Audiobook11 hours
Imperfect Justice: Prosecuting Casey Anthony
Written by Jeff Ashton
Narrated by Jeff Ashton
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5/5
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About this audiobook
Jeff Ashton was part of the prosecution team in the Florida homicide trial of Casey Anthony, the single mother accused of murdering her little girl, Caylee. The most sensational courtroom drama since the infamous O.J. Simpson affair, the Casey Anthony trial had people coast-to-coast riveted. In his stunning true crime masterwork, Imperfect Justice, Ashton gives a fascinating and impassioned insider’s account of the investigation, the trial, and the acquittal that shocked the nation, and makes a powerful case as to why allowing Anthony to walk free was a devastating travesty of justice.
Author
Jeff Ashton
Jeff Ashton recently retired from a thirty-year career as a prosecutor in Orlando, Florida. He is the most experienced homicide prosecutor in the history of Orange County and a veteran of more than seventy successful homicide prosecutions. He lives in Florida.
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Reviews for Imperfect Justice
Rating: 4.3882352941176475 out of 5 stars
4.5/5
85 ratings14 reviews
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I liked how that book was written. watching the trail before I read the book was an eye opening. so much stuff was not even mentioned. the book was a great summary of the whole trial. we all know that what she did and we all know that she should of been convicted. I just feel so bad that this tiny 3 year old girl had to go tru all of this because of her mother- a person that she was suppose to be able to count on no matter what !
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5This book gives an insightful view into the events leading up to the arrest and trial of the Casey Anthony murder. In the end, Ashton's message is that the American justice system works only as good as we allow it to, sometimes resulting in the guilty walking free (and certainly the innocent being imprisoned) when elements of the case do not align. It is clear that he feels the jury did not put in the effort to see that justice was carried out and that he has obvious reservations about Florida's laws requiring most details of a case be made available immediately to the media, which taints jury pools and encourages sensationalized trials.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Excellent presentation and explanations of the case.But I feel the frustration.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Wonderful and well written book. The insiders look into the trail with gripping details. Enjoyed every minute of this book.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Anyone 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 deal of the trial needs to read. If you know the case pretty well to you watched every second you could on TV--I highly recommend you read this book. I think it will prove interesting when all topics have been talked out on news agencies. And it gives you more insight into what happened when over 50 percent of the nation was confident that Casey Anthony would at the very least be behind bars for the rest of her natural life instead of being found not guilty--causing spasms of outrage throughout the nation.
If you were touched by the case and followed it, this is a must read for you. It helped me understand how 12 sane people (who haven't seemed to cash in for making their unfavorable judgement as pundits theorized they would. . .) could look at the evidence and let her off the hook. This book allowed me to understand how that happened. And how those people aren't to blame. Nor the lawyers. Not even the system. Because if we don't stand by the systems rules and therefore its outcomes, we allow Casey Anthony to be yet again be the infamous star of our anger and we forget that this all started with two-year old girl getting close to her third birthday named Caylee Marie that was murdered. And like Jeff Ashton said in court and in this book, there is no Bella Vita for her. Which makes it all the more important for us to NOT forget this beautiful child whose murder made us all question if our legal system was broken. - Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I really enjoyed this book. A very detailed account and analysis of what happened. Focus is on the investigation and legal proceedings. A great listen, I learned a lot
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Grate book. And can't believe she Isn't found guilty because she is... What a jury.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Great synopsis of the case by the man himself. Made me sad all over again reading all the evidence that didn't get a second glance by the jury. Laid out well enough for those of us that watched the trial got a good refresher, while those who didn't got a summary with enough information.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5I started reading this book, but after the first couple of chapters, I realized I didn't have the heart to live through the case all over again. So I skimmed, looking for new information that hadn't already been reported. There was some new info--descriptions of some of the sidebars and pre-trial shenanigans, some transcripts of text and phone conversations after Casey's arrest, some information that never made it to the trial (for example, Cindy's co-workers had been suggesting that Cindy try to get custody of Caylee for some time, i.e., Casey wasn't really a "great mom"). I think this is a solid prosecutor book, and anyone who didn't follow the trial closely will certainly be amazed at some of the events it describes.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I enjoyed it because I didn't watch the whole trial and like the idea that he wrote it so we wouldn't forget about little Caylee Marie
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Living 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 the case are still unresolved in my mind. How could Cindy buy Casey's lies for so long. According to Ashton she did not want to push Casey to hard for fear she would cut off all contact between Cindy and Casey. Besides she had been believing her bull stories for years by that point. Or how did someone who was described by all to be a loving mother and fond of her daughter all of a sudden one day decide to kill her. That explanation was a little harder to swallow. Ashton lays out his theory of exactly how the murder went down but he never comes out and says how high school drop out Casey figured out how to make chloroform. I can also not visualize her putting the duct tape over Caylee's mouth, I don't know why but I just can't. Casey's boyfriend knew about Caylee and seemed to care about her so it was not like she had to kill her to keep the relationship. Still Aston's book makes a very convincing case for Casey being responsible for Caylee's death even as some loose ends are left dangling. The Anthony's interview with Dr. Phil was far more revealing into their dynamics than this book was. At one point George Anthony admits to Phil that he believed that Caylee's body was in the trunk of Casey's car. Cindy looks over at him and expresses surprise. Really? she said to him. You never expressed to me that. Cindy is always in complete denial while George tries to make peace with losing both his daughter and granddaughter. George Anthony said it best at the end of the interview. When Casey Anthony walked out as a free person from the courtroom, the truth went with her and now no one will ever really know what happened to Caylee. So sad for everyone involved.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Jeff Ashton more than makes up for where Keith Ablow failed. This is the story of the prosecution, not Ablow's psychiatric portrayal but you get it all in this book. Ashton writes extremely well, lays out the facts and his inclinations clearly and is not self promoting in any way. Casey Anthony is impossible to empathize with. Still I tried to find some sad explanation of her lack of remorse or grief and it is not there. Thank god there are few Casey Anthoneys in the country. I was left with one hopeless IF ONLY; if only Casey had given Caylee up to her parents.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Good book. Spoiler alert! 12 morons set Satan free to murder more children.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Casey Anthony......I wanted so much throughout this whole trial to find something. ....anything....to make me feel she could not have done this crime....she wasn't involved. That moment never happened.
How she threw her friends....family....everyone loosely connected to her....under the bus to make herself look less implicit really was the eye opener for me, of who she was, and why. And mostly, it opened my eyes on one thing she wasnt....innocent. Her litany of lies....two false addresses for Zenaida.... Universal Studios....even where she was at a given moment.....Lying to her then fiancé about being pregnant, and every thing else about her past....
"The havoc one person spewing lies could wreck on the normal lives of so many always amazed me"
Her pattern of bait and switch, changing key facts just as police arrive EVERY time...
I see now why it took so long to find a jury. You would really have to be blind or plain non thinking to not find her guilty. The jurors did not find her guilty if manslaughter, and I can only imagine why. Maybe I do not want to know, seeing the way Casey Anthony treated other people, her family and even those who still supported her.....I just don't want to know. That being said.....
This book by Jeff Ashton is just that....an eye opening look into the fabrications and illusions used by Casey to try to manipulate people into believing her game. Ashton clearly does not like Jose Baez....really who does.....and I enjoyed reading about his take on Baez flagrant use of the court and courtroom.
I really enjoyed this book. I have alot of respect for Jeff Ashton. If you were into this trial, this is a must read!!