Judge delays questioning of parents in defamation case against Casey Anthony

Sarah Lundy Sentinel Staff Writer
6:16 PM EST, February 25, 2009

The lawyers representing Zenaida Fernandez-Gonzalez -- the woman suing Casey Anthony in a defamation case -- will have to wait to question George and Cindy Anthony under oath.

Orange Circuit Court Judge Jose R. Rodriguez postponed the depositions, which were scheduled for Thursday, until media outlets could submit documents on why they should be allowed to attend the interviews.

The media have 20 days to respond.

The Anthonys' attorney, Brad Conway, argued that the Anthonys are seeing counselors to help cope with their granddaughter's death and their daughter's arrest. The stress of taking depositions in front of the media may prove too much for them, he said.

Rodriguez asked to see psychological reports from the Anthonys' doctors about the issue. He will review them under seal, which means the documents are not public record...

In July, Casey Anthony told investigators she left Caylee with a nanny named Zenaida Fernandez-Gonzalez at Sawgrass Apartments and the two later disappeared.

Fernandez-Gonzalez, who is suing Anthony, once visited Sawgrass but says she did not know Casey Anthony and Caylee.

In her lawsuit, Fernandez-Gonzalez says she has lost her job, and suffered humiliation and public embarrassment since Casey Anthony used her name as Caylee's baby sitter.