Aug 5 2009 George Anthony Depo Pgs 1 50 Part 1

8/6/2019 Aug 5 2009 George Anthony Depo Pgs 1 50 Part 1

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IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THENINTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT, INAND FOR ORANGE COUNTY, FLORIDACASE NUMBER: 4S-200S-CF-015606-0DIVISION 16

STATE OF FLORIDA,Plaintiff,

vs.CASEY MARIE ANTHONY,

Defendant.- - - - - - - - - ~ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Orlando, FloridaAugust 5, 200910:0S a.m.

DEPOSITION OF:GEORGE A. ANTHONY

Marge Raeder Court Repo rte r, In c.999 Doug lasAvenue/Suite 3307Altamonte Springs, FL32714407/774-6611 Fax 4071774-4490


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A P PEA RAN C E S:

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LINDA DRANE BURDICK, ATTORNEY AT LAWFRANK GEORGE, ESQUIREJEFFREY ASHTON, ESQUIREAssistant State Attorneys415 North Orange AvenueOrlando, Florida 32801

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5Appearing on behalf of the Plaintiff.

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7 JOSE BAEZ, ESQUIRE522 Simpson RoadKissimmee, Florida 347448

and9 ANDREA LYON, ATTORNEY AT LAW [Via Skype]15 East Jackson BoulevardChicago, Illinois 60604

Appearing on behalf of the Defendant.BRADLEY A. CONWAY, ESQUIRE189 South Orange Avenuesuite 1850Orlando, Florida 32801

Appearing on behalf of the Deponent.

I N D E XTESTIMONY OF GEORGE A. ANTHONY:

19 Direct Examination by Mr. Ashton 5Direct Examination by Ms. Drane Burdick 27520 Further Direct Examination by Mr. Ashton 318Further Direct Examination by Ms. Drane Burdick 32421 Further Direct Examination by Mr. Ashton 330Cross Examination by Mr. Baez 3322223

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CERTIFICATE OF REPORTER 335SUBSCRIPTION OF DEPONENT

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3 Exhibit Number 1Exhibit Number 24 Exhibit Number 3Exhibit Number 45 Exhibit Number 5Exhibit Number 66 Exhibit Number 7Exhibit Number 87 Exhibit Number 9Exhibit Number 108

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E X H I BIT SMarked By Reference

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4The deposition of GEORGE A.

ANTHONY was taken on behalf of thePlaintiff on Wednesday, August 5,2009, beginning at 10:08 a.m., atthe Office of the State Attorney,415 North Orange Avenue, Room 379,Orlando, Florida, before Dawn R.Matter, Electronic Reporter and NotaryPublic, State of Florida at Large.

[Whereupon, Exhibit Numbers 1 through 8 weremarked for identification.]

Whereupon,GEORGE A. ANTHONY,

having been first duly sworn by the reporter, testifiedas follows:

MR. ASHTON: Good morning.THE WITNESS: Good morning.MR. ASHTON: Letts begin first by introducing

everyone. Itm Jeff Ashton on behalf of the Stateof Florida.

MS. DRANE BURDICK: Linda Burdick.MR. GEORGE: Frank George on behalf of the

State.MR. CONWAY: Brad Conway for George Anthony.


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6Since you are a subpoenaed witness in this

2 case, you are obligated to provide any information that3 you know and answer any questions you are asked. The4 only time you can refuse to answer a question is based5 upon a claim of privilege, which Mr. Conway would6 advise you about and explain to you. That is your7 obligation under subpoena.8 The protection you are given by law under9 subpoena -- and, again, this is based upon Florida

10 statute, and it is granted to every witness who is11 subpoenaed by the State -- it's something called use12 and derivative-use immunity. That means that you may13 feel free to discuss openly anything, any facts you14 know in this case, even if those facts would tend to15 incriminate you.16 Again, I explain this, not because we think17 that you have done anything wrong. It's just a18 standard protection that all witnesses receive. Not19 only can nothing that you tell us be used against you,20 but nothing that we derive from what you tell us can be21 used against you.22 As an example, if you were to tell us where a23 piece of evidence could be found that would incriminate24 you, we went and found that piece of evidence, we could25 use neither your admission or the piece of evidence


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against you, The only exception to that is for2 prosecution for perjury committed today or at any time3 hereafter, Under those circumstances, the evidence4 could be used.5 Aside from that -- therefore, based on that,6 you may not claim a privilege of self-incrimination7 during this deposition. Any other privileges that you8 feel apply that you would like to claim, you may, on9 consultation with your counsel, but not the privilege

10 against self-incrimination,11 What I've just explained to you, is that12 pretty much what you already knew?13 A I understand. Yes.1415

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QAQ

Okay. Any questions about any of that?No.All right. Let's just start off, please tell

17 us your name.18

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George A. Anthony.And what is your date of birth?September 5th, 1951.

