Casey Anthony – Spinning Wheels

August 2005 ~ June 2008

I know some TH’s are saying Baez did a fine job yesterday, but I beg to differ and were I on the jury, I’d be mighty ticked-off!

Baez treats the jury like they’re a bit on the slow side.  The 2 1/2 hours with Heather Seubert on the stand was slow, painful torture and could have been accomplished in less than half the time.  OK, yeah, no blood or DNA, but this little angel was double bagged in garbage bags and then placed in a canvas laundry bag so sure, the smell of death would be overwhelming, but the decomposition fluids more than likely remained trapped in the bags.

OK, yeah, the bottles, plastic pieces, soda cans, etc. weren’t tested.  Well, as Linda Burdick so adeptly pointed out, it was a trash dump.  That’s where Casey so callously disposed of Caylee’s body!

The shovel?  I don’t get it!  What the heck did we waste so much time on that for?  Arguing a non-issue is just plain stupid.

The heart sticker, what was that about?  45 feet from the area where the skull was found?  Your point, Mr. Baez?  The area was flooded and under water for an extended period of time.  Water flowed in and out of the area, animals dragged the remains all over the crime scene, so what point do you think you scored with that one?

The sleazy move of dragging the Lee and paternity issue up had to be a total turn-off for the jury.

Baez’s monotonous rambling about forensic labs being accredited or ‘certified’, in his terms, is nothing more than a set-up to trash Dr. Arpad Vass.  He does not work in a forensic lab; he has spent a lifetime in a research facility, a world-renowned facility at that!  The fact the jury found him credible, down-to-earth and very engaging seems to be lost on Baez!

This is jury of serious-minded people, many who have a medical background, who most likely see Baez for what he is and I don’t think it’s a pretty picture!

And what the heck is Casey thinking?  Dressed like a slob yesterday, and giggling and laughing with her attorneys?  She has also exhibited a new behavior in the past few days.  At lunch or the end of court she has taken to planting her butt back down in the chair like she’s at a board meeting or a tea party!  The court officers have to tell her several times to move so they can put her back in the holding cell!

Casey, as usual, needs to button her blouse!  She seems chipper enough with smiles for her ‘boys’!

Judge Perry enters at 9:04.

Dr. Timothy Huntington, forensic entomologist is called. He is from the University of Nebraska.  He was a student of Dr. Haskell.

While giving his experience and qualifications he says he is an assistant deputy sheriff and Ashton objects for bolstering and asks to strike.  Judge Perry sustains and strikes the comment.

More objections on bolstering and Ashton asks to approach.

Huntington testified as an expert witness several times and he is accepted as such here.

Linda Kenney Baden contacted him in December 2008 to assist on the case.

That’s trouble right there!

He reviewed Dr. Haskell’s reports and viewed the car as well and insect materials.  He did not receive the car vacuuming that Dr. Haskell examined.

Lord, out come the flip chart and markers!

Huntington is going to draw the progression of flies, to laying eggs, to maggots…

Here ya go….get it? ————>

They wiggle out of their shell, flex their wings…

good God, who the hell cares?  Not me, and not thinking the jury does either!

See, this is one of Baez’s biggest downfalls…the word concise isn’t in his vocabulary!  Teaching entomology 101 to his frosh science students is fine, but this hasn’t a damn thing to do with the case!

Insects are cold-blooded and we know…

Mr. Ashton has an objection and asks to approach.

I’ve gotten nothing out of this but a pain behind my right eye!

Baez seems to be taking the approach the jury is dim-witted and the whole growth cycle of maggots needs to be explained before they are able to grasp what the presence of bugs signifies.

Jury sent out after lengthy sidebar.  Looks like we’re going for proffer!

You did not conduct a postmortem interval in this case?  No.

Neither did Dr. Haskell?  No, he said it fell into a certain date.

Jeff – when you say a PMI could have been done, under what circumstance?  You could do one if you assume the maggots came from a human body.

Why didn’t you?  I could not assume the maggots came from a dead body.

Huntington is to only testify to the trunk, not the crime scene.

Recess called and Judge Perry as Baez if Dr. Huntington’s report was turned in.  Baez says he believes so, but can provide the court with another copy.

Why did Judge Perry ask?  Things that make you go hmmmm!

Mr. George asks for another sidebar.

Dr. Huntington is back to drawing on the flip chart!

This is not a classroom!  Stop wasting everyone’s time and just ask the bottom-line, Baez!

Baez just asked about using live cadavers for studies. 

Live cadavers?

Now Huntington goes off on a study he conduct at the University!  He used dead pigs and placed them in the trunk of cars in September in Nebraska.  And, guess what…not a Pontiac Sunfire.  Well, that would mimic Florida in the dead of summer!  He even said it was cold and rainy in Nebraska.  He even has poster-board photos of the cars in his study!

He inspected the Pontiac in July 2010!

One and a half hours of testimony and not a damn thing related to the case yet!

Now we have a poster board photo of a decomposed pig with maggots crawling away as well as flies.

Jeff Ashton asks for a sidebar because of a discovery issue!

10:49 Jury sent out so a legal matter can be taken care of.

Huntington’s report is not filed in the court file!  Holy crap!

Baez – Are the stains of decomp easily distinguishable?  Yes, odor, chemical test can be done.

Were you asked this in deposition?

Objection.

Judge Perry says show me his opinion in his report or deposition.

January 28, 2011, page 31.  Ashton asked Dr. Huntington about decomp in the trunk and would you see that in an hour, a week?

Huntington said in Florida you would see fluid and saturation of the trunk liner in days.

Ashton wants to know what he is going to testify to…”Oh, I’ll wait, Mr. Baez is texting.”

Judge Perry says stop the editorial comments…stick to the facts.

Baez – When a body decomposes in a car what would you expect to see from the decomp fluid.  It is a blackish fluid and would soak into the carpet.  In a day or two it would occur rapidly because of the rupturing of the skin.

Ashton says none of this is in his deposition or report and he can’t testify to it.

Baez claims Haskell went into a big discussion about decomp fluids.

Judge Perry pulls up Dr. Haskell’s testimony from Saturday. 

Ashton claims this violates the court’s order, but Judge Perry says it does not violate the court’s order and he permits Huntington to make his statement as to decomp stains.

Casey looks pretty bored!

Ashton asks Huntington what his experience on stain identification.  Huntington says it regards a study paper on decompositional fluid in soil.  On carpet stains, he says based on observation.

Do you intended to testify to the color of decomp stains?  They tend to have a blackish stain.

Have you examined the carpet in this case?  No.

Judge Perry asks when he arrived at his opinion about the stain in the Sunbird?  I was trying to describe what you would expect to see, a stain, insect activity.  Decompositional satins are very obvious.  The stain can’t be cleaned or removed.

Feed dropped….grrr

Perry – Why should I permit this testimony?  It is quite evident he knew about the stain in 2008.

Baez says it was never their intention to introduce something never known to the State.

Huntington can testify about stains in general, but not the Sunbird stain.

Well, Baez tried to sneak it in but got caught!

Huntington does not have the poise or presence of a Dr. Haskell!

Jury returned at 11:40!

Can you take a paper towel and wipe up the decomp fluid?  No, I don’t think so.

At scenes you been on where decomp fluid leaked on carpet, can that be cleaned?  No they are removed and destroyed.

Previously, Huntington agreed the napkins or towels had the odor of decomposition, so what is the point of all this?

Baez at 11:50 says, let’s talk about this case!

Were any of the early colonizers in the trunk?  No.  The one leg Dr. Haskell found in the bag of trash doesn’t mean anything in my opinion.

If we assume there is a body in a car trunk…

Objection.  Overruled.

…you would expect to find thousands of the blow flies.  They’re in there, they’re stuck there, they die there.  I would also expect blow flies in the passenger area of the car.

Huntington would expect the flies in a bag of garbage.  The numbers found in the trash bag from the Pontiac are not remarkable to him.

Baez calls to break for lunch…

acccckkk, we aren’t even done with Huntington!

Seems Huntington may have fudged his CV.  Perry will rule after cross!!!

Huntington resumes the stand.

We had massive electrical storms beginning at 2am and after a few hours of sun this morning, it has gotten dark again and thunder is rumbling close by…we’ll see how long I can stay connected!

Is there a difference between garbage and trash?  No.

The paper towels you examined is it possible it was used to clean up decomp?  No.

What in your opinion attracted these insects to this trash.  He claims tobacco spit which is a body fluid that decomposes itself!

From the photos he said it appeared a dried piece of bologna was in a package and my have accounted for it, but he leans toward the tobacco spit.

Enlarged photos of the items from the trash bag are shown and Huntington points to the photo of the dry garbage as the one he examined the closest.

The flies attracted to garbage are going to go to the wet garbage because they need the moisture.  So what was found in the dry garbage was just the fly shells/casings they left behind.  It’s a bag of trash with trash eating insects in it.  Nothing remarkable about that.

The Suburban Drive insect material is typical of what you would find in Florida at that time of year.  The lack of blow flies is significant because it indicates the body was moved to the site after it decomposed.

I thought he wasn’t allowed to testify about this!

Objection, sidebar.

When a body decomposes the fluids will leach into the soil.  It changes the bug and animal or abiotic community.  Huntington claims that he did not observe that.

Were there early colonizers in the canvas bag?  A few.  The only ones found at the site were from the bag itself.

Can you say Caylee was in the trunk of the car for up to 5 days???

Seems young Dr. Huntington head has been filled with the ‘defense, gun for hire’ bottomless well of wealth, however he shouldn’t quit his day job!

Ashton on cross…

Do you mean to say that a fully skeletonized body was moved?  I’m talking about decomposed elsewhere at the very early stages.

On a child how many degree days would it take to go through fresh and bloat age?  I don’t think any studies have been done on that.

Well, can you give an educated answer?  I don’t think I have that data.

Two 90 degree days equal how many 60 degree days?  One and a half.

