Alternate juror supports verdict in Anthony trial

Some jurors in the Casey Anthony case woke up in their own beds for the first time in more than six weeks on Wednesday, a day after shocking many trial observers by acquitting the young Florida mother of murder.

All 12 jurors who found Casey, 25, not guilty of first-degree murder and other felony charges stemming from the 2008 death of her 2-year-old daughter Caylee declined to comment immediately after the verdict.

But one of the five alternate jurors spoke to reporters after arriving home Tuesday night in St. Petersburg and said he would have reached the same conclusion had he taken part in the deliberations.

"I agree with it wholeheartedly," said Russell Huekler, a teacher. "It was the right decision that was made."

Prosecutors said Casey smothered Caylee with duct tape on June 16, 2008, drove around for several days with Caylee's body in her car trunk and then dumped the remains in woods near the Anthony family home.

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The remains were found six months later in the woods after a nationwide search. The medical examiner ruled the death a homicide but could not determine how the toddler was killed.

Prosecutors felt they had enough circumstantial evidence to win a conviction and were taken aback by the not-guilty verdicts, a member of the prosecution team told Matt Lauer on NBC's Today show on Wednesday.

"It was not easy to hear," said veteran prosecutor Jeff Ashton, who delayed his retirement to see the case through.

"I think I mouthed the word 'wow' about five times. We were all that shocked," Ashton said.

Ashton said prosecutors felt they had a good case, given the manner in which Caylee's body was found and the odor some witnesses likened to human decomposition coming from the trunk of Casey's car.

Casey's behavior after her daughter's disappearance -- lying about Caylee's whereabouts, partying with friends and getting tattoos -- provided what the state thought was some of strongest evidence, he said.

Casey's actions were "just so completely inconsistent with any kind of accidental explanation for Caylee's death," Ashton told Lauer.

But Huekler, the alternate juror, said the state didn't prove Casey played a role in Caylee's death.

"The prosecution never gave any really motive of why Casey would have killed her daughter," he said, dismissing their contention that Casey wanted a carefree lifestyle unencumbered by the duties of motherhood.