Did Casey Anthony and the allegations against her captivate you?

If not, you’re likely in the minority, but I’m right there with you.

In fact, the only few seconds of the six-week-long trial I watched were over the shoulder of a cashier at a local restaurant while I waited on my food.

Of course, my interest in the case was largely restricted by lack of time to commit to watching it. I’m sure I would have been pulled in just like the next person had I ever stopped to tune in.

As a newspaper reporter, it’s not rare to find myself in the courtroom, and I’m utterly enthralled every time.

Newspaper folks love a good story — tragic and terrifying or warm and fuzzy — so I understand why this tale has taken on a life of its own in the media and in so many American homes.

But understanding why one case garners so much more attention in the national eye than others requires a little deductive reasoning.

After all, Casey Anthony — who was found not guilty on all major charges Tuesday — is not the only accused murderer in our nation to stand trial this year.

Nor is the tale of missing Caylee, the long search and the discovery of decaying remains the only such tragedy in our country.

Just ask the folks at the Catahoula Parish Sheriff’s Office.

The CPSO was the first law enforcement agency on the scene in October when bones of a young girl were found in the woods approximately an hour from Natchez.

The bones — which were clearly of a child who had been cared for enough to have braces — went unidentified for weeks.

When details started pouring in we learned that the victim was from Las Vegas, her mother was also missing, she died from gunshot wounds, her alleged killer had driven cross country with the girl after allegedly killing her mother, and, to top it all off, the suspect was presumed dead by the U.S. legal system and his family.

Wow, it doesn’t get much more captivating, does it?

Well, though the Catahoula story earned many headlines in our newspaper and a few other regional ones, it was never given major national media coverage.

What’s the difference?

No exact answer exists, but there are some contributing factors.

Casey Anthony is a young, attractive woman who, though viewed by most as a poor decision maker, did not seem crazy. She wasn’t all that difficult for much of America to relate to or be attracted to.

Caylee was reported missing in mid-July — an otherwise dull time of year. A “big story” is relative. It’s only big because they other stories of the day are small.

The summer leading up to Sept. 11, 2001, was filled with reports on shark attacks — a common occurrence that disappeared from public interest after the towers fell.

Casey Anthony’s trial, in turn, fell right in the middle of summer.

And, maybe most important, the incident and the trial occurred in Florida.

Florida allows almost complete access in the courtroom to TV and media.

If the same case happened in Louisiana, you would not have watched it on TV. If it happened in Mississippi, you would only see TV coverage if the judge wanted you to.

The national media knew they’d have great access in Florida, so full coverage was a given.

If TV cameras were allowed in every courtroom in America, there would be no fake courtroom drama shows. Real life is, often unfortunately, much more captivating than anything a great writer can dream up.

Julie Cooper is the managing editor of The Natchez Democrat. She can be reached at 601-445-3551 or julie.cooper@natchezdemocrat.com.