Jose Baez: Free as a Bird
Tuesday, February 28, 2012 at 9:38PM 
Yesterday, The Florida Bar cleared Jose Baez of the two complaints filed against him after finding no probable cause. He will face no disciplinary action whatsoever. The decisions were sent to Mr. Timothy Patrick Chinaris and Mr. John A. Weiss, both co-counsel for the respondent.
Complaint of The Florida Bar against Jose Angel Baez
The Florida Bar File No.: 2011-30,708 (19A)
NOTICE OF NO PROBABLE CAUSE AND LETTER OF ADVICE
In the matter of last year’s sanction and $583 fine by Chief Judge Belvin Perry, Jr. for his willful violation of an order by the court to share discovery documents with the prosecution, the Florida Bar’s grievance committee “believes the failure to fully comply with the discovery orders was unintentional and realizes that Mr. Baez has expressed remorse for his conduct and also had to pay fines to the court due to previously imposed sanctions. The committee accepts the explanation that the complexity and volume of the case caused unintentional lapses.”
Please note the acknowledgement of the complexity and volume of the Anthony case.
At the same time, the committee did not let Baez get away without any form of reprimand. It added that, “Nevertheless, every attorney has an obligation to ensure that each and every court order receives full compliance. Mr. Baez is strongly advised that he should be cognizant of the need to completely comply with all orders of the court in the future.”
Complaint of The Florida Bar against Jose Angel Baez
The Florida Bar File No.: 2012-30,171 (19A)
In a letter from The Florida Bar addressed to Jose Baez’s legal representatives, “the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit Grievance Committee ‘A’ unanimously found no probable cause for disciplinary proceedings in the above-referenced case. The vote was 7 to 0. The committee is comprised of both lawyers and nonlawyers.”
This complaint was filed over his neglect to correct the mistake over Casey’s probation period being served while incarcerated. Judge Stan Strickland alerted the court after the trial ended that his order was specific about Anthony’s probation being served after her release, if ever. Due to a court mistake, the order was not made clear, but in the end, Strickland and Perry asserted that attorneys are bound by their profession and obligated to clarify and rectify any and all errors. Baez claimed he overlooked it and it was not done intentionally.
In it’s response to this complaint, the grievance committee stated that it had “thoroughly reviewed all the court records and documents and conducted several interviews. The grievance committee is cognizant of the fact that the case involved a complex fact situation and many months had passed since the probation order at issue. Your client indicated to the grievance committee that his representations to the court were not made to mislead the court but were made based upon his understanding of the context of the question. The grievance committee has concluded that there is not clear and convincing evidence that the conduct violated the Rules Regulating the Florida Bar in this matter. Therefore this case is now closed.
“For the reasons set forth herein, our file on this matter has been closed. Pursuant to the Bar’s records retention schedule, the computer record and file will be disposed of one year from the date of closing.”
Well, there you have it. No more Casey, no more complaints. Whatever your opinion in the matter, the case is closed and Jose Baez is free to fly south or anywhere else he chooses. Time to move on.
To view the documents, please click on the images to enlarge. The bottom links are the PDF files.
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Complaint of The Florida Bar against Jose Angel Baez
The Florida Bar File No.: 2011-30,708 (19A)
Complaint of The Florida Bar against Jose Angel Baez
The Florida Bar File No.: 2012-30,171 (19A)
Dave Knechel | tagged George Walter Bush, John A. Weiss, Jr., Ninth Judicial Circuit Grievance Committee "A", Patrick Chinaris, The Florida Bar | in Casey Anthony, Caylee Anthony, Chief Judge Belvin Perry, Dave Knechel, David B. Knechel, David Knechel, Judge Stan Strickland, Marinade Dave, Marinade Dave Knechel, Marinade Dave’s Caylee Anthony Posts, marinadedave | Share Article 
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Reader Comments (11)
And what man doesn't like being free of woman!!! Hope Jose Baez doesn't enjoy his freedom so that he eats too much, gaining a lot of weight. Sometimes stress keeps an appetite in tow then when there is no stress we let it all hang out but I'm sure he is plenty busy with other cases. If Jeff Ashton wins the State Attorney seat, next time around Jose Baez may run against him. In my opinion that Would be quite interesting.
