Before we begin – let me make perfectly clear that the nature of this question is strictly academic in nature. I am not asking this question to bait anyone or invite judgments on the nature of her guilt or innocence. I’m strictly asking from a procedural perspective.
How does someone involved in a high-profile trial or media event regain a semblance of normalcy afterward? I would guess the nearest analogue in this case would NOT be OJ Simpson (as he lived in the public eye already) but perhaps Jeff Gillooly, the former Mr. Tonya Harding. How does someone whose name has become synonymous with “history’s greatest monster” ever truly regain some sense of normalcy to their lives? Change their name and live as quietly as possible? One would assume there’s no Witness Relocation-style service for these people.
I suppose the question is this – how does someone who’s been involved in a massive media circus return to a normal life?
Karla Homolka made out okay, she did change her name and move to another country, at least initially. I think she might be back on Canadian soil now, though.
Monica Lewinsky somehow managed, and, so far as I know, didn’t even resort to porn! Again, I think she left the country, at least for a time.
In some cases, as with the children who murdered Jamie Bulger, the authorities give them new names and identities. Obviously that isn’t the case for adults. Amy Fisher got plastic surgery.
People have short memories. Eventually the press coverage will fade away.
Avoid any situations that might feed the news monster. No drunken antics at bars. No loud outbursts. No public fights with anybody.
Get into a boring routine. Go to college or get a job.
Eventually the press will fold up their tents and harass someone else. AFAIK Tonya Harding is back to a normal life. A lot of people get off the headlines and back into private lives.
I think the saying “hunker down for a while” applies here. No public appearances… keep as low a profile as possible.
Given her apparent rocky relationship with her parents and brother I expect she will be fairly isolated from her family, although she may still have a few die hard friends to lean on.
Perhaps moving to a new town in a new state would be a wise move for her.
As has been said already, once she is out of the spotlight for a while people will begin to forget… assuming nothing tragic happens to her in the meantime.
I don’t think she will be able. She wasn’t declared innocent of killing her 2 year old. The justice system doesn’t work that way. There are plenty of people that still know she did it at least to them. People, especially disarranged ones react quite differently to crimes against children than they do against crimes against adults (see the murder of Boston priest John Geoghan in prison for one calculated example).
The attention is there to draw plenty of personal safety threats to her, her family, and even the jurors themselves. She can’t assume she is truly safe anywhere for very long time if ever. She can’t ever have a regular job that is public facing either. Someone will recognize her because the internet videos are there for anyone to watch at any time. Privacy is gone for most everyone and that is especially the case for her unless she flees to that recently discovered uncontacted tribe in the Amazon.
Then again, Whitey Bulger lived in California for years without being discovered so maybe she can call him for tips.
Her last name is downright common, so she can just call her self, Kate or something.
She’s not that unique, she could walk down the street of most cities outside of Florida and no one would recognize her.
She may have trouble with a job, with the convictions. As prospective employers may put two and two together. Employers generally don’t want even innocent people if they are likely to be controversial.
“Return to a normal life”? What “normal life” did she ever have? Are you kidding?
Casey also not only has no functional family to fall back on, Casey has never had a sense of adult normalcy. Casey has no foundation. Casey was never married. Casey never had a real job. Casey doesnt really have any education to speak of. Casey has no skills nor any trade. Casey has no appropriate support group, not even a local church. On top of all that Casey is the most hated woman in the USA. 99% of people cannot survive all this.
In addition, keep in mind, that over half of Casey’s adult life, has been behind bars in jail.
Way to go, that is the only way we’re going to get some factual discussion going on here.
:smack:
Well, anyway. If she has enough money it might not help her to be anonymous but it could sure help to make her more comfortable as she endures her infamy.
IMHO it is only a question to her now of which book and/or movie deal to consider first, and how many millions it will take to restore her life to normalcy.
Factually of course she could get a name change, move to Argentina, open an antique store and probably never hear from anyone again regarding this case. Realistically, the financial gain from a little infamy will probably be worth it to her to retain her identity. At least until all the checks clear.
Based on the fact that she will be on parole, leaving the country will not be an option. Many people agree that she will sign a book deal and most likely become a millionaire. The aforementioned book deal will nullify her lack of education, as well as satisfying any financial obligations for quite some time. Depending on how much money she makes from the book deal(s) and interviews, she could live off of the interest if she manages it or hires someone to manage it properly. She’ll be fine.
