Casey Anthony -- America's Most Hated: Poll

Most hated person in

America: Casey Anthony

Anthony was acquitted in July of murdering her daughter Caylee in 2008, to the absolute fury of millions of Americans, a large segment of which had watched her six-week trial live on television. So hated was she, the death threats piled up, and she was protected like President Obama when she was released from jail -- where she should be spending the rest of her life.
Hatred toward Casey was measured via a new poll that tracks public perceptions of celebrities and was reported on by the NYPOST.com. However, we are uneasy about the fact that poll respondents ranged in age from 13 and up; we'd feel more confident in the poll's data if they had used people of at least college age.

Additionally we don't consider her a celebrity; she is a criminal who possesses broad public awareness. After she sells her story or finds some other way to make a million or two, then we'd consider her a celebrity.

But we still agree with the poll's conclusions, and have held this sentiment toward Casey ever since the obtuse jury unveiled its verdict. Our uneasiness at her being set free, however, is offset by our belief that she is likely to eventually end up in jail again, as she has a record of committing crimes -- her not guilty verdict pertained to the murder of her child; she was guilty of stealing checks from a friend, and is known to have stolen from her own mother. So, she has the background of someone who could easily end up on the wrong side of the law again.

Anthony, 25, who is now in hiding, was more disliked than California's "Octomom," former football star OJ Simpson and socialite Paris Hilton, according to the poll released on Wednesday by E-Poll Market Research.

Casey Anthony was recently seen shopping in Ohio in what may have actually been a staged, paid-for photo opp.

California-based E-Poll's E-Score Celebrity research for the first week of August showed that 53 percent of those questioned were aware of Casey Anthony and her story, and 94 percent of those people disliked her.

Former "The Hills" reality TV show star Spencer Pratt was second in the "total dislike" category, followed by Nadya Suleman, the unemployed single California woman who gave birth to octuplets in 2009 despite already having six children.

OJ Simpson -- who was acquitted in 1995 of murdering his ex-wife and a friend in 1994 -- came fourth.

The E-Score Celebrity poll is carried out weekly among a representative sample of 1,100 respondents aged 13 and over. It ranks more than 6,000 celebrities in terms of public awareness, appeal and 46 other attributes.

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