Casey Anthony Hearings: Mar. 2nd, 3rd, 4th,7th, 2011

Yay! Fox 35 is back on!

Fox 35 had trouble ealier this afternoon to. I switched over to
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Did she ask you if you were arresting her? NO. I have been waiting all day for someone to say she was not under arrest.

LDB: Why didn't you Mirandise her?
Melich: She wasn't under arrest. She was the mother of a missing child, not a criminal suspect.
LDB: Did she tell you that she had been handcuffed?
Melich: No.

KC thinks she's an attorney...It is her fantasy job now, instead of an event planner...

LOL lisette

Wonder how many more LE they are going to call before JP rules on this motion. Wonder if he will rule today....

Just lost Fox 35 again!

lindamarie wrote:Fox 35 had trouble ealier this afternoon to. I switched over to
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try this one

If this hearing takes this long, how long will the trial drag on!?

I was thinking the same thing. I remember the OJ Simpson trial went on for what seemed like long time.

Perry overruled an objection by the defense to admit a smiling photo of KC in to evidence. Linda is asking if the photo was taken at the Orange County Sheriff office. The answer was yes. Now Linda is pointing out KC has a visitor badge on her hoodie.

Obviously, KC was not under arrest...Bozo is up for re-direct. Accusing Melich of leading KC into thinking that she wasn't under arrest in order to get info without Mirandising her...

Now they are talking about the odor from the car?

Melich is done.

Are they through for today? I had to take a phone call.

Yes they are done until 9 am tomorrow. Artgal will you be up early again? LOL

Please dont rub it in! yes im a mess today!
but its worth it to see this type of thing in real life
and not a movie. If someone sees the reruns posted
on any of the news websites in florida please email a link. Im too tired to look!

ORLANDO, Fla. -- An emotional hearing on several motions in the case against Casey Anthony wrapped up Wednesday evening, and there were no decisions made.

Casey walked into the courtroom at 9:05am, wearing a red sweater and dark slacks. She was accompanied by her lawyers. Casey's parents were both on hand to testify in the hearing.




The first discussion was a motion to quash on the subpoenas for jail employees.

The Orange County Corrections attorney started by bringing up the jailhouse video showing Casey's reaction to Caylee's remains being found. However, it's a moot point since the state isn't going to use it; as a result, the jail wants the subpoenas of Orange County jail employees to be dropped.

Casey's attorney, Jose Baez, also shared his opinion on the jail attorney's comments. As a resolution, Baez is expected to meet with the prosecution about needed interviews.

Attorneys also discussed the sequestering of George and Cindy Anthony during hearings and, ultimately, the trial. Perry said it will be case-by-case, but offered to let them testify first so they would be able to listen to the rest of the hearing.

Cindy was called to testify shortly thereafter and Casey began crying as soon as her mother was sworn in.

The prosecution is trying to establish a case for law enforcement discussions with Casey and her statements made the night, and following day, when her mother called 911 in July 2008. The defense believes they should be suppressed.

Cindy was visibly upset on the stand as she struggled with questions from prosecutors about whether she wanted her daughter arrested when she learned of Caylee's disappearance.

"Seeing your daughter is very traumatic, being handcuffed and taken to the car," Cindy said on the stand about the night Casey was arrested.

The prosecution was not playing softball with Cindy and pushed her hard to help them support their argument that Casey's comments to law enforcement are admissible and should not be suppressed, which is what the defense is fighting for.

"I tried to get Casey to take me to Caylee," Cindy said.

"Then you wanted deputies to find Caylee?" prosecutor Linda Drane-Burdick asked.

"Yes," she said. "It was a very difficult night, evening for me that day. I'm not stupid. This is very unsettling for me."

Cindy stepped down from testifying and Casey seemed to do everything she could not to look at her mother as she got down from the stand. As Cindy walked past Casey, Cindy looked over and Casey just stared down at her papers.

At about 10:55am, George Anthony took the stand to testify. As George took the stand, he appeared to blow a kiss toward his daughter as she seemed to try to hold back tears.

Questions went right to the night deputies were first called to the Anthony house.

"I asked what was wrong. She said Caylee was missing. 'Someone has Caylee,'" George said. "The topic was about Caylee and trying to find where she was at."

Baez pressed George about how Casey was taken into custody and whether she was read her Miranda rights. The questioning was directed at whether Casey voluntarily went with a detective looking for Caylee and whether the intention of detectives was to look for Caylee or to charge Casey with a crime.

"I know there were some unpleasantries. Answers about where my granddaughter was at," he said.

Baez also asked George to describe when Casey was handcuffed by officers.

"I walked outside with the deputy who had escorted my daughter," he said.

"How long was Casey in the back of the police car?" Baez asked.

"Maybe about 30 minutes to an hour," George replied.

George told Baez that Casey was taken out of the handcuffs and escorted back into the home. Later that evening, George said Casey and a detective spoke alone in her room. He said he did not know what they talked about.

Judge Belvin Perry set the tone of authority in his courtroom and kept both sides on track during George's testimony.

Prosecutor Linda Drane-Burdick was questioning George Anthony. The two started going back and forth over whether deputies responded quickly enough when Caylee was first reported missing.

