Dustin Morgan was an ordinary guy with a new bride at home and a plumbing degree under his belt. He’s hired to oversee the building of a new guesthouse by a high-powered millionaire, who goes out of town on business and leaves his wife at home – in Dustin’s hands. Dustin finds she’s up to some hanky-panky with the help, then she sets her eyes on Dustin. Roxy has her way with Dustin, until her husband walk in. What will Dustin do when he’s caught in bed with the man’s wife?
Dustin scanned the blueprints and made some notes. Deciding to speak with a couple of the contractors, he set out to find the rear exit of the house. Finding himself lost in the maze of rooms, he found one of the maids and asked her for the closest door. Outside would be easier to navigate, he thought. Dustin wondered if there were any blueprints for the mansion.
Dustin thanked the young woman and headed in the direction she showed him. As he passed several rooms, the natural light brightened the home. A little further and Dustin discovered the sunlight was coming in through a glass enclosure on the west wing of the house. The wall on his left was marble, and on his right, the wall was glass, as was the ceiling. There was a smaller corridor off the glass wall, and beyond it was the pool.
Dustin couldn’t see Roxanne, but there was a young man cleaning the windows and floor around the pool. Walking through the smaller corridor, Dustin heard water running. He skidded to a halt when he stepped into a shower room and spotted Roxanne below one of the two water heads, soaping her body. Dustin peered around the corner and watched for a minute while Roxanne rinsed her dark hair, which hung loose and danced enticingly around her bottom in the running water.
Home Alone
Dustin felt his body reacting to the sight, and slipped back out the way he came, annoyed with himself for his thoughts. He had a job to do and didn’t want to blow the contract because of carnal desire. This job would pull him and Laura back to a comfortable place financially, and he didn’t want to jeopardize the chance. Dustin noted where the entrance was, thinking to speak with Roxanne before he left for the day.
Once Dustin attended his tasks and spent some time getting to know some of the men over lunch, he drove the cart back to the mansion. He parked near the entrance he’d left earlier and walked around the thick manicured bushes toward the door. Dustin was admiring the glass structure when a movement inside caught his attention.
Roxanne was in the hot tub, her head laying back on the edge. There was a glass of wine beside her, and he noticed faint music from inside glass walls. Dustin stood rooted to the ground where he stood. He watched her pink nipples play at the top of the water, peeking in and out as though the jets were moving her body. Within a moment, a man’s head surfaced in front of her….
Angels & Their Demons-2nd in the Angels Wear Lipstick Saga
Synopsis
Born to teen parents in 1964, Katie’s parents treated her like a showpiece – and a punching bag for her resentful mother. Her life revolved around flashing camera bulbs and tyrannical abuse by both her parents. When she was young, Katie was a well-behaved and adorable little girl, but as she got older, she came to understand hers was not a normal family. Despite suspicion surrounding what took place behind the Pryor’s closed doors, friends, family, and professionals alike remained silent.
Believing Katie was not his child, her father did the unthinkable in his effort to gain the truth from his wife. Katie never would forgive her mother for her reaction to the molestation, even after her tormentor died in a horrific accident.
Leaving Leda to raise the young teen Katie alone, she became more resentful and violent toward her only child. Katie becomes what would be termed a ‘problem child’ and runs away from home to make her way on the streets of Toronto.
Strong characters and the life-altering events that follow them will keep you riveted to the last word. Angels Wear Lipstick is the first of a series. The second book will follow the struggles of Katie as she cares for her ailing mother, and her need to be rid of her mother for good.
*Each novel in the series is stand alone, and can be read as separate stories.*
Acknowledgments:
I would like to thank the love of my life, Wayne, without whose support I would have never finished this, or any other book. Without him, this story would never have been told.
I would also like to thank my sweet daughter, Stephanie, who has been a major supporter, and my bestest fan.
I love you both with every fiber of my being.
About the author:
Live, love, laugh, then love some more! = My motto.
I am a writer and research analyst, living in the great Canadian Northern wilderness with my hubby and ‘psycho’ dog, Tucker. My specialty is in Ancient History. (Both romance and historically accurate). I have several novels in the works at the moment. (When writer’s block halts one, it’s always good to have another to jump into!) I also have a planned outline for a historical series, geared to youth, teaching them about the Bronze Age, while entertaining them.
The second installment in the ‘Angels Wear Lipstick’ series follows a young woman who escaped the cruelty she suffered at home as a young child. As an adult, she becomes caregiver to one of her abusers. Her peaceful life is soon interrupted by shocking accusations of murder. A whirlwind investigation leaves many to doubt Katie’s innocence, including Katie herself. She finds solace and support from an esteemed partner, but even he may not be able to prevent Katie’s conviction.
Katie was born in 1964, to teen parents who treated her like a showpiece – and a punching bag for her antagonistic mother. Her life revolved around flashing camera bulbs and tyrannical abuse by her parents. When she was young, Katie was a well-behaved and adorable little girl, but as she got older, she came to understand hers was not a normal family. Despite suspicion surrounding what took place behind the Pryor’s closed doors, friends, family, and professionals alike remained silent.
After Katie is molested, and her tormentor dies, Leda is left to raise the young teen Katie alone. Katie never would forgive her mother’s reaction to the molestation. She became what her mother claimed was a ‘problem child’ and ran away from home. At thirteen, Katie left her mother’s abusive ways forever, making her way on the streets of Toronto.
A kindhearted minister and his wife take Katie in and nurture her, leading her onto a path of love and decency toward humanity. Katie’s young life is dramatically enriched and she finds peace – until duty calls her home to care for an invalid mother. At twenty-five, when Katie’s mother becomes disabled, she feels obligated to return and take care of her, despite their turbulent history.
Strong characters and the life-altering events that follow them will keep you riveted to the very last word. Angels & Their Demons is the second in the Angels Wear Lipstick series. The first book follows Katie’s troubled childhood and her abusive parents as she grows into an endearing young teen, and her escape from manipulating tormentors.
*Both novels are stand alone, and can be read as separate stories.*
Chapter One – March 1989
“Hello?” Katie said, annoyed at being awakened after her long shift at the restaurant. Who could be calling at this late hour, she thought, looking at her bedside clock.
“This is Dr. McNamara, from St. Thomas hospital. I am sorry to call at this hour, but it is very important I speak with you. Is this Miss Katie Pryor?”
Katie sat up, wiping the sleep from her eyes and stretching. “How can I help you, doctor?”
“I have a woman here in my care who claims she is your mother. Her name is Leda Pryor. She has asked me to contact you and tell you she has had a bad fall and needs your help. You are a somewhat difficult woman to track down,” Chris chuckled.
One of her aunts must have given him the number, Katie thought. “That was the intention. How can I help you, doctor?” Katie repeated.
“Well, she had a bad fall on some ice a couple weeks ago and I have replaced Mrs. Pryor’s hip and repaired a break in her calf. However, I’m afraid before she can go home she will need someone there to care for her on a full time basis. That is why I’m calling you now. She will be ready to leave the hospital within a few days and I have no choice but to send her home. There are no alternatives here.”
“Then tell her to hire someone, or send her to some sort of home. She’s not my responsibility,” Katie said, desperate to end the conversation.
“I am afraid a home is not an option at this point, and she claims she can’t afford to hire a nurse, Miss Pryor. Can you come to my office tomorrow, so we can discuss alternatives? I’m stuck with a lack of options here, and I need your help. Mrs. Pryor tells me you would be willing to come to her home to care for her. You were the main contact on her medical record, but she did not have your phone number.”
“Leda is wrong; I will not go to her home to care for her. I don’t care what she tells you.”
Chris was stunned by what Katie told him. She was so blunt it took him off guard. “Miss Pryor, you are her daughter, aren’t you? Look, as I told you, I am at a dead end here. Please, can we talk about this?”
“Alright, alright. I honestly don’t know what I can do to help you, and the name is Putter, not Pryor. Listen, I have a little time after three, if that works for you,” Katie replied, exasperated.
Chris gave Katie the directions to his office at the hospital and contact phone number. “Thank you, Miss Putter. I will see you then.”
Chris tossed his pen on the desk and decided to chat with Leda Pryor before heading home. If he was going to get through to Miss Putter, he needed some background on this young woman. Perhaps Leda would enlighten him. She came across as a decent woman. Mrs. Pryor seemed easy to get along with. What confused Chris was he was told Katie was an honorable woman. He had to figure out what was holding Katie back from helping her mother.
“Mrs. Pryor, how are you feeling? I just wanted to check in on you before I went home and make sure you were comfortable.”
Leda adjusted herself in the bed, wincing with the effort. “What a dear young man you are. I’m still in a lot of pain. Have you contacted my dear daughter yet, doctor?”
“Yes, I have contacted Katie. You didn’t tell me she has changed her name to Putter. Has she married? Chris asked.
“I frankly don’t know what she does anymore. I haven’t seen her for a few years,” Leda chuckled. She would not tell the good doctor her daughter ran away more than ten years ago. “Katie hasn’t spoken to me for a bit, although I don’t know why, to be honest.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. I am however meeting with Katie tomorrow afternoon here at the hospital.”
“She’s coming here? Will I see her?”
“Yes, she’s coming to St. Thomas. Is there anything you can tell me about her past that may help me understand where her thoughts are? Maybe something about her childhood or relationships with family perhaps? She seems a mite distant.”
“Oh, doctor, she was always the apple of my eye. A blessing from the heavens above, she was. I loved her and nurtured her from the day she was born to me. Never had any other children but her to love. But you know, the very moment her dear father passed, she became a young tyrant. She always hated me after he died, but I don’t know why.”
Chris was intrigued. “How did her father die, if you don’t mind my asking?”
