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Casey Anthony Cleared in Daughter's Death
Aired July 05, 2011 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: Breaking news this afternoon: Casey Anthony found by this jury in Orlando, a jury that has been sequestered since May -- they deliberated for just a little over 11 hours.
They found her not guilty, not guilty of first-degree murder, not guilty of aggravated child abuse not guilty of aggravated manslaughter. They did find her guilty of providing false information to a law enforcement officer.
Tremendous verdict here coming down this afternoon in Orlando. We have a lot going on here coming up this next hour. I have a number of guests with me, including Holly Hughes, sitting by my side, former prosecutor, criminal defense attorney, a number of folks as we will walk through what happens next, what happens next to Casey Anthony.
We look at these pictures here of a massive crowd outside of this Orlando courthouse. As reaction is beginning to pour in, we heard from members of the defense team just a short time ago, saying there are no winners here, calling that this has been -- disgusted by media assassination with regard to Casey Anthony and how she has been portrayed on television, in the paper over the course of the last couple of weeks and even years here.
I want to bring in Holly Hughes as we begin to sort of go back into and reset for people who are just joining us this. The verdict that came down, mixed opinion here, but as I said, 11 hours, that's pretty quick.
HOLLY HUGHES, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Yes. It is.
BALDWIN: Pretty quick.
HUGHES: And it shocked all of us. Because every single person that I heard speculating was it has got to be a guilty verdict of some sort. Maybe some people thought a less included. I certainly thought they were going to go top charge, murder in the first degree.
But it's a lesson well taught that this is an adversarial system. That's the whole point of having a prosecution team and a defense team. The prosecutors would never bring forth a case they don't believe in. They believe with their all their heart that she's guilty. Her defense team believes the opposite.
And that's the beauty of the system, Brooke. You put 12 citizens in the box, you let them make that decision and you trust the system to work. So the prosecutors still think she's guilty and she got away with it. Her team feels very vindicated and that an innocent woman is on the street and the rest of us sit here and go, wow, what was that jury thinking?
BALDWIN: Let's remind everyone, as you mentioned, there were 12 jurors. It was 17 total, five alternates, the youngest of the 12, 32 years of age, the oldest, retirement age, seven women, five men.
We could be hearing from them at any point in time. There are pictures of this room where they have different numbers for different jurors. It's up to the juror. Thus far, we have not seen these jurors. They have certainly bonded over the course of the last couple of weeks over this particular case.
(CROSSTALK)
BALDWIN: Stand by, because in case you missed it, I do want to play this moment in the courtroom when the verdict was handed down. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JUDGE BELVIN PERRY, ORANGE COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT: Will the defendant rise, along with counsel?
Madam clerk, you may publish the verdicts.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you, Judge.
Thank you, Judge.
"In the Circuit Court for the Ninth Judicial Circuit in and for Orange County Florida, the State of Florida Versus Casey Marie Anthony, as to case number 2008DF15606-0, as to the charge of first- degree murder, verdict as to count one, we, the jury, find the defendant not guilty, so say we all, dated at Orlando, Orange County, Florida, on this 5th day of July, 2001," signed "Foreperson."
"As to the charge of aggravated child abuse, verdict as to count two, we, the jury, find the defendant not guilty, so say we all, dated at Orlando, Orange County, Florida, this fifth day of July, 2011," signed "Foreperson."
"As to the charge of aggravated manslaughter of a child, verdict as to count three, we, the jury, find the defendant not guilty, so say we all, dated at Orlando, Orange County, Florida, this 5th day of July, 2011." Signed, "Foreperson."
"As to the charge of providing false information to a law enforcement officer, verdict as to count four, we, the jury, find the defendant guilty of providing false information to a law enforcement officer as charged in the indictment, so say we all, dated Orlando, Orange County, Florida, this 5th day of July, 2011," signed, "Foreperson."
"As to the charge of providing false information to a law enforcement officer, verdict as to count five, we, the jury, find the defendant guilty of providing false information to a law enforcement officer, as charged in the indictment, so say we all, dated, Orlando, Orange County, Florida, this 5th day of July, 2011," signed, "Foreperson."
"As to the charge of providing false information to a law enforcement officer, verdict as to count six, we, the jury, find the defendant guilty of providing false information to a law enforcement officer as charged in the indictment, so say we all, dated Orlando, Orange County, Florida, this 5th day of July, 2011," signed "Foreperson."
"As to the charge of providing false information to a law enforcement officer, the verdict as to count seven, we, the jury, find the defendant guilty as providing false information to the law enforcement officer as charged in the indictment, so say we all, dated Orlando, Orange County, Florida, this 5th day of July, 2011," signed, "Foreperson."
