Casey Anthony’s car, at the Orange County forensics department, reportedly still reeks of death.
Lots of drama today in the ongoing case of Casey Anthony, charged with murdering her 3 year old daughter Caylee. The media in Florida are continuously fighting to see WHO can get the most controversial story in the already controversial case, and the whacko Anthony family circus don’t usually disappoint. The Orlando Sentinel reports that WFTV-Channel 9’s Kathi Belich caused an Anthony family supporter to flee. WKMG-Channel 6 presented Cindy Anthony and attorney John Morgan disparaging each other.
The Anthony family has a new “spokesperson”, Michelle Bart, who has been representing the Kid Finders Network in the case of the missing girl. She was asked by the group to work on behalf of the Anthony family as well. Michelle is replacing Larry Garrison, who’s been accused Anthony family attorney Mark Nijame of hiding a $6,500 payment from NBC for providing photos of Caylee. Bart runs Helping Heroes Inc., a Vancouver, Wash.-based public-relations company that works with nonprofit organizations.
Some major drama occured when WFTV’s Kathi Belich confronted Dennis Milstead of Kid Finders Network, which the Anthony family has asked to help look for missing toddler Caylee. But Belich wanted to know about Milstead’s criminal past. When she started pressing, he turned wild-eyed, grabbed her microphone and pushed the WFTV camera. Belich noted that his group has never found any children. After Belich talked to Milstead, she reported that he packed up and left.
WFTV anchor Martie Salt recapped the sorry record of people involved in this case. “It seems everyone who gets their hands on this case ends up either fired or disgraced somehow,” she noted.
Salt’s list? Spokesman Larry Garrison, who was fired last week. Bounty hunter Leonard Padilla, who has been asked to take a lie-detector test. Anthony publicist Todd Black the mystery man who mistakenly acknowledged that Caylee is dead. And Jose Baez, who has drawn sharp criticism for his work as Casey’s attorney.
On WFTV, high-profile lawyer John Morgan lambasted the Anthony team’s decision to counter-sue a Morgan client. Morgan is representing Zenaida Fernandez-Gonzalez, who says her life was ruined after Casey Anthony wrongly named her as baby sitter to Caylee. WFTV’s Mary Nguyen reported that legal experts described the Anthony counter-suit as more like a motion to dismiss. “I don’t think I’ve ever read anything like it in my 25 years of practice,” Morgan told WFTV.
There was more Morgan drama on WKMG. Grandmother Cindy Anthony described Morgan as “frivolous” and “he needs to get back to chasing the ambulances.” Morgan fired back about the Anthonys’ behavior: “I would be chasing after Caylee. I would be in the woods. I would be going door to door.” He added that Cindy Anthony enjoys the media attention, but he sympathizes with the family. “I just think they’re desperate, they’re sick about what happened, they have an idea of what the truth is,” Morgan said.
WKMG promised a look at a little-known player in the Casey Anthony suit at 11 ET tonight. WESH-Channel 2 reported that bounty hunter Leonard Padilla is seeking more funding for searches from a film production company. Padilla told WESH that his dive search in Blanchard Park was not publicity stunt and that he did not plant anything there. WKMG reported that Padilla is waiting to hear from the FBI about taking that lie-detector test. And you can be sure that Nancy Grace will cover it ALL tonight on her show. Meanwhile, Casey Anthony lounges in jail, ordering candy and lingerie, remorseless.
UPDATE: 9/5 8:20 pm E.T. Casey’s out, and her “benefactor” is still anonymous, but 2 promissory notes for $25,000 each were signed by George and Cindy Anthony, Casey’s parents. The promissory notes were to 2 bond companies in Florida. What they put up for collateral for the notes is still unknown. Protesters are still outside of the Anthony house, where Casey, her attorney Jose Baez, and Casey’s parents are now. Police have asked the protesters to stop screaming, and to please keep their protests quiet. Celeb bounty hunter Leonard Padilla says that Casey has told the truth to her mom and her brother, but not to her father. He says the Anthonys are trying to make the best of it, that they’ve lost a granddaughter and don’t want to lose a daughter. Mother, father and brother have been served with subpoenas. Hence, the hiring of the criminal defense attorney by Cindy and George.