A Sham with no Shame: Dr. Phil and the Anthonys' TV Stunt

by Pat Brown

I didn't watch the Dr. Phil's two-day interview with George and Cindy Anthony for a number of reasons: because they make me ill (all three of them), because I knew there would be nothing but more lies to be told, and because I didn't want to contribute to the fame or fortune of any of them. But, most of all, because it was a shameless sham.

Most everyone who watched was curious to see if Dr. Phil would manage to corner the Anthonys, get them to break, to slip up, to finally admit to knowing more than they did before, during, and after the trial. Promos for the show promised "surprises" that we wouldn't want to miss. Hogwash. There was no way anything all that revealing could ever have happened during the interview because the interview was fixed from the start.

Think about it. The Anthonys weren't about to take a chance on spilling any beans; they didn't have to put themselves at risk just to make the bucks. Dr. Phil and the Anthonys' attorney, Mark Lippman, made sure everyone would go home happy–at least everyone who was going to make money from this charade. Their "admissions" are still self-serving lies and half truths that benefit them and only them.

First of all, that show wasn't live. It was taped. And it was taped in a private location (note the secluded living room setting) without a studio audience. That means all the questions can be planned out ahead of time with both parties knowing what was going to be asked and how they would be answered. I would be surprised if there wasn't a condition in the contract that stated the Anthonys would have to approve the final product before it was aired. And there was no studio audience to be a witness to what was actually said and attest to what was deleted from the final product, so it was a pretty safe game for the Anthonys to play.

Believe me, taped shows are cleaned up and edited before they hit the airwaves. I have been on Dr. Phil's show and I can tell you what I said on the show didn't show up on air. I was actually the "big" guest on his show that day, starting out the discussion, just the two of us talking and then the other guests joining in later. But that is not what anyone saw. Oddly, I vanished out of the front of the show and appeared for just a couple of statements in the middle of the panel discussion. I was none too happy considering the effort it took me to fly to California and back for no pay just to do the show. I have no idea why I was edited out but what Dr. Phil said in his speech at the end of the show sounded an awful lot like what I said at the beginning.

I also got a major snip during the show I taped with Dr. Oz as well. I was asked what kind of woman abandons her children to help a killer escape from prison and commit crimes with him. I looked the family in the eye and said, "A psychopath," and followed this up with a discussion of how the woman likely manipulated everyone around her as she traveled through life. The other guest disagreed with me, softening his take on the woman by telling the family that she likely became so smitten with the man that she lost control of her emotions. When the show aired, everything I said had vanished and the tone of the show was very forgiving. I haven't been asked back since.

However, there are exceptions. I did quite a few taped shows for Montel Williams and I never had anything I said cut, even if it was controversial. I have to give a lot of credit to him and his producers that they allowed the viewers to see the show that was shot, not some watered-down version of the discussion.

And that is what Dr. Phil gave America with his phony interview of the Anthonys; a staged event that brought his show high ratings and the Anthonys a nice deposit in their (oh, excuse me, their organization's) bank account. We aren't told how much they got for their performance because Dr. Phil knows we would become livid if we found out the actual number of zeroes that was on the check handed over to them (think 6).

The viewers were duped. There never was a "no-holds-barred" interview with Cindy and George. The viewers are the losers and the Anthonys and Dr. Phil are the winners. Dr. Phil should have been ashamed of putting these people on his show, he should have been ashamed that he staged this event, and the Anthonys should have been ashamed to show their faces in public again. But, hey, there's money to be made, so the hell with decency, right? Caylee may be dead, but she's a gift that keeps on giving, and Casey and those people who created her, and all the rest of the morally bankrupt parasites, keep on receiving.

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Will Dr. Phil Play Hard Ball or Soft Ball with the Anthony's?

by Dr. Michelle Golland

As I sit writing this wondering what will be coming out of the mouths of George and Cindy Anthony when they are interviewed by Dr. Phil this week, I can't help but know it will be disappointing. I know that the hard questions will be asked, but the Anthony's will not be pushed to truly explain their own actions. It will be watered down and spun as usual by the Anthony's to prove themselves the victims of everyone-Casey, the media, the prosecutors, and the defense.

With my clients who have experienced sexual abuse and psychological abuse they often see flashes of their own parents in that of George and Cindy. The sociopath father and the narcissistic mother. It is a match made in hell, hell for the children who are under their power and influence. I would predict that if Dr. Phil were to play hard-ball, as we have seen him do with other guests, we would clearly see these aspects of their personalities. Unfortunately, the previews seem to indicate he is playing soft-ball, which is an opportunity lost as far as I am concerned.

