Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Casey Anthony Comprehensive Timeline: For Time Period: 6/2/08 to 12/29/08


work in progress... updated as events unfold.

Timeline of events from June 9, 2008 until December 29, 2008

I am the author, please see statement at bottom.
Please Enjoy....
(editor's note: I will leave this original post up for the remainder of tonight and tomorrow then I will post a link on the side bar for it. Due to lengthy content, it is taking up too much posting room)
original posting date 12/31/08 @ 12:32pm; edit 12/31/08 8:00pm


Dec 31: George and Cindy Anthony speak with their attorney, Brad Conway. Reports state that they will fully cooperate with State's Attorney, even in the event of convicting their daughter, Casey. In exchange, the Anthony's are asking for full immunity in the case.

Dec 29: Jose Baez files a motion for a "special master" to oversee any further interviews and questioning of Dominic Casey by LE. Dominic Casey is an ex-employee of Baez and Company and is now the Anthony's private investigator. In mid-November, Jim Hoover video taped the exact area where Caylee's remains were found and it is reported there is no sign of the remains on the video tape. He has then conversed with Dominic Casey and the Anthony's regarding the video tape. Baez filed this motion based on concerns of attorney-client privilege between the law firm and Casey Anthony while Dominic Casey was an employee of Baez and Company.

Dec 28: Caylee's name to be added to "Waterfall of Tears" memorial for abused and murdered children. Roy Kronk may receive reward of $5,000 from former Anthony attorney, Mark NeJame. NeJame resigned as the Anthony's attorney in early December due to conflict between he and Cindy Anthony. Brad Conway replaced NeJame as attorney for the Anthony's. NeJame's resignation followed Larry Garrison's termination as spokesperson, due to "profiting off Caylee", where he billed NBC for photos used during an interview and did not advise the Anthony's of the invoice. NBC paid and Garrison kept the money. Garrison was then replaced by Michelle Bart, former KidFinder's spokesperson. Bart stepped down from her role with KidFinder's after founder, Dennis Milstead, was reported to be involved in and charged with felonious economic crimes.

Dec 26c: Roy Kronk, meter reader who found Caylee's remains, is "shopping" around for interviews. It appears Kronk plans on telling his story to the highest bidder.

Dec 26b: Investigators and detectives working on the Casey Anthony case are once again interested in Google searches from her computer. A release of the searches show someone was 'googling' the TV show, "One Tree Hill" in March '08. The specific episode that was being searched involved a kidnapping where the boy's mother told authorities "The Nanny took him". This appears to be a link to the case that could lead to premeditation.

Dec 26: Reports are that Lee Anthony has obtained attorney, Thomas Luka. It appears Lee is being investigated on a plethora of charges, which include aiding and abetting, obstruction, and misappropriation of funds, to name a few. Luka speaking, as Lee's "advisor", events are pointing to charges being filed against Lee Anthony. Luka stated that Lee volunteered his DNA and fingerprints, during the investigation, but it is widely known and documented that Lee offered them up only after being subpoenaed.

Dec 25: Cindy and George Anthony spend their first Christmas without Caylee. Casey spends her first, of what many hope many, Christmases behind bars. Casey dined on an .82 cent meal of Roast beef, potatoes, and bread. She received gifts of socks and a pocket calendar, courtesy of the jail chaplain.

Dec. 23: Jose Baez files a motion requesting pictures, X-rays and other documentation of the remains of Caylee Anthony when they were originally found and during the autopsy. Judge Stan Strickland rules the documents must be turned over within two weeks. The Caylee Anthony TipLine has now become the Casey Anthony TipLine, asking callers to verify sightings of Casey Anthony between 6/15/08 and 7/15/08.

Dec. 22: George and Cindy Anthony state that there will not be a funeral or memorial until after a second autopsy of the remains by the defense team. Although Casey could have petitioned the court to attend the funeral, she has not done so. Casey's commissary purchases show items of chocolate, playing cards, and body lotion. Brad Conway states that rumors of the Anthony's soliciting of funds to aid with funeral expenses are false.

Dec. 21b: George and Cindy Anthony donate toys left at memorial site for Caylee to needy children for Christmas. Following an disapproval from the general public, the Anthony's agree to leave any toys with notes attached to Caylee to remain at the site. Mourners were also given notice that if they would like to retrieve their memento's to Caylee instead of them being donated, they may do so. Rumors circulate that George and Cindy are soliciting donations for Caylee's funeral.

Dec. 21: Brad Conway, attorney for the Anthony's releases a statement from the Anthony's saying they are taking this time to grieve their loss. They are thankful for the showing of love by the mementos left at the memorial for Caylee. Also, he states the Anthony's plan to donate the toys to the rescue mission for needy children for Christmas gifts. No plans for funeral or memorial service are known as of this date. However, OCSO states that Casey will not be allowed to attend the funeral due to the degree of her charges and for her own safety.

Dec. 19: The Orange-Osceola County Medical Examiner confirms that the remains found near the Anthony home do belong to Caylee Marie Anthony. A third search warrant is executed on the Anthony home. Upon a jail chaplain notifying Casey, which, according to reports, was fifteen minutes before the media announced the news,Casey requested a sedative. Jose Baez lashed out his disappointment in not being allowed to be the one to inform his client. OCSO said it was standard procedure for the jail chaplain to relate the news to next of kin if they are in custody.

Dec. 18: Sheriff's spokesman Angelo Nieves says that they continue to find more bones in the area where a child's skeletal remains were found and are expanding their search to a larger area. He also said the meter reader who found the remains had called in tips three times before on Aug. 13. Deputies responded to one of those calls.

Dec. 15: Baez petitions the court saying investigators are taking "too long" to clear the crime scene. Baez and his panel of top experts are in wait to have their examination of the crime scene. Judge Strickland rules he will not tell investigators how to do their job, or that they are on a time schedule.

Dec. 14: George and Cindy attend church and return to their home late Sunday afternoon.

Dec. 13: George and Cindy briefly return to their home to retrieve clothing and their 2 dogs. They continue to stay at a hotel.

Dec. 12: Orange County Sheriff Kevin Beary says the skeletal remains' measurements and hair color match that of Caylee Anthony. The Kid Finders Network calls off actively searching for Caylee. It is also reported that duct tape is wrapped around the skull, therefore preserving some of the hair that may help in toxicology testing.

Dec 11: George and Cindy Anthony cancel their media tour and return to Orlando after hearing of the findings. They return to their home to find it marked off with yellow crime scene tape and learn that it has been officially named a crime scene. They are not allowed to enter the home and stay the night at a Ritz Carlton Hotel.

Dec. 11: The skeletal remains of what appears to be a small child are found one-quarter mile from the Anthony home. A meter reader called 911 to summons OCSO to the scene. We find out later it is the same meter reader, Roy Kronk, that called three consecutive times in August stating he saw something 'suspicious' and 'possibly related to the Caylee case'. During these calls, as in August, he referred to his route as "the Caylee route".

Dec. 11: Judge Stan Strickland postpones the murder trial of Casey Anthony. A new status hearing is set for Jan. 15.

Dec. 10: George and Cindy Anthony start a major coast to coast media blitz tour beginning with Larry King: Live. While in California, they are to investigate a Caylee sighting in Newport Beach. While on Larry King: Live, Cindy states that she received a tip just before airtime that Caylee was spotted in Tennessee.

Dec. 10: Jose Baez requests Caylee sightings video through subpoena duces tecum. (In certain jurisdictions in the United States which have de-emphasized the use of foreign words and phrases in court terminology, this type of subpoena is also called a "subpoena for production of evidence." The words "subpoena duces tecum" appears to be used exclusively by various jurisdictions within the United States. The terms of use vary between jurisdictions. In some, the words have been replaced with "Motion to Compel".)

Dec. 5: State says it will not seek the death penalty against Casey Anthony.

Dec. 4: Jailhouse visits between Caylee and her family that are video taped by the jail are released.

Nov 28: Someone hacks into Cindy Anthony's email account over Thanksgiving weekend and forwards personal emails between Cindy and Larry Garrison regarding a hairbrush Cindy had given to authorities for DNA. Cindy claims it was not a brush dedicated to Caylee, however just a brush Casey "sometimes used on Caylee". The emails were sent to Orlando local tv station reporter Kathy Belich, who then notified Cindy and turned the emails over to FBI.

