2008.12 Stay at the Ritz

[Numbers]

I believe John Allen called Cindy to tell her just before/as they were boarding the plane. I can't find where I heard that, though.

 

[Intermezzo]

As pointed out above by Truth Prevails, Conway was at the Ritz. He didn't make his formal debut in the media until the Anthonys got home. He was suitably somber --- until he automatically spelled his name for the reporters.

Link: my memory. It's burned in there, although the video flickers once in a while.

Yes, If memory serves me right, the media was waiting for the Anthony's in the Terminal and that is when the public is introduced to Brad Conway...I don't think the A's even made it to the Terminal, they were whisked off the plane by LE and out an exit probably at the Gates

http://articles.latimes.com/2008/dec/12/nation/na-caylee12

"George and Cindy Anthony were flying from California, where they appeared on CNN's "Larry King Live" on Wednesday, as Thursday's events unfolded. After they landed at Orlando International Airport, police rushed them off the plane and away from the media. Orlando attorney Brad Conway, who said he represented George and Cindy Anthony, told reporters his clients were "obviously shocked."
It's the worst possible news they could get," Conway said, referring to the body found near their home."

 

[Intermezzo]

I thought the A's were notified of the discovery when they were boarding or just after they boarded the plane and we talked about the horror of them having to sit in agony until the plane could arrive. Maybe I'm wrong. Does anybody else remember it that way?

I believe they knew before they boarded the flight back to Orlando,

The remains were found around 9:30am Orlando time, by 10-10:30am the story was being broadcast on television and radio. I suspect the A's found out that morning in L.A

This thread discusses has posts about the Ritz stay
http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=76259&page=3
LKL Friday 12/12/08 - GA & CA give "Live! Exclusive Reaction" to Find

 

[Jovi Girl]

Wouldn't the best place for Ga & CA to have gone would be the PLOICE STATION ????? It's secure, they could find out what's going on, media wouldn't hound them. They would even get some counseling,aka-victims advocates or something, right there. Lawyers could meet with them, privately. They could request to see KC ,maybe in private at the jail. I don't know if that could have been arranged, but if someone I loved were'kidnapped' and a body was found close to my home, or to where the kidnapped person lived, I would be down at the ploice station, pronto, finding out EVERYTHING I could, firsthand. But, that's just me. I pray I will never be in a situationlike that. :sick:

 

[sumbunny]

Wouldn't the best place for Ga & CA to have gone would be the PLOICE STATION ????? It's secure, they could find out what's going on, media wouldn't hound them. They would even get some counseling,aka-victims advocates or something, right there. Lawyers could meet with them, privately. They could request to see KC ,maybe in private at the jail. I don't know if that could have been arranged, but if someone I loved were'kidnapped' and a body was found close to my home, or to where the kidnapped person lived, I would be down at the ploice station, pronto, finding out EVERYTHING I could, firsthand. But, that's just me. I pray I will never be in a situationlike that. :sick:

The problem is, the police are accusing their mother of the year daughter of murder. So, in CA's mind they are the enemy!

The defense team (spin doctors) and Media (money source) will cater to the A's and let them listen to what they want to hear (Ica's still innocent).
I'm sure they had a pow-wow of what the story will be for the press.
And we can't forget, the A's already had a clue that their grand-daughter was dead. Perhaps the dinner was a kind of sick deluded celebration that the charade they'd been portraying can finally come to an end!

It's stressful to lie..can't sleep, eat, or even think! Just ask Cindy!

 

[TiaM]

Yes, If memory serves me right, the media was waiting for the Anthony's in the Terminal and that is when the public is introduced to Brad Conway...I don't think the A's even made it to the Terminal, they were whisked off the plane by LE and out an exit probably at the Gates

http://articles.latimes.com/2008/dec/12/nation/na-caylee12

"George and Cindy Anthony were flying from California, where they appeared on CNN's "Larry King Live" on Wednesday, as Thursday's events unfolded. After they landed at Orlando International Airport, police rushed them off the plane and away from the media. Orlando attorney Brad Conway, who said he represented George and Cindy Anthony, told reporters his clients were "obviously shocked."
It's the worst possible news they could get," Conway said, referring to the body found near their home."