How long do you believe this body was at another location before being moved to Suburban Drive?  It’s complicated.  At the temperature today, 95 degrees it would be 2-3 days after death before it was moved.

Huntington is beginning to stutter and wither!

So this body was in another location for 2-3 days?  If you assume the same conditions.

So, that would be where the early colonizers would be found?  No, because some were found with the bag.

Every thing he answers is couched with, ‘it depends on the circumstances.’

Huntington hasn’t given a straight answer yet!  Maybe the defense should have just rested like Mason hinted at!

In deposition Huntington agreed with Haskell when he said the body had been stored where original colonizers didn’t have access – read trunk.

Are you now indicating you do not agree?  That is one possibility!

You agree or do you not?  It depends on the environmental conditions.

Pop Tart is getting a real workout trying to cut this off!

Wherever this body decomposed, it would stink, wouldn’t it?  Yes.

You testified you can’t get the smell out?  Yes.

You examined the Sunbird 2 years after the death?  Yes.

And it smelled?

Baez asks for sidebar…

Huntington probably sucks at poker!  Ya gotta know when to hold ’em, know when to fold ’em!

When you viewed to trunk in 2010, it still smelled?  Yes there was a smell, but I could attribute to a bag of garbage.

Have you left garbage in a trunk?  No.

You were hired in 2008? Yes.

When did you start this study?  2010.

It was done specifically for this case?  No.

How many studies have you seen with a child wrapped in a blanket?  None.

Wrapped in a blanket and stuffed in a garbage bag?  None.

Why didn’t you wrap your pigs in a blanket?

Big chuckles all around and Jeff says to the judge…sorry, I promised I would say that!

He reviewed one study from Europe where a head was in a plastic bag and in the trunk of a car.

Did you ever experiment of the effect of chloroform on attracting flies?  No, I did not.

So the chloroform in the car could have deterred the blow flies?  I don’t believe so.

LOL, the jury refused to take a break…they really must want this to end!

Huntington says there were 4-5 cans with tobacco spit that would have attracted scuttle flies.  Jeff is opening the individual cans and showing them to Huntington.

Jeff Aston is having mincemeat pie today!

Tobacco spit doesn’t ever smell like decomposition?  I don’t know if I could say ever.

Decomposing saliva can smell like a decomposing body?  I didn’t say that.

In the bag, there was no food?  Nothing I would eat, no.  There is a photo of a salami package that may have a remnant of food.

Ok, let’s open that item.

Judge Perry calls recess and he isn’t looking very happy!

Wonder how perturbed the pompous Spitz is being forced to hang in the hall all day!

Ashton shows Huntington the salami package.  The item inside is a piece on paper…not dried food!

BINGO, Mr. Ashton!

There is no food in the trash bag, agreed?  There does not appear to be any trash.

You could take a paper towel and wipe a surface and try to clean a small amount?  Possible.

You could vacuum the trunk and get rid of bugs?  Possible.

But you can’t get rid of the smell?  I wouldn’t say can’t.  The smell is possible to remove, but it is difficult.

How long was your pig in the trunk?  10 days at 60 degrees.

Your experiment doesn’t match 2 days and 90 degree temperature and a child’s body?  It would depend on conditions.

If the trunk was hotter than 90 it would be faster, maybe one day?  No, I don’t think you could get that in one day.

Redirect…

No freakin way Baez can rehabilitate!

Awww crap.  Flip chart and markers appear again!

Huntington says the evidence doesn’t make any sense that there was a body in the trunk!

Baez asks about Dr. Vass’ findings…

Objection, out of scope, not his area of expertise…

Sidebar…

The phrase by Dr. Vass, like adipocere doesn’t mean adipocere.

How long does it take for adipocere to develop?

Objection.

Now we’re doing voir dire…

Where do you get your knowledge regarding adipocere?  From what people tell me.

Have you done any study of adipocere?  No.

ALL attorneys approach the bench!

Perry has reached the end of his rope today!

He has worked with pathologists who have pointed out this is adipocere and this isn’t.

So Dr, Vass as a forensic anthropologist would know adipocere?  I do not believe Dr, Vass is an anthropologist.

Ashton moves to strike, Judge Perry tells the jury to disregard.

Huntington says he would have requested a DNA test from the maggot gut.

Objections, Sustained.

Are there other things you would have…

Objection. Sustained.

Baez is now fumbling as badly as Huntington!

If Huntington’s study was done under the same conditions, I could understand all this nonsensical testimony, but a whole day wasted on this witness  just goes beyond the pale.

Ashton on recross…

What was the condition of the bag when it was in the trunk?  I don’t know.

Are you a forensic pathologist?  No.

You got your PhD in 2008?  Yes.

So your opinions on adipocere comes from your work in the past 3 years?  No.

So with your Masters in 2005?  No earlier.

Well, when?  When I was 16 I worked in a mortuary office.

This is the first time in a court of law, this is the first time from a photograph you testified to a human decomp stain?  I don’t think Mr. Baez said human, but yes.

Your opinion on the stain is not in your report even though it was to contain everything you would testify to?  No.

BINGO, Mr. Ashton! 

Baez of re-re cross

You are the youngest board certified forensic entomologist?  Yes.

Did the board ever have issue with your age?

Objection.

Did you expect to be asked about pigs in the blanket?  No, I didn’t expect that.

Why wasn’t it in your report?  I didn’t think it would ever come up.

Re-re-re cross.

The stain in the trunk testimony, I thought you just told me you’ve never been asked to do that?  Not in a court of law.

If you discussed the stain with counsel, why didn’t you put it in your report?

My report concerned the entomological findings.

Witness excused at 4:47!

Judge Perry calls it a day.

I apologize folks, this was fairly choppy due to severe weather here!  However, my take is this was a fine example of Sesame Street Court with Fozzie on the stand with Big Bird and Miss Piggy eliciting testimony!

Casey Anthony – Once Upon A Time…

August 2005 ~ June 2008

Sadly, today marks the third anniversary of Caylee’s untimely death.  It seems incongruous and almost bittersweet that the defense of her mother also begins today!

It was is one of the most anticipated defense cases, the anticipation has been growing in leaps and bounds.

My expectation is we will see and kinder, gentler, defense team, these are after all, their witnesses.  The smarmy sarcasm and downright nastiness will be replaced with a polite and differential cross.  I do however anticipated Mr. Ashton and Ms. Burdick to wield their razor-sharp, legal scalpels with as much precision as we witnessed during the Frye hearings.

I also wonder if Mason and Sims will finally play a role in this defense or will Baez continue trying to capture all the glory.

The desperation of the defense becomes more and more apparent as each day passes.  They are trying to introduce – very late – a newly found witness to disparage George even further!  One, Vasco Thompson, a violent and convicted felon!  It boils down to some apparent, misdialed phone numbers!

The biggest question on everyone’s mind is will Casey testify in her own defense.  The titillating opening by Mr. Baez, painting George as a molester has pretty much painted the defense into a corner.  George denies molesting Casey and no proof has been offered to substantiate that claim.  Pretty much, Casey has to take the stand and lie!

Either way, expect a lot of shock – from the defense – and a lot of awe – from the prosecution!

Casey comes in with her hair in the usual bun and sporting an ill-fitting, white sweater.

Seems pretty chipper, smiling and chatting with Mason.

Gerardo Bloise is called.

July 23, 2008, you were asked to inspect a vehicle?  Yes, Tony Lazzaro’s car.

You looked for blood?  Yes.

Objection.  Sustained.

He saw a stain and checked it with an alternate light source.  The results were negative for presumptive blood.

Did you place the car on a lift?  No, I did not.

Anything else you did?  Yes, but it was on the Sunfire.

August 6, he had a search warrant for the Anthony home to check clothing in Casey’s room.  He collected some items of clothing.

They checked the living room and garage also with the alternate light source.

Bloise identifies a bunch of photos that are received in evidence and published.

Do you believe you did a thorough job in inspecting the clothing?  Yes.

Several of the photos are of pieces of clothing where he did find some stains and those items were sent to the FBI lab.

Wear gear were you wearing?  A jumpsuit and gloves.

Hairnet?  Yes.

Booties?  No, I was in the lab.

Do you speak while you inspect these things?  No.

Why not.  I was by myself!

CSI Burroughs and Yuri Melich were in the home while the collection took place.

Baez is really dragging this out!

Cross by Linda Burdick…

The scope of the warrant was only to inspect Casey’s clothes?  Yes.

The pants you inspected, were you informed Casey’s mother had washed those pants?  Yes.

When you inspected Tony Lazzaro’s car did it smell like a dead body had been in there?  No.

Redirect…

When you inspected Mr. Lazzaro’s car was there a three-week-old bag of garbage in it?  No.

Bloise excused.

That proved nothing!

Heather Seubert is called.  Back in 2008 she was a Supervisor of DNA analysis examiners with the FBI.

She details her education, training and experience to the jury, which is impressive.

She is a past member of the Scientific Working Group on DNA which issues standards for labs working in serology and DNA analysis.

She’s been an expert witness numerous times and is accepted as such here.

She was assigned to the case when evidence was received in the lab.

On October 8, 2008 she issued a report.

Did you receive items from a car?

I was given the…

Jeff Ashton inquires whether the items they will discuss are all in evidence.  Baez says yes, Judge Perry calls a sidebar.

Frankly, I wouldn’t trust Baez either, lol!

Recess is called to take up some legal matters.  Judge Perry suggests this is a good time for a ‘special’ break and he enters his chambers

Everybody has gathered around the exhibit table.

The items you were given to test that I would like to go through them.

The first were swabs taken from the tire cover?

Ashton says they need to be moved into evidence before they are discussed!

The swabs were examined by chemical test would detect blood.  The test was negative.

Baez seems a bit too well prepared with this witness, not his usual plodding, meandering self.  Anybody want to guess whose homework he copied?

A piece of spare tire cover was tested after brown and yellowish stain was observed.  All negative for the presence of blood.

The next item was a left side of the trunk liner carpet.  Again brown and yellow stains were negative for blood.

