Casey Anthony, the 25-year-old Orlando, Fla., mother who was exonerated of the charges that she murdered her 2-year-old daughter, Caylee, walked out of the Orange County Jail at 12:11 a.m. this morning, July 17, as expected.
As she exited the doors, after saying “Thank you” to one of the guards, throngs of men, women and children, many of whom traveled from near and far and had pitched tents, ran up to the barricades shouting, “Killer! Killer!” “Boycott Casey!” and “Bad parenting!” Reporters and photographers allowed to be present in and near the jail gave differing accounts about Anthony’s demeanor. Everything from a smirk to stone-faced to scared and holding back tears was reported.
Dressed in a pink, V-neck Polo shirt and jeans with her hair pulled neatly in a bun, Anthony was flanked by her lead attorney, Jose Baez, a crew of special tactics officers in protective vests and carrying weapons and helicopters overhead. Anthony and Baez entered a gray SUV and rushed off in a caravan of other similar SUVs and police vehicles. Some speculated that the similarity in vehicles was intended to throw off the media and spectators. At some point, the vehicles went in different directions, leaving a question as to which car carried Anthony.
According to Jane Velez-Mitchell of HLN, one report had a gray SUV entering the garage of one of her attorneys where it is said that Anthony entered a different car that left for an interstate. A separate report had her being taken to an airport where she dashed to a waiting jet. Her whereabouts are anyone’s guess.
[UPDATE: News outlets are now reporting that Casey Anthony has been taken to Prescott, Ariz. It is unclear what her connections are in that city and state. She did, in fact, transfer cars in the office garage of one of her attorneys, Cheney Mason, before arriving in Arizona. It is unclear if she was taken to an airport or if she was transported by car to her destination.]
A black woman wearing a pink baseball cap and denim dress told a reporter that she was calling for everyone to boycott any company who intended to help Anthony to profit from the tragedy. She passionately said, “We will not just go away quietly into the night … no books, no movies, no Casey interviews, none of that.”
Nearly all of the people waiting for the release held signs with angry messages or in honor of Caylee. One woman showed Velez-Mitchell a sign she made where the glue came through on a photo of Caylee as red and in the shape of duct tape around her face, similar to how the child’s skull was found. A tree where her remains were found was struck by lightning just after they were located.
Vinnie Politan of CNN showed viewers a local news tabloid ad that read, “OJ: Orlando Justice.” One male observer told reporters that he was going to ask Anthony to marry him because “she’s attractive and likes to party.”
Velez-Mitchell reported that a source said that Baez was on the phone up until the release trying to work out media deals for Anthony. She said repeatedly that Baez orchestrated every aspect of the release in order to ensure that video footage and photographs would be available for future projects and to project an image of strength and courage.
Casey Anthony may be free, according to jail and court records, but will she ever truly be free? Although she has expressed an interest in a legal career of some sort, many wonder what type of job will she ever be able to hold in public. Velez-Mitchell said, “She may have to work on the phones until this dies down.” Anthony faces numerous civil lawsuits as a result of the case. Her trouble has just begun.
–arnell pharr