As a psychologist, I can feel when people are deflecting and defending, even in subtle ways. I am certain that is what will happen during this interview. The family member I would love to sit across from and hear his whole story about growing up under that roof is Lee Anthony. During the trial he was the only family member that seemed genuine and honest. His actions when Casey and Caylee were missing were appropriate and consistent for how someone would respond in that situation. George's were clearly suspect. Cindy's were vicious and public, for example her myspace message about Casey being jealous of her and her granddaughters relationship. Cindy is pointed and cruel. I can only imagine what was said behind closed doors.

As many of us wait to see the Anthony's on Dr. Phil we should be prepared for nothing much to be said that is of substance. We are dealing with liars who trained their daughter very well to be manipulative herself. I look forward to them being deposed by an attorney regarding the fraud case against Casey. Now that will show us the true colors of these two people-no softballs allowed.

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Will The Anthony's Lie to Dr. Phil?

by Dr. Lillian Glass

On September 12 we will hear more from Cindy and George Anthony as they appear on the Dr. Phil Show to reveal "the truth” about Casey Anthony and her daughter Caylee’s death. My question is why these two liars didn’t reveal the truth when they were on the stand in a court of law? Yes, I said liars! Cindy’s body language and communication showed she lied repeatedly on the stand. The same is true for George. After seeing them on the stand, one can understand why Casey turned out the way she did. At least Dr. Phil, whom I know and respect, will demand they tell the truth and will not put up with any of their nonsense.

It is despicable to me that these two liars are now making a reported half-a-million dollars be appear on television to be grilled by Dr. Phil. It has been reported that the money will go into the Caylee Anthony Charity Fund for Missing Children. And who are executives in charge of this “charity?” Are they George and Cindy? How are the monies from this charity being spent? So they go into George and Cindy’s pockets? Also, Caylee was not a missing child. She was a murdered or drowned child. Take your pick. We were all duped and lead on a wild goose chase by Casey and then by Cindy and George.

In looking at the body language of the promo, Cindy looks like a deer in the headlights when Dr. Phil appears to put her on the spot. She looks wide-eyed and physically turns to George with her hunched over shoulders, indicating that most likely she has been busted by Dr. Phil. Also in the promo, Dr. Phil point-blank asks, "Do you think Casey was involved in Caylee’s death?" Cindy hunches over and turns to George who purses his lips together as you can see. This indicates that he doesn’t want to answer the question. No doubt this former policeman knows exactly what happened to Caylee and Casey’s involvement.

Dr. Phil appears to be very direct with Cindy, who is beautifully made up complete with fake lashes in an attempt to make her look attractive, her body language is anything but attractive. She has turtle posture, where she hides her neck and hunches her shoulders like a turtle. People who have something to hide usually demonstrate this posture. Then in the promo Dr. Phil asks George, “Why did you sit on this information?” George is in true wimp form where he continues to not man up, turns to Cindy as he looks over at her in hopes she can rescue him from Dr. Phil’s direct line of questioning.

It will be interesting to see if they lie to Dr. Phil or they tell the truth. Look for tell-tale signs such as lip licking, excessive eye blinking, stammering, lip pursing, hemming and hawing, looking away, and scratching, to name a few.

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Was a Fraud Perpetrated Not Just by Casey but by George and Cindy too?

By Michelle Golland, Psy.D.

I begin this article being very clear that I am not a lawyer and I do not look at cases or tragic situations within families from the perspective of examining evidence for trial.  As a Clinical Psychologist I observe behavior, actions and narrative to get underneath the story that is unfolding before me whether in my practice or as a media psychologist.  I have been working with victims of trauma and sexual abuse for over 2 decades.  My experience and clinical intuition told me as early as September 2008 that there was something deeply and characterlogically wrong not only with Casey Anthony but also with her parents George and Cindy Anthony.

Many solid clinicians have been able to see that Casey Anthony meets all the characteristics of someone with Borderline Personality Disorder.  Which is a chronic personality disorder that impairs functionality and has a negative impact on all relationships.  These individuals are manipulative, charismatic, lack empathy and create chaos in their lives as well as those around them.

The question is how did Casey Anthony become the person she is today.  For some by simply asking this question we clinicians are seen as terrible evil people blaming the poor parents of this crazy psychopathic person/murderer.  This is the problem with the media and the sound bite culture that really doesn’t want to hear the long tragic truth of how a vulnerable innocent child becomes the Casey Anthony we have seen in the courtroom.  We want to only pity George and Cindy, who of course are in pain and have tragically lost their granddaughter Caylee.

This is what we, as psychologists, know about Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). The most critical factor in developing this disorder is poor or uniformed parenting.  These include repeated emotional, physical or sexual abuse by someone within the family or outside the family itself.  Also, inconsistent care and unsupportive care or early separation from one or both parents can contribute to the formation of this personality structure.  We also find a parent who has failed to protect the child from repeated abuse by the other parent, another family member or an outsider.

