Appearing conflicted about testifying against his own sister, Lee Anthony got on the witness stand and started answering the prosecutor's questions. One of the most powerful statements that Lee recounted today was from July 15, 2008, when he asked Casey why she wouldn't take their them (Cindy and Lee) to see Caylee. Casey's answer was "BECAUSE MAYBE I'M A SPITEFUL BITCH". As Lee spoke those words, courtroom spectators reported seeing nine of the jurors glaring at Casey. (Touchdown for the prosecution!)
Lee's voice started to crack as he testified that Casey told him that she had not seen Caylee in 31 days, that Caylee had been kidnapped and that the nanny took her. That appeared to be the most troubling testimony for him to give.
Lee testified that his mother, Cindy Anthony, asked him on July 3rd to help her find Casey. After trying to locate Casey in various nightclubs, Lee informed his mother that he had been unsuccessful in finding Casey. After that night, Cindy told Lee to not pursue finding Casey anymore. He said that the next time he saw Casey was on July 15th after his father called him to go to his parents' house.
LEE'S TESTIMONY RE: JULY 15, 2008
- Lee testified that he smelled a strong odor when he first went into the garage and saw Casey's car parked inside. The odor was described as offensive.
- Lee spoke with Casey in her room. He described Casey's demeanor as combative. So was Cindy's.
- Lee said that when he saw Cindy and Casey first arrive, he said that Casey went into her room. He followed her, and stood in the doorway. Cindy was also in Casey's room. He heard Casey say "You don't listen to me, I don't know why I even bother". Lee at this point had been unaware that Casey used a nanny to care for Caylee.
- Lee testified that Casey was saying that she didn't want to go get Caylee, that she didn't want to disturb her sleep. Lee didn't understand why Casey was being so stubborn. It didn't make sense to him.
- When Lee was asked what Casey said to him when he asked her 'what's going on?', Lee had to refer to his previous statements which he made back in July 2008. He answered that Casey said that her mother had numerous times "thrown it in my face", that she was an unfit mother for Caylee, and that Casey said "maybe I am". I (Lee) went on to say that my mother had also referenced Caylee as being the greatest mistake that Casey had ever made.
- Prior to police arriving, Casey told Lee that the last place she saw Caylee was at the Sawgrass Apartments.
-When Lee asked Casey where she'd been staying for the past 31 days, she said that she'd been staying at Tony Lazzaro's apartment.
- When asked if Casey told Lee if she'd been looking for Caylee, she told Lee that she camped out, in her car, where she dropped Caylee off at the Sawgrass Apartments for a couple days. She also said that she went to places where Caylee might be, or where someone might take Caylee.
- Casey told Lee that she'd received a phone call from Caylee on July 15th, 2008, and that the only person on the line was Caylee. Lee said that Casey's response to Caylee was to put an adult on the phone.
- Upon hearing the news that Caylee was missing, Lee immediately tried to do something to try to locate Caylee. He got Tony Lazzaro's name, phone number and where he lived from Casey. He went to Tony's apartment and told Tony what was going on. He got Casey's belongings, a laptop, a duffle bag full of clothes, a backpack and another bag full of knick-knacks. Casey's laptop was on, but had a blue screen and he believed that the blue screen was indicative of a virus. When he tried to reboot the laptop, the blue screen came back on. Lee then turned it off and took it with him.
- When he asked Casey "Why won't you take us to Caylee?", Lee said that Casey's response was "Because maybe I'm a spiteful bitch".
- Lee continued to try to get Casey to take him to Caylee, but she said that she would get her the next day. When Lee offered to go get Caylee, or have his roommate go get Caylee, Casey said that she didn't want to disturb her and she continued to refuse to go get Caylee.
- After realizing that Lee was not going to back down, Casey changed her story and said that she hadn't seen Caylee in 31 days, and that the nanny took her. Shortly thereafter, he heard Cindy call 911.