I wouldn't want to be free of women, New Puppy. No... I love women!
I think Baez is relieved that his ordeal with Casey is over, and I'll bet he released a lot of pent up tension when he walked away. Yes, he does have other clients. He even had them while working on the Anthony case. As for a race between him and Ashton? Whew! Hands down, Ashton would beat the crap out of Baez, but in the end, I personally believe that Lawson Lamar will win this one.
I can't stand that man!
Believe me, you are in good company. Tons of people feel the same way.
Jose Baez must be the worlds most patient man Dave. Look at Yuri Melich and others who worked tirelessly for answers and justice for Caylee, merely being around Casey's absurd world of lies left them obviously frustrated. He did his job and now Mr Baez finally gets to walk away. I didn't expect him to last the trial. I couldn't have. Many others on the defense team came and went. The trial would have been a steep learning curve for Jose im sure. Thanks for sharing this Dave, Aussie media barely covers anything related to this topic anymore.
I think you're right, Tiffany. Spending a lot of time with Casey would have to take a lot of patience. I will say that whenever I spoke to him, he was always respectful. Also, I did know that, as time went on, he spent less and less time visiting her at the jail. Whatever anyone thinks of him, he did exactly what attorneys are entrusted to do. I am sure he had his moments when he wanted to walk away, but on the day Mason joined the team, Judge Strickland made it official that those two would have to stay until the end. Neither one of them could have left her. For sure, this entire case was an education for Baez, and he learned a lot.
It's my pleasure to bring these types of reports when they're worth it. For the most part, I'm finished reporting on the whole mess, but I will cover the civil trials as they get closer to trial.
I so believe that Lady Karma has much bigger plans for Baez and Killer Casey.
Well terri, I'm not a karma kind of guy, but a lot of people believe in it. All I can say is that, eventually, everyone dies, but how and when are mysteries. If Baez dies of old age, then I guess you could be right. In the end, karma got him; it just took a long time.
Good post Dave....I think Baez used his dumb and overwhelmed excuse as far as he could and got exactly what he wanted.. I can't let him off scott free though, he knew exactly what he was doing.. I have never heard anything like this trial of lies and deception.... How many cases have you heard of where the lawyers have to put a client into seclusion...After trials I have read or watched, when it is over it is over, the client moves on and so do the lawyers. caca can't do that in large part because Baez alienated her from her family, in order to push his lies about George.. Baez may be feeling relief, but he did not do the right thing and he didn't care who it hurt... Enjoyed the article though.. Waiting for part 2 of your exploration.... Anything new about Michelle Parker? I hope someone is keeping on the watch so that her children do not have the same fate as the Powell boys....
Hi, margaret - Thanks. Whatever Baez did, it worked, so he's no fool, nor is he stupid because, in the end, he did what he set out to do, and even The Florida Bar didn't hurt him. If anything, this ordeal hurt his reputation, but think about it. Up until Casey, no one outside of this area ever heard of him. Heck, I hadn't heard his name and I live here. Today, he's well known, and the people who vilify him would never hire him anyway. Nor would they had he still lived in obscurity.
This was the strangest case I've ever seen. Most of us would agree with that assessment. Never in the history of criminal trials has there been so much interest and hatred, and such galvanizing forces clashing every single day for over 3 years. Baez didn't hide Casey of his own accord, she needed to be taken out of the public eye for her own safety. As much as she created the Frankenstein monster, the public turned her into Godzilla. I don't blame Baez. She did it and was followed everywhere by her doting mother, blind to the sins of the daughter. It wouldn't surprise me at all if George played the fall guy to save her life. Nothing from that family would surprise me. At least Baez was smart enough to move on. He owes her nothing.
