Farnese legislation aimed at Casey Anthony sentencing

    A landmark case in Florida has sparked legislators nationwide to take action. Among them is Pa. Sen. Larry Farnese, whose legislation will toughen the penalty for concealing the death of a child.

    The move is the result of a not guilty verdict for Florida woman Casey Anthony. Anthony will be released from jail next weekend after a jury was unable to determine her guilt in the death of her toddler daughter, Caylee. Though Anthony will go free, it’s been made clear that she waited a month before reporting her daughter missing to police.

    NewsWorks partner Philadelphia Weekly cites a Facebook post from Farnese, in which he says his legislation would make concealing a child’s death a third-degree felony instead of a first-degree misdemeanor. That would mean a maximum seven-year prison sentence and a $15,000 fine. Neglecting to report a missing child would become a first-degree misdemeanor.

    To learn more about the case and the verdict, the Constitution Daily has outlined how the law applies to the Anthony trial.

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