Casey Anthony Jury Selection: Elizabeth Ann Rogers yells out 'She killed somebody anyway!'

5:00 PM, May 20, 2011   |    comments
  • Share
  • Print
  • - A A A +

Clearwater, Florida - Expect the unexpected.

No one was ready for it: a woman sitting in the gallery yelled out suddenly in court during jury selection of the Casey Anthony murder trial.

29-year-old Elizabeth Ann Rogers walked inside the courtroom in a huff, and slammed her purse down. It hit me in the arm as it landed on the bench. Then, she kicked off her shoes and fluffed her hair.

The woman was only sitting there for less than 60 seconds when she bursted out, "She killed somebody anyway!"

The bailiffs reacted immediately, grabbed Rogers and escorted her out of the room. Her shoes were in her hand.

She was heard saying, "I didn't know I'd get that emotional," as she was led out of the courtroom.

Photo Gallery: Pictures of the courtroom outburst

A few minutes later, Rogers returned, sobbing and surrounded by nine bailiffs.

She stood before Judge Belvin Perry for questioning of her actions.

"I've never been in a courtroom like this. I have a 3-year-old son. I'm very sorry. I never meant anything like this. I apologize. I will never do this again. I am bipolar, manic depressive, post-traumatic distress," she told a perturbed Judge Perry.

"I'm on thorazine, and methadone. I never meant to hurt you." 

"Do you realize as a result of your outburst, that the juror can be challenged for cause?" the judge asked her. "You indicated you took your medicine at 6 a.m. Why did you come into this courtroom?"

"I shouldn't have said anything," Rogers replied, still sobbing. "I'm very sorry. I shouldn't have said anything. I go to church. I'm so, so sorry. I'm not a bad person, I'm not a bad person."

She added, "I volunteer at the SPCA and I go to the methadone clinic."

After listening to her plea, the judge immediately found her guilty in contempt of court. "Normally, I'd sentence you to 179 days in Pinellas County jail," he told her.

But because of her medical condition, Judge Perry instead sentenced her to two days in jail.

"I will appoint a public defender to your case," the judge said.

Rogers has been arrested several times in the past, including charges of battery, possession of cocaine, and bad checks.

The potential juror who was being questioned when the outburst took place was excused.

Later in the day, Rogers returned before Judge Perry, but this time dressed in a jail uniform with the public defender by her side.

Contrary to what she said earlier, Rogers told the judge she had not taken her medication that morning.

"What did I just do?" the woman cried. "I didn't take my medicine, have food or water or use toilet paper."

She  told the judge she suffered from bipolar disorder, manic depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.

The judge upheld his earlier sentence of two days in the Pinellas County jail, again noting that he could have given her a much stiffer sentence, but was lenient due to her medical problems.

Judge Perry hopes to seat a jury of at least 12 sometime Friday. Jury selection is being held outside of Orlando, because of intense pretrial publicity.

Melanie Michael, 10 News. Contributing: The Associated Press.

Most Watched Videos