Money is not the issue, money does not mean that a persons lives in a healthy manner. There is no shortage of crazy mixed up weird rich people/entertainers/etc. Besides, Casey does not need to support herself, there are thousands of guys who want to marry her. Casey will have no problem at all in getting some guy to financially support her. If you want to marry Casey, then get in line. I think the question of this topic is psychological in nature, mental well-being, if you will, the question of this topic is not an economic question.
I get what you’re saying, but I still think the phrase is apt. Right or wrong, people are making her out to be an absolute monster – the comparision isn’t a judgment on my part. Whether or not you believe this to be true, the assertion that people are calling her a monster is indisputable fact. What remains to be seen, however, is how she’ll deal with that to try to become a functioning member of society, which is where the question stems.
Like it or not, Casey Anthony DID have what passed for a semi-normal life. She lived in a suburban Florida neighborhood and enjoyed the fruits that would stem from that life. She has parents that were involved in her life and her child’s life. She had (one would presume STILL has) friends that she spent time with and enjoyed the company of. One of the quotes I read about her (can’t find the cite or I’d list it) is that she wrote a letter to another inmate expressing how she would very much like to have more children, and how she couldn’t wait to go shopping at Target. It was at that point when I said, “Wow, how can she ever expect to go to Target without enduring the wrath of hundreds of complete strangers, 99% of whom never saw all the details of the trial and were simply told HOW to feel by someone like Nancy Grace?”
I get what you’re saying, too… that she’s not exactly the most grounded person in the world. I don’t dispute that’s true, but I don’t want this discussion to go off the rails. So let’s rephrase a bit, if that will help the conversation stay on track:
How does someone that’s been LABELED a monster by the media ever truly regain a semblance of normalcy to their lives?
Can you imagine the field day that old Nancy Grace and the rest of the circus will have, if Casey gets married and/or has a baby? Oy.
I guess other infamous people of modest means have gone on to have fairly productive lives, though I can’t really think of any great success stories. I don’t know how Mary Kay LeTourneau makes a living these days, but it’s not by selling TV interviews. Apparently, she’s found her niche somewhere, so I guess she’s done okay. There were other teachers sleeping with their students that got a lot of press, but none as infamous as she was, I don’t think.
Tonya Harding is still occasional tabloid fodder, but she manages to get along without the press hounding her too much. But you seldom if ever hear of the ex-husband who changed his name and faded out of the picture.
I’m scouring my brain to think of other people with few life skills and no money that had to try and live down that sort of infamy, and nobody else really comes to mind.
Normally, blending into society has not been a problem with OTHER former hated “monsters”.
Tonya Harding is a television commenator, she is currently seen on Worlds Dumbest (?)…and yeah, Shane Stant who actually did attack Nancy Kerrigan is deep into obscurity and completely forgotton.
Linda Kasabian (Charlie Manson family) blended in completely.
Captain Medina and Lieutenant Calley (My Lai Massacre) blended.
After the last trial ended Randy Weaver of Ruby Ridge immediately blended into obscurity.
Nobody even remembers who the six convicted surviving** Branch Davidians ** are.
Everyone seemed to love and forgive Blanche Barrow (Bonnie and Clyde) after Bonnie and Clyde ended their crime spree.
Marina Oswald (Kennedy Assassination) had a good life.
Her story was only significant as sensationalist tabloid fodder. Unlike OJ, she didn’t have 25 years in the spotlight before her trial. Most people will not remember her name ten years from now, and the details of her case will fade in people’s memories. After the media whirlwhind subsides, people don’t remember Louise Woodward, or Scott Peterson, or David Westerberg, or Stacey Koon, or John Mark Karr, or Mark Foley.
The word you’re looking for is “perspective”… :smack:
I wonder how many books she would actually sell if she’s writing about how she really didn’t do it. I also wonder how many she would have to sell to be truly economically comfortable for the rest of her life?
I think she’s more likely to go the reality TV route, because a lot of people would be interested in watching what could be a really nice train wreck of trying to date again, getting caught by the paparazzi in Target, having screaming fights with her parents around the dinner table…whatever. Then when that stalls she can go on to celebrity rehab.
I don’t think Casey Anthony has ever desired a normal life. I bet she’s going to milk her notoriety to the last drop, for as long as the media will indulge her. Which won’t be as long as she would like.