I'll bet they did indeed agonize on that plane for 5 hours! Wondering what was going on that they didn't know about and was out of their control. Such as did Mallory get everything out of the house that they asked her to? Such as did anyone ID DC yet as to being a person that was poking around in those woods just a few weeks prior, etc?

When they were asked to wait on the plane to disembark and they saw the intense law enforcement presence, I can't help but chuckle as to how disconcerting it must have been for the A's. They must have been thinking somewhere in the backs of their minds "...Geez, I hope they're here to keep the media away and not to haul us down to the pokey and book us for tampering and obstruction!".

LOL

ETA: I want to see Mallory's depo!!! I wonder if she got a call that morning from Lee or the A's about hightailing it over there, or if she went over to let the dogs out as planned and couldn't help but notice the commotion at the corner of Suburban and HopeSprings? IIRC, the police pulled in the driveway just as she was exiting the house, right? Someone correct me if I have that wrong.

 

[whiteangora]

I could be wrong but I thought LE said they waited at the door for a longish time before she answered it.

 

[Leila]

I don't know what to make of this. I try to put myself in CA's shoes. Caylee had been gone for about 5 months at this point. Then a baby's body, female, is found in the woods a few yards from my home. :tears: At that point, I would think that I would only want Caylee's family near me to commiserate with, remember her, grieve for her and I would think that if I truly believed that she had been abducted & alive for the past five months, that I would be in a state of shock & horror & anger at this time. I cannot see being with production company people or PI's or lawyers for the first couple days or so.

Since the A's were fine with being with production people, PI's & lawyers in the first hours of Caylee's remains being found, is that a dead give-away that none of them are surprised at this news? That she was probably murdered? Where is the shock, horror, rage at this surpising news? I am going to have to think about that. :sigh: :dunno:

MOO

Caylee's remains were found, and upon arriving home from Los Angeles, GA and CA immediately went to the Ritz hotel and a few hours later had a dinner party that included Lee, Mallory, Baez, Bart, Hoover, DC, and production people from ABC.

I suspect that ABC may have booked the rooms upon learning that Caylee's remains were found and that the Anthony home was subject to a search warrant. ABC probably hoped to get an exclusive interview.

There was no statement to the press from any of the Anthonys expressing their shock and grief at the news. It was business as usual. The Anthonys acted as if the news was no surprise. Their secret was now out of the bag, and they carried on as usual although they no longer could promote that Caylee was missing.

One thing I remember well is that in the immediate aftermath of Caylee's remains being found, instead of showing any genuine grief for Caylee, Cindy and George seemed angry that Caylee was found. On December 20, 2008 detective Yuri Malich served another search warrant on the Anthonys. George became very angry at the presence of Yuri and other LE in his home, yelling at them. Interestingly, present at the Anthony home at the time Yuri Malich served the search warrant was the Milsteads, DC, James Hoover, and others. A strategy meeting perhaps?

 

[shotgun09]

When did we, the public learn of DC's search at the remains site? Was it after this above mentioned "strategy meeting"?

 

[Leila]

I could be wrong but I thought LE said they waited at the door for a longish time before she answered it.

That's the way I remember it too. Mallory was inside the house and LE had to tell her to hurry up and leave the premises as they were securing the house.

I remember that LE had deputies present at the Anthony home on the 11th to secure it, but didn't do any searching until after GA and CA landed at the Orlando airport and were served the search warrant. The deputies presence at the Anthony home prior to the search warrant being officially handed to them at the airport was to make sure no one entered the home and tampered with anything.

 

[Leila]

When did we, the public learn of DC's search at the remains site? Was it after this above mentioned "strategy meeting"?