21 Q Let me just start out with some personal22 history of yours. Just kind of take me through where23 you were born, where you were raised, those kinds of24 things.25 A I was born in Warren, Ohio. I was raised in


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a small town called Niles, Ohio, which is adjacent to2 Warren, Ohio. Up until the year 1989, I lived in Ohio,3 and I moved down here in September of 1989 --4 Q And--

AQ

and resided here since.do you -- were both your parents -- I

believe bothA Yes.

are both your parents still alive?Both of my parents are still alive.

Okay.They live in Fort Myers, Florida.MR. BAEZ: Excuse mel Jeff.MR. ASHTON: Sure.MR. BAEZ: I donlt mean to interrupti but I

think the camera is facing the wall.MR. ASHTON: Yeah. It does seem to be

getting a lot of the post.MR. BAEZ: Yeah. If you could turn it.

QA

MR. ASHTON: Letls see. Is that better?MR. BAEZ: Is that betterr Andrea?MS. LYON: Itls much better. And Jeff, as

long as welre talking, if you can keep your voiceup just a little bit. 11m having a little troublehearing you, which I know you canlt believe.

MR. ASHTON: Yeah. I have never heard --lIve never had that -- I've never heard that


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before.2 MS. LYON: Thank you.3 MR. ASHTON: Usually it's the other way4 around.5 BY MR. ASHTON:

7 parentsl no stepparents or anything like that?6

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Q And your -- those are your biological

AQAQ

They're my biological parents. Yes.Did you have any siblings?Yes. I have three sisters.Three sisters. And where -- what are their

12 ages in comparison to yours?

14 I am. She'll be 60 -- wow.

24 seven years younger.25 Q So a spread of 24 years between the youngest

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21 sisters.2223

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I have a sister who's seven years older than

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You don't have to do the math. It's okay.Okay.That's why I saidYes. She's---- in comparison to yours.Yes. She's older. And I have two younger

And how many years younger are they?One is ten years younger and the other one is


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Q And did you spend that entire time in Nilesr

10and the oldest?

A Yes.Q All right. And how old were your parents

when you were bornr approximately?A Wellr my dad would have been 25 years old.Q And your mother?A She would have been 26. She's about - - just

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8 about a year older than my father.Q Okay. What did your parents, your father do

10 or your mother do when you were growing up? What were11 their occupations?12 A My mother was a stay-at-home mom. My dad had13 an automobile business for 44 years.14

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Was it new carsr used carsr a little of both?It was five-year-old used cars, and we also

16 sold new ones considered conversion vans at the time.17 Q Okay. Nowr as you were growing UPr did you18 go through elementary schoolr middle school, high19 school, complete all those normal kind of schooling?20 A Yes. I did. I went from what we consider21 kindergarten or like a pre-school all the way up22 through high school, graduated. Also went off to~ Youngstown State University.2425 or Warren, or


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11A Up until the time that I met Cindy, yes. I

2 was living in Niles, Ohio. And when I met her, we3 moved into a small, what we call, a township right4 outside of Niles, called Howland Township.5

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And is Niles like a suburb of Warren?It1s a small city itself, probably about

7 45,000 people. Very small midwestern town.8

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And how big is Warren?110,000. About double the size.And it is in eastern Ohioj is thatEastern section of Ohio, yes.Eastern Ohio? What is -- is Warren one of

13 those towns where there'S a primary industry that sort14 of the town grew around or kind of describe it to me.15 A Well, the primary industry is the steel16 industry. Also we had automobile manufacturing there.17 Q Okay. And coming up through, did your father18 you said your father had the business for 40-some19 years?20 A 44 years exactly.21 Q 44 years.22 A Yes.23 Q Would you describe your upbringing as middle24 class? Were you on the wealthier end of the community25 you lived in? How would you describe that?


