Mirror, mirror on the wall. Who’s the most hated woman of them all?
Not since the Casey Anthony trial aired in 2011, have I been so captivated by a live televised courtroom trial; albeit one that features yet another woman who — in the court of public opinion — is the queen of evil, more familiarly called the “most hated woman in America.”
I admit that I am hooked on live courtroom programs. If I could I would rather view every live courtroom trial on TV than watch a single episode of Scandal. Okay, I perjured myself with that statement and request that it be stricken from the record. In my opinion Scandal trumps all other TV shows. But this is not about Scandal. It is about the reigning courtroom drama queen.
My research reveals that the first woman to hold the title was Madalyn Murray O’Hair, founder of the organization American Atheists. O’Hair was born on April 13, 1919, decades before courtroom trials became a television staple. But because her U.S. Supreme Court case contributed to the removal of prayer in public schools, proponents of universal prayer dubbed her America’s most hated woman. In August 1995, O’Hair, her son Jon, and granddaughter Robin suddenly disappeared. Six years later, in January 2001, one of the men convicted of kidnapping and murdering O’Hair and her relatives led police to a Texas ranch. Buried there law officers discovered the mutilated and dismembered bodies of the trio. Some considered it poetic justice.
The second infamous person to hold the uncomplimentary title was Casey Anthony, accused in 2011 of the death of her two year old daughter, Caylee. The child who lived in Orlando, Florida with her mother and her maternal grandparents had not been seen by the grandparents since June 16, 2008. She was reported missing to 911 a month later by Casey’s mother after Casey could not substantiate her daughter’s whereabout. Caylee’s decomposed remains were found in a garbage bag, in the woods, in December 2008. On July 5, 2011, despite overwhelming evidence including the then 25 year old’s proven web of lies, the jury found Casey not guilty. Outside the courthouse, TV cameras revealed the outrage of numerous nail-biting angry people. They, like many spectators who had been in the courtroom or had viewed the proceedings on TV asked, about the jury, “What were they thinking?”
Now, Casey Anthony — who has been in hiding since her release — has been dethroned by the infamous Jodi Arias.
After numerous lies, denials, and concocted stories about what happened to her former boyfriend, Travis Alexander, Arias finally admitted guilt and was charged with first-degree murder in the death of her ex, who she brutally murdered in his Mesa, Arizona home in June 2008. Arias admitted to shooting Alexander in the head, stabbing him nearly 30 times, and slitting his throat ear-to-ear, nearly decapitating him. Like Casey Anthony, Arias became ensnarled in her own lies. Unlike Anthony, Arias while confined to jail, did several television interviews including one for 20/20 where she arrogantly proclaimed, “No jury will ever convict me. You can bet on that.”
On Thursday, May 23, after deliberating for nearly 14 hours, over 3 days, the jury’s verdict was – no verdict. They were deadlocked. A hung jury means a new trial for Arias. It is scheduled for July 18th.
Reminiscent of the Casey Anthony trial, television cameras outside the Arias court building revealed the faces of trial watchers who wanted justice for Travis, but instead were left stunned and tearful over an inconclusive trial. According to HLN, the breakdown of the Arias jury was 8 to 4: 8 favoring the death penalty, 4 for life in prison. Interestingly, the jury was comprised of 8 men and 4 women. There was no disclosure of the vote by gender.
As reported by HLN, “Arias said she had no idea that some people consider her the most hated woman in America.” Really?
Let me state in my most contrived Maury Provich voice “Jodi Arias YOU ARE the most hated woman in America.”