ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. -- Thursday night was relatively quiet outside the Anthony home with fewer protestors and no major confrontations. But there are questions about whether someone in the Anthony family is making money off the case.
Eyewitness News is following the money in the Caylee Anthony case, both the money Casey Anthony is charged with stealing and the money someone in the Anthony family may be making from home video obtained by ABC's 20/20.
Every day, Casey Anthony leaves her parent's home and is driven to her lawyer's office in Kissimmee by one family member or another and then driven back home. Casey's lawyer says he's being paid, but won't say by whom, and now Eyewitness News has learned that someone in the family might have gotten a big paycheck because of the tragedy.
The home videos of Caylee Marie Anthony celebrating a birthday and swimming in the backyard pool, which appeared exclusively on ABC News, have captured the hearts of many. But they are also raising questions now over whether the network paid for them, how much it paid and to whom.
There are reports that ABC possibly paid $200,000 for licensing rights to the videos. On Thursday, ABC News told Eyewitness News, "ABC News licensed footage and photos from rights holders. We do not discuss the details of our licensing agreements. "
Eyewitness News has learned only four people would have access and or rights to the family videos and photographs: Caylee's mother Casey, Caylee's uncle Lee and her grandparents, Cindy and George Anthony.
Through their Orlando attorney, Mark NeJame, Cindy and George strongly deny having anything to do with the release and/or sale of the videos.
" Absolutely not. And anybody that would suggest such a thing is a damnable liar. They did not receive one penny. They did not negotiate or utter one syllable towards that, " NeJame said.
Eyewitness News contacted Casey Anthony's attorney, Jose Baez, to ask if he or Casey has received any money from ABC for the videos and photos. His public relations firm refused to answer specific questions about the licensing fee but said, "The Baez law firm is focused solely on defending their client, not the commercialization of their client's missing daughter Caylee. "
Baez's public relations firm said he's received offers for book and movie deals for more than a million dollars, none of which have been accepted. But, again, they won't answer specifically about licensing fees.
