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    Witness tampering alleged at Casey Anthony trial

    ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Authorities were looking into allegations of witness tampering during Casey Anthony's murder trial, a Florida sheriff said Tuesday during a wide-ranging news conference with his top investigators in what he said was an effort to bring closure to a case that polarized the country.

    Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings also revealed that prosecutors were considering perjury charges against Anthony's mother, but a spokeswoman for the state attorney's office later said they would not be pursued.

    Casey Anthony was acquitted a week ago on charges of killing her 2-year-old daughter Caylee in 2008. Anthony was found guilty on four charges of lying to law enforcement officers. She is to be released from jail Sunday.

    The sheriff held the news conference to defend his investigation and because his office had been besieged with interview requests since the verdict.

    "The ultimate goal ... is that our personnel can get back to work doing the business of the taxpayers and residents of Orange County," Demings said. "This is the only way that we can move forward."

    Demings wouldn't say who was accused of witness tampering, but it didn't involve Casey Anthony's mother, Cindy. She stunned prosecutors during the trial when she testified that she had done searches for chloroform on the family's computer. Prosecutors believed, along with sheriff's investigators, that Casey Anthony had performed the search as she plotted to kill Caylee.

    Later, testimony by two of Cindy Anthony's co-workers that the company's electronic records showed that she was logged into her work system for most of the day on both March 17 and March 21 when the chloroform searches were done.

    Cindy Anthony said she had performed the Internet searches for chloroform while looking up information on chlorophyll, a green pigment found in plants. Chloroform is a chemical that can be used as a sedative and is fatal to children in small doses.

    A co-worker said the system would not have recorded Cindy Anthony's presence if a person hadn't been actively using the work computer.

    The government presented evidence at trial that chloroform was found in Anthony's car trunk and insinuated that she could have used it to render Caylee unconscious.

    As for the alleged witness tampering, detective John Allen would only say the sheriff's office has interviewed some witnesses.

    "In regards to where we will go, it really depends on what information we get and what people come forward to provide additional information," Allen said.

    The investigators at the news conference sat at a table alongside a big picture of Caylee. The sheriff said it was a reminder of what his investigators were pursuing during the three-year case that dominated his resources.

    "This is what this was all about," Demings said. "It was about a missing child. That's what motivated our staff and our community."

    Demings said his office followed up on more than 600 tips and worked with more than 100 FBI agents. He said he is still in the process of working with his accounting department to total up substantial investigative costs. Prosecutors want Anthony to incur those costs because they said the lies she was convicted of telling investigators directly led to the expenditures.

    "Obviously those were resources that could have been put toward finding other missing children," Allen said.

    Texas Equusearch, the private group that conducted several searches for Caylee in 2008, filed a lawsuit against Anthony on Tuesday, seeking $15,000 for what it spent on searches. The lawsuit claimed Anthony made misrepresentations to the group's founder, causing extensive, costly and time-consuming searches for Caylee.

    Anthony's defense said Caylee accidentally drowned in the family pool and her father, a former police officer, helped cover it up. Anthony's partying and shopping during the month before her daughter was reported missing was caused in part by her father's sexual abuse, her attorneys said.

    George Anthony denied the claims in court, and investigators said Tuesday they were rebuffed by the defense team when they tried to interview her about the allegations.

    Allen and the case's lead detective, Yuri Melich, said they wouldn't do anything differently in the case, despite not winning a conviction.

    "Ultimately, it's up to the jury to decide," Melich said. "We respect that and honor that."

    The sheriff did acknowledge that finding Caylee's remains earlier could have built a stronger case. The remains were found by a meter reader in December 2008, six months after Caylee was reported missing. The meter reader initially called authorities as early as August about seeing what might have been a skull in the woods.

    Demings said the investigator called out after the meter reader's report no longer works at the sheriff's office, and he believed authorities correctly focused on Anthony.

    "I certainly don't have any doubt," Allen said. "... I think our work was solid."

     