“He fell from a building he was working on out west. Katie always blamed herself. Before he passed on, she was angry with her father for some reason and told him she wished he were dead. For several years, she ended up blaming herself for his death. She was a baby though, when he died. Just thirteen then and still my heart. I adored her, I did. Still do. She was always so beautiful. All the best photographers wanted her as their first choice model, you know,” Leda boasted.
“Sounds like you loved, and still do love Katie, Mrs. Pryor. If I may ask, how old was Katie when she ran away?”
“She was thirteen. I have been distraught for all those years. No one could find my girl. Not the police, or private investigators either. I don’t know how you found her, but know I will always be in your debt for finding my little girl.”
Chris mulled the information over for a bit. “It was pretty simple once I called your sister. Your sister has connections at the hospital here, so she was easier to locate. Rose has been in touch with Katie for eight years or so, she tells me.”
Chris watched Leda for a reaction to his answer. Her one mistake was lying about her husband’s death and her daughter’s reaction to it. How did Leda know Katie blamed herself for her father’s death for years if she ran away soon after he died?
“I think Rose is a little off on her numbers,” Leda chuckled. “Rose always was a little flighty.”
“I hear you other sister, Grace says she has been in touch with Katie for as long as Rose has. But no matter, we will have to see what transpires tomorrow. You have a good sleep. If you need anything, be sure to tell the nurse on duty tonight,” Chris said. He noticed a picture of an adorable young girl at Leda’s bedside. The girl was adorned in an evening gown. Chris pointed to the photograph. “Is this your daughter?”
“Yes, that’s my Katie. She was in the auditions for the Raymore catalogue. She always looked older than she was. Wait until you meet her, then you will see how beautiful she is.” Leda tried to move herself further up on her pillows and moaned. “Doctor, can you please help me and push my pillows down a little?” Leda pleaded.
Chris did as Leda asked. “I will see you tomorrow after I have spoken to your daughter.”
“Oh, thank you, doctor. You are too kind. Good man you are, just like my Clark was, God rest his soul.”
Something about Leda’s manner did not sit right with Chris. She was trying too hard to impress him. What was she hiding? Chris lay awake for hours trying to decipher the family history at hand. Leda was hiding something, and Katie was avoiding something different. What occurred to Chris was both of them had something they did not want him to know. Why did he care, he wondered. Chris knew from medical records that Leda had a history of prescription narcotic abuse, and drank to excess. How far back, he wasn’t sure.
Rose had mentioned something about Katie not having her father around for several years before he died. She also spoke briefly of Katie being resentful of her mother’s neglect. Rose seemed reluctant to comment too much on the family history, and told Chris he needed to get the information he sought from Katie. This situation was not like any he had ever dealt with in his career. No other patient had ever kept him from blessed slumber, but this one had him troubled. Somewhere in the wee small hours of the morning, Chris fell into a fitful slumber. The photograph of Katie invaded his every thought and his dreams.
~~~~~~~
After Katie hung the phone up, she paced the floor of her cozy apartment, mulling over the conversation with Dr. McNamara. The more she thought about it, the more she felt the old grudges welling up in her mind. How dare that woman ask for her help after all she put her through, Katie thought. She made a glass of warm milk and turned the television on to distract herself. An hour or so later, Katie fell asleep on the sofa watching an old black and white western.
The next morning Katie woke with a dull headache. She knew intuitively from experience the doctor would bombard her with repetitive questions about her past. Questions like, ‘What was your upbringing like?’ ‘What did your mother do that was so horrible?’ ‘What did your father do to make you hate him so much?’ The afternoon proved Katie right.
Chris settled back in his chair and studied Katie. “Why do you have this lack of concern for your mother, Miss Pryor,” Dr. McNamara asked.
“It’s Putter, and if you had been through what I have with her, you would understand, doctor. I am not obligated to discuss my life story with you. I think we are wasting our time here. Now if you don’t mind, I have a class to attend.” Katie replied.
“Listen, Miss, we here at St. Thomas have no time for games,” Chris snapped at an impassive Katie.
Did she not realize he had no interest in wasting time? Why was she so cold to this woman who seemed so alone and desperate? Katie was nothing more than a beautiful, but spoiled 25-year-old in his eyes. He was not some intern who earned by the hour – he was a surgeon, for pity sake.
“I don’t know what we are trying to accomplish here, but I’m not about to help your patient. I don’t care what you have on file as far as her personal information goes, but she’s no longer any parent of mine,” Katie stated, rising from her seat.
“Listen, Miss Pryor, er, Putter, the long and short of it is your mother cannot stay here much longer, and we have nowhere to send her but home. In my opinion, you are obligated to do something as her sole relative contact.” Chris thought he had her there.
“I am not willing, in any form, to care for that woman. In my opinion, I am not obligated to do anything, Dr. McNamara. Please, have a good day.”
Katie turned to leave, but Chris was fascinated by this particular conversation and he wanted closure on this case. What was more, Chris needed Leda out of his way. Chris wanted to see this case to the end, and Katie was a mystery he wanted to solve. This young woman had his interest despite her hostile attitude. She was attractive and educated, and Chris felt compelled to know more about her and her past. Chris found himself oddly captivated by Katie.
“Wait, please,” Chris said. “I do not have anyone else to call for your mother, and no one who will take her in. Can we not come to some sort of agreement?”
Katie was not backing down. “I can’t tell you what to do with your patient, but I would not wrack my brain over her. She is not a nice person, and has not made or kept many friends through the years. She and I have never seen eye to eye, and there is no love loss there, I assure you. You will be unlikely to find someone willing to care for Leda Pryor.”
Chris was floored to hear such candid words from Katie. She seemed too closed off to expose her feelings in the frank way she just had. If he could get Katie to open up more, he may be he would get through to her after all. “Do you not think Leda deserves some care? She is now an invalid. I don’t know where to turn with this case but her family, Miss Putter. I need your help here”
“As I said, I don’t know where you can turn with her, but I will tell you it’s not with me. I have been done with that woman for a dozen years plus. Try her sisters or a distant cousin.”
“Mrs. Pryor asked for you in specific. How about this, Miss Putter, if you agree to oversee her at-home care, we can send her home with 24-hour nursing care. There would be minimal cost through government plans. You will not have to be at her home most of the time. However, you will have to sign papers for the day and night shifts as they come and go. Having to sign all those papers means you will need to meet with her staff three times a day at her home. Would this be acceptable to you and your husband?”
Katie sighed, expressing her annoyance. “There is no husband to debate with. It is my decision alone. Is it not your place to find a solution? What happens if I refuse?”
“Your mother will have no choice but to be released into a homeless shelter. There, they can provide skeletal care, such as meals. No more. Her bathing, dressing and bandages will be her responsibility, which she cannot do on her own. She has a leg brace to keep the ruptured bone in place and cannot walk. We are looking at another two months before she is partially mobile.”
Katie was fighting her inner demons. She was a woman of good faith and love, but dare she expose herself to that woman again? Could Katie be so close to a woman who almost destroyed her and still maintain her sanity? Could Katie resist the urge she had harbored for years to rid herself of the woman who almost broke her spirit? “Listen, doctor…”
“Please, call me Chris.”
“Listen, doctor, don’t get me wrong, I am willing to help almost anyone, but there are reasons you will never understand that come into play here. Leda Pryor is poison, and I will have nothing to do with her. Have a nice day, and good luck.”
Katie stepped into the outer office, but Chris wanted his answers, and followed. Chris pulled on Katie’s sleeve, turning her to him. “Please, can we discuss this somewhere besides my stuffy office? I do want to understand your point of view. I know sometimes things are not as they seem, and I want to know if I am making a misjudgment. I am a man of reason, and mean no disrespect to you.”
Katie watched Chris and listened to him make his plea and wondered if he could be one of them – the good people. “Fine. Meet me at Gracie’s Café on Main Street tomorrow at 4pm. I will be off work then and we can talk, but don’t expect miracles. Know this right now; I do not swallow bullshit, and I do not tolerate fools at all. Cliché? Call it what you will, but it’s me. Take it or leave it.”
“I’ll take it. See you then, Miss Putter.”
By noon the next day, Chris was miserable with anticipation. He never felt the same anxiety any time in his life. He wanted to see Katie more than he wanted answers about Leda. Katie had an aura about her he admired already, despite her cool, almost arrogant manner. The main desk paged just after 2 pm, and hearing the overhead call, Chris responded immediately.
“Hello, Dr. McNamara speaking.”
“Hello doctor. This is Katie Putter. I’m sorry, but I cannot make our appointment today. I’m afraid I have to work until six this evening. Can we meet tomorrow at the same time?”
Chris’ heart sank. “Can I meet you somewhere near your work? I will drive wherever it is to meet with you. You must understand, I have to close this case, Leda’s discharge is tomorrow.”
Katie was already exhausted. “Whatever. Meet me at the Café at six then.”
Chris’ heart leapt in his chest. “I know the place well. I will see you at six,” Chris said, grinning. The afternoon went by at a snail’s pace for Chris.
Live, love, laugh, then love some more! = My motto.
I am a writer/research analyst, specializing in Ancient History. I have several novels in the works at the moment. (When writer’s block halts one, it’s always good to have another to jump into!) I also have a planned outline for a historical series, geared to youth, teaching them about the Bronze Age, while entertaining them.
Feel free to contact me via email: AmarissaCale@yahoo.ca
With a hint of pride, pig farmer William Robert Pickton, tells police the only reason he got caught was because he got “sloppy at the end”.
A pig farmer by trade, Robert William Pickton of Port Coquitlam BC, stood before the courts charged with the first degree murders of twenty-six women. Pickton stood trial for six of the murders, yet on the first day of his trial it was alleged that Robert Pickton confessed to an undercover cop that he was one kill short of 50. Pickton stated to the police officer that he didn’t get his goal and was only caught because he had gotten “sloppy”.
His goal? Just what was this self-professed, cold-blooded killer out to accomplish?