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A Middle class.Q Just middle class. Now, when you you said

3 you graduated from high school and you went to4 Youngstown State?5

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University. Yes.In Ohio?Yes.Was that a place where you would did you

9 live in Youngstown, or was it close enough to Warren10 that you could commute?1112 drive.13

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A I could commute. About a 25, 3D-minute

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And did you live at home and --Yes.-- commute to school?Uh-huh.How far did you get in college?It took me five-and-a-half years to get a

19 four-year degree, a Bachelor in business20 administration, a minor in art.212223

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Were you working while you were at school?Yes.What were you doing?I worked for my father at the car business

25 and also took a position as a law enforcement


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Q Okay. And you were with the -- I donlt know

13officer

Q Right.-- back in 1975. Got out of the family

business.Q So you started in law enforcement in 175?A Yes. ~c.,._.!.,.~,,_~Q And were you still in college when you were

in law enforcement?A Yeah. Just had finished up. It was, like,

10 probably about a month or two difference, yes, from the11 time I started until when I graduated.12 Q All right. Was this something that you had13 thought about having a career in or focused on a14 career, or was it something you just wanted to try or,151617

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you know, that oh. There you go. Some water.[Whereupon, there was an interruption in the

proceedings, after which the followingtranspired: ]

THE WITNESS: Actually, the family business,decided to do something different. It was a

21 challenge, a friend of mine was doing it, and it22 was something interesting to do.23 BY MR. ASHTON:24

25 if I have the term right, was it County?


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Okay.Thatls a tough --Rough estimate. IGiving you a rough idea.

14A The Trumbull County Sheriffls Department.Q

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County Sheriffls Department.Yes.And how big is Trumbull County? I know --

5 population, just general estimates. Back in -- when6 you started in the 170s, how big a place was it?7 A Probably the whole complete county as far as8 the amount of people who lived there through all the9 townships and the different little cities and stuff

10 like that, maybe a little less than a million people.11 Maybe 800,000, right around in there. I mean,12 that Is13

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17 Q 11m just trying to get a sense of the18 community a little bit.19 A Okay.20 Q All right. So you started in law enforcement21 in 175. Just kind of take me through your career path22 in law enforcement.23 A I was in uniform for about two years, working24 in different areas throughout the county. Going into25 about my two-and-a-half year period, I was promoted to


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Yes.-- term you used. Okay.Yes.Within the Detective Bureau, how were -- how

15a detective. I was the very first one to be promoted

2 so quickly within the sheriff's department of all the3 years it had been in existence.

Q That's wonderful. How large a detective5 division, if that's the correct word they used, did the6 Trumbull County Sheriff's Office have?7 A That could fluctuate by the number of8 officers we had on our force at the time. Officers we9 had -- when I was -- at our peak, I think we had 115 or10 116 officers in our Trumbull County Sheriff's11 Department. As far as the number of detectives, I12 think we had, like, 16 or 17 of us were --13

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Okay.-- in different divisions within the

15 Detective Bureau.16 Q And how and it's called the Detective17 Bureau, was the18

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22 was it divided up, in other words?23 A Oh, we had a burglary division. We had an24 auto theft division, which I was basically assigned to.25 We also had a homicide division, which I occasionally


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Q And at any of those times, were you actually

16worked in. And we just -- you know, different things.

2 I mean, it was just whatever came through. Small/petty3 theft, I think vandalisms. It was --

Q Is -- I imagine with that number of officers,5 there was a lot cross-over where --6 A Oh, absolutely.7 Q -- one division would get busy and the other8 would help and --9 A Right.

Q -- that kind of thing?okay. So you started out in Auto Theft?Uh-huh.And did you ever -- were you ever -- and how

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14 long were you a detective?15 A Oh, geez. Just about five-and-a-half, maybe16 six years, roughly.17

18 transferred full time to a different division within19 the sheriffrs office other than the auto theft20 division?21 A Oh, I worked in a -- I was working undercover22 in a drug division. We had a drug and surveillance23 division that we had. That was something that was --24 the sheriff at the time, our newest sheriff that came25 in, he just divided certain officers, and we had


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3 Q Okay. And what type of undercover or

17there was, like, three or four of us that were assigned

2 to that particular area.

4 surveillance work would you do in that division?5 A Wow. Any -- any particular case th~t would6 have involved drugs, sellins, being cultivated within7 our county and other counties that were around us we8 worked very closely with. It was basically a task9 force we had --

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Okay.-- formed with the Mahoney County Sheriff's

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12 Department and Trumbull County Sheriff's Department --13 Q Now, I --1415

-- at the time.11m sorry. I thought somebody said

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16 something. I know in some different parts of the17 country, different types of drugs are the greater18 problem. Some places it's marijuana cUltivation; some19 places meth production; some places crack cocaine.20 What was -- was there a main focus in Trumbull County21 as far as your investigations went?22 A Well, a lot of things that we were involved23 with, that I can remember having a lot of -- a decent24 amount of arrests with, was a marijuana growth and25 cultivation we had within our couple counties that we


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lSworked with.

