Casey Anthony & Hare's Twenty-Point Checklist

Dr. Robert D. Hare, a Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the University of British Columbia and an influential researcher on psychopathy for over 25 years, developed one of the most widely used tools for assessing and identifying psychopaths.  His checklist, although not without controversy, is often employed to understand individuals and their psychological make-up.

I've written that, in my opinion, Casey Anthony is a malignant narcissist.  I thought it might be an interesting exercise to look at her personality from a slightly different perspective, by comparing Casey Anthony and her behavior with the twenty points on Hare's list.

Glib and Superfical Charm: the tendency to be smooth, engaging, charming, slick, and verbally facile. Psychopathic charm is not in the least shy, self-conscious, or afraid to say anything. A psychopath never gets tongue-tied. They have freed themselves from the social conventions about taking turns in talking, for example.

Casey Anthony is clearly a charming individual.  She was gregarious and had many friends.  You can observe her interpersonal reactions with others in the courtroom when the jury is not present.  She smiles frequently and flirts shamelessly.

Grandiose Self Worth: a grossly inflated view of one's abilities and self-worth, self-assured, opinionated, cocky, a braggart. Psychopaths are arrogant people who believe they are superior human beings.

She appeared to believe she was capable of performing an event planning job at Universal even though she did not have, nor attempt to maintain, the education for that job.  She frequently bragged that she had the title of event planner.  Most people have babysitters for their children. unemployed Casey insisted she had a nanny.

Need for Stimulation or Proneness to Boredom: an excessive need for novel, thrilling, and exciting stimulation; taking chances and doing things that are risky. Psychopaths often have a low self-discipline in carrying tasks through to completion because they get bored easily. They fail to work at the same job for any length of time, for example, or to finish tasks that they consider dull or routine.

Casey did not complete high school. She did not hold a job for a lengthy period of time. She engaged in risky activities such as surreptitious theft, promiscuous sexual activity and drug and alcohol abuse.  Her father said, "My daughter has a tendency to live on the edge."

Pathological Lying: can be moderate or high; in moderate form, they will be shrewd, crafty, cunning, sly, and clever; in extreme form, they will be deceptive, deceitful, underhanded, unscrupulous, manipulative, and dishonest.

Casey Anthony turned lying into an art form. Even her defense team admitted that she was a liar.  She was skilled at grabbing a tidbit of truth and weaving a legend around it. And she always expected to be believed.

Conning and Manipulativeness: the use of deceit and deception to cheat, con, or defraud others for personal gain; distinguished from Item #4 in the degree to which exploitation and callous ruthlessness is present, as reflected in a lack of concern for the feelings and suffering of one's victims.

How else could you describe a woman who stole money from an account created to provide for a grandparent’s nursing home care?  Someone who encouraged others to believe Caylee was alive when Casey knew she was not.  A woman who led law enforcement on a wild goose chase after another woman who didn't exist.

Lack of Remorse or Guilt: a lack of feelings or concern for the losses, pain, and suffering of victims; a tendency to be unconcerned, dispassionate, coldhearted, and unempathic. This item is usually demonstrated by a disdain for one's victims.

Witness Casey’s behavior in the first thirty-one days after Caylee’s death. She had no trouble partying and wasting days.  Nor did she have any difficulty pointing a finger of guilt at the innocent Zenaida Gonzales and Jesse Grund.

Shallow Affect: emotional poverty or a limited range or depth of feelings; interpersonal coldness in spite of signs of open gregariousness.

This is demonstrated clearly in the jail videotapes. Casey jumps from saccharine sweetness when the focus is on her and anger and impatience when her parents wanted to focus on Caylee.  You can also see it in the courtroom. 

Callousness and Lack of Empathy: a lack of feelings toward people in general; cold, contemptuous, inconsiderate, and tactless.

When her father's heart was breaking on the stand, she displayed a cold, callous expression. At other times, she was dismissive of the emotional pain of others, turning the attention from their suffering back to herself.  A view of the videotapes demonstrates starkly her dismissive manner regarding her mother’s grief and stress.

Parasitic Lifestyle: an intentional, manipulative, selfish, and exploitative financial dependence on others as reflected in a lack of motivation, low self-discipline, and inability to begin or complete responsibilities.

Casey never left her family home to live independently. For more than two years, Casey lied about employment getting her money through thievery rather than work itself.

Poor Behavorial Controls: expressions of irritability, annoyance, impatience, threats, aggression, and verbal abuse; inadequate control of anger and temper; acting hastily.

Once more, this lack of control is clearly demonstrated in the jail video tapes and in her candid moments in the courtroom.

Out of the first ten points in Dr. Hare's checklist, Casey Anthony appears to be a nice fit for every single one.  I'll post about the final ten points on the list in the next few days.  In the meantime, I'll be waiting for Justice for Caylee.

The Vicious Streak of the Casey Anthony Defense Team

Jose Baez displayed a vicious streak of cruelty in the court on Wednesday.  He seemed to suppress a bubble of diabolical glee as tried to trip up his client's father.  The direct examination brought to mind someone stabbing pin after pin into the voodoo doll representing his enemy.

He mocked George's suicide attempt, ridiculed his emotional responses to Caylee's disappearance and death and accused him of child sexual molestation.

Baez questions were tricky,  like the old stand-up comedy line: "when did you stop beating your wife?"  He used that tactic again and again.  Baez pointed to George's July 2008 statement to the police where he described his experiences smelling decomposition when he was a law enforcement officer.  Baez zeroed in on the incident in the woods.  Then he asked him how George how he knew that his granddaughter's body would be found in the woods. 

Baez referred to the Anthony's many media appearances and asked, "All those media appearances stopped when the allegations of abuse came up, didn't they?"  George fired back.  "I believe, sir, that was done by you, sir."

At another point, after George denied sexually abusing his daughter, Baez asked, "You, of course, would never admit to molesting your child, would you?"

Throughout the ordeal, George Anthony cried over his granddaughter Caylee.  And he stood up for her.  When Baez asked him about this public protestations of belief in his daughter Casey's innocence, he said that he did not want to believe, at that time, that his daughter was capable of killing her daughter. 

George insisted that he wanted to talk to media about his missing granddaughter and other missing children.  He said, "Unfortunately, it seemed, every time the media came around the focus was on my daughter and not on my granddaughter Caylee."

