Caylee Anthony Update; People Call For An End To Violent Protests
There's some new news in the search for little Caylee Anthony, although it isn't the news we want. Over the weekend, a planned prayer vigil was cancelled, since such activities tend to draw violent protesters. Also, the trust fund connected with HelpFindCaylee.com has been shut down:
[Attorney Paul] Kelley said the trouble started when SunTrust Bank told him they'd been getting harassing e-mails from people critical of the fund, and the bank was shutting down the account. Kelley said his firm got some of those same e-mails. Kelley said he won't reveal the exact amount in the fund, but he said it wasn't much and that what was spent so far was used to pay for search-related items, like posters and water for volunteers. He also said he can account for every penny spent and that none of it went directly to the Anthony family.Three more counts of check fraud against Casey have been added to the original ten. An episode filmed recently about Caylee for the Dr. Phil show (yes, I couldn't make this stuff up) is set to air tonight (Monday, September 22), so we can hear the good "doctor" pontificate on just why the family is screwed up and just how do they feel about that? And the homeowner's association is continuing their fight today to curb violent and late-night protests, going back before a judge today. A recent article I wrote incited great feeling amongst GlossLip readers. In it, I called for an end to violent protesting at the Anthony home, since the violent demonstrations are doing nothing but causing havoc in the neighborhood, creating a dangerous environment for the neighbors and children living in the area, and giving air time on television and the Internet to society's lowest common denominator. At this time, I would like to reiterate my stance yet again, simply because I don't want misunderstandings, and I think perhaps there were some. I apologize if there were. I believe that people do have the right to lawfully and peacefully protest, as long as the laws of the land are followed and decency prevails. One does not need a permit to protest, but it is a very good idea, since then you know what you can and cannot lawfully do (as long as you follow it), and can show your permit to anyone questioning you. I do not, however, believe that people have the right to act any way they like just because they feel very strongly about their position on the matter. Yes, the Constitution provides us with freedom of speech, and nobody can take that away from anyone, but it also says that one of our rights is to "peacefully assemble". And there's been nothing peaceful about some of the recent protests taking place at the Anthony home.
Yes, Casey Anthony may very well be guilty of both murdering her child and of covering it up...my personal opinion is that she is guilty. The evidence certainly seems to support that theory. She is, at the very least, guilty of not reporting her daughter missing for a month, for spending that month partying (under the guise of looking for her daughter), and of lying, repeatedly, to investigators, the bounty hunters, and her family. She tends to want to use the police on her terms, such as when she called them to come break up the fight between her parents and some protesters, yet cannot seem to give the police a truthful answer about where her daughter is. And yes, her parents and family have not helped the public perception of themselves any with their continual denials that Casey has done anything wrong (a flip-flop of their previous stance), their egging on of the protesters (even in the middle of the night), their criticizing of Tim Miller and EquuSearch, and their nasty comments about the media and law enforcement. The actions of Casey and her family have been nothing short of appalling, and I am as angry about that as anyone. No, none of these people are cutting the most sympathetic figures, even as our collective hearts ache for little Caylee.
However, the point I was attempting to make in my previous article (and I may have badly goofed it up, if I did I apologize) was that one's right to protest a wrong must be balanced with another's right to live in a quiet, decent, safe neighborhood. The neighbors of the Anthony family did nothing to deserve the war zone that has become their little corner of the world, the folks that live there who have to get up and go to work the next day deserve a quiet time to rest, and the children of the neighborhood deserve a safe place to live and play.
People who want justice for Caylee, and who show up at the house in the middle of the night acting like hooligans, need to remember that there are families and children who are in their homes that need to be respected as well. And just so we are clear, I am NOT talking about the peaceful, law-abiding protesters, but the thugs and nasties who seem to think they can take the law into their own hands and it's okay because they really, really, really feel strongly about it. Isn't that the same mindset Casey has, that her actions were okay because she felt very, very strongly about them?
Plus, when police are tied up dealing with angry protesters, they cannot perform their duties like they should be able to, and there are many other people in the area who need police protection and help just as badly. Law enforcement are attempting to put together a solid case against Casey so that she doesn't slip through the cracks, so let's let them do their job and stay out of the way.