We also at the time was a drug called PCP or

3 phencyclidine. It's a horse-type

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15 That was sort of towards the end of my stint as a

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Yeah.-- thing. That's going back. As far as

6 crack cocaine, it wasn't really the big thing, I guess,7 back then or the meth and stuff like that.

Q It wasn't really until the 'SOs.Yeah. It's -- I think right after I got outA

of it, I think that stuff really started to --Q All right.A - - blossom.Q And so you were in that unit for how long?A I would say 18 months, right around there.

16 detective. Yes.17 Q Now, I think you indicated that during your18 time, even when you were in Auto Theft, you would19 occasionally cross over and investigate homicide cases20 as well, or violent-crimes cases?21

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Uh-huh.How frequently would you become involved in

23 investigations of violent-crimes cases and homicide24 cases?

A To put a specific amount of days or months or25


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Q Can you tell me/ how long had you been in

19something like that, I really don't remember. 1--

2 Q Just in general. In other words/ was it3 something that happened once or twicet or was it4 something that happened, you knowt fairly often to the5 point that it didn't become, like, reallYt you knowt6 notable kind of thing?7 A Oh, no. I meant there are specific cases8 that I can remember verYt very well --

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Okay.-- that I was involved with/ probably for a

11 matter of months or maybe even a year. But as far as12 exact amount of times I worked int like, violent crimes13 and stuff like that/ I'm going to say maybe two years14 at max maybe with that.15 Q Okay. I understand that. Did you -- did you16 were you called upon to testify very frequently as a17 law enforcement officer up in Trumbull County?18 A I was in court numerous times for a lot of19 different202122

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Right.-- different things.Well, I know at some point during this period

23 of time you met your wife.24 A Uh-huh.25


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Q And she is how much younger than you? Like,

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where were you in your law enforcement career when you2 met Cindy?3 A Towards the end of my detective bureau -- I4 was working undercover at the time.

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All right.I was working as a drug enforcement person in

7 our division.8 Q Did you ever actually, you know, pretend to9 be a drug purchaser, do the whole

10 A Oh, yeah. You did.11

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-- the whole thing?Absolutely.Okay. My understanding is that Cindy was a

14 nurse for a family member? Thatrs how you met her?15 A As a matter of fact, my sister was in the16 hospital, yes, when I met Cindy.17

18 a few years?19 A Ruthie is ten years younger.20 Q I meant Cindy. I'm sorry.21 A Oh, Cindy? Cindy is seven years younger than~ ~.23 Q Seven years younger. Okay. And so how were24 you how old were you when you met?25 A I was 29 and she would be 22.


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21Q 22. Now, itls my understanding that you had

2 been married before you and Cindy got marriedi is that3 correct?45

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Yes.All right. Tell me a little bit about that,

6 when in your life that happened, kind of how long it7 lasted, just a thumbnail sketch.8 A Oht that lasted from 1972 to just about the9 last part of 1979, almost 1980.10 Q Okay. So through your -- when you were in11 college to when you started in law enforcementt and12 then it ended while you were in law enforcement.13

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Yes.Okay. Any children of that --No.

marriage?No children.What was her name?Her name was Terry, T-e-r-r -- T-e-r-r-y.T-e-r-r-y. Okay.11m sorry.What was her last name?Rosenberger (ph] was her maiden name.Rosenberger. You knowt the ending of that

25 marriaget did it have anything to do with your career


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2 A It had something to do with it. Her also

22in law enforcement?

3 working in the auto industry. She worked for a plant,4 which was called Pack [ph] Electric at the time. Just5 never saw each other.6

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Right.When youlre in law enforcement, you work

8 undercover, youlre sometimes9

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Sure.-- you1re not available 9:00 to 5:00.Right.You donlt make it home sometimes for two or

13 three days.14 How -- was the -- was there any acrimony in15 the divorce, or was it kind of just -- was it okay, or16 was it a very difficult divorce?17 A Oh, yeah. I mean, we split very -- as18 amicably as possible.19 Q Okay.20 I mean, she -- she went her way and I went21 mine.22 Okay. And you said you met her -- you23 divorced in 179. What year was it you met Cindy?24 Just in the spring of 1980 and we were~ married a year later.


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Yes.How long after you got married was it that

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Okay.1981.And you got married in Warren or Niles?Niles, Ohio.Niles. And -- let's see. Did you and Cindy

6 live together before you got married?7 A About two months maybe, right around there.8 We had purchased a home together and probably just a9 couple months.

