Casey Anthony: Judgment Day

Summary

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48 Hours: "Casey Anthony: Judgment Day"

CBS News | Released July 22, 2026

Episode Overview

This gripping episode revisits the infamous Casey Anthony case, delving deeply into one of the most polarizing murder trials in American history. The show dissects the narrative from the day two-year-old Caylee Anthony was first reported missing to the contentious verdict that acquitted Casey Anthony of her murder. Through courtroom drama, emotional family testimony, and fierce clashes between prosecution and defense, "Judgment Day" exposes the complexities of justice, media spectacle, and a family shattered by tragedy.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Dramatic Verdict and Its Immediate Fallout

• The episode opens and closes with the stunning announcement of Casey Anthony’s acquittal on first-degree murder, manslaughter, and child abuse charges, drawing immediate parallels to other notorious verdicts—“It’s like O.J. all over again.” (Defense Attorney Jose Baez, 00:44)
• The public’s shock and disbelief is palpable, with all parties—media, courtroom attendees, and commentators—grappling with the verdict’s implications.
  • “Absolutely shocked.” (Legal Analyst/Commentator, 00:47)
  • “They totally got it wrong.” (Prosecutor Jeff Ashton, 00:48)

2. The Anatomy of a Family Torn Apart

• The tragedy’s ripple effect on the Anthony family is a powerful through-line.
  • “This whole family has been on trial almost from the inception of this case.” (Defense Attorney Jose Baez, 28:32)
• Key family members—George, Cindy, and Lee Anthony—repeatedly take the stand, reliving painful and personal memories amid national scrutiny (28:03–32:32).
• Sensational allegations of sexual abuse and infidelity are introduced by the defense as possible explanations for Casey’s behavior and the family dynamic (08:12, 29:01).

3. Conflicting Narratives: Murder or Tragic Accident?

• The prosecution, led notably by Jeff Ashton, paints Casey as the only plausible perpetrator:
  • “No one else could have murdered little Kaylee other than her mother.” (Prosecutor Jeff Ashton, 11:47)
• The defense insists Caylee drowned in the family pool, and the event snowballed into a cover-up due to family dysfunction and prior abuse (08:02, 09:34).
  • “This is not a murder case. This is a sad, tragic accident.” (Defense Attorney Jose Baez, 19:19)

4. The Forensic Evidence: Science vs. Spectacle

• Key disputed evidence includes:
  • The smell of decomposition in Casey’s trunk (12:21, 12:43).
  • High levels of chloroform—prosecutors claim murder, while defense dismisses it as commonplace (13:02, 13:41).
  • “It’s junk science and it’s never been tested.” (Defense Attorney Jose Baez, 02:15)
  • A single hair with ‘decomposition banding’—its meaning fiercely challenged (14:59, 15:14)
• The most contested piece: duct tape found with Caylee’s remains. Prosecutors argue it was used to murder; the defense claims it could have been attached later, post-decomposition (17:08–18:19).
  • “There is no child that should have duct tape on its face when it dies.” (Prosecutor Jeff Ashton, 17:08)

5. Casey Anthony’s Behavior Under Fire

• Forensic psychologist Louis Schlesinger evaluates Casey:
  • “I see somebody who is immature, egocentric, narcissistic, and very, very shallow. Her partying and carrying on after Kaylee died, that is devastating behavior.” (20:17)
• Casey’s actions—partying, entering a “hot body contest,” and getting a “Bella Vita” tattoo in the month after Caylee’s disappearance—are scrutinized to suggest guilt (22:13–22:57).
• Her compulsive lying—about a nanny, her job, and Caylee’s whereabouts—presented both as evidence of guilt and as a product of a dysfunctional upbringing (23:36–25:42).

6. The Influence of Media and the Public

• The trial is portrayed as a modern media circus, with public obsession and courtroom seats turning into prized tickets (36:11–37:23).
  • “As the media invaded Orlando for four hours today, prosecutors continued to and defense claiming that George Anthony was and it was the hottest ticket in town.” (36:13)
• Jurors declined all media interviews after the verdict, fueling further speculation and debate (38:45).

7. Aftermath and Unanswered Questions

• Casey Anthony is released after being convicted only of four misdemeanors—primarily for lying to investigators—and serves little additional time (41:29).
• The fate of the Anthony family remains uncertain, fractures exposed, relationships likely irreparably changed (39:49).
• The episode closes on the enduring mystery:
  • “Do you think we'll ever know the truth, Dante?” (Narrator/Host, 40:36)
  • “There’s only two people that know the truth, and I don’t think either one of them are going to speak.” (Defense Attorney Jose Baez, 40:45)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Quote | Speaker | |-----------|-------|---------| | 00:44 | “It's like O.J.” | Defense Attorney Jose Baez | | 02:01 | “It's better than any soap opera. The problem is it's real.” | Legal Analyst/Commentator | | 08:02 | “She never was missing. Kaylee Anthony died on June 16, 2008, when she drowned in her family's swimming pool.” | Defense Team (Linda Kenney Bodden) | | 13:09 | “Chloroform is one of the chemicals produced when a body decomposes.” | Narrator/Host | | 15:10 | “That one hair is still something that you cannot say came from a dead person.” | Defense Team (Linda Kenney Bodden) | | 17:08 | “There is no child that should have duct tape on its face when it dies.” | Prosecutor Jeff Ashton | | 20:17 | “I see somebody who is immature, egocentric, narcissistic, and very, very shallow.” | Psychologist Louis Schlesinger | | 22:57 | “She got a tattoo that read Bella Vita, Italian for beautiful life.” | Narrator/Host | | 25:42 | “She was in some environment that lying was acceptable, that she was taught to lie, that she lied with impunity, and that it also shows that something is obviously wrong with her.” | Legal Analyst/Commentator | | 28:32 | “This whole family has been on trial almost from the inception of this case.” | Defense Attorney Jose Baez | | 36:13 | “As the media invaded Orlando... it was the hottest ticket in town.” | Narrator/Host | | 38:05 | “As to the charge of first degree murder. As to count one, we the jury find the defendant not guilty.” | Prosecutor Jeff Ashton | | 40:45 | “There’s only two people that know the truth, and I don’t think either one of them are going to speak.” | Defense Attorney Jose Baez |