Before George took the stand, Cindy Anthony demonstrated a change of attitude, too.  It seemed to surprise Baez that Cindy was no longer willing to lie for the defense.  She denied every knowing anything about her son Lee visiting Casey's bedroom at night.

Maybe they now both clearly understand that the most important matter before the court is Justice for Caylee.

Casey Anthony Defense Must Have a Fleet of Buses

Long before the trial, people started talking about the possibility that Casey Anthony and or the defense would "throw George under the bus."  And sure enough, they did.  Yesterday in the courtroom, they rolled out their fleet running over the whole family.

Jose Baez questioned Cindy Anthony about an argument with her son Lee over the Dominic Casey-James Hoover search and videotaping in the woods.  Cindy denied that it ever happened.

The defense then put Lee on the stand to ask him about the fight.  He admits to it and provides more detail.  He claimed that his mother sent Dominic Casey into the woods to follow up on a tip from a psychic.  Lee was angered by that because he wanted to believe Caylee was alive and his mother was sending someone in search of a dead body.  Essentially, the defense just impeached their own witness Cindy Anthony--the only person who accepted responsibility for the computer searches that the state alleged showed premeditation by the defendant.

Then Baez took on George Anthony, accusing him of having an affair with Krystal Holloway/River Cruz.  George denied it.  I imagine the defense will call her to the stand before it's over.  But, really, how much credibility can you give a woman with an alias?

At this point, I wouldn't have been surprised if the defense called a witness to impugn the credibility and character of Winnie the Pooh, naming him as yet another evil influence in the life of their client.

Before the called the family to the stand, they put up Joe Jordan who took the fifth and I cannot believe that the experienced Cheney Mason didn't see that one coming.  They followed up with a sloppy assault on Roy Kronk.  In the opening statement, they called Kronk "morally bankrupt" and claimed he'd had the body in his possession before placing it where it was found.  They certainly didn't prove that allegation.

The day wrapped up with a series of proffers outside of the presence of the jury. Judge Belvin Perry ruled that testimony about Casey Anthony being a happy prisoner was not relevant or material and deferred a decision about the admissibility of Jesse Grund's testimony.  Jesse wanted to tell the jury about Lee groping Casey while she slept.  I can't see how a tale told by known liar Casey Anthony to a boyfriend can have any credibility even if the judge does allow it.

Wednesday will start with Anne Finnell delivering argument for the defense motion about the illegality of the death penalty in Florida via telephone.  I hope she prevails.  With a death sentence, Casey will have unlimited resources to appeal.  With a life sentence, Casey will be just one more inmate without any extraordinary assistance from the State of Florida.

The defense told the judge that they have half a dozen witnesses remaining before they rest.  The state will definitely call rebuttal witnesses.  After that, it all will be in the hands of the jury.  Hopefully, they will see the big picture and delivery justice for Caylee Anthony.

Talking Trash, Private Investigators and Casey Anthony's Competency

Monday was a crazy day in court.  Speaking of crazy, the defense questioned Casey Anthony's competency.  That motion resulted in the abrupt termination of court on Saturday.  Over the weekend, three different mental health professionals spent time with Casey to evaluate her.  The end result was that she was competent to stand trial.  Casey's upbeat mood on Monday could have been because of her delight of being the focus of attention of the three shrinks or it could have been delight over the new motion being presented by the defense.

They have requested, that in light of the decision by a Federal District judge that the death penalty in Florida unconstitutional, they want the option of execution of their client removed from the realm of possibilities when the jurors consider her fate.  Judge Belvin Perry might find the argument not to pursue death because the overturn on appeal is inevitable very compelling.  In actuality, if Casey got the ultimate punishment, she would have far more resources for appealing her case than she would if she got a life sentence.

We also had a lot of trash talk on Monday--even passed a piece of the stuff around to the jury.  The defense witness Dr. Kenneth Fulton attempted to insist that the contents of the trash bag could have caused the decomposition found in the car.  After prosecutor Jeff Ashton got through with him, though, he was singing the state's song.

Poor private investigator James Hoover should have never come to Orlando in 2008.  All it's earned him is a lot of grief.  It was painfully obvious that he was nervous, ill at ease and easily outmatched by both Jose Baez and Linda Drane-Burdick.  He was followed by the man he assisted private investigator Dominic Casey.

It was a kick for me to see clueless Dominic being put through his paces on the stand.  Back when I was working on Mommy's Little Girl, I had a very unpleasant conversation with him.  He threatened to sue me if I used his name or the name of his company in his book.  Both were public record and both were included in the book.  His attempt to bully and intimidate failed.

Today promises to possess its share of fireworks, too.  The defense plans on calling hapless Roy Kronk to the stand to publicly shred him to bits as they try to tie him to the murder of Caylee Anthony or at least to moving her body after she was dead.  It will be interesting to see how the state approaches cross examination.  They'll walk a tightrope attempting to discredit him as a witness while defending his innocence in any crime related to little Caylee. 

The big question for the week: will the defense rest on Thursday as planned?  Or did the competency delay alter that timetable?  And who will the state call to the stand as rebuttal witnesses in their pursuit of justice for Caylee.

Cindy, How Could You?:The Casey Anthony Trial

Back in the summer of 2008, I felt very sorry for Cindy Anthony.  I know from writing nine other true crime books that it is dreadful to be the loved one of a victim.  I also knew that it was horrible to be a family member of a perpetrator.  And there was Cindy--playing both roles at one time.  I ached for her.

Then came the brush incident when she intentionally gave law enforcement a hair brush used by everyone in the family instead of the one used exclusively by Caylee Anthony.  I still understood her conflicting emotions but with that, she'd taken it a step too far and my empathy for her dissipated into thin air.

I had a major turn around in how I felt about her after she took the stand earlier in the trial.  I saw her grief.  I felt her pain.  My attitude toward her softened that day.  But on Wednesday, she threw away the good will I and many of you felt for her after seeing her tears in the courtroom. 

She claimed the stain in the trunk of the Sunbird was there when they bought the car for Lee in 2000? You mean that the car smelled, in Cindy's own words, "like there's a dead body in there" for eight years?



