Casey Anthony Trial Beings Amid OJ-Like Frenzy

By Stephanie Rabiner, Esq. on May 09, 2011 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

Jury selection in the Casey Anthony murder trial started today amongst intense media frenzy.

While jury selection is taking place in Tampa Bay, the trial, which presiding Chief Judge Belvin Perry hopes to get started on May 17, is expected to occur in Orlando, about 100 miles away.

For those who have managed to escape the Casey Anthony coverage, the 25-year-old is being charged with 1st degree murder for the death of her 2-year-old daughter who she says was kidnapped and killed by a babysitter.

Because of intense media scrutiny, the Associated Press reports that Judge Perry is conducting jury selection in Tampa Bay, where he hopes to encounter a less biased pool.

The 400 prospective jurors were told by the judge that the trial is expected to last 6 to 8 weeks, and that they would be taken to Orlando for the duration, reports The Orlando Sentinel.

Because the Constitution guarantees an unbiased jury of one's peers, it's not uncommon for a judge to move a well-publicized criminal trial to another location. It, however, is less common for a judge to move jurors to another location.

It's possible that Judge Perry felt that, with evidence and witnesses being located in Orlando, it would be more prudent to hold the Casey Anthony trial nearby and bring in outside jurors.

Whether his plan will work remains to be seen.

Coverage of the Casey Anthony trial has been national, so while Tampa Bay may have seen less coverage than Orlando, it hasn't been immune from the frenzy.

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