Competition Over Caylee’s Law Bills Begins
July 7, 2011
(Updated 3:30 p.m.) Orlando resident Casey Anthony was found not guilty of murdering her two-year-old daughter Caylee on Tuesday, a controversial verdict that set off a national debate.
By Thursday, two Florida lawmakers had quickly filed a bill called “Caylee’s Law” which would upgrade from a misdemeanor to a felony a failure to report a child missing or a child’s death within a certain time frame. Under current law, failing to report a missing person is a misdemeanor.
The bill (HB 37), sponsored by Rep. Jose Felix Diaz, R-Miami, came a day after a different lawmaker, Rep. Bill Hager, R-Boca Raton, had issued a press release saying he plans to file his own bill called Caylee’s Law.
Hager’s bill would also make it a felony not to timely report a missing child, but it has not been officially filed. Hager did not return a call Thursday seeking comment on whether he still planned to file his bill.
Lawmakers are clamoring to file “Caylee’s Law” bills in response to the highly publicized murder trial, and address perceived flaws in the Casey Anthony case, which garnered international attention.
Two-year-old Caylee was reported missing in July 2008 and her body was found in December. Anthony did not report her daughter missing for 31 days, one of the suspicious pieces of evidence used against her.
Rep. Scott Plakon, R-Longwood, co-sponsor of “Caylee’s Law,” said he joined forces with Diaz after receiving numerous emails from constituents pleading with him to change state law.
“For her to be able to go out and party for 31 days and mislead law enforcement, that seems wrong,” Plakon said. “This bill says it should be illegal for a caretaker to do such a thing.”
Plakon said while the bill wouldn’t impact Anthony, it does create stiffer penalties for any similar situation that may arise in the future. “Had a law like this been in place, she would have a felony right now,” Plakon said.
The three-page bill makes it a felony for a parent or other caregiver to not report a child under the age of 12 as missing after a 48-hour period. It also makes it a felony to not report a child’s death or “location of a child’s corpse” to police within two hours of the death.
There is not yet a Senate sponsor to the bill, but Sen. Greg Evers, R-Baker, said he wants to hold a hearing on the issue. Evers, chairman of the Senate Criminal Justice Committee, has asked Senate President Mike Haridopolos if he can spend his first committee meeting in September on considering a response to the Casey Anthony case.
“While I respect the judicial process and the burden of proof that exists in such cases, I join my fellow Floridians in voicing concern about any inconsistencies or inadequacies in the law that could potentially lead to future issues such as this,” Evers said in a letter sent to Haridopolos on Thursday.
Though Florida is ground zero for “Caylee’s Law” bills, a national movement has also sprung up in response to the not guilty verdict. An online petition calling for a federal law that would make it a felony not to timely report a missing child has drawn over 400,000 signatures and over 9,000 people have joined a “Caylee’s Law” Facebook group.
It is not unusual for well-publicized child deaths to spark legislative reforms. In 2005, Florida also attracted national attention over the kidnapping and disappearance of nine-year-old Jessica Lunsford. In response to her death, the Florida Legislature passed a bill in 2005 that required more stringent tracking of sex offenders.
By Lilly Rockwell
The News Service of Florida
Century Mayor Freddie McCall Running Again
July 7, 2011
Century Mayor Freddie McCall announced Wednesday that he’s running for mayor again.
“We’ve just come so far in four years, and there’s work to be completed,” McCall said. “There are lots of things in the works. I just feel like we are on the brink of good things happening and getting some industry in Century.”
Wednesday morning, McCall became the first candidate to prefile for the Century mayor’s job. McCall was elected to the Century Town Council in 2004 before being elected as mayor in 2007.
The general election in Century is in October.
No Arrests, Reward Money Increased In Cow Strangulation Case
July 7, 2011
Reward money as been increased to $2,850 for an arrest and conviction in the Memorial Day strangulation of a pregnant cow in Enon.
The Humane Society of the United States is offering a reward of up to $2,500 for information leading to the identification, arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the cow’s death. The Junior Humane Society/United Humanitarians is now offering an additional $350 reward.
