Securities Fraud Lawyers Blog
By Alfred Villoch, III, with Savage, Combs & Villoch, PLLC
In October 2008, the State of Florida charged Casey Marie Anthony with first-degree murder in the death of her two-year-old child, Caylee Marie Anthony. The matter was highly publicized and dominated the national news for years. From May to June 2011, Casey Anthony stood jury trial and was represented by criminal trial lawyer, Jose Baez, in what Time Magazine called the “Social Media Trial of the Century.” Jose Baez shocked many legal pundits and even most public opinion when he ultimately secured a verdict of “not guilty” for Casey Anthony on her murder charges, along with charges of aggravated manslaughter and aggravated child abuse.
The verdict had a high price, however. Jose Baez billed $397.431.78 in legal fees for his representation. Not only that, but Casey Anthony became financially dogged elsewhere with lawsuits associated with her daughter’s death. For example, she was sued for defamation by a former babysitter, Zenaida Gonzalez, a person whom Casey Anthony initially blamed for the disappearance. Ms. Anthony was also sued for fraud and unjust enrichment by Texas EquuSearch, a company that spent at least $100,000 in searching for Caylee Anthony even though Casey Anthony already knew that Caylee was dead.