Now the right side of the trunk liner.  Negative for blood.

Blood was never an issue here so Baez is just spinning wheels here!!!  There is absolutely no point to any of this.

The items were also tested for DNA searching for any biological cellular material.  None was found.

They also examined some clothing from Casey’s room.  No biological material was found.

The shovel and it’s label were tested and nothing was found.

OMG!  The flip chart and markers have appeared.  Baez wants to go into touch DNA 101.

Ashton objects and we make the pilgrimage to the sidebar!

Objection overruled, continue.

Seubert gives a lengthy, scientific lecture on DNA.

Dang, the jury is sent out after an objection by the State!

Proffer…

The peak derived from the shovel was a peak of ‘x’ but not identifiable.

Objection.  What’s the relevance of that?

There is DNA there but not sufficient enough to identify.  Baez says that’s all he’s saying he is eliciting.

Ashton asks, to what end?

Judge Perry rules the State can examine on cross. 

The plodding, meandering Pop Tart has resurfaced!

The 3/19/09 report is on the duct tape.  The tested the top side and a DNA profile was found, but not enough to identify.

Baez makes Seubert step down to draw on his freakin flip chart to explain what makes DNA.

All this jerking around just to get to someone in the lab contaminated the duct tape!

I stopped paying attention a while ago!

8/19/ 09 report…

She examined a pair of shorts of Caylee’s.  They showed no blood or semen.

Examined Caylee’s shirt.  No blood presence, but they did get a possible presence of blood, but no DNA was confirmed.

The Pooh blanket, no DNA profile generated.

Baez just asked if she was asked to conduct a paternity test with Lee’s buccal swap.

Jury sent to lunch.

Ahston says this is not in good faith because the FBI does not conduct paternity tests.

Baez says it was tested to see if Caylee’s was lee’s offspring.  The FBI can do the test, but would have to refer it out to a third-party.

He doesn’t understand why Mr. Ashton claims this isn’t in good faith.

Ashton asks Seubert directly if she was asked to perform the paternity test.  She said Nick Savage communicated to her.

Ashton says the communication does not specifically name Lee.

Baez asks who she thought she was asked to conduct the test for?

Seubert says Savage asked specifically regarding Lee.

Ashton, what is the relevance about what an LE officer might have thought?  What is the implication he is trying to leave with this jury?

Judge Perry rules the defense can’t ask these questions unless they want to bring LE in.

He also admonishes both sides for their raised voices.  He also says he will review the question and make a decision.

So, in an underhanded, sleazy, disgusting, weasel move, POS Baez just disparaged Lee in front of the jury as well as throwing him under the bus with George!  I hope Casey is proud of her handiwork!

Judge Perry says the question can be rephrased to, if she conducted a paternity test, omitting was she asked to be LE.

Seubert says Lee was ruled out as Caylee’s father.

The car seat was negative for blood.

The steering wheel cover was negative.

Ashton on cross…

I ain’t typing all this about each and every piece of evidence we’ve been through this morning!

Ashton gets her to admit that if in decomposition fluids there is no blood, they would not find it in their tests.

Pop Tart keeps objecting and getting overruled.

Could the stains still be decomposition?  Yes.  As a body decomposes, the DNA also begins to degrade to a point you may no longer find DNA during testing.

Another lengthy sidebar and Judge Perry isn’t looking happy!  The court reporter leaves, but the lawyers remain at the bench for what I can only assume is a spanking by Judge Perry.

My opinion at this point is today is going downhill quickly for Baez!

On the bottom of the tape, the DNA you found on the duct tape, did you do anything to eliminate anybody other than Casey and Caylee?  Yes, she looked at all the family members and the samples from the lab staff.  It was so limited she drew no conclusions to the finding.

Ashton on cross.

The extra random allele on the tape means nothing?  Correct.

But, it wasn’t George Anthony?  It was inconclusive.

If someone is killed in a manner that doesn’t include bloodshed.  The absence of blood doesn’t really say it didn’t happen?  Correct.

Given the history of the tape, you wouldn’t expect to find DNA would you?  If it would be found, it would be on the underside.

Based on the fact this tape was in a swampy…

Objection.  Sustained.

May we approach?  I believe we have testimony.

Seubert confirms she was informed the tape was in an area with water coming in and out, swampy and the longer the item was there the chances of finding DNA would diminish.

Same with the shorts and other items?  Yes.

Pop Tart on redirect…

Decomposition in the trunk and as cells break down, there is no longer an ability to detect DNA?  Correct.

2:45 she is finally excused!

Judge Perry calls a ‘special’ recess.

Good thing because I was getting to the point of doing something drastic!

Next witness is Robin Maynard.  She was CSI with OCSO and collected evidence item 313 – the heart sticker!

Baez publishes the photo.

Linda points out the photo isn’t in evidence, only the actual sticker is.

Baez asks to enter and it is accepted.

The sticker was found 45 feet from the baseline.

He moves to the next item, but the photo never did get published to the jury!

Now he introduces a map of the crime scene and where the sticker was found.  The map isn’t to scale and only approximates where bones were found because the bones were placed based on the location of the bucket of collected evidence.

She is released.

Well that proved nothing!

Ron Murdock is now called. 

Baez ask him to open his computer program with the map of the crime scene and show where the sticker was found in relation to the skull.

Baez seems to forget the water rushed in and out of the area as well as animals dragging things probably moved the sticker!  Talk about doh!

How far were the two pieces of tape from the skull?

Objection.

No cross.

Witness excused.

Jennifer Welch is back.

A large number of items were collected that you photographed that could be considered trash?  Yes.

May I publish these photos?

What is the exhibit number?  Ooops, Baez didn’t get them marked by the clerk.

The photos show common garbage which was not sent to the lab for testing.

I can’t believe how much time Baez is wasting to prove nada, zip, zilch!

Burdick on cross.

Is it fair to qualify where Caylee’s remains were found as a trash dump?  Yes.

Welch is excused.

Lorie Gottesman is called.  FBI laboratory, forensic documents section.

She details her education, training and experience in ‘question’ documents.

She has testified as an expert more than 20 times.

She is accepted as an expert witness.

She examined the duct tape for remnants of the heart shape sticker and could not find it.  Don’t forget, this was examined thoroughly by another part of the FBI lab!

Gottesman was the one who contaminated the tape!  She has no idea how it happened.

She also examined some pieces of plastic, but made no matches.

The plastic bags did not match the ones from Surburban Drive.

Cross by Ashton…

The tape had already been examined by the latent print area first?  Yes.

The plastic bags came from the Anthony residence?  Yes, 5 from the Anthony house and 2 from the ME’s office.

Redirect…

The DNA comparison in the duct tape…

Objection, out of scope.  Sustained

No further questions.

Witness excused.

Up next, Cary Oien.  FBI laboratory. Degrees in biology and entomology.  Hair and fiber analysis.

He was  supervisor to Lowe and Shaw – hair banding witnesses.

He examined the stickers from the shovel.  He found a small hair from a caucasian.

Well, that was stupid and a waste.

Witness released.

No further witnesses for today and the jury is released at 4:24pm to return at 9am.

Observation: For a much-anticipated defense case, there was no bombshell, no cataclysmic revelations.  In fact, it was a double Red Bull, No Doz kind of day!

Casey Anthony – The State Rests

August 2005 ~ June 2008

Today, the State will rest and I assume some housekeeping will be done, but expect an abbreviated session because the defense doesn’t quite have their act together!

We also know that the good Judge is royally ticked-off at the defense for their lying and bad behavior.   You would think after the Judge bending over backwards, giving them a ton of leeway and even schooling them in law, the defense would have the sense not to bite the hand that feeds them!  When Judge Perry said, “I will take it that I cannot trust one thing that your side says anymore”, they pretty much sealed their fate!

Baez even got snippy with Linda Drane Burdick yesterday when she asked who the defense would be calling tomorrow so they could be prepared.  Remember Baez whining that he wanted to know the order the State would call their witnesses so he would be at a disadvantage?  Well, Mr. Baez almost yelled to Linda that he didn’t have to answer her and Linda shot back, “oh, yes you do!”

So, nerves are frayed and the kid gloves have been taken off!

Casey appeared and then was taken back to the holding area, seems there is a pow-wow in chambers and even the court reporter went in.

9:13 Judge Perry takes the bench.

Stipulation as to the tattoo translating to ‘beautiful life’.

Two items are entered into evidence by the State, two pieces of trunk carpet stored in metal cans by CSI Vincent.

Mason complains that when the jury asked to view the heart sticker, he feels they may have been discussing the case when they shouldn’t have.

Not an issue!

Judge Perry reads the tattoo stipulation to the jury.

Linda Burdick announces the State rests!

Judge Perry releases the jury for the day while some lengthy legal matters are taken up.

I’d be annoyed if I was on the jury, lol.

Mason at the podium saying now that the State has presented their evidence, they have the right to ask for a judgement acquittal.

The defense didn’t submit their motion and paperwork until this morning and Judge Perry hasn’t had the opportunity to review.  The State, on the other hand, submitted their paperwork on Monday.

Mason is reading law to the court.  He takes issue with Dr. G using the word homicide and it was only speculation on her part, the State has no idea when Caylee died, how she died, or if there was a murder at all!  There has been no evidence of premeditated murder.

All the witnesses said Casey was a kind, loving mother.  There was no history of torture or extreme discipline By Casey toward Caylee.  The State alluded to the use of chloroform and duct tape.  Aggravated child abuse must be adjudicated.

Aggravated manslaughter of a child.  Not proven by the State!

No evidence, none, as to the cause of this child’s death!

Now he’s back on the Miranda issue and was surrounded by big burly cops and was placed in the cage in the police car…yada, yada, yada.

Kinda ironic that Mason is preaching law to Judge Perry, a man who knows law inside and out and can run circles around the entire defense team!

Bottom line, Mason is trashing every piece of evidence presented in the case and just said the only person who had access to the duct tape was George.  He claims the State’s case was pretty much a fairy tale.