- Lee said that George Anthony had an extra set of keys to Casey's car.
- When police first arrived at the Anthony home, a police officer went to speak with Casey in her room.
- His father George arrived slightly before police arrived.
- After the police arrived, Lee spoke with Casey in the garage where the car was still emitting a strong, bad odor. He asked Casey more questions and that's when she told him about talking to Caylee on the phone that day. He asked her about Tony, and also referenced how awful the garage and car smelled. He said that it was difficult to stay in the garage with that odor.
- Lee didn't see anything in the items that belonged to Casey, which he brought back from Tony Lazzaro's apartment, that belonged to Caylee.
Prosecution ended their questioning.
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DEFENSE CROSS-EXAMINES LEE
One of the female defense attorneys by the name of Ms. Simms started questioning Lee Anthony.
She spoke with a really soft voice and started off by asking Lee "To your knowledge, your mother did not call your father to find Casey that night, correct?" Lee answered: "I have no idea."
DEFENSE QUESTIONS & LEE'S ANSWERS:
Defense/Ms. Simms (D): On July 15th, 2008, you indicated you were present when your mother called police.
Lee: Correct.
D: Re: the white Pontiac Sunfire located in the garage, that was the car that Casey drove?
Lee: Correct.
D: And your father had an extra set of keys to that car, which would have allowed him to access the car and trunk?
Lee: Yes.
D: When you were talking to Casey, there were times you were whispering to her?
Lee: Yes. One time.
D: And she was crying?
Lee: Yes.
D: When you father arrived, prior to police, he did not go into Casey's room and ask what's going on?
Lee: I don't believe so.
D: There were no questions that your father asked you prior to police arriving?
Lee: Not that I can recall.
D: Re: That confrontation between your mother and sister, your role was peace-maker, right?
Lee: Yes.
D: Your mother was trying to, rather than fix that situation, why did you not tell us, she was dwelling on I can't believe we're in that situation rather than how can we find Caylee.
Lee: Yes.
D: And your mother's behavior re: Casey, it appeared to you that Casey didn't have time to respond. Lee: Sure.
D: When you went to Mr. Lazzaro's house, those bags were already packed?
Lee: Yes, they were.
D: Have you an occasion to see how you and your sister pack bags?
Lee: Yes.
D: And you shove items into bags, correct? correct.
Lee: And that was not how you found the bags packed, correct?
Lee: Correct. She didn't pack those bags.
D: The bags that you picked up, they had no odor?
Lee: No.
D: In your family, it's your father who details your cars.
Lee: Yes.
D: And he would do that, if not ever weekend, every other weekend?
Lee: Absolutely.
D: The laptop with the blue screen, when you arrived at Mr. Lazzaro's apartment, he was there?
Lee: Yes he was.
D: That's all we have subject to recall.
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PROSECUTION'S REDIRECT
Prosecutor/Mr. George (P): "Ms. Sims asked you about the phone call from your mom, that Caylee wasn't mentioned".
Lee: No, that Caylee wasn't missing.
(P): What was the phone call about?
Lee: That Casey and Caylee had not been home.
(P): You testified earlier that your father arrived shortly before police arrived. Were you all separated immediately after they arrived.
Lee: Shortly thereafter.
(P): When police arrived, your sister told them about the kidnapping.
Lee: Yes.
(P): So their focus was on finding Caylee.
Lee: Yes.
(P): Did you speak with police.
Lee: Yes sir.
(P): On your subsequent interviews with law enforcement, you were asked specific questions about what your sister had told you about the kidnapping.
Lee: Yes.
(P): And Zeniada Fernandez-Gonzalez?
Lee: Yes.
End of questioning.
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As Lee left the witness stand and walked out of the courtroom, he glanced over at Casey as she was sitting at the defense table. He quickly looked away and let out a big sigh. He then exited the court and was joined by his father George and his attorney.
NEXT BLOG POSTING... DETECTIVE YURI MELICH'S TESTIMONY
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