Friday, May 27, 2011

CASEY ANTHONY'S DEFENSE ASKS FOR MISTRIAL - CASEY'S FUTURE SISTER-IN-LAW, TOW TRUCK MANAGER & GEORGE ANTHONY TESTIFY

As the trial resumed this morning, we heard from a few more witnesses in the Casey Anthony murder case.  Jose Baez continued his cross-examination of George Anthony.  Although Jose tried to get George to lose his temper, by accusing him of lying and of knowing that Caylee died from drowning on June 16th, 2008, George kept his cool.  In turn he would sometimes not directly answer Jose's questions.  This  went on the entire time Jose was questioning George. There were several times when Jose Baez asked leading and inappropriate questions of George. Although the prosecution quickly objected, Jose's accusations were already heard by the jury.  A few times the prosecution interrupted Jose's questioning of George, when they saw his leading questions coming. At one point, even Judge Perry told Jose to stop,  telling him "don't go there" and told him to ask another question.  That Jose is a sneaky guy.

We also heard from Lee Anthony's fiancee, Mallory, who cried as she testified how Casey was an "amazing" mom to Caylee.  When Jose got up to ask Mallory about how wonderful Casey was with Caylee, he made sure that she testified a lot about how she saw a genuine love between them.  As Casey listened to Mallory's testimony, she smiled and wiped away tears, showing emotion for the jury.  After seeing this testimony on TV, a lot of reporters are saying that Jose "scored a lot of points" with Mallory's testimony.  Others said that although her testimony was strong and supports Casey being a good mother, there have been many other mothers, convicted of murdering their children, such as Susan Smith, Andrea Yates.  Both Susan and Andrea had testimonials from friends and family, saying that these mothers truly loved their children. They also had family pictures, and videos, showing their love for their children prior to them killing them.

Three witnesses from Johnson's Tow Yard took the stand today and testified to whether they smelled anything around Casey's car.  One gentleman, who has worked in waste management for several years, and had prior experience of smelling human decomposition, testified that he definitely recognized that horrible smell when he approached Casey's car.  He testified that as he approached her car, he didn't smell anything.  That was until he looked inside the car's window and then that's when the powerful smell of human decomposition hit him.  We also heard from another tow truck employee, who testified about his reaction to the smell of Casey's car, as he and George Anthony approached it in the tow yard.  He testified that he smelled the horrible stench of human decomposition as he approached the car.  It was intensified when George opened the car trunk.

Near the end of the day, when the jury was out of the courtroom, prosecutors wanted some items allowed into evidence, the judge asked them for legal grounds.  The prosecution stated that it would be for showing motive, of why Casey killed Caylee.  When Judge Perry asked, prosecutors said that they believed that it would show that the reason that Casey wanted to get rid of Caylee, so that she could be free to be with Tony Lazzaro.  The judge however, didn't buy that reasoning, saying that Casey lived at home and had free reign to come and go.  He smiled as he asked prosecutors why she just didn't kill her parents.  Before he received any answer, he told them not to answer and then denied the admittance of the items.  Jose Baez had a huge smirk on his face as he watched his adversaries get ridiculed by the judge, as he's had done to him many times thus far.

At one point today, the defense asked for a mistrial, stating that there has been too much testimony about Casey's lack of remorse.  Judge Perry ruled denied their request, saying that the testimony was not showing lack of remorse, but was rather showing Casey's demeanor during the 31 days Caylee was missing.

Trial continues bright and early tomorrow, Saturday morning at 9am est.  It is scheduled to go until 1pm.
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From local Florida news station:

