Posted on 12/23/2011 11:34:13 AM PST by afraidfortherepublic
ORLANDO, Fla (Reuters) - The man who found 2-year-old Caylee Anthony's body in 2008 is suing her mother for damages, saying Casey Anthony defamed him during her murder trial earlier this year.
Former meter reader Roy Kronk said in a lawsuit filed in Florida on Wednesday that 25-year-old Anthony and her lawyers tried to shift suspicion away from the young mother and on to him.
Kronk testified he found Caylee's body in the woods near Anthony's home and called police. Casey Anthony was charged with killing her daughter, but a jury acquitted her in July.
In the suit, Kronk claims the defense variously accused him of involvement in Caylee's death. He said lawyers described him as a killer, a child snatcher and morally bankrupt, and accused him of finding and keeping Caylee's body and then placing the remains where they were found.
But defense attorney Jose Baez also told jurors Caylee accidentally drowned in the family's backyard pool. If that was true, then Anthony and her lawyers knew their statements about Kronk were false, according to his complaint.
Kronk also has sued the National Enquirer tabloid newspaper and bounty hunter Leonard Padilla for defamation.
In a motion to dismiss, the Enquirer claims its article accurately reported Anthony's attempt to blame Kronk and was based on documents filed in court records by her lawyers.
Padilla, who once bailed Anthony out of jail prior to her trial, contends in court records that anything he said about Kronk was opinion and related to a matter of public concern.
Kronk's suit against Anthony is the third she faces in Florida.
She is being sued for defamation by a woman named Zenaida Gonzalez, who claims her life was ruined when Anthony initially told investigators Caylee was kidnapped by a nanny of the same name.
Anthony also is being sued for damages by Texas EquuSearch, a nonprofit group, for expenses incurred during the five-month search for Caylee.
Also on Wednesday, a lawyer for Anthony filed a motion asking that a prosecutor be held in contempt of court for revealing details of her psychiatric evaluations in his new book about the case.
Jeff Ashton, who retired after Anthony's trial, published details from the depositions of two psychiatrists in his book, "Imperfect Justice." The doctors said Anthony claimed she had been molested by her father and her father had drowned Caylee.
Judge Belvin Perry sealed the depositions from public view before the trial began because the allegations were so sensational, according to Ashton, and Anthony's lawyers never called the psychiatrists as witnesses at trial.
Ashton could not be reached for comment on Thursday.
ping!
In this case I hope the man sues and gets every cent that crazy woman makes on her daughters death..She is evil..
So was the jury who let her off.
I wish they would allow all of us who searched for her to sue. We could donate the winnings to John Walsh.
I wish they would allow all of us who searched for her to sue. We could donate the winnings to John Walsh.
Great idea!
What "winnings"? Casey Anthony's income is $0. She has no job and no prospects. Seriously, who's going to hire her? Only someone who wants to quickly go out of business. The only "job" offer she's received came from Larry Flynt.
I wonder, simply out of curiosity, how she spends her days and what a day in the life of Casey Anthony must be like. I'm sure it's not fun and, no, I don't feel sorry for her.
I agree,that jury was a disgrace to the justice system..all one had to do is look at the idiot and see she was putting on all the tears (I did not see any real tears)she kept rubbing her eyes to make them red when she saw the camera on her..and other times she was just smiling..She lied about her dad..If I were him and her mother I could never look at her again..
I don't know how those people sleep at night....
Where’s her book and movie deal?
I did not watch much of the trial it made me to sad to see such a beautiful little girl that had been murdered by the tramp that gave birth to her..
I did however buy the book that “Jeff Ashton wrote called Imperfect Justice..”I have not read it yet since the holidays keep me busy so I will sit down by the fireplace after the Holiday's and read all day..
Me either!!!
The only movie deal she got was from Vivid Video, and this was quickly rescinded when Vivid came to realize that few people wanted to see Anthony "starring" in one of their productions.
When you're so hated you can't even do porn, that's pretty low.
I think some people expect that Casey will go to Larry Flynt eventually. Or, that she might write a book, or do something to get money.
Heck, a person of such notoriety can’t just go work in an office, or go work at a fast food place, can she? She can’t do too many things to earn a living.
Read the book. Ashton should be in contempt
Who would hire her? Her employer would be identified immediately and the negative publicity would be ruinous. Yet she's violating the terms of her probation by not holding down a job.
I wonder if she can even leave her home? I'm sure there's people by now who have figured out where she's living and most likely paparazzi staking it out. Donning sunglasses and a hat and trying to sneak off incognito to the grocery store would be all but impossible.
She may not be behind bars but in a sense, as the most despised person in America, she's a prisoner nonetheless. I have no doubt she's eking out a very sad, difficult and lonely life.
The case is one of those where you know she’s guilty but you can’t prove it in our court system.
I did watch practically this whole trial because it was in my neck of the woods. And after the prosecution finished their case, I started telling everyone that she’s going to walk. And everyone thought I was nuts.
The prosecution’s case was sloppy and weaker than people were saying. In fact, I doubt a conviction would survive appeal. They made mistakes in how they charged this case. The state had no business charging her with aggravated child abuse. They only did so because they wanted the death penalty. They presented absolutely no evidence that Casey ever abused her child. In fact, the state’s own witnesses said they thought Casey was a good mother.
Jeff Ashton admitted the state should have never went after death. They only did so because of such intense public outcry that wanted to see the woman fry. The problem was that there just wasnt enough evidence for that. Like I said, you know she did it. But you can’t prove it. That was the problem the state faced. Police also made mistakes. So that’s part of the problem too.
Just the way our system, courts, and laws work is that once in a while a guilty person will slip through. It happens. But the reason we have the laws the way they are is to prevent a innocent person from being convicted. The laws don’t protect the guilty...they protect the innocent.
I wonder the same thing. Who is she staying with? It is just a matter of time before she steals from them if she hasn't already.
Living in central Florida I followed this from day one.
One day she will be (like OJ) back in the news when she is arrested for something stupid. I just hope it is sooner.
I want to see her slime ball lawyers go down too.
All I can say is I watched her sorry attempt at trying to cry and make people feel sorry for her..One day she will be on trial and then she will get the punishment she deserves..She might do the things that make her feel good while here on earth but she will burn in hell..
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.