Nov. 25: Judge Stan Strickland orders prosecutors to turn over all evidence to the defense. He also ruled that the defense can't test the hair found in Casey Anthony's trunk because there is too little of a sample left.

Nov. 21: Anthony family releases photo to News 13 that they received of a little girl playing at Florida Mall that they think could be Caylee.

Nov. 20: Attorney Mark NeJame resigns as the attorney for George and Cindy Anthony.

Nov. 19: Bounty hunter Leonard Padilla says Tracey, one of his associates who had been inside the Anthony home after he first posted bond for Casey, told him that Casey criticized people looking for her daughter, and sarcastically saying they "hadn't even found the clothes she was wearing". (source: Nancy Grace, Leonard Padilla)

Nov. 14: World famous forensic scientist Henry Lee examines Casey Anthony's car. Police said they found evidence of human decomposition and a hair belonging to Caylee in the trunk. Dr. Henry Lee states on Nancy Grace that very night the car contained a massive amount of "trash, food and garbage". Dr. Lee said the contents were that of "meat, food, and trash. (Source: Nancy Grace )
Through documents released after this interview, we learn that there was no pizza in the box that was found in the trunk of Casey's car. (Source: Evidentiary documents released 11/08.

Nov. 13: Divers search Little Econ River in Blanchard Park for Caylee Anthony. A plastic bag with what appeared to be bones and toys, and that was weighed down with bricks, was recovered. However, authorities said the find was not significant to the investigation.

Nov. 8: Texas EquuSearch leads group of volunteers in a search of a 25-acre area around Orlando International Airport for Caylee. They found nothing.

Nov. 5: Judge agrees to continue Casey's check fraud hearing to Dec. 11.

Oct. 31: Orange County Jail officials warn Casey Anthony's attorney, Jose Baez, about hugging his client during jail visits.

Oct. 28: Trial date on first-degree murder charges set for Jan. 5. A pre-trial date was set for Dec. 11.

Oct. 24: Forensic tests on the trunk of Casey Anthony's car are released. The air sample tests show evidence of human decomposition, and that a hair found in the trunk is "microscopically similar" to hair found in Caylee's hair brush. The report also confirmed the presence of chloroform.

Oct. 21: Child neglect charges are dropped against Casey Anthony after she is charged with First degree murder and felony child abuse.

Oct. 22: A tip line established by the Anthony family for leads to help find Caylee alive opened at midnight. The number is (888) 231-5618.

Oct. 15: Casey Anthony has her first appearance before a judge after the new charges and arrest. No bond is allowed because she has been charged with a capital crime-first degree murder.

Oct. 14: A grand jury indicts Casey Anthony on seven counts, including first-degree murder, aggravated child abuse, aggravated manslaughter and four counts of providing false information.
Sept. 23: 591 pages of files were released by the Orange County Sheriff's Office, including text messages, interviews with family and friends.

Sept. 16: Casey Anthony was taken before a judge and then released on $1,250 bond. She was, again, fitted with an ankle monitoring device.

Sept. 15: Casey Anthony turns herself in on new economic charges unrelated to Caylee's disappearance. The charges include uttering a forged instrument, petty theft and criminal use of personal information.

Sept. 7: Texas EquuSearch temporarily calls off the search for Caylee Anthony, citing environmental conditions and concerns.

Sept. 6: Orange County deputies retrieve a handgun from the trunk of George Anthony's car. Having a gun on the property is a violation of Casey's bail, but since it seems Casey was unaware of the gun, she is not taken back into custody.

Sept. 5: Casey Anthony is to be released from jail for a second time on bond. She will be required to wear an ankle monitoring device.

Sept. 4: An anonymous person posts the $500,000 bond for Casey Anthony through two Florida bonding companies.

Sept. 2: Casey Anthony refuses an offer of limited immunity in exchange for information leading to Caylee.

Aug. 31: The Orange County Sheriff's Office confirms hair found in the trunk of Casey Anthony's car belonged to Caylee.

Aug. 30: Texas EquuSearch, a mounted search and recovery group, arrive in Central Florida to help search for Caylee.

Aug. 30: New bond for Casey Anthony is set for $3,000 for charges not related to Caylee's disappearance. The original posted bond has been revoked, so Casey will remain in jail even if the new bond is posted.

Aug. 29: Casey is rearrested on economic crime charges not related to Caylee's disappearance. The charges include uttering a fraudulent instrument, petty theft, and fraudulent use of personal information. Deputies say they have surveillance video of Casey using forged checks.

Aug. 29: Deputies serve Casey, George, Cindy and Lee Anthony with criminal witness subpoenas to appear in court sometime in November.

Aug. 27: The Orange County Sheriff's Offices fires Recruit Deputy Anthony Rusciano, who may have had ties to Casey Anthony. Deputies say Rusciano provided inaccurate and incomplete responses on an ongoing criminal investigation. It is not confirmed if the investigation is related to the case of Casey Anthony.

Aug. 26: Hundreds of documents are released in the investigation into Caylee's disappearance. The documents reveal Cindy Anthony called her daughter, Casey, a sociopath and a "mooch." The documents also say Casey wanted to give Caylee up for adoption, according to a friend of Casey's, but Cindy would not let her.

Aug. 21: Casey is released from prison at 10:30 a.m. after being fitted with an electronic monitoring device.

Aug. 20: Leonard and Tony Padilla post bond necessary for Casey's release.

Aug. 17: Leonard Padilla arrives in Orlando.

Aug. 16: California bounty hunter Leonard Padilla announces he and his nephew, bail bondsman Tony Padilla, will fly to Orlando and post Casey's $500,000 bond. Padilla says they are doing this to "find the baby."

Aug. 15: Two private investigators meet with Casey. Investigators were identified as Edward Phlegar and Casey Dominic, both investigators for Casey's attorney, Jose Baez.

Aug. 12: George Anthony says that he believes Caylee was kidnapped and that the kidnappers are being watched.

Aug. 10: Casey cancels a scheduled meeting with her parents, the second time in three days she has refused to meet with her family.

Aug. 9: Caylee's third birthday comes and goes with no new leads on the missing girl's whereabouts.

Aug. 8: Casey refuses to see her brother, Lee, for a scheduled meeting. Lee's visit is rescheduled for Tuesday.

Aug. 7: Investigators serve a search warrant at the Anthony home and remove a number of clothing items belonging to Casey, which her mother said had been in Casey's car. Some of them has been washed by Cindy Anthony because they had a foul odor.

Aug. 7: Deputies confirm that the last time Caylee was seen by anybody other than Casey was on June 15. There is video from that day and investigators found pictures from Father's Day on Casey's computer.

Aug. 7: Investigators say a call Casey said she received on July 15 in which Caylee talked to her probably didn't happen. Phone records show there was no call to Casey's cell phone at the time the call was supposed to have taken place.

Aug. 1: The Orange County Sheriff's Office take several bags of evidence from the Anthony home.

July 31: George and Cindy Anthony are interviewed by the FBI.

July 30: The Fifth District Court of Appeals in Daytona Beach deny Baez's appeal of the $500,000 bond, asking that it be reduced to $10,000. That appeal was denied.

July 29: Casey Anthony's attorney, Jose Baez, asks a judge to bar the release of jail house recorded conversations, 911 tapes and visitor logs to the media. That request was denied.

July 28: Recordings of jail calls between Casey and her parents, George and Cindy and her brother, Lee are released by OCSO.

July 24: Cindy Anthony's 911 calls are released to the public. A total of 3 were released.

July 22: A bond hearing is held for Casey Anthony. Her mother, father, brother and a detective in the case all testify. The judge sets bail at $500,000. This is the only time the public has seen Casey show any emotion during the case. She sobbed visibly when returned to her cell from the courtroom. Experts say the tears were for herself, not for Caylee.

July 20: First candlelight vigil is held for Caylee.

July 17: Casey Anthony is officially charged with child neglect, lying to investigators and interfering with a criminal investigation. The judge denies bond because she showed a "woeful disregard for the welfare of her child."

July 17: The Sheriff's office starts to search the backyard of the Anthony house.

