Orlando, FL-  I know I should really write in chronological order for y’all that are just reading the days events.     I just can’t.

In the first day of the trial of the State of Florida v. Casey Anthony I went through  a “Steel Magnolias” equivalent of tissues the first half, and proceeded to sharpen our Henkels in the afternoon for reasons I cannot explain.

Linda Drane Burdick, in her smart and gas-can-red suit, riveted the jurors, the public, and even the defendant, Casey Anthony.

Ms. Anthony shook her head no at all the places she does not want you to look.  Ms. Anthony cried on cue.

Very upsetting this business of your daughter’s skull in a bog where you left it, with the intention of never seeing it again, and all the nastiness that comes with such an imposition.

In a most level and calculated fashion,  Burdick took us through the timeline with resolve.  While none of us ever really wanted to get to the “end”, we did, and she is right, there is no other that had access to the evidence in this case.

Asking this jury to find a verdict of guilty is going to be like asking who wants ice cream on the way back home.

Enter famed Mayberry Attorney Barney Fife,  I mean self-proclaimed  “Juanie Cochran”  , Jose Baez after lunch with his clients proclamation that Caylee Marie Anthony died on June 16, 2008 while both Casey and George were present, by an accidental drowning in the above-ground swimming pool.

That was just the start of the delusion for public consumption.  If you did not raise your glass and look at the bottom in the light, you were not paying close enough attention.  Am I really hearing this?  Is there something in my water?

Kronk was kronked again, and accused of hiding Caylee’s remains from some unknown place, but ending up in the Suburban junkmess; and motivation for a reward as opposed to relieving himself was the reason he came upon her tiny skull.

Through her attorney, Casey Anthony did exactly what I have said she would do.  She blamed George for not reporting Caylee’s death and Cindy for leaving the ladder up to the pool , and wept while Baez told us all that Casey was sexually abused from the age of 8.

Masterfully and Mercifully,  Jeff Ashton laid down the hammer in response.  George Anthony was called as the States first witness. (more…)

Again tomorrow, we have the continuation of the continuations from last week of the defense team for Casey Anthony's outstanding motions, with any luck, to fete de compli.

For those whose headache has since left them, a review-  For the full clickety goodness, click the pic of the bic.

BYODS

Bring Your Own Dryer Sheet.   Seriously, now she put them there, now she didn't.  Depends on the meds that day she says. Cindy Anthony, a surprise witness to us, and likely herself, now says SHE put dryer sheets all over the Pontiac Sunfire after it was returned from the tow yard.  As Jeff Ashton pointed out during cross-examination, this is in stark contrast to her state deposition where she denied putting any dryer sheets in the unlicensed hearse.

She blames this nearly 3-year-in-the-making epiphany on the fact that one night she was sleepwalking while giving a bamboo splitting tutorial with the neighbors shovel and she accidentally fell into the shed, breaking the lock, and all 100 of George's red gas cans not covered with sloppy duct tape hit her in the head.

Ok, that part, I made up.

She also claims to have emptied a can of Febreeze throughout the vehicle, left the vehicle trunk, sunroof, hood and all windows open within the garage and returned to work. That could definitely explain the terpenes found in the air sample of the trunk, but certainly not the chloroform.

As Dr. Vass astutely pointed out during his deposition:

" Well sure, I mean if there was a bottle of chloroform in the trunk and it was half gone, I mean, Duh."

Mrs. Anthony informs us this has been a traumatic experience for her, and that she is still remembering things to this day.  I will just bet she is.  I know of one; for another article, another day.

What I found very interesting, is at no time did the prosecution object to her change in testimony, or question her comments about her claim she was on new medications that affected her memory, although Linda Drane Burdick covered this thoroughly over 2 straight days of the deposition. At no time, although clearly Cindy Anthony gave hearsay testimony regarding the curiously absent George Anthony's activities on July 15, 2008, did the state raise the objection.

I would be concerned about why the state would not be moving to take another deposition based on her comments if I were her and her attorney, but that's just me.  The protections of the subpoena with which she gave her deposition do not extend to one perjuring oneself. (more...)