10 Q All right. And so you got married. And11 after you were married, what -- did you both continue12 to work?13

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Q15 you left law enforcement?16 A Oh, about four years. Three-and-a-half, four17 years.18 Q And what -- tell me about your deCision to19 leave law enforcement. What prompted that? How did20 that come about?21 A Oh, my father made me an offer to go back in22 the family business, which was a good offer. He was23 getting ready to retire, or at least step back, and he24 wanted to keep it in the family. My son had been born.25 Just a lot of different little reasons.


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Q Okay.2 A Law enforcement, too, was getting very, very3 treacherous at the time, I guess to say, through a bad4 automobile accident, through some other causative5 things that made me start thinking about my life a6 little bit differently.7 Q Okay. And 11m sure having a child gives you8 a different perspective of that, too.9 A Having a son gives you a different

10 perspective on a lot of things. Yeah. You value your11 life differently when you have children.

Q So what -- and did -- did Cindy encourage you213 maybe that's the wrong way to put it.14 Was she concerned about your safety when you15 were in law enforcement? Did she express that to you16 and17

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Absolutely.-- those kind of things? All right. So--

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19 well, how long after you were married was Lee born?20 A He was born in 19 -- God, he's going to hate21 me for this. 1982. So it was about a year-and-a-half.2223

Okay.About -- I think about 17 months after we

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24 were married he was --25 Right. And was he planned?


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25A Absolutely.

2 Q Okay. I have four kids, two planned, two3 not, so that's why I asked. All right. So you get out4 of law enforcement. You go to work for your father; in5 what capacity?6 A I was considered the general manager of the7 business, overseeing the sales and service department8 of our business, of our family-owned business.9 Q Did -- and it was called Anthony Motors or --10

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Anthony's Auto Sales and Service.Anthonyrs Auto Sales and Service. One

12 location? More than one location?13 A Oh, my father, over the 44 years that he was14 involved in it, he moved three different times. When15 the business would get better or increase, he would16 build on or he would go to another location to --17 Q At the time that you took over, how many18 locations did his company have?19

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We just had one location.Just one. And still selling used cars and

21 new convers ion vans?2223

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QYes.Did you -- did your company actually do the

24 conversions of the vans or just sell them?25 A We just sold them. We purchased the vans and


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Q Okay. So it -- had it been your impression

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went back into business with him, he decided on cutting2 back.

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Okay.Maybe two/three days a week, if that

5 sometimes.6 Q All right. And so you kept working for --7 how long did you work as the general manager for your8 father's business?9 A Just about -- about three-and-a-half, maybe

10 four years. And we decided to part because he was11 getting ready to he had a chance to sell the12 business.13

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Okay.And I went out on my own and started my own,

15 George Anthony's Auto Sales, so --1617 that he was going to sort of turn the business over to18 you?19

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That was my --Okay.-- feelings back in -- when I left the

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22 sheriff's department j yes.23 Okay. But that didn't turn out -- didn't24 turn out that way?~ A Not fully, no.


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Sure.It was

28Q Okay.A No.Q So he sold the business. Did you get - - did

he give you any sort of part of the business or

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45 anything like that, or was it just he sold the business6 and you started your own on your own?

A He sold the business and I went out on my8 own.9 Q Okay. And what were you selling? Obviously10 cars, but what type of cars?11 Used cars. I sold cars two, three, maybe12 five years old. Could be a little bit older. But13 basically I was trying to stay in that newer-type --1415

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Right.-- used models.And how big a lot did you haver if you can

17 kind of describe it?18 A Just about -- maybe about an acre lot. Could19 put maybe 50, 60 cars on itr something like that.20 All right. Andr again, did you do the21 conversion-van thing, too, or --22 A No. I completely separated from thatr23 because at the time I just couldn't afford to do both.2425


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wasnlt being as profitable as it should have been. She2 also saw me putting more and more hours and she just3 says: Is it really worth it?4 And 11m like: Maybe not. Maybe 11m not cut5 out to be a --678

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Right.-- quote/quote car guy, so --It1s not for everybody.No.Now, during all this period of time, is Cindy

11 still working?12 A At that time when I -- when we had started13 our business on our own, I think she went back and14 worked part time for a doctor that she used to work for15 that -- when Lee was first born. Because she had left16 the hospital and went for a private orthopedic guy.17 Q All right. How was the decision -- how did18 you come to the decision to move to Florida?19 with the business not doing as well, my20 parents were here now full time, Cindy1s parents were21 down here full time, just -- we had been so close to22 them, we figured the children are youngi why not make23 the move.2425

Right.Plus we loved Florida, and we loved the

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33we talked about auto theft and things like that.