This was a man who was well known to police for his outrageous parties and obnoxious behaviour. Pickton threw wild parties on his property under the guise of a registered charity called the “Piggy Palace Good Times Society.” The so-called non-profit society had an official mandate to “organize, co-ordinate, manage and operate special events, functions, dances, shows and exhibitions on behalf of service organizations, sports organizations and other worthy groups.”
According to court evidence these ‘events’ were hardly more than wild rave parties, complete with downtown east-side prostitutes; the favoured targets of Pickton. Pickton was arrested during an investigation into illegal firearms on his property. Police later obtained a second search warrant as part of the larger ‘BC Missing Women Investigation‘. This resulted in the discovery of personal items belonging to a missing woman being found on his property. The investigation then turned more serious.
Police combed every inch of Pickton’s pig farm and other property belonging to Pickton. It was a tedious task to uncover any more evidence, as it was alleged that Pickton fed his victims to his pigs. It was also alleged that Pickton may have compounded human flesh with ground pork from his farm, and later given it out to friends and other visitors to the farm.
Before the courts, Pickton pleaded not guilty to all charges of first-degree murder. Of the forty nine murders he was investigated for, Pickton ended up with eight sticking. Pickton was on trial for six of the murders, with evidence getting some cases dropped. It was on the first day of his trial it was alleged that Robert Pickton confessed to an undercover cop that he was one kill short of 50. Pickton smirked when the verdict was read, and second degree murder was reached in a few counts.
Early on in the trial, witness Andrew Bellwood told the jury that Pickton confessed to him he would strangle his victims while he had sex with them, gut and butcher them in his slaughterhouse and feed some remains to his pigs. Pickton has acknowledged the bodies were found on his property, but denied killing them.
Later, the accused serial killer Robert Pickton described how he killed prostitutes after having sex with them and used his pigs to help dispose of the remains. Prosecution witness Andrew Bellwood, who lived briefly at Pickton’s farm, testified that Pickton showed him handcuffs and play-acted as he described stroking their hair and telling them everything would be okay, “it’s over now”. Bellwood said Pickton told him that after butchering the dead women in the farm’s slaughterhouse, he fed some of the remains to his pigs. Any remains the pigs did not eat were put into a container and taken to an animal rendering plant.
As proceedings continued relentlessly, the star witness in the trial of an accused Canadian serial killer offered graphic testimony at his trial in British Columbia. Lynn Ellingsen told the court that she walked into the barn at Robert Pickton’s pig farm to find him covered in blood and a woman’s body hanging from a chain. Ellingsen, a former sex worker, said she recognized the woman’s body as that of a prostitute they had picked up earlier that night. She did not say when the event occurred.
Pickton told a friend he was not a murderer and that a female acquaintance of his was responsible for at least some killings, the Canadian court heard. In another bizarre twist, Pickton blamed the murders of prostitutes whose bodies were found on his Vancouver-area pig farm on Dinah Taylor, who spent time at his property, his friend Gina Houston told the court under questioning by Pickton’s lawyer. Houston, a friend of Pickton’s for more than a decade, said Pickton made the comments in a February 20, 2002, conversation that happened after police raided his farm but before he was formally charged with any of the murders. “Willie told me that she would take responsibility for what she said she would take responsibility for,” Houston said.
Jurors in the trial of a farmer accused of killing 26 women watched videotaped interviews in which he denies knowing the victims and asks a police officer: “Do I look like a murderer?” He was accused of luring women to his pig farm outside Vancouver, where investigators say he threw drunken raves with prostitutes and drugs. In the videotape shown, Pickton is slumped in his chair, often with his head in his hands as he is interviewed by Royal Canadian Mounted Police Sgt. Bill Fordy.
Fordy is seen telling Pickton a “huge amount” of blood was in his trailer on the farm. “That’s human blood, lots of it,” Fordy says. “That’s Mona Wilson’s blood. This is where she’d been dumped. There’s DNA all over the place; it’s on the floors, it’s on the walls.”
“But that don’t mean I did it,” Pickton says.
Finally, after more than nine days and into the second weekend, the jury reached a verdict: Pickton was found guilty on six counts of second-degree murder, but not guilty on six counts of first-degree murder. Many in the courtroom were stunned and disappointed. While Pickton will receive a life sentence, he could be eligible for parole in ten years. The jury left this decision in the hands of the judge. The verdict meant that the jury either did not believe that Pickton had planned the murders or that he had acted on his own, although they clearly did believe that he was involved. The problem for the jurors considering the first degree conviction was the absence of an obvious ‘smoking gun’.
Getting to the point here, we should pose the question; is Pickton really a cold-blooded murderer, or a victim of his upbringing and society? He has been quoted as saying things such as the references to his apparent notoriety repeatedly, saying “I’m a legend already.” Later in transcripts, Pickton says, “You must have heard about me from the … news or the paper. Everybody knows about me, right?” He continues: “The whole f–king world knows me, all the way to Hong Kong everywheres.” And again, things like – “Now they are trying to charge me for 50 murders. Fifty f–king murders.” … But later, Pickton says he was “gonna do one more, make it an even 50.”
He also complains the investigation has ruined his life, saying, “I’m buried now” and “I hear I’m dead.” He laments police taking “everything away from you, everything you worked for.” When asked by the undercover officer what evidence police have against him, he says they found DNA and “old carcasses.” He also refers to a “rendering plant” while discussing ways to dispose of things. Pickton reveals details of his life growing up, talking about working on the pig farm and saying his family lived in a chicken coop when he was two years old. He tells the informant he has no vices, saying, “I don’t do drugs, I don’t smoke, I don’t drink … I am just a farm boy.”
Apparently, we have a man who is either delusional, or grasping at an insanity plea ..
What is your take on this shambles? Here, we have not only other innocent victims of a debauched society, but is Pickton to be counted among the victims as well? Or is Pickton a manipulative and conniving murderer, who killed his victims in cold blood? Also, how do you feel about the fact that this ‘man’ will soon be eligible to walk our streets again .. free to claim his ‘victim number 50’?
(Update)
THE TRIAL
Pickton’s trial commenced on January 30, 2006 in New Westminster.Pickton pleaded not guilty to 27 charges of first-degree murder in the Supreme Court of British Columbia. The “trial within a trial” (determine the admissibility of evidence) phase of the trial took most of the year to decide what evidence may be admitted before the jury. On March 2, one of the 27 counts was rejected by Justice James Williams for lack of evidence.
On August 9, Justice Williams severed the charges, splitting them into one group of six counts and another group of twenty counts. The trial proceeded on the group of six counts. The remaining 20 counts could have been heard in a separate trial, but ultimately were stayed on August 4, 2010. Because of the publication ban, full details of the decision are not publicly available; but the judge has explained that trying all 26 charges at once would put an unreasonable burden on the jury, as the trial could last up to two years, and have an increased chance for a mistrial. The judge also added that the six counts he chose had “materially different” evidence from the other 20.
The date for the jury trial of the first six counts was initially set to start January 8, 2007, but later delayed to January 22. On that date, Pickton faced first-degree murder charges in the deaths of Frey, Abotsway, Papin, Joesbury, Wolfe and Wilson. The media ban was lifted and for the first time Canadians heard the details of what was found during the long investigation: skulls cut in half with hands and feet stuffed inside; the remains of one victim found stuffed in a garbage bag, and her blood-stained clothing found in Pickton’s trailer; part of another victim’s jawbone and teeth found beside Pickton’s slaughterhouse; and a .22 caliber revolver with an attached dildo containing both his and a victim’s DNA. In a videotaped recording played for the jury, Pickton claimed to have attached the dildo to his weapon as a makeshift silencer.
As of February 20, 2007, the following information had been presented to the court:
During Pickton’s trial, lab staff testified that about 80 unidentified DNA profiles, roughly half male and half female, have shown up on evidence.
The items police found inside Pickton’s trailer: A loaded .22 revolver with a dildo over the barrel and one round fired, boxes of .357 Magnum handgun ammunition, night-vision goggles, two pairs of faux fur-lined handcuffs, a syringe with three milliliters of blue liquid inside, and “Spanish fly” aphrodisiac.
A videotape of Pickton’s friend Scott Chubb saying Pickton had told him a good way to kill a female heroin addict was to inject her with windshield washer fluid. A second tape was played for Pickton, in which an associate named Andrew Bellwood said Pickton mentioned killing prostitutes by handcuffing and strangling them, then bleeding and gutting them before feeding them to pigs.
Photos of the contents of a garbage can found in Pickton’s slaughterhouse, which held some remains of Mona Wilson.
In October 2007, a juror was accused of having made up her mind already that Pickton was innocent. The trial judge questioned the juror, saying “It’s reported to me you said from what you had seen you were certain Mr. Pickton was innocent, there was no way he could have done this. That the court system had arrested the wrong guy.” The juror denied this completely. Justice Williams ruled that she could remain on the jury since it had not been proven she made the statements.
Justice James Williams suspended jury deliberations on December 6, 2007 after he discovered an error in his charge to the jury. Earlier in the day, the jury had submitted a written question to Justice James requesting clarification of his charge, asking “Are we able to say ‘yes’ [i.e., find Pickton guilty] if we infer the accused acted indirectly?”
On December 9, 2007, the jury returned a verdict that Pickton is not guilty on 6 counts of first-degree murder, but is guilty on 6 counts of second-degree murder. A second-degree murder conviction carries a punishment of a life sentence, with no possibility of parole for a period between 10 to 25 years, to be set by the trial judge. On December 11, 2007, after reading 18 victim impact statements, British Columbia Supreme Court Judge Justice James Williams sentenced Pickton to life with no possibility of parole for 25 years—the maximum punishment for second-degree murder, and equal to the sentence which would have been imposed for a first-degree murder conviction. “Mr. Pickton’s conduct was murderous and repeatedly so. I cannot know the details but I know this: What happened to them was senseless and despicable,” said Justice Williams in passing the sentence.
