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Jose Baez on Casey Anthony verdict: "No winners in this case"
Casey Anthony holds hands with her defense attorneys, Jose Baez and Dorothy Clay Sims, Tuesday
(Credit: AP Photo)ORLANDO, Florida (CBS/AP) - Following the not guilty verdict on the most serious charges faced by Casey Anthony, the defense team spoke to the press, with one member of the team attacking the media for "assassinating" Anthony and another striking a more somber tone.
Pictures: Casey and Caylee Anthony, Personal Photos
Casey Anthony was found not guilty Tuesday of killing her 2-year-old daughter Caylee. She was found guilty of four lesser charges, but is unlikely to face any additional jail time.
After the verdict, lead attorney Jose Baez spoke to press, expressing his relief at the verdict as well as acknowledging the greater tragedy in the case.
"While we're happy for Casey," he said, "there are no winners in this case."
"Caylee has passed on far, far too soon. And what my driving force has been for the last three years has been always to make sure that there has been justice for Caylee and Casey, because Casey did not murder Caylee. It's that simple."
"This case has brought on new challenges of all of us," Baez added. "Challenges in the criminal justice system, challenges in the media, and I think we should all take this as an opportunity to learn and to realize that you cannot convict someone until they've had their day in court."
His co-counsel, Cheney Mason, was more pointed in his criticism of the media, especially the fellow attorneys who have gone on television across the country to analyze the case and "indulged in media assassination".
"I hope that this is a lesson to those of you that have indulged in media assassination for three years. Bias, prejudice and incompetent heads saying what would be and how to be. I'm disgusted by some of the lawyers who have done this," Mason said, according to CBS affiliate WKMG.
The prosecution contended that Casey Anthony suffocated Caylee with duct tape. The defense said that Caylee accidentally drowned.
Casey Anthony's sentencing is scheduled for Thursday.
48 Hours Mystery's special on the verdict, Casey Anthony: Judgment Day, will air tonight at 10/9 c.
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