Below are my thoughts about the third week of testimony in the Anthony case.

Inside the Courtroom

Forensic evidence is not my strong suit. I prefer to hear witnesses give testimony relating to their personal observations and knowledge involving a case, not about science or scientific theories. I have trouble staying focused during the science portion of a trial. And that testimony invariably leads to the dreaded battle of the experts.

Those feelings aside, scientific evidence is a critical part of most cases. And this trial is no exception. It started last week and continued on Monday. I thought Dr. Vass came across as credible and passionate about his work. And maybe more importantly, likeable.

Vass confirmed the smell of death associated with Casey’s car through his own senses and other methods as well. And he introduced chloroform into the equation. During cross Baez attempted to discredit him and his work, but in my opinion failed.

However, Baez’s ineffectiveness was blown away in large part by a gift from the State. That’s right, Christmas came early for Baez when on Tuesday Santa Claus showed up in the courtroom in the form of prosecutor Jeff Ashton. The State’s lawyer had to admit that he made a mistake while examining Vass on Monday by displaying the wrong evidence to the witness. Vass didn’t recognize the error at the time and continued his testimony.

Did this goof up derail the State’s case? I doubt that it was fatal. But it may have lessened the effect of a man who up to that point had been a powerful witness. We won’t know what impact if any it had on the jury until later, though.

It had an impact on me, though. It was embarrassing to say the least, and represented what I believe to be the prosecution’s first major misstep. It gave Baez a victory of as yet unknown magnitude that he had failed to achieve on his own. I’m probably being overly critical, but it isn’t the type of thing I expect to see when the A Team is on the field.

I believe the State rebounded with testimony from sheriff’s deputies regarding the cadaver dogs used in the various searches—including those around the Anthony home and Casey’s car—and their performance during those searches. While I found this testimony to be credible, I also think Baez did a fairly good job on cross and may have made some points favorable to the defense. But overall I believe the State came out ahead in the K-9 category.

The evidence that came in about the searches someone—presumably Casey—made on the Anthony computer was interesting. Unless Baez can put somebody other than Casey at the keyboard, her interest in chloroform might be difficult to explain away.

Lee Anthony made another appearance and related an August 2008 conversation he had with Casey. His sister told him that Zanny forcibly took Caylee from her. The fictional nanny allegedly told her she was taking the child because Casey was an unfit mother.

Lee’s testimony may provide some explanation of the searches done on the Anthony computer. If as early as March of that year Casey was contemplating ridding herself of the baggage Caylee had become, could a forcible kidnapping been one of the scenarios she considered to explain Caylee’s disappearance? That could account for the self-defense and injury searches.

And then came what may have been a pivotal point in the trial: the introduction of Caylee’s remains. Previously the jurors had seen photos of an adorable young girl. One who appeared happy and full of life. Now in stark contrast, they were exposed to what was left of her. Jurors also saw the duct tape. The same tape that the prosecution has hinted may have been the instrument of death. Jurors were reportedly firmly engrossed in the testimony and crime scene photos. However, court recessed in mid-afternoon when the defendant became ill. No details were immediately provided as to her medical condition. I believe that this was the State’s best day so far.

I thought the State had a great Thursday, but I believe they surpassed it on Friday. With Casey apparently recovered from her ailment and in the courtroom, well known medical examiner Dr. G took the stand. Her testimony all but destroyed the defense theory of accidental drowning. And a photo that was shown of Caylee’s smiling face with a skull and duct tape slowly transposed over it was reportedly an attention-grabber that jurors won’t soon forget. Another powerful day for the prosecution.  

Saturday was much less exciting to me with, boring but necessary testimony about flies and such, and more evidence-gathering witnesses. Although I wasn’t glued to my computer screen the entire time, I believe the prosecution further tightened its theory of where Caylee’s body was and when.    

Outside the Courtroom

My displeasure with certain legal analysts, experts and talking heads on the cable shows continued. Even with my remote nearby, some of the spinners are able to voice their opinions before I can mute them.

My specific complaint with those individuals is this: Don’t treat me like an idiot. To them, everything Baez said in his opening is the Gospel truth. The State must disprove each and every defense claim or there can’t be a conviction.

The fact of the matter is, the State is moving forward to prove its theory of what happened to Caylee. Baez can and should challenge the State’s witnesses and evidence. And after the State rests, the defense can present their case. But at the moment, Baez and his associates have proved absolutely nothing. While they have no legal requirement to do so, I think many of us, including the jurors, will want to see some credible evidence to support Baez’s opening statement remarks.

