Casey Anthony Released from Jail into a Hostile World

Casey Anthony's release from jail didn't seem likely just a few weeks ago. But now that she has been released, Anthony is set to resume her life. After being villainized by Nancy Grace and much of the country, this will be a very difficult task. Yet although many still believe that she killed her 2-year-old daughter Caylee, and is only out because of a poor prosecution effort, can she have a normal life?

Perhaps Anthony's biggest goal may be to avoid the fate of O.J. Simpson. He was released after most of the world believed he got away with murder as well, yet his problems were just beginning. A civil trial cost him millions, and when Simpson tried to steal back memorabilia that he had to sell off, he wound up in prison anyway.

Anthony doesn't have a civil trial to worry about and doesn't have millions of dollars, or sports memorabilia, to give away. All she has to overcome is being the most infamous woman in America at the moment, and the center of massive controversy over her trial, the media coverage, and the justice system as a whole.

Eventually, the country will move on whenever another headline-making murder takes place, which is sadly inevitable. As long as Anthony keeps her head down and makes her release the last big story about her for a while, her 15 minutes of infamy could end sooner. But little about the controversial Florida mother suggests that this could happen.

One of the main reasons she was demonized is because of her lies and questionable character, which included being at a wet T-shirt contest while her daughter was still missing. With that kind of past, it would surprise no one if she got into trouble again, or came up with a few publicity stunts to take advantage of her fame.

She would need to do a lot to top Simpson, however, who vowed to hunt for "the real killers" after he was cleared of murder, and even wrote a book titled "If I Did It" a decade later. Yet few were convinced that Simpson really didn't do it, and even fewer believe in Anthony's innocence now, no matter what the jury said and no matter what she may do in the future.

Unlike Simpson, Anthony wasn't famous for doing anything else before being charged with murder, and doesn't have defenders who believe that she was a target of racism. Being released from jail doesn't guarantee that the worst is over, as she returns to an outside world that isn't ready to forgive and forget quite yet.

Casey Anthony may fade away from America's consciousness before long, given the country's short attention span. If so, then it would be a relief for her- assuming that's what she really wants.

Sources

CBS News- "Casey Anthony released from jail"

TIME- "Casey Anthony Released: Can She Ever Lead a Normal Life?"