Top 10 trials of 2011 (10 images)

In 2008, Casey Anthony was charged of first-degree murder in the death of her vanished daughter, Caylee Marie Anthony. Anthony's daughter went unseen for 31 days before her grandparents reported her missing. Anthony fed several made-up stories to the police about her daughter's whereabouts after finally admitting the girl had drowned in the family's pool and she had failed to report it due to a dysfunctional upbringing and sexual abuse by her father. A biopsy of the girl's body, which was found wrapped in blankets near the family house, was unable to provide a cause of death. Thus, Anthony was found not guilty of murder, aggravated child abuse, and aggravated manslaughter of a child and guilty of providing false information to law enforcement officers. UPI/Red Huber/Pool

In November 2007, Amanda Knox was convicted of sexual assault and the fatal stabbing of her British roommate Meredith Kercher while the two of them were studying abroad in Perugia, Umbria, Italy. After an extremely lengthy series of appeals and four years in an Italian prison, Knox's sentence was overturned on Oct. 3, 2011 and she returned to the U.S. UPI/Jim Bryant

Conrad Murray, Michael Jackson's personal physician, was charged with involuntary manslaughter of the King of Pop. During the trial, it was said that Murray had been staying at Jackson's house for at least six nights per week and was often begged by an insomniac Michael to administer powerful sleeping pills. The defense team created a scenario in which Jackson self-administered a dose of propofol (a powerful sedative) when Murray left the room.

The drug, combined with the sedative Murray was carefully administering, caused Jackson's death. Despite his intensive defense, Murray was found guilty and a bail request was denied. Murray has since been sentenced to four years in prison. UPI/Al Seib/pool

In February 2011, photos of Lindsay Lohan wearing a reportedly stolen necklace appeared all over the world. Lohan was accused of taking the necklace from a store in Venice that was near the actress' home. Lohan's attorney claimed that the necklace was not stolen but taken out of the store as a loan. The theft charges set in motion a series of probation violation trials for Lohan, since she was still on probation for a 2007 DUI sentence.

After a punishment was set, the former Disney star violated her probation a second time by failing to comply with her community service requirements. Lohan was then sentenced to spend 30 days in jail before going back on probation. The actress spent five hours in jail before she was released due to overcrowding. UPI/Mario Anzuoni/Pool