Tampa Bay Criminal Defense Lawyer Blog
Casey Anthony’s defense team has announced that they will be appealing her four (4) Misdemeanor convictions from her recent First Degree Murder trial.
Friday morning, Casey’s defense attorneys filed their Notice of Appeal for the four (4) counts of misleading law enforcement, for which she was convicted by the same jury that acquitted her of First Degree Murder.It was almost three (3) years ago that Casey told Orange County deputies the following:
(1) That she worked at Universal Orlando Resort in 2008,
(2) That she left Caylee with a babysitter named Zenaida Gonzalez,
(3) That she told Jeffrey Hopkins and Juliette Lewis that Caylee was missing,
(4) That she spoke to Caylee on the phone on July 15, 2008.
Casey was charged and convicted of a separate count for each of the above false statements. She was fined the maximum $1,000 for each count, totaling $4,618 after court costs.Judge Belvin Perry also sentenced Casey to a total of four (4) years in jail, which has already been shortened based on the time she has spent behind bars (awaiting trial), and her good behavior in jail. Casey is due to be released Sunday.
From a strategic standpoint, an appeal could have a huge effect on Casey’s civil case involving Zenaida Gonzalez, which took a bizarre turn Friday morning after a quick end to an emergency hearing.
Once the appeal is formally filed, she can legitimately assert her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination in any deposition or interrogation until the appeal is exhausted!
As far as Casey is concerned, there is no downside to this legal maneuver. If she loses the appeal, she will still be released from jail on Sunday. She cannot be punished for appealing.Another bright move by her defense team to, once again, protect her from having to tell the truth about what happened to her daughter Caylee.
The Clearwater-based Blake & Dorsten, P.A. represents individuals charged with criminal and/or traffic violations throughout the Tampa Bay area (as well as select cases throughout the State of Florida).
If you or a loved one has been accused of a criminal or traffic offense, the Blake & Dorsten, P.A. is on your side.
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For more information, please contact former State of Florida Prosecutor Nicholas J. Dorsten at: 727.286.6141.