Last week, under a due date requirement required by Chief Justice Perry, some of the expert opinions to be offered in the capital murder trial against Casey Marie Anthony were released.

In a highly circumstantial case, it is common for the silent witnesses to be the ones who tell us the critical pieces to the puzzle we are working on, are under the chair.

Bugs and Plants do not lie.

Arguably the Entomology and Botany evidence and their respective expert evaluations of same will likely hold some of the heaviest weight in the mind of jurors who will be charged with reaching a verdict in the death penalty trial in the murder of  Caylee Anthony.

Teaching a child not to step on a caterpillar is as valuable to the child as it is to the caterpillar.

~Bradley Millar

Lord of The Flies Part Deux

Dr. Neal Haskell, is largely considered the pioneer of Forensic Entomology in the United States.

In fact, he is the first individual in this country to earn Masters and Doctorate degrees in the field in 1989 and then 1993 respectively at Purdue University.

I have respectfully referred to him in earlier work as ‘The Bug Dude”.

Dr. Michael Baden and his co-author Marion Roach dedicated an entire chapter in their book, Dead Reckoning, to his work. Dr. Haskell was the “first call” choice expert of Linda Kenney Baden, former defense counsel to Casey Anthony, as stated by his former protégé and defense entomology expert, Dr. Timothy Huntington.

Dr. Haskell’s report filed October 6, 2009 contains the only peer-reviewed expert conclusions offered in the case against Casey Anthony.

In no way am I undermining it’s exhaustive and thorough contents. For the purposes of this article in order to remain respectful to the sensitivity that we are talking about medicolegal death investigation information that sadly comes from the homicide of a 34 month old child. I will largely be paraphrasing.

Dr. Timothy Huntington, the defense team’s expert witness, has been deposed by the State of Florida in this case three times to date. A final deposition has yet to be released.

(Editors Note: Although Linda Kenney Baden withdrew as co-counsel last October because she was not going to get her expenses approved and paid for by the state of Florida, she is most definitely working on this case in some consulting sort of capacity as she was present and noted in Huntington’s deposition in December)

Between his depositions dated December 28, 2010 and January 2011, Dr. Huntington produced a preliminary report that analyzed Dr. Haskell’s report and entomologic specimens. We know that he learned during the first deposition that several samples from the trunk vacuumings of the Pontiac Sunfire had not been sent for analysis to Dr. Haskell until a few days earlier. Dr. Huntington was not expected to prepare an opinion on that evidence until after it’s submission to him. (more…)

Orlando, FL– The State Attorney’s Office is set to release 1000 additional pages of discovery this morning of previously unseen evidence in the case against Casey Anthony for the murder of her daughter, Caylee Marie.

Sources within the SA’s office speaking on the condition of anonymity to blinkoncrime.com say the new information is largely FBI reports.

The release comes on the heels of new motions  filed by the defense this week.

Jose Baez and Andrea Lyon, defense counsel for Casey Anthony filed a motion alleging double jeopardy violation  in the upcoming fraud case, a reply to the states motion to preclude death procedures and yet another motion to dismiss. A hearing date has not yet been set by Judge Strickland’s office.

blinkoncrime.com will be posting the latest round of discovery as soon as it becomes available. Please check back for updates.

First Set of Documents      DNA Evidence   FBI Emails  Test on Knife found in Car

Link to All Individual PDF Menu

Disclaimer– exclusive original content copyright and property of Internet Network News, LLC and Blinkoncrime.com. Reproduction of this article in whole or in part without proper attribution and source link is strictly prohibited without prior written permission.

 Discovery Review Part II

Orlando, FL– In Part I, we reviewed the Latent Lift Myth. 

Adding to the quagmire of why Linda Kenney Baden maintains there are no prints on the duct tape, one reviews Ms. Baden’s amended motion for discovery.

Ms. Baden requests the specific 18 latent lifts and subsequent file information from the FBI reports in “this matter”. However, those tests were performed from items removed from the Anthony home by Orange County Sheriffs Office, not the FBI, thus the “THERE ARE NO LATENT LIFTS IN THIS CASE”.

How does the defense attorney entrusted to interpret the forensic evidence in a death penalty case not know with what agency that information is held? It was released months ago. 

Within the discovery, their is an email indicating a few areas of the tape were swabbed in the final testing process (CU) with methanol. This is performed on the non-adhesive side of the tape. Does it make sense if your sole intent was to extract DNA from this tape that you would be reduced to swabbing only the side of the tape NOT affixed to Caylee’s face?

It only makes sense if your goal is to preserve the integrity of what appears on the adhesive side, and exclude the possibility of DNA on areas that will not compromise the sample in that regard.  

Fibers Differ

Although the FBI has concluded  that the adhesive on the duct tape from the crime scene, on Caylee’s skull, and the Anthony home are CHEMICALLY THE SAME, Brad Conway releases the portion of the report that states that microscopically the tape fabric composition of the samples are dissimilar.

Now, admittedly I had the where- with- all to choose the smartest girl in my IPS class to be my lab partner while everybody else joked around and blew each others bunsons out. However, my guess is if you were to match conditions to the tape from the crime scene to that on the gas can and shelf from the shed, they would magically appear “SIMILAR”.