Some of the missing women thought to be Pickton’s victims – This does not depict all of the missing women from Vancouver’s East Side.
WOULD YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO IF SOMEONE YOU LOVED WAS HAVING A STROKE?
Knowing how to recognise warning signs of stroke can save lives and a fast response can reduce the damage caused by stroke.
You love your partner, your father, your mother, in fact there are many people in your life that you don’t want to lose, so have you learned what the warning signs of stroke are, so you can do all you can to prevent losing your loved ones to a potential stroke? It only takes a few minutes to learn and can be worth a lifetime of reward. If there is even one person in your life that you love, please keep reading and remember these life-saving warning signs.
Trouble seeing from one or both eyes – or blurred vision.
Sudden or severe headache with no known cause.
Sudden onset of walking ability, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination.
Confusion, trouble speaking or understanding speech.
Sudden numbness of the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body.
A stroke is a sudden interruption in the blood supply of the brain. Most strokes are caused by an abrupt blockage of arteries leading to the brain. This is called an ischemic stroke. Other strokes are caused by bleeding into brain tissue when a blood vessel bursts. These are called haemorrhagic stroke. When the stroke symptoms last less than an hour, this is what is called a transient ischemic attack, TIA, or mini-stroke. A lack of oxygen and glucose flowing to the brain leads to the death of brain cells and to brain damage, often resulting in an impairment in speech, movement, and memory.
The effects of a stroke depend on which part of the brain is injured, and how severely it is injured. Strokes can cause sudden weakness, loss of sensations, or difficulty with speaking, seeing, or walking, since different parts of the brain control different areas of the body and its functions. It is usually the area immediately surrounding the part of the brain that suffered the stroke that is affected. Strokes are not always accompanied by a headache, and therefore may be completely painless. It is imperative to recognize the warning signs of stroke and to get immediate medical attention if they occur, by calling your local emergency number or an ambulance.
It Is Imperative To Seek Help Quickly If You Suspect Stroke
What Are The Causes Of Stroke?
As I mentioned earlier, stroke is a sudden interruption in the blood supply of the brain. So while we may not know what causes it, we do know, thanks to researchers and scientists, what the risk factors are. The cold truth is anyone can suffer from stroke. Although many risk factors for stroke are out of our control, several can be kept in line through proper nutrition, exercise and consistent medical care. Risk factors for stroke include, but are not limited to the following:
Taking a moment to reflect on what we can do to reduce our risk might be in order here. Obviously, there are some things that are out of our control, but whatever we can do to reduce the risk is worth the effort. Things like our gender, age, family history, cardiovascular disease, previous stroke, ethnicity, and heart rhythm disturbances are not within our control. The more factors that you check off, the more you need to do to reduce your risk by controlling the risk factors that are within your physical abilities. If you smoke, quit now and your risk decreases within the first 1 -3 months to half of that of someone who continues to smoke. If you drink, do so in moderation. Two or more drinks per day classifies you as a heavy drinker.
Never Take Chances If You Suspect Someone You Love Is Having A Stroke
If you have high blood pressure, talk to your doctor about medications and lifestyle changes to help lower your blood pressure. A healthy, low sodium diet, plays an important role in reducing the risk of stroke. Proper exercise also keeps the blood flowing better and keeps you fit. Moderate exercise every day never hurt anyone, and makes you feel better about yourself too. If you have high cholesterol, follow your doctor’s advice to lower your bad levels and raise the good cholesterol. If you are a diabetic, make sure you keep it monitored and use your insulin accordingly. One of the best things you can do for yourself is to maintain the healthiest weight possible. Being over or underweight is not healthy and can put extra stress on your heart. Understandably, some people have real medical issues that prevent maintaining a healthy weight, but again, you and your doctor are the best people to decide why you have the problem, and what you can do to rectify it. For your own sake, and the sake of loved ones, do what you can to remain as fit as possible.
The Importance Of Timing
Resulting disabilities can and will vary depending on stroke location and severity. After a stroke, brain cells die in the affected areas resulting to damaged or even lost neurons. Patients will often suffer physical disabilities such as partial loss of mobility or unilateral paralysis, sensory loss, language disorders, visual disorders, and even memory loss. The loss of ability to communicate verbally or comprehend speech is also possible. Level of recovery will vary from person to person. The faster a rehabilitation program is implemented, the better chance for recovery.
As I mentioned, the types and degrees of disability that follow a stroke depend upon which area of the brain is damaged and how much is damaged. It is difficult to compare one individual’s disability to another, since every stroke can damage slightly different parts and amounts of the brain. Generally, stroke can cause five types of disabilities:
Paralysis or problems controlling movement
Sensory disturbances including pain
Problems using or understanding language
Problems with thinking and memory
Emotional disturbances.
There are many scientific advances being made yearly, and the advancement of managing and deterring the effects of stroke is just one. One popular treatment you may heard of id the infamous ‘clot-busting’ drugs used by emergency rooms worldwide, and has attained much success. The faster the response time during a stroke, the better the chances of recovery after. Recovery is not likely going to be a hoped-for 100%, but are far better than that of someone who did not receive speedy medical attention. Doctors work hard to treat the stroke patient as efficiently as possible, but can only help if the patient has been brought to their attention. Act as fast as you can if you suspect someone is having a stroke .. it can mean the difference between living independently and having to live with assistance for the rest of their lives.
What Can Be Done To Help After The Damage Has Been Done?
There are plenty of ways to help a stroke victim become as productive and independent as possible, and in some cases, back to normal routine, as before the stroke. After suffering a stroke, the victim may have to learn a different ways of thinking, speaking and moving. Stroke rehabilitation is a learning process where the rehabilitation team will work closely with the victim and caregiver. Setting goals, making a plan of recovery and participating in treatment that will give strength and confidence to live as independently as possible is key to leading the fullest life possible afterwards. Rehab begins when the doctor feels it is medically sound and the patient can benefit the most from it. Rehab services are offered in different places and in varied settings. Where someone might go will depend on what is offered in their local area and the type of rehab program that best suits the person’s recovery needs. Rehab services provided in different places include, in-patient programs in acute care hospitals, rehab hospitals or long-term care facilities. Out-patient programs in different types of facilities are also an option, as is in-home care.
Be Aware, Be Armed
Rehabilitation is an important part of recovering from stroke. The aim of a rehabilitation program is to help the patient regain as much independence as possible. This does not mean that life will return exactly as it was before the stroke. Rehabilitation cannot cure damage to the brain, but rehabilitation can help relearn the best possible use of the body. No one can say exactly how long a stroke rehabilitation program should last. Each program is tailored to meet each stroke survivor’s individual needs. A program can also change as thee patient’s condition improves.
In short, do not neglect your health or the health of your family. There is no greater gift than the gift of showing someone you love them by looking out for their health and being aware of what to do in any crisis. Although we can never be prepared for all potential crisis’, we can do everything realistic to be aware of the possibilities and be as informed as we can be. Learn the signs of stroke, and show someone you care today.
Do You Know What Genes You Are Serving For Dinner Tonight?
Genetically Modified Foods And The Implications
Genetically Modified strawberries
Have you ever bitten into a kiwi fruit and wondered why it had a hint of banana flavour to it? Or maybe it had a strawberry flavour? Sometimes I think they have the smallest hint of blueberry. People have many ways of describing the flavour of a kiwi. The kiwi is just one example of nature’s mysteries. It was grown that way in nature for thousands of years, maybe even before recorded history. That is the way nature intended for the kiwi to taste – unique.
Now what if you were to take that same kiwi and made it grow twice or even three times faster? What do you think could make it do such a thing? We have all seen those big, juicy-looking, bright-red apples that shone so bright you could swear you saw your reflection. They look simply divine, don’t they? What about those tomatoes that are so large you only need one rather than three.
In some way most of our food today has been subjected to what is termed “Genetic Engineering”, or “Genetic Modification“, and is exactly what it sounds like .. genetic modification. Genetically modified organisms or GMO, has invaded our global food supply in astounding percentages, and we are not even aware of it. There has been little to no testing on humans in many instances, and labels do not tell you that the food you are about to consume has been genetically altered. In North America, suppliers are not required to label GM foods. While having the option, they have opted not to tell us if what we purchase has been altered or modified.
GMO’s are the direct result of DNA modification. That is to say that a specific food has been injected with the DNA of another food to produce a new or enhanced food. A good example of this is the so-called ‘sweet white corn‘. Looks appetising, and will tend to take longer to decay, but has been altered from its true form.
Genetically modified sweet white corn
Lab testing began on GMO’s began long before we were even made aware, and the products on our shelves in local supermarkets a few years after the testing stage began. Sounds absurd that we are unaware of this ‘fake’, cancer-inducing phenomenon invading our supermarkets, doesn’t it? It may be absurd, but it is a fact – our governments have allowed these ‘products’ to find their way to our dinner tables without our knowledge.
Originally, the experiments were a part of a quest to feed the world’s hungry. A solution to an age-old dilemma. If we can make food bigger and grow it faster, we can solve hunger issues in deprived countries. That was the twisted thinking that started the ball rolling. But wait! Did thee geniuses consider that altering a specific food’s DNA may cause it to produce unwanted side effects? Nope, this wasn’t in the cards then.
There have been many reports that this type of manipulation has potential to cause specific types of cancer. This modification a can also lead to other worrisome health issues. For starters, these foods produce their own form of pesticides. While we struggle with bans on pesticide use for our private homes, the government allows these labs to feed it to us directly. One of the leading companies producing GMO’s is Monsanto.
As unappetising as the term ‘Genetically Altered”
Their claim is that through GM foods, they will help farmers produce enough food for the staggering increase in demand. Their plan is “To produce more with less, conserving resources like soil and water” and “to improve lives.” How do they plan to do this claiming, “We do this by selling seeds, traits developed through biotechnology, and crop protection chemicals.”
