Casey Anthony’s Jurors’ Names Released, Reportedly in Hiding

The names of the jurors in Casey Anthony's trial were released Tuesday, but the jurors were reportedly unwilling or unavailable to talk to the media. The Associated Press reports that it seems the jurors went into hiding just like Anthony, the mother acquitted of murdering her two-year-old daughter, Caylee.

AP reporters went to what are thought to be the home addresses of the 12 jurors Tuesday, but in most cases, the blinds and drapes were closed and no one answered the door. At one home, a woman came to the door, but told AP reporters that the named juror does not live there.

Tampa Bay Online released a review of the jurors, who include 7 women and 5 men, ranging from 33 years old to 65. The jurors included retired nurses, a former logger, a Verizon billing representative and a Publix cook, among others. Six of the jurors had children and six did not. There were also five alternative jurors, two women and three men with three with children and two without.

Although Anthony was acquitted three months ago, there was an enormous public outcry that followed the not guilty verdict. Death threats and angry posts online were addressed to both Anthony and the jurors. The trial received extensive media coverage and was closely followed in real time by the public.

Orange-Osceola County Chief Judge Belvin Perry, Jr., presiding over the Casey Anthony trial, ordered the names of the jurors to remain sealed for three months to allow for a cooling off period. The names of jurors are normally released on public record in Florida. Perry opted to protect the names of the 12 jurors and five alternatives as a precautionary measure.

In a democracy, criminal trials should not, as a rule, be decided by anonymous persons, Perry wrote in an order issued July 26, according to The Tampa Tribune. However, anonymity, at least from the media and the public, relieves pressure on jurors and protects impartiality.

There have been death threats made to some of the jurors in the past and Perry worried for their future safety.

Jurors for the Anthony trial were from Pinellas County, a few hours from Orlando, due to heavy media coverage prior to the beginning of the trial.

Anthony was accused of murdering her daughter, Caylee, in June 2008. After extensive searches for the little girl, her body was found in a wooded area near Anthony's parents' home in Orlando six months later.

Casey Anthony, 25, was found not guilty of first-degree murder, aggravated manslaughter and aggravated child abuse in July 2011. Jurors claimed that there was not enough evidence beyond reasonable doubt to convict Anthony for the crime. While prosecutors claimed Anthony murdered her daughter using duct tape and chloroform, the defense said the two year-old died in her grandparents' pool.

The trial, which lasted for 33 days, included testimony from nearly 60 law enforcement, medical and character witnesses and dozens of pieces of evidence. The jurors deliberated for 10 hours and 40 minutes before announcing the verdict.

Anthony is serving probation on an unrelated check fraud charge at the moment at an undisclosed location in Florida.