What is justice?

We've been in the throws of one of the most well-known court cases in the world. Orlando has been under the media microscope as the world watched the first degree murder trial of Casey Marie Anthony. In 2008, Casey's two-year old daughter, Caylee, disappeared and a massive ground search began in the hopes of finding either the young child alive, or to find her missing body. Casey story quickly disintegrated and she was charged with capital murder against her toddler.

The following three years were filled with media speculation, accusations, and finger pointing of everyone involved in the trial. After a month long court battle, yesterday it was announced that Casey was acquitted of first degree murder, aggravated manslaughter, and aggravated child abuse. The only charges she was found guilty of is lying to law enforcement about the case. She's up against four guilty charges of false information to a law enforcement officer about a missing person, each with a sentence of up to one year in prison. Since she's already served near three years, it is likely that she will walk scott free after her sentencing on Thursday.

The response of the general public has been one of outcry that no justice has been found for the young child whose life was lost at the hands of lies and deceit. Who killed Caylee? How did she die? What happened and when will we know? How do we feel that justice has been served and why did the jury determine she was not guilty of a crime she so obviously committed?

I have followed this case closely and despite my beliefs that Casey is guilty of negligence, I do believe that the correct decision was made. In a justice system where you have to be guilty without a reasonable doubt in order to be charged, I do not feel that a case was made to prove she was guilty of first degree murder, aggravated manslaughter, or aggravated child abuse. The prosecution did a phenomenal job with what they had to work with, and built a strong case of a pathological liar with serious mental illness. However, her hard partying ways did not show that she abused her daughter, neglected her daughter, or wanted her dead. Do I think she's guilty in the death of that little girl? Yes. But if I were sitting on a jury, could I have sentenced the mother to death based on the information shared? No. There was not enough proof of the crime to charge her with it. As sad as it is, that is the way we have built our justice system, and fact (the facts available to the prosecution during the trial, that is) were not strong enough to sentence her. I don't think the defense did a good job - I think this was a clear cut case and her lawyer did not have to do anything to defend her...the proof just was not there. Casey is calculating and acts with purpose and has done a good job, her entire life, of covering her tracks. This is just another case of a girl too smart for her own good, using it for not so good ways.

My hope is that over time, justice is served. I believe in a higher being and I believe we all face a judgment day. I'm confident that in time, Casey will face her demons and be haunted by her choices. I would not want this on my shoulders on the day I face my maker and believe that what goes around comes around. Casey's quality of life will never be what it was before, and she'll never be able to escape the ridicule and knowledge of the truth. She will live in her own personal prison and be constantly reminded of the poor decisions she made in her life. Maybe that's justice. Maybe it's not. But who am I to judge?

And then it hit me...

So here I am, sitting her in a hotel room on the Space Coast, crying my eyes out. It's finally hit me...I came to the realization of the pain and sadness my friend is feeling right now. It became real, it became true, it became reality.

I am sad this week. I am broken-hearted. I have come to the realization that life often makes no sense and sometimes things happen that are not meant to be understood.

Saturday night, my friend of 21 year's husband passed away, unexpectedly. Admittedly, I didn't know him well. After 21 years of friendship, my friend and I don't talk everyday, and often months would go by that we wouldn't speak at all. It's not ok, but after that long, you stop being friends and are family...and that happens with family. Even though the time passes, I feel like I never skip a beat with her - it's as if it's not necessary to talk all the time.

I didn't really get to know her husband all that well. I met and spent time with him a few times, and he seemed nice. It made me happy to see her happy, and to hear that he cared for her daughter from a previous relationship as if she was his own. I can't honestly say I knew him....I wish I would have had the opportunity. But knowing, that even if for a short time, he made my friend, my sister, happy, that's enough for me.

I logged onto myspace and looked down to see her myspace photo. And there they stood, happy as could be. I had to click...I had to look closer. And then it hit me. He's gone. At 36 years old, he was taken from this world, leaving behind a wife, a six month old, and a broken hearted little girl.

I mourn the loss...for my friend, for his and her family, for the children, for the friendship I didn't really get the chance to develop. She deserves so much more than this...

Tomorrow is the viewing. It just doesn't seem real. This shouldn't be happening. I want to fix it. I want to make it better for her. How do you mend a broken heart? How do I help? What do I do?