Q Yeah.A I was tempted.Q Okay. But Cindy - - between the two of you,

you decided it was --A Well, between the two of us, we thought it

7 wasn1t the right thing to do. I got out of it for a8 certain reason, and I should stay with that and go into9

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14 the Jewett Orthopedic Clinic where she had got hired15 at. There were some -- if I remember correctly, that1s16 something that she was checking into.17

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the regular work sector and just try to find somethingthat would be better for us as a family.

Q Now, when you came down from Ohio, did eitherone of you have a job set up before you got here?

A Cindy had had some inquiries for, I think,

QAQ

Okay.But as far as -- I can't remember exactly.Okay. I guess what I'm getting at is, when

20 you came here, did you have a pretty good feeling that21 Cindy would be able to get something?22 A Oh, I knew Cindy would find something23 probably a little bit quicker than I would. Yes.24 And you were still trying to figure out what25 you wanted to do --


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It was up in Ohio.In Ohio?Yes.All right. Now, did you file before you left

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A Yes.Q -- basically?

Okay. So you come down. Did you all own a4 house in Ohio?5

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Yes. We did,Okay. So I assume you had to sell your

7 house?8 A As a matter of fact, we gave the house back9 to the bank, as a matter of fact.10 Q Oh, okay.11 A Because when my business was failing, we12 decided that we couldn't make two ends meet. We13 couldn't afford two things, and I'm not sure if she14 told you or not, but we filed bankruptcy back in 1990.15 Q I think I heard that. We didn't talk to her16 about that. But was that up in Ohio or --17

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2021 Ohio and then completed it in '90? Because you said22 you moved down in '89.23 A Yes. We filed, I think it was probably in24 August or September of t89 and it didnrt come until25 January of 1990 that everything was finalized.


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Q And that was, I assume, personal Chapter 112 bankruptcy?3 A Dh-huh. It was personal. Yes.4 Q Okay. So when you were down here, did you5 initially buy a house or rent a house?6 A Cindy had purchased the house. As a matter7 of fact, it was an assumable mortgage.S Q Now9 A The same house we live in right now.

10 Q did she declare bankruptcy, or just you?11 A We did it together.12 Q Together. Okay. But she -- and she was13 still able to --14 A Uh-huh.15

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-- to get a place down here?Yes.All right. Did you all -- and it's still the

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18 house you're in now?19

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AQ

Yes.Okay. So I want to talk a little bit about

21 Ohio. How old was Casey when you all left Ohio?22 A Just about three years old.23 Q Anything at all unusual or difficult about24 Casey's birth or her infancy or those first three years25 in Ohio?


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Q Yeah.

A No. She was a very health, well-adjusted,2 smart child.

QAQ

No problems?No problems.Any difficulty -- any prenatal issues with

6 Cindy when Casey was --7 A No. As a matter of fact, I remember Cindy8 even stating to me that when Casey was born, she says9 she -- she was so much easier -- easier delivery than10 it was for Lee.111213

14

QAQA

Yeah.Yeah. Was a lot easier.What are your -- do you drink alcohol?I have an occasional beer, maybe a glass of

15 wine occasionally, but --16 Q Back during the early years or the years in17 Ohio during your marriage, you know, was alcohol a18 frequent part of your social -- your socializing?19 A No. Definitely not.20 Q Just an occasional beer or maybe a glass of21 wine?22 A Just an occasional beer with a friend or23 something like that. Weld go out maybe for dinner or24 over someone Ishouse.25

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A We've never been someone who consumes --Q

AQ

Not big drinkers?No. We're not.Okay. Same thing with Cindy?

5 A As a matter of fact -- yeah. Cindy has never6 been one really to when I first met her and stuff7 like that, no. We never have.8

9

QA

Okay.She never has.

10 Q So there was no -- was there never any issue11 about her drinking alcohol during her pregnancy or1213

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anything like that?A Absolutely not.

is definitely a no there.did not.

That's definitely -- thereShe definitely would not --

QAQAQ

Did she -- has she ever smoked?No.You?No.Was there anything about her prenatal habits

21 that anybody expressed concern about? Anything about,22 you know, you're doing this; you shouldn't be doing it?23 A No. Cindy's weight was always in proportion24 of what the doctor had told her about, the pediatrician25 at the time. Everything was fine. I mean, she was a


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old at the

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very healthy woman. She's -- pregnancy always went to

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13 all.

