The Two Faces of Casey Anthony

The judge in the Casey Anthony trial recently gave an interview about his experience presiding over the most famous criminal trial since OJ. He talked about the two faces of Casey Anthony and expressed his shock over the lack of a conviction in the case. He was stunned when he read the verdict and actually had to re-read it because he couldn't believe it. He felt that although it was circumstantial, there was plenty of reasons to convict. The other thing he talked about was Casey herself. The sad victim that she portrayed when the jury was present was far different from the cursing, demanding woman she was when the jury left the room. Casey Anthony knew just what she was doing. There is no doubt in my mind that Casey was guilty of something that should have put her behind bars. There's got to be at least 100 reasons why I feel that way. Why didn't that jury see them? It seems to me that they looked for proof-positive of her guilt and overlooked or misunderstood exactly what "circumstantial" evidence is. People have been convicted with less. People who didn't murder their innocent toddler. Casey Anthony is living in a prison of sorts. She'll be 30 years old in a few years and what is her life like? She cannot go out in public freely. She doesn't have a job or any kind of career. Although she does have supporters out there (there are wack-jobs everywhere), she certainly will never ever have anything resembling normalcy. Is that punishment enough? Well...it is all the punishment she will receive in this lifetime. Maybe we can learn a lesson from the judge's story about what really went on behind the scenes. Being a juror has got to be a difficult thing to do but maybe people have to educate themselves better about our legal system and what constitutes guilt. Had the jurors on the Casey Anthony trial asked more questions perhaps the outcome would have been different. Maybe Caylee would have had justice.

Bankruptcy and the Kindness of Strangers

During the Casey Anthony trial there were a handful of people who stood outside the courtroom and held signs that offered support to Casey. Perhaps they believed her story that Caylee had drowned and they were able to explain away why Casey lied about it. The trial is long over, Casey Anthony is "free" but her life is far from easy or normal. Recently Casey declared bankruptcy, in part to clear her debt to Jose Baez the man who defended her. I guess he doesn't mind so much if she never pays his bill; he did get plenty of exposure and a book deal out of it. What puzzles me is how Casey manages to live. I mean, who is paying her way through life? Reports say that Casey relies on donations and the kindness of strangers. I get it. There are some people out there who possibly feel that they can "relate" to Casey Anthony. Their own history of abuse may make them vulnerable to a manipulator like Casey who claims that the abuse suffered at the hand of her father is part of the reason why she is such a troubled young woman. Casey isn't talking and even years after the trial there is no tell-all book. The bankruptcy trustee wants the rights to any book deals that Casey might have in the future in order to pay her debts. Does anyone really think that in time Caylee will be forgotten? This poor innocent child was the victim of a household that is incapable of telling the truth. Years later I am still sure that maybe Cindy Anthony did not know the truth when she found out Caylee was missing but she knows the truth now. This dirty family secret will go with them to their graves and maybe someday someone will claim to know the truth but like the mystery surrounding famous deaths, we will never know for sure. A court of her peers found Casey Anthony not guilty but only because the state rushed to charge her. Had they any real evidence Casey might be in jail. The media attention surrounding the disappearance and subsequent discovery of Caylee's remains demanded the State of Florida to take action. Unfortunately they dropped the ball. Does Casey deserve to have a life free of suspicion, hate and finger-pointing? The jury is out on that one. Will she ever be able to have a job or anything that resembles a "normal" life? Probably not. The image of the sweet little toddler whose life was taken too soon is one that many will not forget. She was our child, grandchild, neighbor. The dysfunction of who the Anthony's are was reality television that shocked us but we couldn't stop tuning in to the latest details in the sorry saga. Have the Anthony's gone on with their lives? Not much is said about them these days. Maybe we are beginning to heal and the anger is diminishing. Meanwhile Casey continues to live in the shadows relying on the kindness of strangers. Her life pretty much ended once she was set free. I guess there is judgment after all.