This is an excellent point! I seem to remember that we learned about DC's search of the woods off of Suburban Drive about three weeks after Caylee was found, but I could be wrong. It was Jim Hoover trying to sell the video footage. I'll have to look for when that was announced.

 

[shotgun09]

I was just perusing through the media announcements around Dec-Jan 08, and it looks like the earliest mention was on Dec 29th of 2008. So, at least a week or so after this power/strategy meeting at the Anthony's. Something went down/awry with Hoover, enough that he stashed the video and alerted authorities.

VIDEO REPORT: Private Eye's Video Being Investigated
http://www.wftv.com/video/18377211/index.html

 

[Leila]

I was just perusing through the media announcements around Dec-Jan 08, and it looks like the earliest mention was on Dec 29th of 2008. So, at least a week or so after this power/strategy meeting at the Anthony's. Something went down/awry with Hoover, enough that he stashed the video and alerted authorities.

VIDEO REPORT: Private Eye's Video Being Investigated
http://www.wftv.com/video/18377211/index.html

I'm just getting back online and did a search too and came up with the same information. We have an interesting time line here:

Dec. 11 - Caylee's remains found - Anthonys at the Ritz for several days.

Dec. 19 - Medical examiner confirms remains are Caylee Anthony.

Dec. 20 - Yuri Melich went to the Anthony home to serve a search warrant. Present were George and Cindy Anthony, Dennis and Sherri Milstead, Dominic Casey, James Hoover, and others.

Dec. 23 - Lee Anthony retains an attorney

Dec. 29 - earliest mention of James Hoover's video tape of DC searching the woods.

 

[cyberborg]

I'm just getting back online and did a search too and came up with the same information. We have an interesting time line here:

Dec. 11 - Caylee's remains found - Anthonys at the Ritz for several days.

Dec. 19 - Medical examiner confirms remains are Caylee Anthony.

Dec. 20 - Yuri Melich went to the Anthony home to serve a search warrant. Present were George and Cindy Anthony, Dennis and Sherri Milstead, Dominic Casey, James Hoover, and others.

Dec. 23 - Lee Anthony retains an attorney

Dec. 29 - earliest mention of James Hoover's video tape of DC searching the woods.

... And so the seed that Caylee was placed there after ICA was in jail was planted and attempted to be nurtured. iMO

 

[Aedrys]

IMO they already knew where Caylee was and it was a matter of time before "They" found her. RK blew that out one of the water.

I also thought BC met them at the airport here and told them then. I may be wrong on that one though.

Bingo! I always suspected that they were going to find Caylee's remains THEIR way. It was TOTALLY setup like that - mom and pop out of the state, Lee very visible at a court hearing - that can't be a coincidence, all them with an alibi for some reason. I guess so they could feign surprise about it, make a big dramatic production out of it when the remains were found by DC, I would guess.

And I bet anything ABC was going to get the interview of a lifetime - the reaction of the A's after Caylee's body was found. It was going to be epic. I don't think ABC was in on it, but I do think the A's were going to use ABC to further their agenda of trying to control the case and control Caylee after death. I believe they promised ABC the interview of a lifetime and ABC fell for it. And after all, Caylee was their possession, and they wanted to keep it that way. No way was LE going to get their hands on something that belonged to the A's, or at the very least, no way was LE going to find her first and be able to put Casey away for good, not if the A's had something to say and do about it.

I think this is why they wanted Caylee's remains found - to alter the crime scene, and then use her body being a found as profitable platform for themselves. I bet everything associated with their house or Casey was going to be removed. It would just be bones, a death without a specific method, more easily blamable on someone else. They felt they couldn't lose. They were sure that DC was going to find that body and alter the scene of the crime, then make an anonymous call to get LE out there to find her second. I also believe they knew nothing about the duct tape on Caylee's face.