Baez may or may not be able to do it. We’ll know in three weeks or so.

Conclusions

I thought the State was the clear winner the first two weeks and I put this week solidly in their column as well. The gaffe by Ashton was more than overcome by the crime scene and medical examiner evidence. Caylee Anthony was introduced as the victim who deserves justice. It is incomprehensible to me that the jurors could have missed that point.

Denny

Inside the Courtroom

This was a week in which more testimony and other evidence was offered that exposed Casey for the kind of person she is. It opened with Cindy Anthony resuming her place in the witness box. Because of the emotion she displayed, I believe she was the most compelling witness of the week.

I have to say that I am not an admirer of any of the Anthonys. Between July 15, 2008 and when Caylee’s remains were found, I came to resent them—especially Cindy—for their refusal to accept reality. They seemed to buy into Casey’s obvious lies and promoted them as the truth.

But even with my attitude toward Cindy, I found her to be a credible and sympathetic figure on the stand. I felt she was a very effective prosecution witness. Hearing her recount her efforts to learn Caylee’s whereabouts in the face of Casey’s never-ending lies, and the events of July 15, including the 9-1-1 calls, had to tug at everyone’s heartstrings, even mine.

Mr. Baez was understandably gentle in his cross of her, in sharp contrast to his questioning of George. Much of his focus was on the loving relationship between Casey and Caylee – very similar to the questions he asked of Casey’s former boyfriends, friends and acquaintances. In my opinion, there were no fireworks or bombshells during cross.

I won’t be surprised however, that if before the trial ends the jurors hear that there is another side to Cindy Anthony.  A side that is not so sympathetic.

Lee Anthony made his first appearance as a witness this week. It was almost immediately clear to me that he didn’t intend to volunteer anything. The prosecutor had to work to get information out of him. That aside, I believe what he did say was damaging to Casey and served to corroborate Cindy’s version of events.

Another witness who made an impression on me was Amy Huizenga. Although I found her credible, it wasn’t her direct testimony that struck me. It was the cross by Baez. He attempted to portray Amy as being a partier and a drunk. To me, it was feeble, ineffective and unnecessary.

Switching to law enforcement testimony, the State called Detective Yuri Melich. Casey’s lies were exposed yet again. But what I feel had to be absolutely devastating to the defense was the tape of Melich and two other detectives interviewing Casey in a room at Universal Studios.

The jury had prviously heard Casey briefly when one of the 9-1-1 calls and a jail recording were played. But this tape was about an hour long and much of it was Casey in her own words. I believe that on numerous occasions during the interview the detectives threw Casey a lifeline. They offered her chance after chance to explain what happened to Caylee, implying that if something accidental had taken place she needed to tell it then before things got out of control. This is exactly what Baez claimed in his opening: an accidental drowning that went amok. However, Casey refused to grab the rope and stuck to her Zanny the Nanny kidnapping story.

When Baez got his shot at Melich, I don’t think he accomplished much, if anything.   

The State then introduced into evidence more of the jailhouse visit recordings. In my opinion, the conversation between George and Casey was as devastating to the defense as the Universal Studio interview was. In it, George told Casey everything he was doing to find Caylee. And that they would find her and the family would all be together again. George came across as sincere and dedicated to his task. I don’t think that after hearing that conversation any juror could possibly believe the Baez claim that George knew Caylee had been dead since June 16. I was skeptical of that scenario when Baez raised it. But now, for me, it is completely off the table. And Baez’s credibility in the eyes of the jurors could very well have taken a hit if they think he lied to them in his opening.

The week finished up with the forensic evidence beginning to come in. To me this is boring stuff in comparison to previous witnesses and evidence. But it is, I believe, critical to the State’s case. They need to put Caylee’s decomposing body in the trunk of Casey’s car and introduce the duct tape and other evidence. These witnesses are probably the start of what will become a battle of the experts.    

I think it was a very good week for the State.

Outside the Courtroom 

Most evenings after court ended I caught some of the cable shows that are covering the trial. I realize these programs want the largest audience possible. And that controversy can help to build numbers. It is understandable that guests and panelists should not all be pro prosecution or pro defense. There should be a balance.

However, some of the defense-leaning analysts are totally unrealistic in my opinion. I find it offensive when they take up the same line as the defense team and talk about it as being fact. I often feel that they are insulting my intelligence. While I will continue to monitor these shows, I’ve learned which analysts are worth listening to and which ones are unabashed spinners. I’ll use my mute button accordingly.