Judge Perry stepped in right away.

"That's a sore subject between you and I and we can badger all day long," George said to Drane-Burdick.

"Excuse me, I am going to object," Drane-Burdick replied.

"Just a second folks, listen…question answer… be quiet! Question and answer don't talk over each other," Perry stated.

George stepped down from the stand at approximately 10:47am.

After Orange County Deputy Ryan Eberlin briefly took the stand, Judge Perry called for a recess until 1:30pm.

When the hearing resumed, Deputy Eberlin was back on the stand. Casey's attorney, Cheney Mason, questioned Eberlin about what happened when he responded to a 911 call made by Cindy.

The defense said that Casey was wrongly handcuffed by a rookie deputy and is trying to convince Judge Perry to throw out evidence.

Deputy Eberlin admitted that he wrongly handcuff Casey, and shortly after removed the handcuffs. Eberlin said that after the mistake was corrected, Casey was free to do what she pleased. She was not considered a suspect.

After Deputy Eberlin stepped down from the stand, Deputy Adriana Acevedo was called.

Deputy Acevedo was also asked to describe when she responded to the Anthonys' home on Suburban Drive. She also talked about when Casey accompanied Acevedo in her sheriff's office cruiser to the Sawgrass Apartments, where Casey said she left Caylee with her nanny Zenaida Gonzalez.

At 2:38pm, Judge Perry called for a 15 minute mid-afternoon break.

When they resumed, Detective Yuri Melich took the stand. Melich was asked by Baez about Caylee's disappearance, and about the night officers responded to the home.

"I was unaware that she was placed in handcuffs," Melich told Baez when asked about Casey being taken into custody."I was unaware of what transpired before I got there."

Baez proceeded to ask Melich about Casey's claim that she worked for Universal Studios. Melich escorted her to the park after she stated in a verbal and written statement that she was an employee there.

Melich stated that he believed she was lying about her employment. When they were at the theme park, employees could not find Casey in their database.

"I can't fathom that the mother of a missing child could lie about this," Melich said.

The hearing wrapped up a few minutes before 5:00pm. There were no decisions made on Wednesday.

Judge Perry called for a recess until 9:00am Thursday. Casey goes on trial May 9.



BILL SHEAFFER ANALYSIS CASEY HEARING

WFTV legal analyst Bill Sheaffer said Judge Perry will not be as forgiving and calm as the previous judge on the case, who removed himself over an alleged relationship with a blogger. Judge Perry has a reputation for running a tight ship and his style is expected to keep the case moving.

Sheaffer has been listening and analyzing every development from court Wednesday.

There are nine motions being heard and Sheaffer said they're all important. He said Wednesday and Thursday's hearings will be vitally important in the case against Casey.

"It's the defense's attempt to limit that evidence and try to break the circumstantial evidence chain the state will use to try to convict Casey," said Sheaffer.

The court spent hours on motion one, discussing Casey's statements with law enforcement after Cindy called to report Caylee's disappearance. The defense wanted that suppressed.

There are four motions to suppress or exclude statements or evidence in the case. Sheaffer told WFTV that all four are important.

"Why is it important? Because each and every bit of evidence is what's used to form that circumstantial evidence chain to show Casey was the killer of the child," Sheaffer said.

The defense, Sheaffer said, will try to break that chain that goes toward raising a reasonable doubt in the case.

Another motion seeks to strike the defendants supplemental witness list.

Sheaffer said the defense failed to file that list on time, and now, the court will likely weigh the people on that list on a case-by-case basis. Sheaffer said in order for the defense to succeed, it must win at least a few of the motions.

WFTV will be in court Thursday to hear arguments over more significant motions, including a contempt of court case against Baez. Another is the state's motion that says it will not use video of Casey in jail after she learned her daughter's remains were found.
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Ok I won't rub it in. I missed very little of the hearing today. It was really tough to sit through that and listen to the same questions over and over again. Fox Orlando website had some problems after the lunch break. Lisette titled this thread for both today's and tomorrows hearing. Get some rest and see you in the am.

I cant watch it so im living vicariously through you all...cant wait for the transcripts to come out so I can see what I missed...Get some rest Artgal!!!

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Prosecutors and defense attorneys in the first-degree murder case against Casey Anthony heard roughly eight hours of testimony today.

The first day of the two day hearing began around 9 a.m. and ended around 5 p.m. today.

The hearing began this morning with heated, and at times, emotional testimony from Anthony's parents, George Anthony and Cindy Anthony. Later, two deputies and the lead detective took the stand.

Casey Anthony cried this morning as her mother took the stand, but remained outwardly emotionless the rest of the day. She took notes continuously during several hours of testimony.
Lead detective testifies



Lead Detective Yuri Melich testified for nearly two hours and answered questions on several topics.

Melich said he was called out to the investigation because he was a missing persons detective and was made aware the child was missing for 30 or 31 days.

Melich said he was interested upon finding out that Caylee was missing for so long, that Cindy Anthony had made the call and that Casey Anthony led deputies to a vacant apartment, but declined to say he was suspicious.