The owner of the pet Jersey cow found the animal dead in a pasture just behind his house on Highway 97-A Memorial Day morning as he checked on his animals. Thin twine — often called grass string – had been tied several times around the cow’s neck and had apparently strangled the animal as it was dragged through the pasture. The cow was found on its side, with its head upside down and its horns pushed several inches into the dirt.
Authorities suspect the death could have results from a prank gone wrong since school was about to end and the cow’s owner is a school bus driver.
“Viciously killing a pregnant cow for an apparent prank is an inexcusably cruel crime and anyone who would do that can be capable of hurting people, too,” said Jennifer Hobgood, Florida state director for The Humane Society of the United States. “We hope our reward helps bring justice in this horrible case.”
For more photos, click here. (Warning: Some readers may find the photos disturbing.)
Anyone with information about the case is asked to call Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Investigator Frank Way at (850) 256-6196.
Pictured: An Escambia County Sheriff’s Office crime scene investigator photographs a pregnant cow that was apparently strangled to death in Enon. NorthEscambia.com exclusive photo, click to enlarge.
Kevin White Prefiles To Run Again in 2012
July 7, 2011
Two-term incumbent Kevin White of Molino has announced that he is running again for his Escambia County District 5 Commission seat.
“There are a lot of projects that I want to see to completion,” White said. “And I want to continue to reduce the budget, which has been reduced over $100 million since I first took office.”
White, a Republican, was first elected to the seat in 2004 and re-elected in 2008. He pre-filed his qualification papers for the commission seat on Wednesday.
Three other candidates have also prefiled for the job. They are Republicans Sam Archer and Jim Taylor of Cantonment and Dennis Wiggins of Century, who is running with no party affiliation.
Critical Need For Blood Donations; Blood Drives Saturday And Sunday
July 7, 2011
There’s a critical need blood donors, and there will be an opportunity to help coming up Saturday and Sunday in North Escambia.
“Due to the Fourth of July, we have a critical need for blood type O-negative and an elevated need for B-type donors,” according to Sarah Noel, spokesperson for Northwest Florida Blood Services.
There are three upcoming opportunities to give blood in North Escambia:
- The Bloodmobile will be at the McDavid Mini Mart on Highway 29 across the McDavid Volunteer Fire Department this Saturday, July 9, from 1-7 p.m.
- The Bloodmobile will also be in Molino on Sunday — at Aldersgate UMC from 8-11 a.m. and at Highland Baptist Church from noon until 3 p.m.
- There will also be a blood drive in Century later this month. The Bloodmobile will be at the Century Town Hall on Thursday, July 28 from 3-7 p.m.
Lawmakers Plan Caylee Anthony Bill
July 7, 2011
Lawmakers are already planning a Caylee Anthony Bill that will make it a felony in Florida for a parent or guardian to fail to report the disappearance of a child within a “timely manner” when the parent or guardian should have known that the child was in likely danger.
Rep. Bill Hager, R-Boca Raton, issued a press release on Wednesday saying he plans to file legislation, while area House members Doug Broxson (R-Gulf Breeze), Clay Ingram (R-Pensacola) and Clay Ford (R-Gulf Breeze) all said Wednesday that they will cosponsor the bill.
Hager plans to call the bill “Caylee’s Law” — a nod to the death of two-year-old Caylee Anthony of Orlando. Caylee’s mother Casey Anthony’s trial resulted in a controversial not guilty verdict on Tuesday. Casey Anthony did not report her child missing for 30 days, one of the key pieces of evidence the prosecution team used against her.
“What we witnessed in the case of 2-year-old Caylee Anthony was truly tragic. Placing a law on the books requiring parents and guardians to report missing children who are in significant danger in a timely manner will ensure that parents are held accountable for their actions. It will also assure that we put justice on the side of those among us who are most vulnerable, and finally, it will put an end to the kind of irresponsible and outrageous behavior we observed with Caylee’s mother,” Hager said in a statement.