Conclusions

Although I’m not a juror or present in the courtroom, I can’t imagine that any thinking person who observed the witnesses, heard their testimony and listened to the tapes, could have come away with a positive impression of Casey Anthony. She came across to me as a selfish and rather despicable person, and a pathological liar. My supposition is that the vast majority of observers—jurors included—perceived her in that way as well.

But, as has been said many times since July 15, 2008, lies do not a killer make. I think what they do accomplish though, is to make it less likely that the jurors will be willing to give Casey the benefit of the doubt. They very well may require that Baez present ample credible evidence to support his claims of an accidental drowning and sexual abuse. Their negative impression of Casey and possibly Baez, may have shifted the burden of proof to the defense.

This trial is still far from over and the defense has yet to have its turn at bat. But as a pro-prosecution person, I think the State’s case is on track.  

From CNN:

According to testimony, Anthony claimed to work as an event planner at Universal Studios until after Caylee was reported missing.

During the police investigation, lead detective Yuri Melich called Anthony and put her on a speakerphone with Turtora, who testified she insisted she worked there and gave a Thomas Manley as her supervisor. Manley also was not found in the database. During the call, Melich asked her if she was an event planner for marketing or entertainment, Turtora testified, and she said a little bit of both. “I knew that couldn’t be true,” Turtora said.

Eventually, Anthony was forced to own up to the lie after detectives brought her to Universal Studios and met Turtora there. She directed them to a building Turtora said he knew was not an events building.

“Melich began to look around and asked if we were in the events building,” Turtora said. “Ms. Anthony looked at me, put her hands in her back pocket and stated, ‘I don’t work here.’”

From CNN:

Hopkins, 26, said his name wasn’t even Jeffrey Michael Hopkins — the name Anthony had given as a wealthy suitor living in Jacksonville, with a son named Zachary.

Anthony’s mother, Cindy Anthony, previously testified her daughter spoke often about Hopkins, describing him as a former coworker at Universal who had introduced her to Gonzalez, purportedly employed as a nanny for Casey Anthony’s 2-year-old daughter Caylee. The two began dating, Casey Anthony had claimed.

After Caylee went missing June 16, 2008, Casey Anthony stayed away from her parents’ house for weeks, telling her mother she and her daughter were spending time with Hopkins in Jacksonville, Florida, where he lived.

Another call featured today was the jailhouse call between Casey, her mother, brother and friend Kristina Chester.

From CNN:

“We’re talking about a 3-year-old girl,” a hysterical Cindy Anthony says on the call, made July 15, 2008. It was her third call to police that day, but this one was different — made after Cindy Anthony’s daughter Casey Anthony admitted to her brother that Caylee — who was actually 2 at the time — had been missing since June 16 and said the girl’s nanny had kidnapped her.

Also played for jurors Tuesday was a phone call Casey Anthony made to the Anthony home from jail on July 16, following her arrest. In the call, she speaks to her mother and brother and to her friend Kristina Chester, but wants her brother to give her the phone number of her then-boyfriend, Tony Lazzaro.

On the call, a tearful Kristina Chester tries to get answers out of Anthony regarding Caylee.

“I got arrested on a f—ing whim today,” Casey Anthony tells Chester on the call, “because they’re blaming me for stuff that I would never do, that I didn’t do.”

“Casey,” Chester said later in the call. “Your daughter, your flesh and blood, your baby.” But Anthony cut her off, saying, “Put my brother back on the phone. I don’t want to get into this with you. … I haven’t slept in four days.”

…OK just kidding…it’s for the prosecution

From WESH:

Gonzalez, who was suing Anthony for ruining her good name, appeared in the names added to the prosecution’s witness list for the trial. Prosecutors said they will use Gonzalez to argue that Anthony knowingly let her fall under suspicion because she knew that the baby sitter of the same name, who she blamed for kidnapping her daughter Caylee, doesn’t exist.

From WESH:

Hernandez was fired for allowing Anthony to exchange secret letters with another inmate.

The letters, which were sent between Anthony and fellow inmate Robyn Adams, were released as evidence by the state earlier this year.

In an investigative summary, investigators wrote that Adams discussed the topic of Zenaida Gonzalez with Anthony. Anthony has told authorities Gonzalez kidnapped Caylee.