He said he never read Casey Anthony her Miranda Rights because she was, at the time, not a suspect or under arrest.

"She wasn't a suspect of anything," Melich said. "She was the mother of a missing child."

Baez asked Melich several questions about whether he believed Casey Anthony was lying to him. She led detectives to Universal Studios, where she claimed to have an office.

Melich said he was trying to get her to tell the truth about where she worked. He said he could not imagine the mother of a missing child lying about where she worked. Ultimately, she acknowledged she did not work at Universal Studios.

Melich, Sgt. John Allen and Casey Anthony went into a private room at Universal Studios where detectives interrogated her.

Melich is reliving the questioning, saying she can be viewed as a monster or an average person who made mistakes.

He also acknowledged telling Casey Anthony, "Things aren't looking very good for you."

Still, the interrogation went on for more than an hour trying to get her to talk.

"Absent waterboarding, you tried everything else?" Baez asked.

"We don't use waterboarding," Melich said.

During cross examination, Melich reiterated for prosecutor Linda Drane Burdick he never read Casey Anthony her Miranda Rights because she was not a suspect or under arrest.

Melich says that at that time Casey never indicated she did not want to speak with him, never asked him to leave and seemed "very" cooperative in helping him find Caylee.

Burdick introduced a photo of a smiling smiling Casey Anthony taken at the Sheriff's Office on July 16th, to be used for a missing person's flyer. The photo shows she is wearing a Orange County Sheriff's Office visitors badge.

Burdick wanted to enter it as evidence to show Casey Anthony's continued cooperation with law enforcement even after they all knew she'd lied to them. Melich said she was never read Miranda because it was considered missing person's case at the time.

Deputies testify

Earlier today, Deputy Ryan Eberlin told defense attorneys he initially handcuffed Casey Anthony and put her in a patrol car, but later removed those cuffs at the direction of a supervisor because a detective wanted to talk to her. At that time, the focus of the investigation was still on a missing person.

Eberlin told a prosecutor Cindy Anthony showed him receipts depicting fraudulent use of her credit card and said she wanted charges pressed against her daughter, so that they would know for sure where she was being held.

He then handcuffed Casey Anthony. His supervisor told him to un-handcuff her in "no more than 4 to 5 minutes."

Eberlin testified that he did not read Casey Anthony her rights. This could be significant to the defense's case, because it could possibly jeopardize statements she later made to homicide detectives.

Deputy Adriana Acevedo testified that she took Casey Anthony on a drive from her family's Lee Vista-area home to the Sawgrass Apartments, the community where Anthony told authorities that's where she last saw Caylee.

Anthony told detectives she dropped Caylee off with a babysitter named Zenaida Fernandez-Gonzalez. Detectives have said no such babysitter existed.

Acevedo testified today that Anthony was kept in the rear "cage" section of Acevedo's patrol car, but not read her Miranda rights. They spent about 35 minutes in the car together, going to the complex and then returning to the Anthony home. She let her out of the car when they returned.

Acevedo said Casey was not in custody or under arrest during the ride to Sawgrass Apartments.

"I informed her she had the right to say she didn't want to come," she said. "She never said she did not want to go."

The purpose of the trip was to identify the location where she believed the child was last seen.

Acevedo said she has transported other "witnesses" in the same way — in the back of the vehicle — and that's Sheriff's Office policy.

The deputy said Anthony didn't say much, just gave directions.

The transportation was meant to show the Sheriff's Office where Anthony last saw Caylee, Acevedo said.

George Anthony testifies

The defense called George Anthony to testify just before 11 a.m., and he was immediately emotional as attorney Jose Baez questioned him about the day Caylee Marie was reported missing.

George Anthony said he came home from work and saw Cindy Anthony in the garage, and she was very upset.

Baez asked if he needed a break to compose himself.

"It's just an emotional time," George Anthony said. "It's hard."

Anthony, a former deputy who was working as a security officer when Caylee was reported missing, told Baez he thought it was unusual that at one point, Casey Anthony was put in a patrol car, handcuffed, then un-handcuffed and brought back into the family's house.

George Anthony's testimony became heated when he was questioned by prosecutor Linda Drane Burdick.

Anthony wanted an Amber Alert to immediately be issued for his missing granddaughter. He said it remains a sore subject.

At one point, Drane Burdick and Anthony kept talking over each other, to which Chief Judge Belvin Perry said: "Be quiet."

"Don't talk over each other," Perry said.

Drane Burdick asked Anthony if he saw any deputies threaten Casey Anthony.

"There wasn't anything threatening, no," George Anthony said.

Drane Burdick asked Anthony if his wife wanted Casey Anthony arrested for stealing family money if she didn't tell them and deputies where Caylee was located.

"That's a possibility," George Anthony answered.

Meanwhile, Anthony told Baez he was in a traumatic state when he learned Caylee was missing.

It was also difficult for him to see his daughter handcuffed.

"It was traumatic. I remember crying," George Anthony said.

His testimony wrapped up about 11:45 a.m.

Cindy Anthony testifies

At about 9:45 a.m., the defense called Cindy Anthony to testify.

