Casey Anthony Must Serve Probation in Orlando
Casey Anthony will return to Orlando to serve probation stemming from a check-fraud conviction according to a Florida judge’s ruling on Friday.
The probation ruling comes from a 2010 felony charge Anthony received after stealing and writing $644.25 in checks from her friend Amy Huizenga, CNN reported. Before she was tried for first degree murder of her daughter, Anthony pleaded guilty to the check fraud.
Stan Strickland, the judge who handled the check-fraud case, mandated that Anthony serve 412 days in jail along with a one-year probation after her release. Lisabeth Fryer, Anthony’s attorney, tried to fight against the probation ruling, stating that her client served probation time in jail while awaiting the ruling from her murder charge, according to ABC News reports.
Although, the sentencing documents from the check-fraud conviction contained an error stating that Anthony could serve her probation sentence while awaiting the outcome of her murder trial, Strickland decided to request that Anthony serve an additional year of probation after her July acquittal.
Belvin Perry, the judge who granted Strickland’s request for Anthony to return to Florida and serve out her probation, said the decision was not an easy one to make. On Aug 5, Perry seemed unsure of which probation ruling was best.
"It's not a clear black and white issue," Perry said on Aug. 5 according to ABC News reports. "I can't answer the question if someone is erroneously placed on probation can they be made to redo it….I just don't know the answer at this time."
However, Perry agreed with Strickland in the end. The judge ruled that Anthony must return to Orlando on or before August 26.
Anthony was last seen in Ohio, according to TMZ reports. The convicted felon went into hiding after her acquittal amid death threats stemming from a non-guilty verdict at her murder trial.