You're watching...
Casey Anthony's defense lawyer, Jose Baez, speaks about his new book Geraldo Rivera's big advice, & his legacy.
Also in this playlist...
Auto-advance: ON
Auto-advance
This transcript is automatically generated
He was defense attorney for Casey Anthony a mother charged with killing her two year old toddler Caylee.
Just over a year ago miss Anthony was found not guilty and now Jose Baez is talking about the case that captivated a nation.
His book presumed guilty Casey Anthony the inside story was just released and he is here in our studio.
Those that welcome thank you for joining us thank you you know I want to start off your life has changed pretty pretty drastically I would say -- protests.
It definitely has you know the day I got that phone call.
Like -- in the book -- my life changed forever why did you decide what did you feel the need to write this book.
You know after the case was over -- it bothered me tremendously that people started to criticize the jury and the book is dedicated partly to the jury.
And I thought more people would try to -- want to understand why they voted the way they did as opposed to criticizing them for it.
And I thought it was about time that all the facts get put out there.
And and that's what I did my main goal was to mainly get all of the facts out there.
You know throughout the entire process the media was relentless on the story obviously you know that -- -- -- your name was in the headlines just as much in some cases as Casey's was.
Questions about your financial stability your credibility as a lawyer whether you can even you whether you're the right -- even defenders such a big case what was the lowest.
Point for you throughout the entire process.
-- -- -- I write in the book that that very thing and it's mainly my story so.
When I when I talk about the lowest points it probably had to be when the judge filed the bar complaint against me.
I I had never even come close to experiencing something like that before and it was pretty scary pretty disturbing.
And it was caught completely uncalled for.
But that's what you that's what you do in your plane in the high stakes poker game.
It was described to me by someone has a blood sport and and I think I couldn't -- -- all those actually the one that told me it's a blood sport out there.
And I don't think the description could have been any better than that.
Yet -- -- overall to could have prepared you for what you were experiencing in terms of media coverage -- you talk about maybe an incident and released a Kenya it's funny he didn't but he he he did actually.
I give you perfect example that a write about it as well in the book.
A month before.
I had met with him.
This was sometime in August of 2008.
He said to me.
You know -- -- a very pretty wife and I said well thank you I think so too.
And he said you should take -- out in public more often.
And I said that's ridiculous I wanna keep my family away from -- and he said no because if you don't they just -- accusing me of having something with your client and lo and behold that -- a month later that's exactly what happened.
So I was keen to is forty years of experience.
You're thinking about strongly entering a plea deal.
In 2008 this whole they probably could never happen is that is that correct well that's a little -- reported.
-- you know there were times eight the book is the whole story and there were times where I felt that the case -- -- good for her.
And I we were in negotiations with as my professional obligation is I was talking with the state.
To explore all options so -- could take them to my client but.
Casey was very steadfast about her innocence she never ever wavered on that and I am.
If I were a betting man I would say there's probably absolutely positively no issues taken a -- No I know none none.
In fact even in the trial we had to stop the trial.
Because she would even consider the option and and it was just consider it.
It wasn't.
Make the decision and do it it was just consider we had to stop the trial and how for a evaluated just to.
Cover our necks it's -- mixture of that.
That we were doing the right thing for her.
You writing your book that I think quote here he said that you even said that she wasn't playing with a full deck of course had serious mental issues and had even built a fantasy.
Echoing those are things that you send your book my question -- you is how do you mean those assumptions about her character.
How did you come to believe -- story and how did you come defender.
Well you know I -- act couldn't tell immediately that she had some issues but the fact started to unfold the way they did.
And once I finally gave her trust she had significant trust issues.
So.
Once I was finally able to do so and I got the story of what happened I wasn't so quick to jump on board.
So I -- -- -- I'm gonna be your harshest critic and I went back and look at all of the evidence from page one to 27000.
And -- was looking for things that this -- what she was saying and to the contrary I was actually finding things that supported what she was saying.
Things that she couldn't have known were out there.
Like her phone records and her locations and certain -- and things that she was confirming forming.
And that made me believe that that what she was finally telling me was the truth not to mention other pieces of evidence were just.
There staring us right in the face that.
What she was saying was actually the truth.
You talk about some of the evidence in the book now there is a piece of evidence it -- to did not make it into court what was that new evidence and that sort of that you that you wrote about it there are several parts that several pieces of evidence that in -- in the court.
The most.
Significant.
Probably would be the computer searches that were run the day Caylee died they were suicide related searches.
That where.
Run on the Anthony home computer over an hour after George Anthony says she left the home.
You can never put someone behind a computer so you can argue both sides.
But there were other things that made this believe that it was -- Casey doing those searches.
And I am and I go in today in great detail with the book and and I and I think there's a substantial amount of evidence.
That shows that things didn't occur.
The way they came out.
Initially in the media and quite quite frankly -- result it of the trial was something.
That was reflective of the evidence -- -- have money to pay off the jury okay.
Nor will we have ever engaged in that put this jury wanted to find her guilty they've said it and the post trial comments we presume -- guilty.
But the evidence just wasn't there and the reason wasn't there was it because it wasn't true in the book you talk about.
Particularly if they claim in which George -- well which you claim that -- sexually abused her.
I don't play many regulars like this is the evidence that evidence that was given its okay can you talk about how confident you were when he first -- that allegation throughout the process and speak a little bit about that.
Well in the book.
I start to talk about.
The first time the issue of rows and actually rose in the -- in the Anthony family living room when I was visiting there early on in the case.
And then there were a couple of other signs here in there.
So one Casey finally told me wasn't a great surprise.
And if this was all.
Supported by what -- -- mental health professionals were telling us as well.
When the first not guilty verdict came and I had a tremendous amount of relief that -- came over me that the subsequent verdicts almost went.
Unnoticed.
Well after.
The third.
Not guilty.
And they started reading the guilty on the misdemeanor cases.
I I I -- Started to think to myself.
We did it.
You know that they actually.
Heard what we were saying.
I'm curious how's business been like ever since this case -- for -- If well you know -- -- it's been able to give me -- the opportunity to take cases and other states are across the country.
-- -- -- And I'm really excited about the case is that we're taking.
I love practicing law it's it's it means so much to me.
And I I think is may be unique ability to help people in and give something back.
We all know Johnny Cochran and defending OJ Simpson Terry's murder trial forever known as the guy at least in public the -- As the guy who really dad -- you Simpson off murder.
Is short legacy are you do you think about your legacy being in the same light as his.
You know I've been asked that question a couple times and I'll tell you.
I'm flattered by the comparisons.
Are -- you know I'm I'm no Johnnie Cochran and you know I'm different.
But.
I know that -- part of your question.
Goes to the fact that.
You can shake it it will now give me opportunity to get involved in other cases and a perfect example of that is Barry -- Who is.
Virtually become the Clarence they're all of our time and is no longer remembered as OJ Simpson's lawyer.
As much is but the important legal work that he's done for a justice system.
I have lofty goals I realize that and that's a high bar -- to me.
But I'm hoping you you know with a lot of hard work that maybe I'll be able to -- some type of status like that.
Not just the Casey Anthony lawyer correct correct you know Jose Baez the lawyer who did a lot for our justice system.
Well thank you so much for joining us as I really appreciate the time sliding catch more of this interview and stories of Fox -- -- dot com in New York I'm -- -- -- us.
