Judge undecided on if Casey Anthony's story can be sold

TAMPA, Fla. — A bankruptcy judge in Tampa heard arguments Tuesday from Casey Anthony's attorneys in their attempt to prevent a trustee in the case from trying to sell Anthony's life story as a means to help pay off her outstanding debts.

A trustee overseeing Anthony's case presented a motion trying to receive permission to set up a potential auction for "exclusive worldwide rights" for her life story.

In court filings, Anthony lists about $792,000 owed to several dozen creditors.

Now 26, she was acquitted of murder in 2011 in the death her 2-year-old daughter, Caylee.

Anthony has never told her side of the story, despite intense media scrutiny. She said last month that she was unemployed and hasn't received any money to tell her story.

The lawyer for Zenaida Gonzalez, who is suing Anthony for defamation, was in court to try to convince a judge to allow him to question Anthony under oath a second time without the interference of one of her many attorneys.

The judge said no, but said Gonzalez can ask again once the defamation suit is decided.

If she wins and is entitled to a settlement from Anthony, Gonzalez got assurances Tuesday that Anthony could still have to pay her, even though her other debts could be wiped clean.

Gonzalez said Casey tried to blame her for disappearing with Caylee, during the murder investigation, and has yet to publicly clear her.

Sources told Channel 9 Anthony has been trying to sell her story unsuccessfully since right after her murder acquittal.

"Who's to say the day her debts disappear, and some of them are government debts, she doesn't sign a deal?" said Gonzalezs' attorney, Scott Shuker. "That's what I think she plans to do. May 4, she'll sign a book deal with TMZ."

But a bankruptcy trustee said bids are up to 12,000 for the rights to Anthony's story and a third offer could come in soon.

Anthony's attorney said if someone else owns the rights to her story, she'll be walking on eggshells for the rest of her life about whether she could be sued for talking about herself.

The bankruptcy judge seemed to have concerns about that as well and suggested that the trustee modify his plan to sell the rights to her story.

The judge said he'll decide that issue in 30 days.

WFTV