Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
Imperfect Justice: Prosecuting Casey Anthony
by
Jeff Ashton
The definitive inside story of the case that captivated the nation. . . and the verdict that no one saw coming.
It was the trial that stunned America. On July 5, 2011, nearly three years after her initial arrest, Casey Anthony walked away, virtually scot-free, from one of the most sensational murder trials of all time. She'd been accused of killing her daughter, Caylee, but...more
It was the trial that stunned America. On July 5, 2011, nearly three years after her initial arrest, Casey Anthony walked away, virtually scot-free, from one of the most sensational murder trials of all time. She'd been accused of killing her daughter, Caylee, but...more
ebook, 336 pages
Published
November 15th 2011
by William Morrow
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
This book is not yet featured on Listopia.
Add this book to your favorite list »
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
2,874)
This book outlines the crime and case from beginning to end. I followed the trial religiously and was glued to my TV awaiting the verdict while on vacation. I felt so disgusted. This book brought back a lot of those feelings. The only solace I have is that Casey Anthony will never be able to live the "bella vita" again because she is now so vilified. Her shot girl days are over.
I was fairly informed about the case in its early stages. This book shed a lot of insight on the grand jury indictment...more
I was fairly informed about the case in its early stages. This book shed a lot of insight on the grand jury indictment...more
Ok,so now I've read the prosecution's side. There are things in this book that were not brought to light in Baez's, for obvious reasons. And some details from the trial that I had forgotten about. Like,the fact that Casey had said to a friend on several occasions that her car smelled like death and that she thought she might have run over a squirrel. Also, the fact that when she abandoned her car, she conveniently parked it next to a dumpster, and put a bag of garbage in the trunk. And it just...more
2 likes · like · see review
If you followed the Anthony trial, don't be misled, there aren't any big reveals in this book, irregardless of what is stated on the cover. Not that it's a bad thing, but there isn't really any new information presented.
So, as far as that goes, this it very readable for being mostly about a crime and the ensuing trial. Yes, it's written by a lawyer, but it is certainly aimed at those of us without law degrees or legal expertise. The writing is clear and concise and the pace moves along quickly....more
So, as far as that goes, this it very readable for being mostly about a crime and the ensuing trial. Yes, it's written by a lawyer, but it is certainly aimed at those of us without law degrees or legal expertise. The writing is clear and concise and the pace moves along quickly....more
5 likes · like · see review
I followed the trial on and off on the computer last summer and was shocked, together with everybody else, at Casey's acquittal. It was a hard thing to swallow. The jury was a joke.
I liked this book and was glad JA decided to write about his experience as one of Casey Anthony's prosecutors, I think the prosecuting team and the police detectives did very well. At the very least, Caylee had someone fighting for her justice, when even her grandmother gave her the shoulders and sided up with Casey....more
I liked this book and was glad JA decided to write about his experience as one of Casey Anthony's prosecutors, I think the prosecuting team and the police detectives did very well. At the very least, Caylee had someone fighting for her justice, when even her grandmother gave her the shoulders and sided up with Casey....more
This is a well-written and clear account of how the case went from being about a lost little girl to being a merry-go-round ride with a very disturbed young woman at its center. The case evokes strong feelings in most who are exposed to it, but opinions aside, of one takes the time to ponder the actual story and remove the emotional response to this terrible situation, it provides an interesting study of an extremely dysfunctional family and the terrible consequences of that family situation. Mo...more
An imperfect book about an imperfect justice system created by imperfect people in an ever changing, imperfect world. Oh, yeah..and read by imperfect readers, such as myself. I actually read Jose Baez's book first because I was able to borrow the eBook edition from the library. At first I was surprised by how convincing and persuasive Baez was. He admitted to some of his flaws as an imperfect defense attorney. After reading this book I'm more persuaded that the imperfect jury got it wrong. Not t...more
Taken from my review at www.takemeawayreading.com
I don't think this one takes much explaining. We all know about this trial unless you totally haven't tuned into current events over the past 3-4 years, but since you're reading this review on a book blog online, I'm assuming you have tuned in at some point or another! This case hit close to home for those of us in the Orlando area. And during the entire time this case was playing out from the time little Caylee was "missing" to the verdict being...more
I don't think this one takes much explaining. We all know about this trial unless you totally haven't tuned into current events over the past 3-4 years, but since you're reading this review on a book blog online, I'm assuming you have tuned in at some point or another! This case hit close to home for those of us in the Orlando area. And during the entire time this case was playing out from the time little Caylee was "missing" to the verdict being...more
There are not many people that weren't aware of this case and the impact that it had on the world. Everyone seemingly had an opinion about it, including myself. Following it on news stations as it happened, from the search to the trial and right up until the verdict.