From WESH:

Adams will be questioned at a federal prison in Tallahassee by lawyers for Zenaida Gonzalez in connection with the ongoing civil case against Anthony, a new document shows. The interview will be videotaped.

Adams and Anthony developed a bond when the two were housed near each other in the Orange County Jail.

“If there’s a witness out there who can say, ‘I heard out of Casey Anthony’s mouth this is fabricated,’ this would be huge for our case,” Gonzalez’ lawyer, Keith Mitnik, said in June.

Judge Belvin Perry ruled today that Casey Anthony’s civil trial will take place early next year, well before the criminal trial takes place in mid-2011.

From The TV Guy:

WFTV-Channel 9 anchor Martie Salt noted that the civil case could unfold in the first quarter of next year – before the murder trial. WFTV said the murder case would start June 14, 2011, but May 9, 2011, is  the actual date.

“The civil trial is not about whether Casey murdered Caylee, so there’s no legal reason to hold it up,” WFTV’s Kathi Belich said. “Zenaida Gonzalez’s lawyers say if the civil trial makes Casey look bad right before her murder trial, that’s her problem.”

From WESH:

The civil case deals with a lawsuit filed by Zenaida Gonzalez against Anthony. Gonzalez claims her reputation was ruined when Anthony said she was the last person to look after Anthony’s daughter Caylee.

Gonzalez has denied the claims. Casey was not required to attend today’s hearing.

Any thoughts on what we may or may not hear today?

From the Orlando Sentinel:

Anthony is being sued in circuit court in Orange County by Zenaida Gonzalez, a Kissimmee woman who accuses Anthony of damaging her reputation.

Gonzalez is seeking unspecified damages. She filed suit two years ago, saying she was harmed by Anthony’s statement about the baby sitter.

It’s not clear what will happen at the 1:30 p.m. hearing, a routine pretrial conference.

Included are Casey Anthony, man of her friends, George Anthony and Cindy Anthony and her defense attorney, Jose Baez.

There are additional names that can be found below. Looks like a “who’s who” in this case. Thoughts?

From the Orlando Sentinel:

Attorney John Morgan filed the witness list Friday in Orange County Circuit Court.

Also among the potential witnesses: Private investigators Dominic Casey and Jim Hoover; California bounty hunter Leonard Padilla, who helped post Casey Anthony’s bond; FBI agents; FDLE agents and detectives from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.

Morgan could call Anthony’s ex-boyfriends as witnesses — including Jesse Grund, Ricardo Morales and Anthony Lazzaro, according to his list.

ORANGE COUNTY – New developments in the Casey Anthony case, involves an alleged affair George Anthony may have had with a woman resembling Zenaida Gonzalez – also known as “Zanny the nanny” – the person Casey claims took her daughter Caylee.

Skye Benhaida informed our affiliate station, WFTV, that her sister told investigators the affair began shortly after Casey was arrested and that it lasted nearly a year.

According to Benhaida, George told her sister that Caylee’s death was an accident that “snowballed” out of control then used her sister to build the image of the nanny. He was even so detailed as to describe the exact tattoo her sister has.

The mistress is also said to have turned over pictures depicting intimate situations and text messages she received on her phone from all of George’s three cell phones.

Benhaida says that George took advantage of her sister, playing on her compassion by complaining of his financial problems, and willingly received almost $5,000 dollars before she was told by investigators he had taken money from other women.

George’s mistress was allegedly questioned by investigators, and even took a lie detector test.

When asked by WFTV, George Anthony’s lawyer said he’s not received any information from investigators about the alleged mistress, but would not confirm nor deny George had an affair.

Link:
http://wdbo.com/localnews/2010/03/sister-of-george-anthonys-alle-1.html

WFTV, Original Story:
http://www.wftv.com/news/22825765/detail.html

There is a very interesting opinion piece on Prime Writer News Network today that talks about this very topic.

The post brings up some very good points that may or may not have been missed by the mainstream media. Why hasn’t Casey Anthony been demanding that the “real” killer be found. Why are her parents not actively looking like so many others have for the “real” killer. Why go after Roy Kronk and not “Zanny the Nanny”? Because he’s real maybe?

This case has had so many twists and turns. It’s obvious that it’s heading for a made for TV movie but I’m just surprised that we haven’t seen a plea deal yet. Is there something that we’re missing? Some evidence that Casey is innocent?

I would say yes if she and her defense team were out looking for the real killer, instead of throwing out some crazy theories. Anyways, be sure to check out the post at the link below and let us know your thoughts.

