Hot off the press!
Friday, December 30, 2011 at 11:00AM Anthony Colarossi is the senior court reporter for the Orlando Sentinel. While attending the court proceedings during the Anthony case, both the hearings and trial, we got to know and respect each other. I guess it’s because we were, pretty much, the only ones who actually published our stories instead of presenting them on-air - not to take away from Steve Helling of People magazine. Of course, Anthony is a well-respected journalist and I was just a blogger until I was hired by Orlando magazine to cover the story. One day during the trial, a CNN producer followed me around and wrote about it on the CNN Website. She told me I went into this as a journalist without portfolio and transformed myself into a journalist with portfolio. That’s not easy to do, she added, and I never forgot those words.
Anthony is someone I not only respect, I genuinely like him as a person. I think we talked every single day, and there’s no doubt in my mind that he’s someone you’d like to call a friend, and say so proudly. He’s a consummate professional and he, too, appreciated my writing on a professional level. I would not consider myself in the same league as him for a couple of reasons. We are different types of writers. Where I could write in-depth articles, newspapers won’t allow it while reporting on day-to-day events. An extreme example of this would be USA Today. Short and sweet. What you read there could be read off a telepromptor by a TV personality. Anthony’s articles go deeper than that, but not as deep as mine. Even so, he’s a better writer overall and there’s no real way to compare us.
In today’s edition of the paper, in print and online, he published a very compelling article (and more in-depth) about the Anthony trial and how much the case consumed us in 2011. It’s spread out over two pages and it’s an excellent read…
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Reader Comments (18)
Morning Dave,
Yes...no doubt...
The Casey |Anthony trial kept the world captivated for three years, and I found your blog because of that precious little angel, Caylee Marie.
We went through a lot during those long three years and nurtured each other while making some fantastic connecitons while pondering the facts and evidence that transpired. You became a famous blogger who I am proud to call a friend.
I'd like to see Roy Kronk get some restitution for what he suffered. I'd like to see Equasearch get their money back that was spent in earnest searching for a missing child who the Defense claims was not missing at all. ZG was treated very badly by the A's and yes, she too ought to have a healthy settlement for her troubles. Such a mess.
However, the one responsible, Casey |Anthony is free, and I believe in my heart that she murdered her daughter. So where is the justice? So many lives destroyed because of this monster, one can't begin to fathom the descruction she has caused.
Jeff Ashton is correct, she is the best liar on the planet, and she'll never tell the truth and take responsibility for what she did. Hopefully every penny she ever makes from the death of her daughter will find its way into the pockets of the people who were innocent and dragged into this dreadful ordeal.
On a happier note, I want to wish you and all your readers a very happy New Year, and hope your good health continues, Dave. You've been a godsend to many of us who will follow your blog with the assurance of truth. Huggz from me up here in the great white North.
Hi, Redrelaxed, it sure did keep us busy and glued to our seats. And I agree, we went through an awful lot together; both good and bad. You're right, too, a lot of us became good friends and that's a great thing. Yes, you are one of them, but I'm not sure about me being famous. I guess, to a certain extent, I am, so people tell me, but I just consider myself the same old Dave I've always been.
I'd like to see Roy Kronk and Texas EquuSearch get restitution of some kind, but you made one key statement about ZG, "...treated very badly by the A's..." That's true, G&C did treat her terribly. That's why she should have gone after them instead of Ca Ca. She said she lost her job on account of Ca Ca. That's not true. She was already unemployed. Her lawsuit was filed under the name Zenaida Fernandez-Gonzalez, yet there is no Fernandez in her name. While I agree with most of what people say about Casey, I really think this ZG wil lose her case based on what we know about her now. In any event, it's a trial I expect to attend, so I'm sure I will be writing about her all over again.
If Caylee ever gets justice, it will most likely be when her mother takes her last breath, but one thing we must keep in mind is that Ca Ca can no longer walk the the earth without constantly looking over her shoulders. That's a punishment in it's own rights.
Thank you for the "Huggz" from the great white north. I send warmth and sunshine from the deep south! Thank you for hanging in there with me.
