Anthony News

Attorney says Caylee Anthony has been cremated
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/orl-bk-caylee-anthony-memorial-021109,0,4518634.story
Amy L. Edwards and Bianca Prieto Sentinel Staff Writers
February 11, 2009

One day after Caylee Marie Anthony's memorial service, the lawyer representing the toddler's grandparents confirmed the girl's remains have been cremated and that they are not located at her family's home. Attorney Brad Conway, who represents George and Cindy Anthony, wouldn't say where Caylee's remains are being kept.

Conway also addressed a question many were left wondering after Tuesday's memorial: Who was her uncle Lee Anthony referring to when he repeatedly said "CMA?"Was he referring to Caylee? Was he talking to his sister -- and Caylee's mother -- Casey Anthony? They both share the same initials.

When Lee Anthony eulogized his niece at the pulpit at First Baptist Church, he brought with him a laptop and read from it. He told the mourners to withhold judgment and to fill their hearts with patience and grace. He spoke about "CMA," saying how much he missed her and will never forget the promise he made to her. Who is "CMA?" Lee Anthony was "talking to all of them," Conway said."He wanted his sister to know he loves her."

The memorial served as an emotional day of closure for a family that has been in the media glare since last summer when Caylee was reported missing....On Tuesday, a crowd of about 1,100 people -- many of whom never met Caylee -- got a glimpse of the joy she brought to her family.

Uncle Lee Anthony first spoke for the family. As George Anthony spoke, mourners across the worship center wept. When he finished speaking, they gave him a standing ovation...Cindy Anthony, who has not visited her daughter in jail for months, addressed her from the sanctuary...

Attorney stays Casey Anthony's attorney, Jose Baez, met with her for two hours Tuesday but gave few details to reporters waiting for him outside the jail. "It was important for me to be here with her -- to be with her at this time," Baez said. "It's very frankly a private matter, and that's the way it should be." Baez wouldn't answer questions.

...More than 100 relatives and friends of the Anthony's crowded into reserved pews at the front of the church Tuesday to give support to the family. Although Caylee was the focus of the service, her remains were not there. It was unclear where they are or what will be done with them.

Casey Anthony's lawyer no longer affiliated with media firm
http://orlandosentinel.com/news
Amy L. Edwards Sentinel Staff Writer
February 11, 2009

Casey Anthony's defense attorney has been criticized for his choice of a media firm -- and the recent revelation that a man who served prison time for attempting to extort a journalist has acted as the lawyer's spokesman.

But Jose Baez and that company have parted ways, the Orlando Sentinel learned today. In a statement e-mailed to the Sentinel, Baez said, "Press Corps Media is no longer affiliated with The Baez Law Firm."The Kissimmee lawyer did not comment further.

Since September, a spokesman who used the name Todd Black routinely talked to news reporters and issued statements about the Anthony case on behalf of Baez. But Black never agreed to in-person interviews and refused to reveal his true identity.

Last week, Press Corps Media confirmed that at least one "Todd Black" persona is Gil Cabot, who was sentenced to five years in a California prison after he was convicted of attempting to extort television journalist Jann Carl. Court records and news reports state Cabot had run-ins with the law before and after the Carl case.

Anthonys Seek Private Jail Visit With Casey
http://www.wesh.com/news/18692267/detail.html
Family Does Not Want Videotape Of Visit Released To Public
February 11, 2009

ORLANDO, Fla. -- George and Cindy Anthony's lawyer confirmed that the family wants to set up a special private video visit with Casey Anthony...A spokesman for Orange County corrections told WESH 2 it would be up to the sheriff's department to decide whether to videotape the visit.

The grandfather spoke about what he plans to do with his second chance at life. His plans are to help other families with missing kids.

"If there's anything at all that any of us can ever do is to look for these children," George Anthony said. So, will he drive up and help look for Haleigh Cummings?

George Anthony will be a key witness in the state's murder case against his daughter, just as he gave evidence to the grand jury that indicted her...

Memorial Service May Have Sparked Rift In Family: Caylee Anthony's memorial service exposed a developing rift between what George and Cindy Anthony wanted versus Casey Anthony's desires. Right, Casey wanted a $15,000 coffin, plot and stone, to bury the bones that were left of her daughter, the one she killed. And of course, she expects her parents to pay for that. Hell, if Casey was still out, she'd do it herself on Cindy's credit.

Casey Anthony's defense attorney, Jose Baez, said it is nothing more than a disagreement.
"Just because of simple disagreements it does not mean there's a rift between the family or anything like that," Baez said.

Members of George and Cindy Anthony's inner circle said they resented Baez's statement on Casey Anthony's behalf and how long it took the defense team to get Caylee's remains. The couple's lawyer would not address the controversy outside Caylee's memorial.

"I’m not going to answer that question today. I want everything to be positive and that's the way we're going to keep it," said Brady Conway, George and Cindy Anthony's attorney.

Publicly, the Anthonys expressed nothing but love and support for their daughter.
"I love you and I wish I could comfort you right now," Cindy Anthony said.

Attorney Wants Defamation Case Against Casey Tossed
http://www.wftv.com/news/
Wednesday, February 11, 2009

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. -- The attorney representing Casey Anthony In a civil defamation suit has asked that the case be tossed out of court. Zenaida Gonzalez is suing because Casey claimed someone with that name babysat and then disappeared with Caylee. She said the case has ruined her name. Casey's attorney filed the motion to dismiss the case this week. There's no word on when a judge could rule.

Casey Anthony Trial Could Be Year Away
http://www.wftv.com/news/18693236/detail.html
Wednesday, February 11, 2009 – updated: 5:37 pm EST February 11, 2009

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. -- The start of Casey Anthony's murder trial could be as long as a year away. There are many things, legally and in the investigation, that still need to be completed.

Eyewitness News believes evidence discovered where Caylee's remains were found and at her house are still being tested. According to defense expert Dr. Henry Lee's writings, Casey's defense team could be going so far as to analyze the root growth of plants to determine how long Caylee's body was there.

Investigators spent more than a week at the scene where Caylee Anthony's remains were found, sifting through the dirt by hand. One of the things they found was a heart-shaped sticker that investigators said matched up to adhesive found on the duct tape over her mouth.

Investigators had bug and plant experts at the scene, too, to help determine how long Caylee was there and where else her body had been. Boxes of evidence were removed from her house less than a mile away using two different search warrants based on what was found at the scene.

Once the testing of the evidence is done, the defense will go into research and attack mode.
"The integrity of it, the testing of it, the conclusions that were drawn by the testing, the credentials of the prosecution experts as opposed to the defense experts," explained WFTV legal analyst Bill Sheaffer.

Sheaffer told Eyewitness News the defense will probably hold hearings to convince the judge to throw out a lot of the most damning evidence.

There are about 145 witnesses listed so far, including Casey's family members. Only five of them, including Casey's ex-boyfriend who she spent the night with the day Caylee disappeared, have been only partially deposed by the defense.

"For every hour that you spend in trial you spend potentially ten hours in preparation," Sheaffer said.

Someone recently left a SpongeBob SquarePants balloon at the remains scene, possibly after George Anthony's touching story about how she loved to imitate his sidekick Patrick with her raspy voice.

When WFTV's news crew arrived at the remains scene Wednesday afternoon, there were 11 people at the memorial paying their respects to Caylee.