Casey Anthony Trial--it's ON

[_Jersey Girl]

Adipocere looks a little like a grungy candle. Picture a dead body covered with this:

http://www.wholesalecountryprimitivegifts.com/product_image.php?imageid=1335

Not to worry! It's the candle...not the dead body.

;-)

[_Jersey Girl]

I don't plan to do a daily report on the Defense testimony however, today was different and, I think, important to note. You have to understand that before all else, I am profoundly interested in people and their stories. Anyone who knows me, knows that. If I weren't, I wouldn't be down here in the Off Topic Forum going at this topic all by myself not caring if anyone replies. I am happy simply to do it, for this is what interests me.

I want to know the story behind the person, how they came to be who they are, how their lives were impacted and how their lives impact others, and how we "intersect" each other in life on this rolling ball called Earth.

In the case of Caylee Anthony, I want to know what happened to her and while I know that I (and the public) will never have all the details, I need to see for myself if a picture of the circumstances of her death begins to emerge between what is revealed and what isn't. The truth lies somewhere between the spoken and the unspoken.

In the case of her mother, Casey Anthony, who is on trial, I want to know if the Defense assertions regarding her early abuse "add up" in my mind which has been devoted to child development for so many years and the stories of the children I have encountered. I need to see that line of development impacted by early abuse, I need to see that it "fits" what I know to be true of early abuse victims. I want to know if the child that Casey was and the experiences she might have had, formed her into the adult we see today on our television and computer screens and if the image that has been transmitted by the media to us, supplies an authentic picture.

I doubt that it does.

Today on the stand for the Defense, was world class forensic pathologist, Dr. Werner Spitz. His CV is far too extensive for me to attempt to list here. It would take several posts to compile a list of his academic achievements, qualifications, positions, that he's accumulated in the past 56 years of service.

I would put Spitz at around 80+ years of age and while some of the reports you read criticize him on account of his advanced years, his struggle to recall certain details like the name of a country, other reports applaud his efforts today as well as his expertise.

As for me, I think I had an opportunity to see mastery personified.

In spite of "grilling" by Prosecution Attorney, Jeff Ashton, Spitz did not fail to respond on point, bring Ashton back on point or address each and every point that was raised. Further, he did not fail to educate both the jury and Attorney Ashton. Spitz caught Ashton's misunderstanding on a variety of issues and tracked Ashton's attempts to throw Spitz off course like a hound chasing a fox.

According to Spitz, the autopsy performed by Chief ME, Dr. Jan Garavaglia, was incomplete because Dr. Garavaglia neglected to open the skull for examination. By doing that himself in a second autopsy, Dr. Spitz was able to determine the position of the skull during decomposition. He used a the skull of an adult to demonstrate how the "sediments" of brain tissue stick to the interior of a human skull as a result of gravity during the decomposition process. In doing so, he lent support to the Defense assertion that the body had been moved prior to the final stages of decomposition.

Everybody knows that, right? The body was in the trunk of the car and then moved to the woods. He's actually bolstering the case for the prosecution, no?

No.

Photographs of little Caylee's remains as they were discovered, show her essentially laying on her back. What Spitz demonstrated or proved (depending on your eval of the testimony) was that the skull rested on the left side during decomposition. Therefore, the body was moved after decomposition had taken place.

I hope the jury was paying attention because this testimony throws a wrench into the prosecution's case.

Dr. Spitz also testified that in his opinion, the duct tape was place around the skull after decomposition.

Somewhat of a "Bombshell" happened, to use a familiar Nancy Grace term, when Dr. Spitz stated that the photos of the skull with the hair "attached" during the autopsy, had been staged. While the viewing audience cannot see the photographs of the remains, due to a court order for the media to pixelate the images, it was clear that two sets of photographs were used in Dr. Spitz's demonstration. Photographs at the "discovery site" and those taken during the autopsy. From what I could tell, Dr. Spitz clearly demonstrated that the position of the hair mat had changed due to handling by investigators or medical examiner staff.

Whew!

I don't know how interested anyone here might be in viewing Dr. Spitz's testimony, but here's a link you can use. This is the front page of wftv that lists the video installment of today's testimony. If you'd like to see Dr. Spitz in action, start with #3 and go through #7.

I thought he was pretty darn cool!

http://www.wftv.com/index.html

[_Jersey Girl]

I hate to inflict Nancy Grace on this thread, but this is the only video I can find of Casey Anthony's reaction to her mother mouthing "I love you" as she leaves the witness stand for the last time.

