo

So when that springtime comes, my keyboard will be blazing with a blow-by-blow scorecard of sorts on the Casey Anthony case and the very dramatic Drew Peterson! Here’s to hope you’ll be tuning in and commenting. And this writer will hope then and only then will we as a collective group of society with conscious and heart gain a small piece of closure. I know that once both of these cases are actually made official and sentencing done, I’ll be free to find other cases that will reach my heart and hopefully yours too!

Just my thoughts, just my opinions and always in a conversationaltone.

Mary Caliendo

Sandberg just recently missed out the chance to manage Major League Baseball’s Chicago Cubs team after Mike Quade was chosen over him to manage the Cubs. The final decision was reached by General Manager Jim Hendry and then “backed” by team owner Ricketts.

It is a shame. The fairy tale was writing itself. The beloved first baseman had the hearts and very definitely the love of the hometown fans!  Now the Hall of Famer has packed his bags, and is off to other destinations unknown and taking with him perhaps the momentum; the tale of a city in love with its team and the final realization of the world series itself! 

Cinderella left when the midnight bell sounded so maybe it was just time for Sandberg to find his perfect vehicle to the team that will bring this young celebrated player and coach the position of his dreams.

Chicago’s fan base may even go with you where ever it may be that Ryne Sandberg happens to land, and for this writer, Here’s to looking at you kid! Wishing you the greatest season of your life where ever you may land!And further on that note here’s to hoping the Chicago Cubs 2011 season is something to talk about!

Just my thoughts, just my opinions and always in a conversationaltone Mary Caliendo

Some early childhood stars were either told they could not change,or don’t change because of fears they would never work again, and well we have seen where all of that has gotten some kids (look at the cast of say Different Strokes, or say even The Brady Bunch) these kids did not morph into the next generation of things to come. While things were way different in different eras, and today there is a  lot more that a child star can do~it is ultimately up to them to further their career.

I am a mother who believes in children’s programming and puts the brakes on the the TV, Dvd’s, the computer,facebook, the internet….should I go on and when it is time to put on the brakes I do! Period. No giving in! When things crossed the line I simply said no. Hard feelings were had and I even got the occasional “I hate you” mutterings, but in the end all of my kids lived on, and they got the doses of hard realities when they should have. I am a firm believer in too much is too much and less is most likely better. My kids saw wholesome programming, but never went to an actual “rock concert” until High School. The ‘tween scene is way too much for my taste! I think that it is utterly ridiculous for a twelve-year-old to go to say Eminem or Brittany. I even think that twelve year olds need not get Bieber fever either. Listen we had Donny Osmond! We were all in love, his pictures were on every girls’ walls and when he sang we all thought truly he was singing directly at us! But we did not “drag” our parents out to a screaming stampede~my mother would have said no and I am certain that once the tears were over I would have gone on.

I think too much is being marketed to the ‘tweens group all together, it is in this writers opinion that Miley Cyrus has her place and that parents have theirs. I think that it is high time that if parents don’t want Miley Cyrus to become a woman and sing and perform like one, okay. That group have their right to disagree with me. I think if they are the parent of a ‘tween and they do not like a performers’ image, clothes or sound-mom, dad time to say NO! Parents the ball is in your court it is up to you to play your game well!

Just my thoughts, just my opinions, and always in a conversationaltone.

Mary Caliendo

Unfortunately, he is now in the Lima Peru prison on the charges of murder of a young Peruvian woman. He is seen on tape in a casino and seen entering his hotel room in full interaction with Stephany Flores who was found in van der Sloot’s hotel room two days later dead.

The past week has yielded a series of interesting things regarding Joran van der Sloot. The lawyer that came forward to defend van der Sloot has resigned stating that he is receiving death threats. Joran’s mother finally came forward and is talking; like a song bird in fact!  Joran van der Sloot’s mother claims now that his mental health has been in decline since the Holloway case and that she also stated  he was going to be going into a mental institution just before this  all happened. Joran’s father is not here anymore, he has passed away from a  heart ailment. And while he cannot protect him anymore, I am sure that his very closest of friends have spoken with his mother and gave her the idea that she could try to build an insane defence for her son.  Joran’s fate finally looks sealed.

He long-line of intertwined wrong doings and seedy activities peppered with several murders and possible suspicions of two more missing girls in Columbia bring Joran to say he was tricked, and that his rights were violated without due process in Lima! He told a judge on Monday that he was coerced into making a confession and now a judge will have to determine whether or not that Lima authorities violated Joran van der Sloot’s rights by Wednesday.

I wrote in November of 2008 that slime had a way of oozing itself into the cracks of society and spreading itself along the cracks until those cracks were filled and that it would continue to ooze on until the next one was filled. This young man and his anti-social behavior from  the Holloway case, Dutch confession tape, Thailand prostitution tape, possible extortion charges with U.S. FBI, and now to this charge of murder the slime did keep oozing. This brat man-child living in the fast lane could not help himself it appears. It appears to me that he wanted what he wanted and he wanted when he wanted it! This is a scary individual.

It is this writers hope that this guy remain tightly enwrapped in the Castro Castro prison system of Peru never to see the light of day unless it is to answer more charges of murder, kidnap,acts of enslavery/ prostitution, and extortion. It would be an outrage if the judge in Peru rules in van der Sloot’s favor on Wednesday. At this point, Joran is crazy alright~ crazy like a fox and I hope it won’t work for a minute!

Just my thoughts, just my opinions, and always in a conversationaltone.

Mary Caliendo