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Timeline of Important Segments

• Opening & Not-Guilty Verdict: 00:24–01:00
  First-degree murder acquittal; reactions mirror O.J. trial

• The Genesis of the Case: 01:02–05:13
  Disappearance, discovery of remains, and the family in crisis

• Courtroom Showdown Begins: 06:04–11:10
  Prosecutors outline murder theory; defense posits accidental drowning and abuse

• Battle of the Sciences: 11:42–15:41
  Smell in the trunk, hair analysis, and “junk science” debate

• Crime Scene Details: 16:01–18:19
  Discovery of Kaylee’s body, presentation of duct tape evidence

• Casey’s Actions Scrutinized: 19:44–23:27
  Her behavior during and after Caylee’s disappearance

• Lies and Family Dysfunction: 23:27–26:41
  Testimony about Casey’s fabrications and possible psychological rationale

• The Anthony Family on Trial: 28:03–34:43
  Painful family testimony and courtroom drama

• Computer Searches and Premeditation: 33:25–34:56
  Debates over incriminating online searches

• Courtroom as Media Circus: 36:00–38:39
  The public fascination and real-time reactions

• Aftermath and Enduring Mystery: 39:12–41:45
  What’s next for Casey and her family; enduring questions

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Conclusion

“Casey Anthony: Judgment Day” is a profound, unsettling journey through the trial that mesmerized a nation. With riveting testimony and insightful analysis, 48 Hours invites listeners to weigh not just the forensic and circumstantial evidence, but to recognize the immense emotional upheaval at the case’s heart. The enduring uncertainty—how did Kaylee die? Why did Casey behave as she did?—ensures that this case, and its mysteries, will not soon fade from public memory.

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Transcript

[Narrator/Host]

Queen Carvania stood haloed by the morning sun. An army hung on her every word.

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

My champions, I have sold my chariot on Carvana. Twas a lovely suv, an inexplicably queenly offer. They're even coming to the castle to collect it.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

Tonight we feast.

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

An offer you can feast on. Sell your car today on Carvana. Pick up fees may apply. State of Florida vs Casey Marie Anthony. As to the charge of first degree murder, we the jury find the defendant. Not guilty.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

It's like O.J.

[Narrator/Host]

all over again.

[Legal Analyst/Commentator]

Absolutely shocked.

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

They totally got it wrong.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

I cannot believe the verdict today.

[Casey Anthony's Defense Team Member (possibly Linda Kenney Bodden)]

You cannot convict someone until they've had their day in court.

[Narrator/Host]

It began three years ago with a mystery.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

My daughter's been missing for the last 31 days.

[Narrator/Host]

That turned into an unthinkable crime.

[Casey Anthony's Defense Team Member (possibly Linda Kenney Bodden)]

This morning, a bag of bones was found. A skull detached. They believe it to be the body of Kaylee Anthony.

[Narrator/Host]

A community outrage.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

She's a criminal.

[Narrator/Host]

A family torn apart.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

What we've been through.

[Legal Analyst/Commentator]

Shut up.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

Shut up.

[Narrator/Host]

Has been hell and a nation.

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

A horrific discovery.

[Narrator/Host]

Two year old Kaylee Anthony focused on one woman.

[Casey Anthony's Defense Team Member (possibly Linda Kenney Bodden)]

People hate her.

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

She's been portrayed as an evil person.

[Narrator/Host]

Tonight, on a special edition of 48 hours, we will take you inside one of the most dramatic murder trials in recent memory.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

Is the state ready?

[Narrator/Host]

Is the defense ready?

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

Casey Anthony is guilty of murder in the first degree.

[Casey Anthony's Defense Team Member (possibly Linda Kenney Bodden)]

This is not a murder case. This is a sad, tragic accident.

[Legal Analyst/Commentator]

It's better than any soap opera. The problem is it's real.

[Narrator/Host]

91 witnesses, 30 days of testimony.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

You're looking at a human skull.

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

It has a darkened band at the portion of the hair.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

The chloroform was shockingly hot. It's junk science and it's never been tested.

[Narrator/Host]

Stunning revelations.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

There was a dead body in the back of Casey Anthony's car.

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

Smelled like something had died in the car.

[Casey Anthony's Defense Team Member (possibly Linda Kenney Bodden)]

She threw the garbage in the trunk of her car. That's where the smell comes from.

[Narrator/Host]

And a family accused.

[Casey Anthony's Defense Team Member (possibly Linda Kenney Bodden)]

Casey was 8 years old and her father came into her room and began to touch her inappropriately.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

This whole family has been on trial. Have you ever sexually molested your daughter? No, sir.

[Narrator/Host]

Disturbing evidence.

[Casey Anthony's Defense Team Member (possibly Linda Kenney Bodden)]

The pelvis and the lower legs more

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

than likely was dragged to this area.

