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.] 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.
She will never be free, they keep saying she will be free Thursday. But she will never live the life she enjoyed before all this, most people know what she looks like. She will always have people stare, whisper, yell things at her etc...if she is guilty maybe this is Gods sentence for her.
I would be surprised if her parents or brother let her live with them and once her book and movie are done and she's partied away the money who would want to be her friend? I mean people that are worth having as friends. Her justice just might be the public.
The prosecution appealed to common sense. Common sense got thrown away like trash. Maybe common sense is not as common as we think it is... That to me is what will make me lose some sleep ....
@januaRee.
The points you pointed out don't make her guilty.
The prosecution didn't put forth hard evidence proving she did it.
Jury did A+ job not ruling on Nancy Grace feelings props to them
Ppl shouldn't be too upset. I truly believe she will never be free from public opinion and ppl are going to let her know it when she is released. Most ppl think she's guilty of murder. Where can she go to escape public opinion? This girl has a very HARD LIFE AHEAD! Public scrutiny has its own version of justice. Maybe, just maybe, this was justice.
Boo Hoo Monica. This woman has a hard life ahead of her. What a moronic statement. Who cares? I hope she has the worst life possible. She doesn't deserve any other type of life. Caylee has no life because this trash took it away from her and you're worried about what a hard life she will have? Check your priorities.
Okay, all you "Nancy Grace's" out there, let me ask you this. Put yourself in the jury. What evidence did the prosecution present inside the courtroom that 100% connects Casey to Caley's murder? Were Caseys fingerprints found on the body... or Duct Tape? Nope. Was her DNA found on or around the body?? So, tell me...what evidence did the prosecution present inside the courtroom that would have made you feel 100%, without a doubt, that Casey cold-bloodedly murdered her daughter?? Forget about what Nancy Grace and all those media pundits want you to believe...I'll be waiting...See More
I'm so tired of hearing Jeffery Tobin go on and on about "no cause of death", "no time of death" – many cases have been tried with guilty verdicts and no body at all was ever found.
I'm really disappointed in the outcome. I thought for sure she'd be found guilty. But, I'm no criminal professional. I just feel really sad that an innocent lost her life because her mom wasn't a responsible mom. Death penalty? No, I wouldn't want that on my conscience if I were one of the jury members. But, life without parole might have been OK. Again, I'm no criminal professional nor was one of the jurors (Thank God!)
Question is what would you have done if you are one of the juror??
"One can afford to keep hundred criminals out of jail, But you cannot keep ONE innocent in the jail" -Gandhi
At the end of the day, a 2-year old child's body was found in a plastic bag dumped like garbage. Her caregiver was the last to acknowledge being with her and lied to the police in finding a missing child or a dead body. Yes, Casey can now go on with her life most likely rewarded with celebrity status and tabloid money. Same with the jury. Living bella vita
and the American dream I guess.
Nancy Grace should join "Fair and Balance" network. she thinks "she knows all"!!! she handed out judgment years before trial.. she forgot.."EVERYBODY MUST BE presumed innocent until proven guilty" including Casey Anthony..
IT IS SO RUDE OF HER TO USE "TOT MOM".. there are millions of TOT MOM in the country. LEARN TO BE POLITE to all the people, include who are charged of committing crime. AND IF SHE IS DAMN SO GOOD AT LAW WHAT THE HACK SHE IS DOING ON TV SHOW??
I think prosecution went to far asking for DEATH penalty where there was no concrete motive and evidence.
If they would have gone for lesser charges instead, they would have gotten their way.
Casey is an idiot and a lier but that is not a proof that she is killer.
she shouldn't have a child in first place!! she caused the death
Casey will be in trouble with the law again, it's in her blood.
you right.
she might be another VAN DER SLOOT!
the verdict is in and has been read and now the casey anthony case is over let us all not think of casey let us think of caylee let us all remember caylee the liitle girl with a beautiful smile that we never got to see grow up that we never got to know but she can still live in our hearts as i am a person that knows forgiveness means alot and i know that as she a little 2 year old she would forgive i feel as if she would not want her mom to die even tho caylee is nolonger with her mom and family i believe caylee is in their hearts as should she be in ours let us remember the little girl(caylee)in hopes that we all can find forgiveness for those who do such acts>god bless
The prosecution was very arrogant during the whole trial. The prosecution made such an arrogant fool of themselves, and I don't see him laughing now. Pride goes before a fall. The prosecution and the media fell on their face. There was nothing concrete to convict her on. I blame the prosecution for trying to hit a home run and trying to be the hero. Instead they ended up looking like a zero. Hey prosecution who's laughing now. The prosecution should be fined and suspended for that outburst in court.
I think that Jose Baez or someone on his celebration team should hire Casey as a nanny...
I am not real sure what exactly they were celebrating a deceased two year old or the money they will continue to make off her death. Criminal!
what closure? no one was arrested and charged with the death of this poor little girl. Casey Anthony is somehow going to make herself seem like the victim.
I think when Chaney Mason put up the chart at closing arguments the jury found some guidance. All the other attorney's appeared to be characters but he came over as the representation and explanation of the law. The chart gave a visual impression that all scenarios fall into the reasonable doubt category except one. So I believe the jury followed that lead.