July 17: The Sheriff's Office takes possession of the car and finds evidence of possible human decomposition. The car is sent to the forensics bank.

July 16 AM-PM: Police take Casey in for questioning. Also, Police talk to Zenaida Gonzalez who says she does not know Casey Anthony. Police also take Casey to Universal Studios where she said she worked. After leading them to a building, she admitted she was no longer employed there. Casey is arrested and booked. Casey is wearing a hoodie purchased at Target with one of Amy's checks, when she is booked and her mugshot taken.

July 15 PM: Upon arriving at the Anthony's home, the Sheriff's Office is notified that Caylee Anthony has been missing since June 9. (date later determined to be June 15)

July 15 PM: Cindy calls Amy Huizenga for help in locating Casey. She tells her Casey could be in serious trouble if she doesn't find her. Amy hesitates then takes Cindy to Casey who is at Tony Lazzaro's apartment. Cindy confronts Casey and tells her she is coming with her. Cindy begs Casey to take her to Caylee. After giving several excuses, Cindy calls 911, the first of a series of three 911 phone calls made that afternoon.

July 15 AM: Casey picks up Amy Huizenga, in Amy's car, at Orlando International Airport. Amy and friends have returned from their vacation to Puerto Rico. There is not enough room in Amy's car for everyone and luggage, so she takes Casey back to Tony Lazzaro's apartment and returns to the airport where she picks up the remainder of her friends and returns to her residence.

July 15 AM: George and Cindy Anthony retrieve the Pontiac Sunfire from Johnson's Wrecking Service. Cindy haggles about the amount of the bill. George and a worker, Simon Birch, from the tow yard, went to the car together. Mr. Birch verified there was a horrific smell from the car and he compared it to the same smell from a car that had been towed a week earlier. The owner of the previous car towed had committed suicide inside the car and the car was not found for several days. Mr. Birch also stated in his interview that Mr. Anthony was concerned about the smell and told him that both his daughter and granddaughter had been missing. Mr. Birch was with George when the trunk was opened and garbage bags were found. Mr. Birch retrieved the garbage bag from the trunk and stated that it contained what appeared to be garbage. (later learned to be an empty pizza box and cans of deodorizer and insect repellent)

July 14: Casey Anthony cashes a $250.00 check at Bank of America on Amy Huzinga's bank account. Captured on video surveillance.

July 11: Cindy Anthony recieves a certified letter from Johnson's Towing informing that they are in possession of a white Pontiac Sunfire registered to Cindy and George Anthony. The car was towed from an Orlando Amscot, on June 30, after being abandoned for 3 days. Cindy states at the bond hearing that July 11 was the date she read the letter, not necessarily the day it was received, because of mail delay over the July 4th holiday.

July 10: Video surveillance shows Casey again using Amy's checks to purchase items at a Winter Park, Fl, Target, and again, at Waterford Lakes Target.

July 8: Casey uses checks on Amy Huizenga's checking account to pay for personal items purchased at a Waterford Lakes Target. Captured on video surveillance.

July 7: Casey drives Amy Huizenga to Orlando International Airport to depart for her vacation with friends to Puerto Rico. Amy leaves Casey her car to drive while Amy is on vacation due to Casey's car "being in the shop". Casey was unable to go on the vacation due to finanacial reasons and some also believe because of Caylee as well.

July 4: 4th of July party at William House's home. Amy helps Casey decorate. Later discovered in a text from Casey to Amy, "You used almost all my duct tape."; "That's why (sic) I get for letting you borrow my duct tape." {links Casey to duct tape}

July 2: Reports show Casey gets a tatoo at Cast Iron Tatoos. The tatoo says Bella Vita or "beautiful life".

June 30: Casey's white Pontiac Sunfire is towed from the Amscot store on Goldenrod Road and Colonial Drive by Johnson's Towing.

June 27: A supervisor at an Orlando Amscot at Goldnerod and Colonial notices a white Sunfire parked beside a dumpster as she enters the store at the beginning of her shift.

June 26: Casey calls Tony Lazzaro and asks if he could pick her up at Amsoct because she has car trouble or is out of gas. She tells Lazzaro two guys helped push her car out of traffic into the parking place at Amscot. Upon arrival, Lazzaro finds Casey standing by the car with bags of food, which he says were not purchased at a store, but brought from the Anthony's home. Lazzaro's approximate time of arrival is 11:00am. Lazzaro offers to help Casey repair her car and she says her father is going to have the car towed and repaired. Casey also texts Amy Huizenga and says "..she got rid of the smell in her car... she scraped the "squirrels" off the frame of her car". In an earlier text to Amy, Casey stated that her father had driven her car and ran over an animal and that is what caused the smell.

June 24 or June 25: Detective Corp. Yuri Melich testified during Casey Anthony's bond hearing that a witness (Jesse Grund) came forward who said he had talked to Casey on the phone on either June 24 or June 25 and that he heard Caylee in the background. The witness said that at one point in the conversation Casey told Caylee to get down from the table.


June 24 or 25: Casey arrives at the Anthony home, unaware that George is home. George is somewhat surprised at Casey's presence as well. While there, he asks for a tire tool that is in Casey's car trunk. Casey will not allow George near the car. She tells George she will get the tool herself. George follows Casey out to the car. (George's story also varies here. In some statements, George says he did not see the trunk, he was at the front of the car. In others, he says he got to the side of the car, but not all the way to the trunk.) At this time, Casey produces the gas cans. She hands them to George saying, "Here's your f'n gas cans." George asks for an explanation and Casey answers she had to use the gas to travel back and forth to Tampa due to Zani being in the hospital. George asks why Casey did not leave Caylee with them when she was in Orlando, to which she did not answer. (see June 9-July 12 entry) Casey then departs the Anthony's home. (some speculate it is at this time that Casey may have dumped Caylee's remains)


June 24: George Anthony files a police report stating that 2 gas cans containing between 10 and 20 gallons of gas have been stolen from his outside shed and the lock had been broken. (George's story varies on the amount of gas.) In media interviews he gives the impression that they were large size gas cans, however, he tells the FBI that the cans missing were two- 2 gallon cans.

June 16: George claims this is the last day he saw Caylee alive. He saw Caylee and Casey around 12:50pm leaving the home. He was watching a show on Food Network, as he always does, but cannot remember the name. My search of Food Network tv schedule for that date and by my own knowledge, there is no "hour long" episode of any show at that time of day on that date.
(If this was a common daily ritual for George, wouldn't he remember the name of the show? He remembered every detail of the clothing worn by both Casey and Caylee, down to the color of pinstripe in Casey's pants)

June 15: Caylee's grandmother, Cindy Anthony, revised her estimate to this date as the last time she saw Caylee in her testimony in Casey's bond hearing in July. Cindy Anthony said video of Caylee reading a book helped her remember that Caylee went with her to visit her father at an assisted living facility on Father's Day.

June 12: George Anthony says Caylee was spotted by friends of the Anthony family in a shopping area near the Orange-Seminole county lines. She was wearing a pink and blue outfit and white-rimmed sunglasses.

June 9: (Original date that Casey said Caylee went missing. Casey Anthony told police that on June 9, she dropped Caylee off at a babysitter who lived at the Sawgrass Apartments. She said the babysitter's name was Zenaida Fernandez Gonzalez.

June 9: Casey begins staying with her new "boyfriend" Tony Lazzaro at his apartment.


June 9 - July 14: Casey tells her parents, George and Cindy Anthony during several phone calls that she (Casey) and Caylee are on a mini-vacation. On other occasions, Casey tells, mainly Cindy, that Caylee is with Zani, or the nanny, and is at the beach, Universal, Disney, and other various places. Casey also tells her parents that she is at a work convention in Tampa and she and a co-worker are staying in adjoining rooms and sharing "Zani" to babysit their children while Casey and the co-worker attend the convention. Casey tells Cindy, Universal is paying for the room and for the babysitter for both Casey and the co-worker. When Casey is not back in Orlando when expected, she tells Cindy that Zani had a car accident, was injured and is admitted to Tampa General Hospital with a concussion, and broken bones. The next day, Casey tells Cindy that a nurse "happens to find a laceration to Zani's head behind her ear." Cindy pleads with Casey to bring Caylee back home, but Casey states she can not leave due to the fact that Zani's sister "Stephanie" had to leave Tampa to return to Orlando to look after their sick mother. (See June 24, 2008)

June 9-June 13: Caylee tells her parents she is going to and from work as usual.

