Jose Baez on Casey Anthony incest accusations
One year after Anthony's acquittal, mystery still surrounds daughter's death
One year after a Florida jury defied the court of public opinion, finding Casey Anthony not guilty of murdering her daughter Caylee, lead defense attorney Jose Baez writes in his new book that Casey Anthony suspected her father George may have intentionally drowned Caylee, so as to hide evidence that he could have been Caylee’s grandfather -- and father.
In the book "Presumed Guilty -- Casey Anthony: The Inside Story," Baez provides more weight to the incest accusations that he stunningly unveiled on live, nationwide television during his opening statement last summer, when he said of the defendant, “she learned how to lie. She could be 8 (years old,) have her father’s (sexual organ) in her mouth and go to school like nothing happened.”
George Anthony has denied sexually abusing Casey Anthony, including when he took the stand at her trial. DNA evidence ruled out both him and Casey Anthony's brother, Lee, as the father of Caylee.
In the book, Baez says Casey said the sexual abuse at home started when she was 8, ending when she was 18 years old, and at one point she had told her father that he was Caylee’s father, as well.
Baez also writes that Casey Anthony theorized that her father may have intentionally drowned Caylee to cover up the incest.
In the book, Baez recalls the moment he and co-counsel Cheney Mason questioned George Anthony for the first time about Casey’s accusations:
" 'Casey said she's been sexually abused by you, George,' "I said.
George sat for perhaps 40 seconds with his head bowed. He didn't say a word. We certainly noted that he didn't deny it. Cheney and I looked at each other in wonderment.
'Oh my God,' is what George finally said. He slapped his leg with his hand and he asked, 'What else did she say?'
After he left, I said to Cheney, 'Did you hear him deny the sexual abuse?'
'No,' he said. 'I didn't'."
Reached for comment, Mark Lippman, George Anthony’s attorney, says the Anthonys have no comment on Baez’s book.
Casey Anthony remains in hiding, somewhere in Florida, unemployed, serving out her one year of probation for a check-fraud conviction. That ends August 23.
Her current attorney, Cheney Mason, says she’s essentially a prisoner in her apartment, unable to venture out in public and, according to polls, still one of the most hated women in the country despite her acquittal. And Baez says that is unfair.
"I'm disturbed that when a person is found not guilty in a court of law, and justice is served, yet justice isn't respected,” says Baez. “I am powerless to sit back and just watch how this can all happen. You know, if injustice can happen to Casey Anthony, it can happen to anyone."
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