Live blogging from Orlando.
The final minutes before the reading of the jury's verdict in the Casey Anthony murder trial...
1:55 PM The verdict will be read at 2:15. Watching Channel 9 (local ABC affiliate) and News 13 local cable news.
1:57 Helicopter news cameras showing huge crowds gathered in the plaza outside the courthouse.
1:59 Greg Wormoth, anchor and Bill Sheafer, legal analyst for the station, talking about the nervous energy in the air. They are located directly across the street (Magnolia) in a make-shift on-site studio in a booth set up for this trial.
2:02 148,000 participants online for Eyewitness News 9 ongoing live blog.
2:03 George and Cindy Anthony walk arm in arm into the courtroom.
2:04 Casey is seated. Wearing a light pink cotton blouse. Looks nervous. Baez seated next to her.
2:04 Talking heads debating what an 11 hour 45 minute verdict means...guilt or innocence?
2:05 Not the first comparison made between this case and the OJ trial.
2:06 News 13 talking about how difficult it was to select this jury, being as they had to have, optimally, little knowledge of this case as it has folded out in the past three years. They're boring. Going back to Channel 9.
2:08 Ric is calling me. Probably watching this as well.
2:10 Crowd getting massive in the plaza on Orange Avenue.
2:13 Courtroom is dead quiet. George and Cindy visibly tense.
2:14 The judge is sitting...
2:14 Judge warns the gallery to exhibit no emotion or comment when jury is brought in. Jury is called for...
2:15 State and defense recognized presence of the jury...
2:16 Verdict form handed to clerk...judge reads it to himself silently...
2:17 Court reporter takes paper, reads it out loud...
2:17 Count One, First Degree Murder: NOT GUILTY
2:17 Count Two, NOT GUILTY on aggravated child abuse
2:18 Count Three, NOT GUILTY on aggravated manslaughter
2:18 Found Guilty on ONLY the lying and false information.
2:20 Casey crying. Jury is polled one by one.
2:22 Judge reads verdicts one by one to Casey at the podium and adjudicates for each count as jury has indicated.
2:24 Judge asks if attorneys are prepared for the sentencing phase upcoming at a later time. They are.
2:25 Judge Perry addresses the jury thanking them and telling them about their rights post-trial regarding talking to media, etc.
2:26 Judge Perry dismisses the jury to the jury room. All rise.
2:27 Judge Perry recesses the court.
2:27 The defense team and Casey all hug, many tears. Much relief and happiness. the prosecution table is looking totally dejected.
2:31 The legal analysts on both channels are all like : Yeah, they knew it. BS! They were all predicting guilty throughout this whole thing.
2:35 Lots of talk about what this means as far as sentencing. The guilty counts are only misdemeanors. She will either serve less than a year more factoring in time served or nothing more at all. Unbelievable victory for the defense.
2:39 Online comments on blogs blasted with people calling this a travesty.
2:40 The helicopter shots show the mass of shocked citizens outside the courthouse.
2:42 The defense legal team stands in the media room. All the main lawyers and their support team.
2:42 Cheney Mason speaking at the mic: Vehemently chiding the "talking heads" and the media telling them "I hope you learned your lesson!" OMG!
2:44 Baez speaking at the mic: Bumbling through his thanks to those that stood by him. Saying justice was served. Casey did not kill her daughter. Also saying this is an opportunity to learn a lesson.
2:46 Going on and on, Baez is trying to sound monumental and deep but with his halting and inability to construct a smooth flow of speech...he is sounding like an idiot.
2:47 Baez: "Yesterday, the 4th of July, a breath of life..." HUH? "We all need to stop and look at a country that tries to kill its citizens." What?
2:48 Baez: "We need to stop trying to kill our people." Now blabbering some shit in Spanish.
The final minutes before the reading of the jury's verdict in the Casey Anthony murder trial...
1:55 PM The verdict will be read at 2:15. Watching Channel 9 (local ABC affiliate) and News 13 local cable news.
1:57 Helicopter news cameras showing huge crowds gathered in the plaza outside the courthouse.
1:59 Greg Wormoth, anchor and Bill Sheafer, legal analyst for the station, talking about the nervous energy in the air. They are located directly across the street (Magnolia) in a make-shift on-site studio in a booth set up for this trial.
2:02 148,000 participants online for Eyewitness News 9 ongoing live blog.
2:03 George and Cindy Anthony walk arm in arm into the courtroom.
2:04 Casey is seated. Wearing a light pink cotton blouse. Looks nervous. Baez seated next to her.
2:04 Talking heads debating what an 11 hour 45 minute verdict means...guilt or innocence?
2:05 Not the first comparison made between this case and the OJ trial.
2:06 News 13 talking about how difficult it was to select this jury, being as they had to have, optimally, little knowledge of this case as it has folded out in the past three years. They're boring. Going back to Channel 9.
2:08 Ric is calling me. Probably watching this as well.
2:10 Crowd getting massive in the plaza on Orange Avenue.
2:13 Courtroom is dead quiet. George and Cindy visibly tense.
2:14 The judge is sitting...
2:14 Judge warns the gallery to exhibit no emotion or comment when jury is brought in. Jury is called for...
2:15 State and defense recognized presence of the jury...
2:16 Verdict form handed to clerk...judge reads it to himself silently...
2:17 Court reporter takes paper, reads it out loud...
2:17 Count One, First Degree Murder: NOT GUILTY
2:17 Count Two, NOT GUILTY on aggravated child abuse
2:18 Count Three, NOT GUILTY on aggravated manslaughter
2:18 Found Guilty on ONLY the lying and false information.
2:20 Casey crying. Jury is polled one by one.
2:22 Judge reads verdicts one by one to Casey at the podium and adjudicates for each count as jury has indicated.
2:24 Judge asks if attorneys are prepared for the sentencing phase upcoming at a later time. They are.
2:25 Judge Perry addresses the jury thanking them and telling them about their rights post-trial regarding talking to media, etc.
2:26 Judge Perry dismisses the jury to the jury room. All rise.
2:27 Judge Perry recesses the court.
2:27 The defense team and Casey all hug, many tears. Much relief and happiness. the prosecution table is looking totally dejected.
2:31 The legal analysts on both channels are all like : Yeah, they knew it. BS! They were all predicting guilty throughout this whole thing.
2:35 Lots of talk about what this means as far as sentencing. The guilty counts are only misdemeanors. She will either serve less than a year more factoring in time served or nothing more at all. Unbelievable victory for the defense.
2:39 Online comments on blogs blasted with people calling this a travesty.
2:40 The helicopter shots show the mass of shocked citizens outside the courthouse.
2:42 The defense legal team stands in the media room. All the main lawyers and their support team.
2:42 Cheney Mason speaking at the mic: Vehemently chiding the "talking heads" and the media telling them "I hope you learned your lesson!" OMG!
2:44 Baez speaking at the mic: Bumbling through his thanks to those that stood by him. Saying justice was served. Casey did not kill her daughter. Also saying this is an opportunity to learn a lesson.
2:46 Going on and on, Baez is trying to sound monumental and deep but with his halting and inability to construct a smooth flow of speech...he is sounding like an idiot.
2:47 Baez: "Yesterday, the 4th of July, a breath of life..." HUH? "We all need to stop and look at a country that tries to kill its citizens." What?
2:48 Baez: "We need to stop trying to kill our people." Now blabbering some shit in Spanish.