Marc Klaas Wants To Know What You Think. Please Participate

[minazoe]

or George killed Caylee

 

[countzero]

Mr. Klaas, thank you for all the good work you do for families confronted with the most horrific of horrors. I admire how you've drawn on your personal tragedy--and am so, so sorry you first endured that. I can only imagine your deep pain, and wish it were not so.

The Anthony family was composed of dyads and triads that were played against one another--largely by Casey. This pairing/grouping means that no one member (other than, perhaps, Casey) was privy to all of the secrets. This served Casey very, very well over the years.

Caylee was unanticipated,but welcomed by her grandparents and adored. Despite their unadulterated love for her, there were frustrations. They'd anticipated an empty nest, and looked forward to a life without the chaos Casey created.

But the tumult only grew. Casey would not work. She would not accept full responsibility for her child. They couldn't rely on her to consistently parent the little girl they adored.

They were stuck, and of course there was some resentment about that. Not of Caylee, but of the situation.

Casey's problems began far earlier in life than anyone will admit at this point; early photographs of her show the same sort of disconnect with humans that she now has. She smiles for the camera with unfeeling eyes, she is uncomfortable in their embrace (see the pic with Shirley and Cindy).

Casey is a sociopath. The Anthony family M.O. has shifted between placating her ("Hello, beautiful"), controlling her, and benign neglect. The latter was demonstrated during Casey's absence from the home in June. In all likelihood, sheer exhaustion prevented them for pushing for answers from her--they were likely grateful for the respite from her games even as they missed Caylee. Their controlling, combative adult "child" was gone, and it was a relief. Despite the fact that they disapproved of Casey's parenting at times, they had been given no reason to believe she would harm Caylee, so they used the time as an opportunity to recuperate from the stress of living with a demanding, ungrateful parasite---even though it meant time away from their beloved Caylee.

Nothing the Anthonys did or did not do caused Casey to become what she did. Nothing they did or did not do caused Caylee's death. Their inaction in June and July had no meaningful effect on the situation--Caylee was dead long before any concern arose.

Nevertheless, the Anthonys blame themselves for Caylee's death. It came on the heels of a family argument. It came at a time when they were happy to have Casey gone from their home. They blame themselves---and the pain causes them to lash out at others. They are at an emotional breaking point, and the guilt they feel for this is likely more than most humans could bear. George, thankfully, has gotten help.

That said, the family is very, very sick. Living with a sociopath is crazy-making, and it's done the job for the Anthonys. I can't even begin to speculate about personality or other mental disorders among them until I see how they evolve with Casey out of their midst. That alone will promote their health (even if they support her in her legal battle). They will likely need more help, but I would not be at all surprised to see their lives normalizing in ways they never anticipated now that Casey is removed. She has been a long-term toxic influence.

Their denial of the horrific protects them from imploding emotionally. They will accept what they are able, as they are able---we've watched as each has had a glimpse of the true horror, and accepted it. Now they have drawn the curtains of self-protection. In time, I think George, at least--and probably Cindy--will accept the truth of the matter and go on to be productive. I think George, in particular, will find meaning. He's been marginalized by the family--perhaps with good cause (we don't really know the whole story)--and his self-esteem had taken a walloping.

Still, we do see genuine warmth and love between him and Cindy, I think. She is an angry woman (see above: living with a sociopath makes you crazy!), but much of her anger has been displaced. I suspect George bore the brunt of the angst that should have been directed to Casey.

I am not sure about Lee. There seems to be some sort of unusual sibling enmeshment, complete with...well, their own dialect, almost. I think Lee's initial eagerness to carry out his own "investigation" was rooted in little-boy-style fantasy, and he was imagining Big Bad Guys and being the hero.

I am sure they'd all prefer that there be Big Bad Guys. I think Lee is FURIOUS that there are not.

I suspect--and this is based on being the daughter of a sociopath--that Caylee was not continually subjected to abuse from Casey. Rather, she probably had periodic moments of confusion when she expected a certain response from Casey that was not forthcoming. I think it is likely that, most of the time, Casey played the mommy role at least superficially appropriately. Caylee may have spent more time watching Nick Jr. than many children, as her mother worked on her important career of Facebooking, MySpacing, texting, and talking on the phone. But in general, she was probably competently, if unfeelingly, cared for by Casey.

George and Cindy filled the emotional void for her. Caylee was loved. Casey was more of a (very) disinterested big sister to Caylee--someone who tolerated her because she had to. At Caylee's young age, this probably had not yet harmed her; as she got older, it would become devastating. (As an adult, she would likely have great difficulty trusting her own evaluations of other people--if there's one thing living with a sociopath can do, it's creating self-doubt about one's own instincts.

As for Casey. It goes without saying I think she's guilty of first degree murder. I think she is devoid of humanity, missing a critical microchip. She not only robbed those around her of real relationships with her--but worse, she worked very, very hard to create the opposite impression. She is very, very, VERY skillful at playing people against one another, as well as assuming the roles that will garner her the things she wishes to have. She is a toxic chameleon.