PERRY: Madam Clerk, you may poll the jury.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Juror number one, were these your true and correct verdicts?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Not guilty.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Were they all your true and correct verdicts?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Juror number two, were these your true and correct verdicts?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Juror number three, were these your true and correct verdicts?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Juror number four, were these your true and correct verdicts?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Juror number five, were these your true and correct verdicts?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Juror number six, were these your true and correct verdicts?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Juror number seven, were these your true and correct verdicts?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Juror number eight, were these your true and correct verdicts?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Verdict number nine, were these your true and correct verdicts?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Juror number 10, were these your true and correct verdicts?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Juror number 11, were these your true and correct verdicts?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And juror number 12, were these your true and correct verdicts?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you.
PERRY: OK.
Will counsel and the defendant approach the podium? Not all the counsel, but just a representative sample.
Casey Marie Anthony, a jury of your peers have found you not guilty as to the charge contained in count one of the indictment, murder in the first degree.
At this time I will adjudge you to be not guilty.
As to count two, the crime of aggravated child abuse, a jury of your peers have found you to be not guilty. The court will adjudge you to be not guilty of the crime contained in count two.
As to count three, aggravated manslaughter of a child, a jury of your peers have found you not guilty. I will adjudge you to be not guilty of that count.
As to counts four, five, six, and seven, providing false information to a law enforcement officer, I will adjudge you to be guilty of those counts and order that you be fingerprinted here in open court at this time.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE)
PERRY: It has to be in open court.
Mr. Baez, Mr. Mason, will you be prepared to go to sentencing Thursday or Friday of this week?
CHENEY MASON, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Thursday (INAUDIBLE).
PERRY: OK. Then we'll set sentencing Thursday at 9:00 a.m. in this courtroom.
OK. Are there any other matters that we need to take up at this time?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: Twenty-five-year-old Casey Anthony wiping away some tears as that verdict was handed down. You heard all the 12 different jurors acknowledging how they felt with regard to each of the different counts, seven counts in all.
Want to remind you, you are looking at the bottom right-hand corner of your screen. That's a live picture of a room in which we anticipate could be up to 12 jurors, could be as few as one or two will be able to enter, take part in some sort of news conference. And several questions can be asked.
In fact, I am told our own Martin Savidge, who was inside that courtroom, will get a shot with that first question. We will of course bring that to you live. We are also waiting to hear from the prosecution, from the state, get their reaction to the verdict that was handed down just this afternoon.
And I want to go though to our senior legal analyst, Jeff Toobin, who has been watching this whole thing unfolding along with us.
And, Jeff, I want to go back to your point because I thought it was an excellent point. Casey Anthony could decide tomorrow to walk out of a court, stand on the steps and say, I did it, I killed my two- and-a-half-year-old little girl, but she will never face time because why?
JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST: Absolutely. Absolutely.
You know, the double jeopardy clause to the Constitution says this very clearly, that once you have had one criminal trial, you cannot have a second one. The prosecution gets one attempt to prosecute you for a crime like this, and she is free to say or do whatever she wants about this matter at this point, and not that I anticipate she is going to confess, because she has been consistent in saying she's innocent.
But as a legal matter, there's no appeal, there is civil case that is realistic, a possibility here. In fact, the most peculiar thing about today's hearing is that her lawyers did not ask for her to be released on bail.
BALDWIN: You think they were shocked? You think they forgot?
TOOBIN: I think they were too surprised. That's exactly what my reaction was, that they were too shocked, because she has already served three years already, which is way more than anyone ever gets for the misdemeanors for which she was convicted.
So I don't imagine that the judge would have objected to releasing her today. Now, I assume she will just be released on Thursday. But two days is two days and no one wants to be in prison. And I think she has every right to be released today and not have to wait until Thursday.
BALDWIN: So, when Judge Perry set the time 9:00 a.m. on Thursday morning for that sentencing hearing, later that morning, you are telling me that Casey Anthony will be a free woman.
TOOBIN: I think she should be one today. She should not have to wait until Thursday. But I am certain that on Thursday, she will be sentenced to time served because she has been in jail for three years awaiting this trial.
Each of these four convictions could carry a maximum of a year, but nobody gets consecutive sentences to a misdemeanor. So I cannot think of a scenario where she doesn't get released on Thursday and maybe even tomorrow, because her lawyers may realize they made a mistake in not asking for bail. And a night in jail is a night in jail. And I don't see why she should have to spend another night in jail.
BALDWIN: Wow. Jeff Toobin, stand by for me. I have Holly Hughes to my left. Stand by for me as well.
I do want to talk about the reaction to this verdict, certainly mixed. I have been reading your tweets.
People have been pouring in and around the courthouse. In fact, we were told one of our producers who has been covering this trial says the local reporters, print, television, in Orlando are -- and to quote this person -- shocked, shocked by this verdict.
I want to toss this to some tape. This is Jane Velez-Mitchell from our sister network HLN. They have been covering this thing from the get. She is outside of the courthouse. She's speaking just to some men and women who came by the courthouse. Get their reaction there on the ground in Orlando. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: -- upset that I was crying. It's not right, Jane. I told you this yesterday. It's wrong. She got away with it. And you know it. And people are saying that it was OK, she didn't get away with this, that -- I can't even talk. I am appalled by this. I -- look at my hands.