The fact that they didn't know about the duct tape comes into play with them eating crab puffs at the Ritz. I believe that it proves they didn't know about the duct tape. Who would do that, knowing the duct tape was there? They obviously felt they could still salvage this somehow, that the setback of not getting to Caylee first was not going to stop them. They probably dined on those crab puffs thinking that they could still make money off of this, that things weren't as bad as they seemed to be. I mean hey, ABC was paying for a swank room and dinner. They didn't know about the duct tape. They didn't know how sunk their daughter was at that moment, or they wouldn't have been eating crab puffs.

This is also why they distanced themselves from DC, and why he was never paid. They had to get as far away from him as possible when everything fell apart. The defense realized what a clusteryouknowhat it was too and that is also why they distanced themselves from DC. He's the only one that can put everything together. I believe his deposition is being saved for when the A's are arrested and charged with obstruction of justice. December 2008 changed everything for the A's, and for the defense. It was month both probably still wish had never happened thanks to Roy Kronk.

Thankfully, Kronk found her first and totally shut the A's down. I will thank him forever for that. That was the moment the gravy train was OVER for them. After that is when some of their shenanigans came out, DC, Hoover, etc. It all came crumbling down. I wonder if Cindy looks back at that and wishes so hard that they had done it their way, finding Caylee first and becoming the most sympathized with grandparents ever with plenty of money to spare for once in their lives.

Kronk is the sole reason that Justice for Caylee will be as big and successful as it will be. If Casey gets the death penalty, we can all thank Kronk for that. No wonder the A's and the defense went after him so hard and so fast. I bet Cindy hates him most of all, for ruining what could have made her and George media darlings and wealthy to boot, from speaking tours, books, you name it.

Thank you God for giving Caylee an angel named Roy Kronk. I always felt a divine hand in him finding Caylee. It was a true miracle that he did so before the A's could do their devilry to free their evil, murderous daughter. God watched out for Caylee and true justice for her that fateful day in December when the Casey's doom was sealed, and the A's fell down hard and never recovered. It was the turning point of the entire case, I believe.

The A's eating crab puffs later just confirmed all of the above for me.

 

[Itsy]

@ Aedrys :goodpost:

You have a way with words, a wicked sense of humor and a great way of wrapping up everything. ITA with all you said. Roy Kronk is an angel in my mind, too....C&G and Company all looking to hide what they knew when they knew it and for a way to get Casey off & still make $$$ out of it all....I don't think she'll get the death penalty, though.

Did anyone see the Hard Evidence marathon today on TLC? (my cable company finally got it, lol - along with a $5/mo increase of my bill )
The one that I didn't partially nap through was about a 19 yr old girl that had helped her b/f kill her mother when she was just 17. It was eerie listening to the detective talking about how cold she was. "Pure evil" he said, and it was noted by a psychiatrist that she has a borderline personality. They talked with her a good bit in the show and she came across just like Casey does. The only time she cried was when it was for herself, those same flat eyes - I swear you could see the wheels turning in her head wondering what a "'normal" answer to a question would be. It was amazing how much she reminded me of Casey. Oops, guess I got a little O/T.

Good topic, AS, and thanks for that link, Truth Prevails. I'd not seen that before somehow.

 

[Horace Finklestein]

What I've always thought more than a little fortunate was the fact that they were on the other side of the country when Caylee's little bones were discovered. Just so lucky for them that they had time to get their game face on, and, arrange a suitable location to concoct the next fabrication..

Then came the gathering around the camp fire of all the usual suspects (getting their story straight no doubt) including ABC front and center. I have a feeling that they were going to "find" the bones at their discretion but instead they got Kronked, must have been a nasty little shock.

I think this misstep made it impossible for them to rid their home of the rest of the incriminating evidence and they sent Mallory on a foray to grab anything she could get her hands on, luckily LE was having none of it...