[Casey Anthony's Defense Team Member (possibly Linda Kenney Bodden)]

It's a fantasy of forensics is what it is.

[Narrator/Host]

And even more disturbing behavior.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

Did the defendant participate in the hot body?

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

Yes, sir.

[Legal Analyst/Commentator]

I think the most difficult part of this case is obviously Casey Anthony's behavior.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

There is no evidence linking her to anything to do with the death of this Child, period.

[Narrator/Host]

Three years of questions.

[Casey Anthony's Defense Team Member (possibly Linda Kenney Bodden)]

Kayce did not murder Kaylee. It's that simple.

[Narrator/Host]

Finally, a shocking verdict.

[Casey Anthony's Defense Team Member (possibly Linda Kenney Bodden)]

My daughter will ask me, what did you do today? And I can say, I saved a life.

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

Not guilty. So say we all.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

Madam Clerk, you may publish the verdicts.

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

State of Florida versus Casey Marie Anthony.

[Narrator/Host]

Today's verdict was not what most of the impassioned observers outside the Orlando courthouse were expecting.

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

We the jury find the defendant not guilty.

[Narrator/Host]

Casey Anthony was acquitted of murder.

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

Like an O.J. you know, case like. It's just ridiculous. Did the jury find the defendant not guilty?

[Narrator/Host]

Acquitted of manslaughter. Acquitted of child abuse.

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

This is crazy.

[Narrator/Host]

She was convicted only of four misdemeanors, all of them about lying to investigators.

[Legal Analyst/Commentator]

I think she probably needs to hide

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

because a lot of people are very angry.

[Narrator/Host]

Minutes after Casey's fate was read aloud, the man in charge of her case who sat beside her for the past six weeks, spoke out.

[Casey Anthony's Defense Team Member (possibly Linda Kenney Bodden)]

Casey did not murder Kaylee. Our system of justice has not dishonored her memory by a false conviction.

[Narrator/Host]

It's been three long years since attorney Jose Baez began fighting an uphill battle to save his most notorious client.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

Here comes Casey Anthony

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

Campbe.

[Casey Anthony's Defense Team Member (possibly Linda Kenney Bodden)]

I admire her greatly. I think she has courage, strength, intelligence.

[Narrator/Host]

The Orlando, Florida woman first became a national obsession in July 2008 when she claimed that her two and a half year old daughter Kaylee had been kidnapped a month earlier. But she didn't report it. While her daughter was supposedly missing, Casey partied and told her family and friends that Kaley was with a nanny. That October, Casey was charged with murder. Two months later, Kaylee's skeletal remains were found not far from the family home.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

Baby.

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

Keeley.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

Baby.

[Narrator/Host]

After years of damaging pretrial publicity, Baez was practically the only person left defending her.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

What can you tell me? Get away.

[Casey Anthony's Defense Team Member (possibly Linda Kenney Bodden)]

Get away. You can only use flattering terms to describe the true Casey Anthony.

[Narrator/Host]

The drama moved to the courtroom in May. Looking 25 year old defendant finally faced a jury.

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

This isn't just a case about Casey Marie Anthony. It's a story about Kaylee Anthony as well.

[Narrator/Host]

Prosecutor Linda Drain Burdick argued that Casey killed Kaylee and then concocted elaborate lies to conceal it.

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

No one else lied to their friends, to their family, to investigators. No one else benefited from the death of Kaylee Marie.

[Narrator/Host]

The stakes were high. If convicted, Casey Anthony possibly faced the death penalty. A harsh reality that undoubtedly weighed heavily on her parents, George and Cindy, as they listened to the prosecutor's opening statement.

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

Casey Anthony appeared to be what her Parents thought she was a loving mother working hard to provide support for her daughter.

[Narrator/Host]

George and Cindy were key to this highly circumstantial case.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

They're good.

[Narrator/Host]

Kaci was 19 and still living with them when Kaylee was born. She and her child never moved out.

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

I saw her with Kaylee

[Legal Analyst/Commentator]

every day,

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

and I saw the type of mother she is, and she's less like me. And I could never harm a hair on any of my children's head.

[Narrator/Host]

In this 2009 interview, the Anthony's told 48 Hours that Casey left the house with Kaylee in June 2008 and unexpectedly did not come back home.

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

I think it was a couple weeks into it when I started really pushing to talk to Kaylee because, you know, I really missed her.

[Narrator/Host]

In his opening argument, attorney Baez said Casey had a reason to lie about Caylee's whereabouts. And for the first time in public, he revealed it.

[Casey Anthony's Defense Team Member (possibly Linda Kenney Bodden)]

She never was missing. Kaylee Anthony died on June 16, 2008, when she drowned in her family's swimming pool.

[Narrator/Host]

That awful event, he said, overwhelmed this deeply disturbed young mother, a woman who had learned to keep secrets because she had been sexually abused by her own father from an early age.

[Casey Anthony's Defense Team Member (possibly Linda Kenney Bodden)]

It all began when Casey was 8 years old and her father came into her room and began to touch her inappropriately. And it escalated, and it escalated.

[Narrator/Host]

Jose Baez's opening statement.

[Legal Analyst/Commentator]

Wow.

[Narrator/Host]

Was stunning.

[Legal Analyst/Commentator]

Wow.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

Wow. Wow, wow.

[Narrator/Host]

Linda Kenny Baden was once a member of Casey's defense team. It turned the case on its head.

[Legal Analyst/Commentator]

It turned the case upside down. What the reason was as to why somebody would not report her beautiful daughter missing.

