Caylee Anthony Update 23 April

George and Cindy Anthony appeared on CBS' "Early Show" to answer questions about their daughter, Casey Anthony, and her case. Appearing with their family lawyer, Brad Conway, they answered questions about the death of their granddaughter, Caylee Anthony, whom their daughter is accused of murdering. The state of Florida announced last week it would seek the death penalty in their case against the 23-year-old.

But the Anthonys were supposed to do an exclusive national interview with "The Oprah Winfrey Show." A spokesperson for the syndicated show said that there was no longer a deal in the works for an interview with the grandparents.

But why give up such a potentially huge audience? A sudden exclusive interview with the "Early Show" could have been orchestrated with preconditions that the Anthonys may not have been able to negotiate with "The Oprah Winfrey Show." The "Early Show" could have made certain concessions just to get the scoop and preempt Winfrey.

It could be that the Anthonys were fearful of what Oprah might ask of them, considering that "The Oprah Winfrey Show" was being supplied with deposition material and information from the lawyer in Zenaida Gonzalez' defamation case.

One of the topics the "Early Show" was to cover, according to Hal Boedeker of the Orlando Sentinel was how Casey Anthony seems to be handling the recent decision of the prosecution to seek the death penalty. Boedeker wanted to know how could they possibly answer that question when they haven't seen Casey Anthony in months.
Boedeker has a point.

Although it is certain that Jose Baez, Casey Anthony's attorney, has kept George and Cindy Anthony abreast of Casey's condition as she remains incarcerated at the Orange County Jail, their knowledge of their daughter's physical and mental condition could only be secondhand at best.

And why is that?

George, Cindy, and Lee (Casey's brother) Anthony did not visit on Casey Anthony's birthday. They did not see fit to see her after the state decided to seek the death penalty.

Is this the normal behavior of a family that has a loved member behind bars? Are these the normal actions of people who have been traumatized by the death of a beloved child, an accusation of murder of an immediate family member regarding that same child, and the frightening prospect that that same family member now faces the death penalty and a possible conviction that could ultimately lead to a state-sanctioned death? Why is there no sign of comfort and support on a personal level for Casey Anthony from her immediate family members? Why are they not visiting Casey Anthony?

There is the public "alibi tour" -- as John Morgan refers to it -- where the family professes their love and support and belief of innocence for Casey Anthony, generating sympathy by exposing their pain of the loss of their 2-year-old granddaughter. Then there is the not-so-public actions of the family, where an incarcerated family member seems to only receive as visitors members of her criminal defense team and her civil defense team.

Why does there seem to be a disconnect here?

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