Florida Taxpayers To Pay Casey Anthony’s Legal Fees

Florida taxpayers will continue paying the fee’s for Casey Anthony’s prosecution.

Taxpayers began picking up her legal expenses in March 2010 after she ran out of money and was declared indigent by the courts. The state has already reimbursed her defense lawyers for $119,000 in expenses, according to the Justice Administrative Commission. Another $5,800 bill from the defense is pending, records show.

Prosecutors have not finalized their overall expenses but have identified at least $91,000 in costs, State Attorney’s Office spokeswoman Danielle Tavernier said. Still being calculated are the costs of the massive, three-year police investigation that began in July 2008.

Casey Anthony was convicted of misdemeanor charges of lying to detectives during the investigation and sentenced to the maximum four years in jail. Anthony has indicated she will appeal her convictions and is requesting that the state continue to fund her defense.

An August 25 hearing is scheduled for Judge Belvin Perry to decide what portion of the trial and investigative costs Anthony should bear. After that, the question will be whether she is able to pay up.