In watching George and Cindy in front of the media they seemed either coolly detached from their daughter Casey or ragingly connected in a defensive posture.  I had no doubt that Casey Anthony had severe emotional problems when she lied about her daughters disappearance and because of her strange and immature responses around where she was during those notorious 31 days.  I also noted odd behavior by her parents, and it felt to me that they knew more about Caylee’s disappearance than they were revealing.  

The facts that came out in the case regarding George and Cindy’s denial of Casey’s pregnancy, as well as the perfect persona that Cindy Anthony seemed to want to show to people around her, as well as her undercurrent of rage which bubbled to the surface on many occasions showed me that she was a narcissistic mother who was self-involved and lacked empathy.  

The jailhouse letters in which Casey began to reveal the possibility of sexual abuse made sense in the reporting of the incidents and also her hedging around them as well.  Often with victims of sexual abuse when they begin to reveal the shameful family secrets it is let out a little bit at a time to see how they will be responded to before they keep going on to say what the whole truth is for them.  What really made it clear that something was not right in the Anthony home was Cindy’s response to Casey, “So that is why you are a whore?”  This is sadly a classic response by a mother not wanting to face what she may actually already know herself.  This was also reinforced by Lee Anthony’s testimony about the extremely conflictual relationship between Casey and their mother.  Lee’s testimony also reinforced to me clinically that this was a deeply disturbed family with each person struggling for power and control wrapped with rage, anger and confusion.

George and Cindy Anthony's various interviews in the media while “looking” for Caylee felt contrived, confusing and strangely self-focused (but not on their granddaughter) with a martyrdom quality that didn’t sit right with my clinical gut.  In watching the interviews with Tim Miller, who investigated Caylee’s disappearance early on in August 2008, his reactions appear to be the most convincing that something was being covered up and not only by Casey but by George and Cindy as well.

It is my impression that George did know that Caylee was dead close to when either the “accident or murder” occurred in June 2008.  His actions around deflecting Cindy and her brother seem odd and show me a consciousness of knowledge and also a desire to keep distance from the truth of her being dead.  His actions when her car that smelled of a “dead body” at the tow yard, which he testified under oath that he did believe it smelled like a human decomposing body, also seemed suspicious to say the least, and guilty of trying to hide evidence at it’s worst.  George, a seasoned former detective, did not call the police worried and sick that something has happened to his daughter or grandchild.  George drove that car home and parked it in the garage.  It was Cindy who called the police hysterical.  George had gone into work.  

It seems to me from the variety of interviews before and after Caylee’s remains were found in December 2008 that George, Cindy and Casey were all possibly spinning a variety of stories to try to keep themselves and the Anthony name clean of any wrong doing.  George and Cindy appear to be in part fighting for the image of themselves and their family.  As with narcissistic and possibly an incestuous family dynamic within the Anthony home they are doing just what that type of family does, which is to deflect the obvious (like Casey’s pregnancy), protect their own image as good parents all the while trying to maintain that they are actually looking for a live Caylee.  

In part, what the Anthony’s may fear the most at this point is an investigation into the fraud that there daughter perpetrated in keeping the “Caylee is Missing” story going until her remains were found and identified in December 2008.  If my clinical observations are correct about George and Cindy and what seems to be their own knowledge of and active participation in this enormous lie and manipulation upon the police, investigators and the country maybe, just maybe they will be held accountable financially and morally as much as Casey is at this point in the eyes of the public.

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Casey's Freedom May Be The Worst Punishment

by Dr. Lillian Glass

I, along with the rest of the world, am livid that Casey was found not guilty and will be released into the free world. After hearing that juror number three stated that the jurors were sick to their stomach and cried, I felt sick to my stomach hearing what she said. When she said that not guilty does not mean innocent, I realized that the wrong jury was chosen for justice to be served. Not guilty should mean innocent, and if she and the rest of the jury believed Casey was not innocent they needed to come back with a guilty verdict.

Eleven hours is not enough time to weigh all the information in a six-week trial. Juror number three and an alternate said that the Prosecution didn’t prove their case. They did not tell how her toddler Caylee died. I think the juror didn’t look at all the data. I think the prosecution did tell how she died, in my view. If they would have spent more than 11 hours they would have known this.

Based on what the alternate said and now juror number three, they liked defense attorney Jose Baez better. And please stop accusing me of loving Jose Baez and being partial to him. I only report what I see. He has presented himself well since day one, and even prosecutor Jeff Ashton said that on his media tour. Whether you like it or not, Baez came across very likable to the jury as opposed to Ashton. The bottom line is they listened to him and what he had to say and they bought it. In fact, the alternate said that the jury didn’t like it when George Anthony argued with Baez.

People do not realize the power of body language and communication. Well, here it is in action. They liked Jose Baez more and that is why they went with what he said. That is why Casey Anthony is going free on Sunday, July 17. Look at Scott Peterson. He was convicted on circumstantial evidence. Why couldn’t this happen to Casey? The reason boils down to body language and communication skills of the attorneys.