Casey Anthony Bankruptcy

Casey Anthony, who has been all but in seclusion since being found not guilty in her daughter's death, has now declared bankruptcy. This doesn't come as a huge surprise to any Casey watcher. Over the past year Casey has been hiding out somewhere in Florida as her probation wouldn't allow for her to leave the state. So what has Casey been doing since she was found not guilty of killing her daughter Caylee? According to some reports, Casey took classes online and received counselling for her multiple "issues". Now I know that a jury of her "peers" found her not guilty of wrongdoing in the death of her precious daughter but you'd be hard-pressed to find very many people who feel that Casey Anthony is innocent. What becomes of Casey Anthony now? It is hard to say. Declaring bankruptcy absolves her of debts she incurred but after bankruptcy she is going to have to earn a living somehow or find someone who is willing to support her. I doubt that her father George Anthony wants the job after she accused him of molesting her and taking part in hiding Caylee's death. Children (sadly) go missing every day in the United States but the story of Caylee Anthony was so much more than a missing child who was later found dead. The family dynamics of the Anthony family and Casey Anthony herself fed the cable news stations need to exploit. It caused many in the state of Florida to become outraged and demand the truth from the Anthony family. It was like a bad reality tv show but it was real and that is where the tragedy lies. Little Caylee Anthony died under mysterious circumstances and we will never know what really happened. Casey Anthony will live the rest of her life with the notoriety of this hanging over her head - some might say she deserves that - and her parents will forever be known as being torn between advocates for their granddaughter and trying to stand by their daughter whose lies make it hard to know when she tells the truth. In the aftermath of Caylee's death, new laws were signed that would make it a crime to not report a missing child within 24 hours. Part of what outraged so many is how Caylee was missing for a month before the authorities were contacted. In her defense, Jose Baez claimed that there was no need to report Caylee missing as she died the last day she was seen. Again, believing this version of what really happened to Caylee would mean you would have to believe Casey Anthony. In the years since this tragedy occurred, all anyone could hope for is that Casey gets the obvious mental health counselling that she needs because no one can stop her from becoming a mother again someday. It is too late to save Caylee but maybe the justice will be that the Anthony family's lives will never be free.

One Year Later

It's been one year since Casey Anthony was acquitted of murder charges in the death of her daughter Caylee. Jose Baez, Casey's attorney, is making the rounds of talk shows promoting his book which tells the story behind the trial of the most hated woman in America. According to Baez, although he agrees that Casey suffers from a mental illness he believes her story of how Caylee's death was due to an accidental drowning. He says there is evidence that was not talked about during the trial that confirms Casey's "story". You will have to read the book to hear his revelations but again he brings up how Cindy Anthony came home from work the last day Caylee was seen and remarked how the pool ladder was left up. This is just one of his pieces of "evidence" that Casey's story was true. According to Baez we are supposed to believe that Casey was a victim of sexual abuse by the hands of her father George. Well...I believe that the Anthony family are dysfunctional, disturbed and not your average American family (whatever that is by the way) BUT I also believe that no matter what you do as a parent you can wind up with an ungrateful, disturbed child such as in the case of Casey Anthony. Cindy Anthony is an over-bearing woman with issues of her own, no doubt. George Anthony is a man full of secrets. The family unit as a whole is strange but was there abuse going on behind closed doors? Maybe. Did this abuse cause Casey to be so intimidated by what her mother would say about her beloved granddaughter's accidental drowning that she would panic and cover it up? I mean to a rational mind how long could you make up stories about why Caylee wasn't around? It had to end sometime. It is believable to me that in a sick and twisted mind you could fear someone so greatly that you would choose to do the wrong thing. The fact remains that according to Casey's story, her father George helped to cover up the death. That makes no sense to me. Casey wanting to hide the truth is believable but George??? The man is former police after all. It makes no sense. Will I be reading Jose Baez' book? You betcha! I will not pay money for it though. I will borrow it from my local library. I think it will be a fascinating read. I haven't read a good fiction story in a long time. What do you think??