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, HEADLINE NEWS ANCHOR: Does everybody agree with this lady? UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I do. I guess because it was not posted on her Facebook page and it wasn't on social media, they didn't have it on tape, it didn't happen. Was her daughter's life an imagination also?
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Just a crying shame, an absolute crying shame this is. They call this justice? They say the American flag flies today? It does not. It does anything but fly today. It's been tramped on today.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, they say justice does work. And that's what it is. It's kind of like this thing with the O.J. Simpson case, the same situation.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Scott Peterson case.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: O.J. number two.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: O.J. number two. That's what you're hearing here. O.J. number two.
And I got to take you over here. Now we're waiting for the lawyers to come out. You can see all the media has gathered here. And there is a --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: So you saw all the different -- the media presence, tremendous, tremendous presence. Again, we have crews on the ground. We will certainly be going to them live momentarily.
But, Holly Hughes, to you quickly, because to Jeff Toobin's point, that perhaps the defense was so shell-shocked by this verdict that they didn't even think to ask for bail. You make an interesting point that it could be a matter of security. Where does Casey Anthony go, given the feeling on the street?
HUGHES: Right. Exactly. The people on the street think she got away with it, despite what the jurors said. They are ready to form a lynch mob. Let's face it. The defense threw her family under the bus. Is she really going to go home to George and Cindy after she said that George and Lee molested her?
And probably what -- I think they were shocked, because let's face it. We all thought there was going to be some type of felony conviction, OK? Some of us thought first degree. Others thought maybe a negligent homicide, but we all thought she was going to be convicted of something.
So they did not plan ahead. They did not have a hotel reservation under an assumed name to safely get her out and stash her somewhere, because let's face it. There's going to be a backlash. And she's probably not feeling comfortable enough to go home to her parents right now. BALDWIN: But you know what? A lot of people say, look, this is the perfect example of how the justice system worked, including Debra Opri, defense attorney.
Debra, I want to go to you.
First of all, your reaction to this verdict. And, secondly, the point about the jury, because correct me if I am wrong, but this jury never sent any notes to the judge, never had any questions. They deliberated for all of 11 hours and then came to their conclusion.
DEBRA OPRI, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: I am going to give you my reaction as a criminal defense attorney and as a person who does media and here it is.
I think the jury reacted to the way the case was presented, the parties who presented it. And I think, overwhelmingly, when I saw Mr. Cheney Mason giving that chart of the reasonable doubt scale, I think people -- and all of us as citizens have got to accept this -- convicting someone for a crime under our Constitution in this United States, these United States, beyond a reasonable doubt is a virtual impossibility.
And when that jury, knowing the scrutiny they were under because of the media coverage, I think they were so careful --
(CROSSTALK)
BALDWIN: Debra, forgive me. I want to interrupt you. I'm just getting some news in my ear. We have been watching that jury room, hoping that members of the jury would be speaking. They're not.
(CROSSTALK)
OPRI: I knew they --
(CROSSTALK)
BALDWIN: We're just now hearing they will not be speaking. Let's listen.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: -- respect their privacy.
The alternates are on their way here. And I will be speaking with them in less than five minutes. They have not been asked. I am going to ask them, and we will talk to them at that -- and as soon as I speak with them, I will come back in and let you know if the alternates are interested in speaking to you.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The alternates did not have television for the last few days. Nobody had television for the last few days. I should clarify that. We pulled all television stations from them recently due to some cross-promotional issues that were going on, on the networks. QUESTION: Were they told?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They have been told and they are en route. And Judge Perry is going to speak to them. I will speak to them. And then I will come right back in and let you know what the five alternates --
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. I have not physically talked to the alternates yet, and as soon as I do, I will let you know.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: One at a time, please. Cathy (ph)?
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They will be leaving shortly.
QUESTION: Did they seem relieved (OFF-MIKE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I am the wrong person to ask. I'm not going to comment on anything that was back there.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Correct. Correct.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Judge Perry is barring their names from release at this time, until further notice.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Until further notice.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Orange County Sheriff's Office will be transporting the jurors back to Pinellas County.
QUESTION: Tonight?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Tonight, yes.
I will come back in just as soon as I speak to the five jurors. Did you have a question?
QUESTION: Do they have any idea (INAUDIBLE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think they did when I handed them the packet. If they hadn't previously, they do now.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE) UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Prosecutors are -- I don't know if they are going across the street. The court is not responsible for that press conference. That's an independent press conference.
Yes.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. I will send out an e-mail, not that you have not had enough already, but I will send out another e-mail that will give you a little more information. But we're looking at holding the same procedures in place.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They're just not interested. I explained to them that it was that there were groups of individuals over here, many of whom they had seen on a day-to-day basis and that they were waiting to talk with them and hear their views.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Absolute no, unequivocal no, universal, unequivocal no.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I can only tell you that I told them the story. I left the room. When I came back in, it was universally no.
At this time, I will come back in as soon as I speak to the five alternate jurors.