I, along with everyone else, am also livid that Casey will become a millionaire after she is released. But even if she sells photos of herself and Caylee, and even if she appears on shows, there are a lot of people who will rebel and boycott. Apparently Paradigm Entertainment in Beverly Hills signed her and had to drop her immediately because of the public complaints.

Sadly, there will be people who will offer her book and movie deals. She may be offered money for interviews through a third party so it looks like they had nothing to do with paying her for the interview. She may even make money selling Caylee dolls for which her lying mother Cindy got the trademark. Foreign entities may pay her handsomely for her interviews and photo shoots. 

Since Casey loves attention, loves to showcase her body and has no sexual inhibitions, she may very well take a porn company up on their offer. This would no doubt be in the millions of dollars. However, Steve Hirsch at Vivid Entertainment felt the pressure of even possible death threats and loss of his fan and customer base after he offered Casey a million dollars for an XXX Rated movie and quickly reneged on it. I am sure that the public’s pressure will continue with anyone who offers her money.

If mainstream TV shows put her on and interview her, the public will transfer their hatred toward Casey onto them.They will boycott any program or station that has her on television. Even if film projects arise people will boycott them. The public will not stand for her capital gain. There will be protests and threats and they will escalate. Casey will not live in peace for one moment. She may have been better off in prison where there would be more protection for her than there would be on the outside. On death row, there would be even more protection.

Now there are more people to hate her, and anything she does will be met with hatred and protest, and even possible violence. No one will ever hire her. No one will ever buy a book by her because they will boycott a book that is no doubt filled with lies. Even if she goes to the grocery store or shopping for clothes she will be met with protesters and taunts. Anyone with whom she associates or whom she dates will be taunted and regarded as a villain. If her parents are now receiving death threats for their lies and possible perceived involvement, can you imagine what will happen to Casey?

As Baez, Mason and Ms. Simms move on with their own lives and on to other cases, Casey will quickly discover that they are not her friends after all. They will want to distance themselves from her as they too experience harassment.

She can’t travel because she will be followed and harassed. Restaurants will kick her out like they did OJ Simpson. Neighbors will rebel. The clubs she once loved and frequented won’t allow her in them. She will discover that she will be prisoner in her own home. She will never have a moment of peace. People will protest outside her home forever. They may damage her vehicles. No security can stop this. By the time the protesters get through with Casey, she may wish she was sitting in a jail cell.

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There is only One Word for Casey Anthony: Psychopath

by Pat Brown

Give up attempting to understand Casey Anthony or what makes her tick; she is a psychopath and that makes her the kind of person you shouldn't waste time trying to figure out. The argument over whether psychopaths are born or made – nature versus nurture – will continue decade after decade, century after century. For all of our scientific progress, why a person becomes evil, chooses to murder simply for the fun or convenience of it, is something likely to remain a mystery forever. She is a snake, a snake who needs to be caged or exterminated if found guilty of murder, regardless of how she turned into a serpent.

Let's take a look at the nurture aspect of Casey. Many think that her home was severely dysfunctional. I tend to agree that there was a bit of a twisted dynamic going on there, a battle of wills and a fight for power and control between Cindy and Casey; the two men, George and Lee basically just got out of the of the line of fire. Cindy appears to have a pretty high level of narcissism herself, which is not unusual to find in one parent of a psychopathic individual. An absent or distant father figure, either physically or emotionally, also is often in the mix.

Usually, if there is a set of parents in the home, we tend to find one parent, usually the male, who is cold, stern or uncommunicative with the child and the other parent, usually the female, who then overcompensates by giving far too much and coddling the child as she is growing up. Sometimes, that female is actually narcissistic, and what looks like love can be more about being the winner within the couple, getting more of the attention from the child, and controlling what happens. We sometimes see this narcissism lead to Munchausen syndrome by proxy, a personality disorder in which the caretaker of the child uses the child as a pawn to gain massive attention, sometimes even causing the child to become ill or die just to get a jolt of importance.

Then again, sometimes we don't see too much amiss with the parents at all, and, yet, they are still stuck with a psychopathic kid who they have no idea what to do with.

We also see an increase in psychopathy when there is some kind of attachment disorder occurring at a very young age; children who have been abandoned to orphanages or tossed around the foster care system so often that they have trouble connecting with human beings. This can lead as well to serious personality disorders.

Then, we mix in the individual personality and the cultural issues, financial issues, etc., stir, and whammo, a psychopath emerges, usually by the age of eight, if not by the even earlier age of five, which I have observed in children not even in school and find quite disconcerting. What then? Well, not much, because at this point treatment usually fails and the only thing that has an effect of sorts is behavior modification.