Dave~~Anthony Colarossi did a great job in recapping how the Casey Anthony case possessed us for almost three years. I am disappointed, however, that the commenters are not giving Anthony the credit he deserves for putting together this summary. The comments just seem to reflect the same old name calling of the players in this case. The jury made a decision that we have to live with, like it or not. That is the way your justice system works with the Sunshine Laws in place. These Laws provide the public and media with the tools to try the accused before the case even makes it to a legal trial inside of a courtroom.
Did I see a lot of mistakes made in the coverage of this case by the media? You wanna believe it. The media aired the stories, daily, and the competition among the different outlets went to prove that not all the facts put out were accurate. It was a matter of who could get the 'breaking news' out there first and take credit for the same. This caused rumors to run rampant and we ended up not knowing what to believe. We had document dumps that we, as non-professionals, poured over and tried to analyze. For instance, the high levels of cholorform in the trunk of Casey's Pontiac proved to us that Caylee was administered cholorform but was this really factual. We still don't know that as a fact to this very day.
I watched as the defense used underhanded tactics and made you their patsy, Dave, to take down a judge. A judge who was compassionate and 'human' and only wanted to give credit due to an unbiased blogger. What was the harm in this? Not a damn thing but the defense (Cheney Mason is this case) wanted a judge on the bench that he could manipulate. He studied the rotation of the judges and figured he could get one to replace Judge Strickland, if he could get Stan Strickland recused. How did he go about this? He went to your blog to garner information that you were pro prosecution and found a gold mine. He read the title to one of your post, "Casey Anthony Must Die". He used the title of that post but neglected to read the whole article you wrote.
Then the defense hired a PI to visit you. Jeremy Lyons was shrewd and he was skilled in manipulating. He got what we went after and the rest became history.
One other thing that I find disturbing about this case and that is all the loose ends that were not followed up on. For example, Laura Buchanan and Mortimer Smith, PI, falsifying TES documents and good ole Jerry Lyons tampering with witnesses who happened to be TES searchers and possibly due to testify for the state. Cindy Anthony was allowed to obstruct an investigation by NOT giving law enforcement evidence they requested. We are all familar with that hairbrush. Then we had Judge Perry who was supposed to hold José Baez in contempt of court once the trial was over but all these things were shoved under the rug where they remained.
Now it came to a change of venue and picking a jury. Look what we ended up with when a time limit was set to have a jury panelled. The end results happened to be scrapings from the bottom of the barrell. Was this really due to money restrictions and running on a tight budget?
Lastly, keeping the death penalty on the table and a stunned Pinellas' twelve who was too terrified to sign guilty on any of those first three charges because, not comprehending the laws, they did not want to send Casey to death.
My next rant will be about the competition that goes on among bloggers and some of the underhanded things that they do to keep their blog rates up. The Snoop
I agree, Anthony did do a great job, and in the printed newspaper, there's more included. The story starts on the cover and continues in a two page spread, although there are other articles about the case included. I'm going to keep my copy.
I took a look at the comments and they are the same old thing. Same people, same gripes, same fights. Sad.
There's no doubt the defense used me to take down Judge Strickland, but he's out of it now. Retired. And that's what he had been looking forward to, anyway. What they did was inexcusable, but in the end, we now know who we can and cannot trust, and that includes other bloggers. I look forward to what you have to say about some of their underhanded methods. I can readily think of one blog in particular - one that lied about being in the courtroom.
Thanks!
Dave, thanks for sending me to the article.. Everything Anthony said was the truth.. I think Caylee's sweet face captured all our hearts and she still has a hold on us, because it was just so hard to wrap your brain around how she may have died and the fact that her mother had no intentions of reporting her death. We still do not know how she died, but we all know it was no accident..I read an article written by Dr. Perper, the M.E.on the Anna Nicole case, on Art Harris.com. It was about the autopsy results of Dr.. G. . His conclusion gives a very clear picture of what probably happened to cause that Baby's is very clear. The article is called Giraffe's in the room, or something to that effect. It is an interesting article....Dave your articles are much more interesting than the ones on the news sights because you take in in depth.. Anthony is good but for the FULL story I prefer your articles... I too found you because of Baby Caylee . I hope all your medical issus leave with 2011 and that 2012 brings all your dreams and wishes to you. Happy New Year to you and your family.
