Why Casey Anthony Is Better Off A Free Woman

Casey Anthony, the 25-year old Floridian mother who was found not guilty this past Tuesday in the death of her two-year old daughter, Caylee, was sentenced to four years in prison on Thursday, July 7, 2011 for providing misleading information to police. But considering she's been incarcerated for roughly three years from the time of her initial arrest to her acquittal on a first degree murder charge (among others), the judge has ruled that she be released from the Orange County Jail on July 13 the following week. She was also ordered to pay $4,618 in various fines and costs related to her criminal trial.

Ever since her acquittal, Casey Anthony has received several deals to keep her name in the limelight, ranging from books, movies, and even pornography (though the latter offer was rescinded within hours of its proposal).

For most people, it's almost incomprehensible to believe that she'll walk away from prison practically unscathed. Okay, okay, she spent three formative years of her life away from the general public. But the rallying cry amongst the majority of American society has been one of injustice, that the punishment didn't fit the crime.

Did Media Scrutiny Acquit Casey Anthony?

At approximately 2:15 p.m. EST on Tuesday, July 5, 2011, the fate of 25-year old Casey Marie Anthony was in the hands of twelve jurors in an Orlando, Florida courtroom. Casey Anthony stood trial for the murder of her two-year old daughter, Caylee Marie Anthony. Allegedly, Casey drugged Caylee with chloroform and suffocated her to death around mid-June 2008. In addition, Casey waited a month before reporting Caylee missing, during which time Caylee's body was stashed in Casey's car trunk (allegedly). Caylee's skeletal remains were later discovered in a wooded area in December 2008, and a subsequent autopsy ruled her death a homicide.

Initially, Casey Anthony was jailed for several misdemeanors, ranging from lying to police about her employment with Universal Studios, to obstruction of a criminal investigation, to forgery of checks and illicit use of a friend's credit card. That was in July and August 2008. But by mid-October of that year, she was formally indicted by a Florida grand jury of first degree murder, aggravated manslaughter, aggravated child abuse, and four counts of providing misleading information to police. She pleaded not guilty to all charges. If she was found guilty, especially on the first degree murder charge, Casey Anthony likely would've been sentenced to death.