Casey Anthony found not guilty of 1st degree murder

A flood of emotion came yesterday afternoon and early this morning after hearing the verdict in the Casey Anthony trial.

Anthony was acquitted on charges of first degree murder,  aggravated child abuse and aggravated manslaughter after her two-year-old daughter, Caylee Anthony, was found dead.The amount of time between her being reported missing and the actual discovery of her remains was six months — affecting what prosecutors could use. Not to mention the 31 days it took Casey Anthony to make that missing child report.

While her life was spared (she faced the death penalty if she’d been convicted of murder one), Anthony was found guilty on misdemeanor charges of giving false information to investigators and will more than likely face jail time for each count of lying.

Each charge of falsifying information resulted in a maximum penalty of $1,000 in fines and one year in jail. The judge granted Anthony three years of credit for time served (her initial indictment was October 14, 2008) and additional credit for good behavior. With these, Anthony will walk free on July 17, 2011.

The trial proceeded through the Fourth of July weekend. Closing arguments were made on July 2 and 3, the defense getting their chance first. The defense’s original argument was an accidental drowning in the pool outside the Anthony house. They even presented a picture of Caylee opening the sliding door herself. The prosecution stressed the state of Caylee’s remains and the numerous fabrications Casey came up with, including her employment at Universal Studios and the nanny she’d supposedly left Caylee with, “Zanny” (Zenaida Gonzalez).

After the not guilty verdict outcry among he general public was harsh. Many believed the jury made the wrong decision. Although evidence was brought to the attention of the judge and the jury, the evidence and information the jury receives is significantly less than the media does. It could be that the jury simply felt they didn’t have enough evidence in the right quantities to convict Anthony of murder one.

But that doesn’t mean people will accept the verdict or that we’ve heard the last of Casey Anthony. People still want justice for Caylee and there is speculation as to how Anthony will handle the backlash of angry citizens still after justice for Caylee. After her two-week stint behind bars, it’s up to Anthony and her family how they will protect themselves from those still calling for her life.

No matter which angle you look at this story, the one who truly lost out most was little Caylee Anthony.