She ended up searching for chloroform as a direct result of looking up chlorophyll because her dogs ate bamboo leaves?  Really?  Now, if my pet did that what would I type in the search bar?  Bamboo.

And even though her work records showed that she was at work when the Internet searches were done in her home, the work records were wrong.

Now, Cindy Anthony has not exactly been media shy.  Do you really think she would have kept quiet about these startling revelations?  I doubt it.  She would have told everyone who would listen that Casey did not do those google searches, she did. 

As for the stain, she changed her outcry about a "dead body"to "pizza" or "garbage" as the source of the smell.  Surely, if she knew of another reason for the searches and the stain, she would have revealed them years ago rather than letting her daughter Casey sit in jail all that time.

And check out the body language.  Compare her time in the witness stand Wednesday with her earlier testimony.  Which one looks credible to you?  Which one look furtive and dishonest?  I have no doubt that Cindy perjured herself on the witness stand while still denying doing a search for "how to make chloroform," "self-defense," "household weapons," and "neck breaking."  But she added that when she was doing the searches, she saw a pop-up with a skateboarder riding a rail that was labelled as "a neck-breaking feat."  And she remembers that skateboarder three years later?  Really?

I know Casey is your daughter, Cindy.  I know you don't want her to be executed.  But what about Caylee?  I thought you loved your innocent granddaughter.  How could you abandon her for the sake of the person who took her sweet little life.  It's as if you took the stand and said that Caylee's life did not matter.

How could you Cindy?  How could you obstruct Justice for Caylee?

Casey Anthony Defense Plays it Safe

Tuesday's ceaseless round of humiliation, scared the defense into taking no chances on Wednesday.  They called a series of witnesses to the stand to tell the jury what they didn't find and where they didn't find it. 

No geological evidence on twenty-two pairs of shoes taken from the Anthony home.  Dirt does fall off of things, doesn't it?  And of course, no one told law enforcement in June 2008 to go collect the footwear to find the location of Caylee's body--no one even told them she was missing for a month.

No valium, xanax, roofies or ketamine found in Caylee Anthony's hair.  And this is important because?  Internet rumors?  The state alleges that the murder weapon was the duct tape and that chloroform facilitated the crime. 

A chemist tested air from Casey's Sunbird but could not conclusively determine that there was human decomposition in the car.  Of course, when he took the air samples, he didn't know it was four days after the tire wheel cover and carpet were removed from the trunk.  And he didn't have the equipment recommended by Dr. Arpad Vass.  He used a syringe instead.

My particular favorite of the day was from a state's witness, an FBI hair and fiber analyst, whom Baez called in order to elicit the testimony that she tested hairs that did not show sign of decomposition. 

The only stunning thing all morning long was when Baez asked Madelyn Montgomery, FBI forensic toxicologist: "What other kind of meaningless work do you do at the FBI?"  She responded: "I don't feel any of my work is meaningless."  Why would you ask that question of your own witness?

Court ended at lunch time on Wednesday because Judge Belvin Perry could not be in court this afternoon.  It resumes tomorrow morning as we move closer and closer to justice for Caylee.

A Wise Man, a Dutchman and a Fool: The Casey Anthony Trial

Jose Baez is probably wondering why he didn't become a fireman or librarian or anything but a criminal defense attorney after surviving Tuesday in the courtroom. Anything would have been better than having a judge, a prosecutor and a witness make him look foolish in the presence of the court and the world. It should temper his natural arrogance but I doubt that it will.

Baez began the day being chastised by Judge Belvin Perry for intentional violation of court orders. Any opinions from his expert witness, Netherlands DNA expert Richard Eikelenboom, regarding decomposition fluid were excluded from being introduced into the courtroom. The judge left the door open for the defense to file a request a Frye hearing to reconsider the admissibility of that information and allowed Eikelenboom to take the stand to testify on other matters.

Before questioning that witness, the defense called state's witness, crime scene investigator, to the stand for her fifth conversation with the jury and then followed her with Dr. Jane Bock, a forensic botanist, who appeared to be a sweet grandmother. She issued a incredible opinion that the roots and vines running through the skull at the discovery scene grew there in two weeks. On cross, Jeff Ashton got her to admit that was the minimum time and the maximum was many months.

Then Eikelenboom took the stand out of the presence of the jury. The judge questioned him about his awareness of the court orders issued in December 2010 and January 2011. The defense had not made him aware of those report comments.


Baez complained to the judge about a discovery violation by the state. Perry told him that there was a jury waiting and that matter would be deferred to lunch hour. When that time came, two interesting items came up. Baez did not object to six items given to him that morning. They involved an on-going investigation by the state regarding April Whalen, a woman arrested on a motor vehicle charge who spent a couple of days in the jail three cells up from Casey. Her toddler had drowned in an above ground pool and the body was found by the grandfather--a scenario right out of Baez's opening statement.


Baez did object to the seventh item calling it new evidence. It was a compilation CD of items on the Anthony computer hard drive--put together for demonstration purposes. Since Baez had received the whole hard drive two years earlier, the judge ruled that it was not new evidence. Baez whined about the vast volume of material on the hard drive but Judge Perry was not moved.

Then Dr. Marcus Wise of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory took the stand. Baez planned to use him to discredit the testimony of state witness Dr. Arpad Vass. Instead, he bolstered it, frustrating Baez non-stop. An unbelievable number of times, Ashton objected to Baez's questions and from the bench, "sustained" echoed through the court. To top it off, he testified that the relative abundance of chloroform found in the carpet sample from the car trunk was amazing and indicated that the original quantity had to have been ten to one hundred times greater than the amount present at the time of testing.


It was a bad time for Jose Baez but a good day in the fight for justice for Caylee.

Judge Perry is Not Pleased: The Casey Anthony Trial

"When you woke up this morning everything was gone.

By half past ten your head was going ding-dong." 

--Woke up This Morning, A3


Sounds like Judge Belvin Perry's day, doesn't it?
 
Court started at 9 am with Ashton requesting more prep time after the court-ordered deposition of defense witness Dr. Bill Rodriguez.  He also said he wanted a hearing about one of the forensic anthropologist's opinions.  Apparently, he is planning to tell the jury that people cannot recognize the smell of decomposition.  When pressed, he admitted that this opinion was not based on any study, it was simply his experience.  Sounds like the good doctor might have an under-developed sense of smell.
 