[Narrator/Host]

Baez accused George Anthony of being the real villain case. A brutal man who intimidated his daughter for years. Baez told jurors that George found Kaylee in the pool that day, and then Casey found him holding the body of her lifeless child.

[Casey Anthony's Defense Team Member (possibly Linda Kenney Bodden)]

She immediately grabbed Kaylee and began to cry and cry and cry. And shortly thereafter, George began to yell at her. Look what you've done. Your mother will never forgive you, and you will go to jail for child neglect for the rest of your fricking life.

[Narrator/Host]

Baez contended that Kaylee's accidental death became one more ugly family secret. A secret just like George's alleged sexual abuse.

[Casey Anthony's Defense Team Member (possibly Linda Kenney Bodden)]

Casey was raised to lie. She could be 13 years old, have her father's penis in her mouth, and then go to school and play with the other kids as if nothing ever happened.

[Narrator/Host]

Throughout Baez's accusations, George Anthony remained stoic. Later on the stand, he would unequivocally Deny the allegations against him. Certainly the opening statement put pressure on the defense to prove the allegations it made against George.

[Legal Analyst/Commentator]

Yeah, but the defense doesn't have to prove those allegations. They have to give a hint to the allegations.

[Casey Anthony's Defense Team Member (possibly Linda Kenney Bodden)]

This is not a murder case. This is not a manslaughter case. This is a sad, tragic accident.

[Narrator/Host]

The state insisted homicide. This was no accident. And the physical evidence proves it.

[Casey Anthony's Defense Team Member (possibly Linda Kenney Bodden)]

The state reaches that level of desperation.

[Narrator/Host]

But by his promise, he would discredit the state's forensic experts, police, investigators, and even Roy Kronk, the man who found Caylee's remains.

[Casey Anthony's Defense Team Member (possibly Linda Kenney Bodden)]

What did Kronk do with her? Why did he place her there that way? And can you trust anything this man has to say? I would tell you you can't.

[Narrator/Host]

After nearly three years of relentless publicity, damaging evidence, and scandalous photos, is Casey okay? The defense was now on a mission to show that Casey Anthony wasn't the person everyone thought she was after all.

[Legal Analyst/Commentator]

I think the public still hates Casey Anthony. But I think the public also knows that they haven't been given the whole truth.

[Narrator/Host]

What happened to Kaylee? It was the question in the trial of Casey Anthony. A question the prosecution team was convinced the physical evidence would answer.

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

The evidence is overwhelming.

[Narrator/Host]

Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi.

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

I think when you add the evidence up piece by piece, no one else could have murdered little Kaylee other than her mother. From the evidence that you will hear in this case, there is no other conclusion.

[Narrator/Host]

One of the first pieces was also one of the most controversial. A foul smell which the State claimed was a clear indication of foul play.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

There's something wrong. I found my daughter's car today, and it smells like there's been a dead body in a damn cart.

[Narrator/Host]

Casey's car, which had been abandoned sometime after Kaylee went missing, left an impression on everyone who came in contact with it.

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

George Anthony goes to retrieve the car. And as they approach the vehicle, an overwhelming smell is emanating from it. And it's coming from the trunk.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

It was an odor that could take your breath away.

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

I said it smelled like something had died in the car.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

It was very potent. It was eye opening.

[Narrator/Host]

When investigators tested the air in the trunk, they discovered discovered the presence of chloroform.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

The chloroform was shockingly high. Unusually high.

[Narrator/Host]

Chloroform is one of the chemicals produced when a body decomposes.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

Do you have an opinion as to whether there was a decomposing human body in the trunk of that car at some point?

[Narrator/Host]

I can find no other plausible explanation.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

Other than that, to explain all the

[Narrator/Host]

results, we found also found in the car's trunk, a hair possibly belonging to Kaylee.

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

It has a darkened band at the root portion of the hair, and this is consistent with apparent decomposition.

[Narrator/Host]

For prosecutor Jeff Ashton, all the expert testimony added up to one conclusion, that

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

there was a dead body in the back of Casey Anthony's car.

[Narrator/Host]

But Casey Anthony's defense team came to a very different conclusion. Defense attorney Chinny Mason.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

There is no evidence linking her to anything to do with the death of this child. Period.

[Narrator/Host]

Former member of Casey Anthony's defense team, Linda Kenny. Bottom.

[Legal Analyst/Commentator]

The prosecution had to go to novel, unvalidated science to try to get a death penalty. It's the kind of science that if you went into a hospital, would never be used because it would not be considered legitimate.

[Casey Anthony's Defense Team Member (possibly Linda Kenney Bodden)]

I want to talk about the forensics and what isn't necessarily science, but more like science fiction. And you'll see that throughout the course of this trial as the state reaches that level of desperation

[Narrator/Host]

in presenting his case.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

All right, let's return to jury.

[Narrator/Host]

Defense attorney Jose Baez questioned the analysis of the evidence and in some cases, the evidence itself.

[Casey Anthony's Defense Team Member (possibly Linda Kenney Bodden)]

It's a fantasy of forensics is what it is.

[Narrator/Host]

The smell.

[Casey Anthony's Defense Team Member (possibly Linda Kenney Bodden)]

She threw the garbage in the trunk of her car. She forgot to throw out the trash. That's where the smell comes from.

[Narrator/Host]

The hair supposedly confirming Kelly's death.

[Casey Anthony's Defense Team Member (possibly Linda Kenney Bodden)]

That one hair is still something that you cannot say came from a dead person.

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

I can't say absolutely that that's the reason the characteristics are present. Correct.

[Legal Analyst/Commentator]

Hair banding is novel science. It's hardly ever been used.