Anthony, being questioned by defense attorney Cheney Mason, told the court about law-enforcement's interaction with her daughter when Caylee Marie was reported missing.

Anthony said she heard the questioning going on between her daughter and Sheriff's Office Detective Yuri Melich, whom she described as intimidating.

Drane Burdick then questioned Cindy Anthony, whom became flustered at one point.

Drane Burdick asked Cindy Anthony if she expected deputies to question Casey Anthony on July 15, after Cindy Anthony called 911 to report Caylee missing.

Cindy Anthony started to argue with the prosecutor and was stopped by Perry.

"I'm not stupid. This is very unsettling for me," Cindy Anthony told the judge and prosecutor.

Drane Burdick asked Cindy Anthony what she thought detectives were doing when they took Casey Anthony the day Caylee was reported missing.

"I don't know. I was not told," Cindy Anthony said.

Anthony said she assumed they were attempting to find Caylee.

Drane Burdick asked Cindy Anthony if she wanted deputies to use the tactic of taking Casey to jail over the stolen money to help find Caylee.

"I wanted anything to get to Caylee, but I didn't want my daughter arrested," Cindy Anthony said.

Anthony also said it was very traumatic to see her daughter handcuffed and placed in a patrol car.

One of the issues between the prosecutor and Cindy Anthony was whether or not Casey Anthony was allowed to leave her house when deputies and detectives arrived.

Drane Burdick asked if Casey could have left on her own.

"I wouldn't let her leave by herself," Cindy Anthony said.

The prosecutor asked Anthony if she would have sat on Casey Anthony to keep her in the house if she had to.

"Probably," Cindy Anthony replied.

After about an hour of testifying, Cindy Anthony left the stand.

As she walked out of the courtroom, she mouthed, "I love you" to Casey Anthony.

Debate about subpoenas, other legal issues

The first item of the morning was a debate over subpoenas for several Orange County jail officials. Perry ruled the employees are on standby to testify.

Next, Perry denied a request by Baez to have what he called a "personal attack" on him by the prosecution addressed first, before the long list of motions being dealt with, today and Thursday.

The prosecution has asked for Baez to show why he should not be held in contempt of court for failing to miss a deadline. The issue is scheduled to be handled last in the serious of motions. Perry agreed it would be dealt with later.

What happens today through Thursday could largely frame the prosecution and defense strategies for the trial, scheduled to begin in May.

If convicted, Casey Anthony faces a possible death sentence in the 2008 death of her daughter, Caylee Marie.

Also likely to emerge during this week's hearings: ongoing tensions between defense attorney Baez and the prosecution, which again called for Baez to be punished for failing to meet a court-ordered deadline.

Here's a sampling of the issues to be argued in court:

The defense wants to keep out statements Casey Anthony gave law enforcement early on in the case, so the witnesses likely to take part in the proceedings include Orange County detectives Yuri Melich and John Allen, and also members of Casey Anthony's family.

Pieces of evidence considered will include Anthony's handwritten statement made July 15, 2008; a handwritten letter she wrote to then-Sheriff Kevin Beary; statements she gave during a trip to Universal Studios with investigators; and transcripts and audio of her statements to Melich and Allen.

The defense also wants to block statements Casey Anthony made to her parents, her brother, a fellow inmate she befriended at the Orange County Jail and a former corrections officer at the jail.

Witnesses on those issues should include the detectives, George, Cindy and brother Lee Anthony, the inmate/friend Robyn Adams and the former corrections officer, Sylvia Hernandez.

The defense has argued that efforts by Casey Anthony's family and law enforcement "to elicit information [from Casey Anthony] in the absence of counsel was neither fair nor honest and should not be tolerated by the court." The defense also argues that the Anthony family members early on in the case "were acting as agents of the state" by trying to get Anthony to share information and talk to authorities.

WFTV challenges witness plan

Prosecutors want to exclude certain defense witnesses that showed up recently on a list, including WFTV-Channel 9 reporter Kathi Belich. Assistant State Attorney Linda Drane Burdick argued that the release of the witness list in mid-February was late and the defense needs "to establish good cause for the delay in disclosure of the witnesses." WFTV attorneys also challenged the defense calling Belich as a witness for certain information she has reported, citing reporter "privilege."

They also expressed concern about Belich's ability to cover the case, if she is sequestered as a witness.

Chloroform issues

The prosecution challenges the defense team's legal arguments and attempts to exclude certain scientific information, specifically evidence dealing with chloroform and plant and root growth in connection with the case.

The defense argues that scientific findings of "high amounts of chloroform" found in the trunk of Casey Anthony's car are "absolutely 100% false and constitute a fraud on the American public and potential jury pool of Miss Anthony."

In a response, prosecutor Jeff Ashton called the defense motion "glaringly insufficient" for citing no "scientific authority which would call into question the general acceptance of standard tests used by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory."

Baez faces contempt allegation

The last motion scheduled for hearing may be the most contentious. Ashton has called for Baez to show in court why he should not be held in contempt for missing a court-ordered deadline. Earlier this year, Ashton argued for court sanctions against Baez for missing another deadline.