Redemption

According to media reports, Casey Anthony is planning to be baptized. Where and when has not been leaked. But the insider did share Casey’s theological views. Casey “wants to ensure her own salvation so that she’ll see her daughter again someday,” the source said. Hmmm. If Caylee drowned as Casey alleges, why wouldn't Casey see her again? If Casey is trying to win public support by her latest leak to the media, she is sorely misguided (again). The emotions over Caylee's disappearance and death ran deep and are not easily let go of. People world-wide were outraged when Casey was not convicted of killing her daughter and many were further outraged by Casey's allegations against her father. Although news has died down about where Casey is hiding out, I don't think that it will be safe for her any time soon (if ever). Casey Anthony may not have been convicted in the court but she was convicted in the court of public opinion. It is doubtful that the average person can forgive and forget about Caylee and how she was discarded like trash. Even though it was not proven, most think Casey knows what happened. The one surprising thing is that media outlets were smart enough to NOT offer large sums of money to Casey and that is refreshing. Casey does not deserve to make money off of her child's death. I imagine that although she has someone (or several someones) supporting her, she will never lead a "normal" life. How could she? Perhaps this is her punishment. I believe in karma and it is not yet caught up with Casey Anthony. She can get baptized but it won't save her from what she has done.

Roy Kronk Files Suit Against Casey

Roy Kronk, the meter reader who found the remains of Caylee Anthony, is now suing Casey Anthony. He alleges that her attorneys tried to place the blame on him for Caylee's death when they knew Caylee had drowned. Although this may seem like yet another person who is filing a suit against Casey Anthony for no good reason, he actually does have a point. Casey's attorneys did call Mr. Kronk names, judging his character and trying to distract from Casey by raising doubt in the minds of the jury. Roy Kronk was not on trial. Casey Anthony was. Will Roy Kronk ever see a dime from Casey Anthony should he win this suit? Probably not. It is the principle of it. If, as Casey's lawyers allege, Caylee Anthony actually drowned in the backyard pool, why did they allow their client to sit in jail for all that time until she went to trial? We are supposed to believe that Casey was so damaged by her father's abuse of her that she was unable to tell the truth. Well if her attorney(s) KNEW the truth, shouldn't they have spoken up? The State of Florida (and others) spent countless man hours and money looking for a child that Jose Baez and Casey Anthony KNEW was dead. There should be some kind of punishment for that outside of these numerous lawsuits. I guess it will have to be left up to karma. Karma is a bitch afterall. It will catch up to all those deserving of its wrath.

Reactions to the Dr. Phil Interview

Dr. Phil teased that anyone with an opinion of the Anthony's would change their minds after seeing his interview with them.

As someone who does not watch Dr. Phil, I made a point of tuning into the two days of interviews with George and Cindy Anthony and frankly, I am disappointed. The second day's interview ended on a bit of a cliffhanger with no announcement of when the rest of the "revelations" will air. (maybe next time Dr.Phil needs ratings?)

Cindy Anthony is delusional. There is no doubt in my mind that this woman is the queen of enabling behavior. I really resent when people boast that they prayed to God about something and interpret what happens as a sign from God.

According to Cindy Anthony, Casey's acquittal was God's way of saying that Caylee's death was an accident and therefore she deserved to be free.

I do not see it that way.

The reason that Casey Anthony is "free" is because the state of Florida could not prove how Caylee died. There is no concrete proof of much because all that was left of Caylee's body was skeletal remains. Anyone who has any knowledge of forensics knows that finding cause of death from bones is tough. Because you do not find anything does not mean it didn't happen.

This is the way Cindy Anthony lives her life. The writing is on the wall but she chooses how she interprets it. Denial at its finest.

Cindy Anthony is a weak woman who hides behind her faith. She will not "judge" Casey, God will. Well you know something? If she was my daughter I would judge her. I would have never ever let her get away with her behavior. I would have been wise to her lies instead of denying them.

George Anthony attempted suicide because he felt that he failed his family. Yes George, you did fail your family.

Trained as a cop, your weakness allowed you to deny that your daughter was disturbed. You sat by and allowed her to steal from you for years. You put up with her lies and you watched your wife justify Casey's lies and you continue to.

This is a sick, twisted kind of love.

Caylee is in a better place. She is now safe from this family who cannot see that there were problems in their home for a long,long time. Deep down they must know how disturbed they all truly are but they cannot be accountable for themselves.

According to Dr.Phil, no money was paid to the Anthony's for the 9 hours of interviews he did. Money will be donated to the charity fund the Anthony's are setting up in Caylee's name.

Some argue that the Anthonys are still ultimately profiting from the death of their granddaughter. I see it more as they are proving the public right by their "revelations".

They are a freak show and they should look no further for answers to Casey's behavior than their own reflections.