NEW YORK (CBS 2) — One day after the Casey Anthony verdict, local residents lament the lack of closure in the case, Kristin Thorne reports.

“She has to get at least 20-30 years. There’s a God up in Heaven that’s bigger than that judge up there and that stupid jury. She is definitely guilty,” one woman yelled.

The reaction to the verdict reached all the way from Orange County, Florida to across the Tri-State.

“How could they come up with that verdict?” one man asked.

“I’m just surprised that she was innocent. Florida law is like ‘murdering is OK’,” one woman said.

Others were not surprised the jury made the decision it did.

“It didn’t sound like to me, from the limited information I had that they had real forensic evidence that was conclusive enough to really make you think that she had done it,” said Jan Wheeler of Bloomfield, CT.

In the court of public opinion, especially in Casey Anthony’s hometown of Orlando, Florida, many people’s minds appeared to be made up. But whether people agree or disagree with the verdict, there is a common feeling of sadness people share over the fact that we may never know what exactly happened to Caylee.

“No closure. There’s no closure when there’s no answers,” one pedestrian said.

“Obviously any child that something’s happened to, you definitely want to know the answers,” another pedestrian said.

Did the jury make the right decision in this case? Sound off in our comments section below…

Comments (49)
  1. Dale Auburn says:

    People should get it through their thick skulls that “emotions” and “public opinion” ARE NOT the same thing as ACTUAL EVIDENCE. Only ACTUAL EVIDENCE can be presented in court and used as the basis for a verdict.

  2. Momma says:

    I feel “the jurors” were suffering from sun stroke. How could they arrive at such a verdict? She will get her just reward, the acquittal will not give her peace. This brings to mind the Jon Benay Ramsey caser; to date we stilll don’t know who murdered her.

    1. Dale Auburn says:

      They HAD to arrive at “such a verdict” because the prosecution failed to PROVE guilt. Saying that “everybody knows she did it” is not actual evidence.

  3. northoftheborder says:

    The prosecution dropped the ball in the trial. It didn’t make the effort to CLEARLY state the motive, way that Caylee was killed, etc. I’m surprised that it couldn’t prove that she was guilty but it failed miserably. The D.A. presented an EXCELLENT defense for Casey. Too many facts were left unanswered that only Casey and G-d know. Even though many people are outraged about the verdict, the against Casey was not SOLID enough to convict her of murder, manslaughter, and aggravated assault.

  4. CBS at it again says:

    CBS at its worse again with lousy news coverage and creating silly drama.

  5. C Thomas says:

    This is wrong and vindictive. No one else would have gotten consecutive misdemeanors. Judges are supposed to be impartial and not bow to public sentiment. No one knows what really happened and yes it is a tragedy, but you cannot do an end around the verdict of acquittal. And most importantly, you people cannot hang her in the town square just because you think you know what occurred. She lived with her parents and they did not report her missing either. She may just be a loon, and since you were not there you do not have the right to exact vigilanty justice.

  6. HARLEM GOING H.A.M. says:


    1. sportythief says:

      what club does casey party at I’DE DO her ! just wouldnt spend the night tho!

  7. Po says:

    Gay marriage in NYS is worse than the verdict!!!!!

    1. Dale Auburn says:

      Really? What GOVERNMENTAL basis is there for your claim?

  8. LORRAINE says:

    I agree with you. Casey already was convicted in the media before she even came to trial. Lee owned that car for 5 years and it had stains in the trunk carpet. He had keys to it, George had keys to it. How did he know that it was out of gas when he went to pick up the car in the tow lot? Also you don’t commit sucidice with blood pressure pills and beer. He was a cop for 10 years and usually when cops commit suicide, they shoot themselves. He just wanted to get that pathetic “suicide note” out to the public. Guilty concience maybe – because of the accidental drowning or his affair or him trying to comfor his girlfriend instead of staying home and comforting Cindy. He is just a piece of garbage. I also know people that grieve like Casey -goes into deep denial. She definitely needs professional help along with the rest of her disfunctional family.

  9. New Lamby says:

    I have read so many ignorant pieces in this blog. Thank goodness we have a court system rather that the old west type of jury. The jury system has spoken. 12 peers for those who can not count. Bottom line is that prosecution did a lousy job. The case was not proven.

    Innocent until proven guilty. She is not guilty so she is innocent

    1. d says:

      I agree with you for the most part but how can your child be missing for a month and was reported to the police. If that is not child abuse or neglect I don’t know what is. How did the defense explain that away?

      1. Dale Auburn says:

        The defense didn’t have to “explain away” anything because it’s the PROSECUTION’S job to prove guilt.

  10. Disgusted says:

    This jury is what is wrong with America today. No common sense. To get from A to C you must do B.