June 2: Last date that Tony Lazzaro says he saw Caylee. In his report, Lazzaro states that Caylee and Casey visited him at his apartment and they stayed by the pool at the apartment most of the day.

© spoiledmom '08 All Rights Reserved. No portion of this material may be copied, posted, or republished on anyother website without the express written consent of the author and blog owner. This material is copyright protected. Material is also protected under the Creative Commons License. Plagarism is punishable by law. Any plagarism will be detected by CopyScape.

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Casey Anthony Timeline by SpoiledMom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.


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Lawyer: Caylee Anthony's grandparents need immunity


Sarah Lundy Sentinel Staff Writer
December 31, 2008

ORLANDO - The lawyer for George and Cindy Anthony wants his clients to have immunity before they speak with prosecutors again about their daughter, Casey Anthony.

Immunity would ensure the couple could tell investigators everything they know without fear of prosecution, attorney Brad Conway said.
He doesn't think the Anthonys would say something that would land them in legal trouble, but he wants them protected. The Anthonys did not ask him to request immunity, Conway said.
No deal has been made yet, he said.
Investigators are waiting until after Caylee's funeral before they approach the Anthonys again, Conway said.

Funeral arrangements have not been made.

Lee Anthony: Charges Coming, Per Attorney

Lee Anthony, right, is the brother of Casey Anthony. Casey is charged with murder of Lee's neice, Caylee .


Will Lee Anthony turn State's Witness in the case against his sister, Casey Anthony?

That is one of many questions needing answers on this last day of 2008.

It could be brother against sister when the murder case against Casey Anthony begins.

Lee Anthony's attorney, Tom Luka, said eariler, the states attorney's office will likely want to put his client on the stand.

VIDEO Report: Will Lee Anthony take the stand?

Tom Luka says he believes Orange County Sheriff's Office detectives and the State Attorney's Office will likely want to question his client Lee again and the possibly of charging him is highly likely.

Luka also believes the state would rather use his client Lee Anthony to testify instead of George and Cindy Anthony.

“Speaking as an ex-prosecutor, having a parent testify against a child is extraordinarily sympathetic to a jury and can draw sympathy towards a defendant as opposed to away from them. On the other hand, siblings do not have that same sort of connection, nor are they liable to break down, as far as emotionally, thus, not evoking the same kind of reaction from a jury.”

None of the Anthony's have been questioned since Caylee's remains were discovered and identified but Luka believes its just a matter of time.

Video courtesy Fox35 Orlando

BREAKING NEWS: George and Cindy Anthony Will Help Convict Casey If Under Full Immunity


George and Cindy Anthony seek full immunity

Breaking Story: Will continue updates as they happen.....


George and Cindy Anthony, grandparents of Caylee Anthony, have agreed to cooperate with prosecutors as long as they are guaranteed immunity, according to their attorney.

Sources said they are going to be asked to help convict their daughter, Casey Anthony, who sits in jail charged with first-degree murder.

This comes in light of Thomas Luka's claims that it is highly probably that Lee Anthony is facing some type of criminal charges in regard to the case. Luka is the attorney/advisor of Lee Anthony, George and Cindy's son. Lee could possibly be charged with obstruction, aiding and abetting, as well as misappropriation of funds regarding the Caylee Anthony Trust Fund. Sources speculate that Lee had a hand in covering up Caylee's murder, along with his sister, Casey.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Private Investigators To Be Interviewed

=========================================
See the Video: PI Videotapes Area Before Caylee's Remains Were Found
=========================================

Meanwhile, deputies want to know what a private investigator was doing in the area where Caylee Anthony's body was discovered.

They've been told he was videotaping the area a month before she was found, and he claims there wasn't a body there.

One source called this claim nothing more than a smokescreen.

Investigators have dealt with multiple people who now claim they searched the same area previously to Caylee's remains being found and nothing was there.

The private investigator said he has videotape to prove it.

Investigators point out that Caylee's remains were actually found scattered over an area about an acre in size, but they do want to check out the investigators videotape to see what it does or does not show



some content: WESH Orlando

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Casey Anthony's attorney: Appoint overseer in questioning of detective


Amy L. Edwards Sentinel Staff Writer
December 30, 2008


Casey Anthony's defense attorney wants a judge to appoint someone to oversee any law-enforcement questioning of a private investigator who worked on the case.
According to a motion recently filed by attorney Jose Baez, law enforcement is "showing an interest" in questioning Dominic Casey of D & A Investigations. The motion states, "there is a chance that such questioning would delve into privileged information."

Baez said he hired Casey as an investigator July 28, and the service agreement between the two was terminated Oct. 1. During that time, Casey "acquired certain privileged information that would be protected . . ." Baez contends.
After working with Baez, Casey was hired by Casey Anthony's parents, George and Cindy Anthony, to help search for their missing granddaughter, Caylee, the motion states. A meter reader found Caylee Anthony's remains Dec. 11 not far from the east Orange County home she shared with her mother and grandparents.

Her mother was charged in October with her murder. Dominic Casey did not return a phone call from the Orlando Sentinel.

Tribute To Caylee

Dad Dies After Hospital A&E Wait

Right: Stewart Fleming
10:14am UK, Tuesday December 30, 2008

The widow of a man who died after a six-hour wait at an accident and emergency department has demanded answers from a hospital trust.
Father-of-two Stewart Fleming had a note from his GP requesting immediate admission because a suspected viral infection had failed to clear with antibiotics.

The 37-year-old, of Rainham, Kent, was taken to the Medway Maritime Hospital in Gillingham by his wife Sarah on December 12.

But she claimed her husband had to wait six hours before being admitted and his condition deteriorated.

He was transferred a week later to the Harefield Hospital in west London, but died on Saturday.
Medway NHS Foundation Trust said it was "saddened" to hear of Mr Fleming's death, but its emergency ward was "experiencing long waits" due to a high number of admissions.

In an interview with the Kent Messenger, Mrs Fleming said her husband should have been treated sooner.

She said: "Why wait three hours for a triage when a doctor had already done it and put in writing what was going on?

"I know the A&E department was full to bursting, there weren't chairs, there were people sitting on floors."

Mrs Fleming queried why the hospital did not act on the GP's note and treat her husband immediately.

She added: "The ICU (intensive care unit) department did their very best, I am not disputing that, once he was up there. Even on the high dependency unit they were doing their damnedest to get him to the Harefield because it is the best.

"Why was he not admitted like he was told by his GP? He had all those hours and on monitor they might have been able to stop what has happened. I am no doctor but that is how I am feeling at this time."

The GP who referred Mr Fleming to hospital has called for a full investigation.
Dr Tamil Selvan, 51, said: "I don't yet know the full details of what happened... it's early days, but we most certainly need to get to the bottom of it."
Doctors in primary care endeavour to do the best they can but when we refer patients to hospital, for whatever reason, we expect the full support of our colleagues in secondary care."

Fire damages structures at Polygamist sect's Texas compound



Fire damages structures at sect's Texas compound

CLYDE, Texas (AP) -- A fire has burned four structures at the compound of a Texas sect whose leader is accused of performing polygamous weddings.

Firefighters in the town of Clyde say the cause of Monday's blaze at the House of Yahweh compound is unknown. No injuries were reported.

Fire Chief Billy Dezern tells the Abilene Reporter-News in its online edition that firefighters kept the blaze from spreading. A few vehicles were also burned.

The compound covers more than 40 acres near Abilene. Sect leader and self-proclaimed prophet Yisrayl (YIZ'-rah-yel) Hawkins is accused of having more than 20 wives and performing the weddings.

He faces trial next year.

Casey Anthony: Baez, Videotapes, and Private (L)eyes?

Deputies want know what a private investigator was doing in the area where Caylee's body was found. They've been told he was videotaping the area a month before Caylee's body was discovered.

The private investigator was apparently working with the Anthony family at the time. It raises questions about whether the Anthonys knew the remains were there a month before they were found.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
VIDEO REPORT: Private Eye's Video Being Investigated
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


The private investigator who works with the Anthonys states he came to the area the month before Caylee's remains were found and videotaped the area. He says the tape shows Caylee's body was not there at that time, but now investigators want to know why he was there with a camera in mid-November.