BALDWIN: Well, you heard the court spokesperson loud and clear. All 12 members of the jury, none of them want to talk to members of the media.
The question is, why? Perhaps out of respect to the Anthony family privacy. Perhaps they're afraid of some sort of backlash. The judge will not be releasing the names of those 12 different jurors, what did he say, pending further notice.
With that, Richard Herman, I know you are also standing by for me.
Richard Herman, why is it -- are you surprised? Are you surprised not a single one of those 12 jurors wants to walk into that room and explain his or her point of view and decision?
RICHARD HERMAN, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: You know, Brooke, I tried a federal case in Orlando Middle District, an 11-month jury trial. And we were prohibited from speaking to the jurors afterwards. So I kind of expected this.
In fact, I was surprised that they were going to hold a press conference. This case is too emotional. Some of their lives could be at stake, these jurors. So I think they made the right decision right now. Down the road, they may give some interviews. But right now I think they have got to get out of Dodge safely.
Amazing, just an amazing decision today. She is acquitted. She is not guilty. No matter what you think, she stood up.
BALDWIN: Were you surprised?
HERMAN: She presented her case. Oh, was I surprised?
I was floored because, you know, look, she is innocent. I have said that. And I have apologized for some of my remarks and my criticism of Baez, which I would still make against any lawyer conducting themselves the way they did, as well as Cheney Mason opening the door on his cross-examination to her criminal history.
But in any event, listen, this little girl was last seen with Casey, and for 30 days, she lied and lied and lied about this little girl. I mean, she's innocent. She's acquitted. OK. But she had the girl. She had to know what happened to this little baby.
And her conduct, you know, is just -- it's reprehensible. She's not guilty again. Having said that, if we look at this case vanilla and we take out the names and we just put Mr. X and Ms. X, and we look at this fact pattern here, it's really appalling.
I got to believe this jury. It was an absolute repudiation of the forensics offered up by the prosecution. They were light. They were shaky. Dr. Vass and his sniffer machine was ridiculous. And this jury obviously saw that.
(CROSSTALK)
BALDWIN: I want to jump in, because I do want to talk about -- I want to talk about the forensics here. Richard Herman, stand by.
HERMAN: OK.
BALDWIN: I want to go to Steve Kardian. He's a former police detective.
And, Steve, talk to me about this jury. They really got a crash course in forensics, in DNA, the hair, the pieces of hair that were found in the trunk, the shockingly high levels of chloroform in the trunk, in the carpet, on the wheel well. This was a 101 in forensics for these men and women.
STEVE KARDIAN, FORMER NEW YORK STATE POLICE DETECTIVE: Yes. And you know what? I think it was a bit overwhelming for the jury, Brooke. And certainly we're all surprised that in such a short period of time they rendered a decision.
And certainly we were all thinking that it was going to be guilty on some count. But the forensics -- some of the forensics that were introduced, such as the cadaver dogs hitting on the scent of death, this is the first time, it's a test case. And it's got to be convincing. Of course the case was built circumstantially.
So it was a hard case to sell. And did Mr. Baez, did he believe Casey's lies, or was this just orchestrated? But it's a sad day for the criminal justice system, I believe.
BALDWIN: Do you think it's possible that this jury, given all the bits and pieces of the forensics, do you think it would easily be overwhelming for them?
KARDIAN: Yes, it was overwhelming. And I think -- and it's going to be interested to see what the jurors say once they do speak.
(CROSSTALK)
BALDWIN: If at all.
KARDIAN: If at all. But in the closing arguments, the defense hammered in reasonable doubt, reasonable doubt, reasonable doubt. And I think that it got into the heads of the jurors. And they rendered their decision.
In law enforcement, we often look at the courtroom sometimes as a stage. Whoever puts on the best show is likely going to be the winner. And I think that happened in this case.
BALDWIN: Steve Kardian, I thank you so much. Stand by me for me.
We have got to get a quick break in.
I do want to remind you we're watching and waiting for the state to speak. We have heard from the defense team. Now we're waiting to hear from prosecutors, get some sort of reaction, live pictures of that podium, when we should be seeing and hearing from that team.
Also David Mattingly outside the courthouse. He will be talking about live reaction, what is next. A lot more to come. Be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BALDWIN: OK. So just about an hour-and-a-half ago, Casey Anthony learned her fate, not guilty on murder one, murder in the first degree, not guilty aggravated child abuse, not guilty aggravated manslaughter. She was found guilty -- and these are misdemeanors -- of the four counts of providing false information to a law enforcement officer.
She has already served time, three years, in fact. And her attorneys, perhaps out of being stunned, perhaps out of her own safety, didn't ask for bail. But essentially when they return back to that courtroom for sentencing, 9:00 a.m. Thursday morning, Casey Anthony could be a free woman.
Want to remind you, we are waiting for the state to speak. We heard from the defense attorneys eviscerating members of the media for essentially assassinating their client through television and newspaper and the radio and the Internet.