Nothing new about Michelle Parker, but I wish there were. I'm glad you enjoyed the first part of my trip. The second one will be better, I hope. Thanks again, margaret. I really appreciate your comment.
Dave: You wrote: "She did it and was followed everywhere by her doting mother, blind to the sins of the daughter. It wouldn't surprise me at all if George played the fall guy to save her life."
I couldn't agree more. What kept ringing in my ear is how George was walking around and saying over and over and over again to the media, "I love my daughter NO MATTER WHAT". I wanted to slap him at one point because he was saying it so much and coming off like a spoiled child. Was this his way of letting us know that he knew he was going to be the fall guy? Does he still love her "no matter what" after the beating he took on the stand? He may love her but, I don't think George likes her.
IMO, George was setup. He probably knew a little about what was coming down the pike, but he had no idea just how far they would go. Weren't we all saying in the beginning how Caca was going to throw one or both or her parents under the bus to save her hide?
I have one question that I'm hoping you or your readers will know the answer. I wasn't able to watch ALL of the trial. Did the prosecution ever point out the question, "why would someone sit in jail for three years if SODD (some other dude did it) or it was an accident" during their closing argument? If Caca had pointed this info out to the investigators in the beginning she would not have had to sit in jail "comforting herself" for three years.
I'm a believer that society will give justice to Caca. She is young. She has a loonnnngggg time to try and stay on the straight and narrow. There are other narcissistic evil people walking around Caca. She will have to be on guard at all times. This thought keeps me from losing it over her freedom.
Also, I loved your article about the south. I was born and bred in Georgia. Yep, Georgia Peach! I'll never forget starting my first "corporate" job. I worked hard to lose my southern accent. One day I made the mistake of saying, "yes, we're fixinto" and the jig was up! (Means, I'm going to) Not to mention I asked a coworker, " jeet? She acted like she couldn't hear correctly. I said it again, "jeet".......and all I got was a puzzled look.......in the south it translate to, 'did you eat'?
Do you know the difference between a yankee and a damn yankee in the south?
A damn yankee won't leave! (Tee hee)
Thank you Dave! Look forward to your posts!
Hi Sarah – It was that moment during one of the final hearings before the trial that Baez asked George if he would lie for his daughter and he responded YES. Whether George knew the extent of what Baez was going to present at trial is a guessing game, but I wouldn't put it past either of them, including Cindy, to make up this sick defense strategy implicating Daddy of doing awful things. The reason why it's possible is because all of them knew that, in the end, no one would believe it, meaning the public, and in the wake of the trial, George would ut be George and not be looked at as a pedophile. The proof is in the pudding. No one looks at him as a sexual deviant. If true, then the plan worked. George and Cindy rescued their daughter.
I don't think the prosecution bluntly came out and said no one sits in jail for three years if they are innocent, but they never placed the onus on anyone else, either. The defense tried to implicate Roy Kronk by saying there's more to him than meets the eye, but Judge Perry refused to allow Baez, et al, to put him on trial. Kronk was off-limits. The prosecution made a glowing statement that should have iced their case – no one in their right mind would ever make an accident look like a murder. So true, yet the defense painted a picture of it being a terrible accident. For the life of me, I'll never understand why the jury chose to ignore Dr. G's statement that in every example of an accidental death, someone calls 911 immediately. There's always that element of hope, no matter how fleeting. The other thing is how Caylee's body was disposed of. Who in their right mind would believe that George did it, fully expecting the world to ignore it? Only one person would do that – a person living in a made-up world. One who could lie her way out of everything because she had always gotten away with it in the past. For a whole month she lied to her mother and every person who asked where Caylee was. The woman is sick, sick, sick. There were so many pieces of evidence that pointed to murder, and not one single thing that showed it could have been an accident. Yes, she will have too continue to look over her shoulder for a long time. I don't mind that at all, but it would definitely bother me if someone was obsessed enough to harm her in any way. That would put the person in the same boat as her.