Private investigator Jim Hoover says he recorded the wooded area where Caylee Marie Anthony's remains were found about a month before they were found.

"We will definitely look into that, absolutely," said Carlos Padilla, Orange County Sheriff's Office.

Hoover briefly showed an Eyewitness News photographer a short clip of the videotape, which appeared to be authentic; the fence was recognizable.

"They know the existence of the tape and want to look at all evidence that's available," Padilla said.

Investigators also want to talk to the Anthonys' private investigator who works with Hoover, Dominic Casey. The defense wants to intervene, because Dominic Casey used to work for the defense and attorney Jose Baez doesn't want him to divulge privileged information.

Baez said investigators won't let him sit in on the questioning, so he's asking the judge to appoint a special master to protect defense secrets if the private eye agrees to talk.

"Investigators have tried to make arrangements with Mr. Casey to speak to him and he's not responded," Padilla said.

The defense's spokesman said they don't want their former private eye to divulge privileged conversations they might have had about where Caylee's remains might be.

Charges for Lee, Casey Anthony's Brother?



Megyn Kelly sat in for Greta VanSusteren last night as host for On the Record, foxnews.com. A quick search this morning found nothing in cyberspace on the topic except for the transcript, which I am posting here.

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

This is a rush transcript from "On the Record ," December 29, 2008. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

MEGYN KELLY, FOX NEWS GUEST HOST: Well, could Casey Anthony's brother Lee soon be joining her behind bars? Casey has been charged with the murder of her daughter Caylee, and now her brother Lee might be charged with obstruction of justice and aiding and abetting Casey.
Lee Anthony's lawyer Thomas Luka joins me now. Tom, good evening to you.
THOMAS LUKA, ATTORNEY: Good evening, Megyn.

KELLY: What do you make of these charges, these potential charges? What are you hearing is the possibly basis behind them?
LUKA: Well, first of all, there has been no announcement, formal or otherwise, that there are charges pending against Lee Anthony. This is all speculation and rumor at this time.

What I can tell you is that there has been speculation that he may be charged as an accessory after the fact for some sort of obstruction of justice charge.

The law in Florida, the statue in Florida dealing with obstruction of justice is very broad and gives prosecutors a wide latitude to use that power to charge individuals in order to motivate them to testify against other defendants.

KELLY: Right--in other words, this could be an effort to try to get them to tell them what they want to here with respect to Casey, or it could be that they think he actually did obstruct their investigation.

Did they give you any clue, Tom, what they may be thinking, what act think might be looking at that amount to obstruction of justice?

LUKA: I do not know. I can tell me that Mr. Anthony has been extremely cooperative with the police. Anything and everything, he has done. If there is anything that might throw a shadow or might conflict with any of the police evidence, it is that he has from the beginning has asserted his sister's innocence and has also asserted that this is a missing-person case and not a homicide case.

Now that the dynamic of the case has changed, obviously that is no longer the case.


KELLY: How does he deal with that, Tom? Because we all watched him so many times come to his sister's defense and say, as we heard the grandparents say, they believe they would find little Caylee, and now we know, of course, they have, but she was found dead. How is he now, how does he deal with that news?

LUKA: Well, he, like the Anthonys and the rest of the community here in Orlando, are grieving. There are many broken hearts in our community right now. It was not just the Anthonys who thought that Caylee would be coming home safe.
There were many people not only here in Florida but all over the country who were hoping and praying that she would be found safe. Obviously, that is not the case, and we have to more forward from there.
He is grieving along with his family. He is trying to support his family as best as he can. But he is continuing to cooperate with the investigation and wherever it leads now.

KELLY: Does he still believe in the innocence of his sister?

LUKA: At this point, he has not made a determination as to that fact right now. That fact has yet to even be determined--that fact can only be determined by a court of law.
I can tell you that he is wanting to find truth in this case, just like everyone else is, both prosecution and defense, wherever that may lead. And I can tell you that Mr. Anthony, that is all he cares about at this point.
Whether it leads to the innocence of his sister or her guilt, he cares about the truth, and that is what is most important to him as far as it concerns his niece Caylee.

KELLY: Tom, thanks for being here.

LUKA: Thank you.

KELLY: All the best.

It was fairly obvious the first night the Anthony's found out that Caylee was "missing". Cindy's statement to Casey, "what have you done?" and later Lee's conversation with Casey on the phone when he advises her, "the truth doesn't hurt."

Although I have had the urge to slap Cindy a few times, my heart really does go out to the Pleasea's and Anthony's. I've tried to put myself in Cindy's shoes, but only one shoe fits. On the one foot, if my daughter murdered my grandchild, as much as I love each one of them, I could not leave her twisting in the wind alone. No matter what she's done, even if it is the worst thing in the world, she's my daughter and has my unconditional love. On the other foot, I wouldn't be in front of cameras every day making up excuses and running my mouth, lying and blaming everyone around her, except her daughter.

Undoubtedly this is not the life George and Cindy (or Lee)

had envisioned for themselves or their family, but it is what they have left. Hiding or destroying evidence was/is either extreme stupidity, or intentional, making it a crime.

Particularly memorable was the candlelight vigil where Cindy lost it and started yelling at law enforcement, the media and the vigil attendees that they should "get out there and find her granddaughter." The irony was not lost on me that during the last five months, if she had taken a short walk through and around her neighborhood, she may have found Caylee herself.

Family believes cruise passenger jumped into sea

Monday, December 29, 2008
MIAMI(AP)

The family of a missing cruise ship passenger said Monday that they suspect the woman "chose an unfortunate ending to her life" and jumped from a cruise ship balcony into the waters off Mexico's coast on Christmas night.

The U.S. Coast Guard suspended its search Monday for Jennifer Ellis Seitz, a Florida journalist, after combing more than 4,200 square miles off the coast of the popular resort area of Cancun, where the ship had just visited. Mexican authorities said they would continue their search for another 48 hours.

Seitz had "previous emotional issues," yet there were no outward signs of distress while on the seven-night cruise from Miami, her family said in a statement given to one of her former employers, The News Chief in Winter Haven. Seitz's mother joined her daughter and son-in-law on the cruise.

"Jennifer was in a very happy and uplifted mood both before and during the cruise," the Ellis family said in the statement. "She was excited about starting a new job and her future career with a local newspaper. She and her husband had been talking about starting their family. The family suspects that Jennifer chose an unfortunate ending to her life. She was a beautiful and caring person and will be truly missed by all who love her."

Seitz and her husband, Raymond, were celebrating their one-year anniversary on the Norwegian Pearl cruise ship.

A surveillance camera showed someone falling overboard at 8 p.m. Christmas night, authorities said. About eight hours later, Raymond Seitz reported his wife missing.

FBI spokesman Mike Leverock says agents met the ship at the dock in Miami on Sunday, collected materials and "are still trying to determine if a crime occurred."

Norwegian Cruise Line said it is "cooperating fully" with the FBI.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of the guest during this difficult time," the company said in a news release.

Raymond Seitz has not been charged with any crime, authorities said Monday.

The couple met in a weight loss support group; both had undergone bariatric surgery. She chronicled her weight loss journey for an Orlando TV station.

She was also a freelance writer, having written articles for The Tampa Tribune, The Ledger in Lakeland, and an online article titled, "Battling the Bulge Onboard," about how not to gain weight while aboard a ship.

On her Web site, Seitz described herself as an "avid traveler and an amateur chef." She was previously a reporter for Florida Today, a newspaper in Melbourne.

Raymond Seitz was arrested in April on a charge of domestic violence-battery after being accused of head-butting his wife. The charge was dropped after he entered a pretrial diversion program. Records show that she asked the prosecutor not to pursue the case.

A fellow passenger on the ship, Jim Nestor, told NBC's Today show that Seitz and her new husband stood out on the ship with "large and raw personalities."

Many of the passengers saw them as contestants on an on-board game called "The Not-So-Newlywed Game," modeled after a 1960s TV quiz show. The game was also carried on the ship's closed-circuit TV channel.

"They stood out a lot more than other people," Nestor, a retired police officer, told NBC.
Nestor, who appeared on the game show with his own wife, said he ran into Raymond Seitz day after his wife was reported missing.