Ashton also complained of another violation of the court's December 10, 2010 ruling, connected to the second slated defense witness, Dr. Eichenbloom.  His first report was half of a page long and contained no opinions.  Over the weekend, Baez provided the state with a two-page report and a 45-slide PowerPoint presentation.  Ashton called it "another intentional violation of the court order."  Ashton said that he could depose this witness on Tuesday evening.
 
Baez responded with a flurry of personal attacks against Jeff Ashton, claiming that he was using the court rules as both a sword and a shield.  He said that he'd be threatened by the court but the state, commiting the same violations, was not.  He argued, basically, that it was all the state's fault and the defense team was blameless.
 
When he finished his tirade, Judge Perry asked by Ashton and Baez to turn around, look at the clock on the wall and tell him what time it was.  Ashton responded "9:25."  Then, Baez said, "9:26."
 
Perry lit into both of them.  "That proves that both of you will never agree on anything or interpret anything in the same way.  He reiterateded the orders he issued on December 10 and on January 6, 2011.  Then lambasted Baez: "This court does not make threats.  The court simply applies the rules.
 
In the end, the Judge ordered a full day of court on Saturday, allowed the state more time to prepare for the cross examination of the first two scheduled witnesses and upon learning that the third witness was not yet in court, he recessed the court until Tuesday morning at 9 am.
 
Today's debacle strengthened my conviction that Baez never sought a plea bargain for his client because he wanted the media spotlight that only a full trial would provide.  Personally, I find that very offensive.
 
All I want is Justice for Caylee.

Ludicrous Theory and Contempt of Court: The Casey Anthony Trial

The problem with being a legend is that when you fall, the drop is extraordinary.  Without a doubt, Dr. Werner Spitz has been legendary in his field for decades.  And it seemed to me that On Saturday in the Casey Anthony trial he performed a kamikaze raid obliterating his reputation and credibility in a spectacular fashion.  And he did it in a case where he still believed that the victim was kidnapped by Zanny the Nanny.  Apparently, the defense team never informed him that they no longer believed in that scenario.

On direct testimony, Spitz said that the duct tape was applied to the skull of Caylee Anthony after her body had completely decomposed--that someone picked up the bare skull and applied the duct tape and laid it back on the ground where it was found.  At first, I thought I heard him incorrectly.  A double-check revealed that was his testimony.  Really?  You've got to be kidding me.  It's about as believable as the Zanny lie.

That ludicrous scenario made him appear to be a hired gun whose testimony was shaped to suit the person who paid him.  During the cross examination though, it appeared as if there were more at work than that.  Spitz displayed an alarming level of professional jealousy toward Dr. Jan Garavaglia and her successful television career.  He sounded like an old man at the end of his career who resented a colleague for her achievement--referring to the work she did on this case as a "shoddy autopsy." 

He grew angry when his opinion questioned as if he didn't understand that's what opposing counsel is supposed to do.  There was an undercurrent of defensiveness in his anger that reminded me of someone in the early stages of eldery dementia, angered by his own loss of clarity.

It was reinforced when the prosecution asked him about the number of media interviews he had given.  He said one did one in Michigan that was also televised in Florida.  When Jeff Ashton mentioned his interview with WKMG reporterTony Pippitone in Orlando, he did acknowledge that one but added that he did not talk about any forensic details.  Ashton asked about his comments regarding brain dust and duct tape in interviews with the female reporter in Detroit.  Spitz said he did not remember talking about that to her.  Spitz also could not recall doing an interview about the case on the Today show.  He could not remember his appearance on 48 Hours. 

Then it got even worse, Spitz accused someone in the medical examiner's office of tampering with evidence at the discovery scene and in the autopsy room.  He had no proof of those allegations--it was conjecture lacking in any factual basis--but it was his conjecture.  In a transparent show of arrogance, he was angered that anyone would question it.

When he stepped down from the stand, he seemed confused and appeared to need instruction to find his way out of the courtroom.  At that moment, I was actually embarrassed for him.  It's sad to see a once vital mind now becoming intellectually impotent.

On the other hand, the more we see of Jose Baez, the more difficult it becomes to consider his mind as ever possessing vitality.  He screwed up again with the witness that took the stand before Spitz.  Baez overstepped the bounds of the court's established rules on expert testimony--rules put in place because Baez missed a critical court deadline.   The violation happened when Baez attempted to elicit testimony from Forensic Anthropologist Dr. Bill Rodriquez about the duct tape. 

The judge believed it was an intentional flouting of the rules on Baez's part.  The judge took Rodriguez off the stand, ordered a deposition that afternoon and only agreed to allow him back to testify on Monday because he did not want to punish Casey Anthony for her attorney's behavior.  He said he would decide on a Contempt of Court charge against Baez at the end of the trial.

It seems Baez will stop at nothing to keep his client from paying the price for her actions.  Fortunately, the prosecution team has demonstrated a remarkable proficiency in cross examination--an ability that is needed to find justice for Caylee.

Maggots and a New Victim: The Casey Anthony Trial

I'm glad someone specializes in maggots and other insects but I'm so glad it's not me.  If I did, I'd spend my days in a constant state of nausea.  Needless to say, I wasn't captivated by Dr. Timothy Huntington's testimony Friday morning.  In fact, I found the most fascinating thing happened outside of the courthouse--the arrival of Vasco Thompson in Orlando.

It seems that Jose Baez is so obsessed with demonizing George Anthony that he doesn't care who he rolls over to do it.  I guess Baez would call Thompson collateral damage.  I'd call him another victim of the defense team.

Thompson has been reported as a convicted kidnapper--technically that is true.  But when that is mentioned in connection with the murder of Caylee Anthony, one envisions a stranger abducting and harming a child.  The actual offense, although clearly wrong and illegal, bore little in common with that imagined scenario.  It involved Thompson, his girlfriend and the restraint of her freedom for a time measured in minutes--not in weeks or months or maggots.

Was there any substance to the defense contention that George Anthony telephoned this convict the day before Caylee went missing?  No.  Not one little bit.

Yes, George Anthony did call that number on July 14, 2008, but it was not Vasco Thompson's phone number until February 2009.  How difficult would it have been for the defense to check that out before dropping their so-called bomb shell? 

