Has this case affected your willingness to volunteer?

Please move/delete if this thread is inappropriate, or covered elsewhere. I looked through the threads about thanking the WSers who searched, and know that there are tons of scattered thoughts on this, but wasn't sure if we could have a poll or discussion separately.



I was thinking about all the information released about the key players in this case, including the searchers, and wondered what I would do if this had happened in my home town. Over the last few months I've been very discouraged about my own sense of what is for the overall good, and wanting to keep my name out of any involvement in somebody else's mess. But then I thought about something my brother (R.I.P. dear brother) said in the weeks following the 9-11 attacks in New York. When everybody else was scared to go to the mall or travel by plane or train, my brother and his wife decided they weren't going to give the terrorists one moment of their fear. They went to Disneyland (they lived in orlando), they went out and spent money, they travelled by plane and train for no reason other than to do it and turn around and come home, and they just didn't let them "win".

So inspired by that, I thought to heck with wanting to protect myself. If I don't volunteer on a search for somebody missing in my area, shame on me. Because then Casey wins, and I just can't have that.

So, how does everyone else feel, now that we know what can happen in the worst case scenario?

I agree with you. I would still volunteer to search. However, I think this case will definitely have an affect on volunteer searching. I think in the future these types of services will document things differently. Also, the way to "get around" this type of thing is not to take anyone's personal information when conducting searches unless that person finds something.

Or a lot of people may just conduct their own personal search and not sign up for the volunteer search groups.

I wish I could say that I would still volunteer and search, but I would be lying to you guys. There is NO WAY I could go out there & search with my heart in it after the fiasco this case has become. EVERYONE AND THEIR ANIMALS are suspect in this case because of a select few and that is truly sad.

Very interesting question...I would hope it would not affect my willingness, especially if child or an adult with dementia were missing. But I was thinking a lot about Roy Kronk when that farmer found Morgan Harrington on his land.

brownflower said:

I agree with you. I would still volunteer to search. However, I think this case will definitely have an affect on volunteer searching. I think in the future these types of services will document things differently. Also, the way to "get around" this type of thing is not to take anyone's personal information when conducting searches unless that person finds something.

Or a lot of people may just conduct their own personal search and not sign up for the volunteer search groups.

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brings thoughts of roy kronk. i would not pee in the woods though-lol

Tulessa said:

I wish I could say that I would still volunteer and search, but I would be lying to you guys. There is NO WAY I could go out there & search with my heart in it after the fiasco this case has become. EVERYONE AND THEIR ANIMALS are suspect in this case because of a select few and that is truly sad.

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i never went on any searches and if i did i would freak if i found something. i would be thinking as i searched ,please do not let us find anything that would prove dead. i would hope alive always. if someone said they found her dead i would pass out i bet if i was there searching!!!

Wow, what a good question. I mean, I have followed it when the 'experts' discussed it but never really turned it inwards. I think the case will give many fence-sitters pause. I guess I am in that group since I have paused mentally. I know that now, because of them, there will probably be background checks. Time based I could pass, having a record ever? I would be barred. That's sad because I was an infantryman for 6 years, which would be helpful. Would I not volunteer for fear of being frivolously named a suspect? NO. That cast of characters is unique in the annals of human history. The chance of another Caylee, Casey, Cindy, George, Lee, Dominc, Leonard, Tracy, both Milsteads, and (most of all) Jose types occupying the same roles would be something like 3 billion to the 11th power. That is a number in the neighbourhood of 3 with 20 zeros behind it by my reckoning. Those are some pretty steep odds. A retired FBI agent called it 'the most despicable defense move I have ever seen or heard of in 30 years of law enforcement'. I have to say, as an ex-offender, I had never heard of anything even remotely like it.

I am so discouraged by how this case has played out as a whole. I can not recall any other case where volunteers were targeted by a defense team for the purpose of establishing reasonable doubt. This case is unique for a number of reasons......I dare say it would be impossible to list them all.

That said.....I understand how a defense team must exhaust all resources, efforts, and avenues for the sake of their client. While this may enrage some people, I am confident that they would be thankful for the same efforts made on their behalf.

