Has anyone been following the Casey Anthony trial? I hate to admit it, but I’ve gotten transfixed. This has only happened a few times with me: during the OJ and the Menendez brothers’ trials.How does this relate to writing, you ask? A lot. I’m interested in analyzing what goes into a good mystery or thriller, or simply how to write great, prolonged suspense.
A complex trial like this one, with so many unexpected twists and turns, and with such rampant lies and weird pathology, by its very nature, is buzzing with suspense.
How could a pretty, popular mom kill her child? Is Casey Anthony a violent sociopath, or was her two-year-old daughter's death a swimming accident? There were no eyewitnesses, so the prosecution must build its case on what's called “circumstantial” evidence—putting together pieces of the puzzle, such as a search on the home computer for chloroform 84 times! Or the question of why would one need to apply 3 layers of duct tape to a drowning victim. And why did this mother decide to throw her father and brother under the bus by saying they did nefarious things to her, when all along the father and brother were her staunch defenders? And then, there’s the meter reader, Roy, who found the little girl, Caylee’s skull, buried up to its eyeholes, in a trash dump. If you believe the defense theory, he arranged the bones and duct tape to get the cash reward (That he never received). If you believe the prosecution, Roy was the hero, who finally found the remains of little Caylee, and helped bring her one step closer to justice. The way the lawyers present their witnesses, and all of the forensics testimony, is truly fascinating to me. One person is a hair expert. Another is an expert in detecting volatile gases. And they all want to drivel on about their gadgets.
Will I ever try to tackle writing trial scenes? A very intimidating idea! One would have to speed through the typical minutia of an actual trial to get to the meat, where someone’s sobbing on the stand, or obviously lying, and perjuring themselves. In the Casey Anthony trial, even though spectators have traveled from all over to get in the courtroom, many have fallen asleep from the droning “experts” only to be kicked out for snoring.
Has anyone tried to write a trial scene? To Kill a Mockingbird comes to me. Have you learned how to write suspense from watching a trial, used forensics in a scene, or written a mystery with any of these aspects? Anyone recall a children’s or YA novel that includes some part of a trial? Dish here.
Will I ever try to tackle writing trial scenes? A very intimidating idea! One would have to speed through the typical minutia of an actual trial to get to the meat, where someone’s sobbing on the stand, or obviously lying, and perjuring themselves. In the Casey Anthony trial, even though spectators have traveled from all over to get in the courtroom, many have fallen asleep from the droning “experts” only to be kicked out for snoring.
Has anyone tried to write a trial scene? To Kill a Mockingbird comes to me. Have you learned how to write suspense from watching a trial, used forensics in a scene, or written a mystery with any of these aspects? Anyone recall a children’s or YA novel that includes some part of a trial? Dish here.
I've never tried this but that's because I find most trials disturbing. It's probably a great way to research for the craft though.
ReplyDeleteOh, The Crucible is another book with a trial.
ReplyDeleteI have a bit of mystery in the novel I'm working on now, dealing with a murder and pacing is the key. I've only been following very small snippets of the Anthony trial but seeing that I'm somewhat tackling this area in my own work, it's a good idea to follow what's going on.
ReplyDeleteI've seen To Kill A Mockingbird several times and read the book. I don't think I've come across too many YA novels with this element. I'm a long way behind in catching up with what I've bought for my daughter to read.
www.totsymae.com
Wow--I just left u some big long comment and google ate it. Take 2:
ReplyDeleteMy last YA ms had an emancipation hearing in it, but I kind of bent the law to do it. I've never read a YA book w/ a trial in it. My Sister's Keeper isn't YA but the book (not the movie) has a fam court trial weaved into the story really well.
bethfred.com
Trials are fascinating and they do provide wonderful twists and turns that any author would find useful. The trial you describe is so terrible and so poignant that it would make for a compelling plot in any book. Great post, Catherine.
ReplyDeleteI haven't followed this trial at all--I would have made a great jury member because I know barely anything about it! It sounds like a fascinating one. BTW, I went to high school with the Menendez brothers! And they seemed quite wretched. I even have a blog post about Lyle: http://thepartypony.blogspot.com/2011/01/i-once-accidentally-spied-weiner-of.html
ReplyDeleteJenny, you went to high school w/ the Menendez bros?! OMG!!! I have to say, I did believe Erik's testimony about his dad. I will def take a look at your post on Lyle.
ReplyDeleteBeth, I'll check out My Sister's Keeper, and yes, Kelly, The Crucible is another good example. I just thought of a film, where a teen is instrumental in affecting the court: The Conspirator, a trial prosecuting Mary Surratt as a supposed conspirator to President Lincoln's murder. She owned the boarding house where John Wilkes Booth stayed. Evan Rachel Wood does a stand-up job playing Mary's daughter!
ReplyDeleteI've never tried writing a trial scene before. I think it would be difficult for me to write because I don't have a lot of legal information. Great post! My 8th grade study hall teacher used to read to us about the OJ Simpson trial and prove to us that he was guilty. She was a little obsessed with that trial. Oh well.
ReplyDeleteOh wow, this is a great post and a fabulous idea. I've never written a trial scene, but I think it would be interesting.
ReplyDeleteHmmm, definitely something to think about.
A trial is a kind of fascinating way to reconstruct a narrative out of competing stories. It was really inspired of you to draw from the Anthony story...I just look at the magazines and think, ugh, do they really need to publicize this?
ReplyDeleteHelen, I know what you mean, there's a morbid and sensationalist aspect. On the other hand, there's a lot to learn here--about what makes a person lie, commit a violent act, be willing to perjure themselves to save a family member, be willing to throw a family member under the bus to save their own skin. I could go on and on, but isn't this the stuff of fiction, and of life? So, maybe it goes way beyond rubbernecking a wreck--to trying to figure out the tangled contortions of seemingly irrational acts.
ReplyDelete