Corasanti

Recently acquitted, Dr. James Corasanti, M.D.

"Well, he looks guilty to me! Let's sow this baby up, and get going to...wait, what?!" Maybe this outlook we have on life is part of the problem, if not the whole?


I live just outside Toronto, but I followed this story for the past six months. First off, my thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of young Alix, and all those who witnessed the incident on the road that night. Amidst the massive amount of evidence generated, the volatile public opinion pieces I saw on Facebook leading to and after the verdict, the intense daily media coverage, the thousands, if not millions of taxpayer dollars spent on the trial, and the revisiting of that terrible day for all those involved, I would expect something a little more than a misdemeanour. All things considered, the defence presented their case in a way that convinced at least one member of the jury that all was not what it seems, and that is their job. That is how the system ALWAYS worked, and its even protected in the Constitution. With that said, my reaction upon hearing the verdict was a puzzled "What?"


If you are confused about the Corasanti trial or what I am talking about, please click this link for full details and background information.

Given it is a "not guilty" verdict, which is not the same as "innocent", there is no "back to work" or "the doctor is in" for Dr. Corasanti in the court of public opinion. Dr. Corasanti's livelihood, albeit affluent, will no longer be the same as the public will take their services elsewhere, and his associates and/or employees will disappear as well, at least from public face. You only need to google search "Corasanti" to know what I mean.

No one will remember or think about his life work or all the things Dr. Corasanti accomplished in medicine because of what happened after the verdict closing this thirteen day trial. Years from now, in his obituary, James Corasanti the doctor will be mentioned in the first paragraph, however it will not mention where he practiced or whose lives he saved until paragraph six, maybe. Then again, that could be said for all of us.


At some point, we will be held accountable for what we did or do in our lives, and that comes from having an objective, moral standard. If life is a simple yet profound construction of relationships, then each of us is responsible for the death of young Alix Rice, because as individuals we constructed the culture in which we live: The culture of invincibility. Whenever I take to the baseball diamond in my RED SOX gear or PIRATES gear, I feel invincible, and not only can I do no wrong, but I can do everything my way, and come out "right" at that moment. Sometimes, when we line up at shortstop, we get away with it and everyone around us benefits in some way, so we push the envelope to get a little more satisfaction. Unfortunately, the lives of others are involved when we make mistakes, or bad choices in life. Drunkenness, leaving a party drunk, choosing to drive drunk instead of taking a cab or asking a sober friend to drive them home, driving late at night, driving while texting, driving while intoxicated, and not paying attention led to the death of a young girl riding home on her longboard that night.

No justice for the deceased, 18 year old Alix Rice.

No doubt there are a lot of upset people in WNY, and here in Southern Ontario as well. None, more so, than the parents of Alix, whose forgiving hearts and accepting nature are admirable and courageous in the wake of this tragedy. I don't know what the District Attorney (or whoever was in direct charge of organizing the trial and collecting the evidence and testimonies for the prosecution) is thinking, but if this ultimate "worst case scenario" happened on my watch, and given all the evidence, testimonies, trial, careers, money, and lives involved, I would resign. How can you go to your constituents and ask for another term when you lost a trial you led everyone to believe was a "slam dunk"? How can families place their trust in a system that could only hand out one misdemeanour for a DWI resulting in death after spending all that time and effort? I can't answer those questions, and I'm the last one to start throwing stones or respected city officials under the bus because things turned out way different from what I expected. However, I think if the public trust is so important, then I wouldn't begrudge the good people of WNY to consider making a fresh start.