Judge Perry asked about his reference to accidental death and where in the record he can find that?

It isn’t in the record, but was brought up at sidebar!

No murder, no premeditation, no history of aggravated abuse screams for judgement of acquittal.

Linda Burdick say the statements by Casey that Zenaida Gonzalez kidnapped the child and the evidence of the case proves otherwise.

The accidental theory to be presented has been negated by Dr. G.  This was not an accident.

The witness to the accident, George Anthony has rebutted that story.

A reasonable jury can conclude the chloroform and duct tape could be the cause of death especially when combined with the trunk evidence.

A whole lot of case-law is being referenced here and I’m not following all of it.

This was a premeditated  intentional act by the defendant to inflict this child’s death and the State requests the judgement of acquittal be denied.

Mason says there was no chloroform related to the child’s death!

The claims of the duct tape are bogus.  There is no evidence it had anything to do with the death or with Casey Marie Anthony!

Judge Perry calls a 45 minute recess, but adds he has already read most of the cases cited as well as the testimony!

Frankly, I don’t see Judge Perry granting the defense a  judgement of acquittal!

Judge Perry cites a truckload of law and then rules a judgment of acquittal is denied!

Court in recess until 9am!

So tomorrow we will see the defense’s case.  They will begin to attempt to free Casey Anthony on the third anniversary of little Caylee’s death.  The irony is rich indeed!

Casey Anthony – The Last Roundup

August 2005 ~ June 2008

I know many were disappointed when court was recessed early yesterday, but I have to admit having the afternoon and this morning off was much relished by me!

So, we are down to the final few State witnesses and all the chatter seems to be about guessing whom we will see today.  Are they some of the overly discussed witnesses remaining on the State’s lengthy list or will we all be gob smacked by a ‘surprise’ none of us really expected?  Either way, the State’s CIC is drawing to a close and what an almost flawless CIC it has been!

Gag me!  Casey wearing a white top and her hair in a long pony, doin’ the Godiva thing!  She’s also signing papers, stipulations maybe?

Pop Tart wants to update the court, not a good omen!  My bet?  They can’t get their witnesses here on time!!!  No surprise to me!  Judge Perry doesn’t look happy

Cathrine Theisen is called by the State. (No idea who this is!)  Currently, Quality Assurance  at FBI for 23 years. Extensive CV in forensic mitochondrial DNA analysis.

She examined a portion of  hair from the trunk and buccal swabs from Casey.

Items entered into evidence.

Her findings are the mitochondrial types are the same so neither Caylee or Casey can be eliminated as being the source of the hair.

It includes mother, grandmother, Casey, uncle…who has no chemically treated hair???? 

She also examined portions of the hair mass which matched the buccal sample from Casey or anyone in the maternal line.

Pop Tart up…

What is Quality Assurance at the FBI?  We issue policy and procedure to ensure we follow our established procedures and meet our certification.  All case work is subjected to at least 2 levels of review.

Your employees are subject to proficiency tests?  Yes.

Pop Tart has asked 3 questions that Ashton objected to which Judge Perry sustained.

He is all over the place with off scope questions!

Now he is crossing the line and getting smarmy with his questions.

Theisen is released.

State now calls Alina Burroughs.  OCSO CSI.  She helped collect evidence at the crime scene and the Anthony home.

She identifies on an overhead, the crime scene and it’s location from the Anthony house! 

Powerful overhead!  Red is Anthony home, blue where Caylee’s remains were found.

12/20/2008 she collected and documented a search at the Anthony residence.  She saw the heart stickers collected from Casey’s room!!!

Well, that made Pop Tart jump to his feet!!!!

None of the chatter has been correct…this is so not what was expected and I’m loving it!

The stickers were in a yellow box by Casey’s bed.  The box also had an envelope and there was the backing of a heart sticker laying on it.

Casey looking mighty freaked! 

More stickers were found in Casey’s bedroom in several different locations are identified and entered!

Pop Tart….

Can you see the stamp on the envelope?  Yes.

How much does it say?  37 cents.

How old would that make it?  I wouldn’t be comfortable saying.

So sorry, I lost the feed due to storms…accckkk!

Baez keeps trying to back her into a corner and she keeps replying she is not comfortable answering his pointed questions!

How far was the elementary school from the crime scene?  I’m not comfortable making distance estimates.

Baez is out of control with his questions!!!

Witness excused, but Baez has her called back.

The sticker is not flat?  No.

Raised or beveled?  Yes.

Witness excused again!

Cindy Anthony called!

When you testified last we had gone up to the period of July 2008.  When Caylee was found in December 2008, where were you?  Boarding a plane in LA.

So you weren’t there when the last search warrant was issued?  No.

Did you find anything missing From July to December?  Teddy the bear was missing.

The hair style you had when you visited Casey in jail in July and August, was that the same style you had?  Yes.

Same length and style you have now?  Yes.

Is your hair processed?  Yes, color, highlights.

Do you have knowledge of what processing your daughter did to her hair in 2008?

She cut it and would highlight it or color it.  Her natural color is brown.

Pop Tart…improper impeachment.  No impeachment yet, overruled.

Lee always cut his hair short and never processed his hair.

Shirley had been in the Sunfire over the years, but she can’t remember the last time her mom was in the car.  Shirley keeps her hair shorter than shoulder length.  Cindy doesn’t remember if any of her brothers were in the Sunfire.

Cindy knows duct tape, black, blue and maybe some grey was at their house.

The command center used duct tape to put up poster.  Linda shows Cindy her deposition where she said George told her he put a piece of duct tape on the gas can vent which was missing.

Cindy identifies Caylee’s sign KidFinders put up in the tent at the command center.

I’m betting Cindy is hedging today, maybe not intentionally.  Linda is going to great lengths to impeach her.

Cindy identifies a catalog photo of the canvas laundry bags they owned.  The last place she kept the item was in the garage.

In deposition Cindy said the last place the laundry bag was kept in Caylees’s bedroom.

The black garbage bags on the top shelf in the garage went missing!

The Big Trouble shirt is shown and Cindy says she never saw that shirt.

Recess called.

Notes from jury:

Jury wants to know if they can see exhibit 313 because they did not see it when introduced!  Also want to know if during deliberations they will get a typed list of all exhibits, which Perry says they will provide.

313 will will be shown on overhead.  Gloves will be provided during deliberations if they want tot handle it.

Baez now says the heart sticker has fallen off the piece of cardboard and he would rather the jury sees it as it was, stuck to cardboard!!!

Judge Perry says the jury has, by law, the right to see it.

Pop Tart whining he wants a stipulation that the sticker is no longer in the condition it was originally presented in.

Judge Perry says find the testimony from Ms. Maynard and goes off record till that happens!

This jury is proving their worth…good on ya jury!!!

Judge says let’s continue untill they can answer Mr. Baez.

Pop Tart on cross of Cindy…

Oh, major hostility from Cindy towards Baez!

You saw what the police had done in your absence.  Yes.

On the 20th, they came with another search warrant?  Yes.

The 20th was a difficult time for you?  Yes.

There was a confrontation at the time?

Objection.  Irrelevant.  Sustained.

That’s when you tole LE about the missing blanket?  I don’t know?

On December 11, the search warrant mentioned the Pooh blanket?

Object.  Approach

Sidebar…the testimony on the heart sticker has been retrieved…

When you came home after 12-11, your house was a mess?  Yes.

Your house was turned upside down?  Yes.

They took Caylee’s bedding set?  Yes.

What the hell is Baez doing????

Now we’re back to duct tape.

I have no freakin idea what we’re doing here?

Linda  keeps objecting for improper impeachment and Baez finally ask for a minute to consult with Mason!

This is just nuts!

Baez has gone to saying, based on Cindy’s testimony, George was the only one using the Henkel duct tape.  Cindy says she used it to repair the signs around her frontyard.

No Baez wants to know about everybody’s hair!

I’m getting so lost here!  Doo doo doo da, doo doo doo da…Twilight Zone!

These shorts on Caylee, no longer fit her?  No.

So whoever dressed her didn’t know her size?

Object.  Sustained!

Cindy released.

Jury is told the heart sticker has separated from the cardboard and is shown on overhead.

The sticker in a plastic envelope is passed around to the members of the jury.

I don’t know what the heck is going on, but I feel like I did a massive overdose of drugs today!

Now a bunch of stipulations are introduced.

Stipulation is about WFTV and I have no idea what it is about.

Second is also.  Statement by WFTV Daniel Criswell (sp ?)

Aha…the command post and the duct tape and Lee Anthony in the photo!

Cindy’s time cards, employment records!!!!

George’s time card records!!!

The entire history of June 16th is being presented by stipulation and Casey and the defense might as well bend over now!

Explosive and damning to Casey, but it did keep testimony to a limit.  Think Casey and her dream team just signed away a ton!

State recalls Jenny Welch. 

She did the photo of the tattoo on Casey’s back while Casey was jailed.

Pop Tart objects.  Overruled.

She identifies the photo of the tattoo as the one she took.

Witness is excused!

Bobby Williams called.  He did the tattoo art on Casey on July 2.  2008.  He had  known Casey for 7 or 8 years. 

She called an asked for an appointment.  He states she wanted a tattoo that said “bella vita” in feminine writing and he sketched it out for her.

So, this wasn’t a spur of the moment thing!

Sidebar…

Baez seems to want this testimony out, but the jury already knows about the tattoo!

Witness is allowed to step down as jury asks for a 5 minute break!

4:53 Jury returns…

Picture of tattoo is entered into evidence.

The tattoo took about 1/2 hour?  Yes.

What was her demeanor?

Objection.  Overruled.

Happy, normal.

She paid in cash, they ordered pizza ans he ate a few slices and paid for the pie.

On the 15th she came in to set another appointment for the 19th and she was happy and normal.

Did you know about her daughter Caylee.  Yes.

On the 15th she said Caylee was with the nanny and she would bring her in on the 19th

Pop Tart…

Did you do George and Cindy’s tattoos?

