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Valley man rebuffs defense claims in Fla. murder case
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Chuck Eddy
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AP
Casey Anthony reacts during her trial in the courtroom at the Pinellas County Criminal Justice Center, Friday, May 13, 2011, on the fifth day of jury selection in her trial, in Clearwater, Fla. Anthony is charged with murder in connection with her daughter's death.
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AP
George Anthony, father of Casey Anthony, listens to opening statements during the first day of his daughter's murder trail at the Orange County Courthouse on Tuesday, May 24, 2011, in Orlando, Fla. Anthony is charged with the murder of her 2-year-old daughter.
Chuck Eddy calls allegations in Casey Anthony trial against his brother-in-law, the accused’s dad, ‘absurd’
By Jordan Cohen
AUSTINTOWN
Accusations that former Trumbull County sheriff's deputy George Anthony covered up the death of his 2-year-old granddaughter and sexually molested his daughter, Casey, are “preposterous,” said Anthony’s brother-in-law, Austintown auto dealer Chuck Eddy.
Casey Anthony, 25, is on trial in Orlando, Fla., charged with killing her daughter, Caylee. The child disappeared in June 2008, but her disappearance was not reported until July. Her remains were discovered near the Anthony home five months later. Investigators said that duct tape had been placed over her mouth.
During opening statements, defense attorney Jose Baez claimed that Caylee accidentally drowned in a swimming pool at her grandparents’ home and that George Anthony, a Niles native, and his wife, Cindy, who is from Warren, panicked and disposed of the body. Baez also alleged that Casey had been sexually molested by her father and her brother.
“It’s the most absurd thing I’ve ever heard in my life,” said Eddy, 53, whose wife, Kathy, 52, is George Anthony’s sister. “It’s the opposite of who George is as a husband and a father. He’s like a brother to me.”
Eddy, who with his father owns Bob and Chuck Eddy Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, said his brother-in-law is hurt by the allegations.
“George said he knew they were going to mount something to try to keep Casey out of the death penalty, but this is way over the top,” Eddy said, adding that he did not know whether there had been any discussion between the attorney and the Anthonys before the allegation was made.
Eddy said he speaks with Anthony daily and describes him as a deeply religious man relying on his faith to “help him hold it together.” He also said that the Anthonys have received support from parishioners at Canfield’s Old North Church where the Eddy family attends services.
“All he tried to do was be a good father and a husband, and now he asks himself, ‘What did I do wrong?’” Eddy said, adding that the trial and subsequent allegations also have been difficult emotionally for Cindy Anthony.
“This is the most horrendous situation a family could go through, and that’s still his daughter on trial,” Eddy said.
Also expressing surprise at the defense attorney’s claims was Trumbull Sheriff Thomas Altiere, who worked alongside Anthony as a sheriff’s department detective in the 1970s.
“It’s so hard for me to believe something like this because I know he is a good person,” Altiere said.
Anthony denied the defense claims when he took the stand Tuesday. He and his wife also issued a statement of denial through an attorney.
“George and Cindy Anthony are shocked and appalled that the defense would resort to lies about them in today’s opening statement,” Orlando attorney Mark Lippman said in the statement. “The only result achieved by the defense in this statement was to further hurt this grieving family.”
In addition to a count of capital murder, Casey Anthony faces charges that include aggravated child abuse, aggravated manslaughter of a child and providing false information to investigators. If convicted, she could face the death penalty.