    2,019 comments

    • Amanda Johnson  •  10 mths ago
      On the jailhouse tapes Cindy tells Casey that the newest theory in the media was that Caylee drowned in the pool..Caseys response to Cindy was suprise suprise...So that wasnt the theory from the jump...Thats a bunch of #$%$..
    • patty  •  10 mths ago
      I noticed that juror 3 has cleaned up her explanations a bit. Sounds like she has been listening to the talking heads. I would now discount anything that any of them have to say. Also noticing defense team doing interviews trying to rehabilitate their client for public consumption. Not buying that either. Some one named AL TAYLOR an independent producer from Ca now offering 1 million for an interview with this psychopath.
      • Karen 10 mths ago
        I noticed that too. She changed her story from the first interview to the second. But then when you have a 32 year old nursing student who has never been married, what do you expect? Cat lady?!?
    • Amy  •  10 mths ago
      This whole thing is so sad. I just want to go home now and kiss my kids. I don't know what I would do if anything ever happened to them!
    • Sinsonte  •  10 mths ago
      Some day,& some time in the future the person responsible for the death of this beautiful innocent child will meet eyeball to eyeball with an all knowing Creator, then lets see if the "beyond a reasnoble doubt" defense also works in much, much higher court. I suggest that they pack plenty suntan lotion.
    • Steve  •  10 mths ago
      Only in America can a person get convicted of selling pot and spend more time in prison than a child killer. I hope those 12 idiot jurors can honestly look a themselves in the mirror because on Sunday they will have let a murderer walk. I only hope that she makes ZERO on this crime and spends the rest of her life penniless.
    • Maryanne  •  10 mths ago
      In Memory of Caylee-----You were m sunshine that i gave my love. Now i'm an angel looking down from above. Not in a car trunk with tape on my face. I'm laughing and singing in a beautiful place. One day you'll see me when God calls for you. He will play a tape of just what I went through.I will be safe in His loving arms. I hope He has mercy for an angel you've harmed. written by Maryanne of Blacksburg, S. C.
      • A Yahoo! User 10 mths ago
        .there was no tape on Caylee's face. write another stupid poem
      • Karen 10 mths ago
        Actually there were 3 rows of duct tape on Caylee's face.
    • steven  •  10 mths ago
      I say send her to new york where "Ol Sparky" Is still being used, this woman does not deserve to live after what she did to her daughter, It is sad that our "Justice system" just let a murderer go free..
      • A Yahoo! User 10 mths ago
        stupid idiot
      • Jeep Thing 10 mths ago
        a jury of her peers did not think the evidence warrantied a conviction.. we may not like it but it is time to let it go, stop the threats, & move on.. this is why we have a justice system. without it crime would take over the country. ocassionally they have to do what they believe is right & the majority may not like it but that is our system. look at how many inoccent people have been freed lately with 10, 15, 20 years of their lives lost that they will never get back.. It is better to free one guilty person if there is doubt than to put inoccent people in jail.
      • Milissa 10 mths ago
        don't forget the 12 morons/ publicity wh*res who let her go
    • Jobell  •  10 mths ago
      I can't believe they didn't arrest Cindy Anthony for perjury! They should! They know she lied on the stand, it hurt the case and now they are going to do nothing? Pathetic
      • Michael D 10 mths ago
        Since you know she's lying, you can testify at her perjury trial!
    • rbtdude  •  10 mths ago
      12 jurors, wonder if they are having nightmares yet...lets hope so.
    • Tom  •  10 mths ago
      I think this jury has pretty much convinced me, that, Eric Holder needs to rethink his idea of putting "suspected terrorists" on trial in a civil court, to be judged, by jury of their "peers."
    • darknight  •  10 mths ago
      let it go......its over....you can't touch Casey now because of double jeopardy.
    • Josh R  •  10 mths ago
      Raise your hand if you have traces of chloroform in your trunk. Oh wait, no one has that unless they intend to do "something" bad to another person. I can't believe they let her go.
    • james  •  10 mths ago
      If Cindy was looking in to the dogs eating bamboo leaves she would have searched BAMBOO LEAVES! and DOG would have been in the search as well. I doubt she even knows what chlorophyl is. Who would look up that if concerned about your dog eating leaves?
    • Wendy Darling  •  10 mths ago
      Only a few more days until Casey Anthony walks free. What was that jury thinking??? (I guess they weren't!)
    • Room  •  10 mths ago
      Unfortunately, she was tried by a jury of her peers. Brain dead people who do not want justice, but to circumvent the law so they could benefit.

      By finding not guilty on all counts, they got to go home that day. If any of the felonies had been guilty, they would have been stuck in Orlando a few more days.

      If found guilty, like we all expected, their story would have been a sideline and worth $xxx. But going against the expectations, they are now the celebrities and their stories are worth $xxx,xxx.

      They fell victim to Baez. They believed to show murder, the prosecution had to show what the weapon was used, when it was done, exactly how it was done, and so on. Basically, they wanted a TV show complete with video flashbacks to see the crime take place. But legally, all they had to prove was means, motive, and opportunity. And they proved that.

      Now these Pinellas County jurors will be as hated as Casey Anthony herself.
    • RobertaC  •  10 mths ago
      The whole bunch of them should be drawn and quartered in downtown Orlando! Including the jurors! What a bunch of #$%$ our justice system is! I am so disgusted....O.J. #2...jeez!!!
    • Gary  •  10 mths ago
      Casey has 3 years of pent up demand for partying since she has been in jail. Watch out.
    • josie abbott  •  10 mths ago
      That's what I want to know. Why didn't the police follow up THE FIRST TIME after the meter reader called? Instead of many of these know nothing jerks who continue to blame the jury, even after the Medical Examiner COULD NOT determine the manner of death for little Caylee and therefore, legally could NOT find Casey guilty of murder, no one is placing at least the majority of the blame where it rightfully belongs---the police!!
    • Nick Montrose  •  10 mths ago
      Cindy and George flew to N.Y. over a year ago to negotiate a book deal. They sold pictures to the media over a year ago. The prosecution is throwing up a diversion to deflect their incompetence. Do you really think Casey Anthony could convince 12 rational people that she didn't do it, if she did ? NO ! George obviously lied. Cindy obviously lied. The investigators had more bogus, manufactured, evidence then you could shake a stick at. This truly ain't rocket science. The jury was honest and sincere. Why doesn't the media report on the people who are in prison that are INNOCENT ! Cause we all know they exist.
    • 54321  •  10 mths ago
      Our judicial system is a farce. Been through my own divorce and my elderly mother's divorce proceedings. It's just too much and the Court allows murderers to go free while the victims pay. In the case of Caylee, with her life. OMG!
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