The parents of America's most hated mother want to clear the name.
George and Cindy Anthony, whose daughter is a Florida woman named Casey Anthony, agreed to take a polygraph test for a two-hour special called “Casey Anthony's Parents: The Lie Detector Test.''
The special, which will air on both A&E and Lifetime, will explore the story of her granddaughter, Caylee Anthony, who passed away in 2008. The incident made international headlines and sparked a bitter rift within the family. Casey, 37, was charged in the 2-year-old's death in 2011 but was later acquitted.
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George and Cindy Anthony agreed to undergo on-camera polygraph tests to answer lingering questions about George's alleged involvement in Caylee Anthony's death. (©️2023 A&E Television Networks LLC/Mary Beth Koss)
The polygraph test was conducted by George Olivo, a former FBI special agent who has conducted thousands of polygraph tests over 20 years. He was not allowed to leak the results to Fox News Digital. Olivo also hasn't seen the special, which depicts George and Cindy reacting to each other's answers and lie detector results, ahead of its Jan. 4 broadcast.
“When I met them, they broke up right away, and I tested George first,” Olivo told FOX News Digital. “There was nothing that really stood out. On the surface, they seem like a normal couple who have been together for a very long time.”
Olivo said that despite critics' claims that the special was a publicity stunt for the Anthony family, their motives for coming forward were genuine.
Cayley Anthony passed away in 2008 at the age of two. (Orlando Sentinel/Orlando Sentinel/Tribune News Service)
“Your daughter is accusing you of some pretty terrible things,” he said. “If they claim they haven't done anything, it's like the old saying goes: It's bad if you do it, and it's bad if you don't do it. If you don't say anything, it's the same thing. Critics will say, “Look, they didn't say anything, so they must be guilty.'' And if they raise their voices and say, “I don't want to be in public as well.'' I want to react with that.” [my daughter] If she goes public with her accusations, critics will say, “They're trying to take advantage of that.'' ”
“You can't win either way,” Olivo added.
In 2022, Casey appeared in Peacock's documentary series “Casey Anthony: Where Is the Truth?'' This is the first time Casey has appeared on camera since she was found not guilty of Caylee's murder, but she was found guilty of lying to law enforcement.
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In 2022, Casey Anthony, whose 2011 trial was made public, was participating in a Peacock special called “Casey Anthony: Where Is the Truth?'' (Joe Burbank/Pool)
In the documentary, Casey stopped short of claiming that her father intentionally killed Caylee, but strongly accused her father of being involved in any way.
Casey was arrested in 2008 for Caylee's disappearance. Caylee was last seen on June 16, 2008, but was first reported missing by Cayce's mother on July 15. Casey told police that Kaylee disappeared with her babysitter.
For about six months, volunteers searched across the country for the toddler, following up on hundreds of leads. On December 11, a utility worker working in a wooded area near Cayce's Florida home discovered skeletal remains that were later determined to be Caylee's. Experts will testify that air samples showed there were decomposed human remains in Casey's trunk.
A memorial to Caylee Anthony is on display at the site where her 2-year-old body was found in Orlando, Florida. Kaylee's mother, Casey Anthony, was acquitted of murder charges in her death. (Joe Radle)
Casey was charged with murder, and the 2011 trial attracted media attention. The prosecution proved that Casey was a liar, but convinced the jury little else. The government has not been able to determine how Caylee died, and no DNA from her mother was found on the duct tape allegedly used to suffocate her.
Jose Baez, lead attorney for Casey's defense team, argued that Caylee drowned accidentally and that her death was covered up, but said Casey did not believe her daughter drowned in the family's above-ground pool. Ta. Meanwhile, prosecutors alleged that Casey used chloroform to suffocate the girl and then covered her toddler's mouth with duct tape.