Difference between quantitative and observed, no? If that is the defense teams idea of junk science, I might agree. This brand of duct tape has not been manufactured since 2007.

How hard do we think it is going to be for the State to locate this exact production batch? They are as close to an MSDS report away.

Weed Eaters

In the CSI notes from OCSO, initial responders, we note 4 different areas where Agent Bloise marks 4 areas; 3 are under wood chips and the 4^th is under the platform of 16×16 pavers from the July yardscaping.

Buried within the FBI contact logs from the latest discovery, we learn that OCSO has at least one of those, if not all, in evidence. Where were they sent and what are the results? Could they be in the company of the much anticipated soil samples taken from the Anthony yard?

The examination and testing of soil samples from the trunk have also not been disclosed to date.

The OTHER Laundry Bag 

As reported exclusively at blinkoncrime.com, the original report of the laundry bag had the incorrect model.

The rectangular laundry bag, referred to as K33 in the most recent report, was recovered at the Anthony home on a top shelf in the East side of the garage.

In the latest FBI report, K33 appears under the “additional items from the vehicle” category. Not in the items from the residence and is examined with the items found with the Dora backpack or diaperbag as it is sometimes referred to.

What does that mean? Category oversight, OR, did OCSO find out that laundry bag was removed from Casey’s car?

To be Continued:

Part III The Disappearing Lingering Stain  

Disclaimer– exclusive original content copyright and property of Internet Network News, LLC and Blinkoncrime.com. Reproduction of this article in whole or in part without proper attribution and source link is strictly prohibited without prior written permission.

 Discovery Review Part I

Orlando, FL– In the last 2 weeks in the case against infamous tot-mom Casey Anthony, The defense appears to be in an all out media blitz to support their recent motions for dismissal. Most legal analysts feel they have  missed the deadline for such tactics, and that could very well be the reason for the affront on public opinion recently.

The blinkoncrime.com editors have been scouring the recent discovery release. 

There are some very compelling facts the Spin Twins de Baez have conveniently overlooked.

The Duct Tape

Reported exclusively  at blinkoncrime.com last June, the Henkel Duck tape industrial grade was located on the skull of Caylee Marie, the  gas can and the shed at the Anthony residence. Today, WFTV after rifiling through some old footage, reminds us what we already knew.

(Editors note: Say what you will about Kathy Belich, that Dom Casey cheat sheet with her picture and “disseminating hatred towards the family” remark had her in that news room with a whip and a hot iron all day until they found it– I don’t blame her.)

Yesterday at Brad Conway’s client driven press conference, he specifically referenced there are no fingerprints on the duct tape. I heard it again this morning by Linda Kenney Baden.

Let’s break this down folks, shall we?

On NO document, that we have seen, does it state anywhere that there are no prints on that duct tape. Specifically, I am referring to FBI Evidence ID Q62, Q63 and Q64.

In fairness to the defense, with a combined experience mean of 2o years in the “expert” fields, less Jose “josebgood@yahoo.com” Baezs’ token 3 years, I can see how such academics could come to that conclusion for the time being.

Within the response to Kenney Baden’s discovery request from the FBI, this statement appears:

THE FBI DID NOT RECEIVE LATENT LIFTS IN THIS CASE

It does not say “latent impressions”, which in the forensic “speak” means all friction ridge detail images.

Seriously? With a woman’s very life hanging in the balance we are expected to believe such a panel does not know the difference between a latent lift and a friction ridge image in 2009? Not to be glib, but as a practical matter, as a layperson, just imagine when your scotch tape slips off the cutter and you stand there for 10 minutes trying to thread it again with your fingernail. If that did not immediately furrow your brow, you will be wrapping all the christmas presents this year.

 These assertions by the defense team are nothing more than an attempt to double dare the State to open their Kimono. Insert euphamisms at will. 

As a matter of fact, a close look at the examination protocol used by the FBI,  tells a very, very different story. 

Tape Q62, Q63, Q64 is originally presented  NOT to be tested for DNA. Who gets it first? Latent Print U and Chem. Why is this important? Because the two work together when we are talking about applying chemically based “lifting” techniques such as sticky powder, for example.  

(more…)

Orlando, FL– In the latest blow to the defense team dealt this week, The interview recordings of Leonard Padilla, Tracy Mclaughlin, Rob Dick  and bail bondsman Tony Padilla are set to be released today.

Padilla and his team met with Agent Nick Savage of the FBI and a member of the Orange County Sheriffs Office in their home town of Sacramento, California last Fall.

Lead Investigator Corporal Detective Yuri Melich was slated to make the trip to interview the bondsquad personally, but was injured the morning of his flight in a motorcycle accident.

Jose Baez and the defense team for Casey Anthony argued to keep the Padillas et al out of the witness box alleging their was an “agency” established between he and the group, which would render their testimony work product and privileged. Not only did Judge Stan Strickland say in open court that he had never seen such a motion; he denied it entirely.

Tony Padilla, through Prosecutor Linda Drane Burdick, alleges that the agreement contained in the defense motion was not even the agreement signed by him in the first place. Ms. Burdick requested the originals of the agreement in question; it is unknown at this time if they have been turned over.

The recordings will be added to blinkoncrime.com as soon as they are available, please check back for updates.

Leonards Interview

Tracy Mclaughlin