2 term.

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25 school?

Q Okay.A She gained the acceptable amount of weight,

5 and everything was fine.

10

And the birth was just natural?A Dh-huh.Q Not a C-section or anything like that?A No. Both natural for both children.Q Okay. And how long was Casey in the hospital

11 before they sent her home after she was born?12

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Two or three days. It wasn't very long at

Q Okay. pretty quick?A Dh-huh.Q All right. So at the time that you left

17 Ohio, Lee was -- Lee was already in school; correct?18

19

A Yes.Q Okay. Any difficulties with him in uprooting

20 him and moving him down?2122

No. Because he was a little over five yearsor almost six years old at the time and

23 no. He was very well adjusted, very easy.24 Q So he had just pretty much just started


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2AQ

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Uh-huh.Okay. All right. So you get down to

3 Florida. How quickly did Cindy go to work once you4 actually moved down here?5 A If lim not mistaken, I think she started in6 November of 1989.7

8QA

Okay. So pretty quickly once you moved down?Within a couple months that we were here.

9 Yes.10 Q How about you? How quickly after your moving11 here did you start working?1213

1415

16

AQ

quicklyA

Q

December of 189.All right. So you both got hooked up pretty

Dh-huh.-- with jobs? Thatls good. So you get down

17 here, and it's in the sort of in the middle of a18 school year. Did Lee start right into school?19 A Yes. He started right in school. As a20 matter of fact, Pinar Elementary it was called at the21 time.22 Q Right. And that's before they built the one23 that's closer to your house?2425

AQ

Uh-huh.Okay. All right. So kind of -- what were


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4QA

What were your responsibilities?Oh, besides basic foot patrol and also cart

41A -- working at the Centroplex, the Orlando

2 Orena.

5 patrol, just watching for patrons and also other6 employees enter the complexes and generalities of just7 security work, just8 Q Were you one of the guys I always feel sorry9 for that canlt watch the game?

10 A Well, when I was there for the three years11 that I was there, I worked midnight shift.1213

QA

Oh, okay.Very rarely I came in during a production

14 itself unless --15

1617

Q

AQ

Okay.-- I was called in early, soI see. I always watch those games and think,

18 those poor guys, they have to look at me and not look19 at the game. That stinks.20 So working the midnight shift, were you a21 supervisor?22 I didnlt have that so-called designation.23 But, yes, basically I was.24 Q Okay.25 I was the gentleman who had the most


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experience than the other two or three gentlemen who2 sometimes worked midnights together.3 Q Now, did you work out of a central office and4 then patrol, or were you always patrolling? Kind of5 take me through how that worked.6 A On the west side of the Orlando Orena where7 the large entrance door and stuff is at, we have a8 security office that was right there, or that was the9 security offices right there. I was assigned to that10 particular area, and when it was my turn to go do11 patrols, either foot or cart patrol

QAQ

Okay.So --And you said you worked the midnight shift,

1213

14

15 so1617

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AQA

Yes.-- midnight to what? 7:00 or 8:00?Sometimes it could be 11:00 to 7:00. It

19 could be midnight to 8:00 a.m.20 Q Okay. And during So during that time, you21 were working that shift and Cindy was working a -- was22 she working normal hours, what we would consider normal23 hours?2425

Yeah. She was working the day shift. Yes.All right. How long did you two maintain

AQ


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43that schedule where she would work days and you would

2 work nights?3 A Wow. Many! many years.4 Okay.5 A As far as specific amount of years! I don't6 know. But we always worked alternate shifts for the7 children.8

9

Okay.One of us could always be around for the

QA

10 children either in the morning or in the evening! so11 Q All right. Then that brings up the next12 question. Based on that schedule! how did you all work13 taking care of the children? Kind of describe that to14 me.15 Well, with me being on midnight turn or an16 afternoon shift, whatever it might be, we just we17 found a way to watch the children. I mean! it's --18 when our son got to be a little bit older! in his teen19 years, he basically would watch his sister.~ Q Okay.21 A We had a next-door neighbor who maybe would22 help out. You know! it was just --23 Q So you were -- okay. I'm trying to just kind24 of get sort of envision normal life in the early25 '90s in the Anthony household. You're working


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9QA

Okay.bring the children home and stay with them

44midnights. She's working during the day. You come

2 home from work at 7:00. She leaves at 7:00. Is that3 more or less -- was it more or less: Hi, Sweetie, have4 a good day; and she would go to work5 A Sometimes, yes. Sometimes I would pick my6 children up at where she worked, out at Jewett7 Orthopedic Clinic, and I would --

