ORLANDO, Fla. — The not guilty verdict that could free Casey Anthony by this weekend stunned spectators, legal pundits and the prosecutors who failed to prove she killed her toddler daughter.
A day later, jurors were declining to say how they came to their quick decision, and even murkier was Anthony's relationship with parents who haven't talked to her since the trial ended.
A case that involved years of forensic investigation, weeks of testimony and untold hours of media analysis was ultimately decided by jurors in less than 11 hours. Early in their second day of deliberations, the 12 men and women concluded Tuesday that Anthony lied to investigators but wasn't guilty in the death of her 2-year-old daughter.
Now Anthony waits to learn if she could spend her first night out of jail in almost three years. She was only convicted of four misdemeanor counts of lying to investigators, and it's possible that the judge could sentence her Thursday to time already served. The lying counts each carry a maximum sentence of one year.
It's not clear whether Anthony would be welcomed back to the house the 25-year-old single mother once shared with her daughter and parents. George and Cindy Anthony left court quickly without hugging or saying anything to their daughter after the verdict was read.
Anthony has been in jail since her October 2008 arrest on first-degree murder charges. The case began in July of that year when Caylee Anthony was reported missing.
Tears welled in Anthony's eyes, her face reddened, her lips trembled, and she began breathing heavily as she listened to the verdict. She was found not guilty of first-degree murder, aggravated manslaughter and aggravated child abuse.
Prosecutor Jeff Ashton told NBC's "Today" show Wednesday that the verdict left him and other prosecutors in shock.
"I think I mouthed the word ‘wow' about five times," he said.
The jurors — seven women and five men — would not talk to the media, and their identities were kept secret by the court.
But alternate juror Russell Huekler said he feels compassion for Casey Anthony and hopes she gets help because she can "no longer live a life of lies."
Prosecutors contended that Anthony suffocated Caylee with duct tape because she wanted to be free to hit the nightclubs and spend time with her boyfriend.
Defense attorneys argued that the little girl accidentally drowned in the family swimming pool and that Anthony panicked and hid the body because of the traumatic effects of being sexually abused by her father. George Anthony denied the defense's allegations that he abused Casey and helped her cover up Caylee's death.
Many in the crowd of about 500 people outside the courthouse Tuesday reacted with anger after the verdict was read, chanting, "Justice for Caylee!" One man yelled, "Baby killer!" Many court-watchers were stunned by the outcome.
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