We're waiting to hear from the prosecution. We will bring that to you live. Also, we were hoping to hear from the 12 members of this jury, the seven women, the five men. We learned in the last five minutes they will not be speaking, perhaps out of their own security because of how so many people in the Orlando community feel about this verdict that is down.
In fact, let's listen to some sound. This is how folks feel on the street.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
QUESTION: What was your reaction as this --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, I can't believe this. To a child, that is disgusting. This is disgusting.
QUESTION: You don't agree with the jury?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, no, not at all. I don't think anybody here agrees with the verdict.
(CROSSTALK)
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Maybe because I am a mother.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't know why I am so emotional about it. Maybe because I am a mother. I can't even -- even with the evidence that we did have, I know there was no physical evidence that really put her there, but there was a lot of circumstantial evidence. There was enough there. There was enough.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I am very upset just because justice wasn't found. The evidence was there, the duct tape. I thought Ashton did a great job of proving his case.
And I am really surprised that the jury didn't take -- didn't prove her guilty because the evidence was there. And I just -- I'm really upset. And I just feel really bad, because nobody wins in this situation. There is a two-and-a-half-year-old that is dead. And it's just really sad.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am in total shock. Everything that has happened, it's basically like you almost have to film and watch somebody commit a crime and have it on video for something to happen today. It's just disturbing. And I don't know what else to say. I don't know. I have to get out of here. It's bothering me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: How about that reaction from this verdict? Casey Anthony not guilty murder one, not guilty aggravated child abuse, not guilty aggravated manslaughter.
I do want to go to David Mattingly. He has been covering this trial for us for the past couple of weeks.
And, David, let's just begin with -- and I don't know if you have been tethered to your live location or if you have had a chance at all to walk around, but what are you seeing? Are you seeing all these crowds? I imagine security is very tight there. DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, there is a crowd outside the courthouse right now. And directly behind me, there's a crowd gathering of media, as that's the place we're expecting to hear from prosecutors and the Orange County sheriff. That was arranged well before this verdict was handed down.
We're waiting to see if anyone actually shows up here. But all this time that I have been here, the people who have been interested in this case generally fell into two categories, people that believed Casey that was guilty and wanted to see justice, they said, justice for that little girl, Caylee.
And then there was the group of people who were attracted just by the spectacle of it, who wanted to be part of it, who wanted to say that they were in that courtroom, and who wanted to watch what happened. The latter group is not going home disappointed today.
This rather dramatic end to this very intensely-watched trial is sort of par for the course and all the tremendous turns that have gone through this.
The interest in this was really elevated to a new level when the defense came out and was talking about their new theory of what happened about how that Caylee drowned accidentally in the family swimming pool and it was the father who orchestrated the cover-up and placed her body there in the woods.
So right now you have some people who are deeply and personally disappointed by this. And then there are people who came to see the show and they got an ending they probably did not predict.
BALDWIN: David Mattingly, just so I'm clear, you're the one there on the ground.
Guys, let's switch this off of Casey Anthony. Let's show the live pictures from WESH (ph) from our affiliate there in Orlando. There are these crowds of people it looks like the front of the courthouse on the steps. I don't know if that's where the state will be speaking, giving their quick news conference.
But David, are we to assume these are people, just onlookers, people from the community, just part of the circus?
MATTINGLY: Oh, sure. This has been very much a point of interest for anybody in this city. Yesterday, the Fourth of July and over the Fourth of July weekend, we saw a lot of people coming here, sometimes entire families with their cameras, just to have their pictures taken in front of the building, perhaps seeing somebody with the trial walking out just sort of as a tourism type of attraction.
This has been something that captured the attention of so many people. So if they were in the neighborhood, if they had they time, sure, they were going to come down and see who they could see. Everybody who has been part of that trial, all the attorneys, they have been elevated to a celebrity status in this area.
I saw people wearing t-shirts for the past couple of days of celebrating the prosecutors. One of them said "Team Ashton" on it. So there were people who were not only interested in watching this play out, there were genuine fans of the participants in this courtroom.
And someone who is feeling probably very vindicated is Jose Baez, who was on the receiving end of a tremendous amount of criticism for the way he defended Casey Anthony and for the way he was handling himself in the court.
It's clear that when he approached the jury in closing arguments and said look at this evidence, this is where reasonable doubt lives. Apparently the jury was listening to him. They looked at the information and the facts the prosecution had given them, and they decided there just was not enough there to render a guilty verdict.
So everyone outside the courtroom and regardless of how this turned out, really soaking in the spectacle today. You can probably hear the helicopters buzzing up above. There have been people since the word has come down the crowd has grown, probably doubled in the last hour. So we're just watching as people are when they are coming down, just like they are watching who is going to come out, who is going to talk, and what's going to happen next in the postscript to this very long and sad tragedy.
BALDWIN: Well, speaking of the postscript, part of that is ultimately now hearing from the state, from the prosecution team. And we'll be hearing from them any moment now. Again live pictures, bottom right hand corner of your screen, members of the media getting set up. We're ready to hear from them. David Mattingly, I thank you for that.