My pleasure, margaret! My pleasure, indeed!I'll have to look up that article because it sounds like an excellent read. We all know Caylee was murdered and that will never change, but over generations, the actually story will, I'm afraid, and just like Lizzie Borden and Richard Bruno Hauptmann, there will be separate camps. Nothing we can do about that except to hope that people read what we wrote about it from 2008-2011.
Thanks for enjoying - and preferring to read - my articles. I sure hope my health issues continue to improve, too. Happy New Year to you and your family, too!
One more thing, margaret... you are a real sweetheart!
Dave~~I need to let you know that when I stated..." I am disappointed, however, that the commenters are not giving Anthony the credit he deserves for putting together this summary. I meant the comments at the Orlando Sentinel and not the ones who comment here. I read about 30 of the comments made there and there are those who still believe in karma while others maintain that Casey is innocent. I am not even sure if the authors of those comments really believe what they write or just like to stir the pot by being controversial...
I knew what you meant, Snoopy. It seems those people would rather argue with each other than try to move along and make peace with each other. Oh well. JEFF ASHTON TO RUN FOR STATE ATTORNEY!
Dave~~the following is the article I wrote about how some bloggers use underhanded tactics to keep their ratings up and use being a blog owner as a way to control, abusing their position. I will link to the article which I put up on my own blog. I hope you will invite comments re the article to be made here on yours... well, that is if it is worth commenting about...LOL
That was then, this is now
Absolutely, Snoopy. Great post and comments can be left here as well as on your blog
The fact is a cold blooded killer walks among us. When the jury is called The Dumbo 12, that is an understatement!
CaCa the Killer will be looking over her shoulder for the rest of her days. She will
never feel free from slaughtering little Caylee, no matter how hard she tries. It just won't work.
I feel sure that the money hungry Anthonys are still trying to find a way to make more Blood Money. They are a disgrace to humanity.imo
Dave, hope that you will cover the Jodi Arias case! She is another CaCa!
mb
I will look into Arias, Mary, but first, I've got to nurse myself back to health again.
This brings back memories Dave. I was so excited for you when I found out you'd be covering the trial for Orlando Magazine. I knew you'd do a fantastic job and you sure did. And I was so addicted to your blog that when I was in hospital to have my son and couldn't get a wireless Internet connection my then husband went outside the grounds and came back with your page downloaded for me to read. I even remember getting a phone call and being asked was I excited and replying, yes, the prosecution rested today, but the caller was referring to my impending c-section delivery. My OBGYN knew all about my favourite American writer and the trial and it's all I talked about during theatre. I bet they wished they'd given me a general anesthetic to knock me out so I'd be quiet lol. Boy was I pleased to get out of that hospital and be able to post a comment, if I recall it ended up being roughly 4 days later on your article A Velvet Glove on an Iron Fist. I was busting to tell you my baby news because I felt like I knew you from reading you so long then I realised you didn't know me from Adam so I didn't. Anyway, nothings changed, you are still my favourite writer and I'm still addicted to your writing.
I never knew that, Tiffany.What a wonderful thing to learn. I feel honored. I'll have to go look up that post. THAAAAAANK YOU!
I, too, found you, Dave, through an article you wrote on the Caylee story, shortly after the New year of '09. I liked that you were near the thick of it and that you were able to go to visit the sites important to the case. And you were there at Caylee's memorial at the butterfly release (we know who bought those butterflies but I don't think she wants me to say her name here for all to see). The videos and the in-depth work you put into your articles for us was, and still is, most appreciated. And I am glad to have met the nicest commentors/bloggers on this blog of yours, Dave.
Happy New Year, Knechelheads! See Ya All Next Year!
I must admit, it did help that I live in the area, but I never took advantage of it at the expense of outside blogs and forums. Yes, those babs did some damage, but the ones who chose to believe that stuff were never people I'd want to have on my side anyway. Thank you for staying strong with me. We have come a long way and we never wavered. That is awesome! Thank you, and Happy New Year to you!