I am not the only one who thinks this way. Here is a crime writer who spent some time in Florida when EquuSearch was there searching:
Orange County Commissioner Mildred Fernandez is also upset by the growing activity in the neighborhood; she recently sent a memo to Mayor Crotty, requesting that the sheriff's office assign an officer to patrol the neighborhood. "The volume of traffic generated by demonstrators and media is such that significant impact upon the neighborhood has occurred including incidents where school buses were unable to travel the roadway; normal garbage and trash collection could not occur because of the size of the vehicles that needed to be upon the street in front of the Anthony home, verbal and physical confrontations between demonstrators, deputy sheriff's and people coming to and from the Anthony household have escalated and interfere with normal neighborhood activities," she wrote. Meanwhile, the protesters - who increasingly resemble guests from the Jerry Springer show - took their protest to a new low early Thursday morning when they crossed onto the Anthony's property and repeatedly banged on the garage door, all the while yelling hate-filled oaths at the family. The demonstration quickly escalated when protesters started throwing stones and coins at the house.And here is another:While Casey Anthony busied herself calling 911, her parents, George and Cindy Anthony, went outside to confront the protesters. George was unarmed when he walked outside; however, Cindy held a baseball bat, in the event the situation turned violent. A shouting match ensued and, at one point, Cindy had to stand between George and one angry protester who attempted to drag him into the street, presumably for a physical altercation. George and Cindy eventually retreated back to the garage and, at one point, George turned his garden hose on the group of angry protesters, dousing them while they continued to goat him. The protesters managed to flee the area before police arrived on the scene; however, news cameras captured the entire ordeal. According to sheriff's spokesman Jim Solomons, an investigator has been assigned to the case and charges will be filed against the protesters once they are identified. [...] Following early morning reports of the escalating violence in front of the Anthony home, the Guardian Angels - a volunteer safety patrol organization - set up camp in front of the house to help prevent additional violence. The group did not have to wait long, as later that same night, an onlooker allegedly produced a small taser when he was confronted by two neighbors. The presence of the Guardian Angels thwarted any unlawful intentions the onlooker may have had, and he fled the scene. The sheriff's office is reportedly investigating the incident. [...] In keeping with the Jerry Springer Show atmosphere of this case, I would like to offer my "Final Thought" to all those who wish to protest in front of the house. While I agree with your right to do so, I encourage you to maintain a peaceful demeanor. If you think that shouting profanities or pelting stones at the Anthony family home is helping, then I am here to tell you that you are sadly mistaken. If Orlando's finest can't get Anthony to talk, then you cannot seriously think that Casey Anthony is going to break down and confess to anything as a result of your repeated theatrics. Your actions, while aimed at the Anthony family, are also causing problems with every other resident of that neighborhood. Put yourself in their shoes. How would you like your children or you to be awakened at 1:30 in the morning to a group of angry, profanity-spewing protesters? If you want to voice your opinion I encourage you to do so, but please do so in a calm and rational manner. 'Nuff said.
Sheriff's spokesman Jim Solomons said patrols will increase today and during the weekend. "Our primary concern has always been to locate missing Caylee Marie, but last night's violence is an additional burden," Solomons said. [emphasis mine] Those involved in the Thursday confrontation could face battery charges, he said. The Chickasaw Oaks Phase Three Homeowners Association on Wednesday made a second bid at a temporary injunction to move protesters to a lot at the end of the street — hundreds of feet from the Anthonys' home. The original injunction was denied because the attorney didn't notify protesters. Some neighbors wrote statements to the judge so he can better understand their situation. Karen Wonsetler, the attorney representing the association, said the violent confrontation is proof the injunction is needed. Wonsetler asked NeJame to advise the Anthonys not to hold prayer vigils outside their home because "it invites confrontation." Orange County Commissioner Linda Stewart, who represents that district, told the Sheriff's Office that a temporary curfew could bring relief. "A short-term curfew could disperse the anger and bring some normalcy to this neighborhood," Stewart said.Another (a different version of the link directly below):