From the post:

If Casey Anthony is innocent, then why hasn’t she demanded that the murderer of her innocent two year old daughter be found and brought to justice? Wouldn’t the public have expected to see Casey Anthony, at least one time, look into the camera and utter anything regarding the person who murdered her child? Even Susan Smith, knowing that she had drowned her two boys into the unforgiving waters of the John D. Long Lake, had enough wherewithals to feign concern and offer a fake plea for the ‘kidnapper’ to return her children.

How many grieving parents have stared into the cold camera lens of the media begging for information regarding their children’s killer? John Walsh never stopped looking for the killer of his son, Adam. When it was determined that Otis Toole was the perpetrator, John Walsh stood before the camera, tears in his eyes thankful that his son’s murderer had been named.

As someone who is engaged in doing vocal forensics for legal cases, I am always amazed at how much we can learn about a person based on the sound and tone of their voice, not to mention their speech patterns and its content.

When a person lies, the voice can give a lot away. Vocal tells are not always consistent in lying.  Sometimes the pitch of a person’s voice may rise as it did last week, when Casey Anthony gave her lame apology in front of the courtroom.

Other times, the voice may sound lower because the vocal cords tend to close off and emit what is known as a “vocal fry” or a “glottal fry” which sounds like a creaking tone.

Since respiration is affected when someone lies, it is often difficult for liars to adequately coordinate their respiration with their phonation.  The fry  is also nature’s  way of wanting to close off  the vocal cords so the person won’t engage in lying. There is a lot of strain on the vocal muscles when the voice closes off, so you often hear Casey  clear her throat. That is another tell to let you know what is taking place.

CASEY’S VOCAL FRYS ON HER  INTERROGATION  TAPES

If you go back and listen to Casey Anthony’s interrogation   audiotapes, with Detective Uri Melich,  you will hear Casey’s  lower pitch and a lot of vocal frying and  creaking tones. This was very evident when Detective Melich  talks to Casey Anthony about when Caylee went missing, how she met Zenaida Gonzalez,what happened the day Caylee disappeared, who she talked to about Caylee missing, how she tried to find Zenaida. and why she did not alert them earlier.

All of that frying clearly means she is lying!

OTHER SPEECH PATTERN TELLS ON THE INTERROGATION TAPES

In listening to these interrogation  tapes you will hear that Casey gives WAY TOO MUCH INFORMATION, and provides convoluted stories  like she did about Zanida’s mother  and how Zenaida changed her number so much. That is a HUGE tell that someone lies.

TOO MUCH PAUSE TIME TO ANSWER QUESTION Like when Melich asked her about Zanaida’s mother  or asked her about the phone numbers of various people. The extended pause time was used  for Casey to no doubt concoct her false stories.

MONOTONE and lack of inflection pattern in the voice is often a key to deception as is rapid fire answers to questions.

VOCAL TELLS IN THE COURTROOM

UPWARD INFLECTION

When someone uses upward inflection at the end of sentences, it sounds as though they are asking a question as opposed to making a statement. This upward inflection that Casey used in the courtroom last week, was in stark contrast to the downward frying inflection she used when she was interrogated.  

What this means was that Casey was not being  sincere and definite in her apology. Instead, it was tentative,  phony, and insincere .  It was tentative because Casey is no doubt,  not used to asking for forgiveness or admitting fault for anything.

This is a young lady who has gotten away with everything her entire life. She was enabled as he family always seemed to look the other way and have their heads buried in the sand when it came to Casey.  It sounded like she was asking a question with her upward inflection. Her raised eyebrows that went along with her tentative upward  inflection  reflected that  what she was doing and saying in terms of apologizing it was new and foreign  information that her body was processing.

THE RAISED PITCH LEVEL  IN THE COURT

In the case of Casey Anthony, her higher pitched of her voice indicated a lot of tension in her vocal apparatus.  When people are not being truthful or are insincere or nervous, we  may oftentimes hear a sudden rise in pitch as we did with Casey. She knew deep down she didn’t believe those words one bit.

VOCAL FRYING IN THE COURT

There were many vocal frys and cracking  of the voice as Casey spoke, indicating deception and  insincerity. This was especially evident when she said how she wished she would have been a better friend to Amy.

If and when  Casey does take the stand during her murder trial, it will be  very interesting to read her vocal and speech tells. No doubt we will her more of the same patterns of deception that she exhibited when she a interrogated and when she was insincerely apologizing.  www.drlillianglass.com