"I had given him my condolences, and he had a plastic bag filled with quarters, and he said to me that he was going to the casino to see if he could change his luck," Nestor said.

P.I. Says He Videotaped Area Where Caylee Anthony Was Later Found


Monday, December 29, 2008
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. -- Deputies want know what a private investigator was doing in the area where Caylee's body was found. They've been told he was videotaping the area a month before Caylee's body was discovered.

The private investigator was apparently working with the Anthony family at the time. It raises questions about whether the Anthonys knew the remains were there a month before they were found.


The private investigator who works with the Anthonys told Eyewitness News he came to the area the month before Caylee's remains were found and videotaped the area. He says the tape shows Caylee's body was not there at that time, but now investigators want to know why he was there with a camera in mid-November.

Private investigator Jim Hoover says he recorded the wooded area where Caylee Marie Anthony's remains were found about a month before they were found.

"We will definitely look into that, absolutely," said Carlos Padilla, Orange County Sheriff's Office.
Hoover briefly showed an Eyewitness News photographer a short clip of the videotape, which appeared to be authentic; the fence was recognizable.

"They know the existence of the tape and want to look at all evidence that's available," Padilla said.

Investigators also want to talk to the Anthonys' private investigator who works with Hoover, Dominic Casey. The defense wants to intervene, because Dominic Casey used to work for the defense and attorney Jose Baez doesn't want him to divulge privileged information.

Baez said investigators won't let him sit in on the questioning, so he's asking the judge to appoint a special master to protect defense secrets if the private eye agrees to talk. "Investigators have tried to make arrangements with Mr. Casey to speak to him and he's not responded," Padilla said.

The defense's spokesman said they don't want their former private eye to divulge privileged conversations they might have had about where Caylee's remains might be.

ATTORNEY MAY GIVE REWARD TO METER READER

Eyewitness News has learned that an Orlando attorney who resigned from representing George and Cindy Anthony is considering a $5,000 reward for the man who found two-year-old Caylee Anthony's remains.

Eyewitness news reported two weeks ago that Roy Kronk was not eligible for a Crime line reward, but attorney Mark Nejame said that Kronk, "Did something very good and it's only appropriate that something good be returned to him."

Bounty hunter Leonard Padilla also says he wants to give Kronk a reward for finding Caylee's remains.

MAN WANTS TO ADD CAYLEE'S NAME TO MEMORIAL

A Leesburg man wants to set Caylee's memory in stone. Don Williams began building a 60-foot wall and waterfall in his backyard three years ago. Over 90 names are painted on the memorial and all the names are of children who were murdered.

Williams says he saved a stone for Caylee and says he hopes the Anthony family will find some peace in making their granddaughter's name a part of the memorial.

"Maybe they'll come over after things calm down and paint her name on it, little Caylee's name on the wall. If not I will do it for them, but her name will be on the wall and she will never be forgotten," said Williams.

The Anthony family says it will hold a private and public service for Caylee, but no dates have been announced.

Monday, December 29, 2008

UPDATE 12/29/08: Cindy And George Anthony Seeking Large Venue For Caylee's Memorial Service

Update to previous post-
video below

Brad Conway, the Anthony's attorney wanted to reiterate that the Anthony's are NOT soliciting donations earmarked for Caylee's funeral or memorial service. They are planning a private funeral service after the holidays, and a public memorial as well.

Large Venue Sought

While he did not name a date or place for the tributes, Conway did say, "The public memorial will have to be located at a large venue so that everyone who wants to pay their last respects to this beautiful child may do so," Conway said.

A spokesman for the jail where Caylee's mother and accused murderer, Casey Anthony, is being held pending trial said that Casey would not be able to attend a funeral or memorial service because of the charges against her, as well as for safety and security reasons. Casey is charged with first degree murder, and being held without bond.







courtesy: MSNBC

Investigators Say Surveillance Shows Woman Go Overboard


Monday, December 29, 2008

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. -- Search crews ended their efforts Monday afternoon to find a Central Florida woman who disappeared from a cruise ship at sea.

An HU-25 Falcon jet crew from Coast Guard Air Station Miami, C-130 fixed-wing aircraft crews from Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater, Fla., and Mexican navy patrol boat and helicopter crews searched more than 4,200 square miles for Seitz. The search was called off around 3:00pm Monday.
Note: in the above image link, the rail looks like it might be about 4' high, plus, there is a chair pulled over to the railing. Would she have jumped, being a newlywed?

"The Coast Guard and Mexican navy conducted an exhaustive search for Jennifer Seitz, but have not located her," said Capt. Dean Lee, Seventh Coast Guard District chief of staff. "Our thoughts are with Jennifer Seitz's family and friends during this difficult time."

Investigators said surveillance video shows a woman falling overboard from the Norwegian Pearl on Christmas night. The video has not been released. Jennifer Seitz, 36, a former Florida Today reporter who lived in Winter Haven, was reported missing the next morning and now the FBI is questioning passengers to try to figure out what happened.

What was supposed to be a relaxing holiday cruise for a newlywed couple turned into a tragic tale shrouded in mystery. Their cabin on the ship is now a crime scene with investigators scouring for forensic clues.

"It's an on-going FBI investigation. We're in charge of crimes on the high seas of American citizens and that is what we are doing right now. We're looking for evidence," said Capt. Dean Lee, Miami Coast Guard.

It was early Friday morning when Seitz's husband reported her missing, no where to be found aboard the Norwegian Pearl cruise ship steaming towards the Caribbean. He reported it eight hours after Jennifer went overboard, according to one of the ship's more than 1,000 surveillance cameras.

"They eventually discovered on some recorded tape the image of a woman going overboard wearing a white bathrobe sometime around 8:00 the previous evening. That would have been on Christmas night," Capt. Lee said.

It's very disturbing news to fellow passengers who disembarked from the seven-day cruise Sunday. Witnesses had stories to share, including new details. The Seitzs were vacationing with Jennifer's mother and they took part in a cruise activity in front of a crowd playing the newlywed game.

"They seemed like they're pretty fun and stuff, pretty wild if anything," passenger Austin Stovall said.

In Winter Haven, neighbors of Jennifer Seitz said they were shocked and saddened to hear she had disappeared from the cruise ship.

"That's really sad. I feel awful, I would feel awful if it happened to my daughter," said neighbor Kathy Hoyt.

A close friend of the family said Seitz and her husband lived with her mother in a home on Knotty Pine Drive. Seitz's mother rushed to Miami as soon as she was notified.

Authorities said they have interviewed the ship's crew and Jennifer's family members and they are all cooperating with police. They said Jennifer's husband is not a suspect at this time.

It was the sixth time this year crews have searched for someone who went overboard from a cruise ship.

Jose Baez Files New Motion; LE: Anthony's Gave Casey "Too Much Credit"

Casey Anthony's lawyer Jose Baez has files a new motion Monday



Jose Baez

Jose Baez was back to work on behalf of his client, Casey Anthony, Monday. After a short hiatus from the Christmas holiday, Baez was filing motions Monday afternoon to safeguard privileged attorney client information regarding the case.
Baez is worried detectives are trying to obtain privileged information about the case from a private detective who used to work for his defense team, so he's asking a judge to intervene.

Baez is asking the judge to appoint a "special master" to oversee any questioning of the private investigator by law enforcement.

The private eye is a familiar face to insiders. His name is Dominic Casey, who, early on, worked for Baez. Then in October, George and Cindy Anthony hired him to follow up on "live sightings" of Caylee Anthony.

Also, there is a video tape that has surfaced. A video of the the area in which Caylee's remains were found December 11, 2008. Sources close to the case say that Dominic Casey, an ex-employee of Jose Baez and Company, had Jim Hoover video tape the exact area in mid-November. In October, 2008, Dominic Casey left Baez's firm and was hired by George and Cindy Anthony as thier own private investiagtor.

Baez said law enforcement is now showing an interest in questioning Dominic Casey and he (Baez) wants to make sure LE does not obtain privileged information Dominic Casey may have learned while working for Baez.