Now, Baez may get his just desserts for dragging yet another person under the bus with George, Vasco Thompson has an attorney and they are threatening legal action.

I found the afternoon session of court far more lively even though the same witness was on the stand.  The reason: Jeff Ashton delivered a text book cross examination of a defense expert whose opinions obviously outraged the prosecutor.

On Dr. Timothy Huntington's direct, he described in great detail the experiment he did with a pig carcass in a car trunk over eleven days in September in Nebraska.  It bothered me that he attempted to make it seem comparable to this situation--a young girl in a trunk in the heat of summer in Florida for a period of three to five days.

On cross, Jeff Ashton dissected and decimated the experiment and, along the way,got the witness to admit he'd never worked with a human body in a trunk and that Casey's car still had a foul odor two years after Caylee was reported missing; to acknowledge that there was no actual garbage in the trash bag in the trunk and had him corroborate the timeline of the testimony of a state's witness who said the body was moved after three to five days and remained in the location where it was found the rest of the time.

But my favorite moment of all was this exchange:

Ashton: Can we assume that none of your studies involved a child wrapped in a blanket, stuffed in two garbage bags and stuffed in a laundry bag?  None of the studies involved did any of that, did they?
Huntington: I think that is a fair assumption, yes.
Ashton: Why didn't you wrap your pig in a blanket?

And thus, the prosecution wrapped up another step in their battle for justice for Caylee.

A Yawner in the Casey Anthony Trial

Excuse me, I'm still yawning and trying to shake it off in time for another day of the defense's presentation in the Casey Anthony trial. 

After Jose Baez presented explosive accusations and outrageous scenarios in his opening arguments and followed up with a surprise witness announcement--a convicted kidnapper no less--I expected a riveting day in the courtroom.  Instead Baez bored me to tears.

He recalled some of the state's witnesses who previously testified to what they found.  Now, Baez had them talk about what they didn't find and testing that was inconclusive.  The most tedious of all was FBI expert Heather Seubert.  She tested a lot of the items collected at the body discovery scene and found no good DNA profiles.  (Granted she did provide an educational moment for some, but since I am the mother of a daughter who graduated with a double major in biochemistry and genetics--it was all old news to me.)

On cross, the state had Seubert acknowledge that it was no surprise: items left for six months in a watery area decomposing would likely have degraded, unusable DNA. 

Baez then humiliated FBI analyst Lorie Gottesman, the woman whose DNA was found on a piece of evidence.  Contamination found and revealed is insignificant.  Contamination missed would have been noteworthy.

The defense also made a big deal over the location of the heart sticker thirty feet away from the skull.  What part of flooded area and the movement of small light articles in water don't they understand.

Worst of all was the defense sly attempt to malign Lee Anthony's character by bringing up the irrelevant paternity test.  It was negative.  A positive test would have mattered but Lee was cleared of all possible conjecture and Internet rumor on that count. 

Unless the defense comes up with some meaty testimony, it is obvious that the only thing they care about is subverting the justice that Caylee Anthony deserves.

The State Rests, The Defense Bloviates: The Casey Anthony Trial

After entering the two, airtight metal cans containing pieces of the spare tire cover from Casey Anthony's car into evidence, the state rested its case.

The defense, as expected filed a Motion for Acquittal,  Cheney Mason argued for the defense before Judge Belvin Perry.  Is it just me, or is Mason on of the more boring speakers ever to step up to a podium?  I couldn't tell if the Judge put a hand to his mouth to cover a yawn or if he placed it there to assume a contemplative posture.

To me, Cheney Mason argument for acquittal seemed to boil down to this:  Your honor, our client managed to slow the investigation with her lies, she successfully hid the body, allowing decomposition to occur obliterating the definitive cause of death and now she claims it was an accident.  For her achievements to date, she should be awarded an acquittal.

Fortunately Judge Perry was not moved.  He denied the defense's Motion for Acquittal.

The defense begins the presentation of its case Thursday morning at 9.  I cringe for George Anthony and Roy Kronk--I suspect Jose Baez will ratchet up his effort to assassinate their characters.  In a manner of speaking, that will make both of them additional victims of Casey Anthony and her malignant narcissistic personality. 

And the most innocent victim, Caylee Anthony, is still waiting for justice.

The Waffling Attorney on Casey Anthony's Defense Team

Okay.  Let's see if I have this chronology correct.  Prosecutors wanted to admit the heart-shaped sticker found at the site where law enforcement found Caylee Anthony's body.  Jose Baez objects.

But when Baez cross examines state's witness Crime Scene Investigator Alina Burroughs, he wants to use that exhibit in the courtroom.  Judge Belvin Perry reminds him of his objection and Baez withdraws it.

Then, the jury requested to see that same exhibit and Baez waffled back to the other side.  He did not want the jurors to look at the evidence.  Perry overruled that motion, citing case law that requires that the court allow the jury to examine any exhibit.

If this is an example of how the defense team with handle the presentation of their case, then they might as well forfeit the game right now.  Although, legally, the defense team does not have to prove anything, their opening statement set up an expectation that they will do just that--prove it was an accidental drowning, prove that Casey was sexually abused by her father, prove that George Anthony knew what happened to Caylee.

And did you see this little gem of a story from WKMG about a sidebar on Monday?  Judge Perry accused the defense team of lying and said that he could not trust them anymore.

Unbelievable. 

Turning to the state's case, where is Jesse Grund, erstwhile boyfriend of Casey Anthony whom she claimed at one point was Caylee's father?  I was certain the prosecutors would call him to the stand.  Maybe they'll do it this morning.  Maybe they are saving him as a rebuttal witness.

When the state rests their case today, we will be one step closer to justice for Caylee.

Court Ends Early Monday in the Casey Anthony Trial

To everyone's surprise, the state announced before lunch on Monday that they had no additional witnesses present to testify.  They had logistical problems getting the remaining witnesses into town.  Court will not recommence until 1 PM on Tuesday.

The state did not give a number of witnesses they intend to call but it's clear they are about to close their case.  And today they laid out more damning evidence.  Steve Shaw, an FBI hair and fiber analyst, delved into post-mortem banding of the hair found in the trunk of Casey Anthony's car, comparing it to the hair found with the remains. 

