In his live video Q&A today, Rabbi Brad Hirschfield answered your questions on the Casey Anthony trial. Included below are some of his responses to your questions.
In response to a reader’s question about our fascination with a trial like this, Hirschfield responded,
“Though, as I look at it, I do begin to wonder, is our fascination with this murder trial, one in which, potentially, Casey Anythony could be executed if she’s found guilty of capital murder, is this really any different than going to a Roman circus 2,000 years ago? And have we really changed all that much or have we simply found new venues in which we can play out our interest in watching other people suffer or get their just comeuppance, depending on how you look at it.”
In other question from a reader, who writes, “I asked the question you posed in your headline to my folks who watched the trial unfold at our beach house: Why does this trial hold your attention? The answer I received was that this was a dysfunctional family with lots of dark secrets associated with it.”
Hirschfield agreed, responding,
“I think there is a fascination with darkness. And I think that’s true for lots of story lines. And I think that’s especially true in this story because dysfunctional familes, among other things, remind us that, hey, we’re not doing it so badly. And I do think that’s one of the things that has made this trial so interesting.”
He later added,
“I do think the notion of a mom who potentially killed her kid is both intriguing and horrifying to us. Probably because that mother-child bond is supposed to be so inviolate, it’s supposed to be so untouchable, it’s supposed to be so unconditional, that we’re fascinated by the prospect that sometimes it’s not. Again, I think mostly because it reassures us that however bad our relationships with our parents or with our children may might be, we certainly wouldn’t go that far.”
What’s your take? Do you agree? Additionally, do you think the jury reached the correct verdict?
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