Casey Anthony – So Much To Do

For those of you following these motions hearings, I’m sure you will agree it’s been a long few days and it feels we haven’t made a whole lot of progress.  That said, these are critical motions and will shape the course of the upcoming trial.

What I find intriguing is the fact Mr. Baez indicates so many were agents of the state!  Throughout the testimony yesterday, I was struck, time-and-time again, with the family’s desperation and their attempts to doing anything to find Caylee – they were dealing with what they thought was a missing child!  Remember this was in the early days, long before the family switched gears and tried to circle the wagons around to protect Casey.

What also stuck out was Baez’s questioning.  He repeatedly asked if LE had been bad mouthing him and the job he was doing representing Casey.  This, to me seemed not to have much to do with being agents of the state, but more with Baez being overly concerned with public perception about him and his trying to identify anyone who may have dissed him!

WFTV will be in court bright and early to argue against Baez claiming Kathi Belich as a witness in this case.  Read the motion here.

The extreme anxiety the hard-hitting Belich causes both Baez and Mason is well documented in print and on video.  Most agree this is a frivolous and childish attempt to punish Belich and WFTV by using sequestration of witnesses to exclude Belich from the courtroom during trial!

Hair pulled up in a bun, Casey sports a green blouse under the grey blazer.

Gregg Thomas in court for WFTV and argues that attorneys must provide reasonable information that proves the reporter has critical information regarding the case that cannot be gained any other way.

Thomas says he has asked Baez for information about the reason for the motion but Baez has not replied!  Thomas indicates Kathi has never spoken to Laura Buchanan and Maya Derkovich was interviewed and that interview tape is widely available.

Cheney Mason claims that Belich did not report, but rather she inserted herself in the case by talking with Maya and spoon fed Maya Derkovich information for her interview.

Mason says that a remedy could be to subpoena Belich for deposition.  Mason claims that Belich intimidated Laura Buchanan to disrupt her continuing her deposition.

Mason claims Robyn Adams and Maya were in a conspiracy and Belich is critical to that.  Mason admits that Adams was only deposed last week by Baez and Derkovich has never been deposed by the defense!

Baez jumps up to the podium now because Mason doesn’t know the particulars!

BTW, we haven’t heard much from Mason as he is suffering from a slight case of laryngitis.

Perry asks what Adams would testify to.  Baez says conversations and letters between her and Casey.

Perry asked if they asked Adams about Kathi Belich.  Baez says no.  Perry wants to know how there was a conspiracy because it takes two for a conspiracy.

We already know the State isn’t using Maya.

Perry wants to know what they would call Belich for.  Baez says in case they call Derkovich.  Perry wants to know, not if they call Derkovich, but are they calling her.  Baez says we might!

Perry doesn’t seem to be going for this at all and he denies the motion on first amendment right from the bench!  He says the defense failed in carrying its burden.  The subpoena is quashed and Belich is free!

Back to the agents of the state issue – Det. Melich is called to accommodate his schedule.

Baez pretty much covers the same territory he covered with George.  He intimates that Melich tried to use scare tactics on George to get him to get information from Casey.  Baez asks Melich if he spoke to George about the Duckett case – missing child and the young mother committed suicide and the possibility that Casey may kill herself.  You also told him about the hierarchy in the jail so he would know Casey might be hurt in jail.  You also brought him in to hear the 911 tapes and to let him know the pictures were going to be released.

Melich says yes, it was a courtesy and it was George who called and asked to see LE away from Cindy!

In fact Detective, George got sick during that meeting and threw up in the bathroom.  Melich says he wasn’t in the bathroom, but he understood that.

Linda Drane Burdick asked how much contact Melich had with the Anthony’s during the July/August timeframe.  Melich said numerous times.

Did the Anthony’s express frustration with not speaking with Casey?  Yes.  And the Anthony’s want anybody who can talk to Casey to get answers from her?  Yes.

Linda asks if the family complained to him about the lawyer Casey had hired and that he was the one blocking their access to Casey.  Melich says yes!

The family repeatedly asked for someone to go talk to her?  Yes!

And you repeatedly had to tell them that with Casey in custody and the fact she had a lawyer, she had certain rights and you could not solicit information from her?  Yes!

Eventually, you began to butt heads with Cindy?  Yes, she felt we weren’t doing all we could.  The same is true for George and Lee?  Yes.

George had better watch himself…shaking his head ‘no’ to Melich’s testimony, making faces…just what the Judge admonished about yesterday!

Baez tries to get into areas outside the scope of the motion and Burdick objects to.  A sidebar is called.

Baez says Melich and LE didn’t give any information to the media til after Casey was under arrest.  Melich say correct.

Burdick asks that be stricken from the record as outside of the scope.

Melich is released.

Next, John Allen is recalled because Linda Drane Burdick never got the opportunity to cross yesterday.

Did you tell George, Cindy or Lee to go to the jail to gather information from Casey and relay it back to you?  No.

You constantly encouraged George to get Casey to speak to law enforcement without Mr. Baez present?  No ma’am.

Did you encourage Cindy or Lee to get information from Casey without Mr. Baez being present?  No ma’am.