    1. elchiablo says:

      what’s wrong with America today is that people who were not involved in the case at all (i.e., outsiders) somehow think they know better than people who served as jurors who heard every minute of the trial.

    2. Dale Auburn says:

      “Common sense” is NOT the same as physical evidence. If YOU have some evidence of her guilt, why didn’t you present it?

  11. p8nt says:

    So, if she’s “definitely guilty” as a lot of people ASSUME she is, they why was she found NOT GUILTY ??? You have to really admire armchair quarterbacks, especially when the case doesn’t even involve them or how they carry out their daily lives.

  12. Lorraine Valentin says:

    Humm, since Casey will not have immediate work when released, I say any of those Defense Attorneys who cried and hugged for her as the verdict was read should hire Casey as a sitter for their child or grandchild, what do u think?

    1. me says:

      Lorraine I have been saying the same thing!!! To all the people who truly believe she did not hurt that child I ask them would you let her babysit your kids and nobody responds…

      1. elchiablo says:

        Nobody responds because it’s an idiotic question. I wouldn’t let YOU babysit my kids, that doesn’t mean you are a killer

      2. Dale Auburn says:

        “To all the people who truly believe she did not hurt that child….”

        Nobody actually believes that, and nobody believes that anybody actually believes that. In fact, what people “believe” or “don’t believe” or “pretend to not believe” is totally IRRELEVANT. The key is that the prosecution FAILED TO PROVE premeditated murder.

        Remember that public opinion IS NOT the same thing as ACTUAL EVIDENCE. Only ACTUAL EVIDENCE can be presented in court, and the prosecution didn’t have any. Period.

  13. Disouraged says:

    They should also release Scott Peterson now..then maybe those 2 can hook up and get their own reality TV shows and Million + dollar book deals.
    And justice for none…..

  14. Diane says:

    She is so guilty, How does she sleep at night? I can’t believe the jury on this one. Another O.J. So sad.

    1. Dale Auburn says:

      Do YOU have ACTUAL PROOF that “she is so guilty”? Do you have access to new evidence that the jury didn’t see? If so, why did you help her get away with murder by hiding your proof from the prosecution?

  15. Karen D says:

    What a shame! What kind of people would let an (unfit) mother who gave her ittle child chloroform, duct tape her mouth and nose and tell lie after lie get away with premeditaded murder? This is not a justice system, where is the justice for little Caylee, she was the victim, not Casey, and now this lying piece of trash walks away to live the good life while her baby doesn’t have one. I hope she never gets a good night sleep, I hope Caylee haunts her forever. But she’ll be in troublg again, LIARS always get theirs.

    1. lorraine says:

      It was never proven that she gave Caylee chloroform and taped her mouth. There was no DNA, blood, fingerprints, chloroform or anything else found on her remains. If the sheriff’s office did their job, they would have gone to the woods when that jerk Kronk called them in August instead of letting her rot for four more months out there. Mayber they would have gotten more evidence from the remains. I also believe she is guilty of something but I think the real culprit is that sleezeball George. I am glad to live in this country that we have a jury of our peers to listen to and decide upon all the evidence presented and bring in a verdiict. Casey didn’t win, the prosecution lost for lack of actual and physical evidence.

      1. Karen D says:

        You are blaming everyone else but Casey. If a child of mine was missing I wouldn’t wait a month to call police or hide it from my family.

    2. Dale Auburn says:

      Do YOU have physical evidence PROVING that she duct-taped Caylee’s mouth and nose? If so, why did you hide your evidence and thus help her “get away with murder”?

      Yes, she probably did kill Caylee, but without ACTUAL PROOF there’s no case.

  16. francesca says:

    Casey is guilty!. What mother reports their missing child after 31 days!!! And noone covers up an accident!. God will make her suffer

    1. frank says:

      one who is trying to keep her child alive in her mind.allso explains her behavior after her child had died.something horrific happen,i beleave caseys mind would never allow her to beleave her child was dead,why she went about her life like nothing had happned, i remember when my father died,my younger brother was carring on as if nothing happened,we all puzzled even on the day of the funneral i had to go find him and he was playing baseball at the park,talking to him i had realised this was to tragic of an event it was not real to him.

    2. j.j. says:

      She didn’t even report her child missing, her parents did.

  17. Major Wood says:

    I look forward to the inevitable in-depth Maxim interview & pix.