Caylee's death was premeditated and coldly carried out. It was not an accident. It was not the result of an argument with Cindy. The timing was chosen to best play into the family dynamic in a way that would cause the family to circle the wagons.

Her behavior immediately following the murder shows, with cold, cold clarity, the lack of feeling Casey Anthony has for others. It was movie night! Hooray!

There was little thought given to post-murder actions because Caylee's erasure was the goal. Focus was solely on the murder. Casey was not a brilliant mastermind--she was a child murderer. For this we can be grateful, because it will be what convicts her.

Wow, what a great insightful post.

My hinky meter went off with the first media coverage. KC did it. CA and LA knew she did it and the coverup started with the final 911 call. The timeline given in the docs give CA and LA plenty of time to "create and continue the nanny did it" story. As to the location where Caylee was found: CA and LA both knew she was there, but didn't think she would actually be found. GA wasn't involved in the beginning following the initial LE contact, but as a former LE he "knew" in his head, but his heart wouldn't allow him to accept it. GA stated in one LE interview that if Caylee had indeed passed, he wanted to know so he would be the one to break it to CA, since she would "fall apart". How ironic it was GA who fell apart.

I don't think any of KC friends were involved; as KC didn't have friends as we would know friends. I think KC thought her stories would would "fly" the same as they had in the past. The murder of Caylee wasn't so much as planned, even though the evidence shows the computer searches. The opportunity of anger simply took the searches to the level of murder.

Having a child similar to traits that KC exhibits, I can easily follow what and how KC thinks. I always had to stay one step ahead of my child, knowing that whatever words came out of their mouth was a lie of sorts. They can weave reality within a story and one has to choose what is really reality and what is "their reality" of the moment. My child has stolen from family, friends, employers, stores feeling that they were wronged and deserved whatever they stole. Even jail time did not change their outlook nor did losing custody of their child.

KC sees the murder of Caylee as someone, no doubt CA, forcing her to murder Caylee and in KC's twisted reality, CA murdered Caylee. CA has much guilt to carry and again, like KC, she has her own reality that she lives in. Both CA and KC played a tit-for-tat game for years and when Caylee was born it went to another level of torture.

Bottom line is Caylee never had a chance of growing into a responsible, mature lady. Her life was no doubt filled with anger. Both physical and mental abuse. Subjected to selecting who she should love more. Caught in a battle of wills from those who proclaim to have loved her. She is still being used and that is the horror of her murder.

 

[sariebell]

1. I believe Cindy is a disappointed and bitter woman who has a tremendous inferiority complex and overcompensates for the family failures at success and importance. Through these actions she had created a very dysfunctional home. Casey and Lee are the end results of her attempt to control. I feel George, Casey and Lee have some very deep psychological issues.
2. I believe Casey was so frustrated with the controlling Cindy that she either killed Caylee in a fit of rage, or she accidentally overdosed her resulting her death.
Never having been made to pay the consequence for any of her mistakes, she decideded she could cover it up and it would disappear. Momma would make it go away.
She didn't count on Momma turning her in to the cops. She tried lying to them the way she had lied to her parents - didn't work and here we sit.
3. I believe the entire family must suspect that Caylee died at the hands of her mother and following Cindy's lead they are attempting to hide it from the outside world. They all need serious professional help.
4. I believe the only way they can ever begin to start anew is to come clean and stop trying to portray the all american family. I don't know if they understand how to tell the truth. This tragedy is the result of 20+ years of being conditioned by a deeply disturbed woman.
5. Casey needs to confess, tell the truth, go to prison. After years of counseling, maybe the rest of them can live some sort of meaningful existence.
The above is my opinion only.

This is waay more articulate than I could put it. I am borrowing it! In fact it is not just her/his opinion, but I share it as well. Thanks for being able to word it so eloquently!

 

[nydaddy]

I believe KC killed Caylee.
I believe the Anthony family knows KC killed Caylee.
I believe they are trying to get KC acquitted. As George said, "if I've lost my granddaughter, I've lost my daughter".
I pray for the truth to come out sooner than later.
I pray none of us are ever in the position of the Anthony family.

 

[kamky]

I do not believe the Anthony family is any more dysfunctional than most. I see them as very average, struggling financially, trying to cope with their daughter's teenage pregnancy but fully accepting and supportive of her. They fell in love with their grandchild as most do when faced with the offspring of ther own, whether planned or not, and did everything they could to make her life beautiful.

I think they worried a lot about Casey for a long time, but never fully appreciated the depth of her pecularities. They never recognized that her lies and petty thievery were indicative of something much darker than a spoiled little girl's "acting out".

I do not believe that they purposely destroyed evidence that could have led to Caylee's recovery or to Casey's guilt in her death. Nor do I believe Lee is capable of anything like that.

I do believe that they all had suspicions early on that "something" had happened to Caylee. I think they thought by catering once again to Casey, they would find out the whole truth.