Objection.  Sustained.

Any other family member tattoos?

Objection.  Sustained.

Redirect by Frank George.

When Casey came in, did she appear mournful?

Objection.  Judge Perry calls a sidebar.

Witness excused!

Judge Perry calls an end to the day at 5:02pm.

Ashton asks to approach.

Now Mason is objecting to all kinds of consciousness of guilt and asks for a mistrial.

Judge Perry rules mistrial denied!

State says they will rest tomorrow.  The Defense couldn’t get their shite together to get anybody here tomorrow so they will begin Thursday…the 3rd anniversary of Caylee’s death! 

Sad for little Caylee!

Judge Perry offers the defense the opportunity to work beyond 1pm on Saturday and Baez says 1pm is their limit.

OK, I had no idea this would be what today was all about.  In a parallel universe, maybe, but this was so unpredicted and bizarre, I really need some time to digest what just occurred!  Did the defense wave. a white flag???

This was one of the most confusing days I’ve seen at any trial!

See ya tomorrow at 9am!

Casey Anthony – The Final Push

August 2005 ~ June 2008

Last week we heard all the gruesome, graphic details of the fate of little Caylee.  The State’s witness were powerful, highly believable and stood their ground with the weak and sometimes inane cross by the defense. 

It seems to me, the defense has wasted a lot of time on a bunch of nonsense, has been ill-prepared for this case, and just can’t control their client.

The State on the other hand, has been masterful.  Methodically and skillfully laying out the facts.  They were able to introduce hair banding, Dr. Vass’ chloroform and decomposition findings, presented evidence that Casey did computer searches on chloroform a whopping 84 times, proved the presence of insects associated with decomposition being present in the trunk of he Pontiac, and that Caylee’s remains were in the wooded area, submerged for some time.  Cap that off with Dr.G and there isn’t much more the State has to do!

It amazes me how desperate Casey is to get attention from her lawyers.  Flirting with Mason, trying to engage Baez, whispering to Dottie…sad!

State calls Stephen Shaw. Hair and fiber analyst for the FBI.  He tells the jury of his education and experience.  He has offered expert testimony 12 times in several states.

Accepted as an expert witness. 

He confirmed the findings of Karen Lowe regarding the hair banding.

Pop Tart objects.  Overruled.

Shaw agreed with the decomp finding as well as similarity to the hair from the hairbrush.

He examined the hair mass that was sent by OCSO.  He compared the hair from the trunk to the hair mass.  Decomposition and some banding in the hair mass was found, but it was from later stages of decomposition!

The hairs came from the same source, however you cannot identify the individual they belong to.

He’s been conducting an ongoing study on 600 antemortem hairs collected from live individuals that were stored in various conditions for different time periods.  No postmortem banding occurred even though decomposition did.

Jeff Ashton asks to introduce a Powerpoint presentation that Shaw prepared regarding the findings of his study for demonstrative purposes only.

This is the study the defense whined about not being able to get from the FBI, which to date, still is not completed.  They made a huge stink over hair banding at the Frye hearings!

Sidebar…

Jury is sent out because Pop Tart wants to proffer because they defense has not received the Powerpoint, however they did receive hard copy.

Judge Perry says show the Powerpoint and if Baez or Sims have questions, they may ask them.

The slides do show some areas of decomposition, but NO banding!

The defense is desperate to prove banding occurs in antemortem hair.  The defense got nothing and came up empty-handed.

Don’t forget, the defense originally had Dr. Petraco early on.  Petraco found hair banding and declined to be an expert witness for the defense.

The defense is losing big on this testimony because Shaw said there are no significant differences between adult and children’s hair, but did add that in high heat – Florida summertime – the decomposition is accelerated!

Baez renews his objection and claims cumulative and unfair prejudice, improper bolstering.  Sims says this study needs to be addressed on Frye issues!

Judge Perry rules the Powerpoints cannot be used because they weren’t provided to the defense, – it was the State’s responsibility to provide, not the FBI’s – but Shaw’s testimony will stand on record.

Defense scores 1/2 point!

Jury returned.

The FBI study was prompted by an earlier thesis that came out of John Jay College of Criminal Justice.

Shaw testifies to the mechanics of how his study was conducted.  Hairs were found with decomposition, but none in the study showed postmortem banding.

Pop Tart on cross…

The hair from the trunk and the hair mass were dissimilar?  Yes.

The findings John Jay found the hairs had root matter which the hair mass didn’t contain.

Baez is trying to say the recognition of root banding is purely individual opinion, tossing aside training and experience in the science.

You expedited your study to complete it before this trial?  Yes.

The fact there was only one hair from the trunk is consistent with transfer?  It could, all hairs are transfer when there’s no scalp involved.

Climate and heat are the biggest factor in decomposition?  Yes.

Ashton on redirect…

The hair mass indicates further decomposition?  Yes.

Have you ever seen a hair with a decomp band that didn’t come from a corpse?  No.

They must be serving drinks because everybody headed to sidebar!

Shaw is set free!

Elizabeth Fontaine is called.  FBI forensic examiner in latent prints.

She’s had extensive education and certification. 

She examined the duct tape found with the remains..  She identifies the duct tape that is moved in evidence.

One piece of tape was separate.  Two pieces were stuck together.

The pieces were 6-8 inches in length.  The glue was mostly gone and the strings and glue had migrated to one mass at the end of the tape.

She was knew the tape was found on the remains and been subjected to being in a flooded area.

She found no latent fingerprints.

Objection.  Overruled.

She saw the outline of a heart on one piece after using a superglue and light process.  The shape was the size of a dime.  She says if you wear a band aid for an extended period of time and remove it, it leaves and outline of glue debris which is what she noticed on the tape.

She notified her supervisor and pertinent parties.

She continued her normal examination and when she came back to photograph the heart shape, it was no longer visible after conducting a dye stain process and a black powder exam.

Fontaine blew it and should have had the foresight to photograph it before messing with it!  It’s a crying shame!

She can state what she saw was the shape of a heart, but cannot say that was exactly what it was.

Pop Tart up…

You were the second to receive the tape?  It went to evidence control first and they inventoried it and then it was sent to the trace evidence unit who sent it on to her.

Several different light sources are used to examine for latent prints.

Baez is going for someone contaminated the tape before she received it.

After processing, you could no longer see the image?  Correct.

You did a report in this case?  Yes.

You indicated the 3 pieces had no prints?  Yes.

So when you were done the items went back to evidence control?  Yes.

And then probably went to another unit?  It may have.

You’re aware the item was later contaminated…

Objection, hearsay, may we approach?

Rut roh, Baez just stepped into a major pile of doo doo!

Objection sustained.

You filled out a report of what you know and don’t know?  I fill out a report of my conclusions.

You were not able to find any fingerprints.

Fontaine excused subject to recall.

The State says their last 2 witnesses won’t be available til 1:30 tomorrow.

Judge says the State may wrap tomorrow afternoon or by noon on Wednesday.  The defense should start Thursday, but are trying to accelerate that.  He says we are ahead of schedule at the moment and by Saturday they should have a pretty good idea as to conclusion and hopefully they will begin deliberations on the 25 or 27th.

OMG!  Mason just objected!

Sidebar…

We are recessed for the day! With a start of 1pm!

Woohoo, time off for good behavior!

Casey Anthony – Triple Play

August 2005 ~ June 2008

It was a huge day for Caylee and the State of Florida and a not so good day for the defense!

Dr. Schultz expertly placed Caylee’s remains in the woods for approximately six months and under water for a great deal of that time. The plant growth through the blanket, garbage bags and Caylee’s skull is irrefutable! Man on first!

Dr. G was excellent in defending her ruling of homicide.  The total logic behind a child not being reported as missing, the remains being bagged and hidden in the woods, and no explanation for a child to have duct tape over their month had to have made even a skeptic take pause.  Rounding third base!

Dr. Warren’s animation of Caylee’s picture superimposed over her skull to indicate the probable placement of the duct tape and how it, more than likely, cut of her airways must have had a profound effect on the jurors.  Home run!

Today, we should hear from entomologist, Dr. Neal Haskell.

George and Cindy have returned to court.  Casey looks gaunt and subdued. 

Dr. Neal Haskell is called.  He takes the jury through his education and experience.  It’s a pretty hefty CV.

He’s been an expert witness in 28 state as well as around the world.

The court accepts Dr. Haskell as an expert witness.

Haskell was contacted by OCSO’s CSI Michael Vincent.  Vincent sent him samples of maggots and pupae in September.

Haskell needed an adult of the fly species to properly do his job.  That’s when he examined the towels and trash bag.

He identifies the box with the paper towels he received from Vincent.

There were hundreds of specimens and a colleague confirmed his finding, that the species are commonly found in decomposition.

The towels contained decomp fluid which attracted the flies.   The material was sent to Dr. Vass.  Vass reported back the material was adipocere.

Haskell then determined the timelines and temperature to do his analysis.

They found one leg of a blow fly.  They are attracted to decomposition to all types – human and non-human.  Blow flies appear at the earliest stage of decomposition.

If a body of a young child had been stored in the trunk of car and then later moved, would that confirm your findings?  Yes.

Different insects will come in at different stages of decomposition.  The various species found support the conclusion of the body being in the trunk and heat for a while.

Haskell says if the body was wrapped in a plastic bag or two it does tends to delay the appearance of the blow flies.

Haskell feels the body would have been in the trunk for a long time and would have been removed before the car was abandoned.  4 to 5 days is his estimate that Caylee was kept in the trunk.

Dr. Haskell went to Florida to inspect the car when he was notified Caylee’s remains had been found.  He arrived in Florida on December 16.

He went to the Suburban Drive scene and the impound yard and spoke with Simon Birch.  He collected specimens from Suburban and the ME’s office.

Bottom line, the remains were placed in the trunk quickly after death.  Some specimens indicated 4 to 5 days into decomposition in the trunk.  Others indicate the remains were in the woods from the June – July time frame and had to have contained body tissue when placed in the woods.