THIS is the kind of demonstration that sends me straight back to "She's a sociopath" land.

Just keep watching it until you see the split screen. Do NOT turn your sound on. If you do, you'll be subjected to Nancy Grace's voice tones.

Don't do that to yourself!

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2011/06/14/exp.ng.totmom.cindy.hln

Of course she's ticked at her mother for lack of eye contact early on in the trial. That was one of the few times that Casey Anthony showed any undeniable authentic emotion. If she were a wise child, which she is not, she wouldn't have put her rejection of her mother's public expression of love on display for the jury to see.

Her spite toward her mother is part of the speculative psyche package being used to explain the motivation to kill and discard her child.

Not a smart move to do this in public.

[_Jersey Girl]

Interesting stuff today though, not in terms of evidence or testimony. Lead attorney's Jeff Ashton (prosecution) and Jose Baez (defense) essentially got their legal behinds handed to them in full public view by Judge Belvin Perry.

Let me say that if I were ever on trial, I would want Judge Perry presiding. He is patient, professional, and considerate of all parties involved. Today, Judge Perry addressed the leading attorney's as a school principal might address unruly students. He essentially "had it" with the game playing and foot dragging by both sides and clearly stated so.

At one point, Perry asked both Jeff Ashton and Jose Baez to turn around, look at the courthouse clock and tell him what time it was.

Ashton: "9:25"
Baez: "9:26"

Perry: "That shows the two of you will never agree on anything."

Perry was particularly considerate of the members of the jury and reminded both attorney's that they were putting the jury members under duress on account of their foot dragging and the fact that the jury is living under very restricted conditions.

He ordered them to take the rest of the day to review, changed their start time to 8:30 am, told them they would be working a full day on Saturday (which is normally a half day) and promised to "work them" hard in the days following.

Before he was done, Perry let attorney's from both sides know that he would deal with these occurrences after the trial was over and with the Florida State Bar. In other words, he will likely make a report to the Bar regarding the conduct of these attorney's.

There is no question that Judge Perry is determined that Casey Anthony have a fair trial, that the well being of the jury is always utmost in his mind and that he will not tolerate this kind of fooling around by professionals.

Whew!

If you read analysis of today's trial proceedings you might encounter criticism's leveled only at Jose Baez or a slanted view. I stress that the admonishments were directed at both sides for that very reason. In my view, media reports on this trial have been slanted, biased and with the purpose of sensationalizing what is already a controversial case. I've watched every single minute of these proceedings and say that without question, if the public is relying on the media to produce well balanced reporting, they are surely mistaken.

[_Jersey Girl]

Someone asked me how I think the case will turn out. I wasn't going to make any predictions but I'll make a few with just enough room to wiggle out of. :-)

The Charges:

First-degree murder
Aggravated child abuse
Aggravated manslaughter of a child
Four counts of lying to law enforcement

Predicting this is a total crap shoot. I might as well go through the list, flip a coin and call it for each of the charges. It depends largely on what the jury is paying attention to and how well they weigh the evidence.

I'll say how I think the jury would call it as of today. Keep in mind that the Defense is still presenting it's case and nothing I say here is any indication of how *I* would call it.

First-degree murder (not guilty)
Aggravated child abuse (guilty)
Aggravated manslaughter of a child (guilty)
Four counts of lying to law enforcement (guilty)

I honestly would be shocked if they returned a verdict of guilty on the Murder 1 charge.

When all of the closing statements are done and the jury sent for deliberation, I would be glad to predict what I think the outcome will be on each count and also how *I* would decide as an armchair juror.

Death Penalty: The State is seeking the Death Penalty. Even if she is found guilty on all counts, I do NOT think that she will receive the death penalty and even if she did, the stats indicate that she would never be executed and would live out her life in prison.

The main reason I think that the court will not support the Death Penalty in this case is because I think that George and Cindy Anthony will go up there and cry their guts out pleading for their daughter's life and that Judge Perry will be sympathetic to their pleadings.

[_Jersey Girl]

Judge Belvin Perry: "The Defense may call it's next witness."

Jose' Baez: "The Defense calls Cindy Anthony"

Cindy Anthony rose from her seat in the back of the courtroom and slowly made her way to the witness stand. She wore a purple summer dress made of what appeared to be knit fabric. It was one of those sleeveless form fitting dresses that women often wear on a hot summer day. There was no hint or indication, of the handful of grenades that Cindy Anthony was about to throw into a significant pile of critical evidence that the Prosecution has brought to bear in the murder case against her daughter, Casey Anthony.