The socioeconomic ramifications of altering our food in this manner are astounding. Crop uniformity will reduce genetic diversity making them more vulnerable to disease and pests and further the need for pesticides, which the biotech firms are promoting. This furthers the need for pesticides, which biotech companies like Monsanto produce also. Efforts to introduce labeling of GMO’s has repeatedly met resistance from lobbyists and politicians affiliated with companies like Monsanto.
GE is an expensive technology, and farmers of developing countries will not easily afford. Food shortages and hunger will always be something that the poorer countries have to face, if food production is continued in this manner. With the way we are producing genetically altered foods, and the health and environmental damage it causes, this is not the way to go for a developing country that already struggles to feed their hungry. Some argue that there is more than enough food in the world and that the hunger crisis is caused by problems in food distribution and politics, not production.
We eat enough that is bad for us, do we need to make it worse?
Which brings me to another related topic – In Vitro Meats. IVM is meat produced from animal tissues, but has never become a living animal. Cultured in labs, this meat has never lived or breathed. It is partial in completion, and genetically engineered, ‘grown’ entirely in labs. This so-called meat is cultured much the same way as GMO’s, in the time frame is greatly reduced in completion. Most meat is animal muscle. The process of developing in vitro meat involves taking muscle cells and applying a protein that helps the cells to grow into large portions of meat. The price of in vitro meat at retail outlets and supermarkets may decrease prices to levels that middle-class consumers consider to be inexpensive, due to technological advancements.Milk, cheese and eggs could also be produced without needing multiple animals.
What are we really eating?
This may pose many health hazards because large scale production of in vitro meat requires artificial growth hormones and antibiotics to prevent bacterial infections. You may, as I do, find the thought of artificially cultured meat distasteful. Completely unconventional methods of obtaining foods is appalling to many, not to mention the exorbitant costs. Currently, a piece of IVM meat costs approximately $1,000,000 USD. A million dollars that could have been spent on feeding some of the world’s hungry.
Glofish – A novelty fish produced by altering it’s DNA. These fish, a living being, are very fragile because of the genetics tampering.
A waste of time, energy and resources? We may never see this meat on our shelves in our lifetime, so how much time and money will be spent on researching this technique, instead of putting the money where the hungry mouths are? It really is maddening when you think about it; there are people dying all over the world from hunger, while these people are spending millions, if not billions, playing with test tubes. God gave us land and animals to feed ourselves, so why don’t we accept mother nature as it is and work with her to feed the world’s population?
We should eat the way our ancestors did
The complexities of this situation with modifying our food supply is beyond the average person. We will be left in the dark about what we are eating as long as politicians and government itself are connected to and continue to support companies like Monsanto. Time and again, Monsanto and sister companies have battled opposition in court, and won.
Here is a video that will help explain what GMO is. .
So what are the consequences for altering our food supply in this manner? Here are a few of them:
New toxins and allergens in foods
Other damaging effects on health caused by unnatural foods (such as cancer and allergies)
Increased use of chemicals on crops, resulting in increased contamination of our water supply and food
The creation of herbicide-resistant weeds
The spread of diseases across species barriers
Loss of bio-diversity in crops
The disturbance of ecological balance
Artificially induced characteristics and inevitable side-effects will be passed on to all later generations and to other related organisms. Once released, they can never be recalled or contained. The consequences of this are incalculable.
Isn’t that enough? We need to leave nature alone and till the land as our ancestors did. It was good enough for them, so why can it not be good enough for us too?
Prince Edward Island – Red Earth – All natural
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Many thanks to Ant World for the riveting topic and discussions that lead to the general content of this Post.
As an addition to this post, I would like to add a link from The National Post. Take this into consideration …
McDonald’sburger, after one year, exposed to the open air.
In closing, I would like to add that this is information is based on articles I have read on the matter, and is my opinion.
They are a priceless part of us, and capture our hearts and souls the instant they are born. From that moment we will do anything to protect and care for them. This is human nature. It is an inborn instinct to safeguard our loved ones and is something we all experience. Whether it is our children, our elderly, our partner, a family member, or even our friends, we all experience protectiveness at one point in our lives. For most of the world’s population, this is an ongoing phenomenon – for life.
What if someone you loved went missing; what would be your first reaction? Worry? Panic even? Perhaps. If that ‘someone’ was a mere child of only two years, you might even be out of your mind with terror and apprehension, fearing the worst.
Would you wait an entire month before calling police to report the child missing? Not very likely now, is it? However, that is exactly what happened when Caylee Marie Anthony went missing on June 16 / 2008. Caylee’s (then) 22-year-old mother, Casey Marie Anthony waited until she was pressured to report the toddler missing on July 15 / 2008. A month after her baby girl was last seen. Seems impossible, doesn’t it?
Casey Marie Anthony – Mother of missing toddler Caylee
On July 15, Caylee’s Grandmother, Cindy Anthony, called 9-1-1 and told police she had not seen the child in weeks. Caylee lived in Orlando, Florida, USA, with her mother and grandparents (George and Cindy Anthony). The hartbreaking call was made far too late. Cindy told the 9-1-1 dispatcher, “Caylee’s missing. There is something wrong. I found my daughter’s car today and it smells like there’s been a dead body in the damn car..” Haunting words that will play over in the dispatcher’s mind for a very long time. When the dispatcher asked why she hadn’t reported the missing child earlier, Cindy Casey replied, “I’ve been looking for her
Caylee with Cindy and George Anthony (grandparents)
and just gone through other resources to find her, which was stupid.”
The ‘car’ Caylee’s grandmother was referring to was used by her own daughter, Caylee’s mother. The day the child was reported missing, Casey’s parents went to the impound yard to retrieve Casey’s car, where it had been towed. The car smelled like a body had been decomposing in it, the impound yard manager and Casey’s father claimed later. As a nurse, Cindy knew the odour immediately. She later recalled asking her husband after driving home, “What died?”, not actually thinking that there had ever really been a dead body in the car at the time she made the statement. The car was owned by her parents, but it was driven by Casey alone.
It appears that Casey was staying with a boyfriend at the time her daughter went missing. After locating the car and returning it to their home, Cindy Anthony searched it and found a purse with information on a friend of Casey’s. Cindy asked the friend to take her to Casey’s boyfriend’s house. She confronted her daughter and demanded to see Caylee. They drove around for a while, then Casey finally admitted that she didn’t know where her daughter was. Returning to the Anthony family home, Cindy finally called police. Casey spoke to the 9-1-1 operator as well, and calmly told them that her daughter had been missing for four weeks, but she was afraid that her abilities as a mother would be questioned by authorities, and that is why she did not report the disappearance.
Missing
Casey was arrested following the report of her daughter’s disappearance that same night, and charged with the egregious act of murdering her own child. In all, Casey faced seven counts in her daughter’s death, including first-degree murder, aggravated child abuse, child neglect and misleading investigators. If she were convicted, Casey could have faced the death penalty. That was not to be the case. Casey Anthony was acquitted of all charges. That is astonishing, when you consider the evidence the Crown presented at trial.
FACTS IN THE CAYLEE ANTHONY CASE:
Last time Caylee was seen was on June 16 / 2008. Casey claimed (one of several claims) that a nanny, Zenaida Fernandez-Gonzalez, had run off with her daughter on June 19. Casey gave the fictitious woman the nickname “Zanny” . A woman with this name exists, but has never met Casey or any of the Anthony family. September 5, Casey was released from prison on $500,000 bail, posted by her parents. On October 14, Casey Anthony was indicted by a grand jury on charges of first degree murder, aggravated child abuse, aggravated manslaughter of a child, and four counts of providing false information to police. She was arrested once more. Judge John Jordan ordered that she be held without bond. On October 21, the charge of child neglect was dropped against Casey, according to the State Attorney’s Office, citing that “as the evidence proved that the child was deceased, the State sought an indictment on the legally appropriate charges.” On October 28 Anthony was arraigned and pled not guilty to all charges.
Skeletal Remains, Presumed at the Time to be That of Caylee Anthony
Sadly, on December /11 / 2008, remains of a small child are discovered in a wooded area near the Anthony family home. The skeletal remains of the tiny body were found in a garbage bag, along with a blanket. Duct tape was found at the front of the skull, skin tissue was attached to the tape, but little possible DNA sources remained, save the hair, which was consistent with the colour of Caylee’s hair. On December 19 / 2008, DNA tests confirm that the remains were indeed little Caylee.
Evidence from the trunk of the car was indisputable. A strand of hair found matched the DNA of hair from Caylee’s hairbrush, and upon analysis, the strand from the trunk confirmed that the hair was from that of a deceased child; specifically Caylee Anthony. October / 24 / 2008, a forensic report by Dr. Arpad Vass of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory deemed that results from an air sampling performed in the trunk of Casey Anthony’s car provided chemical compounds “consistent with a decompositional event” based on the presence of five key chemical compounds out of over 400 possible chemical compounds. A group of technicians from Dr. Vass’ lab confirmed the presence of chloroform in Casey’s trunk.
On April /13 / 2009 prosecutors announced that they planned to seek the death penalty. In October / 2009 officials released 700 pages of documents related to the Anthony murder investigation, including records of Google searches of the terms “neck breaking” and “how to make chloroform” on a computer accessible to Casey Anthony. According to detectives, crime scene evidence included residue of a heart-shaped sticker found on duct tape over the mouth of Caylee’s skull. However, the lab was not able to capture a heart-shape photograph after the duct tape was subjected to dye testing. A blanket was found at the crime scene that matched Caylee’s bedding at her grandparents’ home.