Anthony's Expected To Be Candid With Investigators Regarding Casey
Cindy and George Anthony

The Anthony's face the wrenching task of burying Caylee early in the New Year, but then, sources tell said, George, Cindy and Lee Anthony will be asked to play a pivotal role in holding Casey Anthony accountable or else.

As one investigator put it, "They're going to be asked to help convict her."

If the Anthony's are not candid and truthful, sources said, it may come to obstruction of justice charges against one or more of them.

Medical examiner Jan Garavaglia said it's unlikely they'll ever be able to determine a definitive cause of death, but sources said toxicology tests done on Caylee's hair will "give us clues in that direction." Remnants of certain drugs and toxins can still be present in hair. Also, amount of drug or toxin and the length of time they were present in the body may also be able to be determined by hair.

However morbid, the duct tape helped the case by preserving the hair for toxicology.

The duct tape found on Caylee's skull proves what some sources close to the investigation have suspected about her death all along -- "It wasn't an accident."

Another aspect some insiders find haunting, is how close to the Anthony home Caylee's remains had been dumped.

Sources say the Anthony's simply gave Casey Anthony "far too much credit" that she would have done something more elaborate with her daughter's body.

Meter Reader May Receive Reward For Findings

Meanwhile, a new reward is being offered to meter reader Roy Kronk for finding the bag of skeletal remains that were determined to belong to missing Caylee Anthony.

According to Kronk's lawyer, David Evans, George and Cindy Anthony's one-time representative Mark NeJame has contacted Kronk regarding a $5,000 reward, which represents the amount of money NeJame made while serving as the Anthony family's representative. For now, it's unclear whether Kronk will accept the offer.

Initially, Crimeline said Roy Kronk was not eligible for a cash reward from them because he called 911 the day he found Caylee's remains instead of Crimeline.


Roy Kronk

A source within Crimeline now said things could be different. They're checking to try to confirm that Kronk called them during the same three days in August he called sheriff's headquarters to report something suspicious along Suburban Drive.

More than two weeks after Kronk discovered Caylee's remains along Suburban Drive, a memorial still draws people by the dozens.

Those who have followed the case closely have different opinions on whether Kronk deserves a reward.

"I think he should be rewarded, definitely," Aida Ramos said.

"If they think they found something, they should call it in," Jennifer Tice said. "That's all there is to it." Tice said doing a good deed should not include an expectation of a cash reward.
"I don't think somebody should be rewarded for that," Tice said. "I mean, that's a child who is missing. That's common sense."

In his only statement to reporters, Kronk confirmed that he reported his suspicions four months before discovering the remains.

"I had previously reported to Crimeline and the sheriff's office that I had spotted something suspicious -- a bag in that same area," Kronk said.

Kronk's lawyer, David Evans, states that "..money is not Kronk's main motivation. But if he qualifies, at the very least, Kronk should receive a Crimeline reward."

When asked why Kronk deserved the reward, NeJame said, "I think Kronk is beyond deserving. Without him, who knows when Caylee would have been found."

Sources confirmed they do not suspect Roy Kronk, the meter reader who found the bag of Caylee’s remains, of playing any sort of sinister role in the case.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Note: The original reward posted after Caylee was first reported missing was $250, 000. It was issued in July, 2008 and was to expire after 90 days. (October 2008) The amount was contributed by individuals, both private and public, as well as businesses in the Orlando area. I have yet to hear anyone mention this "expiration date" of the reward. More research to continue...
Also, in one of the jail house video visits between Casey and Cindy and George, Cindy asks Casey if she has heard of the reward for Caylee's return. Casey, trying to not make much of the subject, says "No." When Cindy tells Casey the amount of the reward is $250,000, Casey's only remark is "Whoa, that's half my bond." This was before Casey was bailed out the first time by Leonard Padilla on a $500,000 bond.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I believe further investigating should be conducted regarding Kronk before any reward is paid. I agree that finding "remains" should not require a monetary reward. There is, at the least, something coincidental about the entire Kronk link" to the case. If the remains had been investigated on Kronk's first call, and identified as Caylee at the onset, I may be a little more lenient. However, with the turn of events, the "three consecutive calls", Kronk's adamant need to remain anonymous, and his immediate hiring of an attorney, I have speculations of my own. Until those circumstances have been totally cleared by LE, then, I may entertain the idea that Kronk deserves this reward. Then again, it is not up to me. ...my two cents
some content courtesy WESH/some photos courtesy FOX35

Anthony Former Attorney, Mark NeJame, Considering Reward


Mark NeJame, Attorney

An Orange County meter reader may get his reward after all. Orlando Attorney Mark NeJame told FOX 35 that he is strongly considering giving Ray Kronk $5,000 as a reward for finding the body of missing toddler Caylee Anthony.

That is around $245, 000 less than the original reward posted by several business and individuals in the Orlando area. The reward was intended to expire within 90 days from date of implement. That would have been

See the Video: Kronk could get reward for finding Caylee's remains.

NeJame said Kronk is a good guy and did a good thing. He added that without him, Caylee may have never been found.

NeJame resigned as the attorney for Caylee's grandparents George and Cindy. Crimeline offered a $5,000 reward for information, but they denied Kronk's claim on the money because he called 911, and not the crimeline number.

Sunday, December 28, 2008

Americans dropping dead as police get Taser-happy


ARMED AND DANGEROUS
Americas dropping dead as police get Taser-happy
Are cops underestimating stun gun's lethal power?

Posted: December 28, 2008
By Drew Zahn© 2008
WorldNetDaily

Even though the news is inundated with stories of people dying after being stunned by Tasers, police departments all over the nation are adding the electric-shock weapons to their arsenals, convinced the benefits outweigh the risks.

Research by WND revealed several news stories from just this month of police departments newly equipping themselves with the electric stun guns, including law officers in Maryland, Florida, New York, Michigan and even a small community of 15,000 in Pennsylvania, where the 22 full-time officers will be receiving 12 new Tasers.

In other cities, the number of Tasers already in use is skyrocketing: Durham, N.C., plans to double its police arsenal from 110 to 235, and a Georgia police chief is hoping to add 1,000 more stun guns to the Atlanta metro.

The Taser company's website includes testimonials from dozens of police departments, from nearly every state in the U.S.; and a statement from New York's Deleware County Sheriff's Department – which armed itself with Tasers last week – claims 13,400 law enforcement, correctional and military agencies in 44 countries use the device, having fired it on a cumulative total of more than 624,000 people.

"Are everyday citizens justified in arming themselves? Get "Shooting Back: The Right and Duty of Self-Defense," and find out!

The Taser stun gun is the most common brand of a conductive energy device, or CED, which fires 50,000 volts of electricity through its target from as far as 35 feet away, causing uncontrollable muscle contraction and temporary immobilization.

For many of law enforcement agencies now using the device, the Taser is viewed as a safe alternative to guns, nightsticks or physical force in restraining uncooperative subjects.
In Johnsonburg, Pa., Police Chief Bryan Parana is proud to boast the first police department in his county to use Tasers.

"It's one of the most researched electronic devices out there. What I want to get across is it's not electrocution," Parana told the DuBois Courer-Express, "It is an electronic device which incapacitates."

The safety of the device, however, is becoming a matter of hot debate, and, as more and more news stories are beginning to reveal, it's an electric device that can also kill.

Two days after the city of San Jose, Calif., agreed to pay $70,000 to the wife and child of a man who died in 2005 after police jolted him with Tasers, the city is the center of controversy again after area law enforcement officers fired the device into 26-year-old Edwin Rodriguez.

Family members drove Rodriguez to the Valley Medical Center after he suffered an attack of his chronic schizophrenia. When he resisted treatment, however, police pinned him to the ground and stunned him with a Taser, reportedly four times.

Rodriguez died within the hour, the fifth person to have died in the city after being shocked by police since San Jose issued Tasers to officers in 2004.

According to the human rights organization, Amnesty International, deaths like Rodriquez happen too often to be freak accidents.

An Amnesty International report titled "USA: Less than lethal?" records 334 people have died after being stunned by Tasers in the U.S. between 2001 and August 2008, including 55 in California and 52 in Florida.

"Tasers are not the 'non-lethal' weapons they are portrayed to be," said Angela Wright, author of the report. "They can kill and should only be used as a last resort."