I see Cindy as a mother who is desperately trying to find an alternative to her own daughter's ultimate guilt. What mother will easily accept the fact that she raised a murderer? No..there has to be another explanation for this horror. That's what I would think and feel. No way could I have contributed to this malformation of character...and yet the guilt would be overwhelming..in the pit of my stomach in the dark solitude of my mind that won't shut off.

MAny years ago, a friend's son was murdered on the streets of Philadelphia. I witnessed his mother's absolute despair and descent into mental anguish that never ever left her even for a minute. She was always after, in pain. So too, was the mother of the murderer. I always felt so deeply sad for her...there is no solace for her. There will never be for Cindy.

I'm very much in agreement with this poster. This family is not too different than many I knew back in the fifties. They would bicker, fight, strategize against one another, backstab amongst themselves, sometimes very loudly. Everyone had a place and a "character" in the family...the whiner, the lying spoiled brat, the stoic, the peacemaker, etc. But - should someone outside the family threaten one of their own, they would close ranks and become a stong, defending unit. Publicly, they would never ever disparage one of their own. This was normal behavior for may families, particularly ethic ones, and not considered "dysfunctional".

Today, we sometimes get too caught up in psych-babble when things may be simpler than they seem. People are motivated by feelings and emotions, but they may not always be deep-seated psychoses.

In my opinion, there has been a long-term mother-daughter conflict between Cindy and KC (not so unusual), but poor Caylee became the main object of the tug of war.

KC is still a young woman, and an immature one at that. She was allowed to be the lying, spoiled brat in the family. She wanted to have fun, socialize and not be tied down. Cindy wouldn't let her...it's as simple as that. Cindy became KC's supreme adversary.

I think KC truly loved Caylee, and still does, but to give Caylee to Cindy would have allowed Caylee to be under control of the very person who KC wanted to be free from. What a pressue cooker KC was in!

At first I thought Caylee died by accident. Then I thought KC killed Caylee out of rage/spite. Now, I think KC realized that, as much as she loved Caylee, she could not take care of her without sacrificing the life she wanted to live. However, she didn't want Cindy to have her. So, I think she rationalized that Caylee would be better off in heaven. KC put Caylee to sleep, gently and purposly, to protect her. Thus the heart over the duct tape. I think KC honestly thought Caylee would be better off.

- The nanny story was concocted to place blame elsewhere.
- The close disposal location was a hasty cover-up and to allow LE to find the body & pursue the nanny, and for Casey to be the grieving mother.
- The 31 day delay was to allow deterioration of forensics.
- The pressue was suddenly gone, which is why KC was "euphoric" for weeks after Caylee was gone.
- George and Lee are bit players in the family.
- The family, of course, will never publicly betry one of their own...nor should they. Privately, I think they know very well what happened and they understand the reasons. I feel great sorrow for them to have this burden to carry for the rest of their lives, especially Cindy who must feel a great guilt for her role in the family dynamics that led to this tragedy. Throughout this all, KC is still their child/sister, and they love her too.

 

[coco puff]

I think the A's are trying very hard to remove their daughter's potential debt to society by lying, and tampering with evidence and I think they are using their grieving to sway opinion of their daughter AND I think it might be working.
I think KC viewed her daughter as a thing that she owned. She felt she had every right to do whatever she wanted with Caylee. I think she feels nothing for anyone but herself and her pictures of her and Caylee not not reflect reality in any way.
I think Lee and George using the words like "beauiful, and georgous" and phrases like "it has been so long since I have been able to hug/hold you is very creepy.

ETA: I think there are a couple of things that you can do in your right mind that are not forgivable period. One would be to slaughter your 2 year old daughter, the very thing you should be protecting from the "bad guys". Caylee's pain and loss is way worse than Cindy, George, Lee or HER!

 

[Manny]

I have so many feelings about that case I find it hard to sum up. First Caylee was a charming and beautiful child. Not all children who go "missing" are cute or sweet with thousands of pictures of their home life.
Secondly, I feel the problems within the family and the communication in that family in some ways took this little girl away. I don't mean they did it intentionally but no one seemed to be able to handle the mutliple problems that existed in the family. I think if I had a daughter who was acting out all over the place at an early age we would run not walked to get counseling to find out why. Not call her names and push her farther down the path to insanity. If and I say if Casey did commit this crime she was , perhaps not legally, insane. No one in their right mind would not only kill a child but throw her away like garbage. Gone are the days when you could make sure a family member was forced to get treatment for a mental disorder. I won't continue in the vein because I know how people feel about "our rights" .. but I find it sad that this charming and beautiful child is gone because someone didn't get the treatment they needed.

 

[Brefie]

First of all, the world thanks Mr. Klaas for his tireless efforts for all children, and for doing everything in the midst of his own tragedy.

I think Casey is more than good for this. She should be tried and convicted for the senseless murder of the one person she should have guarded and protected with every fiber of her being.