George and Cindy Anthony are shown being interviewed for a television special. (©️2023 A&E Television Networks LLC Photo/Mary Beth Koeth)
After a trial that lasted more than a month, a jury took less than 11 hours to find Casey not guilty of first-degree murder, aggravated manslaughter and aggravated child abuse. Casey was found guilty of four counts of lying to police (though two were later dropped) and was given a three-year prison sentence while awaiting trial.
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Casey Anthony reacts after being found not guilty of murder at the Orange County Courthouse on July 5, 2011 in Orlando, Florida. On the left is defense attorney Jose Baez. (Red Huber/Pool/Getty Images)
Casey did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. A source told the Messenger that Casey had “no idea” that her parents wanted to take a polygraph test.
“She says she knows the truth, and her parents know too,” a source told the outlet. “Polygraphs don't change the truth.”
Olivo said polygraphs, when done correctly, have an accuracy rate of “85 to 90 percent.” It is thought that pointed questions will be asked about whether George sexually abused Casey and whether he had anything to do with Caylee's death or hiding her body.
George Olivo conducted thousands of polygraph tests for the FBI. He has helped solve problems such as bank robbery, murder, missing persons, crimes against children, fraud, and extortion. (©️2023 A&E Television Networks LLC/Mary Beth Koss)
Olivo said 19 states have regulations that allow polygraph results to be admitted in court, meaning both parties agree to admit the results and who will administer the test. He said polygraph tests can be used before and after trial to negotiate sentences and to dismiss cases before the district attorney files charges, but the Supreme Court has ruled that polygraph tests should not be used before trial. He said he had made a decision. jury.
Cindy Anthony (©️2023 A&E Television Networks LLC/Mary Beth Koss)
“The Supreme Court, and I agree with them, wants the jury to make the final decision. [arbiter] It’s true,” Olivo said.
Olivo also said that according to a study conducted by the FBI, 75% of guilty people would consent to a polygraph test if properly asked.
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George and Cindy Anthony have agreed to take a polygraph test following accusations made by their daughter Casey on a 2022 TV special. (©️2023 A&E Television Networks LLC/Mary Beth Koss)
“I taught agents and detectives to ask someone to take a polygraph test in a less challenging way and in a more cooperative way,” Olivo said. “For example, 'I believe you. Let's take a polygraph test to confirm what you said, and then you can forget everything.'
“A person who commits a crime has two strategies: If they think they can get away with it, they will always look cooperative; if they don't, it will look like you are the one committing the crime. …but they often start backpedaling before you can solve the problem. “I’m pretty nervous,” or “I heard these things don’t really work, but they That's not acceptable, right?'' They're already anticipating that it might not work out, so they'll start lining up all their ducks. ”
This photo of Casey Anthony and her daughter Kaylee is shown on a court monitor at the Orange County Courthouse on May 26, 2011. (Red Hoover/Orlando Sentinel/Tribune News Service)
Olivo also said participants in a legal polygraph would know in advance what questions would be asked. There should be no “ginger” or “gotcha” moments. The purpose of the test is not to cause any surprises to the participants, but to collect all physiological data.
george anthony (©️2023 A&E Television Networks LLC/Mary Beth Koss)
“Legal polygraph tests will be repeated,” Olivo said. “We ask the same questions several times. Honest people may be nervous at first, but they get used to it after a while. They show a pattern of honesty. Deceptive people don't lie. They feel even more anxious every time they have to lie. They feel like every time they have to lie, they stick their neck out more and more. It doesn’t become a habit.”
cary anthony (Orlando Sentinel/Orlando Sentinel/Tribune News Service)
Regardless of the outcome, Olivo is hopeful that there will be some closure.
“At the end of the day, this is still a family,” he said. “…But some of the wounds are too deep. I hope they manage to pick up the pieces. There are still a lot of pieces scattered on the ground.”
“Casey Anthony's Parents: The Lie Detector Test” will air on A&E on January 4th at 9pm. Fox News Digital's Stephanie Pagones and her Associated Press contributed to this report.