This time, Ashton notes, Baez was supposed to submit written details with the court and the prosecution on certain issues to be objected to under the so-called "Frye test," which deals with admitting new scientific evidence in the courtroom and determining whether the evidence has "gained general acceptance."

The deadline passed on Feb. 17, and when Ashton contacted Baez about his compliance with the court order, Ashton said he "expressed some 'confusion.'" In an email later sent to the judge's assistant, Ashton said Baez claimed "not to understand the clear and unambiguous language in the court's order."

In an angry response filed Monday, Baez questions whether Ashton is engaging in "gamesmanship" with this argument and then calls Ashton's actions "clever, the tactic being, make opposing counsel defend himself instead of his client."

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I hope you don't mind if I comment on this thread also. I have followed Caylee's case since the beginning and look forward to joining in posts about it with you all this May.

I watched most of the hearing today, the only part I missed was Cindy's testimony. I watched part of it on In Session TV live and then switched to foxorlando.com when the TV cut off. I felt the state did much better today than the defense.

I thought Yuri Melich and the female cop (Adriana?) both did a great job answering questions. At times it seemed like Melich was the one questioning Baez. The younger male cop, Eberlin?, seemed very sincere but also a little confused by all the oddly phrased questions thrown at him. George seemed outright hostile to me. I'll have to find Cindy's portion and watch it later, I've only seen the snippet posted above so far.

I get really irritated with Baez when he is constantly laughing and smirking throughout the hearing. Casey seemed to have a few smiling/laughing moments also. This strikes me as very unprofessional. I don't think that will play well with a jury. Linda DB seemed much more professional to me.

We are happy to have you blog with us about the case against KC. The younger cop Eberlin seemed to be a little "star stuck" by KC. I found it odd Baez would laugh when Adriana said she did a basic body search of KC before she put her in the back seat of the squad car. Of course she would do a pat down to check for weapons so I wonder what the big joke was with Baez laughing.

Baez is a buffoon - he layed out the whole case for the prosecution while questioning Melich! - who is very very smart and very good in his testimony.
He called his client a liar and a thief all while trying to trap Melich on the lack of Miranda rights being read.
That shocked me!

I thought it interesting when Judge Perry said he had taken care of "his business" and did not have to leave at 3;30 as he had announced earlier.

LDB let it be known that she had a daughter that she had to make arrangements for and she had arranged along with them being done at 3:30.

She was putting her daughter before any trial. I really liked that.

She is a powerful woman heading a team of prosecutors but keeps her young daughters welfare front and foremost.

Wish all mothers would learn from this lady.

Listening to this hearing today again strikes home how the media with the help of the Anthonys turned what I believe was a fairly simple case of a mother killing her child into the crime of the century. Its so ridiculous.
Casey's guilt is so apparent and its also apparent the defense has nothing.

it seems that Brad Conway who said he would "sit in"
on some hearings where the Ants might be called was nowhere to be seen. That didnt last long!

Casey was disgusted at her father. Never saw her look at his face. Avoided him and made faces when he spoke. Cindy seemed full of corts. Jose chuckled while Cindy testified. I guess she did good. Saw Mr and Mrs but missed the rest. Cant find it on Youtube.

CIndy and George seemed to have a new buddy today - the guy sitting in front of them in the dark blue shirt making all the faces and shaking his head a lot. Does anyone know who he is, or what his role is with the Anthonys?

Posted: 10:18 am EST March 2, 2011
Updated: 6:47 pm EST March 2, 2011

ORLANDO, Fla. -- An emotional hearing on several motions in the case against Casey Anthony wrapped up Wednesday evening with attorneys prepared to head back to court Thursday.

Casey walked into the courtroom at 9:05am, wearing a red sweater and dark slacks. She was accompanied by her lawyers. Casey's parents were both on hand to testify in the hearing.

CASEY ENTERS COURT: Raw Video | See Images
CASEY CRIES IN COURT: Images | Video
DETECTIVE TESTIFIES: Pt. 1 Of 4 | Pt. 2 | Pt. 3 | Pt. 4
INSIDE THE COURTROOM: Casey, Cindy, George
VIDEO REPORTS: Casey Anthony Back In Court
CINDY TESTIFIES: Part 1 of 3 | Part 2 | Part 3
GEORGE TESTIFIES: Part 1 of 2 | Part 2
MOTIONS: Cindy's Testimony | To Quash
BELICH: Motion To Strike From Witness List
BILL SHEAFFER: Analysis Before Hearing
READ: Motions To Be Heard March 2-3
911 CALLS: Dead Body | Turn In Casey | Caylee Gone

The first discussion was a motion to quash on the subpoenas for jail employees.

The Orange County Corrections attorney started by bringing up the jailhouse video showing Casey's reaction to Caylee's remains being found. However, it's a moot point since the state isn't going to use it; as a result, the jail wants the subpoenas of Orange County jail employees to be dropped.

Casey's attorney, Jose Baez, also shared his opinion on the jail attorney's comments. As a resolution, Baez is expected to meet with the prosecution about needed interviews.