I think the Anthonys are to be pitied. They have no clue how to behave in this circumstance and it shows. I doubt many of us would. We are far too quick to judge them, even though I believe they have made many mistakes. Lee's dramatic 'CMA' speech was overly dramatic and probably deliberately cryptic and defiant. George has my every sympathy. I do believe he has been brow beaten by the 2 headstrong females in his life.

The bottom line is that beautiful Caylee Marie is the tragic victim in all this and I believe that the powers that be should fight hard for justice for her, regardless of how many of this family need to pay. If the others family members are guilty of obstruction - CHARGE THEM! ALL focus on justice for Caylee.

 

[loreet]

I agree with the mass of posters who believe Casey is guilty of murdering her daughter. I cannot even presume to know what was in her mind and heart before/during/after the crime. Clearly, crimes were committed and they should be tried in a court of law before a judge with a jury of Casey’s peers. The Anthony family behavior is suspect but I do not think we have all the information surrounding their participation or cover-up. I believe LE should look at the family’s behavior, and if in fact there are grounds for obstruction of justice charges, these should be brought and also tried. This case is so visible, whether consciously or unconsciously, many other people unrelated to the A’s will take cues from their behavior in this case into their own value systems – how can we not? I hope some good will come out of the horrible fact of Caylee’s murder and the publicity this case has generated and that the the legal system will be victorious.

I believe one reason the public is so interested in this case is that Casey, Lee, George, Cindy are not people wholly different from us. Many of us are parents who have made mistakes raising our children, and these mistakes often have consequences – if we let our children get away with deception at home, eventually that behavior will spill into and affect our larger social group.

This case has raised my own awareness for the many missing children and crimes committed against children everyday. I had never watched an episode of Nancy Grace before this case -- now I rarely miss a show, not to see lurid details of the crime, but for the other cases she discusses -- Haleigh, for example. I do not regret this increased awareness, as frightening as it is to me.

Florida has unique laws with respect to discovery documents -- my personal fascination with the case exists because I have access to critical information and "evidence" in a murder case as it unfolds. That said, I have been appalled at the media for the unrelenting coverage of miniscule detail in this case – if the motivation for broadcasting jailhouse visitation tapes had been to find the child, or to bring forth information leading to justice for the child, that would be different than the motivation behind broadcasting the tapes to publicize a suspect’s demeanor or garner more ratings.

Just my thoughts. I cannot imagine your loss -- thank you for turning your personal loss into the profound work it has become.

 

[santos1014]

Originally Posted by BetsyB
Mr. Klaas, thank you for all the good work you do for families confronted with the most horrific of horrors. I admire how you've drawn on your personal tragedy--and am so, so sorry you first endured that. I can only imagine your deep pain, and wish it were not so.

The Anthony family was composed of dyads and triads that were played against one another--largely by Casey. This pairing/grouping means that no one member (other than, perhaps, Casey) was privy to all of the secrets. This served Casey very, very well over the years.

Caylee was unanticipated,but welcomed by her grandparents and adored. Despite their unadulterated love for her, there were frustrations. They'd anticipated an empty nest, and looked forward to a life without the chaos Casey created.

But the tumult only grew. Casey would not work. She would not accept full responsibility for her child. They couldn't rely on her to consistently parent the little girl they adored.

They were stuck, and of course there was some resentment about that. Not of Caylee, but of the situation.

Casey's problems began far earlier in life than anyone will admit at this point; early photographs of her show the same sort of disconnect with humans that she now has. She smiles for the camera with unfeeling eyes, she is uncomfortable in their embrace (see the pic with Shirley and Cindy).

Casey is a sociopath. The Anthony family M.O. has shifted between placating her ("Hello, beautiful"), controlling her, and benign neglect. The latter was demonstrated during Casey's absence from the home in June. In all likelihood, sheer exhaustion prevented them for pushing for answers from her--they were likely grateful for the respite from her games even as they missed Caylee. Their controlling, combative adult "child" was gone, and it was a relief. Despite the fact that they disapproved of Casey's parenting at times, they had been given no reason to believe she would harm Caylee, so they used the time as an opportunity to recuperate from the stress of living with a demanding, ungrateful parasite---even though it meant time away from their beloved Caylee.

Nothing the Anthonys did or did not do caused Casey to become what she did. Nothing they did or did not do caused Caylee's death. Their inaction in June and July had no meaningful effect on the situation--Caylee was dead long before any concern arose.

Nevertheless, the Anthonys blame themselves for Caylee's death. It came on the heels of a family argument. It came at a time when they were happy to have Casey gone from their home. They blame themselves---and the pain causes them to lash out at others. They are at an emotional breaking point, and the guilt they feel for this is likely more than most humans could bear. George, thankfully, has gotten help.