Grenade Launch #1:

During the questioning by Jose Baez, Cindy revealed that SHE made the computer searches for "chloroform".

In the opening statements and during computer forensic expert testimony, Prosecution Attorney Linda Drane Burdick has always attempted to tie these computer searches to Casey Anthony via the construction of circumstantial evidence trail. Claiming that there were two accounts on the home desktop one specifically named for use by Casey.

Has Linda Drane Burdick been playing smoke and mirrors with the jury? You decide.

During her cross examination, Drane Burdick, attempted to pummel Cindy Anthony regarding what would appear to the jury and anyone else as "bombshell" testimony, or in this case "grenade" testimony. At one point, when asked if she ever discussed these computer searches, Cindy Anthony replies "In fact, I mentioned them to YOU in 2009".

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, being the keen cyber sleuth that I am, I looked up Cindy's deposition for the prosecution in 2009 and DAMN if she didn't tell prosecutors that it was possible that she made the searches for chloroform, explaining the circumstances nearly exactly as she did today.

Grenade Launch #2:

On further questioning, Drane-Burdick questioned Cindy Anthony with regards to the set up of the home desktop. "You're aware that there are two profiles on your computer, are you not?" Cindy was a bit confused about just what a "profile" meant, but when she grasped what Drane-Burdick was asking her, Cindy Anthony offered that yes, there were two profiles and that there were (wait for it)...NO PASSWORDS USED AND THAT THE COMPUTER WAS ON ALL DAY LONG SO SHE NEVER NEEDED TO LOG IN WITH A PASSWORD.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, I looked at her 2009 deposition and guess what? This is EXACTLY what she claimed back in 2009. No passwords used, computer used by all family members and computer on all day long.

Drane-Burdick, in her opening statements and during examination of computer forensics experts NEVER brings any of these facts up.

At this point, I want to respond to Drane-Burdick, who today attempted to imply that Cindy's "medication" may have impaired her memory of those events (uh huh) by saying:

"BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHa!!! It's in the 2009 depo that you yourself took, Ms. Drane-Burdick!"

Grenade Launch #3:

When questioned by Jose' Baez about the stain in the trunk of the Pontiac Sunfire, Cindy Anthony views a photo of the stain and tells Baez that the stains were there when the brought the car.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Attorney for the Prosecution Linda Drane-Burdick asks Cindy to look again and point to the stains. She does. She identifies them as being there when the car was purchased.

Cindy Anthony definitely made the prosecution, and particularly Linda Drane-Burdick, look like half-truth spewing manipulative fools.

This trial, the circumstances leading up to it and surrounding it are simply not to be believed. You couldn't make this stuff up if you wanted to. It is tempting to paint the entire Anthony family as a group of pathological liars. They all seem convincing when they are speaking, no matter what the topic.

However, when comparing Cindy Anthony's claims today against her 2009 Deposition, I have to say that when she swore today "So help me God, yes", she was telling the straight up truth.

Whew! More to come!

[_Jersey Girl]

More Grenades!

This time, hurled by Defense Attorney Jose Baez at the prosecution computer forensic analysis!

Get this. When the prosecution presented their own computer forensics expert using Cache Back analysis, we learned (among other things) that the searches for chloroform on a specific date in March, amounted to:

84 Hits

Today's expert in computer analysis testified to an analysis using Net Analysis which was conducted prior to the prosecution witnesses report using Cache Back.

The Net Analysis report shows that chloroform hits for 21 March (don't hold me to the date) amounted to:

1 Hit

Further, hits for MySpace amounted to....wait for it...

84 Hits

Not only that, the Cache Back data for that date shows NO hits for My Space at all.

And...the Net Analysis shows that the MySpace 84 hits are CUMULATIVE!!!

I can't explain it better than this but the main point is that the 2 computer reports show different results.

Holy Computer Geeks, Batman!

[_Jersey Girl]

Something's brewing in Orlando...

Today Judge Belvin Perry called a recess until Monday due to a "legal matter" after meeting in various combinations with Attorney's and Casey Anthony in chambers. People crying...Casey crying, George crying...no one can say what's up with this. Some folks are speculating about a plea deal, some attributing this abrupt recess to an issue regarding a witness. No one knows and, of course, no one can or will say.

Yesterday's proceedings were dramatic and noteworthy. If anyone is reading this thread, you'll note that early on I posed the following questions regarding Cindy Anthony's statements about the pool ladder:

When Cindy Anthony mentioned to detectives that the pool ladder was attached to the pool, why didn't the follow up on this? Cadaver dogs "hit" on the pool area and no one noticed Cindy's statement with regards to the ladder being on?