It took me awhile to purchase this book but it was one I was extremely excited to read because of the person who wrote it. I wanted to see how he would portray this case and if he would indeed take a step back from his own opinions...more
It took me awhile to purchase this book but it was one I was extremely excited to read because of the person who wrote it. I wanted to see how he would portray this case and if he would indeed take a step back from his own opinions...more
Reading this book really begs one to ask, why was this jury so unintelligent that they rejected all the scientific information in this case and took only 90 minutes to deliver an insane verdict that no one really thought possible? Casey Anthony is a liar and a thief and most importantly, a child murderer. I wanted to read this book because I really wanted to understand how this jury ruled as they did, what made them decide they had reasonable doubt and what mistakes the prosecution possibly coul...more
I liked this book. I liked it as someone fascinated by the law and the court room process. I liked it for the writing. I like how the author builds up the book, revealing the outcome but slowly releasing the facts as they happened. Though the Casey Anthony case was relatively recent, I have only a vague recollection of it, so almost everything he says was new for me.
What made me hesitate reading this book, though, was the obvious bias that necessarily is going to come from a lawyer who was not...more
What made me hesitate reading this book, though, was the obvious bias that necessarily is going to come from a lawyer who was not...more
I read this book because I found myself consumed with the story, last summer especially I was glued to my TV and/or my internet radio listening to all of the testimony and watching the trial. I think my captivation is in part because of something that one of my favorite authors Gillian Flynn says about why she writes about violent women...I am paraphrasing but she says that it shocks us, we can't believe it. We are socialized to see women (especially mothers) as softer than men, vulnerable and i...more
This book is the 2012 selection for John McIntire Library's TRUE CRIME DISCUSSION GROUP. (Meeting details TBA.)
Written by the prosecutor Jeff Ashton, it is a fascinating "backstage" look at the trial millions watched on TV...and the verdict that shocked the world. It's the first in-depth look at Casey Anthony, whose lies built an always-changing panorama of excuses. And while the country's fixation was on Anthony--the victim, Caylee, was all but forgotten--especially by the jury.
This book is any...more
Written by the prosecutor Jeff Ashton, it is a fascinating "backstage" look at the trial millions watched on TV...and the verdict that shocked the world. It's the first in-depth look at Casey Anthony, whose lies built an always-changing panorama of excuses. And while the country's fixation was on Anthony--the victim, Caylee, was all but forgotten--especially by the jury.
This book is any...more
Hmmm...I"m not sure I learned anything new except what Casey had planned for her father, originally: that the psychiatrists were going to testify that George very well may have killed Caylee in the outside pool and then tried to pin it on Casey. What utter nonsense. George may very well be a monster but only because he spawned such an evil child.
I felt like Ashton glossed over some of the prosecutions missteps. And he severely underestimated Baez. I always thought Baez did an incredible job for...more
I felt like Ashton glossed over some of the prosecutions missteps. And he severely underestimated Baez. I always thought Baez did an incredible job for...more
I listened to this on audio book, and may have dosed off a little bit, being tired and because I was very familiar with the subject already, so it is no reflection on Jeff Ashton - I thought this was a very clear narrative of the murder of Caylee Anthony and the subsequent legal action against her mother. Justice may not have been served at that trial, but to have this testimony out there, speaking on Caylee's behalf, is at least something.
I liked his read on Cindy and George and Lee, it was a...more
I liked his read on Cindy and George and Lee, it was a...more
I was very interested in this book because like most of the nation I was following the case. Yes, it's true, the book doesn't have any new bombshell information, but I understood the outcome a little bit better. The same error in the prosecution that Jeff Ashton noticed, I did during the trial. But just like him, I hoped that the jury could see beyond those looking at the big picture.