Elizabeth Fontaine, FBI latent prints expert, testified that after the passage of time that included a long period under water, no fingerprints remained on the duct tape.  However, she did find the heart-shaped residue of a sticker placed on the duct tape.

The duct tape is a disturbing murder weapon used to snuff out Caylee's life.  But the heart-shaped sticker placed on the tape in the middle of Caylee's mouth is flat-out sick.

And what was Jose Baez's attitude throughout the day.  He appeared bored and impatient as if he had grown tired of arguing evidence against his client and was ready to present his case.  Does he think the defense presentation will wipe out all the testimony presented against Casey Anthony?  Or does he feel that the conclusion is a given and he just needs to complete the steps required toward a verdict?

The judge estimates that the jury will begin deliberations on Saturday, June 25 or Monday June 27.  If the state rests by lunch time on Wednesday, that will leave about nine and a half days for the defense to present his case, the state to call any rebuttal witnesses and both sides to make their closing arguments.  I hadn't expected a verdict until July but perhaps Judge Perry is correct and we are closer to justice for Caylee than I thought.

Consistency Equals Credibility: the Casey Anthony Trial

I'm not a lawyer.  I haven't studied law.  I am not qualified to give legal advice to anyone.  But I do possess a modicum of common sense and that is what I am relying on here.

If Jose Baez wanted the jury to believe a single word of the scenario he painted in his opening statement, wouldn't he have served his client better if the defense consistently reinforced that theory throughout cross examination?

He said that Caylee died as a victim of accidental drowning.  He insisted that George Anthony, whom he alleged molested his own daughter, disposed of the body of his granddaughter.  He suggested that George put the duct tape on Caylee's mouth and nose after her death to frame Casey.

Why hasn't he approached the state's evidence in the same way?  When witnesses testified to the smell in the trunk of the car, why did he question the existence of a decomposing body in the vehicle?  Why didn't he ask: Did you find any evidence to prove who placed that body in the trunk?; Do you know if Casey was the sole operator of the car after the body was placed in it? 

When witnesses testified about the duct tape, why did the defense question if it were actually on the skull when the remains were found?  Why didn't they ask: Did you find any evidence of who placed that duct tape on her face?  When Dr. Jan Garavaglia said, "There is no reason to put duct tape on [a child's] after they die," why didn't the defense ask her about the motive of framing another person for a crime?

When witnesses testified about the similarity black garbage bags in the Anthony home and the black garbage bags at the recovery scene, why didn't the defense ask if there was any physical evidence to indicate exactly whose hands pulled from the box and used them to conceal the body of Caylee Anthony?

The only conclusion I can reach is that there is absolutely no credibility in anything the defense presented in its opening statement and they know it.  They don't use it as a shield to protect their client because they are well aware that there was not a single piece of truth in their argument.  If there were, they would embrace the evidence that could be construed to support their version of events.

But they have not done so.

I've served on juries, including, on one occasion, a murder trial.  And as a former juror, I can call on my experience and say without doubt that many jurors spot inconsistencies from the attorneys at trial.  Many use it as a method of weighing the credibility of the testimony.  When one side is inconsistent, they grant the other side credibility and jurors often reach a verdict based on whom they believe.

The defense inconsistency looks bad for Baez's client but it may be the just the flaw in their presentation that the jury needs to find justice for Caylee Marie Anthony.

Duct Tape and the Incredible Dr. G at the Casey Anthony Trial

For me, the most powerful moment in the courtroom Friday came in the testimony of Dr. Jan Garavaglia.  She explained to the jury that she made systemic observational studies caused her to reach the conclusion that the manner of Caylee's death was homicide.  She pointed to the points that supported her conclusion:

1. The child was not reported to the authorities for an extended period of time.
2. The body was hidden
3. The body was in a closed container
4.  The duct tape located on the skull

Then in a quavering voice she said: "There is no child who should have duct tape on its face when it dies.  There is no reason to put duct tape on their faces after they die."  Dr. G said it all.

The duct tape was the focal point of the day, coming up again and again.  It was something I'd written about in my book, Mommy's Little Girl:

"When the process was complete, it would have been easy to persuade Caylee to inhale the sweet-smelling fumes.  It would not have taken many whiffs to render the small girl-child unconscious.  When she was out and unable to defend herself, multiple layers of duct tape were wrapped around the little girl's mouth and nose and into her hair to ensure that she never awoke from her chemically induced sleep."

When prosecutor Jeff Ashton made his arguments to the judge for the admission at trial of an animated demonstration of a photograph of Caylee superimposed on the child's skeletal remains, he confirmed my analysis of the evidence.  "This demonstrates that a single piece of duct tape--testimony will show there were three--was sufficient to be placed over the nose and mouth of Caylee Anthony, thus ending her life."

Friday's testimony about duct tape--the murder weapon that took Caylee's life--may seal the deal in bringing justice to Caylee.

Getting Sick: the Casey Anthony Trial

Thursday was an intense day in the Casey Anthony courtroom.  The state called forensic scientists and the Medical Examiner to the stand for graphic evidence about the discovery of Caylee Anthony's body.  Among descriptions of roots growing through the eyesockets of Caylee's skull and the presence of duct tape wrapped around it were photographs of the scene that had to rock every member of the jury.

The testimony also impacted Casey Anthony.  She did not look at the photos but she did hear every word.  For hours, she wiped her eyes and blew her nose while the evidence was presented.  Then her breathing grew heavy and her chest visibily heaved.  She bent over with her face near the surface of the table and Judge Belvin Perry recessed court for the day.

Was her reaction nothing more than crass manipulation designed to invoke the jury's sympathy?  Or was Casey in the throes of a panic attack as the evidence that could result in a legal date with death stacked up in front of her?  Only one person knows the answer to those questions: Casey Anthony.  But no matter what she'd say, who could believe her?   If lying were an Olympic sport she'd deserve a gold medal. 

Casey's deceit weaves a corrupted fabric that rots in the courtroom until nothing remains but justice for Caylee.

[Edited to remove inaccurate information]

State Takes a Byte Out of Casey Anthony Defense

Head injury, inhalation, death, internal bleeding, head injuries, making weapons out of household products, ruptured spleen, chest trauma, internal bleeding, neck breaking, hand to hand combat and how to make chloroform or "chloraform"--one site bookmarked and revisited 84 times.  Holy cow!  How many people did Casey plan to kill?

Wednesday was a mind-boggling day in the Casey Anthony trial.  The day was heavy in nerd-speak and geeky detail but in the midst of it all were the damning search terms on the Anthony home computer--some of which were done when the only person possibly in the home was Casey.

Jose Baez tried to minimize the damage by pointing to the length of time that the user was on those sites and the fact that many of the terms seemed to have no relevance to what happened to Caylee.  The jury must see past that smoke screen.  If someone is looking on the Internet to figure out how to commit murder, that person would explore a number of options.  And when the jury hears that these searches were manually removed from the computer, can't they assume that someone wanted to hide the Internet history.  It is then not a stretch to think that Casey could have used other computers that could not be tied to her to do additional searches.

And did you see the June 7 National Enquirer article?  It claims that the defense team's ultimate strategy is to push George Anthony to take his own life.  Then, they would use his suicide to create reasonable doubt by claiming guilt drove George to this final act--his guilt over Caylee's death and the sexual abuse of Casey were too much for him to bear.  If there is any truth at all to that claim, we're witnessing the most diabolical, cold-hearted defense plan ever.

We can only hope that each day, one step at a time, we are getting closer to justice for little Caylee.

Who Let the Dogs Out in the Casey Anthony Courtroom?

Did I hear Jose Baez correctly?  DId he really refer to the certificates of Canine Gerus hearsay evidence?  Please, Baez, explain to me why an exhibit containing the training and experience of a law enforcement dog is any different from a curriculum vitae of an expert human witness?

One possible conclusion:  Jose Baez does not like dogs.

I do like dogs and I found Jason Forgey to be a very credible witness.  Dogs like Gerus have proven themselves in the field again and again: finding cadavers, helping to rescue people from collapsed buildings and identifying an assortment of concealed materials.

It seems apparent to me that Baez attacks the credibility of every witness and every process for one reason: he knows the truth will set his client behind bars until the day she dies.

The truth will lead to justice for Caylee Anthony.  And that is one thing Jose Baez does not want.

Dr. Arpad Vass Day at Casey Anthony's Trial

Dr. Arpad Vass a research scientist and forensic anthropologist from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory spent the entire day on the witness stand testifying for the prosecution in the trial of Casey Anthony.  His work in the laboratory is multi-disciplinary crossing over into biology, chemistry and physics and includes research in the facility popularly known as the body farm.

During his direct examination, the defense frequently objected claiming that Dr.Vass was testifying outside his area of expertise.  When cross examination began, it sounded more like Dr. Vass was simply testifying beyond Baez's level of comprehension.

I admit that I was a bit skeptical about the science behind the air analysis of the contents of the trunk of Casey's car.  Dr. Vass removed my skepticism.  He explained it well and thoroughly.  I do not think the jury will have little difficulty considering his testimony during deliberations even though the defense will do their best to undermine his work.

The jury seemed to respond very positively to this witness.  Reports from the courtroom indicated that the jury was fascinated with everything he said--leaning forward in their seats, alert and engaged.  Compare this to reports on other days that some jurors were nodding off and the value of Dr. Vass as a witness is clear.

He was very personable with a charming voice.  He was obviously excited and passionate about his work.  At times, his emotions took control causing him to talk too fast for the court reporter.  He delivered his testimony with great credibility.  It seemed the jury was as impressed as I was.

Baez's relentless pit bull attack on Vass' character and professionalism, was so broad and all-inclusive that it lacked credibility.  In all likelihood, the defense smear campaign backfired.  Some of it was flat out goofy.  He insinuated that Vass was responsible for being listed as a chemist on Facebook and Wikipedia.  Vass doesn't have a Facebook account and never submitted anything to Wikipedia.  Baez tried to make him to take ownership of the error.  So does that mean Baez must embrace what people call him on Facebook like "bozo," "bumbling idiot." and other choice labels?

And somehow, I simply can't understand the marijuana testimony.  Baez elicited information from Dr. Vass about the presence of marijuana in the car.  How is that going to help his client?

Dr. Vass' conclusion were clear.  The level of chloroform in the trunk was "shockingly high."  The smell of the odor of decomposition in the trunk made him jump back in surprise.  And he "can find no other plausible explanation" for what he found in that trunk than the presence of a dead body.

At the end of the day when Dr. Vass left the stand with a sigh of relief, we were one step closer to justice for Caylee.

Does Casey Anthony's Jury Get It?

I hope that watching the jailhouse videos and seeing Casey Anthony's reaction to them in the courtroom had the same impact on the jury as they did on me.  They revealed more about Casey than if she walked into the courtroom stark naked. 

I hope they see that and know how it fits into the big picture of this case.  If I could drop one thought into the jurors heads, it would be a small bit of common sense about the allegations made by the defense in the opening statement and insinuated in cross examination. 

Jose Baez has one source for information about George, Cindy and Lee Anthony.  That source is his client.  Admitted Championship Liar.  Master Manipulator.  Malignantly Narcissistic Casey Marie Anthony.

I've read a lot of onliine comments from people who don't seem to get that vital piece of the puzzle.  And even if there were any truth in the sexual abuse allegations, it is germane as a mitigating factor during the punishment phase of the trial but is irrelevant in the guilt or innocence portion of it.

The lies of Casey Anthony have stood in the way of justice for Caylee since June three years ago.  I fervently hope that the jurors will see through the smog of deceit and determine their verdict without doubt and without hesitation.  Caylee deserves that and more--much more.

Was this Baez's Biggest Blunder in the Casey Anthony Trial?

Judge Belvin Perry slammed Jose Baez last December for having a cavalier attitude toward deadlines imposed by the court.  Baez demonstrated that his attitude still hadn't changed in the intervening months. 

This week, he objected to the admission of un-redacted video tapes of Casey Anthony's jailhouse conversations with family members.  The judge pointed to the long-past deadline of December 31, 2010, and Baez pleaded other priorities.  It seems Baez has not learned his lesson: the priorities of the court are more important than any of his own.