No matter how you feel about Casey Anthony or her parents who live in the house, it is a neighborhood in east Orange County where families live, people raise their children and they expect to feel safe. [...] It is clear that other residents in the Anthony family's neighborhood are concerned about their safety. The sheriff's department said it's already pushed to the brink trying to protect people in an area where many residents are afraid to open their doors. [...] The First Amendment gives protesters a legal right to assemble. Eyewitness News wanted to know what a judge can do to stop the violent protests. Legal experts said there's plenty; constitutional rights are not uniform. A judge can impose restrictions on the time, place and manner of the protests. That means a judge could force a curfew, they could move the protesters out of the neighborhood or they could enact a noise limit. The only thing a judge cannot do in the case is stop the protesters from delivering their messages.And one more:
The violent protesters confronting Casey Anthony outside her house will no longer be tolerated. Late Friday afternoon, the sheriff's office told Eyewitness News it's going to push for prosecuting people who taunted and provoked the grandfather of Caylee Anthony. [...] The sheriff's office told Eyewitness News that protesters who cross the line and break the law will be dealt with. Two situations are already under investigation. [...] "People go out there and misbehave, we're gonna take care of business when we need to take care of business," an official with the Orange County Sheriff's Office said Friday. [...] "All we can do is enforce the law. And I can tell you our folks are frustrated. I can tell you our folks are very, very concerned about the security and safety of that neighborhood," said Jim Solomons, Orange County Sheriff's Office. The attorney for the homeowners' association thinks much of the blame goes to the protesters themselves. "It just shows me that these protestors are not out here for First Amendment rights. They're just here to cause a confrontation," HOA attorney Karen Wonsetler told Eyewitness News. Orange County Commissioner Linda Stewart is now checking the legality of a curfew of perhaps 9:00pm for the entire block. She says it's a compromise for competing interests. "As fair as you want to be to the people who want to protest, you're being unfair to those who live in this neighborhood," Stewart told Eyewitness News.You cannot compromise the safety of an entire neighborhood just because you disagree with the actions of one family, no matter how heinous those actions may be. People say that if Casey was in jail or a secret location, there would be no violence...however, whether Casey is in jail or in a secret place or dancing naked on the front lawn, violence is not the answer here. You can't call for justice for a wrong by committing another wrong. The end does not justify the means. Just because a person believes Casey murdered Caylee (and, for the record, I believe she did), that does not then give that person the right to act in any thuggish way they please. Self-control is the key here, for ALL involved.
Let me say again: I do believe that people have the right to peaceably and lawfully protest. It is not those people I have an issue with. I do not agree with those who are violent, thuggish, and who act in a threatening manner towards anyone who would deny them their basic right to act like morons in front of the whole world. I am not on the Anthony’s “side”. I am as upset with them as anyone, that is why I keep writing these stories. As I have said, nothing makes me more upset than injustices against pets, the elderly, or children. I want to see justice for Caylee, but I want it within the law. When ordinary citizens start taking the law into their own hands they run the risk of compromising the investigation and due process and hindering the very thing they supposedly want.
Let me ask the violent protesters and their apologists this question: If Caylee were to suddenly come walking up the street while one of these fights was occurring, would she be happy or frightened? She was an innocent little girl, and it is believed that a horrible act is why she is not here with us today...is violence really the best way to honor her?
If you want to protest, I urge you to check out any local laws concerning protesting, and follow them to the letter. I would also suggest checking into getting a proper protest permit. Please be respectful of other people's property and safety (yes, even the Anthony's). Leave your kids at home (you never know when things might get dangerous). Do not act like idiots or threaten people or try to incite a fight, because, as the above articles said, you will be punished if you do. And George and Cindy? You two need to stop hammering in signs at night, taking water bottles outside (even if it is to the Guardian Angels), and generally wandering around your property while people and TV crews are outside. Get people to do this stuff for you. And stop yelling back and confronting protesters, because you aren't helping yourself at all, you're just making it worse. And for Heaven's sake, stop disparaging law enforcement and EquuSearch and anyone who is trying their best to help you find Caylee. Is it any wonder why people can't stand the sight of you?
Oh, and if you can convince Casey to tell the truth and stop lying, that would be extremely helpful.
Please, donate to EquuSearch, and if you are able to at all (and the weather is permitting), please look for Caylee. She deserves to come home. As much as I believe we have the right to lawfully protest, that won't find little Caylee.
We are a blog, not hard-hitting news. These are our opinions. GlossLip has continuing coverage of the disappearance of Caylee Anthony here.