Although I had followed some of the case before the trial, on the actual day the trial began I gave myself an op...more
Although I had followed some of the case before the trial, on the actual day the trial began I gave myself an op...more
Nothing new here but still great to read. Read both his and Jose's and his was by far more believable. I firmly believe that if they hadn't gone for the death penalty the jury may have come back with a guilty verdict.
On a side note: I'm still perplexed with the message that Lee was trying to get to his sister at the funeral. Why not just say Caylee...I think he was talking to his sister, Casey.
---This family is united! But this family is incomplete. I’m incomplete. (breaking down a bit) I’m brok...more
On a side note: I'm still perplexed with the message that Lee was trying to get to his sister at the funeral. Why not just say Caylee...I think he was talking to his sister, Casey.
---This family is united! But this family is incomplete. I’m incomplete. (breaking down a bit) I’m brok...more
Living in Florida we are subjected to news coverage every day on this story. If you are intimately familiar with the case then there isn't any new information here. Ashton's strength in telling the story is revealing what was going on within the prosecution during the trial. I think he woefully underestimated his power over the jury and his ability to get them to see things his way and his frustration with them shows in several unflattering comments about them. The things that mystified me about...more
As I am 97% complete on this novel (thank you to my KOBO for such accurate confirmation of my timeline) I am confident giving my review now knowing that it won’t change based on the last twenty or so pages.
I already knew the outcome of the Casey Anthony trial before beginning this tale, however, I did not know any of the “gritty details” of the case and, when I started this novel, I was looking for the Prosecution to convince me beyond a reasonable doubt that Casey Anthony committed the crime i...more
I already knew the outcome of the Casey Anthony trial before beginning this tale, however, I did not know any of the “gritty details” of the case and, when I started this novel, I was looking for the Prosecution to convince me beyond a reasonable doubt that Casey Anthony committed the crime i...more
2 likes · like · see review
Mar 07, 2012
Eden
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
true-crime,
books-i-own
If you followed the Casey Anthony case from the beginning, there isn't much new information here (so sorry to disappoint). It just deals with Jeff Ashton explaining how he got the case and ended up getting emotionally involved just like the public. Anyone with half a brain cell knows that Casey killed her daughter and the state brought one hell of a case against her, but the jurors...oh, shaking my head...the jurors...I'm about ninety percent certain they came to the verdict that they did becaus...more
Disclaimer: This is a library book. Thus other than a few penny's from tax dollars no money was expended by this reviewer. This reviewer does not wish to again advance their theory, opinion, or other personal position on this story. That was done at another time in a blog. Herein follows commentary on the book.
Books of this kind perhaps are those best not read nor written. It is not a perfect world either. Secret pleasure or vicious vicarious pursuit, this and similar works border on being a w...more
Books of this kind perhaps are those best not read nor written. It is not a perfect world either. Secret pleasure or vicious vicarious pursuit, this and similar works border on being a w...more
3 likes · like · see review
Dec 20, 2011
Jackie Thalman
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
4-5-star-shelf,
nonfiction
I enjoyed this book a lot, even after I would consider myself very knowledgeable with the trial & the book, to me, offered very little new information. I enjoyed Jeff Ashton as a person & as a prosecutor, and I enjoyed his, at most times, almost humorous perspective of the goings-on during the trial. I also felt he was candid & sincere throughout most of the book, minus a small part when he discussed warning the Anthonys about the defense's new strategy in accusing George of sexual m...more
I just have to start by saying that I didn't really follow the trial. I watched it when it was on in the morning shows and I watched some Dateline or 20/20 special.
I thought this was a great book. I took some of it with a grain of salt since it was written by the prosecution standpoint. I thought the investigation leading up to the trial were facinating since a lot of it was hearsay, inadmissable or left out at trial. It definitely didn't put Casey in any better light.
I guess Jose Baez wasn't as...more
I thought this was a great book. I took some of it with a grain of salt since it was written by the prosecution standpoint. I thought the investigation leading up to the trial were facinating since a lot of it was hearsay, inadmissable or left out at trial. It definitely didn't put Casey in any better light.