That said, the family is very, very sick. Living with a sociopath is crazy-making, and it's done the job for the Anthonys. I can't even begin to speculate about personality or other mental disorders among them until I see how they evolve with Casey out of their midst. That alone will promote their health (even if they support her in her legal battle). They will likely need more help, but I would not be at all surprised to see their lives normalizing in ways they never anticipated now that Casey is removed. She has been a long-term toxic influence.

Their denial of the horrific protects them from imploding emotionally. They will accept what they are able, as they are able---we've watched as each has had a glimpse of the true horror, and accepted it. Now they have drawn the curtains of self-protection. In time, I think George, at least--and probably Cindy--will accept the truth of the matter and go on to be productive. I think George, in particular, will find meaning. He's been marginalized by the family--perhaps with good cause (we don't really know the whole story)--and his self-esteem had taken a walloping.

Still, we do see genuine warmth and love between him and Cindy, I think. She is an angry woman (see above: living with a sociopath makes you crazy!), but much of her anger has been displaced. I suspect George bore the brunt of the angst that should have been directed to Casey.

I am not sure about Lee. There seems to be some sort of unusual sibling enmeshment, complete with...well, their own dialect, almost. I think Lee's initial eagerness to carry out his own "investigation" was rooted in little-boy-style fantasy, and he was imagining Big Bad Guys and being the hero.

I am sure they'd all prefer that there be Big Bad Guys. I think Lee is FURIOUS that there are not.

I suspect--and this is based on being the daughter of a sociopath--that Caylee was not continually subjected to abuse from Casey. Rather, she probably had periodic moments of confusion when she expected a certain response from Casey that was not forthcoming. I think it is likely that, most of the time, Casey played the mommy role at least superficially appropriately. Caylee may have spent more time watching Nick Jr. than many children, as her mother worked on her important career of Facebooking, MySpacing, texting, and talking on the phone. But in general, she was probably competently, if unfeelingly, cared for by Casey.

George and Cindy filled the emotional void for her. Caylee was loved. Casey was more of a (very) disinterested big sister to Caylee--someone who tolerated her because she had to. At Caylee's young age, this probably had not yet harmed her; as she got older, it would become devastating. (As an adult, she would likely have great difficulty trusting her own evaluations of other people--if there's one thing living with a sociopath can do, it's creating self-doubt about one's own instincts.

As for Casey. It goes without saying I think she's guilty of first degree murder. I think she is devoid of humanity, missing a critical microchip. She not only robbed those around her of real relationships with her--but worse, she worked very, very hard to create the opposite impression. She is very, very, VERY skillful at playing people against one another, as well as assuming the roles that will garner her the things she wishes to have. She is a toxic chameleon.

Caylee's death was premeditated and coldly carried out. It was not an accident. It was not the result of an argument with Cindy. The timing was chosen to best play into the family dynamic in a way that would cause the family to circle the wagons.

Her behavior immediately following the murder shows, with cold, cold clarity, the lack of feeling Casey Anthony has for others. It was movie night! Hooray!

There was little thought given to post-murder actions because Caylee's erasure was the goal. Focus was solely on the murder. Casey was not a brilliant mastermind--she was a child murderer. For this we can be grateful, because it will be what convicts her.

I agree with everything here. This is an amazing bit of insight. The dynamics of this family are so out of whack, there is small reason to believe that Caylee ever had a chance.

In the beginning, I thought, or perhaps secretly hoped that it was a tragic accident that happened, and when Cindy confronted Casey with "what happened?"...Casey started making up the tales. That is until sweet innocent angel Caylee was found with duct tape all around her head. If Casey was planning it all along as the "nanny kidnapped my daughter" she would have not waited until Cindy basically drug it all out of her..I feel she would have started the attention grabbing and blame tossing immediately.

Sadly, George is the most sane one in the family, he knows the truth, he knows in his soul that Casey killed the light of his life, and if Cindy weren't standing over him constantly with her iron hand...I feel he would have said and done more to aid than he has.

What does Marc KLass have to say about this case? His opinion is one that I would love to hear.

 

[Hijinx]

I do not believe I know enough to definitively make judgments about most aspects of this case or the players involved. That being said, I don't see other alternative suspects other than Casey. Here are some of the key questions I have that will hopefully be answered during the trial.

June 15-July 15- How common is it for the parent of a true kidnap victim to remain silent and hide this fact for an entire month, and carry on as if life is normal? This, more than anything, suggests foul play on the part of the mother.

The trip to Universal - Why would a parent of a true kidnap victim take law enforcement on a wild goose chase instead of helping them find the child?

The Nanny - Why is there no record of any calls? Why are there no pictures of this individual? Why did Casey not even know where her apartment was and is it realistic to believe that a mother would just drop a child outside, never entering the apartment to see it? Is there a record of payment to the Nanny? What efforts did Casey take to "find" her daughter? Why did she give conflicting statements about the last time she "gave" Caylee to this 'nanny'.

The Car - Why would Casey abandon her car? If she did not abandon it and is claiming it was stolen, why did she not report it missing?

The location of the body
- What does this say about the perpetrator? Who would leave the body in that location? How plausible is it that the 'Nanny' would put it here?

The state of the body- The duct tape, the heart sticker, the toys, and blanket all have meaning with regards to the perpetrator, their state of mind, and of course also shed some light as to manner of death. I would like to hear a criminal profiler discuss the meaning of the items that were included with the body with respect to the perpetrator.

The lack of emotion - Why did this mother not search for her child? Not cry for her child? Not demonstrate anguish over her disappearance? Not want to see the burial? This speaks volumes to me.

These are just a few of the points that lead me to believe that there is no other logical suspect other than Casey. The facts, her behavior, the remains, all really seem to point in only one direction.

All the drama and chaos is indicative of a family with significant unresolved mental health issues. This creates an environment that only strengthens the plausibility that Casey killed her child.

I know of a case where a caregiver, in a state of rage, bound a small child's mouth with duct tape to keep them quiet. This resulted in the child's death.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/fostercare/marr/

So whether this was manslaughter or premeditated murder is not something I feel I know enough about at this point to comment on.

The behavior of the family is not typical of a true kidnapping, in my opinion, which is why they are reviled and provoke such anger in the public. While none of us can know how they would act if put in the same situation, there appear to be some factors that victims and their families have in common. Cooperation and transparency, especially with Law Enforcement.

 

[TallyHo]

IMO:

Casey either a)killed Caylee on purpose a la Susan Smith or b)"accidentally" killed her while committing something horrible like sedating her so she could get to TonE's. No way do I think it was a case of simple negligence on Casey's part, as in Caylee drowning in the pool while Casey played on the internet. I think her desperation to be with TonE was the catalyst. That first phone call home from jail sealed that for me (the "I don't care about my missing daughter, just give me TonE's number" call). As far as her relationship with Cindy playing a part in her motivation, possibly, but from what I have seen so far, Casey seems like the bigger bully. In all her taped phonecalls, jailhouse visits, etc, she comes across as just dreadful. No way Cindy or the defense team will ever convince me that she was the "Mother of the Year". Ever. I am convinced the prosecution just needs to play those tapes of her in the courtroom for the jury to have clarity about just who and what they are dealing with.

As far as the family is concerned, I am still at this point willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. I do believe that Lee knows much more about all of the other things (besides Caylee's death) that Casey was into. I think at this point they have accepted that Casey was responsible for Caylee's death, but they can't accept that it could have been a purposeful act (again, my opinion only). My gut tells me that they might believe something like the pool scenario, hence all of the references to forgiveness at Caylee's memorial. I worry (alot) about what will happen to George, and all of them really, if it is proven that Caylee was deliberately murdered or "accidentally" killed with sedatives. That being said, their (Cindy's and Lee's in particular) actions have been so bizarre to me, that if I am proven wrong and it turns out that they deliberately covered up a murder, I will not be all that surprised.

 

[AliVada]

Casey is a sociopath and acted alone with intent and is evil.

Her family are as much victims as they have lost their grandchild and the daughter who they love. Granted they love the false image that Casey created for them, but it is still very real for them.

The public has been exceptionally harsh to this family and finding a jury will be challenging and unless there is a whole lot of evidence we have not heard, there are some things that lend itself to reasonable doubt. The 30 days Casey had a jump start on law enforcement can never be rewound so to speak. The car out of her hands for a period of time. The possibility of an accident.

Though probably deserved I dont think they can get a death penalty, with what they seem to have.

I feel for the family, because of the media scrutiny and so many not believing them. A hundred years ago they would have already been stoned to death in the town square by the crazy mob that has decided to hate and blame them for Casey's crimes.

Kathy

 

[Mumsy]

Mr Klass, you have indeed been a beacon of hope for others that are suffering because their child has been missing. No one can ever begin to imagine the torment you and your entire family went thru during the searches for Polly or the discovery of her remains. It took real courage to not extract revenge as that *&^%$% made his demeaning show in the courtroom. From such tragedy comes true heros........Mark Klass......TIm Miller.....John Walsh. God bless you all for the work you do!

I believe Caylee was killed in a fit of rage after seeing KC fly into a rage during her jail visit with her parents.......that rage was extreme and all they were doing was trying to figure out where Caylee was.

I am not sure about LA.....seeing him give KC the "high five" when he took her to one of her meetings while out on parole........it just does not sit right with me.

Poor GA was never the head of the house, he had to walk on egg shells as far as KC or CA are concerned.....I think he had an idea about what really happened at the time he saw the car at the impound lot.....

I just hope this trial starts soon........this circus needs to have the tents torn down and moved on........

 

[WholeLottaRosie]

Great idea. I am posting before reading the other posts - well, I actually read a couple and thought I would post my thoughts rather than just an ITA.

I think Casey killed Caylee in a fit of rage. But, having said that, I think she did this with malice aforethought and formed intent.

I think George, Cindy and Lee have all participated in an effort to cover up this crime. I think some of their motivation has been driven by the ability to make money off this. I think the prosecutors office should be investigating their use of donated funds, and sincerely hope this is being looked at. I think the idea that they are setting up a foundation or have set one up is another avenue that needs to be examined and someone needs to make sure the funds are properly handled. I think the finances for the entire family need to be looked at and see what they have been living on since the reporting of this crime, and what was paid on their house for example.

I think the Death Penalty should be back on the table.

I think Jose Baez is passing information through him to the family from Casey and to her to avoid the jail looking at inmates mail. I think too many special considerations have been given Casey. I think the deal about letting her spend so much time at his office while on bond was wrong. I think she was able to do things there that then get put under attorney client priv. that should not have been, and that these things are allowed other suspect, defendants, etc.

I think Cindy and George tampered with evidence by cleaning up the car, the pants, etc.

I think it is just horrible that George and Cindy took money for a supposed search, yet one didn't see them search. They never once asked for any alleged kidnapper to return Caylee. I think I lost any sympathy when Cindy screamed out that people should get off their azzes and look for Caylee, when they weren't. They refused to cooperate with TES for example.

I think a full investigation needs to be done of who has so far paid any money for the defense. If any money from any media has been paid, this needs to be examined very closely.

I think that they should all be charged.

I think that the George suicide attempt was a hoax designed to take the attention off the documents released that week.

I think if any money has been paid to either Casey or George and Cindy for licensing or whatever, this money should be attached by Orange County to recoup costs.

I think that there should be no private visit. Period. I don't think Casey Anthony should be accorded any consideration that the average inmate gets.

I think a gag order should be issued, and people like JB, the attorneys for the Anthony's and for Lee Anthony should be barred from appearing on any show, and an investigation needs to be done as to what they have received for doing so - trips, travel, hotels, food, gifts - and this should be made known and also known if the IRS counts these things as income.

I think the Judge should appoint a good criminal defense attorney to talk to Casey and make sure she is aware of what is going on, to find out if JB is keeping her from talking to others to cover up his ineptitude and then the attorney should report to the judge yes he things she is getting good advice, no, she isn't - this could be under the guise of privledged conversation to not specifically give details to prevent any type of appeal on ineffective assistance of counsel. Baez has done so much to make himself look inept, that I think this needs to be really looked at.


I think there is extreme dysfunction in the Anthony family, I think it is going to come out that one reason Casey didn't just walk away and leave Caylee with George and Cindy is that she didn't want the child being subjected to the dysfunction. I think this will involve Caylee being a product of incest. I think this is what Baez is going to use to try to get Casey off. If the father was someone outside of the Anthony home, I think they would have sought child support and sought Social Security if the father died.

My husband and I both tremendously admire Marc Klaas. Every time we see him on TV, our hearts go out to him over the loss of Polly, but, we have to admire the dignity and grace with which he has operated. He is one class act, and I hope others can learn from him.

 

[bamafide]

I think Casey did it and planned it "out of spite."
I think Casey is a narcissistic sociopath.
I think Cindy, George and Lee knew from the minute they smelled the decomp.
I think the detectives knew within minutes of questioning Casey.
I think the LE brass let Cindy lead them along for way too long.
I think Nancy Grace has been heroic in keeping it in the news.
I think Florida is great with their Sunshine Law.
I think WS is good place to discuss this evil case.
I think Jesse G and his family are wonderful.
I think LP is an old-fashioned all around good guy.
I think Tim M is a selfless, hardworking man.
I think all of Casey's "friends" and men are smart for keeping quiet so far until the trial.
I think Jose is way over his head and his "team" is just in it for the exposure.
I think Caylee Marie is safe in the hands of God.
I think the TRUTH will win out in the end and all those who love Casey and defend her should guide her towards the truth.

I agree pretty much with Pattymarie....
I also think that LA is very strange...he creeps me out!
I don't think that LA or CA will ever admit that KC did this all on her own.
I think GA knows and is coming to terms with the truth.

I would never wish what the Anthony's have gone and will go through on anyone....but I feel more sympathy for GA than any of the rest.

 

[Starfish]

I think that Casey intentionally killed Caylee because she was jealous of her and also because she hampered the party lifestyle Casey decided she wanted.

I think that the reason Cindy is supporting Casey is guilt. She feels guilty for allowing Casey to lie & steal her entire life. She feels guilty for talking Casey into keeping Caylee and expecting the baby to force Casey to grow up. She now realizes that Casey was not ready to be a mom & Caylee paid the price.

I think that both George & Cindy loved Caylee more than anything in the world, which makes it impossible for me to understand their reluctance to see justice served to her even at the expense of their daughter (other than the guilt they both harbor for being the ones who raised Casey).

I think George, Cindy & Lee all know that Casey is responsible for Caylee's death because no one could possibly ever believe the nanny story. If they felt she was telling the truth about the nanny, then they would be trying to find the nanny and I don't see that happening.