I know all about southernese. I've been here for almost 31 years. What's interesting to note is that there are so many variations of a southern accent. People from Georgia sound vastly different from someone coming from South Carolina. Or Mississippi...
I'll tell y'all, I like it down here. Thanks, Sarah!
Too bad Jose can't write a book about what it was really like to deal with little Miss Psychopath. Jose defended her not really believing it would work. Cheney tried to talk her into taking a plea deal during the trial but she refused. Casey has put some very strange vibes out to the universe and somehow the universe complied with what she wanted. It's like winning the lottery. The planets lined up and Casey won. Had she gotten any other jury than the 12 she did she most likely would not have won. But did she really win? Yes she has her freedom but not really. She's in hiding and will most likely have to stay in hiding most of her life if she stays in the U.S. or maybe she'll get fortunate like Karla Homolka (the most hated woman in Canada) and be able to move to some remote country that doesn't know of her and won't recognize her. I wonder if Casey is haunted by Caylee's memories? Or does Casey have the ability to think Caylee who? Does George really love his daughter or is that just a rote response because parents are supposed to love their children? Will G&C ever welcome Casey back? I highly doubt it. Cindy knew the truth about Casey before Caylee died or she wouldn't have sought counseling.
I wonder how many copies would be sold, though. Many in the public put him in the same category as his most famous client, especially since he managed to get her off the most damning charges. Also, he'd have to walk a very fine line between attorney and client privilege, meaning he wouldn't be able to say much unless she agreed to allow him to do so. Even then, she'd have to take a good percentage of the cut, and that would most certainly cut into sales of the book since no one wants her to make a dime off the death of Caylee. Rightfully so.
Casey does seem to have some sort of convoluted power, whether she made a pact with the devil or not, I do not know. There was no evidence that directly pointed at her, meaning, no fingerprints anywhere or other evidence that linked her to the woods. No cause of death, either. How she mesmerized the jury is beyond comprehension, but I've got to credit Baez for confusing the jury over evidence and, most certainly, for turning George into a hostile and untrustworthy witness. Clearly, Cindy lied on the stand, in my opinion, but why would the 12 have any inkling to believe her? I have no idea.
It's interesting that you mentioned Karla Homolka. She was a real looker, yet she didn't get away with it. I hope she's never released, but she will be. I don't think anyone should take the law into their own hands, but the world is full of weirdos. Look no further than John Hinkley and Mark David Chapman, but there's tons more out there just waiting to spring into action. I hope the fear of retribution stays with Casey for a long, long time, but I would never condone action against her. If she goes to a department store to buy underwear, I wouldn't have any problem if the management refused to wait on her. Knowing her, she'll summons her mother, and there's no doubt in my mind that Cindy would do anything to appease her daughter. Personally, I don't trust any of them. And I'm not buying into the George found Caylee drowned story, either.
Thanks, Patti O, I appreciate your comment.
Hi Dave,
For sure Baez will be forever associated with CA CA. I hope he knows to stay away from her, and has learned his lesson well. However, because of the two of them...A KILLER WALKS AMONG US.
Most definitely, Mary B., Baez will forever be associated with that case, but at least he moved on. He needed to disassociate himself from her, and he was smart to do so. Yes, a killer walks among us. Actually, killers is more like it. She's not alone in that department.
Hi Dave,
I have read Karla Homolka's case and according to what I read she was released from prison in 2005 and then moved out of Canada after that. She had received a 12 year sentence and it was after sentencing that it was discovered that there was evidence against her the jury never saw. Canadians were outraged over her light sentence. I think what ired the public most about Casey was all the manifested lies she spewed. We saw a psychopath in action and she got away with it.
Thanks Dave for your great articles!
