Casey Anthony takes the Fifth in defamation suit

Sarah Lundy Sentinel Staff Writer
February 3, 2009

Casey Anthony doesn't plan on answering a series of written questions posed on behalf of a woman suing her, including whether Anthony knows who killed her daughter, Caylee Marie Anthony, and whether she was involved.

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Anthony is going to reply to each question by citing her Fifth Amendment right because of concerns the answers could be used in the criminal case against her, her civil attorney, Jonathan Kasen, said Monday.

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Lawyers for Zenaida Fernandez-Gonzalez, who filed a defamation suit against the Orange County murder suspect, sent the questions to Anthony's attorney Monday, according to court documents.

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Circuit Judge Jose R. Rodriguez came up with the compromise of posing written questions last month after Anthony's attorneys tried to stop a videotaped deposition of Anthony in jail.

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The judge was trying to balance Fernandez-Gonzalez's civil-court efforts to clear her name and Anthony's rights in the criminal process. When Caylee's disappearance was first reported in July, Anthony, 22, told investigators that a month earlier she had left the 2-year-old with a baby sitter named Zenaida Fernandez-Gonzalez at Sawgrass Apartments, and when she returned later that day both were gone.

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Authorities interviewed 37-year-old Fernandez-Gonzalez, who told them she didn't know Anthony or her daughter. Caylee's remains were found in December a short walk from the home she shared with Anthony and her grandparents.

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Every time I come across that bit of info, I remember Cindy screaming at everyone at a candle-light vigil to get out there and find her granddaughter. The irony is not lost on me that if she had taken a walk/search through her own neighborhood, she might have found Caylee herself.

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Among the questions submitted to Anthony to answer in writing:

*How did you describe (baby sitter Zenaida Fernandez-Gonzalez) to law enforcement?

*List everyone you told that Caylee was with Zenaida Gonzalez the last time you saw her

*Do you admit the Zenaida Gonzalez who is suing you has never baby-sat for Caylee?

*Do you admit the story you told law enforcement that Caylee was with someone named Zenaida Gonzalez the last time you saw her is not true?

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You can just say no? Who knew?

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In other developments:

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*Roy Kronk, the Orange County Utilities meter reader who was thrust into the national spotlight when he found Caylee's remains, was reassigned to a new job Monday, his lawyer said. Kronk was reassigned to work in inventory control at a warehouse -- a position he requested before he found the remains.

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*Allen Moore, a spokesman for the Orange County Jail, confirmed there will be a verbal notice given to Anthony's criminal defense attorney, Jose Baez, about jail policies because a prohibited item -- a rubber wristband inscribed with "Forever in our hearts Caylee Marie Anthony" -- was found with the clothing Baez dropped off Wednesday for Casey Anthony's court hearing Friday.

So...first it was a little jail-house hugging, no doubt "comforting" Casey, as she had complained to her parents in the infamous video whine session replayed daily on all the news channels, since she was all alone with no one to comfort her. Who was there to comfort little Caylee when her mother turned on her?

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On Nancy Grace last night, Leonard Padilla, who broadcasts his theories as if they are fact, indicated that instead of Casey and Caylee leaving the Anthony house on June 16 at 12:50 as George has stated, that Casey actually stormed out of the house with Caylee on the night of June 15, after the fight between Casey and Cindy over the money stolen from Grampa Pleasee's retirement home account. The night Cindy tried to choke Casey (also according to Padilla.)

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In the (now outdated) timeline on this blog:

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"*June 16 Per Amy H official statement, Casey spent June 16 thru July 4 with Tony Lazzaro, July 4-8 with Amy Huizenga at Ricardo Morales apartment, then July 9 thru 15 with Tony.

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*Casey's boyfriend Tony says Casey stayed with him from June 10 until June 16. Tony told investigators that Casey was not in a panic, not searching for her daughter.

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She spent the night of June 15 with him." ?? Did she get there late at night? I'll go back and look at Lazzaro's interview transcript to make sure I'm remembering right.

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Since George's breakdown, we now know from his suicide note that he just couldn't live a lie anymore. Was that part of the lie he was referring to?

So, which is it? on the night of June 15 was she sleeping with Tony, or was she at home (at the Anthony's house?) hmmm.