Anthonys Have 20 Days To Prove Emotional Distress

February 26, 2009
wftv.com

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. -- Cindy and George Anthony were supposed to give depositions Thursday morning, but a judge is giving them more time. The Anthonys have 20 days to turn over medical records to prove they're emotionally unable to answer questions in the suit.

The civil case against Casey Anthony was fought in court Wednesday afternoon. Casey's parents, George and Cindy Anthony, tried to get out of answering questions under oath in a defamation lawsuit filed against their daughter Casey and they were successful, at least for a now.

The day before the Anthonys were supposed to be questioned about their public comments naming Zenaida Gonzalez as the woman who took Caylee, the Anthonys' attorney told the judge it wouldn't be fair to force them to face depositions with cameras rolling.

VIDEO REPORT: Judge Puts Off Questioning

George Anthony testified against his daughter Casey on October 14 of last year before a grand jury for first-degree murder. He and Cindy testified at Casey's bond hearing in July when they wanted to get her out of jail, only days after George said he believed that Caylee's body had been in Casey's car trunk

But Wednesday, their attorney went to court telling a judge that they are not emotionally able to handle testifying in the defamation lawsuit against their daughter Casey.

"They believed that they had a murder case, but they didn't have a body. Now they do and you can see what it's done to this family," attorney Brad Conway said Wednesday.

The Anthonys' attorney said both are under a doctor's care as they grieve for their granddaughter Caylee, who disappeared eight months ago and whose remains were found more than two months ago, but he did not bring any evidence to court Wednesday to show that would legally prevent them from testifying.

"To spend three hours and answer questions for my client, who kind of gets lost in all of this and her rights, is probably the least painful thing they're gonna have to do in the next month," attorney Keith Mitnik said.

Mitnik, Zenaida Gonzalez's attorney, says she has a right to clear her name, she was sucked into the case through no actions of her own and the Anthonys have actually perpetuated the accusations that have ruined her reputation, such as a statement Cindy made in July about Casey forgiving Zenaida for taking off with Caylee.

"She forgives her and wants her to bring Caylee back to us safely," Cindy said in July.
"It is frustrating. She needs to move forward. We're gonna get 'em under oath. I wish tomorrow, but it's coming," Mitnik said.

It could boil down to whether the defense wants to use Zenaida Gonzalez as an option for creating "reasonable doubt" in the case, which is exactly what Zenaida is worried about.