“It is a shame that we have to pass laws to encourage basic parental care” Broxson said. “The House of Representatives and I hold a firm commitment to continually advancing public safety and protecting our most vulnerable citizens from harm.”
“Loss of precious time immediately after the disappearance of a child, seriously and negatively impacts the ability of law enforcement to help that child and it is critical that we give them the tools to help our children,” Ford said.
“Something clearly needs to be done to hold those responsible for our children accountable for their actions. It is inexcusable to fail to report the disappearance of a child for as long a period of time as Casey Anthony did. I am proud of Representative Hager for taking the lead on this important issue,” Ingram said. “The death of Caylee Anthony was a real tragedy. Whether or not the State could prove murder, the simple fact of the matter is that Casey Anthony seriously neglected her responsibilities as a mother in not reporting her daughter’s disappearance.”
The bill has not been officially filed because what constitutes a “timely” report is still being worked out, according to an aide to Hager.
Man Accused Of Dumbbell Attack Pleads Not Guilty
July 7, 2011
A Century man accused of beating a man with a dumbbell weight in the parking lot of a local convenience store has entered a plea of not guilty.
Sammy Maurice Myles, 25, of old Flomaton Road, was charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon after the incident May 30 at the Century Kwick stop at 8130 North Century Boulevard. Myles is due to appear in court again in September; he remains free from jail on a $2,500 bond.
The victim’s wife told Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputies that the couple was in their car outside the store when the three men approached them. One allegedly hit her twice in the head, breaking her glasses. Myles allegedly began to beat the husband in the head with the dumbbell weight. The husband claimed that he began to fight back in self defense, at which time the other two men began to hit him.
Both victims were transported to a local hospital by ambulance for treatment of their injuries.
Myles, when questioned later by deputies at the Century Sheriff’s Office precinct, was observed to have a swollen eye and busted lip. He told deputies the husband and wife had jumped him earlier in the evening on Pond Street in Century. He said he had gone to the convenience store to get ice for his eye, at which time the husband and wife jumped him.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office arrest report does not specify how many pounds the dumbbell weight was.
Oak Grove Landfill Permit Renewal Expected Tonight
July 7, 2011
After a public hearing tonight, the Escambia County Commission is expected to renew a construction and demolition debris disposal pit permit in Oak Grove.
The current permit for the county-owned facility, located at 745 North Highway 99, was issued in 1996 and is now expiring. The permit for the 20 acre disposal area, which is on a 26 acre piece of property, meets the permitting requirements for approval, according to the Escambia County Department of Solid Waste Management.
The public hearing will be held at 5:34 p.m in the Escambia County Commission Chambers in downtown Pensacola.
County Worker Injured
July 7, 2011
An Escambia County worker was taken to the hospital after a work-related accident Wednesday morning in Cantonment.
The 55-year old man was a spotter on a tree trimming crew working on Quintette Road near the Escambia River bridge. Reportedly, a piece of equipment fell and a hit a steel cable, which then hit the worker. The man suffered neck, arm and shoulder injuries.
He was transported by ambulance to Sacred Heart Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Federal Jury Convicts Escambia Man In Armed Drug Conspiracy
July 7, 2011
An Escambia County man was found guilty by a federal jury Wednesday afternoon on charges relating to a conspiracy to distribute cocaine in Pensacola, according to United States Attorney Pamela C. Marsh, Northern District of Florida.
Telly Jamar Hill, 28, faces life imprisonment on the charges when he is sentenced in September by Chief United States District Judge M. Casey Rodgers.
The federal indictment alleged Hill and others were involved in the distribution of large amounts cocaine and “crack” cocaine as well as in the possession of firearms to further the drug conspiracy.
During the trial, the jury heard evidence of multiple cocaine seizures from Hill. The jury also heard testimony regarding death threats to a member of the Pensacola community who was aiding law enforcement in its investigation. These threats, as well as a drive-by shooting of this person’s residence, were linked to Hill through his cellular telephone records.