Orlando FL- Yuri Melich, the lead investigator tasked with the investigation into the disappearance and subsequent death of 34 month old Caylee Marie Anthony, has been nominated as an Americas Most Wanted *ALL STAR*.
Corporal Melich had an impressive resume before taking his first and last missing persons case, in the homicide division of Orange County Sheriffs Office.
In 2007, Yuri was assigned three separate homicide cases within a 12 hour time span, and he was awarded Sheriff’s Certificate for successfully closing all three within two weeks.
One case centered on an execution shooting with no witnesses which Corporal Melich was able to tie to two earlier killings; solving both serial shooting cases through in-depth investigation and monitoring phone calls and jail correspondences.
As Yuri explains, he’s most proud of the work he did as a homicide detective, because he was able to apprehend someone who has taken a life and that making a difference like that is one of the “greatest feelings in the world.”
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www.blinkoncrime would like to congratulate all the very worthy nominees for their service.
Seminole County, FL- After a brisk trial, the suspect in the disappearance of Tracy Ocasio, and suspected accessory after the fact in the disappearance and death of Onda Chris George, James “Jimmy” Hataway has been convicted of attempted murder and burglary this evening.
Hataway has been found guilty in the attempted murder of Rachael Clarke.
George sees the light… Baez Light Brigade that is… and yes, I do believe that jurors will think they are all drunk for such a strategy.
Not new, not novel, not nouveau. You have read my predictions that George Anthony will willingly serve up his lily liver with fava beans and a nice chianti, for years.
Well, looks like the bus he is laying down for has left the station.
If I am being honest, ( Editor’s note: I have a few Aussie friends, and they constantly say this to preface some sort of heinous insult that you forgot by the time this passed you by) I have no earthly idea why anyone would be surprised or remotely piqued from your Cheerios over such baffoonery.
Almost 3 years later, you would think that at some point the injustice this family has shown Caylee Anthony would cease, or at least dawn on them like some sort of loosely based Lifetime *movie*of *the*week* scene finale.
Let’s face it. George is the perfect patsy in this case. Let’s review a short list:
1. He flat out lied about seeing Casey and Caylee leave on June 16th, 2008. We know this because Casey’s cell phone records tell us she did not leave the house until after 4PM. George called her at the house earlier first, and then her cell, so again, he expected her to be at the house, not “at work” as he told invetigators. Contrary to recent reports on WFTV espousing that George described exactly what Caylee was last seen wearing as the clothing found with her remains, let me clear this up, courtesy of www.blinkoncrime.com contributor Kleat, from George Anthony’s deposition by the State of Florida, in pertinent part:
[Whereupon, the document referred to was
marked for identification as Plaintiff's Exhibit
Number 9.]
BY MR. ASHTON:
Jeff Ashton: Let me show you State’s Exhibit 9 and just ask you if you recognize that photograph? [Handing]
George Anthony: [Examining] Yeah. It’s a photo of Caylee.
Jeff Ashton: Have you ever seen that photo before?
George Anthony: No. I don’t remember if I have or not. I don’t believe so. No.
Jeff Ashton: The shirt that she’s wearing in that photograph, do you recognize — from what you can see of it, do you recognize that shirt?
George Anthony: Not off — no. I don’t recognize that shirt. I don’t know if it’s a pajama or if it’s a T-shirt. I’m not really sure. I’m not — I don’t know.
Jeff Ashton: Could that be the shirt she was wearing when she left?
George Anthony: No. She wasn’t wearing this one.
Jeff Ashton: Okay. So it’s a pink shirt, but a different pink shirt?
George Anthony: Yeah. It definitely wasn’t this one right here.
Jeff Ashton: Okay. Thank you. All right.
2. He ommitted entirely 2 jobs he was working at the time of his resume and interview for Andrews International, on June 17th, 2008.
3. He has a propensity for shall we say, ladies that require service fees, and that non-existant credit card he did not have according to Cindy’s deposition, at the time of George’s deposition had a nearly $11,000 balance.
4. He purchased a handgun while Casey was on bond.
5. His attempted suicide could be construed as “guilt driven”.
To be honest there is plenty more where that came from, but I doubt the defense in this case even got this far considering they are attempting to add witnesses four months late, whose allegations were cleared by OCSO in the first place.
At the March 3rd motion hearing, where George alledged he was an agent of the State, he faced Casey from the witness stand.
Casey, full glare ahead and adorned in her her gas can red sweater with the henkel silver jacket on top, and George in his “will someone take me seriously” lavender.
He flat out testified he will even “not show up” to court if it would help his “baby”, Casey Anthony.
Jose Baez: ..”Now if I gave this hypotthetical, if I told you not showing up to court next Wednesday, and I am not telling you to not come to court, it would save your daughter’s life, would you show up to court?
George Anthony: “..If you asked me to stay away from the proceedings, if it was going to save my daughter’s life I would not be here..”
Late this afternoon, as I was prepared to ask again where in the world is George’s counsel, finally, George Anthony’s Attorney, Mark Lippman, fired back:
In the statement, Lippman said, “George Anthony had nothing to do with the death of Caylee Marie Anthony. He has been investigated, deposed, examined and cross examined by both the prosecution and the defense, and neither the defense team nor the state of Florida have maintained that he is at fault in any way.”
I will sum it up this way. George has a better shot at drinking a 5th, than pleading the 5th in the criminal trial against his daughter.
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.
Casselberry, FL- James Hataway, a named suspect in the disappearance of missing Ocoee woman Tracy Ocasio, and formerly missing, now recovered Onda “Chris” George, allegedly threatened a potential witness in the current attempted murder charges against him in Seminole County.
In a motion filed by the prosecution to use the statements as “similar facts evidence”, Francisco Arrellano claims Hataway told him “he would disappear” if he ever crossed him, after Hataway shared a story about a sexual encounter where he choked a woman for arousal.
Shortly after Hataway was arrested on unrelated charges, Mr. Arrellano sent Blink, Editor In Chief, www.blinkoncrime.com a message he received under his myspace name Requiem from a mutual friend and roommate:
Hataway has not been charged in either the George or Ocasio missing persons cases. Tyler Watters, a friend of Hataway and the last known person to see Chris George alive, is currently facing drug trafficking charges in Orange County.
Onda“Chris” George is awaiting positive identification through the FBI laboratory in Quantico, VA.
Tracy Ocasio, last seen with Jimmy Hataway at The Tap Room, in Orlando, has not been located.
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…)
