Jose Baez - Presumed Guilty: Casey Anthony: The Inside Story

Praise for Presumed Guilty

An incredible read. Presumed Guilty and Helter Skelter are the two best true crime books of all time.

G ERALDO R IVERA , Fox News

This is a very smart lawyer.

B ARBARA W ALTERS

Jose Baez is the most sought-after criminal defense attorney in the country.

Los Angeles Times

Baezs courtroom strategy is stunning!

ABC News

Jose Baez is really the new Johnnie Cochran If youre in trouble, you want the best go-to person in the criminal-justice system. Right now, that person is Jose Baez.

S UNNY H OSTIN , In Session

The jury was faced with a very difficult task but probably made the right decision.

J OHN G RISHAM , bestselling author

Baez is one of the best lawyers in America.

Fox News Latino

CASEY ANTHONY :
THE INSIDE STORY

JOSE BAEZ

AND

PETER GOLENBOCK

Copyright 2012 by Jose Baez

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

The facts presented in this narrative have been pieced together from testimony in the trial, public record, and interviews and research done by the authors.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available for this title.

9781937856397

Cover design by Kit Sweeney

Jacket design by Kit Sweeney and Sarah Dombrowsky

About the author photo by Dr. Enrique Monasterio

Text design and composition by John Reinhardt Book Design

Printed by Berryville Graphics, Inc.

Distributed by Perseus Distribution

( www.perseusdistribution.com )

Behind a good man stands an even better woman This book is dedicated to the wonderful women in my life who have made me a better man: my mother, Carmen, who sacrificed so much and only asked for love in return; my wife, Lorena, who endured far more than she deserved; my daughter, Christina, who was my inspiration; my three sisters, Ruthy, Mildred, and Lucy, who made me as tough as nails; and my very special law partner, Michelle Medina, who is as loyal and dedicated as the day is long. I love you all.

&

To the seventeen men and women who served on our jury. I am ashamed at how our system has treated you. May this book shed light on why your decision was not only the lawful but true verdict.

J.B.

To Wendy Sears Grassi, who helps me enjoy every day. My love.

P. G.

CONTENTS

I WANT TO THANK all of the people who supported me on this journey beginning with our defense team, both past and present: Dorothy Clay Sims, Cheney Mason, Michelle Medina, William Slabaugh, Lisabeth Fryer, Ann Finnell, Linda Kenney Baden, Andrea Lyon, Todd Macaluso, Pat McKenna, Jack Weiss, Jeanene Barrette, Katie Delanie, Mort Smith, Michael D. Walsh, Jonathan Kasen, Diana Marku, Coreen Yawn, Audrey Paul, Jim Lucas, and Tyler Benson; Legal GraphicWorks; and all of our wonderful and talented interns from Florida A&M University College of Law, George Paul Lemieux and Robert Haney; all of our wonderful and talented expert witnesses, Werner Spitz, Jane Bock, Ken Furton, Barry Logan, Kathy Reichs, William Rodriguez, Larry Daniels, Josh Restrivo, Larry Kobilinsky, Nick Petreco, Richard and Selma Eikelenboom, Timothy Huntington, Henry Lee, Richard Gabriel, and Sally Karioth; my law partners, Ronald J. Manto and Juan M. Gonzalez, for supporting me and believing in the cause to serve our clients in the search for justice.

Also a very special thanks to Howard Messing. If it werent for his unbelievable acts of kindness, I wouldnt be a lawyer today. And to Professor Tim Chinaris, who always made sure that everything we did was done ethically and professionally.

Also to Glenn Yeffeth, for believing in me; Michael Wright, for his expertise and his friendship, and his partner, Leslie Garson; Frank Weimann for arranging the deal; and a special thanks to Peter Golenbock for being my partner in this endeavor.

And finally, to Casey Anthony for giving me the permission to tell my story. May you find the strength and peace in God to mourn and move forward in your life.

J OSE B AEZ

I WISH TO THANK Frank Weimann, for insisting that I get involved with this project; Jose Baez, an inspiration and a man I am proud to call my friend; and to all my friends in St. Pete who have supported me over the years.

P ETER G OLENBOCK

When I see hatred that faces the accused in high-profile cases I am reminded of a passage in A Man for All Seasons that reads in part:

That is what justice requires

T HE POSTMAN ambled up the cement walkway toward the front door of the peach ranch-style home at 4937 Hopespring Drive in Orlando, Florida, and rang the doorbell. When no one answered, he duly filled out a form, dated it July 7, 2008, and stuck it to the door. The orange notice requested that the homeowners, George and Cynthia Anthony, go to their neighborhood post office and pick up a certified letter. Even though the notice went unanswered for more than a week, the postman failed to leave a second and final notice, per post office policy, according to George Anthony.

It was July 15, 2008, one week after the arrival of that notice, when George, a well-built man in his early fifties with a full shock of neatly kept white hair, drove to the post office to pick up the letter. In the letter, Johnsons Wrecker Service informed him that it had possession of his 1998 Pontiac Sunfire. The letter gave the address where he could come and claim the vehicle.

The title of the Pontiac was in George and Cynthias names, but was being driven by their twenty-two-year-old daughter, Casey. George drove a black 2007 Chrysler PT Cruiser, while Cindy drove a dark green 2005 Toyota 4Runner.