Attorneys also discussed the sequestering of George and Cindy Anthony during hearings and, ultimately, the trial. Perry said it will be case-by-case, but offered to let them testify first so they would be able to listen to the rest of the hearing.

Cindy was called to testify shortly thereafter and Casey began crying as soon as her mother was sworn in.

The prosecution is trying to establish a case for law enforcement discussions with Casey and her statements made the night, and following day, when her mother called 911 in July 2008. The defense believes they should be suppressed.

Cindy was visibly upset on the stand as she struggled with questions from prosecutors about whether she wanted her daughter arrested when she learned of Caylee's disappearance.

"Seeing your daughter is very traumatic, being handcuffed and taken to the car," Cindy said on the stand about the night Casey was arrested.

The prosecution was not playing softball with Cindy and pushed her hard to help them support their argument that Casey's comments to law enforcement are admissible and should not be suppressed, which is what the defense is fighting for.

"I tried to get Casey to take me to Caylee," Cindy said.

"Then you wanted deputies to find Caylee?" prosecutor Linda Drane-Burdick asked.

"Yes," she said. "It was a very difficult night, evening for me that day. I'm not stupid. This is very unsettling for me."

Cindy stepped down from testifying and Casey seemed to do everything she could not to look at her mother as she got down from the stand. As Cindy walked past Casey, Cindy looked over and Casey just stared down at her papers.

At about 10:55am, George Anthony took the stand to testify. As George took the stand, he appeared to blow a kiss toward his daughter as she seemed to try to hold back tears.

Questions went right to the night deputies were first called to the Anthony house.

"I asked what was wrong. She said Caylee was missing. 'Someone has Caylee,'" George said. "The topic was about Caylee and trying to find where she was at."

Baez pressed George about how Casey was taken into custody and whether she was read her Miranda rights. The questioning was directed at whether Casey voluntarily went with a detective looking for Caylee and whether the intention of detectives was to look for Caylee or to charge Casey with a crime.

"I know there were some unpleasantries. Answers about where my granddaughter was at," he said.

Baez also asked George to describe when Casey was handcuffed by officers.

"I walked outside with the deputy who had escorted my daughter," he said.

"How long was Casey in the back of the police car?" Baez asked.

"Maybe about 30 minutes to an hour," George replied.

George told Baez that Casey was taken out of the handcuffs and escorted back into the home. Later that evening, George said Casey and a detective spoke alone in her room. He said he did not know what they talked about.

Judge Belvin Perry set the tone of authority in his courtroom and kept both sides on track during George's testimony.

Prosecutor Linda Drane-Burdick was questioning George Anthony. The two started going back and forth over whether deputies responded quickly enough when Caylee was first reported missing.

Judge Perry stepped in right away.

"That's a sore subject between you and I and we can badger all day long," George said to Drane-Burdick.

"Excuse me, I am going to object," Drane-Burdick replied.

"Just a second folks, listen ... question, answer .... be quiet! Question and answer. Don't talk over each other," Perry stated.

George stepped down from the stand at approximately 10:47am.

After Orange County Deputy Ryan Eberlin briefly took the stand, Judge Perry called for a recess until 1:30pm.

When the hearing resumed, Deputy Eberlin was back on the stand. Casey's attorney, Cheney Mason, questioned Eberlin about what happened when he responded to a 911 call made by Cindy.

The defense said that Casey was wrongly handcuffed by a rookie deputy and is trying to convince Judge Perry to throw out evidence.

Deputy Eberlin admitted that he wrongly handcuffed Casey, and shortly after removed the handcuffs. Eberlin said that after the mistake was corrected, Casey was free to do what she pleased; she was not considered a suspect.

After Deputy Eberlin stepped down from the stand, Deputy Adriana Acevedo was called.

Deputy Acevedo was also asked to describe when she responded to the Anthonys' home on Suburban Drive. She also talked about when Casey accompanied Acevedo in her sheriff's office cruiser to the Sawgrass Apartments, where Casey said she left Caylee with her alleged nanny, Zenaida Gonzalez.

At 2:38pm, Judge Perry called for a 15-minute mid-afternoon break.

When they resumed, Detective Yuri Melich took the stand. Melich was asked by Baez about Caylee's disappearance and about the night officers responded to the home.

"I was unaware that she was placed in handcuffs," Melich told Baez when asked about Casey being taken into custody. "I was unaware of what transpired before I got there."

Baez proceeded to ask Melich about Casey's claim that she worked for Universal Studios. Melich escorted her to the park after she stated in a verbal and written statement that she was an employee there.

Melich stated that he believed she was lying about her employment. When they were at the theme park, employees could not find Casey in their database.

"I can't fathom that the mother of a missing child could lie about this," Melich said.

The hearing wrapped up a few minutes before 5:00pm. There were no decisions made on Wednesday regarding Casey's statements to law enforcement, and Judge Perry called for a recess until 9:00am Thursday with several outstanding motions yet to be discussed.

Casey goes on trial May 9.


BILL SHEAFFER ANALYSIS OF CASEY HEARING

WFTV legal analyst Bill Sheaffer said Judge Perry will not be as forgiving and calm as the previous judge on the case, who removed himself over an alleged relationship with a blogger. Judge Perry has a reputation for running a tight ship and his style is expected to keep the case moving.