Orlando, FL-  Occurrences yesterday afternoon had me checking my Google Earth maps to double check that the Orange County Courthouse was not next door to NASA doing their ignition checks.  The flare ups were numerous and loud.

"I'm Winning.."- Jose Baez (borrowed from Sheenster)

During the motion for exclusion and Frye hearing,  Jose  Baez,  lost it.

Avid readers and contributors here know I am not about the drama.  This was actually that baaaaadd.

FRYE'S WIT DAT?

Shy of jumping up and down or retreating to a fetal position with thumb-sucking involvement, Jose Baez, counsel for defendant Casey Anthony, needed a time out, several time outs, and was granted one after his co-counsel's requests, and another, courtesy Chief Judge Belvin Perry.

Because I value your time, and will not subject you to the H O U R S of innocuous banter we witnessed, my highlight reel for your review-

Let's say Jose Baez does not hold any advanced  Science degrees.  In the interest of disclosure, neither do I.

I do however understand that blaming the State, in this case, Jeff Ashton, for the reason that Mr. Baez missed deadlines requiring him to agree to a stipulation whereby he can no longer subject the "hardware" of Dr. Arpad Vass to the "Frye" test, is a no-n0.

Chief Judge Belvin Perry: ..Mr. Baez.. it sounds like to me, you entered into an agreement that you are trying to rescind.. If you questioned  the results then, why did you agree to it?...

Jose Baez: ..It is the easiest thing in the world to hold a contempt charge over a lawyers head, Judge..

Chief Judge Belvin Perry: "...Your co-counsel is trying to speak to you."

Jose Baez: "Judge, can we have a 5 minute recess?"

Chief Judge Belvin Perry: "You may have a 5 minute recess."

This exchange came near the end of what can only be described as a window to the strength of the State's case against Casey Anthony for the murder of her daughter Caylee, and the utter lack of preparation and skill the defense team has by comparison.

Photo Credit Gary Kazanjin

While it is true that much of what we hear in pre-trial motions is not always what will be admitted at trial,  which is the very reason for them in the first place, the defense's lack of knowledge of their own case is not a valid reason to deny something into evidence.

It is abundantly clear from this editor's perspective that neither Dorothy Clay Simms nor Jose Baez sufficiently understood the scientific subject matter they are requesting to be rendered inadmissible, or in effect, "junk science".

Devoid of strategy, repetitious and largely irrelevant, with several pending motions still to be heard,  the defense ate up two straight days. As a result, all parties are back in court next Friday and possibly Saturday.

By far the most important witness to take the stand yet , Dr. Arpad Vass,  research Scientist of "The Body Farm" fame and globally respected,  peer-reviewed author of two separate studies on odor analysis in human remains, NAILED IT.

(more...)

Orlando, FL– While the countdown begins for upcoming motions in both the criminal and civil cases against notorious tot mom Casey Anthony for the murder of her daughter, Caylee, a blinkoncrime.com exclusive:

An Interactive Tour of the crime scene off Suburban Drive, the autopsy area and digital DNA lab, and the Anthony home where most believe is where 34 month old Caylee Marie Anthony sadly met her end.

Built by a colleague at my request, Angela Talamasca and her team have recreated an interactive simulation that undoubtedly will be used by both the State’s Attorneys and Jose Baez Defense Team.

It is designed to provide a virtual experience allowing the final “triers of fact” to literally transport themselves within the evidence and theories they will be presented to consider when determining the fate of the accused, Casey Anthony.  This proof of concept ”build” includes contribution and consult from leaders in the fields of: Forensics, CSI, Crime Scene Reconstruction and Medical Examiners Investigations.

Currently, we have closed the simulation “island” to the public while it continues development to reflect known evidence and elements of the case.

We got a glimpse of the 3D “view” released in the discovery of a flyover of the area where Caylee Anthony’s remains were found. In the second life version (think Wii sims for adults) site called Digital DNA, users will be able to “virtually” tour the scenes by walking through them and simultaneously interacting with the features that will hilight the components and evidence of the case.

Take the Museum tour, interactive crime scene case review, test out your own theories “real time”  or disprove someone else’s; it’s here.

(editors note: out of respect for Caylee’s age, we have used a larger than scale anthropologic presentation)