Also, I have got Holly Hughes sitting next to me. We're going to talk about those 12 jurors, their decision not to speak today and your ideas as to why. And we also have more sound from the defense. The defense has already come forward, Cheney Mason. We also heard from Jose Baez there, disgusted by the media assassination of their client, Casey Anthony. If you missed it, you have to hear this. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BALDWIN: As we continue our breaking coverage here on the verdict of Casey Anthony, I do want to remind you switching gears just a tad, let's talk deficit. Live pictures of the White House. Why are we showing this to you? Because President Obama will be addressing the nation. He'll be speaking at 4:40 eastern time. We will take that live, making some brief remarks. I'm told by a White House spokesperson, brief remarks to discuss the balanced approach to deficit reduction. Keep in mind that debt ceiling sitting at $14.3 tomorrow. The deadline set by Tim Geithner, treasury secretary, is August 2. And if you read more into it, really the deadline is July 22nd. That is when they have to have this proposal together in order to get the measure written to be passed by members of Congress. So we will be hearing from the president 4:40 eastern time. We'll take it live.
Switching back to Casey Anthony, again, she was found guilty by 12 members of the jury, members we will not be hearing from. They're now speaking. Their names will not be released.
Again, not guilty, first-degree murder, not guilty, aggravated child abuse, not guilty, aggravated manslaughter. She was found guilty on four counts. These are misdemeanors -- providing false information to a law enforcement officer with regard to her toddler's disappearance and death.
I want to play you some sound and just remind you we are waiting for the state to speak, members of the prosecution to speak. That's why we have the bottom right hand corner of your screen, that box, as soon as we see them come and speak we will take it live.
But on the flipside, let's hear from the defense team. You had Jose Baez, you had Cheney Mason talking, not holding back, essentially eviscerating members of the media for convicting their client. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHENEY MASON, CASEY ANTHONY DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Well, I hope that this is a lesson to those of you who have indulged in media assassination for three years, biased and prejudiced and incompetent talking heads saying what would be and how it could be.
I am disgusted by some of the lawyers that have done this. And I can tell you that my colleagues from coast-to-coast and border to border have condemned the whole process of lawyers getting on television and talking about cases that they don't know a thing about and don't have the experience to back up their words or the law to do it. Now you learned a lesson.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: How about that. Sunny Hostin, you and I have been talking about this for weeks and weeks here. Sunny, you heard that coast-to-coast, border to border, saying members of the media have eviscerated Casey Anthony. What is your reaction to that? True?
HOSTIN: I think he's right to say that. You know, Brooke, I have been covering this for you for about a month. I have been covering in total probably a little over two years. I have been very surprised about the slant we have seen.
I tried to keep my comments and my coverage very, very neutral, because I always said this was a circumstantial case. This was never a slam dunk for the prosecution. There was never evidence. There was never anybody who was going to say "I saw Casey Anthony kill Caylee Anthony." There was never going to be anyone that was going to say "I saw Casey Anthony put duct tape over Caylee's, you know, face." There was no one that was going to say that.
And so I think when Americans and people all over the world really are so shocked at this verdict, they need to remember that in this country the burden of proof is beyond a reasonable doubt, and that burden of proof is only shouldered by the prosecutor. And I can say that because I am a former prosecutor and I know how very high that standard is.
And in this case it is very clear that the jury felt that that standard was not met. Not that the process was bastardized, not that the jury got it wrong, but that the jury listened to the law, and that is the prosecution had to prove this case beyond a reasonable doubt. And unfortunately, for the prosecution, they did not do that.
BALDWIN: So here is my question. It looks like here is some activity, and maybe members of the prosecution team about to speak. So we will just have to interrupt our conversation here if and when that happens.
But Sunny, here's my question -- if the jury ultimately decided that she was not guilty, let's say, of murder one, then are they saying little Caylee did in fact die of accidental drowning, or was she murdered, or will we not know until we hear from the jury? Let's just listen in.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Good afternoon.
It's loud, obviously, so I'm going to try to speak clearly. A little bit of housekeeping before we begin just to let you know how this is going to flow.
We have state Attorney Lawson Lamar who is going to make a few comments. He will be followed by Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings. After Sheriff Demings speaks, we will conclude the press.
This afternoon, I would like to remind you, is not an opportunity for independent interviews with the prosecution or with law enforcement or with investigative officials. So now I would like to introduce state attorney Lawson Lamar and Orange County Sheriff Demings.
LAWSON LAMAR, PROSECUTOR: I want to thank you all for this opportunity to speak. About 34 months ago, October of 2008, I stood in the courtyard behind us after the grand jury indicted Casey Anthony for the murder of her daughter, and I said that we would not discuss this case outside of the courtroom. And I am pleased to say that we have not until this time.
At that time I also said that the indictment was not a conviction and that the defendant is always cloaked with the presumption of innocence. I promised that we would do our talking in court. We did. For us, the case has never been about the defendant in particular. It has always been about seeking justice for Caylee and speaking on her behalf. Some have exploited the case for personal gain, to add revenues or 15 minutes of fame. And since day one we kept our promise that we would be focusing on finding and proving the truth about this child's homicide.
