Judge postpones ruling on Anthony lawsuit

ORLANDO, Fla., Sept. 8 (UPI) -- A Florida judge postponed a decision Tuesday on dismissing a defamation suit brought by a woman who was questioned in the disappearance of Caylee Anthony.

Zenaida Fernandez Gonzalez is seeking damages from Casey Anthony, Caylee's mother and accused killer, the Orlando (Fla.) Sentinel reports. She says her reputation was damaged when Casey Anthony told police investigating her daughter's disappearance the toddler had been kidnapped by a babysitter named Zenaida Fernandez-Gonzalez.

"This is not an easy case," Orange County Circuit Judge Jose Rodriguez said.

The judge could dismiss the suit completely or postpone it until after Anthony's criminal trial, the newspaper said. Her lawyers argued Tuesday that hearing the suit would require Anthony to admit whether or not she killed her daughter.

But Keith Mitnick, Gonzalez's lawyer, said his client deserves a speedy hearing on her claims.

"We're talking about accusing somebody of child kidnapping and ultimately child murder," Mitnick told the judge.

Investigators eventually decided the babysitter did not exist. But they questioned Gonzalez, a mother of six who lives in Kissimmee, Fla.