Hi Patti O - I was fairly certain she was released from prison, but I wasn't positive. I hope she didn't move to Florida because we have enough psychopaths to go around. As much as I felt Casey needed to pay her dues with the year of probation, I can't wait for her to move out of state and out of the limelight, which won't work while she's still here. Yes, we saw a psychopath at work. Sadly, a darn good one.
Thanks for enjoying my articles, although it's nothing compared to what I used to write.
Hi Dave
I am hoping against hope that Zenaida will prevail and get a little bit of money for the trouble that Casey caused her. I think Jose Baez is wise to move on and distance himself from Casey. I can't say that I like or respect the man but he was doing what he was supposed to do as a lawyer.
I do not blame Jose Baez for the outrageous lies he told about George, Roy Kronk and others during the course of the case although I might have had some respect for him if he had refused to mouth such harmful slander which he knew had to be false. I think Casey determined the lies and deserves the full blame for them. You have to admit that she is an absolutely outstanding liar, far beyond the caliber of Jose Baez or anyone else I have ever heard about.
I bought Jeff Ashton's book and appreciated it. Before I read his book I thought or rather hoped that Caylee's death was an accident caused by Casey's total lack of parenting skills and failure to recognize that chloroform, Xanax or duct tape were hazardous to children. After reading Jeff's book, I could only conclude that Caylee's death was murder on Casey's part. I thought that what Jeff termed "the nuclear lie" was the most outraeous and disgraceful thing I have ever heard.
I will not do anything to support any member of the Anthony family. I would not watch the TV show that paid the Anthony's "charitable" foundation for them to appear after the trial. I will not buy any book that any of the Anthony family has a stake in. I am interested in what may happen to them because they are an interesting phenomena in the annals of crime and dishonesty.
I am hoping to read what you have to say about the next Casey trial or anything of interest that comes up in the case.
Hi, Amber -
I can't call this one either way, but I do know that if Zenaida wins the case, she won't walk away with any money because Casey has nothing to show for herself. I will also add that this is not an easy case for the plaintiff because there's so much she will have to prove. For instance, she said she lost her job because of Casey, but Casey's attorney says she was unemployed at the time and had trouble keeping a job. The thing we must be very careful of is the vendetta impulse. Does Zenaida deserve to win or is it that we just want to see Casey lose? The law doesn't allow for personal feelings, so this will be an uphill battle for Zenaida. I think it will be an interesting case to write about, though.
I can't say that I blame Jose Baez, either, although he did throw some obvious lies in the jury's direction. I must add that the allegations against George may have been something the entire family was in on. I mean, in the end, no one would believe he molested his daughter, so if it helped to free her from a life in prison, or a worse fate, what did he have to lose? Ultimately, he saved her life, and Baez did what any other criminal defense attorney would have done to rescue his client – unless he was the scheming one to begin with, but that would be impossible to prove.
I've yet to read Jeff Ashton's book. I think it's partly due to the fact that I put up a wall between myself and that whole affair. I needed to get away from it, but with this impending suit and the others, I'm going to have to let my guard down and get involved. Then, I'll read the book; books, actually, because I bought others, too.
I know that Casey was found not guilty in a court of law, but I went to that trial. I sat inside the courtroom day-after-day. I saw, up close and personal, all of the evidence against her. I tried going into it with as much of an open mind as possible, but after seeing all that I did, I am convinced that she is solely responsible for the murder of her child. We can lament all we want, but nothing will ever fix it. It's a real shame, too. What the prosecution said to the jury made so much sense, but it all went over their heads. No one makes an accident look like a murder. It's as plain and simple as that.
Thanks! Your comment is very much appreciated. I shall do my best to cover the civil trial next month. It should be quite animated.
It doesn't look like we will see the Zenaida vs Casey trial go ahead on April 10th
.
Both sides are asking for the civil trial to be delayed due to scheduling.
Source
I can't believe ZG's attorneys are now asking for a conflict of interest delay. I'd like to get this over with! Thanks, Snoopy.