10 all day long until she got home in the evening, and11 maybe get about three or four hours of sleep to go to12 work.13

1415

That's a rough schedule.You've got to do what you've got to do.That's the truth. That's the truth. So

QAQ

16 sometimes she would actually take them to work if there17 was a little overlap in your schedules and --18 A Right. Now, if I could work an earlier19 shift, I'd be home before she left, right, and I'd be20 with the children. Got them off to school or whatever21 it might be, so --22 Q Right. And did you -- obviously when Casey23 was pre-school, obviously there's no time for you to24 catch a nap during the day. Once they started school,25 did that change your schedule in any way? In other


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45words, were you able to have more time?

2 A Oh, right. When I would come home from3 midnight turn, sure. I would try to take lay down4 for maybe two/three hours, something like that, go and5 meet them after school, bring them home, or vice versa,6 so7 Now, kind of take me through the progression8 of -- let me preface. Having raised children, I know9 that you start out holding your children very closely,10 and as they get older, you loosen your grip. You11 geographically let them go a little farther, you know.12 A Uh-huh.13 It starts out as the front yard. Then it's14 the neighbor's yard. Then it's the neighborhood. Take15 me through how progressively you kind of went through16 the children as far as geographically how much freedom17 they had.18 A Well, our children were always in our19 backyard. We have a fenced backyard. We never had any20 neighbors behind us until about seven years ago. Our21 children would always play with a certain amount of22 kids within a -- probably within a half-a-block radius23 of our home, and they basically played in this little24 cul-de-sac area, which is, what 50 yards away from our25 home. That's where it seemed like all the neighborhood


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A Oh, we would let them stay maybe at a

46kids would hang out, and they were always there.

Q Now, you said that until seven years ago3 there was nobody behind your house. What was behind4 your house before that?

Just woods.Just woods?Just woods.Did the kids

AQAQ were the kids allowed to go

play in the woods as they got a little bit older?A Definitely not. Definitely not.Q Okay. So that was - - was there a gate that

went back from your back fence or whatever - - backfence to the wooded area?

AQ

AQ

No.So there's no way to get through there --There is not.-- except going around somewhere else? All

18 right. As the kids became pre-teens, were they allowed19 a little bit broader freedom of where they could go?20

21 friend's house and stuff like that. They were involved22 with athletics in school. They were both very involved23 with basketball, track, you name it, stuff like that.24 And when we got to know their friends and families,25 yeah, they could stay an occasional night maybe at a


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47friend's house or -- seemed like we had more of the

2 children staying at our house --3

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Q Yeah.A -- than anything else, soQ There's always one in the neighQQrhood..,~


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riding her bike at third grade.2 A It was probably towards the end of third --3 Q Okay. Somewhere in there.

AQ

-- but closer to fourth. Right.Okay. Did there come a time when you would

6 not wait at the corner and just be at home and trust7 her to8

9

10

11 street1213

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AQA

Very rarely. Maybe one day a week, if that.Okay.I was always probably at the end of the

QAQ

Yeah.-- waiting for her.Did there come an age when she got old enough

15 where you didn't feel you needed to stand at the corner16 any more and let her just, you know, make her way17 around the -- you know, down the street back to home?18 A Probably after she went to middle school.19 Q Okay. And how did she get to middle school?20

2122 distance?23

2425

AQ

Walked with friends.Okay. So it was also within walking

AQA

Uh-huh.She didn't ride a bike to --Liberty Middle School at the time? I don't


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50remember her riding a bike to Liberty. I don't

2 remember that.3 Q At that age, were you -- did she -- was she4 allowed to just basically leave the house and then go5 to school and come back without your either escorting6 her, or waiting at the corner, or that dynamic?7 A Oh, yeah. Because she was always good8 there's probably two or three friends that she would9 walk with and we knew the families very well and they'd10 always leave at a specific time and I always knew what11 time they were coming home. So they were always good12 with their times.

QAQ

Okay.Always good with it.Did they -- were they allowed sometimes to

16 sort of come home to someone else's house as opposed to17 yours, or was it always you've got to be here first,18 check in before you go anywhere?19 A It possibly could have been. But they would,20 you know, either call or we would know that they'd be21 at a particular friend's house or something like that22 maybe right after school. Yeah. We would know that.23 That would be arranged or we knew that they would be24 there.

Aug 5 2009 George Anthony Depo Pgs 1 50 Part 1

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