[Narrator/Host]

The analysis of the air in Casey's car was especially dubious. According to the defense, there's not a

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

sufficiently reliable scientific method to be able to identify the presence or absence of human remains.

[Casey Anthony's Defense Team Member (possibly Linda Kenney Bodden)]

Where can you find chloroform?

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

Pretty much everywhere. It's a very common chemical in very low quantities.

[Narrator/Host]

But there was one piece of evidence that seemed impossible to dispute.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

In Orange County Utilities Emergency dispatch. We found a human skull. Oh, my gosh.

[Narrator/Host]

Found in the woods just blocks from her home. The skeleton of Kaylee Anthony.

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

Examination of that scene revealed that the body of Kaylee Marie Anthony had been wrapped in a Winnie the Pooh blanket, stuffed into multiple garbage bags, shoved into a laundry bag, and thrown into a littered swamp like she was just another piece of trash.

[Narrator/Host]

The details of the crime scene shocked the entire courtroom.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

You're looking at a human skull

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

that it's tossed in a field to rot in bags,

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

being dragged away by some an animal or animals. The trunk of the body with the

[Casey Anthony's Defense Team Member (possibly Linda Kenney Bodden)]

pelvis and the lower legs more than

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

likely was dragged to this area.

[Narrator/Host]

But most shocking of all, a strip of duct tape found loosely attached to the skull.

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

I believe that is some of the most damaging evidence. There is no child that should have duct tape on its face when it dies. There is no reason to put duct tape on the face after they die. Based on our experience, we've seen that

[Legal Analyst/Commentator]

in cases of homicide.

[Narrator/Host]

The prosecution claimed the duct tape was used to suffocate Kaylee.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

Would the single piece of tape, if applied in the position shown on the video, been sufficient to have covered the nose and mouth and made breathing impossible? Yes.

[Narrator/Host]

But because neither Casey's or Caylee's DNA was found on the duct tape, if

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

this were the duct tape was attached

[Casey Anthony's Defense Team Member (possibly Linda Kenney Bodden)]

to to the face, there would have

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

been DNA from the face on the duct tape.

[Narrator/Host]

The defense countered with another theory.

[Casey Anthony's Defense Team Member (possibly Linda Kenney Bodden)]

I think that the duct tape was a later, later event.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

After decomposition.

[Casey Anthony's Defense Team Member (possibly Linda Kenney Bodden)]

After decomposition, this duct tape was perhaps

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

placed there to hold the large jaw in place.

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

Sahaka?

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

Yes.

[Narrator/Host]

And the defense questioned the motives of Roy Kronk.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

That was a very horrific thing for me to find.

[Narrator/Host]

Obviously, the meter reader who first discovered the skull.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

You were joking, you say, about finding this body? No, we were joking about the money, sir. I never joked about finding the body, sir. That's not what I said.

[Narrator/Host]

Did his testimony bother you or.

[Legal Analyst/Commentator]

Well, it's clear that he somehow moved the physical evidence.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

Your testimony that you put that stick in the eye socket of this skull and lifted it up to be sure what it was? Yes, sir. I apologize for doing so. But like I said, I did not know what it was. And then you put it back. Yes, sir.

[Narrator/Host]

But there was one theory the defense didn't address. Its own. The defense has not yet presented any evidence that Kaylee drowned.

[Legal Analyst/Commentator]

The defense doesn't have to prove its case. All they have to do is raise a reasonable doubt. By showing there was a possibility that she drowned

[Narrator/Host]

after a parade of forensic experts testified neither side could definitively explain exactly how Kaylee died. But the jury would have other evidence to consider in reaching their verdict. The behavior of Casey Anthony.

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

And it's what she did in the month after little Kaylee went missing. That, again, is the most compelling evidence of all.

[Narrator/Host]

Would she or wouldn't she? After weeks of speculation as to whether Casey Anthony would tell her own story,

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

is it your decision not to testify?

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

Yes, sir.

[Narrator/Host]

While Casey never took the stand, the jury did see her reactions to the drama playing out in court, forensic psychologist Louis Schlesinger observing her through not only in court, but her behavior prior to the homicide and following it. I see somebody who is immature, egocentric, narcissistic, and very, very shallow. Her partying and carrying on after Kaylee died, that is devastating behavior. The Last documented time two and a half year old Kaylee was seen was in this video. June 15, 2008. A day she spent with her grandmother, Cindy.

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

Finish your song. Oh, it was amazing. It was a great day.

[Narrator/Host]

After Casey left her parents home with Kaylee the next day, no one saw the toddler again. That night, Casey moved in with her new boyfriend, Anthony Lazzaro, alone.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

Did you notice any difference in Casey Anthony's demeanor?

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

No.

[Casey Anthony's Defense Team Member (possibly Linda Kenney Bodden)]

No, sir.

[Narrator/Host]

Prosecutor Frank George asked Lazzaro about that night together.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

During this time frame, did she ever tell you that her child was missing? No, sir.

[Narrator/Host]

A security camera captured Lazaro with his arm around Casey at a Blockbuster video store that night, June 16th.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

How would you describe her demeanor? The way she was every day. Which was?

[Casey Anthony's Defense Team Member (possibly Linda Kenney Bodden)]

Happy.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

Happy to see me having a grand old time. At any time that you saw her that night, did she ever cry?

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

No.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

Did she ever act scared? Nope. Did you ever act nervous? No.

[Narrator/Host]

Most notoriously, for the next month, Casey spent many nights out with friends, partying.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

Did you witness the hot body contest?