Sheaffer listened and analyzed developments from court Wednesday. There are nine motions expected to be heard and Sheaffer said they're all important. He said Wednesday and Thursday's hearings will be vitally important in the case against Casey.

"It's the defense's attempt to limit that evidence and try to break the circumstantial evidence chain the state will use to try to convict Casey," Sheaffer explained.

The court spent hours on motion two, discussing Casey's statements with law enforcement after Cindy called to report Caylee's disappearance. The defense wanted that suppressed.

There are four motions to suppress or exclude statements or evidence in the case. Sheaffer told WFTV that all four are important.

"Why is it important? Because each and every bit of evidence is what's used to form that circumstantial evidence chain to show Casey was the killer of the child," Sheaffer said.

The defense, Sheaffer said, will try to break that chain that goes toward raising a reasonable doubt in the case.

Another motion seeks to strike the defendant's supplemental witness list.

Sheaffer said the defense failed to file that list on time, and now the court will likely weigh the people on that list on a case-by-case basis. Sheaffer said, in order for the defense to succeed, it must win at least a few of the motions.

WFTV will be in court Thursday to hear arguments over more significant motions, including a contempt of court case against Baez.


JOSE BAEZ BLAMES OTHERS IN MOTION ADDRESSING ALLEGATIONS

WFTV has learned how Casey Anthony's lead attorney, Jose Baez, is going to try to defend himself against a civil contempt of court allegation. It seems Baez is blaming other people for his problems.

BILL SHEAFFER: Analysis Of Baez Placing Blame
BAEZ MOTION: Attorney Fires Back Over Allegations
BELICH: Motion To Strike From Witness List
VIDEO REPORT: Baez To Defend Self In Court

Baez is blaming the prosecutor for playing games, and blaming Chief Judge Belvin Perry for allowing it. Baez even blamed the judge for not responding to his request.

WFTV legal analyst Bill Sheaffer says the blame game is not going to fly with the judge.

Baez faces possible jail time or fines if the judge finds him in contempt of court for missing yet another court-ordered deadline. Judge Perry ordered Baez to defend himself, but Baez has gone on the attack.

"It's, 'I'm not at fault because, judge, it's your fault and it's the prosecutors' fault together and separately,'" Sheaffer told WFTV (watch raw interview).

Baez was given 13 days at a February 4 hearing to give prosecutors his specific arguments as to why air tests done on Casey Anthony's trunk, showing evidence of human decomposition, are not based on sound, time-tested science. Baez wants the evidence thrown out.

Tuesday, Baez says the specifics prosecutors want, and the judge has ordered, are not legally required and Baez implies the judge is enabling what he calls prosecutors' games to disrupt his work on Casey's defense.

"That's probably the most obnoxious of the allegations, is that somehow Judge Perry has become a puppet of the state," Sheaffer said.

But Baez also claims he was confused by the judge's order and attempted Monday, 11 days late, to provide more specific arguments against scientific evidence he's known about for at least two years.

Baez made what Sheaffer called a veiled threat that this distraction could lead him to ask for a delay of the trial.

Sheaffer says, if Baez believes he can pressure the judge to back down to avoid a possible delay or even an appeal issue, he's mistaken.


WHAT'S NEXT IN THE CASE?

There's still a very busy week ahead in the case against Casey.

Motion hearings are scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, and there's a status hearing scheduled for Friday.

Casey's defense team is expected to talk about late witnesses they just added in the past two weeks.

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By Anthony Colarossi, Amy Pavuk and Bianca Prieto, Orlando Sentinel
5:24 p.m. EST, March 2, 2011

Prosecutors and defense attorneys in the first-degree murder case against Casey Anthony heard roughly eight hours of testimony today.

The first day of the two day hearing began around 9 a.m. and ended around 5 p.m. today.

The hearing began this morning with heated, and at times, emotional testimony from Anthony's parents, George Anthony and Cindy Anthony. Later, two deputies and the lead detective took the stand.

Casey Anthony cried this morning as her mother took the stand, but remained outwardly emotionless the rest of the day. She took notes continuously during several hours of testimony.

Lead detective testifies

Lead Detective Yuri Melich testified for nearly two hours and answered questions on several topics.

Melich said he was called out to the investigation because he was a missing persons detective and was made aware the child was missing for 30 or 31 days.

Melich said he was interested upon finding out that Caylee was missing for so long, that Cindy Anthony had made the call and that Casey Anthony led deputies to a vacant apartment, but declined to say he was suspicious.

He said he never read Casey Anthony her Miranda Rights because she was, at the time, not a suspect or under arrest.

"She wasn't a suspect of anything," Melich said. "She was the mother of a missing child."

Baez asked Melich several questions about whether he believed Casey Anthony was lying to him. She led detectives to Universal Studios, where she claimed to have an office.

Melich said he was trying to get her to tell the truth about where she worked. He said he could not imagine the mother of a missing child lying about where she worked. Ultimately, she acknowledged she did not work at Universal Studios.