Casey Anthony shown during trial
Jury selection began on May / 9 / 2011, and took longer than expected; 9 days, with twelve jurors and five alternates being sworn. The panel contained nine women and eight men. The trial took six weeks, during which time the jury was sequestered. The trial began on May / 24 / 2011, at the Orange County Courthouse, during which time, Casey was described as someone who was a ‘party girl’, loved to have a good time and did not want the responsibilities of parenthood any longer. Casey’s defence attorney claimed that the little girl had drowned in the family pool, and it was George Anthony that found the lifeless child. He said Casey’s father told her that she would spend the rest of her life in jail, and hid the body. Defence also claimed that the reason Casey was able to carry on as she would normally is because she hid her feelings well, after having been molested by her father as a child. This, of course, did not hold water.
George Anthony was the first witness for prosecution and refuted all claims during his testimony. When Cindy Anthony testified, she claimed that her comment to the 9-1-1 dispatcher that Casey’s car smelled “like someone died” was just a “figure of speech”. At some point, the question whether Lee Anthony (Casey’s brother) was Caylee’s father arose. This was proven false.
Lee Anthony
After examination and cross-examination of dozens of experts, friends and family, the jury was left with more questions than answers. Questions were raised about the examiners method during autopsy. More about the use of chloroform and whether it was actually used. Someone even claimed that despite the fact Caylee was found in a garbage bag, dead, it did not mean there was homicide involved. How that makes any sense is beyond all logical thought. Yet it is this lack of professionalism that bemused jurors and placed that ‘shadow of a doubt’ in their minds. The evidence against Casey is impossibly clear, yet the lack of ‘hard’, ‘tangible’ evidence allowed her to walk free on all charges related to her daughter’s death.
On July /5 / 2011 the jury found Casey not guilty of aggravated manslaughter, first-degree murder, and aggravated child abuse. She was however, found guilty of four misdemeanour counts of providing false information to a law enforcement officer. 1) Casey told law enforcement that she was employed at Universal Studios during 2008, pursuant to the investigation of a missing persons report, and leading the investigation astray. 2) Casey also told law enforcement that she had left Caylee at an apartment complex with a babysitter causing the authorities to pursue the missing babysitter. 3) Casey told law enforcement that she informed two “employees” of Universal Studios (where she lied about being employed) of the disappearance of Caylee. 4) Casey lied to the authorities and claimed she had received a call and spoke to Caylee on July / 15 /2008, causing them to expend further resources. None of which will carry a sentence that has much impact.
Sentencing was on July / 7 /2011. Casey Anthony was given one year in jail and a $1,000 fine for each of the misdemeanours in turn. She received 1,043 days credit for time served. Additionally, she was credited for ‘good behaviour’. Casey was released on July / 17 /2011. She filed an appeal for the minor charges and fines two days prior to her release. A judge ruled that Casey Anthony must pay $217,000 to the state of Florida. In the end, she had to pay those costs directly related to lying to authorities about the death of Caylee.
Caylee Anthony
Timeline of Important Events in Caylee’s Case:
2008
June 9, 2008 — Casey Anthony and her daughter Caylee move out of Casey’s parents, Cindy and George Anthony’s home, and in with her ex-boyfriend, Ricardo Morales, and friend, Amy Huizenga.
June 15, 2008 — Cindy swims with Caylee in the Anthony’s pool that day, afterwards removing the ladder and closing the gate.
June 16, 2008 — Caylee is last seen alive at the Anthony family residence. According to George Anthony, Caylee departed with Casey by car around 12:30 PM with backpacks on their shoulders. According to the defense, Caylee drowned in the family’s above-ground swimming pool during this day and both Casey and George Anthony panicked upon finding the body and covered up her death. Between 3:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Casey makes numerous short calls to her parents and several friends. Surveillance videos show Casey Anthony and her boyfriend walking around casually at a Blockbuster video store.
June 17, 2008 — George and Cindy Anthony notice that the gate to the swimming pool is open and the ladder is next to the pool.
June 20, 2008 — Casey Anthony is captured in various photos partying at the Fusion nightclub and participating in a “hot body contest.”
June 30, 2008 — Casey’s car is towed from a parking lot after being there for several days; her purse and a child’s car seat are found in the car.
July 2, 2008 — Casey gets a tattoo on her back saying “Bella Vita” which means “beautiful life” in Italian.
July 15, 2008 — George and Cindy Anthony pick up Casey’s car from the impound yard. George Anthony observes a strong odor emanating from the vehicle. Distressed because Casey has not brought Caylee home in a month, Cindy has Amy Huizenga take her to where Casey is staying and makes Casey come home.Casey tells her parents that she hasn’t seen Caylee in a month and that a babysitter named Zenaida Fernandez Gonzalez (“Zanny”) may have kidnapped her. Cindy Anthony immediately calls 911 and reports her granddaughter Caylee missing.
July 16, 2008 — Police investigators discover Casey Anthony has been lying about her place of employment and where she says her nanny lives. As a result, Casey is arrested and charged with child neglect, making false official statements, and obstructing an investigation.
July 17, 2008 — Casey appears in court, during which time the judge denies bail, saying she showed a “woeful disregard for the welfare of her child.” The policemen from the Sheriff’s Office searches Casey’s car and takes several items of evidence.
July 18, 2008 — Casey Anthony hires Jose Baez as her legal attorney,who writes a letter to Orange County Sheriff’s Office about Casey’s willingness to cooperate with law enforcement.
July 22, 2008 — Because of police testimony about allegedly incriminating evidence from the car, Circuit Court Judge Stan Strickland sets Casey Anthony’s bail at $500,000.
July 29, 2008 — Judge denies defense motion to ban the release to the media all jailhouse recordings, 911 tapes and visitor logs. Florida public records law mandates record requests by media be honored promptly. Over the next three years thousands of pages of audio, video, forensic information and legal documents detailing the criminal investigations will be released.
August 5, 2008 — The State Attorney’s Office files formal charges against Casey Anthony for one felony count of child neglect.
August 8, 2008 — WFTV reports that investigators suspect Caylee may have drowned in the family swimming pool on June 16.
August 11, 12, 13 – Meter reader Roy Kronk reports suspicious bag to police. A police officer meets Kronk at the scene and Kronk tells him he had seen a skull and bones in a bag. However, the officer was rude and conducted only a cursory search.
August 21, 2008 — After bail bondsman Leonard Padilla pays Casey Anthony’s $500,000 bailshe is fitted with an electronic monitoring device and released.
August 29, 2008 — Casey Anthony is arrested again on charges of writing four checks worth nearly $650 on Amy Huizenga’s checking account without permission. Orange County police said the charges are “unrelated to the investigation.”Prosecutors offer Casey a limited immunity deal related to “the false statements given to law enforcement about locating her child.” She refuses it soon after.(The offer is renewed on August 25and again refused.)
September 5, 2008 — Casey Anthony’s parents post a $500,000 bond and she is released from county jail into their custody after being fitted with an electronic tracking device.
September 6, 2008 — Deputies seize a handgun from the trunk of George Anthony’s car because having a gun on the property violates Casey’s bail.George says he planned to use it to force Casey’s friends to tell him what happened to Caylee.
September 10, 2008 — The whole family allegedly refuses to take a lie detector test offered by both the FBI and local authorities.
September 15–16, 2008 — Casey Anthony turns herself in on new check fraud charges, fraudulent use of identification, and petty theft.She is released the next day on $1,250 bond, and again fitted with an electronic tracking device.
September 25, 2008 — Zenaida Fernandez-Gonzalez, the woman Casey Anthony reportedly named as an alleged baby sitter and suspect in the case, files a defamation lawsuit against her.
October 14, 2008 — Casey Anthony is indicted by a grand jury on charges of first degree murder, aggravated child abuse, aggravated manslaughter of a child, and four counts of providing false information to police. She is later arrested. Judge John Jordan orders that she be held without bond.Because it is a capital crime, Casey Anthony faces possible death penalty.
October 21, 2008 — Charges of child neglect are dropped against Casey Anthony on assumption the child is dead.On October 28 Casey Anthony is arraigned and pleads not guilty to all charges.
November 8–9, 2008 — Texas EquuSearch leads hundreds of volunteers in a search of a grid for Caylee, but when nothing is found they suspend their search.
November 15, 2008 — A psychic instructs the Anthony family’s private investigator Dominic Casey to search the area where Caylee’s remains later are found. The search is videotaped. The family’s attorney denies asking Dominic Casey to search there. The area was under several inches of water at the time.
December 5, 2008 — The state initially says it will not seek the death penalty against Casey Anthony.
December 11, 2008 — After yet a fourth tip from Roy Kronk, skeletal remains of what appeared to be a small child are found one-quarter mile from the Anthony home.Orange County Sheriff’s Office obtains warrant and searches Anthony residence.
December 19, 2008 — Police announce DNA testing confirms that the remains belong to Caylee Anthony.
Casey Anthony
2009
January 23, 2009 — Police discover George Anthony, who had been text messaging family members, despondent and possibly under the influence of alcohol and medication in hotel room. Police also discovered a lengthy suicide note.
January 29, 2009 — Judge Stan Strickland orders Casey Anthony to appear at all court hearings in her case.
April 14, 2009 — The State of Florida reverses self and will seek the imposition of the death penalty.
September 17, 2009 — Casey Anthony’s defense team files a motion to dismiss the murder charges against her because the state allegedly failed to preserve evidence in the case. The motion is denied.
November 24, 2009 — Defense attorneys accuse EquuSearch’s Tim Miller of lying to the court in their claim that only 32 people searched in the area where Caylee’s remains were eventually found and that the number was much higher.
December 18, 2009 — Judge Stan Strickland denies a request to take the death penalty off of the table in the prosecution of Casey Anthony.
Police Investigate
2010
January 26, 2010 — Casey admits guilt for 13 fraudulent check charges, takes responsibility for her actions,and makes full restitution. The judge sentences her to time served.