The pretrial publicity generated by others has led to the great expense of having to seek a jury outside of our media market. We have avoided making any statements that would feed the publicity and have only released what Florida public records law requires us to release. That is whatever documents we furnish in discovery.
So much of the angst and taxpayer expense could have been avoided if others had not succumbed to the temptation provided by quick notoriety. We think that justice is best served when council does not render public opinions on matters in litigation.
We have always tried to prevent the issuance of any statements that were not relevant and that all relevant statements be made in the courtroom.
There are a number of professional, dedicated, and talented people who persevered to bring this case to its conclusion. Linda Drane-Burdick led the team with great skill and energy. Jeff Ashton built a precision forensic case, and Frank George presented a series of complex witnesses. This trial team is world class and in command of the evidence. They did it skillfully and without histrionics.
I'd like to thank the jury for their contribution to justice. The task they were asked to complete was difficult, and this community owes them a debt of gratitude. Ours is a fact-driven process, and we have had a lot of help gathering the facts.
The lead agency in this case has been the Orange County Sheriff's Office. Sheriff Jerry Demings has led a great team, a team I shall forever be proud of, and I want to thank him very personally for the excellent work that he and his department have done in order to bring this case together. And at this time I would like to ask Sheriff Demings to make a few remarks.
SHERIFF JERRY DEMINGS, ORANGE COUNTY, FLORIDA: Good afternoon. It is my duty and privilege to stand before you this afternoon to make a few brief comments as we have now come to the close of the murder trial involving Casey Marie Anthony. I must acknowledge my investigative team who stands with me this afternoon.
As we just celebrated the Fourth of July, Independence Day, we celebrate the United States of America and what freedom means to each of us. We must remember that men and women have died in our armed forces and law enforcement to protect the rights of others like us who value freedom, independence, and life.
For three long years the citizens of Orange County have sought justice in the death of two-year-old Caylee Marie Anthony. On December 11th, 2008, Caylee's remains were discovered. The Orange County sheriff's office has been involved in the criminal investigation of her disappearance and death since July of 2008.
There have been numerous individuals and agencies that have assisted us during that investigation and prosecution case of Casey Marie Anthony. I must acknowledge a few of those individuals and agencies who have assisted us today.
There have been numerous volunteers who assisted in the search for Caylee. I must thank the Orlando police department, and the Orange County medical examiner and the Orange County corrections department, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the state's attorney office for the ninth judicial circuit here in Florida.
I must also thank personally state attorney Lawson Lamar and his team of prosecutors, especially attorneys Jeffrey Ashton and Linda Drane-Burdick, for the thorough, vigorous, and complete prosecution in this case.
I must also thank deputy sheriffs, detectives, forensics, and other support personnel who worked diligently to assemble the evidence to conclude this death investigation.
I could not be any more proud of the performance of my staff throughout both the investigation and the trial. They have admirably represented the Orange County sheriff's office and citizens of Orange County Florida throughout the process.
Now I must also recognize the support shown to the Orange County Sheriff's Office by both the community and the media throughout the proceedings. On behalf of the nearly 2,500 men and women of the Orange County Sheriff's Office, we thank you for your support.
As a verdict has been rendered, we ask our community to respect the decision the jury and court have made today. In doing so, we ask for your continued peaceful acknowledgment of that verdict.
Historically there have been other high-profile criminal prosecutions throughout our nation that resulted in civil disobedience. Please, I ask this community that regardless of one's personal beliefs about this innocence or guilt of Casey Marie Anthony, that you maintain your peaceful resolve.
I also ask that those who do not live in the Anthony's neighborhood there off Hope Springs Drive, to avoid that area. Deputy sheriffs will be patrolling throughout the county to ensure that order that order and peace is maintained again. I thank the honorable Lawson L. Lamar for his support, and I return - I turn it back over to him this afternoon.
LAMAR: Thank you, Sheriff.
We are grateful to the attorneys and staff who put this case on. All of you saw that Linda Drane-Burdick brought together a precision case. Jeff Ashton presented wonderful scientific evidence and rebutted a lot of scientific evidence with extreme skill. Frank George presented a series of complex witnesses, and we owe them a lot. Their staff backed them the whole way.
The Orange County grand jury of spring term, 2008, provided this indictment, and we thank them for their work. We have a world class medical examiners' office and staff here, and Dr. Jan Garivali (ph) did her usual wonderful work. And I want to personally reiterate thanks to Sheriff's personnel Juri (ph) Melic (ph), John (ph) Allen (ph), Eric (ph) Edwards (ph), the FBI. Their laboratory people did work that was not only relevant in each and every case, but excellent.
I want to thank Special Agent Nick Savage, Karen Callan (ph), and Paula Wolf, their general council. I want to thank Texas EquiSearch and the thousands of volunteers who searched for Marie -- Caylee Marie Anthony.
