FNC, CNN and MSNBC broke in to regular programming after Midnight this morning as Casey Anthony was released from jail. Interestingly, the one network that has been covering the case the most — HLN — didn’t. Instead, the network ran a crawl during a pre-taped Casey Anthony special. The network’s @hlntv Twitter feed is also being updated.
CNN broke in at 12:13am with a simulcast special report from CNN International and anchor Natalie Allen; Fox News broke in at 12:14amET, with anchor Marianne Rafferty; MSNBC also broke in at 12:14am with Mara Schiavocampo anchoring and live chopper coverage from NBC affiliate WESH-TV in Orlando. By that time Anthony and her attorney Jose Baez had left the Orange County jail.
Moments later, pool video of Anthony leaving jail was aired on the networks.
Fox News also carried a news conference from the three journalists acting as the pool, including the AP’s Matt Sedensky and photojournalist Tony Zumbado. Zumbado has worked for NBC News in the past, including covering the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans.
FNC also carried helicopter shots from WOFL-TV which showed a small airplane that Anthony was reported to be getting on to a destination unknown to the media.