April 19, 2010 — Judge Stan Strickland steps down after Casey Anthony’s defense team files a motion accusing him of having inappropriate conversations with a pro-prosecution blogger. Strickland granted the motion because the accusation would “generate renewed allegations of bias”. Judge Belvin Perry, Jr. is appointed to take over the case.
May 11, 2010 — Judge Perry will allow the state to seek the death penalty.
August 14, 2010 — Cindy Anthony on the “Today” Show calls Casey a victim, and claims she’s not involved with what happened to Caylee’s remains.
August 16, 2010 — George and Cindy Anthony’s attorney, Brad Conway, steps down because he disputes a Jose Baez motion claiming Conway was given unrestricted access to documents belonging to Texas EquuSearch to which he was not given the same access.
Cindy Anthony on the witness stand
2011
January 4, 2011 — Judge Belvin Perry postpones ruling on over two dozen defense motions to exclude evidence from the trial. Over the next several months Perry rules for or against these various motions to exclude evidence. He admonishes, and later financially sanctions, defense attorney, Jose Baez, for failing to turn over expert witness discovery information to prosecutors before a certain deadline.
April 1, 2011 — After numerous outbursts by lawyers in court over what is and is not scientific evidence, Judge Perry ruled more such behaviour would result in a fine of $100 per outburst, with the proceeds to go to the United Way.
May 20, 2011 — After eleven days of jury selection, Judge Perry swears in a jury of five men and seven women, plus three men and two women as alternate jurors.
May 24, 2011 — Trial begins in Orlando, Florida. The prosecution states Casey Anthony used duct tape to suffocate Caylee Anthony. The defense contends the child actually drowned in her grandparents’ swimming pool, that Casey’s father George Anthony warned Casey she would be imprisoned for life for child neglect and then covered up the death; thus she failed to report the incident for 31 days. Also, because George Anthony had sexually molested Casey as a child she had a habit of hiding her pain and lying.Baze admits Casey had fabricated the story of the nanny named Zenaida Fernandez-Gonzales. Baez also questions whether Roy Kronk, who found the remains, actually removed them from else where and questioned police motivations for pursuing a murder investigation. Prosecutors call George Anthony as their first witness and he denies to them having sexually abused his daughter Casey or covering up the death of Caylee.
May 25, 2011 — Various friends of Casey Anthony testify about her fabricated stories during June and July 2008 of having a job and employing a nanny for Caylee. Neighbor testifies that in mid-June 2008 Casey and a boyfriend borrowed a shovel from him to dig up a bamboo root.
May 26, 2011 — Former boyfriend testifies Casey told him her brother, Lee Anthony, sexually groped her. George Anthony says he did not smell decomposition in Casey’s car on June 24, 2008 and states he put duct tape over a hole in one of the plastic gas cans she had returned to him.
May 27, 2011 — Tow truck company manager and George Anthony testify that from their experience the smell from Casey’s car resembled human decomposition.George Anthony denies to Jose Baez having sexually abused Casey.
May 28, 2011 — Former boyfriend testifies about Casey’s normal behavior on June 16, 2008. Cindy Anthony testifies that they swam that day and that Caylee could get up the ladder into the pool. She also believed Casey worked at Universal Orlando Resort and had a babysitter named Zanny.
May 31, 2011 — Cindy Anthony says her description of Casey’s car smelling “like someone died” was just a “figure of speech.” She tried to get rid of the smell by spraying Febreze household odor eliminator. She says she found the pool ladder in the pool the evening of June 16. Casey’s friend Amy Huizenga talks of Casey’s frustration about getting help with Caylee and reveals that on June 27 Casey texted her about a dead animal on the frame of the car.
June 1, 2011 — The first officers to arrive at Anthony home on July 16, 2008 say they did not smell human decomposition in Casey’s car and admit they did not search the other two family cars. They testify about Casey going to Universal Orlando Resort with Casey that day, where she confessed she no longer worked there and did not have a nanny named Zenaida Fernandez Gonzalez.
June 2, 2011 — Video tapes of Casey lying to her parents in jail and denying to an officer on July 16, 2008 that Caylee had drowned in the pool, as he suggested.
June 3, 2011 — Investigators describe evidence collection from Casey’s car and obtaining from the towing yard the garbage bag that had been in it. One investigator states he smelled human decomposition.
June 4, 2011 — An FBI forensic scientist testifies the single hair removed from the car trunk was similar to a hair from Caylee’s hair brush and had “root-banding” consistent with that from a decomposing body.
June 6, 2011 — Dr. Arpad Vass of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory describes using a gas chromatograph mass spectrometer to find signs of human decomposition and a high level of chloroform in the trunk of Casey’s car. The defense challenges Vass’ financial motivation and the chain of evidence.
A little too late
June 7, 2011 — FBI forensic chemist confirms chloroform residue in trunk of Casey’s car but admits household cleaning products leave traces of chloroform. Dog handler describes dog alerting to human decomposition in the trunk, as well as Caylee’s playhouse.
June 8, 2011 — Second dog handler says his dog smelled decomposition in back yard. Computer analysts confirm a search for “chloroform” on Casey’s computer March 17, 2008 and “how to make chloroform” on March 21, 2008.
June 9, 2011 — Software analyst John Bradley states someone used the Anthony computer to search the website Sci-spot.com for “chloroform” 84 times on March 21, 2008. He admits that automatic page reloading could account for that number and there was no way of knowing who performed the searches. Investigators show photographs of the remains, including of duct tape that appears to be over the mouth area. One admits that duct tape might not originally have been on the mouth and could have shifted position as he collected remains. Casey Anthony becomes ill looking at the photographs and the jury is dismissed for the day.
June 10, 2011 — Medical examiner states that the death is ruled a homicide because of the delay in reporting the disappearance, the fact the body was hidden and the existence of duct tape, but admits she did not know how the child died. Crime scene investigators describe similar maggots found in the car trunk and at the crime scene.
June 11, 2011 — An expert in forensic entomology states he found flies related to decomposition in the trunk of Casey’s car. Orange County crime scene investigators identify a piece of Henkel brand duct tape found at the scene and testify it is the same brand as George Anthony put on the red gas can. One states that no Henkel brand tape was found else where in Anthony’s home.
June 13, 2011 — FBI examiner states a hair from the child’s skull is consistent with but not identical to the single hair found in the trunk. FBI agent could not find fingerprints on duct tape found near the remains but initially did find adhesive in the shape of a heart on a corner of a piece of duct tape; later she could not find it again.[67][68][69]
June 14, 2011 — FBI quality assurance specialist says the hair found in trunk could have come from any member of the Anthony family. A crime scene investigator says heart shaped stickers were found in Casey’s room but did not link them to the one alleged to be on the duct tape. Testimony about and photo of Casey’s “Bella Vita” tattoo made on July 2, 2008.
June 15, 2011 — Prosecution rests its case. Defense makes a motion to acquit based on insufficient evidence a murder was committed, which the judge denies based on previous case rulings.
June 16, 2011 — Defence begins it’s case, often recalling state witnesses for further testimony. Crime scene investigator says no blood was found in Casey’s car or incriminating stains on her clothes. FBI analyst states no DNA evidence was found in the car or at the crime scene. She states FBI did a paternity test that showed Lee Anthony was not Caylee’s father. Crime scene investigator and forensics supervisor state a heart-shaped sticker was found far from the body. An FBI forensic document examiner found no evidence of a heart shaped sticker on the duct tape found near the remains.
June 17, 2011 — Entomologist called by the defense states if there was a body in the trunk, there should have been hundreds or even thousands of blow flies trapped in the trunk as well.
June 18, 2011 — Defence calls a new witness, Dr. Werner Spitz, who questions the medical examiner’s autopsy, including the failure to open the skull, and says there was no indication the death was a homicide. He believes the duct tape was placed on the skull after decomposition and that the crime scene photos of the position of the hair on the skull were staged, possibly by the medical examiner.
June 21, 2011 — A defence-called forensic botanist challenges the prosecution’s theory of when the body was placed at the crime scene. An expert in analytical chemistry who works with Dr. Vass challenges the process of testing for the presence of chloroform.
June 22, 2011 — An FBI forensic examiner says no dirt from the crime scene was found on shoes at the Anthony home or a neighbor’s borrowed shovel. FBI forensic toxicologists found no toxins in the hair from Caylee Anthony’s skull. A scientist who worked with Dr. Vass who testifies tests did not conclusively prove there was a body in the trunk. The FBI’s forensic chemist examiner could not find traces of chloroform in the car. The FBI forensics expert found no hair in the trunk liner showing signs of decomposition. She also testified the duct tape at the crime scene was dissimilar to that in the Anthony home.
June 23, 2011 — An FBI hair and fiber expert says only one hair from the car truck had a sign of decomposition. There is a long debate among prosecutors and defense over the reliability of “root banding.” An expert in forensic toxicology testifies Dr. Vass’s test “lacked organization and planning” and had “minimal standards of quality control. ” He also mentions that chloroform is a byproduct of chlorinated swimming pool water.
June 24, 2011 — The defense shows Cindy a photograph of Caylee on the pool ladder and she again mentions the ladder was in the pool on June 16 when she returned home, adding that she called George to ask about it. The defense also showed the jury a picture of Caylee appearing to open a sliding-glass door at her home. Cindy says Caylee was capable of opening the sliding door to the yard and the pool. Lee Anthony states he was not told Casey was pregnant until days before Caylee’s birth. Search volunteer testifies about duct tape being used at search headquarters.
June 25, 2011 — Judge Perry temporarily halts proceedings after defense motion to determine if Anthony was competent to proceed with trial, based on a privileged communication from Casey Anthony.