Perry admonishes both sides about editorial comments and remarks – Perry’s patience is wearing thin with the animosity between the defense and prosecution.

Perry has an obligation to take care of so court is recessed for about 45 minutes.

Court resumes at 10:55 a.m. and Cindy Anthony is called by the defense.

Mason wants to know if Casey’s cell phone…sidebar called

What did Det. Melich say to you about Casey’s telephone?

He gave the phone to my husband and I asked him if Casey could use the phone and Melich said yes.

Cindy says she spoke with LE numerous times every day.

You wanted to see your daughter after Casey was arrested?  Yes.

You have conversations with LE trying to arrange a meeting?  Yes.

Did they say they couldn’t talk with her because she had a lawyer, but you could?  Yes.

Did LE talk about Mr. Baez?  Yes, Sgt. Allen didn’t like or trust Mr. Baez.

Linda objects and Judge sustained.

Did Mr. Melich or Allen say why they didn’t like Mr. Baez?  Yes, because they said Mr. Baez wasn’t interested in finding Caylee and I should not trust him.

Cindy says LE helped set up a meeting with Casey on the 24th.  She said Melich told her the time and place for the meeting.

Did you have messages from Melich or Allen?  Did any of the voice mails indicate that Mr. Baez was not to be trusted?  Yes.  I had received several anonymous calls regarding Caylee which I gave to LE.  Sgt Allen told me he thought the calls were set up by Mr. Baez.

Feed dropped…Linda Drane Burdick on cross.

On July 25th the media followed you to the first visitation with Case.  There are signs at the center that say the visit may be video taped?  Yes.

Once the tapes were released to the public you asked Mr. Baez to block the release of the tapes so you could speak to Casey alone?  Yes.

And you did that so you could get information from Casey?  That wasn’t the only reason.

But it was a reason?  Yes, one of them.

Regardless of the tapes, you returned to the jail to visit Casey because your motivation was to find Caylee not concern about privacy?  Correct.

Eventually you were unhappy with the police and how the stopped responding or communicating with you.?  Yes.

Regardless of the police, you still had your tip line, and used the media to help find Caylee?  Correct.

Did you yourself assist police in building a case against Casey?  Not knowingly or willingly.

Cindy steps down.

Casey pretty much ignored her mother today.

Defense has no more witnesses.  State has no witnesses.

Mason calls for a sidebar…

Next motion will be Unreliable Evidence – root growth and chloroform.

Ashton argues defense must cite why chloroform should be excluded.  There is no citation to authority that Oak Ridge science is novel.

Root growth by Dr. Hall is done by 50 years experience in botany and it is clearly noted as opinion.

It should not be the State’s burden, the defense must show why these items should be excluded.

Dorothy Sims claims the defense against chloroform is that trace chloroform cannot be used and is not supported.

Botany – defense does not agree that Dr. Hall is giving opinion.  No scientific study that supports Dr. Hall’s experiment.

Of course Sims claims the State has the burden to prove these techniques are acceptable.  There is no science to support this.

Ashton says Sims used the word ‘experiment’ several time and nowhere in the depo does it refer to ‘experiment’.

Sims talks a mile a minute without taking a breath!  She also argues medical decisions not scientific.

Perry reserves decision until he reviews all the depositions.  Ashton says he won’t find several depositions because the defense hasn’t filed them yet.  Baez says he can file.  We should have a ruling next week.

Next motion, Burdick prefaces her case by saying most of the items are addressed by court decorum.  She addresses testimony or opinion of council as to the guilt or no guilt…Mason jumps up and says defense agrees.

Granted

Next character references by witnesses regarding guilt…Mason agrees that is irrelevant.

Granted

With no evidentiary information, the term liar cannot be given as a personal opinion.

Granted

As to the leaks or improper acts by the SAO or LE cannot be brought up in opening statements because the defense cannot identify a single individual caused any of these issue

Mason says this is too broad.

Perry asks whats the relevancy on either side that someone may have leaked something to the media?

Perry grants the motion saying at trial it can be brought up at sidebar.

Next State motion to Strike Supplemental Witness List.

Linda say Baez filed a response.  A former boyfriend would be brought in regarding the diary and when it was written.  The State won’t try to block him as a witness because they understand why he was added so late.

Marvin Schecter, attorney from NY has now been removed from the list.

Kathi Belich is already off!

That’s all done.

Perry calls a sidebar…

Next motion Show cause – Ashton and the defense have been working behind the scenes to resolve the issue of the reports being late – Sims hand wrote an agreement which is entered into record.

Next Baez addresses the court

He said he would never disregard an order issued by the court.  Baez calls himself and advocate, a defense attorney, and a court officer.

He claims his advocacy sometimes gets the better of him.

He apologizes to Mr. Ashton for any attacks publically and privately he made.  Baez claims to have great respect for the defense attorneys and their passion.

Ashton accepts the apology and the Motion is ended.

Perry address both side and says it is his job to settle them down when emotions get the best of them.  He also says he knows their motivations are pure.  The system doesn to work unless both sides do their duty.  Perry thanks them for doing what he asked them to do, they did it with decency.

Court in recess.

It appears the status hearing will happen at 1:30 or not, I’m confused, lol!