Pop Tart on cross…

You first heard about this case through Dr. Vass?  Yes, I was talking to him on another case at the time he mentioned it.

Vass and Haskell have worked together for 25 years.

Dr. Vass is a biochemist?  His degree is in anthropology.

Do you recall testifying he is a biochemist?

Objection.  Sustained.

Oh God, the ever annoying flip chart and markers have appeared.

Baez keeps jerking around with it was a garbage bag, it was a trash bag and Dr. Haskell is having none of his clowning around.

DNA can be grabbed from any cell material?  Yes, human DNA has been extracted from bugs and larvae.

Did you send any out for DNA testing?  No, I didn’t.

You don’t know what the study Dr. Vass did found, except for what he told you?  Correct.

You can’t testify intelligently about Dr. Vass’ study?  I can testify intelligently!

Dr. Haskell clearly dislikes Baez and has no respect for him.

Phorid flies were found in the were found in the vacuum filters from when they vacuumed the trunk before removing the carpet.

So those flies could have fallen out of the trash bag?  No, they were in the trunk.

So they could get into the trash bag, but not get out, like the roach motel?

Objection, sustained!

Btw, this is one of Pop Tart’s scientific drawings.  How much do you think the jury gets from this?  LOL!

You were hired by the State?  Yes.

How much did you charge? $22k and by the way Mr. Baez, I haven’t been paid for the defense deposition!

Well, submit a bill.  I did submit a bill!

Then the checks in the mail!

Redirect…

Is there a difference between garbage and trash?  Yes, trash is inorganic and that’s all that was in the bag!  There was nothing decomposing in the bag!  There was no unprocessed food item.

So if decomposition was wiped up with the paper towel and then placed in the bag, would that explain the flies in the bag?  Absolutely.

Recross…

Trash or garbage, that’s your opinion correct?  Yes.

My definition could be different from yours?  I’m sure it is.

Baez is asking questions that Haskell can’t even make sense of!

Dr. Haskell is excused.

Finally, recess is called!

Jennifer Welch is called by the State again.

You arrived at Suburban Drive to begin photographing the scene?  Yes.

12/11 through 12/21 while you were photographing the scene, how many LE members were there?  Around 50 I think.

It was difficult to walk on the surface because of the roots and heavy vegetation.  They cleared the area using machetes.

Photos of the dense root systems and vegetation with evidence markers are entered into evidence.

Did you collect this marked bone for evidence?  Yes.

Some 390 pieces of evidence were collected by her including bottles and pieces of black plastic bag and a piece of duct tape.

She also collected plastic pink strips with words that she identifies as the letters which came off Caylee’s shirt.

Cross…

How far from the edge of the street from the weed line?  I don’t know, you would have to ask Mr. Murdock.

How far from the street to where the skull was found?  19’8″.

OMG, Baez makes her get down with a tape measure to show the distance to the jury.

The duct tape you found, where was it found?  You would have to ask Mr. Murdock with the diagram.

The defense continues to try to get the body placed closer to the road and not so far into the woods.

Welch is excused.

Recess while some equipment is hooked up.

Ronald Murdock is called.  He helped clear Suburban and mapping the crime scene.  They use a program, Total Station, to enter the data of measurements and where the evidence markers were located to generate dimensional maps.

For some reason this is not being shown to us!  While his computer screen works on the court monitors, it doesn’t work being streamed apparently.

From Suburban drive to area A is around 19 feet – we got that from Welch already.

December 11, 2008, he collected evidence from the Anthony home.

He identifies a photo of items in one of the sheds.  Then the shed with all the lawn tools and the gas cans which were collected.

Pages of heart stickers are identified.

Pop Tart calls for a sidebar.

Photos of both Caylee and Casey’s bedrooms are admitted.

Murdock identifies a bag with Winnie the Pooh bedding and another bag of Pooh items from a drawer in the home office.

He also collected items from the garage – black garbage bag that contained a canvas laundry bag matching the one found with Caylee.

Pop Tart just has to get on camera to cross…

The diagram you showed us earlier showed the duct tape.  How far away from the skull was that found?  Some 6 1/4 feet away.

Did you find the tape in the garage also?  No.

The Henkel brand wasn’t anywhere in the house that he knows of.

No duct tape in the attic?  No.

Searched the back yard, the pool area and the sheds?  Yes.

No duct tape found?  None that I know of.

The gas can is the only item in the home is where you found Henkel duct tape?  That’s correct.

You searched the family cars?  Yes.

Murdock is excused.

Next witness is Gerry Johnston.  Owner of  firm who created the video animation of the crime scene – topographic mapping that was done for OCSO working with Murdock.

And we are done for the day!

See ya Monday!

Casey Anthony – What About Caylee?

August 2005 ~ June 2008

Yesterday was just sad.  The graphic photos of little Caylee’s remains – that we did not see – and the painful narrative that accompanied them were brutal and had a deep effect on every person inside and out of the courtroom.

I was extremely pissed-off with Casey’s fake crying during the viewing of the photos.  The defense, it seems, has been coaching Casey to emote on demand.  They carefully moved the ever-present computer to give the jury a direct sight-line to Casey.  While she did a lot of eye-poking and sniveling into a tissue, the tissue never got scrunched up or even damp.  With my seasonal allergies, I need to find me a box of those indestructible tissues!

The fact that Casey had every legal right to ask not to be present during this portion of testimony should not be lost on anybody!

Her breakdown in the afternoon – after enjoying her Tang and bologna sammie lunch – was nothing short of bad acting!  I give her credit for having a very expressive face.  She manages to contort her face to display shock, mock pain and distress.  All the while though, when her attorneys are not fawning over her, the anger leaps out!

The crowing jewel of the performance was when she abruptly sat down before the jury even finished leaving court.  Not only was it a pitiful attempt as an attention grabber, she showed total disrespect for courtroom decorum!

If this truly was a real, guilt-laden, anxiety attack,  she deserved to suffer and have nightmares, to boot!

Some may disagree with my take, but I felt this was manipulative and contrived.  The timing was just too convenient and she’s done this in the past.

Does Casey get the best performance nomination?  Does the defense team get the best directing nomination?

MSM has reported Casey arrived in the courthouse a bit before 8:30, so we’ll have to watch her behavior today.

Baez and Dottie were let in back to see Casey as was the State!  Maybe Casey wants to pass on appearing today?

Casey enters the courtroom and the defense enters chambers.

Dr. Utz is back on the stand.

Caylee’s little shorts are shown.  Dr, Utz says much of the damage holes in the clothes are consistent with decomposition.

The letters that fell off Caylee’s shirt are shown.

A portion of the Pooh blanket is shown.

Casey has turned her head to the side and is looking down as she did yesterday, however she also is looking pretty angry about the testimony being offered.

Dr. Utz confirms the duct tape shown yesterday, was sent to the FBI.

Cross by Mason…

You are a board certified medical examiner?  No, a forensic pathologist.

So you’re a scientist?  You could call it that.

Prior to your involvement you knew about all the hoopla surrounding this case?  I was aware.

But when the remains were found there was even more gossip in your office?  Correct.

Dr. Garavaglia had a good working relationship with LE and I was fairly new.  She would have been involved anyway.  Utz only filled in for 2 days while Dr. G was out-of-town.

You were fully capable of performing the autopsy and issuing the reports?  Yes.

The duct tape wasn’t completely around the skull?  No.

When you removed the duct tape where you gloved?  Yes.

Full protective suit?  Yes.

You found no evidence of trauma to the remains?  No.

No indication of any prior injury?  I didn’t see any.

Casey has gone into diva mode.

Did you participate in the examine with Dr. Schultz?  Yes.

Did you jointly sign the autopsy with Dr. Garavaglia?  I did not.

When you lifted the skull from the table, the mandible didn’t fall off?  It did not.

You do not know from the examination of evidence the cause of death in this case?  I do not.

The manner of death is termed by Dr. G, a homicide?  Correct.

Mason seems to forget exactly what Dr. Utz’s role was in this case!

Dr. Utz is excused.

Next witness, Dr. John Schultz.

He tells the jury about his education, training and background in analyzing and detecting skeletal remains.

Schultz looked in the bag and saw the skull and duct tape.  He didn’t want to disturb the skull so he tore the bag to lay the bag out flat.

Was the mandible in close to anatomical position?  Yes.

Was that surprising?  Yes, because a mandible will separate once the tissue is gone.  The hair matte and debris held the mandible in place.  The tape was attached to the hair.

Schultz went to the site and helped with the recovery.  All the material collected was screened in a mesh box to recover the tiny bones that were scattered in the area.  A canopy was set up and orange markers were utilized to show where remains were found.

Schultz advised LE how to search the area because he was responsible for identifying human remains as opposed to animal remains.  The search area was constantly expanding as they found remains, further and further out.

Casey is working herself up to an ‘episode’!

As they worked the area, they placed flags marking evidence, where the evidence that needed to be collected and bagged. 

Hanson says the way the bones were disarticulated indicate the body/vertebrae was intact when it was moved!

Dr. Schultz shows a photo of a bone and points out where the bone has been chewed on by an animal.  With that Casey goes into a tizzy, prompting a sidebar.  My bet is the State wants her removed from the view of the jury!

I just want to reach through the screen and smack her silly for feeling sorry for herself!  She didn’t give Caylee a minutes thought, she’s just crying because she knows she’s busted and going down hard!

But it is very interesting how much anger she has been exuding all morning!!!

Does anyone else recall Baez’s claim in his opening, that her upbringing and abuse as a child was the reason she doesn’t show normal emotions?   Casey has shot that whole theory to hell along with all the other baseless theories the defense put forth!

Recess called.

Dr. Schultz says all but one tooth, and a few bones were not recovered, so the effort of recovery and mapping was very successful.

Dr. Schultz takes the jury through a mapping of the area where the bones were found.  He is pretty graphic about body parts being dragged by animals away from the original site where the skull was located.

