A "Casey Anthony Watch," a few hundred spectators, and local and national news teams were on hand to watch as the 25-year-old recently acquitted woman walked out of the Orange County Jail that has been her residence for the nearly three years. According to WFTS ABC Action News in Tampa, Anthony left the jail at 12:09 a.m., accompanied by Jose Baez, her lawyer. Speculation has run wild as to where she would go upon release from jail since July 5, the day a Florida jury delivered a "not guilty" verdict in her first degree murder trial.
Anthony reportedly was driven to one of her attorney's offices. From there it is unknown where she went.
Before her release and in light of the many death threats issued against her, many believed she would go into hiding. The location where she would be staying has been a closely guarded secret. According to Bill Zwecker at the Chicago Sun Times, sources close to Anthony and her defense team said that Anthony will attempt to disappear for awhile, possibly wear disguises and change her name. It was also suggested that she undergo cosmetic surgery, but Anthony rejected that idea.
The outpouring of public rage at the verdict that Anthony was "not guilty" of murdering her 2-year-old daughter, Caylee Marie, may have necessitated Anthony remaining in hiding for some time. And since she doesn't have to be back in court until October, she most likely will stay in hiding until then -- and possibly afterward.
HLN's Jane Velez-Mitchell suggested that Anthony might go to Puerto Rico, which was quickly corroborated by contributor Aphrodite Jones, who noted that her lawyer, Jose Baez, owned a house there.
There are rumors that she might head to Los Angeles to capitalize on her infamy...
Rumors that Anthony jumped a plane for Ohio, the birth state of her parents (and home to an aunt and uncle), circulated throughout the day, but WFTS reported that airport officials said that the only people boarding a plane to Ohio were golfers returning after a vacation.
Still, the one place nobody believed Anthony had gone or would go was to her parents home outside Orlando. In fact, following the verdict, defense team adviser Cheney Mason said as much to Jean Caesarez of tru TV's "In Session" when asked where Anthony would go once freed from jail. "He told me it would not, with all seriousness, be back to her family home."
Of course, that was to be expected, given the defense Anthony and her team used during trial, stating in opening arguments that the Caylee drowned in her grandparents' backyard pool and that George Anthony, Casey's father, had been the person supposedly in charge of watching the 2-year-old. According to the defense's story, George immediately blamed Casey for the tragedy. The two then panicked and tried to cover up the death of the child.
Those statements weren't as shocking as the reasoning the defense presented for the web of lies Casey spun for Orange County investigators after finally -- after 31 days -- and admitting that her daughter was missing. Baez told the jury that her propensity to lie was due to the emotional and psychological damage suffered from a lifetime of abuse from her family -- in addition to the sexual abuse she endured at the hands of her father from the age of 8.
It is believed that the opening arguments were a complete shock to both George and Cindy Anthony, who have, through their lawyer, issued statements that the defense's arguments were baseless. George Anthony also testified under oath that he had never abused his daughter in any way, nor had he any knowledge of the death of his granddaughter.
It is unknown if Casey Anthony is welcome at her parents home.
At present, it is also unknown where Casey Anthony actually might be.
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