I think it was all arranged by ABC with the complete cooperation of the Anthony's because they already knew where she was was. JMO

Yes I have always thought Mallory is deep into a cover up with the Anthonys and I pray she gets a come-uppance when this is all said and done. So many amazing coincidences...like her being there "feeding the dogs" at such a crucial time and taking forever to answer the door for the COPS of all people - what was she afraid of?? Shouldn't she have been excited that maybe Caylee was found safe, if she didn't know better? Unbelievable woman and she is still with Lee and that is just bizarre.

 

[Leila]

Bingo! I always suspected that they were going to find Caylee's remains THEIR way. It was TOTALLY setup like that - mom and pop out of the state, Lee very visible at a court hearing - that can't be a coincidence, all them with an alibi for some reason. I guess so they could feign surprise about it, make a big dramatic production out of it when the remains were found by DC, I would guess.

And I bet anything ABC was going to get the interview of a lifetime - the reaction of the A's after Caylee's body was found. It was going to be epic. I don't think ABC was in on it, but I do think the A's were going to use ABC to further their agenda of trying to control the case and control Caylee after death. I believe they promised ABC the interview of a lifetime and ABC fell for it. And after all, Caylee was their possession, and they wanted to keep it that way. No way was LE going to get their hands on something that belonged to the A's, or at the very least, no way was LE going to find her first and be able to put Casey away for good, not if the A's had something to say and do about it.

I think this is why they wanted Caylee's remains found - to alter the crime scene, and then use her body being a found as profitable platform for themselves. I bet everything associated with their house or Casey was going to be removed. It would just be bones, a death without a specific method, more easily blamable on someone else. They felt they couldn't lose. They were sure that DC was going to find that body and alter the scene of the crime, then make an anonymous call to get LE out there to find her second. I also believe they knew nothing about the duct tape on Caylee's face.

The fact that they didn't know about the duct tape comes into play with them eating crab puffs at the Ritz. I believe that it proves they didn't know about the duct tape. Who would do that, knowing the duct tape was there? They obviously felt they could still salvage this somehow, that the setback of not getting to Caylee first was not going to stop them. They probably dined on those crab puffs thinking that they could still make money off of this, that things weren't as bad as they seemed to be. I mean hey, ABC was paying for a swank room and dinner. They didn't know about the duct tape. They didn't know how sunk their daughter was at that moment, or they wouldn't have been eating crab puffs.

This is also why they distanced themselves from DC, and why he was never paid. They had to get as far away from him as possible when everything fell apart. The defense realized what a clusteryouknowhat it was too and that is also why they distanced themselves from DC. He's the only one that can put everything together. I believe his deposition is being saved for when the A's are arrested and charged with obstruction of justice. December 2008 changed everything for the A's, and for the defense. It was month both probably still wish had never happened thanks to Roy Kronk.

Thankfully, Kronk found her first and totally shut the A's down. I will thank him forever for that. That was the moment the gravy train was OVER for them. After that is when some of their shenanigans came out, DC, Hoover, etc. It all came crumbling down. I wonder if Cindy looks back at that and wishes so hard that they had done it their way, finding Caylee first and becoming the most sympathized with grandparents ever with plenty of money to spare for once in their lives.

Kronk is the sole reason that Justice for Caylee will be as big and successful as it will be. If Casey gets the death penalty, we can all thank Kronk for that. No wonder the A's and the defense went after him so hard and so fast. I bet Cindy hates him most of all, for ruining what could have made her and George media darlings and wealthy to boot, from speaking tours, books, you name it.

Thank you God for giving Caylee an angel named Roy Kronk. I always felt a divine hand in him finding Caylee. It was a true miracle that he did so before the A's could do their devilry to free their evil, murderous daughter. God watched out for Caylee and true justice for her that fateful day in December when the Casey's doom was sealed, and the A's fell down hard and never recovered. It was the turning point of the entire case, I believe.

The A's eating crab puffs later just confirmed all of the above for me.