I think that after the nursing home visit Cindy confronted Casey with stealing money from the nursing home account & it was one of their worst fights as Cindy was said to have choked Casey. I think Cindy either told Casey what her therapist suggested she do or she just told Casey that she wanted her out of the house & to leave Caylee with her because she was going to obtain custody of her. This pushed Casey to the breaking point, she grabs Caylee & leaves. Caylee is, understandably, upset & is crying for Cindy. Casey already knows that it would be very easy for Cindy to obtain custody because of all the lies & stealing she has done she is not going to be seen as a good mother when compared to Cindy. She feels her life slipping away, she will be out on the street & Cindy will be living happily ever after with Caylee taking her place as the princess in the family. She cannot & will not allow this to happen because she does not want Cindy to be happy & she feels that Caylee has done nothing but ruin her life since the day she was born. Caylee is crying for Cindy, Casey snaps, Caylee dies.

I think Casey feels no guilt because, in her mind, its all Cindy's fault anyway. It's Cindy's fauilt for making her keep the baby in the first place and kicking her out of the house & replacing her with Caylee. She had no choice but to do what she did in order to save herself. It's all Cindy's fault.

Watching & listening to Casey disrespect her parents in jail visits & phone calls makes my blood boil:furious:. Watching her laugh at a very distraught Cindy in the latest jail tape is unbelievable. Seeing George & Cindy allowing her to talk down to them while they sweet talk her in order to keep her from getting angry because they're desperate for information to find Caylee breaks my heart I think the face of Casey in this video, where she's "so frustrated it hurts to swallow" is the face Caylee saw with her dying eyes.

I am so happy that this case has gotten the attention that it has as I feel its the only thing that will bring justice to this beautiful little girl. Everyone involved knows they are under a microscope that the whole world is looking in to.

I have shed many, many more tears for Caylee than Casey ever has. I pray for Caylee every night. I pray she is safe in God's arms and that she gets the justice she deserves.

 

[NancyT]

I think Casey killed Caylee. I'm not convinced it was murder 1 yet, but I think it's highly possible. Even if she only tried to sedate her with the chloroform and Caylee died as a result, according to Florida law, that would raise this to murder 1. Proving it is going to be much more difficult though, IMO. Having hair tangled in the duct tape does tend to lean me more toward premeditation. To remove that tape would have required Casey having to cut Caylee's hair. That at minimal suggest she never intended to remove it. I am curious to see just what part of Caylee's mouth was covered. How long was the tape, etc.? If it's longer than a piece would be that would only cover the mouth, I think the defense will have a tough time overcoming that hurdle.

As for Lee, I think he's just weird. His speech during the memorial turned me off completely. That of course is aside from the messages that were bladently sent Casey's way.

I also think Mallory is a weird duck. Maybe it was just me, but I was really taken aback at her actions/reactions at the memorial service. It just hit me strange.

Cindy - I think she's believed almost from day 1 that Caylee was dead. She was more than willing to accept this truth if the finger was pointing in ANY direction other than Casey's way. If for example, JG had done it, then it appears to me that Cindy wouldn't have been in any sort of denial. It's absurd. I also found nothing moving about her speach at the memorial and how she started trying to sing loud enough to come across over the mic is beyond me. Why would she even want to sing on the intercom? She just needs the attention, IMO. Maybe she's all cried out? I dunno, but I didn't see much sympathy or mourning for Caylee.

George - I think he's the only sane one in the bunch. He's in a hell of a situation. One I hope none of us ever have to be in. He IMO, has true, REAL, emotions. We see his anger, his sorrow, his grief, and his pain. I won't pass judgement on him because as a mother myself, I understand that the love we have for our children is unconditional, and I don't expect him to stop loving his daughter overnight, regardless of the circumstance. His speech at the service = top notch, IMO. He appeared to be the only one truly grieving Caylee's death. I have no doubt he loved her very much.

 

[Eponine]

From what we've been presented with so far:

I think Casey killed Caylee and holds no remorse over that fact.
I think GA, CA, and LA are possibly covering up that Casey killed Caylee..
I think it's killing GA on the inside, but CA and LA are still "dealing" with it.
I'm very ready for the trial, so I can hear all the evidence and am willing to be swayed either way depending on evidence presented.

 

[Gma Kat]

I do not believe I know enough to definitively make judgments about most aspects of this case or the players involved. That being said, I don't see other alternative suspects other than Casey. Here are some of the key questions I have that will hopefully be answered during the trial..........

(my edit to save space)

..........The behavior of the family is not typical of a true kidnapping, in my opinion, which is why they are reviled and provoke such anger in the public. While none of us can know how they would act if put in the same situation, there appear to be some factors that victims and their families have in common. Cooperation and transparency, especially with Law Enforcement.

BOLD IS MINE, ALSO I EDITED POST FOR SPACE:
This last paragraph wraps up my opinion of the Anthony family perfectly....unfortunately the comparison of how Haleigh's father is reacting is what I would have expected from KC all along.....