Casey Anthony entered the courtroom just before 8:30am, wearing dark pants and a black vest over a white shirt. She had her hair pulled back in a bun.
Judge Perry then called court to order at 9:00am.
The manager of a towing yard where Casey Anthony's car was kept for more than two weeks during the summer of 2008 testified at her murder trial Friday that he smelled an odor coming from her car consistent with decomposing bodies he'd smelled in the past.
Simon Birch was the strongest prosecution witness of the day. The state also showed a series of videos of Casey going on a shopping spree over several days in late June and early July 2008.
Prosecutors have been portraying Casey as carefree and cheerful in the weeks after her child, Caylee, was last seen in June 2008, hanging out with friends and hitting the clubs. Caylee was reported missing a month later and her remains were found that December.
Birch said he'd spent 30 years in the towing business as well as two years in waste management, and had come across deceased bodies at least eight times. He said he first noticed the smell coming from Casey's' car on the fourth day her 1998 Pontiac was parked on his yard. The car had been towed after spending four days in an Amscot parking lot.
"In my opinion and experience, the smell of decomposition is unique in comparison to rotten food or rotting garbage," Birch said.
The defense argued in its opening statement that the smell was actually from a bag of trash that Casey left in her car.
"The instant flash in my mind was `Oh, I know what that smells like,"' Birch said about noticing the odor.
George Anthony took the stand again on Friday. He was questioned about Casey's car when it was at the towing yard.
As a former cop, George testified that he recognized the smell of human decomposition.
Since he hadn't seen his daughter or granddaughter for several days, he said the smell immediately frightened him.
"I just said, 'Please God don't let this be Casey or Caylee,'" Goerge said as his voice cracked.
Prosecutors also showed a photo of the backseat with Caylee's car seat still in it.
WFTV legal analyst Bill Sheaffer said the testimony is damaging for Casey's defense.
"He is familiar with the smell of trash and familiar with the smell of human decomposition and can tell the difference. He's a very important for the state," Sheaffer said.
The talk of the smell of death didn't seem to bother Casey as she sat stone-faced during the testimony.
Earlier in the day, the fiancee of Casey's brother, Lee Anthony, testified on Thursday that Casey had an "amazing" relationship with her 2-year-old daughter, Caylee, who she is accused of killing.
Mallory Parker testified Friday that Casey had a special bond with Caylee.
"How was Casey and Caylee's relationship?" Parker was asked.
"It was amazing," she replied. "Casey and Caylee had a very special bond."
Parker broke down crying, and Casey also had to wipe tears away.
Parker was called to the witness stand by prosecutors who coaxed her into describing how Casey's brother and she had searched for Casey in Orlando bars in an attempt to locate her when her family hadn't seen her in many days during the summer of 2008.
Prosecutors say she was having fun with friends around the same time her daughter went missing.
William Waters was called to the stand on Friday. He said Casey and friend were planning on getting a house together to have a nanny take care of their children. He testified that Casey said she worked as an event coordinator at Universal Studios.
“She loved her job,” Waters said.
He described the shopping trip he made with Casey while she was essentially "fake shopping" for furniture so Casey could move into a new home with Caylee and a friend.
"Her and a friend of hers were looking for a stay-in nanny so they'd have their house together," Waters said.
The defense was also dealt a couple of blows. Judge Perry ruled in favor of prosecutors, forcing the defense to reveal questions before the jury is present if they plan to ask witnesses about statements that Casey may or may not have said or what might be considered "hearsay."
The defense also hoped to keep videos of Casey at Target and other stores out of court, saying prosecutors were trying to show a lack of remorse.
But the prosecutors argued it showed Casey's action and the judge allowed the videos.
A long list of witnesses told jurors on Thursday that Casey had no real reaction to Caylee's death in June of 2008.
One witness recalled Casey on the phone in a car, then bragging about a deceptive conversation with the person on the other end of the call.
“When she hung up she just kind of threw the phone down and said, 'Oh my God I'm such a good liar,'” said witness, Melissa England.
So far, no witnesses have been able to point to signs of remorse, which prompted Casey’s defense attorney Cheney Mason to ask the judge for a mistrial based on case law that restricts testimony that's sole intent is to show lack of remorse.
Prosecutors say Caylee died from three pieces of duct tape being placed over her mouth and nose, while Casey's attorney has claimed the toddler accidentally drowned in her grandparents' pool.
Casey, 25, has pleaded not guilty. If convicted of first-degree murder, she could be sentenced to death.
Casey's murder trial will resume at 9:00am Saturday.

5 comments:

  1. Cheney Mason, I thought you'd have helped Jose plan a better defense. You and he blew it. We all know Casey is a murderer. You are certainly making it easier on the jurors-that ridiculous theory (lie) you posed to the jurors. Laughable on it's face.

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  2. I agree with the commenter above. Their defense is one of the most ridiculous things I have heard in a long time. The funny thing is that many many years ago, when I was 6 or 7 (29 now) my mom and dad divorced and my dads attorney was Cheney Mason. Weird seeing his name pop up again in the CA trial.

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  3. A mistrial? yeah right.

    I wish the prosecution would be a bit more aggressive.

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