Casey Anthony Probation: Did She Already Serve?
It appears as though a new chapter will be added to the tumultuous legal battle befalling tot mom Casey Anthony.
Probation officials in Orlando, Florida should expect the acquitted murderer by August 26, at which time she is to begin serving one year of probation on a check fraud conviction from 2010.
But while this seems easy enough, Anthony's lawyer asserts that she already served her year of probation while awaiting jail.
Anthony's probation drama appears to be the result of an extremely rare clerical error.
When she entered a guilty plea in the check fraud case, in open court, Reuters reports that Judge Strickland stated that she was to serve a year of probation once released from prison.
Somehow, this was not written into his final order, only coming to his attention when Anthony was released last month. He then updated the order, setting off this probation fiasco.
A second judge, Judge Perry, denied Anthony's argument that she already served probation while in jail, pointing to the fact that she couldn't have complied with its requirements, such as visiting with her probation officer, while behind bars.
Vowing to appeal, Casey Anthony's attorney, who was scolded for knowing about the error, will likely argue that his client completed all of the other terms of probation, such as staying away from firearms and illegal substances.
He's also likely to point out that the Department of Corrections signed off on her probation, and that an officer could have met with her in jail.
As a result of this situation, things are still uncertain for Casey Anthony. Probation officials should still expect her later this month, but if she manages to get a temporary court order before then, she may be able to stay in hiding while this battle plays out.
Related Resources:
- Casey Anthony will appeal probation order, attorney says (CNN)
- Probation (FindLaw)
- Casey Anthony Faces 'Nanny' Defamation Lawsuit (FindLaw's Injured)