‘Casey Anthony: Where the Truth Lies’: Whirlwind trial and verdict that shocked America explained
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Casey Anthony’s acquittal after the 2008 murder of her daughter, Caylee Anthony, left America in shock. Casey, who was blamed for the murder of her 2-year-old daughter Caylee, is now speaking out after over 13 years with a new docu-series, which is set to premiere on Peacock.
The synopsis of ‘Casey Anthony: Where the Truth Lies’ states, “Considered one of the first “trials of the century” that polarized conversation in living rooms across America, the Casey Anthony case is one that still leaves more questions than answers. There have been several movies and documentaries made to fill in the gaps, and yet, the woman at the center of it all remains the biggest mystery. Throughout the exclusive three-part documentary series, Casey Anthony finally tells her side of the story and addresses the public that has made so many assumptions for the past 13 years.” The upcoming doc has sparked a sudden interest in the trial and verdict of the sensational case. Here are the details.
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Caylee Anthony’s disappearance and death
In June 2008, Caylee Anthony was reported missing from the Anthony household by Casey Anthony’s mother, Cindy Anthony. Cindy claimed that Casey had apparently lied to her multiple times about the whereabouts of the child. She filed a missing report claiming that Casey’s car had a distinct smell of “decomposition.” Later, Casey admitted that Caylee had been missing. When law enforcement questioned her, she made up a story about Caylee being kidnapped by a nanny, Zenaida Gonzalez. While Gonzalez did exist, she had no connection to Caylee and had never heard of her. Soon, it came to light that Casey even fabricated her job at Universal Studios and “jokingly” admitted the truth after giving authorities a “fake” tour of her office.
Despite several searches at the time, Caylee could not be found, but her mother was indicted on seven criminal counts, including first-degree murder, in October. Casey pleaded not guilty. Things took a turn in December 2008 when Caylee’s skeletal remains were finally found with a blanket inside a laundry bag in a wooded area close to the Anthony residence. The discovery and her many lies soon led to Casey's arrest for the toddler's murder. What followed was a grueling trial and a verdict that enraged all of America.
The Trial
During the trial, the prosecution alleged that Casey wanted to be rid of her responsibilities as a mother. They claimed she decided to kill her daughter with chloroform and suffocate her by putting duct tape over the toddler’s mouth and nose. However, Casey’s defense team put forth a different theory, arguing that Caylee accidentally drowned in the family’s pool.
Previously, officers had searched the mother’s car, and a cadaver dog picked up the scent of human decomposition. After conducting an air sample test, authorities noted that there were human remains in the trunk. This, combined with Caylee’s remains, was enough for prosecutors to seek the death penalty for Casey. During the trial, forensic expert Arpad Vass testified that the smell in Casey’s car was indeed that of a decomposing human body. Later, in the middle of the trial, Casey claimed to have been sick and Judge Balvin Perry Jr, assigned to the case as a replacement for Judge Stan Strickland, called the court into recess for the day.
The Verdict
The verdict came on July 5, 2011. Casey did not testify for her trial, and after much deliberation, the jury declared her not guilty of the murder. Casey was acquitted of first-degree murder, aggravated child abuse, and aggravated manslaughter of a child, but she was still found guilty of four misdemeanor counts of providing false information to law enforcement. She was sentenced to four years in prison with credit for time served and was fined $1,000 for each count. She was released from prison in another ten days, sparking widespread outrage as most believed "the most hated mom of America" was guilty of murder.
Judge orders Casey Anthony to pay up 'investigation charges'
But Casey's troubles with the law were not over yet. The following August, Florida’s Department of Children and Families released a report stating that Casey was responsible for her daughter’s death. The report said, “The actions or the lack of actions by the alleged perpetrator ultimately resulted or contributed to the death of the child.” A month later, Judge Perry ruled that Casey owed authorities almost $98,000. He stated that the charges were the costs authorities incurred while investigating Caylee’s disappearance.
According to CNN, the judge even ordered her to pay an additional $119,822.25 to the police, bringing the total to more than $217,000. Casey’s lawyer claimed it was unfair to make his client pay anything, given her acquittal on the most serious charge of murder. Two years later, in 2013, Casey filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection, claiming to have almost $800,000 in liabilities, following which the appeals court threw out two of her four convictions.
Watch Casey explain her side of the story in ‘Casey Anthony: Where The Truth Lies’, available for streaming on Peacock from November 29.