Baez moved twice for a mistrial because of these tapes.  Watching them, it was obvious that Baez would have served his client better if he had made Perry's priorities his own.  The videos served to undermine every point he made in his opening statement.  No wonder he did not want the jury to see them.  Flashes of contempt, self-absorption and even laughter at her attorney's expense may go further toward convincing the jurors of Casey's guilt on a visceral level than any of the scientific forensic evidence could.

They show his client as a person who can fabricate stories on the spot, spinning a non-stop web of deceit without breaking a sweat.  Baez's motions for a mistrial only highlights his incompetence perhaps giving a post-conviction appeal more chance for success at the expense of his professional reputation.

And while the audio and video tapes played, the jurors had to have glimpsed over at the defendant and been appalled.  During the sound-only interview with lead investigator Yuri Melich and his supervisor John Allen, Casey looked as if it was the first time she ever heard that conversation.  At times, she shook her head in denial. Did she think she could convince the jurors that they couldn't believe their own ears?

When the videotapes played, Casey shed tears and wiped a reddened nose when she viiewed her own crying on the tape--a stark contrast to the cold tone of her voice when fatal possibilities about the fate of Caylee were described in the law enforcement interview.   And endless prevarication, spewing out over and over from her own mouth.  Baez acknowledged many of her lies saying that it was the psychological response of a sexually abused child.

I wonder, though, is that what the jurors are thinking?  Or are they sharing my thought: when Casey's mouth is moving, she's lying.  And by extension, do they begin to feel the same way about her defense team?  Has Casey destroyed their credibility along with her own?

They have to be contemplating the fact that Jose Baez has only one thing to back up his wild accusations and illogical theories and that is the word of his client, a known championship liar.  When he repeats her lies about the events of June 16th and about her childhood, does he really expect to be believed?  Sorry, Baez, two lies do not make a truth. 

And hopefully, truth will prevail and bring justice for Caylee.

The book trailer for Mommy's Little Girl by Diane Fanning focused in on the multitude of lies that governed this story from the beginning.

Lies, Dick Tracy,and Pinatas at Casey Anthony's Trial



Jose Baez as Judge Perry's Pinata

 Listening to testimony yesterday, it became apparent that Casey Anthony took living for the moment to an all new high.  In the first thirty-one days following Caylee's death, she repeatedly told her mother that she could see Caylee tomorrow, or the next day.  She knew her mother would never see Caylee again, nonetheless, she kept manfacturing lies to postpone the moment of reckoning, one day at a time.  Casey never seemed to give a thought to what the future would bring.

One of the witnesses who drove that point home was Casey's brother Lee Anthony.  The state had to work long and hard to extract the answers they wanted from Lee.  They battled through objections, sidebars and Lee's faulty memory and finally got Lee to tell them what Casey said on July 15, 2008--the night Cindy reported Caylee missing.  Casey told him that she was upset with her mother because Cindy called her an "unfit mother" and referred to Caylee as a "mistake, but the best mistake Casey ever made."

I couldn't help but wonder what was behind Lee's inability to recall the events of that dramatic night.  Has he worked hard for three years to forget the pain of that unpleasant evening, thus, making it difficult to recall any details?  Or was Lee's lapse of memory merely convenient and contrived? 

Once again, Jose Baez voluntarily assumed the role of Judge Perry's pinata.  At one point, he objected to playing the unredacted audiotape of Casey's jailhouse conversations with her parents.  And in a replay of earlier court hearings, Perry rebuked him for still not taking motion deadlines seriously.  He squirmed as the judge pointed to the length of time he had to prepare.

Baez whined: "We've been litigating this case tooth and nail for three years," protesting that the defense team had not been sitting around doing nothing.

Judge Belvin Perry showed no mercy.  Deadline missed: tapes admitted as is.  Then, Perry brought the whole proceedings to a screeching halt with the first question out of Jose Baez's mouth in his cross examination of lead investigator Yuri Melich.  Baez asked: "Have you ever gone by a different name, Dick Tracy Orlando?"

That was a reference to the time when Melich was at home in September 2008 recovering from a broken leg and signed on to the chat group Websleuths. (He was reprimanded for this activity by the Orange County Sheriff's Office.) Baez argued that the participation on that forum impugned the credibility of the witness.  Perry pressed for specifics based in the law--asking for statements that demonstrated Melich's bias against the defendant or a witness.

Baez pointed to the investigator's comment that a missing person's investigation is like a "murder investigation without a body;" and Melich's statement about to wanting to find Caylee "to bring closure to her family."  The judge ruled that neither entry nor any of his other contributions were impeachable according to the definition specified in the law and that Dick Tracy should be mentioned no more.


Baez is like a busy beaver building a dam with rotting sticks--he keeps trying to stop the flow of justice for Caylee but the truth keeps busting through.

*

You can read the first three chapters of Mommy's Little Girl now on CriminalElement.com.

Emotions Run High at Casey Anthony Trial

Cindy Anthony placed an image in my head that will come to mind every time I hear of a young child being missing or murdered.  A grandmother, holding the little one's favorite doll in her hands, cleaning its face with wipes, getting rid of a bad odor from the soft body with a spray, caring for that baby doll with as much tenderness and care as if it were the beloved child who the grandmother's could not touch.

The day was intensely emotional but of all things said, that one hit me harder than any of the others.  It came when Cindy was discussed finding Caylee's backpack and doll in Casey's car after she and George picked it up from the tow yard.

Cindy's distress and her sincere display of emotion jarred with the sound of Casey's voice on the 9-1-1 tapes and the phone call from jail.  In contrast to Cindy doubling over in the stand crying, Casey's voice sounded cold and uncaring.  After Cindy's testimony and the playing of the audiotapes, the jury's opinion of Casey Anthony had to have plummetted.

It's been billed as possibily the most emotional day we will see in court for the duration of the trial.  It also was a demonstration, once more, of Jose Baez's inexperience.  During the cross-examination, he elicited hearsay testimony from Cindy Anthony that has possibly opened the door to allowing the state to introduce evidence of Casey's previous felony convictions.  It is unlikely that the judge will allow any details of the theft and fraud charges but if he decides to admit Casey's criminal record, the perception the jurors have of the defendant will drop even further.  The judge has scheduled a hearing on this matter first thing Wednesday morning.

And so the rough beast of legal process slouches toward justice for Caylee Marie Anthony.