Essentially, once you are dealing with a psychopath, the only way to improve their choices is to show them a way to get what they want in a way that will be less trouble. You can't impress upon them that doing right is a good thing or making others happy is worth it, but you can help them find a way to get what they want in a less destructive way. Dr. Stanton Samenow who spent years at St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Washington, DC, recognized how the criminal mind was rigidly set, could not be changed, and, therefore, he set out to find ways to deal with what simply was a reality.

So, I don't know how Casey Anthony got to be a psychopath, but there she is-lying, manipulating, ignoring how others feel, seeking constant attention, and wanting to have her way all the time. She exhibits the hallmarks of psychopathy; total narcissism and complete lack of empathy for anyone else, including her own daughter. When she does act like she cares, she is doing just that: acting. This is a recognizable trait of a psychopath that Casey exhibits because one can see how quickly she can change mood or expression.

I remember walking in on a "friend" I later realized had a serious personality disorder. She was sobbing on the phone to her boyfriend, telling him how horrible she was feeling, how upset she was. When she saw me, she put the phone down in her lap, flashed me a big smile and mouthed "I'll be with you in a sec!" and then went back to sobbing on the phone. When she hung up, she turned to me just as cheerful as ever, lit a cigarette, and started chatting about our evening plans. The friendship didn't last long after that. I didn't trust much genuine was going to come from this particular woman.

Sound like Casey? You bet. And you can see those same behaviors in murderers like Darlie Routier, Scott Peterson, Karla Homolka, and just about any serial killer you can think of.

If the jury takes a look at Robert Hare's list of psychopathic traits, I am sure they can check just about every one of them off for Casey.

• Glibness/superficial charm
• Grandiose sense of self-worth
• Pathological lying
• Cunning/manipulative
• Lack of remorse or guilt
• Shallow affect (genuine emotion is short-lived and egocentric)
• Callous/lack of empathy
• Failure to accept responsibility for own actions
• Need for stimulation/proneness to boredom
• Parasitic lifestyle
• Poor behavioral controls
• Lack of realistic long-term goals
• Impulsiveness
• Irresponsibility
• Juvenile delinquency
• Early behavior problems

Why is it important to know what Casey Anthony is? Because knowing she is a psychopath means she is perfectly capable of murder. The jury needs to recognize this, add this information to the body of physical and circumstantial evidence the prosecution has presented, and convict the snake.

Not all psychopaths are murderers, but most murderers are psychopaths. I believe Casey Anthony is both and needs to be removed from society permanently so she can't do any more harm. And, Caylee, innocent little Caylee, deserves justice.

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George and Cindy Anthony’s Body Language Shows They Are In Sync

by Dr. Lillian Glass

George and Cindy Anthony have been living a nightmare over the past three years. They have tried to defend their daughter Casey at all costs. The two of them have obstructed justice and made bizarre statements and have done bizarre things that have left people’s mouths agape. Cindy insisted their granddaughter Caylee was still alive, even though Caylee’s bones and remains were found and a memorial service was performed.

Cindy tried to throw everyone possible under the bus, from Casey’s ex-fiance Jesse Grund to Casey’s friend Amy Huizinga. Cindy even gave law enforcement the wrong hairbrush. Instead of Caylee’s brush, Cindy gave them Casey's. Cindy even made a Freudian slip and discussed “the woods" when woods were not even a consideration at the time Caylee went missing.

George insisted that he was loyal to Casey no matter what and got furious and fought with protesters who insinuated Caylee was dead and that Casey killed her. As we saw in an early interview, George was into blaming everyone but the person who needed to be blamed–Casey. George even allegedly had an affair with River Cruz (according to her), and spent time with Cruz instead of searching for Caylee.

George and Cindy were known to have their marital difficulties before Casey left the house with Caylee in tow. Apparently much of their tension was over their financial difficulties with George allegedly having lost a considerable amount of money in an online scam. He had trouble finding adequate work, and Cindy appeared to be the breadwinner. Casey kept running up their credit cards and taking money from them. No doubt, this caused them a great deal of anxiety and tension in their relationship.

The entire ordeal put a great strain on their relationship. In examining screen shots of their body language over the past three years, there have been times where they have turned their backs on one another even, refusing to look at each another. At times, they have been seen acting distant and even hostile toward one another.

But all that has changed. Hearing Jose Baez’s testimony during his opening statement that George sexually molested Casey appears to have brought them closer together.

Perhaps the $2 million payout for the Lifetime movie helped ease the tensions as well. At least now they won’t have financial worries. Their home will no longer be in foreclosure and they can afford to move away to a more luxurious place in a gated community to keep paparazzi at bay. In addition, there will most likely be no Casey to run up any credit card bills since the state will pay for her room, board and clothing as well as her medical bills as she sits in prison for life or sits on death row in Lowell Penitentiary waiting for appeals and for her final day.