I guess Jose Baez wasn't as...more
I like this book and would recommend to others. It is well-written, although some editing time could have been spent on the last couple of chapters as the prose was sometimes awkward. That aside, if you like true-crime accounts, this one is good. Seen from the prosecutor's view, Ashton details the case from the outset and includes a lot of "inside" information, such as excerpts from interviews with the Anthony family members talking to detectives. He also gives an idea of what the prosecution ha...more
This is only the second book I have read that dealt with a true crime. The first was about the seriel killer in Kansas City, Missouri, and that book did not deal with the prosecution, just the story of the case. This book however, I found fascinating. I have worked as a paralegal in the prosecutors office for 14 years and I cannot tell you how accurate this book is from the prosecution side. The way Jeff expressed his actions during the trial and his beliefs of what happened all line up with how...more
For numerous reasons, this is not a book I would normally read. However, a coworker encouraged me to read this book after she had heard the author speak at a Kansas Bar Association meeting.
Having just finished the book, I have to reluctantly admit that was pretty good. Like so many others, I followed this case as it was going on. Along with a number of my coworkers, I watched the pronouncement of the verdict in stunned silence. It was a déjà vu OJ moment.
What I appreciated about this book the m...more
The evidences clearly implicates that Casey had done the crime and I feel that the jury made a huge mistake in their decision of giving her a free ride. However, the only mistaken that I had detected in this book was that the Judge had became too "passive" with the jury, which gave them a full power over the case instead of putting their personal aside and see the truth. (They became too comfortable with being on the "spot" from the media) The Judge gave away too much favors for the Jury and I w...more
1 like · like · see review
Anyone who followed this case in the media extensively should choose this book to read if they want to learn anything new about the case and have any insight into what transpired (from the prosecutor's position) in the 'miscarriage' of justice for Caylee Marie. This was an excellent book at providing an inside view into the investigation and insight from Jeff Ashton himself to the defense's 'excuses' as to what actually happened to Caylee. This is definitely the book ANYONE who watched a great d...more
I have to say, I was a bit nervous to start this book. I followed the trial from the beginning and I had strong opinions on the case. To say the least, I wasn't happy with the verdict.
I am very fond of Jeff Ashton and I think he's really admirable. His track record for prosecution is fantastic. Only losing about three of the cases he's tried. That's not something you see often. Ashton did a great job at laying out the entire case for you. If you didn't follow the trial you wouldn't be lost read...more
I am very fond of Jeff Ashton and I think he's really admirable. His track record for prosecution is fantastic. Only losing about three of the cases he's tried. That's not something you see often. Ashton did a great job at laying out the entire case for you. If you didn't follow the trial you wouldn't be lost read...more
Since I followed the Casey Anthony case and trial pretty closely, I was excited to read this book. I very much admired Jeff Ashton and the rest of the prosecution during the trial and felt their passion for bringing justice to Caylee. I got the impression the passion Jose Baez exhibited was a career move, not a justice move.
I expected this book to be a bit more technical. Instead it was conversational and while that would be great for the lay person, it also felt like the lay person who did not...more
I expected this book to be a bit more technical. Instead it was conversational and while that would be great for the lay person, it also felt like the lay person who did not...more
Filled with explosive new information, this is the definitive inside story of the case that captivated the nation and the verdict that no one saw coming
It was the trial that stunned America, the verdict that shocked us all. On July 5, 2011, nearly three years after her initial arrest, Casey Anthony walked away, virtually scot-free, from one of the most sensational murder trials of all time. She'd been accused of killing her daughter, Caylee, but the trial only left behind more questions: Was she...more
It was the trial that stunned America, the verdict that shocked us all. On July 5, 2011, nearly three years after her initial arrest, Casey Anthony walked away, virtually scot-free, from one of the most sensational murder trials of all time. She'd been accused of killing her daughter, Caylee, but the trial only left behind more questions: Was she...more
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Share This Book
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
“As I look back on it, I understand that the jury was sequestered and it was a long trial, but they were a rather high-maintenance bunch. There seemed to be a lot of thought and discussion about what entertainment they wanted, which movies they wanted to watch, and which restaurants they wanted to go to. Yet, as we would learn later, when it came time to deliberate, they never asked a single question about the evidence.”
—
5 people liked it
“Lies are like muscles: it takes practice to make them strong.”
—
3 people liked it
More quotes…
Feb 17, 2013 04:54am