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

Yes, sir.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

Did the defendant participate in the hot body contest?

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

Yes, sir.

[Narrator/Host]

Prosecutors called to the stand a parade of Casey's friends and acquaintances to testify about those nights.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

Did she ever tell you that her daughter was missing?

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

No.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

Kidnapped? No, sir. That she was upset?

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

No.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

Or sad?

[Narrator/Host]

No.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

Did you ever notice anything wrong with her demeanor?

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

No.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

Was there anything when she told you where Kaylee was that made you worried? No, sir.

[Narrator/Host]

Casey didn't appear to be worried either. Two weeks after Kelly went missing, she got a tattoo that read Bella Vita, Italian for beautiful life. Trial consultant Richard Gabriel worked with Casey's defense and helped pick the jury.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

Just because her behavior is so different than what we expect, that obviously was a huge challenge for the defense. In trying to explain what was going on.

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

I asked her where Kaylee was.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

And what did she tell you?

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

She told me that she was spending the weekend at the beach with the nanny.

[Narrator/Host]

Jurors also heard testimony about Casey's lies. Most disturbingly, she told everyone, including her mother, that Kaylee was safe with a nanny named Zanny.

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

I heard that she just was a beautiful person on the inside as well as the outside and had a great smile.

[Narrator/Host]

Casey told elaborate stories about the fictitious

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

Zanny she said, mom. Zanny's mother is very ill and she's not able to leave.

[Narrator/Host]

And about where Kaylee was, Were you

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

asking to speak to Kaylee on the phone? There was always a reason that Casey wasn't with Kaylee. Listen, I'm in front of the cameras all the time. What message do you want me to give to Zanny that she needs to return? Kaylee, this Zanny individual, did you ever find her? No.

[Narrator/Host]

The nanny wasn't Kayce's only lie. She also told her family and police that she worked at Universal Studios. But when Detective Yuri Melish went there

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

with her, she turns left, starts walking down this hallway, and about halfway down the hallway, she stops, turns, looks at us and says, I don't work here. Enters the building with absolute confidence.

[Narrator/Host]

Prosecutor Jeff Ashton pointed to that moment in his closing argument, turns around, puts

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

her hands in her pockets, and says, okay, I don't work here. Casey Anthony maintains her lies until they absolutely cannot be maintained anymore.

[Narrator/Host]

Casey told so many obvious lies that her defense lawyer, Jose Baez, had no choice but to acknowledge them.

[Casey Anthony's Defense Team Member (possibly Linda Kenney Bodden)]

Now, I told you in the beginning of this case that Casey reacts the way she does and lies because of the environment she was brought up in, the dysfunctional family, the secrets and the lies.

[Legal Analyst/Commentator]

She was in some environment that lying was acceptable, that she was taught to lie, that she lied with impunity, and that it also shows that something is obviously wrong with her.

[Narrator/Host]

Just last week, Linda Kenney Bodden, the former member of Casey's defense team, said this was a strategy used to help Casey avoid the death penalty.

[Legal Analyst/Commentator]

And if you're trying a death penalty case, what you want to do through the guilt phase of the case is to show that your client has some kind of mental issue. You're planting the seed.

[Narrator/Host]

The defense team never expected her to walk out of that courthouse a free woman.

[Legal Analyst/Commentator]

I think the defense team would be happy as long as she doesn't get the death penalty.

[Narrator/Host]

And she didn't.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

She was portrayed as an uncaring mother. And. And quite frankly, I'm not sure it's actually that important for a jury. And so as a result, the jury may have decided to have just said, look, let's look at what we can know solidly from the forensic evidence or from what is lacking in the forensic evidence, as opposed to speculation or guesswork or some soap opera view of who Casey Anthony is.

[Legal Analyst/Commentator]

I think the most difficult part of this case is obviously Casey see Anthony's behavior, and you really have to get into that family dynamic. And until somebody does and until somebody tells us what occurred in that family dynamic on June 16, 2008, this case is always going to be a mystery.

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

Sometimes it feels like the news is

[Legal Analyst/Commentator]

full of things that have never happened before. And that is not exactly true. In fact, it may have happened this very week, hundreds or thousands of years ago. I'm Sally Helm, host of the podcast History this Week from the History Channel.

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

Trade embargoes.

[Legal Analyst/Commentator]

Thomas Jefferson tried them. Rent too high. We've been arguing about that for a while. Each episode is proof the past isn't that far away. Listen to History this Week, available now on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Narrator/Host]

For the entire time that Casey Anthony's life hung in the balance in court, her family relationships were front and center. As her mother, her father and her brother each took the stand, the jury witnessed a family torn apart by unthinkable tragedy.

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

I overheard her telling that Kaylee had

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

been gone for 31 days and that

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

Sandy had taken her.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

Need a break? Mr. No, sir. I need to get through this. I need to have something inside of me get through this. I don't want to be here. I don't want, you know, my sister to be here, my parents to be here. To a certain extent, this whole family has been on trial almost from the inception of this case.

[Narrator/Host]

Defense trial consultant Richard Gabriel, Casey Anthony

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

and her family, this whole family portrait is taken in a hall of mirrors. At some point, a jury has to decide which of those images is the true image. Have you ever sexually molested your daughter, Casey Anthony? No, sir.

[Narrator/Host]

When you heard the accusations against George Anthony, did you think they were credible? Anything is possible. I don't think it was credible. Forensic psychologist Louis Lessinger says the tape jailhouse conversations prosecutors played in court between Casey and her father.