No doubt, with a book deal for George and another for Cindy, even more millions of dollars will flow into the Anthony household. They trademarked the name Caylee. In doing that they will make more money suing anyone who tries to use it commercially. They may even come out with their own Caylee products, which would add more millions to their coffers. So their financial tensions will be gone forever. They lost a sweet granddaughter and troubled daughter, but gained millions of dollars.

The two of them have been forced out of denial and into the reality of grieving for Caylee and now grieving for Casey. Their new-found wealth has no doubt helped to cement their bond. Even though George has been perceived as weak and wimpy, he showed strength and fortitude as he had to physically and emotionally bolster up Cindy after she testified and sobbed on the stand. While she has always seemed like George's pillar of strength, the tables have now turned.

The once-screaming and hostile Cindy has been humbled, and George has been there to pick up her emotional pieces. They are now in sync with one another as you can see from the above photo. They now walk hand in hand. Unlike before, they look directly at one another. While they may have lost a daughter and a granddaughter, it appears they have gained a renewed sense of love, respect, and affection toward one another.

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WCI Contributors Make Their Predictions on the Casey Anthony Trial

*Blogger went offline Wednesday and apparently took our last two posts with it. They have fixed their technical difficulties and we have reposted today's blog. We apologize for any inconvenience. 

With the start of the Casey Anthony trial this week, in the death of her daughter Caylee, we’ve devoted several posts to the outcome of the trial. But none of these have the predictions of the “experts” here at Women in Crime Ink! At the end of the trial, we’ll see which one of our contributors hit the mark. Place your bets ladies: "Guilty" or "Not Guilty?"

Holly Hughes: “Casey is going down. She will be found guilty but will not receive the death penalty. The physical evidence, the circumstantial evidence and her own inexplicable behavior will be too much for a jury to ignore. However, the jury will want to parcel out the blame under the old adage, 'The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.' They won't put her to death.” 

Dr. Gina Simmons: “A jury will likely find Casey Anthony guilty because evidence of her pattern of deception and callousness seems irrefutable. Juries don't like callous liars. Since only one tenth of one percent of female murderers were death sentenced, it's likely she'll get a far more lenient sentence than a man who committed the same crime.” 

Diane Fanning: “Casey Anthony’s trail of lies will lead the jurors straight to a verdict of guilty. There is probably a small chance of a hung jury, but I think Casey’s continuous prevarication and her disinterest in the whereabouts of her missing child will not allow any panel of twelve to acquit her of the charges. Then, at last, there will be justice for little Caylee." (Diane's book, Mommy's Little Girl, was the first to be released and takes an in-depth look into this fascinating but tragic case.)

Dr. Michelle Golland: "Casey Anthony will be found guilty because she did it. I would like to see George Anthony reveal what I believe he knows about what happened to Caylee. He should clean his conscience, already. Cindy knows her daughter played a role in her granddaughter’s death, but due to her narcissism, will never expose herself." 

Donna Pendergast: “The jury will come back 'Guilty' on all counts but will not render the death penalty. The circumstantial evidence of guilt is overwhelming which will result in a conviction despite the fact that jurors will not want to believe that a young mother could do this to her child. The jury will mitigate their doubts by not rendering a death penalty verdict during the penalty phase. We are all in for some high drama; hang on to your seat.” 

Cathy Scott: “My prediction is that the jury throws the book at Casey with a guilty verdict. While it's a circumstantial case, that circumstantial evidence overwhelmingly points a finger directly at Casey, right down to the same duct tape on little Caylee's mouth that was found at the Anthony family's home, to the death odor discovered in the trunk of Casey's car. They're tough visions to shake.” 

Robin Sax: “The amount of evidence in this case is overwhelming, circumstantial or not. I mean, you don't get cases with as much 'stuff' as this one. But like most pretty girls, and since it gives the jury an out, I say no death penalty.” 

Anne Bremner: “I wouldn't want to be an attorney for the already damned. But I think there may be a creative defense about which we will hear in the first minute of the defense opening statement. Stay tuned. And fasten your seatbelts. It is going to be a bumpy, interesting and ultimately tragic--guilty verdict or not--ride.” 

Pat Brown: “Guilty, but I think they won’t give her the death penalty because of her psychological problems and all that 'physical and sex abuse' she suffered in her family. If nothing else, they will think they can’t blame her entirely for her viciousness because 'Cindy AKA The Devil made her do it.' ” 

Stacy Dittrich: “I’m giving it a 60/40 in favor of a guilty verdict. The 40 percent is reserved that 'one' juror who may or may not hold out for a myriad of reasons. It is always a possibility. Definitely no death penalty.”

What is your prediction? Let us know.