Schultz says for animals to drag larger portions of  skeleton, the body was not completely decomposed because there had to be some remaining tissue holding the parts together.

One bone, hip(?) was buried and Dr. Schultz says it’s significant in order to determine how long it had been there…

Mason objects…sidebar.

Ashton now asks that Schultz be accepted as an expert.

Many bones were below leaf fall.  The left ilium was buried, the area was swampy and had been under significant water during the summer and because water moves it would have contributed to the burial.

Dr. Schultz’s opinion on the findings is the body was probably there for 6 months!

Cross by Mason…

You examined the bones?  Yes.

Were they x-rayed?  Yes.

You found no evidence of any fractures?  No

No evidence of twist or torquing of bones?  No.

How far from the road was the body found?   Maybe 25-30 feet.

Dr. Schultz said he didn’t do the measurements for the body part, dispersal map, but Mason tries to get the body closer to the road, just as Baez attempted the other day!

Mason keeps asking questions about evidence that Dr. Schultz didn’t examine and Schultz is having difficulty even understanding what the heck Mason is asking!

You can’t say how this child died?  That is not a question I would attempt to answer.

You saw the duct tape?  Yes.

It wasn’t covering the nose aperture?  No.

Redirect

What is a nose aperture?  If you remove the nose, the hole in the skull where the nose would be.

So the tape could have possibly covered the nostrils?  Yes.

Dr. Schultz is excused.

Dr. Jan Garavaglia, Chief Medical Examiner on the stand.

She tells the jury of her extensive education and experience.

When did you learn of the possibility of  Caylee’s remains being found?  December 11.  She was on her way to the airport.  So she made calls to staff to have them handle the case until her return.

She reviewed all the photos taken at the scene as well as photos taken by Dr. Utz. and also visited the crime scene.

She identifies numerous photos taken by her office or at her direction.  Many of the photos show root material growing through the Pooh blanket, the two black trash bags and roots growing on the canvas bag.

They thought the best was to identify the body was through DNA.  A piece of the right tibia was removed and sent to the FBI.  They didn’t use dental records because Caylee was so young.

Her job is to determine cause of death and manner of death.

Manner of death is based on scientific principles, evidence gathered…

Sidebar.

Judge Perry calls lunch.

Holy cow!  Casey was precision folding her pile of tissues when I realized how extremely long they were!  Swear to God it’s TP, not tissues!

We begin with the daily afternoon walk to sidebar.

Casey suddenly up and left!  Baez and Mason are gone also!  Well whatever it was, they are back.

Jeff shows Dr. G a bag that contains the laundry bag which she identifies.

Also the Pooh blanket.

The tied black plastic bag.

The untied plastic bag.

The shorts.

The letters and remnants from Caylee’s little shirt.

The bag with the hair matte.

All received in evidence.

Manner of death means what?  The classification of death based on all of the information available, medical, scientific and the scene evidence.

Dr. G’s opinion is homicide.  We know from studies and experience when a child is not reported immediately as missing.  The body was hidden and in a container, like a plastic bag like this child was.  The duct tape located on her face.  There is no reason to put duct tape on the face after she died.

The cause of death initiates the chain of events that causes the death.  Dr. G says cause of death by undetermined means.

The duct tape, or suffocation with a plastic bag is the only evidence that indicates possible cause.  Chloroform could have definitely have caused death.

No trauma or illnesses could have caused the death.

Mason on cross…

You live in Orlando area?  Yes.

You were aware of all the media attention surrounding this case?  Yes.

A circus-like atmosphere around the Anthony home?  Yes.

Chloroform could possibly have contributed to the death of the child?  Yes.

The toxicologist you brought in, Dr. Goldberger, you had him look for an array of volatiles?  Yes.

The results were negative?  Correct.

Were you present when Dr. Werner Spitz…

Objection!  Approach.

Were you present when Dr. Spitz came down to participate in the autopsy?

Her office preserved everything possible to make the materials available to Spitz.

They actually looked for Xanax in Caylee’s bone, bone scraping and cranial washing.

There was no trauma found?  No anti-mortem trauma.

Your testimony is you couldn’t determine the means of death? The means of the homicide could not be determined.

But you decided it was homicide based on what Det. Melich told you and the media reports?  Media reports would never enter into our findings.

Circumstantial evidence says to you it was a homicide?  Yes, based on evidence and observations.  A child missing for 31 days and not reported, the body being bagged as well as hidden, and duct tape are strong indicators of homicide.

Accidents with a child are typically reported. Particularly in a drowning, a person would call 911 to hope the child could be revived.  Studies say historically that is typical behavior.

If these remains had been found 4-5 months before, would you have had a better chance?  Absolutely.

Mason finally sits down.

Ashton asks if all the body was kept intact?  Yes, we packaged it very carefully.

Dr. G is done and the defense won nothing!

Dr. Michael Warren, PhD,  CA Pound Human ID Lab is called. 

And the pilgrimage to the bench begins!  Baez is arguing and the jury is sent out.

This is probably the tape animation of Caylee’s skull being covered with duct tape.  The video is played for Judge Perry to review.  Casey is pissed and shocked.

Jeff says the video indicates that a single piece of duct tape, even though there were three, could have killed Caylee.  The reason the skull is in the picture is to approximate the size of the skull and the pieces of tape.

Perry gives them some case-law to review as he feels it’s pertinent.

Baez says it is disgusting and is a fantasy and the State is just throwing everything at the wall to see what sticks!

Takes one to know one, eh Baez?

Baez says there is no testimony the duct tape was in the position as depicted in the video.

Judge Perry asks the Dr. to proffer.

Dr.  is a forensic anthropologist and he worked with Dr. Schultz on Caylee’s skeleton.

They used the photos of the skull and a facial picture of Caylee to size and align the tape to scale.

Is there any other way to prove the duct tape could have covered both the nose and mouth?  No.

Baez…

Mr. Ashton indicated the duct tape was a murder weapon?  I didn’t hear him say that.

It was discussed with Dr. G and Dr. Schultz.  Later he suggested the animation to Jeff Ashton.

Perry asks, what is the purpose of the presentation?  To show the tape could have been used to cover the nostrils and mouth.

Why did you use the skull?  To scale the face and the tape to the skull.

Will this animation help you explain your testimony to the jury?  Yes.

Can you testify without the animation?  Yes.

What is the disadvantage to not using the animation?  They would have to take my word as to measurements.

Perry recesses for 15 minutes to review the cases Baez noted.

Judge Perry rules the animation is coming in because both sides made issue of the duct tape.  The video may be used as a demonstrative aid with a limited  instruction.  Chalk up a big loss for the defense.

Now Baez is arguing about the fact Dr. Schultz already testified to the duct tape so Warren should not be allowed.

Judge Perry say after two experts, he considers it cumulative!

You lose Mr. Baez!

Dr. Warren takes the stand and gives his CV.

He is accepted as an expert witness.

He came into the case on December 15.  The other cases where he found mandibles still attached in decomposed bodies were in Kosovo and Bosnia where the bodies were taped.

Aww geez, Pop Tart has reemerged!

Dr. Warren goes through the science of creating the facial skeletal creation in the animation.

You may want to watch the video of his testimony.  The video is going to blow the socks off the jurors!

There is awed interest in the gallery as the video is played.  Casey isn’t watching the replay and Dottie is keeping her busy, whispering in her ear.

Warren  says it is his opinion the tape could have cased suffocation.

Oh save me…Baez brought out the flip chart.

You were hired earlier on in the case?  I wasn’t hired, I consulted.

The photo of Caylee you used was grabbed from the internet?  Correct.

You don’t know the age of Caylee in the photo?  Correct.

You aren’t testifying this actually happened?  Correct, it is a possibility.

Baez is drawing pictures on the flip chart.  He asks the witness to stand down.

Baez is making crap up and Ashton has objected as to some of it not being in evidence.

Off to the bench.

Baez is stumbling all over his vague, rambling questions.

He accuses Dr. Warren of creating the graphic animation to appeal to the jurors emotions!

Of course Ashton objects and another sidebar.

And, the jury gets sent out so we can proffer again.

It was your suggestion to create the animation?  Yes.

Was it to appeal to the jury?  No!

Was it to get the jury sympathy or angry?  No.

It was just to show the possibility of how the tape was placed?  Yes.

Points scored on proffer?  Zip!

Funny thing is, the animation used only one piece of duct tape…there were three!

Another piece of duct tape was found 9 feet away?  I didn’t know that.

The animation was just one possibility?  Yes.

There are other possibilities for what the duct tape was used?  Yes.

Ashton on redirect

Warren says the tape was placed prior to decomp, based on the mandible not being disarticulated.

The duct tape was never stuck to the bones.  The tape would have been stuck to the face and after decomposition it would have rested on the mandible.

Baez…

The root growth could have held the mandible in place?  It could.

Dr. Warren is excused.

State calls Michael Vincent back.

He collected insect evidence in the trash bag from the Pontiac.

He identifies a vial containing maggots in a solution that was sent to Dr. Neal Haskell.

He also identifies pupae he collected and sent to Dr. Haskell.

Cross by Pop Tart…

These items were taken from the garbage bag?  Yes.

They were collected on July 16th?  No, August 28.

You know entomology can be useful to a case?  Yes.

You didn’t see any insect activity when you first saw the trunk of the car?  Correct.

You only saw insect activity in the garbage bag?  Correct.

Vincent is released.

State calls Robin Maynard.  CSI with OCSO.  She worked the Suburban Drive scene collecting entomological evidence.

She identifies pupae she collected in December 2008 and it was also sent to Dr. Haskell.

She identifies a large number of evidence envelopes she collected.

All the evidence is entered and my assumption is we will see Dr. Haskell tomorrow, lol!

She also collected the pink heat sticker at the scene.

Cross

There was so many items you stopped collecting?  I was in charge of a sifting station.

Maynard is released after a bunch of silly questions by Baez.

He adds nothing to the case, but confusion!

5:01 the jury is released

Baez asks for a mistrial based on Dr. Warrens animation…blah, blah, blah.

Has not the State and defense advanced various scenarios on the duct tape?  Yes.

When does a court have to rule on a motion for mistrial?  A court can rule just before announcing a verdict, correct?  I believe so

Motion denied at this time!

Shut up Mr. Baez, you lose again!

5:07 pm – We are released till 9am!

Casey Anthony – Suburban Drive Burial Ground

August 2005 ~ June 2008

It was a mind-numbing day yesterday and I’m afraid we have a bit more to suffer through today.  We will more than likely, finally hear Lee Anthony explain what he did on the computer on July 16.

Casey has on a white sweater and shell.  She looks rather sullen.

John Bradley has been called back on recross…

You captured the entire history for March?  I believe most of March is there.

Orange County ran a different program for analysis?  Yes, it couldn’t parse it.

Your software is a competing product?  Yes.

The 84 hits you spoke about only show two internet sites?  I’m not sure what you are asking.

May I show the witness this report?  I didn’t generate this report.  It was produced by my software, but not by me.

You’re aware Ms. Anthony voluntarily turned over her computer?

Objection, out of scope.  Sustained

You can’t speculate as to whether or not any of the pages were printed out?  Correct.

Orange County, with all their searches of the house never found any printed pages…

Objection.  Sustained.

You were given no printed pages?  Correct, I only had the data file.

Redirect.

The data file was from March 6th through the 21st?  Correct.

And that was all you received?  Yes.

Bradley is excused!

Lawyers approach the bench.

Lee Anthony called.

On July 15-16th were you on the family computer?  Yes.

Did you ever delete any history files?  No.

In August when Casey returned home did you have a private conversation with her regarding Caylee?  Yes.

Casey told him she met Zanny, her sister and kids at Blanchard Park.  Zanny held her down on a park bench and Caylee was taken.

Did your sister tell you why Caylee was taken?  I don’t remember.

Do you recall being asked that question at deposition?  Yes, but I don’t recall what I said.

Lee, reads his deposition and recalls Casey told him Caylee was taken because Zanny thought Casey wasn’t a good mother and she was taking Caylee to teach her a lesson.

Did she describe Zanny?  5’10” ish, long, hair, hispanic, around 100 lbs, darker complexion.

Casey told him she was so shocked she didn’t know what was happening, it was surreal.  She didn’t know what to do.

Casey told him Zanny was control her movements through Casey’s MySpace account.  Zanny had Casey’s password.  Zanny told her places to go so Casey did because she was scared.

Did you know Timer55?  Yes, Casey’s password.

What did Timer55 mean?   55 days from Caylee being taken till her birthday and that was when Casey hoped to get Caylee back.

Lee as usual appeared to have a faulty or selective memory until pressed.  He wasn’t about to give up anything for free!

Cross…

Your sister told you another imaginary story about Zanny?  Yes.

Zanny contacted her through MySpace and directed her where to go?  Yes.

Like to phone booths and stuff?  No, I imagine stores and things like that.

And do what?  Look for Caylee and walk around.

Did any of that pan out?  No.

Did Zanny ever materialize?  Not to this day.

Witness excused.

Sidebar.

Judge Perry calls a 5 minute recess.

Wow, Casey and her lawyers all troop off to the holding cell area! Somethings up!

Casey and the defense are back and another sidebar commences.

Linda Burdick plays the tape of Kronk’s supervisor calling 911 to report the finding of Caylee’s skull.

Next witness, Detective Eduard Turso.  OCSO officer who responded to Suburban Drive.  He describes the wooded area and meeting Roy Kronk.  Kronk took him into the woods and they located the bag and skull.  They left the woods and Turso called his Sargent, took a statement from Kronk and roped off the area.

Baez on cross…

Did Mr. Kronk advise you he called 3 times?

Objection.  Sustained.

Did you advise Mr. Kronk not to say anything about calling 3 times?

Sustained already, move on.

When is Baez going to learn it’s against the rules to go off scope?

How far did you go into the woods?  Ballpark, 20 feet or so.

20 feet from the street?  Yes.

Next to the skull there was a fallen tree?  There was a lot of vegetation.

You see a white canvas bag?  No, I focused on the skull and garbage bag.

Baez calls for sidebar.

By playing the Kronk tape and not bringing him in to testify, the State appears to have thrown the defense a curve ball!

You directed Mr. Kronk to his car?  Correct.

Did you instruct him to write a statement?  Yes.

Did you give him any other instructions on what to do or not to do?  No.

Witness released.

Next witness will be showing crime scene photos will shown so Judge Perry says no reactions, if you can’t control your emotions you will assisted out of the courtroom.

Judge advises any pictures of the skull need to be blurred by the court cameras and no still photos are allowed.

CSI Jennifer Welch is next.  She went to Suburban Drive and it was raining and dense vegetation in the area.  Several officers were present and standing at the road.  The area was sealed off with.crime scene tape.

She photographed the crime scene prior to anything being moved.

She identifies numerous photos of the area.  Woods, the path into the woods.

Even though the Judge said no emotions, Casey is crying or pretend crying, when the photos of Caylee’s skull are shown.  She stopped watching after the first picture was shown.

The laundry bag and garbage bags are shown.

The little shorts are pictured.

Remnants of a collar with a tag is shown.

The front of the skull with duct tape is shown.

This is just so very sad.  I can’t imagine how the jury is reacting.

The pooh blanket.

Baez on cross…

As a CSI one of the first things you do is to document the scene?  Yes.

The importance of having a scene preserved, is once people come it becomes contaminated?  Yes.

The more people who come in, the more it becomes contaminated?  Yes.

You also look for if the scene has been staged?  Yes.

Sometimes people try to conceal certain items of evidence?  Yes.

And some people may try to make the scene appear to be something else?  Correct.

Casey is still poking her eyes and nose with kleenex!

The duct tape area is somewhat in the air?  It could be.

Here you can see the duct tape and it’s lying flat on the ground?  I can’t tell if it’s lying flat on the ground.

This is a closeup of the duct tape?  Yes.

You can see the cut end of the tape?  I don’t know if its cut.

Baez keeps going for the tape wasn’t on the skull, but  the jury has seen photos where the duct tape is clearly on the skull.

Now this is Investigator Hanson picking up the skull?  Yes.

Is he wearing booties?  No.

This is another shot of Hanson, is he wearing booties?  No.

Is he standing on evidence items? I can’t say that is evidence items.

Baez done.

Welch is excused.

Sidebar.

Steven Hanson, ME Investigator, called.

He was called to Suburban Drive and photographed the area.  Many of his photos are pretty much the same as those taken by CSI Welch.

Hanson leads the jury down the path through the wooded are and to where little Caylee’s remains were found.  It was a dark, rainy day and there was a lot of vegetation.

Now, remember Baez going on about the booties?  My newspaper, laying at the end of my driveway, doesn’t survive in rain!  So, how do ya think paper booties would survive in a rain-soaked, vegetative environment?

Judge Perry calls lunch.

Direct of Hanson continues…

Hanson says the area was heavily overgrown with vines and undergrowth.  It was hard to see much of anything.  Someone had to show him where the remains were.

Hanson says there was duct tape on the skull.

They then began to clear some of the area out to get better access to the remains, but none of the evidence was moved at this point.

Hanson spent 3-4 hours at the scene.

A picture of the front of the skull showed the duct tape, but there was still a lot of debris surrounding the skull as well as a hair matte on the skull.

Law enforcement owns the crime scene, but the ME has control of the remains.  LE agreed there were probably more bones in the garbage bag so the ME’s office took control of the bag also.

Hanson says vines and growth seemed to be embedded in the remains.

They gathered the skull and a large area of vegetation surrounding the skull and placed it in a paper bag.

Dr. Gary Utz, forensic pathologist was given the remains Hanson collected.

Dr. John Schultz, anthropologist also joined them at the ME office to determine whether some of the items were bones or debris.

Casey has made a great show of acting distressed!

Mason makes a lame joke as he comes up to cross.

Mason shows a photo that has a machete in it.  Did you use the machete?  No.

So some of this area was cleared before you got there?  It appears a small area had been cleared.

Were there a lot of LE there?  Yes.

Was the media there?  About a block away.

Was the log moved?  Yes, sir, I moved it.

Mason can’t use the equipment!  Glad the defense took the time to check out how the equipment prior to trial!

You have no knowledge if the skull had been moved prior to your arrival?  Correct.

When you lifted the skull, could the duct tape have changed position?  It could have.

You went to the scene several times to collect evidence from the CSI folks?  Yes.

Somebody was assembling the skeleton?  Yes.

Was that process photographed?  Not by me.

The log you moved, did anybody photograph you moving it?  I don’t know.

Hanson is excused.

Dr. Gary Utz is called.  Chief Deputy Medical Examiner.

The ME office was aware that Caylee was missing.  When the remains were found, Dr. G asked him to take care of the situation while she was out-of-town.

Utz received the remains at the morgue and did an initial examination.

He received the skull and the bags containing some bones and remnants of clothing.

Jeff Ashton takes Utz through the photos he took of the remains.

This is all kind of hard because we aren’t seeing the photos and it’s all a bunch of chatter that doesn’t make a whole lot sense.

Utz says the pieces of tape were attached together and just under the eye sockets.

Utz confirms the mandible was held together because of the hair matte and the tape.

She isn’t looking, but I hope what Casey is hearing in the testimony, gives her screaming meemies nightmares.

To remove the tape Utz had to cut some of the hair to remove it.

Utz has never seen a mandible that remained attached to a skull.

This is pretty tedious, but I’m sure the jury has gotten quite the eyeful today!

Judge Perry calls a recess.

Casey was escorted out, came back, a sidebar was held and Judge Perry recessed for the day!

Well, Casey apparently ‘created’ a medical breakdown.  Her breathing became deep and she looked distressed, much as she did during jury selection!  She’s got this act down and I ain’t buying it!  I call BS!  She just didn’t feel like being in court anymore!

See ya tomorrow at 9am!