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

You know how much I love you, how much I've always loved you, contradict

[Narrator/Host]

what her lawyers said in his opening statement.

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

You've been a great dad and you've been the best grandfather. Don't for a second think otherwise.

[Narrator/Host]

When you look at the jailhouse video recordings, she seems to have a fairly

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

good relationship with both of her parents.

[Narrator/Host]

Still, those accusations of abuse were on everyone's mind and put the Anthony family under even more scrutiny.

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

I think there's a family dynamic that's hard for all of us to understand that was going on within the Anthony family.

[Narrator/Host]

What exactly was going on? Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi agrees. Those jailhouse conversations are telling.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

Maybe we've all been too domineering.

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

The parents seemed to be very deferential to her.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

Maybe we didn't let you be the best mom you are.

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

It's nobody's fault.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

But all that's gonna change. I'm gonna listen more.

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

She was running the show, even in jail. Come on, Casey. Hold on, sweetheart. Settle down, baby. Nobody's letting me speak. I don't know what's going on. My entire life has been taken from me. Everything has been taken from me.

[Narrator/Host]

Casey, from the time almost she was arrested, sees herself as a victim. It's the opposite of what people believe a grieving mother should behave like.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

I'm in line with your emergency. I called a little bit ago. The deputy sheriff's telling her I found out my granddaughter has been taken.

[Narrator/Host]

Listening to it all took a toll on Casey's family. Cindy Anthony broke down on the stand when she heard her own tearful plea on that now infamous 911 call.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

There's something wrong. I found my daughter's car today and it smelled like. There's been a dead body in a damn car.

[Narrator/Host]

Casey's brother Lee broke down too, when he was forced to relive the painful memory of Casey's pregnancy, Kaylee's birth, and how the whole family shut him out.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

I was very angry at my mom and I was also angry at my sister. I was just angry at everyone in general that they didn't. They didn't want to include me. State called George Anthony.

[Narrator/Host]

And in six trips to the witness stand, George Anthony fought to keep his composure as he dealt with uncomfortable questions from both the prosecution and the defense.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

Were you present in your home when Kaylee Anthony died? No. And when I heard that today, it hurt really bad.

[Narrator/Host]

He was questioned about his failed suicide attempt in 2009.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

I needed at that time to go and be with Kaylee. And you expressed that in the note. Yes, I did. Because I believe I failed her.

[Narrator/Host]

And he was accused of having an affair with a woman named Crystal Holloway.

[Casey Anthony's Defense Team Member (possibly Linda Kenney Bodden)]

Did you at any time ever tell her not to say anything about your affair with her?

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

Sir, I never had a romantic affair with Crystal Holloway.

[Narrator/Host]

And the defense put Holloway on the stand. And their only attempt to prove Kaylee's death was not a murder.

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

He also said it was an accident that snowballed out of control.

[Casey Anthony's Defense Team Member (possibly Linda Kenney Bodden)]

You never told her this was an accident that snowballed out of control?

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

Never did.

[Narrator/Host]

Being questioned and accused of actually covering up the crime of sexually abusing his daughter, of having an affair. I mean, it was just nothing but character assassination. The stakes were high for the Anthony's. They Knew Casey was facing the death penalty because investigators found evidence of premeditation in the Anthony home on the family's computer. Incriminating searches she allegedly made months before Kaylee went missing with terms including neck breaking, household weapons, shovel, and how to make chloroform.

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

These were all Internet searches done on the computer that Casey Anthony used three months before that little girl went missing. So if that doesn't give you premeditation, I don't know what does.

[Casey Anthony's Defense Team Member (possibly Linda Kenney Bodden)]

They don't know if Casey was even home, much less on the computer.

[Narrator/Host]

So these searches are insignificant?

[Casey Anthony's Defense Team Member (possibly Linda Kenney Bodden)]

Absolutely. Absolutely. If you can't say who ran the searches, how are the searches significant? Everyone in the house has access to this computer?

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

Yes.

[Narrator/Host]

And in another moment of high family drama, Cindy Anthony testified that she was the one who searched for chloroform.

[Casey Anthony's Defense Team Member (possibly Linda Kenney Bodden)]

Do you recall In March of 2008, you doing any types of searches for any items that might include chloroform?

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

Yes, I started looking up chloroform. I mean, chlorophyll. And then that prompted me to look up chloroform.

[Narrator/Host]

What did you make of Cindy's testimony about the chloroform? Some people suggest she was trying to save her daughter from the death penalty. I think that's probably correct.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

Back In March of 2008, what was Cindy Anthony's job at Gentiva?

[Narrator/Host]

In fact, prosecutors called witnesses who testified that Cindy was at work when those searches were performed on the Anthony home computer.

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

So there is activity on a patient's File Starting at 13 hours, 27 minutes and 44 seconds Central Time by user CM Anthony at a desk terminal. Is that correct?

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

That's correct.

[Narrator/Host]

It was this back and forth, a family trying to protect its own while forced to face painful allegations that riveted the courtroom.

[Casey Anthony's Defense Team Member (possibly Linda Kenney Bodden)]

You wonder why this case got so crazy.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

I think it's hard for a jury.

[Casey Anthony's Defense Team Member (possibly Linda Kenney Bodden)]

And you look at the situation here, you look at the facts here, they're

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

really charged to look at things objectively and rationally. To say that there is no evidence to connect Casey Anthony to Caylee's death ignores all of this evidence. They sometimes have to sort of sort their way through a lot of this emotion to try and truly understand what's the evidence here. Will the defendant rise along with counsel? Madam clerk, you may publish the verdicts. How dare you, sir, try to tell

[Casey Anthony's Defense Team Member (possibly Linda Kenney Bodden)]

me you must base your verdict. Would you like to take a break?