Hi Snoopy
I have to disagree with one point about your That was then, this is now blog, you say you aren't a good writer, I've really enjoyed what blogs of yours I've read. Gosh, I vaguely remember a kerfuffle when Dave was reporting for OM, someone saying something about Dave was wrong in what he'd written, being nasty, still don't know the full story or understand blog jealousy, I just dismissed it as the ramblings of a mad woman.
Happy New Year!
Tiffany~~just out of curosity, what did you name the baby? No, best not answer that as I am afraid to know. Dave's writing is better than a good crack of heroine. Not being familar with drugs, does heroine come in cracks or hits?
I often wondered why the number of my visitors dropped off in the past three years. I did have one neighbor who stopped by or called me every day to get the updates on the Anthony case. His wife was not interested in following the case. I felt like he and I were having an Anthony affair. LOL
I guess you will be ringing in the New Year before us here in Canada or is it the other way around? Anyhoo....The Very Best in 2012 to You and Yours.
Lol, Snoopy I promise I didn't call him Knechelhead. No idea about heroin sorry, though I did wonder at times if those attacking Dave online were under the influence of something or mentally unwell. Would love to have time to get to your site more often, maybe that should be my new years resolution, to make the time. Thank you, the best to you and yours too.
Tiffany~~I have my blog on cruise control because I would rather hang out here. Oh oh, I never even spelled that drug right. LOL
I am not sure what enticed me to Dave's blog. I am very curious and saw this bald headed man hiding behind a big slab of cement. I learned later that he was in a graveyard hiding behind a tombstone. I knew right off that he could not be Lazarus and I was destined to get that man to show his face. There have been a lot of changes since Dec/08. Now his face is everywhere and his name has become a household word. Have you ever tried to put marrylade on your toast or is that merrynade?
LOL Snoopy, you are hilarious. I'm not sure if Dave would fit on my toast, I'll continue to butter him up and hopefully someday I can find out. Google enticed me to Daves blog, when I was searching for info on Caylee. Mainstream media was being quite biased and uninformative so I was delighted to find someone sensible writing about it. Didn't surprise me one bit that Judge Strickland himself was a fan. Since you aren't on your blog at the moment I wonder if Dave would kindly let you post some links here?
Snoopy can put links on my blog anytime she wants. No problem there.
So, I should send a thank you card to Google, then? I will GLADLY do that! Did you know I love buttered toast?
Tiffany~~actually, there is little going on at my blog. I was following a few cases and they have gone cold. For instance, Baby Lisa out of Missouri and Sky Metalwala from Washington, Susan Powell from Utah and the list goes on. We had a young 19 year old girl, Amber Kirwan, here in Nova Scotia. abducted and murdered. Her body was found but no arrests have been made. The criminals are getting smarter and it is discouraging to think that they are out there walking freely in our society.
Once Casey Anthony's probation period is over, I hope she leaves the country. From what I have learned about her mental condition, I honestly feel she can be a danger to some of those close to her.
I wonder if we will ever see an arrest in the Michelle Parker case. I do not hold out any hope that her body will be found.
I'd love to make you breakfast sometime Dave ;)
Now, that's a pleasant thought... for me, anyway!
Snoopy I'm beginning to doubt Michelle's body will be found either. Investigators have had plenty of time to yield clues from her phone. I don't know how, with advances in forensics, anyone is getting away with anything anymore. What exactly is Casey's mental condition please?
Tiffany~~Casey comes across as being a sophicated psychopath and also a narcissist. She seems to fit the bill perfectly. She has no conscience and only shows remorse or emotes when it comes to her own well being. She snuffed out Caylee's life because the child was interfering with her lifestyle. She will destroy anyone or anything that gets in her way. Lying and stealing just comes natural to her and she does not feel any guilt in doing these things. Casey is also a pro at manipulating to get her own desires met. She cannot be classed as insane. If Casey were overweight, homely with a face full of zits, it would be easier for us to accept this. Look at handsome, Scott Peterson. He can fall under the same category as Casey. These are just my own humble observations and I can assure you, I have no diplomas in this field.
Thanks for explaining about Casey, Snoopy. I really wish there were laws in place to prevent her from ever having another child.