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The Curse of a Narcissistic Mother: Cindy Anthony

by Dr. Michelle Golland

If we believe that Casey Anthony was involved in the death of her daughter Caylee and we believe her parents either know this or have further information that would help build a case against her, they sure aren’t talking.

Many mothers ask, “How could Cindy Anthony protect the murderer of her innocent granddaughter?” Cindy Anthony’s narcissism is the how and the why. Cindy needs to protect her own self-image as the mother of a possible child killer. Her overwhelming narcissism would not allow her to ever reveal what she may know because she would never be able to cope with the public seeing her as a “bad” mother.

The allegations of sexual abuse by Casey against her brother, Lee, and her father, George, would make sense given the volatility of their family. What I see clinically with Cindy Anthony is a portrait of a narcissistic and self-involved mother who has been trying to control those around her for many years. Her anger and rage is palpable when we see her in interviews, whether with police detectives or the media at large.

Let’s face it; this family has been fighting since it was revealed that little Caylee was missing. They have continued to be volatile with each other and create chaos, even outside the chaos of losing a child. Casey and her parents not only disagreed how to handle the memorial and funereal of Caylee, but while she was alive they were in a constant struggle for power and control over their daughter and their granddaughter. As a psychologist, the manner in which they have conducted themselves at each of these critical moments is a reflection of how they managed as a family prior to little Caylee turning up missing. Secretive, deceptive and rageful seem to be the themes constantly swirling within the Anthony household.

Cindy and Casey have had a challenging and disconnected relationship for a long time. They seemed to be fighting over Caylee even while she was alive. In reports, Cindy forced Casey to keep the baby when Casey would rather have terminated or adopted out. It seems that Cindy used her granddaughter as a further way to shame and guilt her own daughter Casey to either behave responsibly or to use her as a weapon in the war of “I do so much for you” game that parents like this often find themselves waging against their children.

Cindy appears to be a controlling and difficult mother, and if true, her reaction to Casey about being sexually abused by her brother, a narcissistic and dispassionate mother as well. According to Casey, when she shared with her mom about the abuse, she said, “That is why you are such a whore!” I must say, I am not shocked by Cindy's response. This can often be the reaction of the family when sexual abuse is revealed. It is so overwhelming, they often would rather deny than deal with it directly and effectively.

It seems that Casey is a pathological liar and clinically appears to have elements of borderline personality disorder. When looking at people who develop these personality structures, we often find behind them was a parent--whether mother or father--who was extremely narcissistic as well.

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Cindy Anthony: "Nothing in this world"

by Kathryn Casey

“I know Caylee is alive,” Cindy Anthony said. “I know my daughter. There is nothing in this world that could make me believe that Casey did anything to Caylee. There has never been any child neglect, child abuse or anything. This young lady loves her child, more than I love Casey.”

I saw that interview on the Today Show last week, and I've been thinking about it ever since, wondering about Cindy Anthony, the woman who began the search for little Caylee by calling 911 with the words: "It smells like there's been a dead body in the damn car."

Considering the forensic evidence made public in the Anthony case (and assuming it is reliable and correct, which isn't always the case), it does seem most likely that little Caylee is indeed dead. And certainly Casey Anthony's behavior, especially misleading authorities and not reporting her daughter's disappearance for an entire month, suggests Casey is somehow involved. So my question is, for those of us who have followed the case including the pending murder charges, what do we make of Cindy? Do you believe she's legitimately convinced her granddaughter is still alive? Is she hanging onto the last shreds of hope? Or does it appear that Cindy is instead continuing a long-standing pattern of being unwilling or unable to hold Casey responsible?

I read WCI's post by Lucy Puryear last week, Is Casey Anthony Another Susan Smith?, and was impressed with her analysis of Casey Anthony. Admittedly, I am not, as Lucy is, a psychiatrist. Yet I've written about strange folks, many of them murderers, long enough to have covered a variety of types. And I found nothing to quibble with in Lucy's opinion that Casey Anthony's actions suggest she may be a narcissist. Lucy wrote: "I don't know Casey Anthony's history, but her behavior certainly fits one who has little regard for others, is primarily interested in her own welfare and happiness, and will go to great lengths to escape consequences or punishment. Susan Smith confessed to what she had done and felt remorse. Casey Anthony continues to lie and deceive."

So, what does that make Cindy Anthony? I believe there's a clue in her own words above: "There is nothing in this world that could make me believe that Casey did anything to Caylee."

Cindy isn't saying she'd have to hear Casey confess or see her granddaughter's decomposing body with Casey's fingerprints all over it. She is saying "nothing in this world" would convince her that her daughter played any part in injuring her granddaughter.

The prevailing theory is that narcissists don't just happen. As Lucy again so eloquently put it: "The causes for it are not entirely clear, but often there is a childhood history of being highly adulated by parents, not made to take responsibility for mistakes with parents often helping to cover-up or fix problems, and having things given without having to learn the value of hard work and disappointment."