Cindy also mentioned to co-workers that someone had been swimming in her pool-- re, the ladder. Again. Orange County detectives never follow up on these two incidents.

Good questions. On Friday Cindy Anthony testified to just these things. She mentioned the pool ladder to co-workers and detectives who failed to take those statements into consideration during the investigation.

Photographs were brought into evidence of Cindy and little Caylee walking up the pool ladder and then, into the pool several months before Caylee died. This demonstrated that if there were a pool ladder up, the then almost 3 year old Caylee could have easily climbed up and gotten into the pool herself.

There is also a photo of Caylee nearly 3 years old, opening the sliding glass door of the family home that leads to the outdoor pool area. These sliding glass doors were a focus for the prosecution early on when questioning Cindy about the child safeguards in her home. The photo clearly demonstrates that Caylee could reach the door handles on the sliding glass doors and even though Cindy stated that it would take some "force" to actually open the door, as someone who has 25+ years of experience with 3 year olds, Caylee could have opened the door herself. In point of fact, I have seen children under 2 years of age successfully open large heavy metal doors. Yes, it's possible that she could have opened the door to get outside on her own.

Next up was brother Lee Anthony, whose testimony essentially reinforced that the stains in the trunk of the car were already there when the car was purchased and thus corroborating Cindy's earlier testimony to that effect. His testimony regarding the discovery that his sister was pregnant also emphasized the Defense assertion that this family kept secrets from the outside world and from each other. Testifying to a couple of encounters in which he made an attempt to confirm Casey's then obvious pregnancy, he was "blown off" by both Cindy and Casey. This, he says, is the reason he didn't visit Casey in the hospital after Caylee's birth, he was made to feel like an outsider living under the same roof.

During his testimony about his failure to visit Casey in the hospital to welcome little Caylee into the world, Lee became visibly emotional and cried. On cross examination, Prosecuting Attorney Jeff Ashton, essentially made himself look like a complete and utter unfeeling jerk when he pressed Lee to tell him why when he gave this testimony back in 2009 he wasn't emotional, asking him what was different about this current testimony that it made him break down emotionally.

Ashton, who is well versed in legal processes, is blatantly and fully ignorant of the grief process. Lee spoke in terms of acceptance of Caylee's death. Anyone who has grieved, understands how it is to come to terms with the death of a loved one.

Ashton came off as a cruel inhumane jerk attempting to repeatedly stab a grief stricken witness! Just who is on trial here, Mr. Ashton?

Jerk. ;-)

Lead Detective, Yuri Melich (Dick Tracy Orlando...look it up!) was called back to the stand to testify about why he got cell phone records (tower "pings") from Casey and meter reader, Roy Kronk's phones and didn't request or examine cell phone records for Cindy, Lee, and especially, George Anthony's phone.

Holy cats, folks! If I were up on a murder one charge, I wouldn't want the Orlando cops to be the folks investigating the case. Time and time again, Jose' Baez has highlighted the "holes" in the investigation and rightfully so. You can see clearly, that once the investigation turned it's sights on Casey Anthony, everything they did was with the intended purpose of converging on Casey as criminal.

As promised, this trial has been a battle of forensic experts. They are just now getting into the family dynamics and possibly, Roy Kronk's role in the discovery of Caylee's remains. THIS is what most interests me.

I still do not see how the Defense can forward their theory that Casey was sexually abused by George, thus causing her to develop the ability to disassociate and this is what explains her casual behavior after Caylee died, unless Casey herself takes the stand in her own defense (analysts are divided on the outcome of that) or unless George confesses to sexually abusing Casey...I doubt that he would become the sacrificial lamb in this case, but who knows? This family is NOT normal by anyone's standard.

The Defense has not even approached this topic during it's presentation. It HAS to deal with this in the upcoming days since it was part of the Opening Statements. If the Defense does nothing to act on those assertions, it'll make them look like clowns.

I have no predictions whatsoever about what went on today behind closed doors for the simple fact that it was behind closed doors and there have been no sorts of "leaks" about it.

The Defense predicted they will be done presenting by Wednesday or Thursday, Prosecution needs 1-2 days for rebuttal. Following that, the jury will be given instructions for deliberation and then sent out to deliberate on the verdict. Somewhere in this process are closing statements.

Don't hold me to it! This is the first time I've ever closely followed such a trial. The end is definitely in sight here.