June 27, 2011 — Casey Anthony found competent to continue after psychological evaluation. June 27 also is the date the prosecution states it discussed with defense attorney Jose Baez software analyst John Bradley’s post-testimony admission to prosecutors that there was only one search for chloroform, not 84. In testimony, the lead detective admits cadaver dogs had not searched inside the Anthony’s home, or in two other Anthony cars. A professor of chemistry called by the defense says there is no scientifically valid instrument that can identify decomposition, that there is no consensus on what chemicals are typical of human decomposition and that chemical compounds identified by Dr. Vass in air samples can be found in household products and garbage. Three witnesses discuss the November 2008 videotaped search by Anthony family private investigators in the woods where Caylee’s body later was found.
June 28, 2011 — A Texas EquuSearch team letter discusses their November search for Caylee of the site where the body later was found. George Anthony denies he had an affair with Krystal Holloway, borrowed money from her, or told her Caylee’s death was “an accident that snowballed out of control.” He admits going to her home and sending her a text message. He testifies he bought a gun to threaten Casey’s friends into telling him where Casey was, even though he knew having one violated Casey’s bail. Cindy Anthony denies she sent private investigators to search the site where Caylee’s body later was found; her son Lee Anthony and the case’s lead detective then testify she did so, after talking to a psychic. Roy Kronk testifies about his calls to police and finding the body. He denies he told his son finding the body would make him rich and famous, but admits he did receive $5,000 after Caylee’s remains were identified. Judge Perry does not allow jury to hear Casey’s ex-fiancée say that Casey told him Lee had once tried to grope her while she was sleeping.
June 29, 2011 — Cindy Anthony says Casey’s response to the media theory that Caylee drowned was “Surprise. Surprise.” Baez asks George Anthony about his suicide attempt in January 2009 and the next day the judge allows the jury to see the suicide note. Roy Kronk’s son states that Kronk did say that finding Caylee Anthony would making him rich and famous. Kronk testifies about why he changed his story about lifting the skull. An expert on grief and trauma testifies that pretending nothing had happened and partying was one of many different ways people, especially young people, express grief.
June 30, 2011 — Casey Anthony tells Judge Perry she does not want to testify.[95] Perry will not allow the jury to sniff air samples from the car trunk. Defense calls search volunteer Krystal Holloway who states that she had an affair with George Anthony. She states that George Anthony told her that Caylee’s death was “an accident that snowballed out of control.” Under cross-examination she also agreed with her earlier statement to police in which she said George Anthony did not say he knew it was an accident. After Holloway steps down, Judge Perry tells jurors that her testimony could be used to impeach George Anthony’s credibility, but that it is not proof of how Caylee died. George, Cindy and Lee Anthony testify that their pets had been buried in the back yard. Cindy calls it a “tradition” to wrap them in blankets and a plastic bag; duct tape was used to keep the plastic bags from opening. After this final witness, the defense rests. The prosecutor rebuttal begins with showing the jury photographs of Caylee’s clothes and George’s suicide note.
July 1, 2011 — The prosecution continues rebuttal with two representatives of Cindy Anthony’s former employer explaining why their computer login system shows Cindy was at work the afternoon she said she went home early and searched her computer for information about chloroform. A police computer analyst says someone had purposely searched online for “neck + breaking.” Another analyst testifies she did not find evidence that Cindy Anthony had searched certain terms she claimed to have searched. An anthropology professor is recalled to rebut a defense witness on the need to open a skull during an autopsy. The lead detective states that there were no phone calls between Cindy and George Anthony during the week of June 16, 2008, but admits he did not know that George had a second cell phone.
July 3, 2011 — Judge Perry rules that during closing arguments the defense could argue there was a drowning because there was sufficient evidence of that, but could not argue George had sexually abused Casey. Prosecution does an hour and a half of closing arguments, offering a timeline of events and asserting that Casey suffocated Caylee by putting three pieces of duct tape place over her face. The alleged motive was that the child interfered with her partying and spending time with her boyfriend. The prosecution states the defense’ story that Caylee drowned and George encouraged her to cover up the accident made no sense. The defense counters with four hours of arguments insisting there was no proof of how Caylee died, challenging the prosecutors’ most important evidence as “fantasy,” and emphasizing the reasonable doubt that Casey killed Caylee. It again insists that after the child drowned, Casey panicked and George Anthony made the death look like a murder and put the body in the nearby woods.
July 4, 2011 — Prosecutors present a rebuttal to the defense closing, telling jurors their forensic evidence had proved their case, while the defense made claims they did not prove. The case then goes to the jury. Judge Perry issues final instructions to the jury.
July 5, 2011 — After more than ten hours of deliberation, the jury acquits Casey Anthony of all felony charges (i.e., of first-degree murder, aggravated manslaughter, and aggravated child abuse), but finds her guilty of four misdemeanor charges of giving false information to police.
July 7, 2011 — Judge Perry sentences Casey Anthony to one year in county jail and $1,000 in fines for each of the four misdemeanor counts of providing false information to a law enforcement officer. The judge orders all sentences to run consecutive to each other, with credit for time served. Based on three years credit for time served plus additional credit for good behavior, her release date is set for July 17, 2011. Judge Perry announces he will not release the juror’s names for seven days saying some people “disagree with their verdict” and “would like to take something out on them.”
July 13, 2011 – Texas EquuSearch, which assisted in the search for Caylee, sues Casey Anthony for the costs of the search.
July 15, 2011 — Casey Anthony appeals convictions of providing false information to a law enforcement officer.
July 17, 2011 — Casey Anthony is released from jail at 12:10 AM, with $537.68 in cash.
July 19, 2011 — Prosecutors write a letter responding to a New York Times article about alleged withholding of exculpatory evidence about the chloroform searches and says they were about to give the jury a Notice of Supplemental Discovery but did not do so because jurors had reached a verdict.
July 26, 2011 — Judge Belvin Perry rules juror names will remain secret until October 2011, citing public “outrage and distress” over the not guilty verdict. He also appeals to Florida legislators to bar the release of juror’s names in some cases “in order to protect the safety and well-being of those citizens willing to serve.”
August 1, 2011 — Orange Circuit Judge Stan Strickland signs amended court documents that order Casey Anthony to return to Orlando within 72 hours to serve one year of supervised probation for the check fraud charge that Anthony pled guilty to in January 2010. Jose Baez accuses Strickland of bias in the ruling. Strickland excuses himself from the case.
August 5, 2011 — Baez obtains an emergency hearing with Judge Perry arguing Anthony already had served her probation and that Strickland no longer had jurisdiction over her. Perry postpones a decision calling the situation “a maze.”
August 10, 2011 — The Florida Department of Children and Families releases report concluding that Casey Anthony failed to protect Caylee, and that Casey’s actions or lack of actions resulted in the death of the child. The finding has little legal relevance.
August 12, 2011 — Judge Belvin Perry upholds Judge Strickland’s order, ruling that Casey Anthony must return to Orlando to serve one year’s probation for check fraud, reporting no later than noon on August 26. The judge declares that her residential information during the probation period may be kept confidential because of threats made against her life.
August 23, 2011 — After defense attorneys file motion to appeal Judge Perry’s probation ruling, the Florida Fifth District Court of Appeals upholds it.Casey Anthony reports for probation at a secret location on August 24.
September 15, 2011 — Judge Belvin Perry rules Casey Anthony must pay $97,000 of the $517,000 the state of Florida wanted her to pay for investigative and prosecution costs to the state under a provision of Florida sentencing law. He ruled she only had to pay those costs directly related to lying to law enforcement about the death of Caylee, i.e., search costs up to September 30, 2008, when the Sheriff’s Office stopped investigating a missing-child case. In earlier arguments Attorney Cheney Mason had called the prosecutors’ attempts to extract the larger sum “sour grapes” because the prosecution lost its case. He told reporters that Anthony is indigent.
September 23, 2011 — Judge Belvin Perry rules Casey Anthony must pay an additional $119,000 for the recalculated costs of the sheriff’s search for Caylee Anthony, for a total of $217,000.
October 8, 2011 — Casey Anthony answers a few questions and takes the Fifth Amendment repeatedly in a video deposition regarding the Zenaida Fernandez-Gonzales lawsuit.
October 25, 2011 — Judge Perry releases names of jurors in Casey Anthony trial.
Just days after the not guilty verdict, several Sates in the U.S. Began drafting ‘Caylee’s Law”, which tightens the noose on parents and guardians who do not report the disappearance of a missing child in a timely manner. Something that should be common sense – for those who have common sense and have not caused the disappearance themselves. It is a moral obligation for all to take appropriate actions when we believe another life is in jeopardy. Another question I would pose is, “why did the grandparents wait so long to report the child missing themselves?” Or at least have an appropriate authority investigate when their daughter failed to produce the child earlier?
A poignant message in support of Caylee’s Law
This is a very tragic story, one we are not likely to forget, once known. It is not about the Anthony family. It is not about the media or press. It has been exploited abundantly, but there are plenty of people out the who know exactly what I mean – it is about a little girl who is no longer in this world because someone stole her life. A heinous crime of hideous proportions. That killer walks the same streets we do every day. Is the person that stole little Caylee’s life even the slightest remorseful? Where is the justice for Caylee?
We all have our opinions on these things, and I for one, am struggling to contain mine. You will always be in my thoughts and prayers, Caylee.
Sweet Dreams Precious Angel. May God Watch Over You.
Listen to Caylee’s Song – She’s Going Places .. Here
Song performed by Rascal Flatts – Link leads to YouTube. Song posted by ‘ripBenoitFamily’
New Release by Amarissa Amber Cale - Angels Wear Lipstick: Based on a True Story - Born to teen parents in 1964, Katie’s parents treated her like a showpiece – and a punching bag for her resentful mother. Her life revolved around flashing camera bulbs and tyrannical abuse by both her parents.. Despite suspicion surrounding what took place behind the Pryor’s closed doors, friends, family, and professionals alike remained silent.