  18. jtorres says:

    I believe she either killed her child or let her die. She was NOT missing for 31 days– she was dead all that time. THAT’S why Casey didn’t report her missing. She knew exactly what happened and still does. Unfortunately, she’s the only one.
    Working in the courthouse, I can understand why the jury didn’t find her guilty. The prosecution never established when Caley was killed, how or why. The law says beyond a reasonable doubt and that’s a very high standard. She can’t be convicted because people think she’s guilty or because she probably did it.
    And by the way, she wasn’t found innocent. she just wasn’t found guilty. There’s a difference

    1. Dee says:

      A Jury’s Verdict of ‘Not Guilty’ means the Defendant is ‘Not Guilty’ of the crime charged !!! The standard of proof is ‘Guilty Beyond A Reasonable Doubt’ which is the highest standard of proof of all standards of proof of ALL cases in the American Judicial System. So, IF there is a civil case awaiting Casey Anthony – that civil case has a LOWER standard of proof ‘By The Proponderance of the Evidence’. Where Casey should lose in any civil case re the death of her daughter – still DOES NOT make her GUILTY of killing her daughter – Casey on the lost of a civil case – would be required to pay monetary damages set by the jury / judge only to the opposing parties.

      THANK GOD for the Amrican Judicial System and the Jury System. No one in the public has witnessed the evidence seen by the Jury in any case. Even if you went to court and witnessed the trial every day – you, spectactor, is still limited as to seeing all the evidence.

      We must stop this LYNCH MOB mentality launched by the Media on the Public as a ‘Court of Public Opinion’. The Media, like you, is not the JURY in this or any criminal case. I FIRMLY stand by this Jury’s and all Juries’ Verdicts – which are the true bearer of fact and law in the American Judicial System. You don’t like that – TOUGH !!! There IS CLOSURE in the Anthony Case – ‘CASE FOREVER CLOSED – THE JURY HAS SPOKEN !!!”

      1. elchiablo says:

        Agree 100%. CASE CLOSED! Get over it people

      2. sk says:

        i totally agree! none of us readers were in the coourtroom everyday heraning both sides of the case! peopel are just so obsessed over “she did it” that they can’t see that the juruos did what they were supposed to do as american citizens! the njury did not base their facts based on media reports or what we want the verdict to be! good for them! as far as “God will punish Casey”. so let God deicide that fate not us americans who have no idea what really happened!

    2. Tom says:

      I total agree with the featured statement. I do not believe that there is a single person anywhere, who thinks that Casey is totally innocent. I believe that it may have been an accident, however the family is so dysfunctional that they assisted in a cover up.

      What is needed to convict is beyond a reasonable doubt. I did not see solid evidence during the trial that pointed to the fact that Casey did this, besides the constant lies. IMO no solid evidence means no conviction. In this case there was reasonable doubt.

    3. Junior says:

      Exactly. Even the jurors are saying they know she was behind it, but the state failed, plain and simple. She got away with murder. Even though she was found “not guilty’ does not mean she is innocent. Her judgement day will come, both in life and death.

  19. HelloNY says:

    I think the Jury got it wrong- so wrong! However, I understand they couldn’t convict on Murder 1, there was no evidence that this childs death was premeditated. My question for the jury is this though, how could you not find her guilty of agg. child abuse?! A 2 1/2 year old toddler was missing for over a month and was NOT reported missing until grandma realized something was up. How can a child be missing for 31 days, but the mom isn’t found guilty of child abuse at least? Disgusting… I’d really love to know how intelligent those members of the jurt really are. I know the alternate is an idiot. He was on the news this morning saying “the prosecution didn’t prove that caylee was murdered.” Um, did this moron think a toddler wrapped herself in duct tape and threw herself into a pond? These people kill me…

    At the end of the day, an innocent child is dead and no one will have to answer for it. I only take comfort in knowing that casey won’t have an easy life. 90% of the population in this country hate her guts. She will have a very hard time finding employment and I don’t think many landlords are lining up to give her a place to live. In the end, she will have to answer to God for what she did…

    1. Minnie says:

      HelloNY I have bad news regarding that. Since she was found not guilty Casey Anthony will be able to make money off this case. There will be book deals, interviews and probably a movie. The sad truth is she will be rolling in money.

    2. linda russof says:


  20. bobbi says:

    You are sick. Many people feel sadness over the death of Caylee. If you do ever get the chance to have sex with her i hope she puts duct tape over your mouth so you know how it feels!

    1. Sam says:

      @yd, you are a jacka$$. A child is dead and a murderer free.

  21. Myra says:

    She got away with murder, she is definetly guilty. This is outrageous.

  22. nyc says:

    Is law enforcement out looking for the killer of this poor child ?

  23. Tye says:

    She Is so guilty! I think they made a very wrong decision!

  24. iggy says:

    i guess they didn’t prove she was the one that killed her daughter. we all know she was killed but the DA didn’t prove casey actually did it. you can’t send someone to the death chamber with out 100% certainty. i think she killed her daughter and got away with murder

  25. Belinda says:

    Why when the public opinion is wrong about a case we criticize our justice system?

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