The Florida department of law enforcement, their laboratories did extremely fine work for all of us, the citizens. The Pinellas County State Attorney Bernie (ph) McCain (ph) and his staff helped up. Ourpath (ph) Boss (ph) of the Oakridge national laboratory did amazing work. We're proud of all of them.
And you need to realize that tomorrow my homicide teams will go back to work like they do every day in an attempt to find justice for the other approximately 140 pending murder cases in Orange County, 11 of which are children. Child murders regretfully and terribly are not rare in America today. And those deaths are not less horrible and needless than that suffered by Caylee Anthony. The only difference has been that the news has not highlighted their murders.
We do this business of seeking justice each and every day, protecting the innocent from criminals. That's what prosecutors do.
We're disappointed with the verdict today and surprised, because we know the facts, and we put in absolutely every piece of evidence that existed. Our team did an exemplary job. I'm proud of them and I stand by their work.
I never, ever criticize a jury. Theirs is the task of deciding what to believe. Reasonable doubt as to each and every element in a case, especially a case like this, which is a mosaic of proof with no smoking gun and a tiny victim who is reduced by time and the elements to skeletal remains, those remains lacking in any chemical evidence that could be brought forward. This is a dry bones case, very, very difficult to prove. The delay in recovering little Caylee's remains worked to our considerable disadvantage.
Our mountain of evidence did not eliminate in the jury's view every reasonable doubt. The investigators, the scientists and the prosecutors did their job. So did the jury. We do not criticize them. So did the defense. They did a good job.
We go back to work tomorrow to prosecute the 101,000 cases that come to us each year, the 140 pending murders and the 11 remaining child murders. We thank you for your attention. We thank you for the public for their attention to this case. And I would reiterate the request that the Sheriff Demings made for calm in the public despite what your personal views to guilt or innocence might be. The criminal system has worked. We did our job, the jury did their job. The court was extremely well-managed. And this is justice in America. We go forward to fight again tomorrow with great thanks to all the people that have helped us to do our duty.
This concludes the presentation. Thank you.
BALDWIN: And there you have it, Orange County state attorney Lamar Lawson speaking, saying the justice system worked. Certainly their team, the prosecution disappointed. They lost today.
Talking a lot about the delay in recovering little Caylee's remains. Remember, it was June 16, 2008 when little Caylee disappeared. It wasn't until July 15, it was 31 days later, when the beginning, when Cindy Anthony began demanded answers, where was her granddaughter? And so it was that delay in finding the remains ultimately later that December when they were able to get that evidence in and begin this entire case.
I do also want to make a point. We heard from the sheriff talking about peace, making sure it's peaceful tonight in Orlando. And I want to show these pictures and go to Martin Savidge, because he is in the thick of things, as many, many people not at all tied to this trial have been descending upon this courthouse. Martin Savidge was inside the courtroom.
Martin, I want to ask you about that moment when the jury handed down that verdict in a moment. But just set the scene for me. Where are you, and what has the reaction been?
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Brooke, we're standing outside the courthouse here. What they've essentially done is they cleared the front area of the courthouse. We could show you real quick here. Just take a look in that direction. Nobody there.
The reason for that is authorities have moved everybody away from the front of the courthouse. That's a no-go zone anymore for the public. And what they have essentially done is set up what they call these protest areas. It's really areas where the public can gather. If they want to talk to the media, that is the place to do it. So things have really been organized as far as authorities here. They were ready for whatever the verdict may be.
We're talking to a couple here that lives actually just down the street. So this is not only a story they know, it's a story that pretty much had to live. Let me get your name.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Chris.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ashley.
SAVIDGE: And last? UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mills.
SAVIDGE: So the two of you, let me first ask your reaction to the verdict, Chris?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was a bit shocked at first, to be quite honest. I had no idea what way it would go. And it was just kind of shocking.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I agree. We watched it at home and then came down here, and it was very shocking. Just a little disbelief. So mixed feelings about it.
SAVIDGE: Here's the question. So who killed Caylee? How did this happen.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That's a question only Casey knows and god, to be honest. We can't tell you. No one else can tell you for sure.
SAVIDGE: You know, Brooke, we had the opportunity -- we thought we were going to have the opportunity to talk to the jury members. There was supposed to be a news conference immediately after they rendered their verdict, and by the luck of draw, I had question number one, and labored so long on what question to ask. And of course, it all went for not. We do not get to talk directly to the jury. At least we don't get this opportunity now.
If you had that opportunity, though, what would you want to know?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I mean, I want to know what happened inside the deliberation room. I'm a big fan of the movie "12 Angry Men" with Henry Fonda, and I kind of want to know, was it something like that? Was it one person that kind of held their ground the whole time? Or was it several people that went one way? And who knows?
BALDWIN: Martin, I've got to cut you off. And I know so many people would have so many questions for the members, for the jurors. And I want to ask you questions about the moment inside the courtroom.
We have to get a break in. We'll be right back. Martin, stand by.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