Right now...I don't think there is any way Casey will be found guilty of first degree murder.

It would be nice, wouldn't it, if we were ever to learn the truth of what happened to little Caylee. It's not over yet, so maybe next week's testimonies will shed some light on that.

But I'm not counting on it!
:-)

[_Jersey Girl]

Here's a nice overview of what took place today from wftv.com or "WTF.com" as I call it. :-D Note the underlined portion.

http://www.wftv.com/news/28355559/detail.html

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Casey Anthony's murder trial was unexpectedly recessed only 45 minutes after it was supposed to start. Saturday marked day 39, including jury selection, of her trial.
Casey Anthony's murder trial on Saturday started with undisclosed, closed-door meetings with Judge Belvin Perry.
Casey walked into the courtroom wearing a lavender, long-sleeved shirt and gray slacks, shortly before 9:00am when court was suppose to resume. George and Cindy Anthony were present in the courtroom.

Casey and her attorneys gathered in Judge Belvin Perry's chambers. Casey eventually walked back into the courtroom, clearly upset, and began tearing up and dabbing her eyes with a tissue.
After about 45 minutes, Judge Perry walked back into the courtroom and said that due to an unrelated legal matter, court was recessed until 8:30am Monday.
Casey's attorneys have told the judge at her trial that they expect to wrap up in the middle of next week.
Prosecutors say they then need a day or two for rebuttal witnesses. That means jurors could start deliberations as early as a week from now.
Casey's defense attorneys claim Caylee Anthony accidentally drowned in the family's swimming pool. Prosecutors believe Casey killed Caylee.
Casey is charged with first-degree murder, aggravated child abuse, aggravated manslaughter of a child and four counts of lying to law enforcement. She has pleaded not guilty and faces the death penalty if convicted.

[_Jersey Girl]

Okay, Folks,

Time to put on our cyber sleuth hats and offer speculation on just what the heck took place today.



Mine has a cute little ribbon on it. You like?

So, after a bit of tit for tat bickering between Jeff Ashton and Jose Baez, Defense Attorney Cheney Mason informs Judge Perry that there is another matter he wishes to discuss at sidebar.

Up go the attorney's from both sides like sheep heeding their master's call.

Mason puts his hand on Baez's arm as if he is comforting a friend.

Hmmm...

Baez steps back and then forward again. This little grouping of attorney's breaks out of their circle, Jeff Ashton looks at Linda Drane-Burdick and shakes his head and gestures as if he is throwing up his hands.

Again, hmmm...

Following this, all the attorney's stuff themselves into chambers WITH Casey Anthony in tow. At some point, she is left alone in chambers with Judge Perry. There was a lot of coming and going during this video without sound. It's hard to remember who came and went when. She comes out, sits down and wipes (presumably) tears from her eyes. Attorney's come out. There is talking behind hand covered faces. They do this so that viewing lip readers cannot discern what is being said.

What? You don't believe there are viewing lip readers watching what is said? Of course there are! They report on various blogs each day what it is they have picked up on.

I kid you not!

This trial has everything. Pathological liars, Geraldo, lynch mob mentality bloggers and lip readers!

At the end of what, 50 minutes to an hour of this coming and going, Judge Perry tells the court that there has arisen a "legal matter" that has nothing to do with the earlier (tit for tat, bickering) exchanges about witness evidence. He then tells his court reporter to come with him, "We got something to do."

Hmmm....there is no one that we know of inside chambers and he needs a court reporter.

So, cybersleuth's let us speculate what the heck actually went down in Orlando today!

1. Casey delivered a full confession.
2. Cheney Mason quit the defense team. (popular speculation)
3. George delivered some type of confession.
4. One of Casey's boyfriends contacted attorney's and confessed in full.
5. Casey copped a plea. (another popular speculation)
6. Lee confessed to something. (He's got full immunity--does that matter?)
7. Roy Kronk confessed to something.
8. The Judge has finally concluded that the whole Anthony family are
pathological liars and is going to throw the book at the whole lot and/or
have them committed. (Okay, that was fantasy based, but fun to think
about!)
9. The stressed and frustrated jury is holding the snack lady for ransom,
demanding they be released before July 4th.
10. Judge Perry was informed of Geraldo's public report about Baez's
statement during lunch wherein he expressed frustration with Judge
Perry. (Bad, Geraldo, Bad!)


Well, unless someone leaks it to the press, I'm afraid that the public won't find out until Monday if we ever find out at all.

Talk about a cliffhanger!