Aedrys.............your theory is well thought out and logical! Roy Kronk may have found Caylee "just in the nick of time" so to speak. Roy Kronk and LE found Caylee before the Anthonys could find her and alter the scene.

 

[starpatch]

Wouldn't the best place for Ga & CA to have gone would be the PLOICE STATION ????? It's secure, they could find out what's going on, media wouldn't hound them. They would even get some counseling,aka-victims advocates or something, right there. Lawyers could meet with them, privately. They could request to see KC ,maybe in private at the jail. I don't know if that could have been arranged, but if someone I loved were'kidnapped' and a body was found close to my home, or to where the kidnapped person lived, I would be down at the ploice station, pronto, finding out EVERYTHING I could, firsthand. But, that's just me. I pray I will never be in a situationlike that. :sick:

It just proves to me the coarseness of the A family, A sorrowful family would want updates from the police.

The sorrow must have been minimal, that family is the ultimate trash!:banghead:

 

[flourish]

I'll bet they did indeed agonize on that plane for 5 hours! Wondering what was going on that they didn't know about and was out of their control. Such as did Mallory get everything out of the house that they asked her to? Such as did anyone ID DC yet as to being a person that was poking around in those woods just a few weeks prior, etc?

When they were asked to wait on the plane to disembark and they saw the intense law enforcement presence, I can't help but chuckle as to how disconcerting it must have been for the A's. They must have been thinking somewhere in the backs of their minds "...Geez, I hope they're here to keep the media away and not to haul us down to the pokey and book us for tampering and obstruction!".

LOL

ETA: I want to see Mallory's depo!!! I wonder if she got a call that morning from Lee or the A's about hightailing it over there, or if she went over to let the dogs out as planned and couldn't help but notice the commotion at the corner of Suburban and HopeSprings? IIRC, the police pulled in the driveway just as she was exiting the house, right? Someone correct me if I have that wrong.

RBBM
ITA and want to read that depo! I keep waiting and waiting hoping it's in the next doc dump, but it never is.

For some reason, Lauren C. has always been of interest to me, as well as Mallory, and they both remain mysteries. Mallory for obvious reasons, but Lauren I'm not sure why, maybe because I don't recall reading an interview or depo or anything from her--Lauren G.'s interview yes, Lauren C.'s no--I'm not even sure one ever even happened but I can't imagine why it wouldn't have (please point me to it if I've missed it). I think my curiosity about her is mostly because of this photo:

link to photo (thanks, momlogic):
http://photos.momlogic.com/gallery-images/2009/03/14966028-02080848_full.jpg

Caylee's pupils just look so huge in this pick...like, seriously unnaturally enormous, imo...I mean, she had those big, beautiful eyes, but to me, this picture looks different and I find it particularly disturbing. Anyway, I'd like to hear what, if anything, Lauren C. had to say about Casey, Caylee, and the Anthonys.

More on topic, though, I will say that, as a bereaved mother of a murdered child, dining was the last thing on my mind after leaving the hospital, and I'm an admitted serious emotional eater. I remember days later, my sister still had to bring me food and ensure I ate some. I've never been to a restaurant as nice as the Ritz, assuming it's all it's cracked up to be, and yet I can say with certainty that had I been offered a free chauffeured ride(s) to a free dinner there, I would have first been incredulous at whoever was wanting to take me out to dinner in my state, and second be not the least bit interested.

That being said, I also remember the numb shocked feelings I had, and had I been traveling and for some reason relying on strangers for transportation and such, I guess I could have been taken to the Ritz or Burger King and not really feel comfortable refusing or not really in the mind to care or even notice where I was, if that makes sense. I certainly wouldn't have been able to enjoy myself, regardless of where I was (and to be clear, I'm not implying the Anthony's did enjoy their ritzy (heh) dinner--I'm sure I don't have the faintest notion of what being inside CA or GA's minds is like, ever--and I'm okay with that).

And with that, I am fftobed: