Editor's note: For more on the jury's finding that Casey Anthony is not guilty in daughter Caylee's death read our full story here.
[Updated at 8:20 p.m.] From the moment word came that Casey Anthony was acquitted of murdering her 2-year-old daughter, online networking sites were flooded with a cascade of amateur commentary. A few big names, including Kim Kardashian, joined the fray. Most condemned the verdict - "no justice for Caylee" was a common comment - which comes after years of the case serving as fodder for cable news, tabloids and the like.
[Updated at 7:55 p.m.] Mourners of Caylee Anthony want you to turn your porch lights on tonight in honor of the slain 2-year-old.
The Facebook event, "Porch lights on for Caylee Marie Anthony," urges people "all over the world" to start participating at "9 pm in your own time zone."
Already, 546,610 have said they're attending, and some say their lights are already on.
[Updated at 7:20 p.m.] Alternate juror Russell Huekler said he agrees with the jury's verdict "wholeheartedly" and surmised that Caylee Anthony's death was a "horrific accident" gone awry.
"The prosecution did not prove their case," said Huekler, who sat through the entire case but did not get to deliberate the charges.
Prosecutors failed to answer the question of how Caylee died, he said.
From the testimony, Huekler said he drew the conclusion that "it was probably a horrific accident" that Anthony and her father, George Anthony, covered up.
"Unfortunately it did snowball and got away from them," Huekler said. "It was such a horrific accident that they didn't know how to deal with it. The family appeared to be very dysufintional and instead of admitting there was an accident, they chose to hide it, for whatever reason."
[Updated at 5:08 p.m.] Attorney Mark Lippman issued a statement on behalf of Lee, George and Cindy Anthony:
While the family may never know what has happened to Caylee Marie Anthony, they now have closure for this chapter of their life. They will now begin the long process of rebuilding their lives.
Despite the baseless defense chosen by Casey Anthony, the family believes that the Jury made a fair decision based on the evidence presented, the testimony presented, the scientific information presented and the rules that were given to them by the Honorable Judge Perry to guide them.
The family hopes that they will be given the time by the media to reflect on this verdict and decide the best way to move forward privately.
The family also wanted the public to know that if anyone wanted to honor Caylee by leaving stuffed animals or other toys at any area near their home, that they would prefer those items be donated in Caylee’ s name to families in need, religious centers, or any other entity where the toys would be appreciated.
ORANGE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE
[Updated at 4:10 p.m.] Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings issues a plea for restraint after Casey Anthony is acquitted of murder.
"As the verdict has been rendered we ask our community to respect the decision the jury and court have made today. We ask for your continued peaceful acknowledgement of that verdict.
[Updated at 3:47 p.m.] The delay in recovering Caylee Anthony's remains worked to the "considerable disadvantage" to the prosecution's efforts to prove Casey Anthony's guilt, Ninth Judicial Circuit State Attorney Lawson Lamar said.
With no "smoking gun" and a victim who was "reduced by time and the elements to skeletal remains," made the case all the more the more difficult to prove, he said. Nonetheless, he said, police and prosecutors did their job - and so did the jury.
"I never, ever criticize a jury; theirs is a task of deciding what to believe," he said. "We're disappointed with the verdict today and surprised because we know the facts and we put in absolutely every single piece of evidence that existed."
He said his staff would return to the task of addressing the 101,00 cases that come to his office each year, including a handful of open child murder cases.
"Child murders, regrettably and terribly, are not rare in America today and those deaths are no less horrible," he said. "The only difference is the news has not highlighted their murders."
He also praised his staff for not talking about the case outside of the courtroom, saying the rush to convict Casey Anthony in the news "led to the great expense" of having to seek a jury "outside the media market."
"So much of the angst and taxpayer expense could've been avoided if others had not succumbed to the temptation provided by quick notoriety," Lawson said.
"For us the case has never been about the defendant in particular. It has always been about seeking justice for Caylee and speaking on her behalf."
THE JURY
[Updated at 3:14 p.m.] Members of the jury in the Casey Anthony case have said they are not interested in speaking with members about the case or the verdict, a court spokeswoman said.
[Updated at 3:10 p.m.] We are waiting on an expected news conference from the jurors in the Casey Anthony trial.
A room has been set up for them to address the media, but none are required to actually say anything if they do not want to.
[Updated at 2:50 p.m.] Defense Attorney Jose Baez said he had mixed emotions about the case and that he had to work hard against media bias that existed during the search for Caylee and the case against Casey Anthony.
"You cannot convict someone until they have their day in court," he said.
Baez said he was happy for Casey Anthony and the decision made by the jury. Now he hopes Casey Anthony can move on.
"I want her to grieve and to grow and somehow get her life back together," he said.
Baez said the case was a true example of a jury doing what they are supposed to - finding their verdict based on evidence and not emotion.
"We have the greatest constitution in the world and if the media and other members of the public don’t respect it, it will become meaningless," he said. "And today and yesterday on the Fourth of July, there was a breath of life."
Baez said he is thrilled that when he goes home today and his daughter asks what he did today he can say - "I saved a life."
"I think this case is a perfect example for why the death penalty does not work... " Baez added. "Murder is not right no matter who does it."
[Updated at 2:45 p.m.] Dorothy Clay Sims speaking first for the defense team addressed the media.
"I am thankful for today's verdict on behalf of Casey Anthony," she said.
Defense Attorney Cheney Mason also addressed the media, angrily scolding them for their coverage of the case.
"I hope that this is a lesson to those who have indulged in media assassination for three years," he said.
Defense Attorney Jose Baez added that "while we're happy for Casey there are no winners in this case."
"Caylee has passed on far, far too soon, and what my driving force has been for the past three years is to make sure there has been justice for Caylee and Casey," he said. "Casey did not murder Caylee, it's that simple. And today our system of justice has not dishonored her memory by a false conviction."
[Updated at 2:34 p.m.] A room is being prepared for the jury to take questions from the media about their verdict.
iReport: What's your reaction to the verdict
[Updated at 2:31 p.m.] For the first time a wide smile came across Casey Anthony's face. She began to smile and laugh as her team surrounded her and congratulated her on being found not guilty of murdering her daughter.
[Updated at 2:29 p.m.] Casey Anthony took tissues from a court bailiff and wiped her face at the back of the courtroom.
[Updated at 2:26 p.m.] Casey Anthony embraced her attorney Jose Baez and the rest of her legal team before sobbing.
Anthony wiped tears from her eyes as her team of lawyers hugged each other.
[Updated at 2:24 p.m.] Casey Anthony wiped tears from her eyes and clutched her attorneys' hands as the judge addressed the courtroom.
[Updated at 2:23 p.m.] Casey Anthony returned to the courtroom after briefly leaving with a slight smile on her face.
The judge set sentencing for Thursday at 9 a.m.
[Updated at 2:22 p.m.] Casey Anthony has left the courtroom. Her parents also quickly left the courtroom after the verdict was read.
[Updated at 2:22 p.m.] Judge Belvin Perry confirms the jury's verdict.
[Updated at 2:20 p.m.] Casey Anthony cried as she hugged her defense attorney Jose Baez before she approached a podium to be addressed by the judge.
[Updated at 2:20 p.m.] A poll of the jurors showed they all agreed on the verdict for every count.
[Updated at 2:20 p.m.] Casey Anthony has been found guilty of four counts of providing false information to law enforcement in the case of her 2-year-old daughter Caylee, who was slain in 2008.
[Updated at 2:19 p.m.] Casey Anthony is sobbing in court as the verdict is being read.
[Updated at 2:17 p.m.]Â Casey Anthony has been found not guilty of first-degree murder in the 2008 death of her 2-year-old daughter Caylee. She was also found not guilty of aggravated child abuse and aggravated manslaughter.
[Updated at 2:16 p.m.] Judge Belvin Perry is reading over the verdict form filled out by the jury.
[Updated at 2:15 p.m.] The jury has entered the courtroom.
[Updated at 2:15 p.m.] Members inside the courtroom have stood up as Judge Belvin Perry prepares to bring in the jury.
[Updated at 2:11 p.m.] George Anthony is sitting with his eyes closed and his hands clasped next to his wife Cindy inside the courtroom as they await to hear their daughter's fate.
[Updated at 2:04 p.m.] Casey Anthony, flanked by her lawyers, is sitting silently, biting her lip and taking deep breaths as she awaits the jury's verdict.
[Updated at 2:02 p.m.] Casey Anthony has just entered the courtroom and was met by two of her lawyers. She is wearing a pink ruffled shirt, her hair was pulled back in a ponytail and she was biting her nails.
[Updated at 1:57 p.m.] Jose Baez, one of Casey Anthony's lawyers, has just arrived at the courthouse in Orlando, Florida, In Session reports.
[Updated at 1:52 p.m.] The jury deliberated for 10 hours, 40 minutes and 33 seconds before reaching a verdict in the Casey Anthony trial, which included 33 days of testimony and two days of closing arguments, according to CNN sister network HLN.
[Updated at 1:45 p.m.] The jury has reached a verdict in the Casey Anthony capital murder trial, according to staff at the Orange County, Florida, courthouse.
The verdict, reached by the seven-woman, five-man jury, will cap a trial that stretched to more than six weeks and featured allegations of sexual abuse, questions regarding Casey Anthony's competence and various theories on what happened to 2-year-old Caylee.
The verdict is scheduled to be read at 2:15 p.m ET.
Casey Anthony, 25, was charged with seven counts - first-degree murder, aggravated child abuse, aggravated manslaughter of a child and four counts of providing false information to a law-enforcement officer in Caylee's 2008 disappearance and death.
Watch Nancy Grace Monday through Sunday starting at 8 p.m. ET on HLN. For the latest from Nancy Grace click here.
CNN posters are blood sucking vampires.
The police and prosecutors must now go back to the drawing board. This is an unsolved case. They need to search for more evidence and look for the killer. If that new evidence takes them to Casey, then she needs to go to trail under the new evidence. Don' forget Calley.
If the police find evidence that points to her, they can't bring her to trial. There's a little thing called the Fifth Amendment that will prevent that from happening.
See this just proves that the justice system has failed. that's how screwed up it is. and see in this country they do allow murder....and this just proves it letting people off with not guilty KNOWING they did it.....common now lets get real, everybody in USA are hating right now and feel sorry for that baby. REST IN PEACE LITTLE ANGEL CAYLEE!!!
all of you....look to geo anthony and ray kronk....true partners in crime..thats why geo wanted to commit suicide..authorities he thought were closing in on him....casey may have found out caley drowned and that geo was responsible and they all conspired to cover it up.....look to GEO ANTHONY to find out what happend to CALEY MARIE..on the stand he literally screamed IM A LIAR.
Well now this little piece of trash has something in common with OJ. They both got away with murder!!!!
Whoever put the duct tape on that little girl's nose and mouth is the killer. There was no evidence presented at this trial as to who did this to little Caylee, no evidence linking anyone directly to this crime. Was justice served? Unfortunately no. But the jury followed the Judge's instructions and did their job. As unpopular and distasteful as this verdict may be, the system worked as designed-a person is presumed innocent UNTIL proven guilty.
Too bad Casey didn't video tape the murder, or update her facebook or twitter accounts as she was in the process of senselessly murdering her own child. I guess thats the only way to convict one of a murder. Sad, sad day for the judicial system.
I can not believe that she was not convicted of 1st degree murder. Whether she killed her on purpose or by accident a mother does not just go about her life for over 30 days while her child is missing, Then lie to police about everything unless she has something to hide. Her own parents called the police and said it smelled like she had a dead body in her trunk. She changed her story over and over. I hope that someday the truth about what she did will come out and these jury members will realize what they did. This is another case to show how our justice system fails!
Come on everyone , educate yourself... the bottom line is the prosecution & detectives dropped the ball. How dare any of you to condemn those jurors or our judical system.... If the death penalty wasn't on the table then I would have NO DOUBT that she would have been found guilty on lesser charges & still spend 20 yrs in jail.... Now lets move on and focus all this effort & energy towards fixing OUR GREAT COUNTRY !!! The time it took me to type this blog – we just spent another 2 BILLION DOLLARS of China's money .....
I am heart broken because a beautiful child lost her life in this. But I believe in the system,it is not always fair. But think about it??What is the cause of death??what was the means of murder?who mudered the child,who put her there??where is the finger prints,there is no DNA even in the trunk of the car,not one expert put this child in Casey's care at the time of her death??we may want to shout in anger,but beyond a reasonable doubt is the standard by which we hope our justice system will work the way it is suppose to work??Now,with that being said. the person or persons responsible for what happened to this child,has not been missed by the eye's from above in heaven??so justice may not come right now,but sometimes we have to wait to see what the end is going to be??who will allow Casey to eat at their resturant(sp),who is going to hire her to work for them,who wants her to babysit their children,who is going to want her living next door to them??see justice is suppose to be fair and blind,we do not live by those standards in everyday life??remember that??Casey, already has to live with this,and she will never be able to be at peace again behide this??!!think about it??
She did a pretty good job of living thru this hell while her daughter was dead and left in a bush.......I can't understand how she wan admit to being there when her daughter died, where was her remorse......disgusting.
hey arica... this was the best thing that ever happened to this dysfunctional family... the bank they will make on the books and lifetime movies and the mags and etc, etc, etc will never require her to ever have a job, need to look for a job. She is set for life... that is not b/c of the judicial system, it is b/c of how sick the american ppl can be.
I cannot believe Casey will walk free. This jury is disgusting! One can only hope that what goes around comes around.
If Casey did not kill Caylee – then who did? I can't believe that Casey is actually going to get out a free woman and possibly also making money on this. One thing is for sure – this household is not going to buy any books or watch any movies made by her.
The child drowned. Get over it.
If anything happens to Casey because of Nancy Grace's crack journalism, Nancy should be charged. Hell, I think Casey should sue the hack of a journalist as it is. Nancy Grace is nothing but a modern day Abigail Williams.
I totally agree with you. Excellent post.
like
You are ridiculous. You are also stupid if you blame Nancy Grace. She only reported the news. This disgusting person (Casey Anthony) killed Caylee and 12 stupid people, who had previous legal problems, set a murderer free. The person you should be blaming is that monkey-eared evil Casey Anthony. Grow up. You can dislike anyone you want, but this murder was too obvious and was ignored by ignorant jurors
See what I mean? Nuts like mac.....
What I truly find amusing is the amount of coverage this is getting.
Agreed this is nothing more then a media deal, (Nancy Grace should go on trial) The woman has been through our system and has been aquitted get on with your lives or get a fife media morons..
She's not a "baby-killer" you morons. Caylee was 2, babies stop being babies at age 1. Call her a "toddler-killer" to be more accurate, although now that she was found not guilty you are all committing slander
Baez hit the jackpot.
Baez needs to be hung, drawn and quartered ... slowly and painfully.
Exactly, what a sleeze ball.