Florida's Sunshine State Laws have really added another element to this case that most do not see. What we have in this saga, is a combination of liberal public records laws AND a high profile case that touched a great number of people in a personal way.

From the standpoint of an every day average citizen who may have been drawn unwittingly into a bigger saga....I think that this case could give them pause when deciding to volunteer their efforts again. But, I believe that while some people may think twice about their involvement in a case, that a true desire to help and a genuine philanthropic spirit will not be quashed by one incident.

I don't doubt that there were a great many searchers, volunteers, and willing parties that gave their time to search for Caylee for the right reasons....... I also don't doubt that there were people that participated for their own personal motives.......

IMO......people who invested their time for pure motives and as a result of their genuine willingness to "do the right thing", will not be deterred from future volunteer efforts. If someone is deterred from future volunteerism, then it is best that they refrain from participation. If people are concerned about their privacy, yet truly want to help, I think they will likely offer their time and efforts in other capacities.

While I don't think that the KC case will "hurt" volunteer numbers, I do think that it may give people a reason to assess their true motives and weigh the risks and rewards.

One does not have to search through weeds and mud to be helpful in a search.....there are other ways to "do the right thing". The real spirit of volunteerism will prevail.......I don't think anything could extinguish that kind of passion.

No, I don't think I would search again (especially not in a high profile case like this). I felt safe in my decision to do this search, the defense has me questioning that safety. Now that Baez has started the "lets look at the searchers" campaign, who's to say another defense attorney won't follow suit in another missing persons case ?

Short answer: no, the possible scrutiny wouldn't change my behavior. In fact, it might make me more likely to volunteer, depending on how irritating the witch hunt became.

Thanks for the thread Gnatcatcher; I especially liked the story about your brother and sister-in-law. I agree, and (going O/T here) I still think the best memorial would've been to rebuild the Twin Towers exactly as they were before the planes hit. JMO.


PS- You should make this a poll, for those of us who are easily entertained by simple visuals :square:

I would still volunteer.

It hasn't changed my mind a bit on volunteering to search. The victim who is waiting to be found suffered far worse than what I would go through if I am the one to find them. My life is an open book, I have nothing to be ashamed of and will take every lick of scrutiny that comes my way if that means one family can have closure.

I would still volunteer. But not in Florida. In fact, I think I will just stay out of Florida and then not worry about it.

I would still volunteer. Why? God forbid I was the one missing, and then not found in time or not found ever because people were too afraid to go looking for me. The defense makes my blood boil with scaring people off of searching like this. I hope someone Baez or the defense loves doesn't go missing anytime soon...

Casey and her cronies are not going to scare me off from doing the right thing. And besides, for all the muck they're trying to stir up, it's not going to get Casey a "get out of jail" free card. So yes, I would still search.

Yes I would still search. No matter how uncomfortable we might feel if we think we have defense lawyers putting us a microscope, the pain the family must be feeling makes mine seem like nothing. This is something I beieve inin & am passionate about. Nothing will make me run away and not do it.

I wouldn't search until the state legislature does the right thing and enacts strict legislation (like the good samaritan laws) to protect innocent people from degenerate, lazy, finger-pointing defense lawyers.

should there be a 'has this case affected your willingness to sign in a a hotel?' thread too? defense lawyers will try anything to get there guilty as sin client off. why should it stop people from doing the right thing?

Of course I'd still search.
I've done nothing wrong and could care less if I were put in the middle of a case if it meant finding a missing person.
I haven't seen anything in Caylee's case that would discourage me from joining a search in my own area.

Evan's Mom said:

Of course I'd still search.
I've done nothing wrong and could care less if I were put in the middle of a case if it meant finding a missing person.
I haven't seen anything in Caylee's case that would discourage me from joining a search in my own area.

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one of the things that upset me the most is people stopped turning out in big numbers for searches, and even vigils, because of casey's guilt and the grandparents behavior...........this was none of caylee's fault.

Probably wouldn't stop me, but I can't say that for sure to be honest.