Proponents of Tasers, however, disagree that the devices pose any serious health threat. Deputy Dan Deering, a Taser trainer for Michigan's Jackson County Sheriff's Office – which began using the weapons in the fall – told the Jackson Citizen Patriot that there are "stacks and stacks" of medical documents backing the Taser's safety.

"Tasers generate a lot of volts, but not a lot of amps," Deering told the newspaper. "It's not the volts that kill you, it's the amps."

Police also testify that the weapons reduce injuries to both officers and suspects, and that even the threat of a Taser's excruciating pain is often a sufficient deterrent.

In Howard County, Md., which lies between Baltimore and Washigton, police spokeswoman Sherry Llewellyn told the Baltimore Examiner, "We've actually only had to discharge the devices about once a month because simply having the weapon displayed is enough to get suspects to comply."

Critics worry, however, that the very confidence police officers have in Tasers causes them to underestimate their potentially lethal power.

"We're seeing more fatalities following their use," American Civil Liberties Union attorney Peter Bibring told the Mercury News, "and it raises questions about whether they are as safe as the manufacturer claims."

Southern Christian Leadership Conference President Charles Steele Jr. questions the plan to equip Atlanta's police officers with the stun guns.

"What the problem has been," Steele told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "is that people who've been given permission to use them … say, 'Oh, it's not a real weapon to a large degree, and I'm going to use this gun without thinking of the ramifications."

And while the Taser company, the Associated Press reports, maintains that the devices cannot kill, the increasing use of the stun guns – and the increasing number of deaths connected to their use – is starting to draw critics in both the courtroom and the laboratory.

In June, the San Jose Mercury News reports, a federal jury found Taser International partly responsible for the 2005 death of Robert C. Heston, whom Salinas, Calif., police jolted repeatedly during an arrest. According to California Lawyer magazine, the verdict was the company's first courtroom loss after 70 dismissals and settlements.

And while the Amnesty International report did concede that most of the 334 deaths it recorded were attributed to other medical factors such as drug intoxication, the report cited that coroners have concluded Taser shocks did indeed cause or contribute to at least 50 of the deaths.

A study done by researchers commissioned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and reported by the Associated Press also concluded that over time, Tasers can begin to malfunction and fire with up to 50 percent more power than their manufactured limits. Further, the study found, even stun guns firing at expected electrical levels carry some risk of inducing cardiac arrest.

"Scientists who had evaluated the Taser to start with said, 'Well, there's zero probability of death.' I'm sure that's not the case," Pierre Savard, co-author of the study, told The Arizona Republic. "I'm 100 percent certain that cardiac diseases increase the risk of death after receiving Taser shock. I think there's enough scientific evidence for that."

Taser International, the AP reports, called the study flawed.

"Regardless of whether or not the anomaly (high-firing guns) is accurate," Taser Vice President Steve Tuttle said, "it has no bearing on safety."

"Independent medical and scientific experts have determined TASER devices to be a safer use-of-force option compared to traditional use-of-force tools," asserts the company's website. "Field studies have reaffirmed the life-saving value of TASER devices."

Missing Cruise Passenger Could Be Alive in Warm Waters of Mexico's Gulf Coast


Saturday, December 27, 2008
foxnews.com

An American woman who reportedly fell off a cruise ship and disappeared could be alive in the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, the U.S. Coast Guard said Saturday.

Authorities are searching for Jennifer Seitz, a 33-year-old passenger on a cruise liner who vanished Thursday night as the ship roamed the waters off Cancun, Mexico.

There is a good chance Seitz is still alive if she is in good physical condition and grabbed a flotation device before she fell, said Petty Officer Nick Ameen, a Coast Guard spokesman.
Water temperatures in the Gulf are relatively warm — somewhere in the mid-70s — so hypothermia would not pose a danger to her.

The Coast Guard and Mexican Navy are conducting independent searches for Seitz, but the search is made difficult by the eight-hour window during which she could have fallen overboard, the Coast Guard said.

Seitz, who may be a Houston resident, was last seen at roughly 8 p.m. EST Thursday, though her husband reportedly did not notice her missing until 3:50 a.m. the following morning.
Her husband informed the ship's captain, and the ship's security personnel conducted a search confirming that Seitz was not on board.

The Coast Guard resumed their search Saturday using a C-130 airplane. Crew on board will use binoculars and heat-detecting equipment to locate the missing passenger.

A rear ramp on the plane will be partially lowered, allowing the plane's crew a wider view of the water below in order to conduct their search.

The Mexican Navy has also dedicated a 90-foot ship and a helicopter to their search.
Mexico's Fifth Naval Regional Command said in a statement that by late Friday it had found no sign of Seitz and was dealing with "adverse conditions" and strong waves just over 17 miles east of Cancun.

'No apology' from Iraq shoe-thrower



Muntazer al-Zaidi, the Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at George Bush, the US president, has said that he will not apologise for his act, amid reports from his lawyer that he has been severely beaten in custody.

Dhiya'a al-Sa'adi, al-Zaidi's lawyer, told Al Jazeera on Monday: "Muntazer al-Zaidi considers what he did when he threw his shoes at President Bush as exercising his freedom of expression, in opposing and rejecting the occupation, which has brought misery to Iraq."

Al-Sa'adi said al-Zaidi was not considering giving an apology to the US president, "not now, nor in the future".

A spokesman for Nuri al-Maliki, Iraq's prime minister, had said on Thursday that al-Zaidi had acknowledged his shoe throwing during a news conference in Baghdad was "an ugly act".

However, Dhargham al-Zaidi, the journalist's brother, questioned whether the statement was genuine. He said his brother had been beaten with an iron bar as soon as he was taken out of the news conference.

"He does not reject what he has done," his lawyer told Al Jazeera. "His actions were solely targeted at President Bush to tell him that he rejects the occupation and all that it stands for in Iraq. In particular, in light of the inhumane way that Iraqi prisoners have been treated by the American forces."

Beatings

Al-Zaidi was allowed to see his lawyer on Sunday afternoon, who confirmed initial reports that he had been beaten and that his medical condition "was very bad".

"There are visible signs of torture on his body, as a result of being beaten by metal instruments," al-Sa'adi said.

"Medical reports have shown that the beating he was subjected to has led to him losing one of his teeth as well as injuries to his jaw and ears.

"He has internal bleeding in his left eye, as well as bruises over his face and stomach. Almost none of his body was spared."

Hajar Smouni, a spokesperson for Doha Centre for Media Freedom in Qatar, said: "The way he was arrested was very brutal. Some people say there was blood on the floor when he was held during his arrest.

"Although he was not arrested because of his opinions, we cannot remain silent in the face of the ill-treatment inflicted on him by the Iraqi security forces. It is vital that he should be given access to medical care and be given a fair trial," the centre said.

Complaints

Smouni said: "The fact that he has seen his lawyer is a positive sign, but the worrying sign is that he is to be tried at the central Iraqi criminal court, because that is a court used to try terrorism suspects.

"[Muntazer] is not even considering, not now, nor in the future, apologising for what he has done."

Dhiya'a al-Sa'adi, al-Zaidi's lawyer"We don't want him to made an example of.

"This is a serious trial. He might be sentenced with up to 25 years in prison, and we want to make sure he is not given an excessive sentence.

"In the past, there have been several outcomes that could be interpreted as not fully showing the independence of the Iraqi judicial system."

Al-Zaidi has filed a complaint against the guards who he said beat him, according to his lawyer, and requested that they be sent to the central Iraqi criminal court.

"The court has accepted his complaint and taken a statement in order to proceed with the necessary actions in bringing these people to justice and punishing them for breaking the law," al-Sa'adi said.

Al-Zaidi shot to fame when he called Bush a "dog" in Arabic at a joint news conference with al-Maliki in Baghdad last week, and threw both his shoes at Bush in a gesture that is a deep insult in Arab culture.

His whereabouts remained unknown four days after he became a hero to those who blame the US president for the tens of thousands of Iraqi deaths that followed the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq.

Al-Zaidi is expected to stand trial on December 31 on charges of insulting a foreign leader.
Is there something we can do for this guy? Does anyone know an address or e-mail of Iraqi prime minister, Nuri al-Maliki? We went into Iraq to "set them free" and now this poor schmuck is exercizing his freedom and is looking at 25 years in jail...
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