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

Tape that was used to kill.

[Narrator/Host]

For the last six weeks, the Casey Anthony trial was America's hottest reality. Show these are the rules of the court.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

Please read these over.

[Narrator/Host]

As the media invaded Orlando for four hours today, prosecutors continued to and defense claiming that George Anthony was and it was the hottest ticket in town. One apparently we're fighting for.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

What are you doing with.

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

How was the lucky one that broke the fight up? It got dirty.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

There's no reason to bunch up because none of you are getting in today.

[Narrator/Host]

Housewife Sherry Agee flew from Atlanta to see Casey Anthony with her own eyes.

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

She just didn't seem remorseful. She was acting like it was a big joke and cutting up and laughing and I want to see justice for Kaylee.

[Narrator/Host]

Sherry scored a courtroom seat six times 17.

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

Seat number 17.

[Narrator/Host]

Oh, my tickets.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

Everybody loves seeing these.

[Narrator/Host]

Sean chazon, who spent 13 days in court and these are selling on ebay. I've seen them. Had just moved to Orlando when Kaylee was reported missing. He was so moved by the story that he joined the search for her and even attended her memorial. Those are from her memorial.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

She was a beautiful little girl.

[Narrator/Host]

I can't even say her name. Kaylee was a beautiful girl. We met Matthew Bartlett online to get a ticket last Wednesday.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

Just want to be a part of it.

[Casey Anthony's Defense Team Member (possibly Linda Kenney Bodden)]

Support, you know, the defense. I believe she's innocent in some ways.

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

I mean,

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

I only have a.

[Narrator/Host]

On Thursday, Bartlett made an obscene hand gesture in the direction of prosecutor Jeff Ashton. Then Judge Belvin Perry made a spectacle of Bartlett.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

And what does that mean, sir? The F word to someone. I will sentence you to six days in Orange County Jail, impose a fine of $400.

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

As to the charge of first degree murder. As to count one, we the jury find the defendant not guilty.

[Narrator/Host]

Today's stunning verdict virtually assures that the spectacle the Casey Anthony trial, will linger for a long time.

[Legal Analyst/Commentator]

It was a prosecution construct, in my opinion, and I think the jury saw through that. They saw that this was a terrible and horrific accident. An accident that was covered up. And that because of the mystery surrounding the family and the clear dysfunction that seemed to be shown on the jury stand by members of the family, that something else was going on there and they weren't going to hold Casey Anthony responsible.

[Narrator/Host]

Perhaps realizing their verdict was controversial, the entire jury declined to speak at a press conference afterwards.

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

The 12 jurors have declined to talk to you.

[Narrator/Host]

But Jose Baez and his defense team didn't pass up the chance to celebrate their unexpected victory.

[Casey Anthony's Defense Team Member (possibly Linda Kenney Bodden)]

I'm very happy for Casey. I'm ecstatic for her. And I want her to be able to grieve and grow and somehow get her life back together.

[Narrator/Host]

In a tent outside the courthouse, prosecutors Jeff Ashton and Linda Drain Burdick stood silent as Florida State Attorney Lawson Lamar thanked them for their work.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

This trial team is world class and

[Narrator/Host]

in command of the evidence. Two hours later, we learned that Jeff Ashton retired from his job. Cindy and George Anthony slipped out of the courtroom right after the verdict was read. Later, their lawyer issued this statement. Despite the baseless defense chosen by Casey Anthony, the family believes that the jury made a fair decision based on the evidence presented.

[Legal Analyst/Commentator]

I don't think the Anthony family could win either way. It was going to be a difficult day, and I can't blame them for leaving the courtroom the way they did.

[Narrator/Host]

In the woods where Kaylee's body was found, people left remembrances for her. Sean Ceson watched today's shocking verdict on a monitor outside the courtroom.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

Not guilty, first degree murder.

[Narrator/Host]

I can't believe it. And he wasn't alone.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

This is like OJ all over again.

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

No regard at all for that baby.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

What is wrong with these people?

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

I think she's gonna have a beautiful life now.

[Narrator/Host]

No child. Bellavita.

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

Bellavita. And how can she not be guilty of child neglect when she didn't know where her child was for 31 days?

[Narrator/Host]

Even Casey's friends, Dante Salotti and Sean Daly were split on the verdict. Do you think we'll ever know the truth, Dante?

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

There's only two people that know the truth, and I don't think either one of them are going to speak.

[Narrator/Host]

Do you have any interest in talking to her again?

[Casey Anthony's Defense Team Member (possibly Linda Kenney Bodden)]

I would love to sit down and talk with her, yeah. Would I be able to go back to the friendship that I had with her?

[Prosecutor Jeff Ashton]

Probably not.

[Casey Anthony's Defense Team Member (possibly Linda Kenney Bodden)]

But I would love to sit down and ask her questions that are probably the questions she wouldn't be able to answer.

[Legal Analyst/Commentator]

I don't know what happens to Casey now. Obviously, she'll finish serving her time in jail. If the lynch mob justice is as it was that I saw this afternoon, I'm concerned for her safety, that people will go after her wherever she goes. She will always be Casey Anthony.

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

For her four misdemeanor convictions for lying to investigators, Casey Anthony was sentenced to four years. She was released 10 days later with

[Narrator/Host]

credit for good behavior and nearly three years already served. In 2013, a Florida appeals court overturned

[Defense Attorney Jose Baez]

two of those four misdemeanor convictions.