Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of letters written to Casey Anthony from people all across the U.S. were released by prosecutors on Friday. The letters, some hand written, others typed, expressed love, lust, criticism, support, advice, views on Casey’s guilt and innocence and many urge her to pray and accept Christ.
Julie Reynolds, a 31 year old mother from Kentucky writes that Casey is beautiful and “I support you 100 %!!!” Reynolds says that she has visited Florida several times and wishes she had met Casey then. She would like to send some money to “help you get things you want or need” and she urges Casey to write back.
“I will wait as long as I have to. It would be worth it. Until then, I will be thinking of you. You hold your head high for you have a lot of people that are behind you,” Reynolds says. “So please write back, so I can send you some money.”
A 50-year-old woman from Nebraska, Jacalyn Trautman writes, “Casey, I beg of you, Please invite Jesus Christ into your Life. You are going to need him.” She suggests that Casey read the book of Mathew, chapter 7, vs 13 and urges her to “Please read your Bible, ask God to open your eyes, to see HIS truth”.
In another letter post-marked May 25, 2009, Trautman writes that Casey could be “suffering from demonic possession”. She believes that that is exactly what happened and that a “demon took over” Casey.
“I am sure you can only believe half of what the media says, but after having heard a former boyfriend of yours describe a possible seizure episode that you had, it makes me think that you could be suffering from demonic possession,” Trautman writes. She adds, “If you read your Bible, demonic possession is a very real situation.” However, she advises Casey that “any person that has accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior is capable of casting out a demonic spirit.”
Trautman concludes her letter by observing that it is not too late for Casey to accept Christ.
“Casey, it is not too late. No matter what the future holds for you. Please invite Jesus into your heart,” Trautman writes. “No matter what a jury decides, your life from now will be scarred. If you are found innocent, there will always be people that THINK you are guilty. YOU NEED JESUS CHRIST TO BE YOUR SAVIOR”.
Johnathan Lair, a 34-year-old inmate in the Missouri Department of Corrections, wants to be a pen-pal of Casey’s and writes saying that he is a loyal person to those that are nice to him.
“If you give me a chance, I’ll show you that I’m a good pen-pal and I’ll stick by you through whatever may happen,” Lair writes.
He says he has been in prison since he was 17-years-old and doesn’t have any friends left on the outside. The only family he is in touch with is his mom, Lair writes.
“I saw 2 pictures of you (Casey) on TV when you was in the courtroom and you look kind of shocked and scared and I thought maybe you would be a pen-pal to pass some time,” Lair writes. “I won’t judge you and won’t ask anything about your pending case”.
Lair describes himself to Casey and hopes she would give him a chance to be a friend to her and says he would always write back. He urges her to “stay strong” and ends his letter, “Hopefully waiting”.
John Smith from Orlando writes to Casey on May 22, 2009, saying that, “The lies and actions you have taken are going to put you on death row”. He offers four examples as to why he believes she would probably be convicted:
1. You did a search for a Zenaida Gonzales on your PC on June 12th 2008. Do you REALIZE what this means? It proves PREMEDITATED murder. You were planning to kill your daughter and you were planning your story.
2. On June 13, 2008, you said you were taking your father to the hospital because he had a “mini-stroke.” Which hospital? Any record of that?
3. You have lied about the Nanny from the get go. You said she was involved in a car accident on June 23, 2008 and taken to Tampa General Hospital. Zanny had a concussion and had to spend the night. Raquel had a broken. THERE ARE NO RECORDS OF THIS!
4. You forgot to put the pool ladder back! It’s pretty obvious you killed little Caylee around 4PM on June 16th.
Lair concludes his letter by suggesting to Casey she should “take a plea deal now.” He adds, “DON’T LET YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER OFF THE HOOK. WE ALL KNOW WHATEVER HAPPENED TO YOU AND CAYLEE WERE NOT COMPLETELY YOUR FAULT. PLEASE LET US HELP YOU!”
Craig Twomey, an Orlando man wrote on June 25, 2009. He is conflicted as to Casey’s guilt or innocence, based on the evidence that has come out.
“When this all started, I though that your husband/ex-husband/boyfriend/ex-boyfriend killed your daughter. But since the evidence now points to you, I don’t know what to think,” Twomey writes. “Do you think you’ll ever get out? I’m sure you’ll be there for a long time.”
He says that if Casey would like him to continue to write he will. If not, she should let him know and he would respect her wishes.
Keytha Franzen, a California woman writes, “All I have to offer is just simple–Good Luck”. She would like Casey to have a fair trial. She says she is angry because she does not think Casey could get a fair trial because of all the publicity that surrounds the case.
“Even serial killers get their fair trials. And most of the time, death is not even on the table,” Franzen writes. “How do you explain that? It makes me very angry to think that you will not receive a fair trial, but men or women who go out and kill over and over again do not get as much hype as you are getting and they get a fair trial because they are not exploited all over the United States.”
Franzen questions the fairness of the judicial system.
“We are supposed to have this awesome Judicial System but at the same time, that system will not work for you because of all the venomous things being said and what people are thinking about you,” Franzen writes.
Rachael Fowler, a Georgia woman writes that, when she heard of Casey’s story she got scared for Casey, for herself and Caylee. She writes that she was sad and wishes she could be in Florida to be with Casey in her time of need.
“God is here, now, with me, with you. Just believe,” Fowler writes. “Know you are in my prayers constantly”.
Casey Anthony is charged with first degree murder in the death of her two-year-old daughter, Caylee. She has maintained her innocence, saying that Caylee was kidnapped by a baby sitter. The toddler’s body was found several months after the child went missing, in a wooded area near the Anthony family home.
Anthony sits in the Orange County Jail awaiting trial which is expected to commence in May 2011.