In her interview, linked above, Cindy Anthony blames others for the current state of affairs, most notably the sheriff's department for not following leads, but never Casey. (Is anyone else having O. J. flashbacks?) Certainly mothers can be forgiven for believing in their children, for having difficulty embracing the possibility that their child has committed a heinous act. Yet isn't there something incredibly strange about a woman who can seemingly ignore all evidence to the contrary and declare her daughter absolutely blameless?

As Lucy mentions above, it's been my experience with narcissists that they assume their families, usually a mom and/or dad, sometimes a sibling, has the power to explain away any problem, to cover up for offending acts and make repercussions go away. The current glitch for Casey is that this time around she's facing a murder charge, and mom and dad can't say a few magic words and make everything all right.

Sometime next year, Casey Anthony is headed into a courtroom, where she won't be treated as if she's beyond reproach. Instead, she'll be a defendant on trial, perhaps with her very life hanging in the balance.

Update: A trial date is now set for this case: January 5, 2009.

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The Power of One

by Kathryn Casey

Lately, I've had a hard time concentrating on just work. I keep wondering what the heck is going on in Orlando, Florida, with the case of Casey Anthony.

Of course, you all know what I'm talking about, the disappearance of three-year-old Caylee Anthony. We first learned in mid-July that this precious child was missing, when her grandmother, Cindy, called police, saying Caylee hadn't been seen in a month. Since then, we've been astounded, even mesmerized, by the search for the child and the bizarre behavior of both Casey, little Caylee's mom, and Cindy. This is one strange family.

Apparently I'm not the only one having this problem. I belong to a couple of true-crime groups, where I pop in to do everything from sharing recipes and thoughts on John McCain's astonishing VP selection to dissecting the latest cases. In both groups, the posts continue to be dominated by the Anthony case. Let's face it, this investigation is one of those, like the Peterson sagas (Scott and Drew), that many of us find nearly addictive. Air samples analyzed at the University of Tennessee Body Farm detect human decomposition in the car trunk and we're glued to the Internet, searching for more information. Police release Casey Anthony's angry jail-house telephone calls, and we rail about the 22-year-old's depravity.

That said, there's something else about the case that nags at me.

At times it brings to mind one of my favorite movies, a 1951 Billy Wilder noir classic, Ace in the Hole. In the film, Kirk Douglas portrays an unethical, down-on-his-luck reporter who stumbles upon a story with worldwide headline potential, a man trapped in a cave. We quickly learn that the poor sap is a good guy married to the shrew of the century, so vile that while her husband remains in harm's way, she seduces the Kirk Douglas character. Although the man could be easily saved, the reporter and the wife conspire to draw out the rescue for their own gains, until it's tragically too late.

Why does the Anthony case remind me of this old movie? It's something I believe Douglas's editor says in the film, an explanation for why the cave story has legs, endurance in the news biz. I can't quote it verbatim, but it's on the order of: If there were 100 miners trapped it wouldn't be as compelling a story, but one little guy, one common man the readers can identify with, that makes it huge.

Now, I may have parts of that wrong. It's been a long time since I've watched the film. Maybe Douglas's character not the editor muses about what fascinates readers? It's possible. But the point is that little Caylee is like that man trapped in the cave. She's a solitary sympathetic victim, in this case a beautiful, innocent child. We get angry, thinking about all the options Casey Anthony had, how so many families would have loved to adopt, care for, and keep that sweet child safe. We're sad as clues come to light that suggest little Caylee is dead and angry when they point to the possibility that Casey may be responsible.

Why would a young mother do such a horrible thing? Look at the pictures of Anthony partying with friends just days after she claims her daughter went missing. It's hard not to wonder if Caylee was an inconvenience for a sociopathic mother, one willing to kill to get out from under the responsibilities of motherhood. (If the child's death were an accident, wouldn't Casey appear grief stricken, not jubilant?)

But it's not just Casey who frustrates us. The grandmother, Cindy, too, is disturbing. She's appeared to enjoy the media attention. And rather than help she seems to be putting roadblocks in the paths of police. How many of you have wondered if the rest of the world loves the little girl more than her own family? Can you imagine yourself reacting like the Anthonys if Caylee was your daughter or granddaughter?

Sadly most of us are now pretty certain investigators are looking for a corpse, not a living, breathing child. Still, wouldn't a loving family want to help recover the child's remains? Judging by their words and actions, it certainly seems that Casey and Cindy Anthony, like the characters in Ace in the Hole, are more concerned with their own protection than helping authorities find that poor, precious child.

(Since this post was published this morning, more has happened in the case. Information has come out that Casey Anthony may have been researching chloroform on the Internet and that traces of the drug were found in her trunk. Chloroform can be used to render people unconscious, and in high doses can be fatal.)

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