joining us to talk about the coverage, diane dimond, and lauren ashburn. lauren, what do you make of the sheer overwhelming volume of the coverage. >> let me guess, you think it's outrageous and overkill. so do i. i think we have gone crazy. why this case? why now? why her? i'll tell you one reason. the only reason is ratings, which equals advertising dollars, which equal profits. >> diane, this is your job to cover crime stories, but when you look at the broad landscape, how can this excess possibly be justified? >> well, because people watch it, frankly. let's talk about the elephant in the room that you haven't mention. it'sen cnn's sister station, hln, who has covered this from the get-go, top mom. flag flag has something called a sunshine law and everything that the police know gets released to the public. if the immediate gentleman does not cover it, i would tell you i think they're remiss. i think where the overkill happened was on the national scene. how many young children are killed every year in this country, it's a sad fact, and we don't do nea

i want to bring in diane dimond. you have followed some major cases in your day.oking at the potential or the verdict return and what its potential outcome could be, what is your sense about what will happen? >> reporter: well, i tell you, i learned long ago never to make a prediction about what a jury might do. but i do find it absolutely compelling that it's been, what, 11 hours over just two days. this of course after a almost seven-week long trial. and this jury did not send out any notes. it did not say to judge perry could we please come back in the courtroom and hear that videotape again or that audio tape. this is a jury that seems pretty darned cohesive from the get-go to reach a major decision like this in only 11 hours. i'm frankly stunned. >> it is interesting, i think having covered a number of trials myself, you're always waiting for that note, because you're trying to get a glimpse into what the jurors might be thinking. are they conflicted about a piece of information, is something not clear. but again, when you think about this, the closings, is t

we have diane dimond and former prosecutor wendy murphy on the right side of your screen. thanks to both of you for joining us today. >> sure. >> before we get started, i want to play a bite from defense lawyer jose baez who on monday raised the issue of reasonable doubt, telling the jury they have it. take a listen. >> these are the facts that you have heard. and these are the facts that prove beyond a reasonable doubt that casey anthony is guilty of murder in the first degree. reasonable doubt lives here. it's throughout the case. it's right here. it's with these individuals. it's with those individuals. it's everywhere. you can't trust this evidence. you can't. >> all right. so we started with the prosecutor first. wendy, let me start with you. did the prosecution remove any reasonable doubt? many say that jose baez may have a point here that without a cause of death, it is very hard to get a first-degree murder conviction here. what are your thoughts? >> yeah. the interesting thing, i thought jeff ashton did a technically better closing argument, but baez had the bette

joining us now to discussion this case, the news week and daily beast correspondent diane dimond. a case like this not only captivate the imagination but in such an emotional way? >> john, i was in florida for the jury selection. even then it was captivating people. i met so many people there at jury selection that had come from out of town. well, we were going to take a vacation, and we came here anyway. my husband is at the beach, and i had to come here. i think it's because if we can't protect the youngest and most innocent among us, then who are we as a people? that's what i heard. i agree with your reporter on the scene tonight. it was about justice for this little girl. somebody killed her. you know what, john? it's still an open homicide case. somebody killed this little girl. if it isn't that woman right there, casey anthony, who is it? >> so, jim, i remember your work. i think about every day you were inside the courtroom during the o.j. simpson trial. a very different case. he was a celebrity and sports figure and well-known. nobody knew casey anthony before this trial.