Melich, Sgt. John Allen and Casey Anthony went into a private room at Universal Studios where detectives interrogated her.

Melich is reliving the questioning, saying she can be viewed as a monster or an average person who made mistakes.

He also acknowledged telling Casey Anthony, "Things aren't looking very good for you."

Still, the interrogation went on for more than an hour trying to get her to talk.

"Absent waterboarding, you tried everything else?" Baez asked.

"We don't use waterboarding," Melich said.

During cross examination, Melich reiterated for prosecutor Linda Drane Burdick he never read Casey Anthony her Miranda Rights because she was not a suspect or under arrest.

Melich says that at that time Casey never indicated she did not want to speak with him, never asked him to leave and seemed "very" cooperative in helping him find Caylee.

Burdick introduced a photo of a smiling smiling Casey Anthony taken at the Sheriff's Office on July 16th, to be used for a missing person's flyer. The photo shows she is wearing a Orange County Sheriff's Office visitors badge.

Burdick wanted to enter it as evidence to show Casey Anthony's continued cooperation with law enforcement even after they all knew she'd lied to them. Melich said she was never read Miranda because it was considered missing person's case at the time.

Deputies testify

Earlier today, Deputy Ryan Eberlin told defense attorneys he initially handcuffed Casey Anthony and put her in a patrol car, but later removed those cuffs at the direction of a supervisor because a detective wanted to talk to her. At that time, the focus of the investigation was still on a missing person.

Eberlin told a prosecutor Cindy Anthony showed him receipts depicting fraudulent use of her credit card and said she wanted charges pressed against her daughter, so that they would know for sure where she was being held.

He then handcuffed Casey Anthony. His supervisor told him to un-handcuff her in "no more than 4 to 5 minutes."

Eberlin testified that he did not read Casey Anthony her rights. This could be significant to the defense's case, because it could possibly jeopardize statements she later made to homicide detectives.

Deputy Adriana Acevedo testified that she took Casey Anthony on a drive from her family's Lee Vista-area home to the Sawgrass Apartments, the community where Anthony told authorities that's where she last saw Caylee.

Anthony told detectives she dropped Caylee off with a babysitter named Zenaida Fernandez-Gonzalez. Detectives have said no such babysitter existed.

Acevedo testified today that Anthony was kept in the rear "cage" section of Acevedo's patrol car, but not read her Miranda rights. They spent about 35 minutes in the car together, going to the complex and then returning to the Anthony home. She let her out of the car when they returned.

Acevedo said Casey was not in custody or under arrest during the ride to Sawgrass Apartments.

"I informed her she had the right to say she didn't want to come," she said. "She never said she did not want to go."

The purpose of the trip was to identify the location where she believed the child was last seen.

Acevedo said she has transported other "witnesses" in the same way — in the back of the vehicle — and that's Sheriff's Office policy.

The deputy said Anthony didn't say much, just gave directions.

The transportation was meant to show the Sheriff's Office where Anthony last saw Caylee, Acevedo said.

George Anthony testifies

The defense called George Anthony to testify just before 11 a.m., and he was immediately emotional as attorney Jose Baez questioned him about the day Caylee Marie was reported missing.

George Anthony said he came home from work and saw Cindy Anthony in the garage, and she was very upset.

Baez asked if he needed a break to compose himself.

"It's just an emotional time," George Anthony said. "It's hard."

Anthony, a former deputy who was working as a security officer when Caylee was reported missing, told Baez he thought it was unusual that at one point, Casey Anthony was put in a patrol car, handcuffed, then un-handcuffed and brought back into the family's house.

George Anthony's testimony became heated when he was questioned by prosecutor Linda Drane Burdick.

Anthony wanted an Amber Alert to immediately be issued for his missing granddaughter. He said it remains a sore subject.

At one point, Drane Burdick and Anthony kept talking over each other, to which Chief Judge Belvin Perry said: "Be quiet."

"Don't talk over each other," Perry said.

Drane Burdick asked Anthony if he saw any deputies threaten Casey Anthony.

"There wasn't anything threatening, no," George Anthony said.

Drane Burdick asked Anthony if his wife wanted Casey Anthony arrested for stealing family money if she didn't tell them and deputies where Caylee was located.

"That's a possibility," George Anthony answered.

Meanwhile, Anthony told Baez he was in a traumatic state when he learned Caylee was missing.

It was also difficult for him to see his daughter handcuffed.

"It was traumatic. I remember crying," George Anthony said.

His testimony wrapped up about 11:45 a.m.

Cindy Anthony testifies

At about 9:45 a.m., the defense called Cindy Anthony to testify.

Anthony, being questioned by defense attorney Cheney Mason, told the court about law-enforcement's interaction with her daughter when Caylee Marie was reported missing.

Anthony said she heard the questioning going on between her daughter and Sheriff's Office Detective Yuri Melich, whom she described as intimidating.

Drane Burdick then questioned Cindy Anthony, whom became flustered at one point.

Drane Burdick asked Cindy Anthony if she expected deputies to question Casey Anthony on July 15, after Cindy Anthony called 911 to report Caylee missing.

Cindy Anthony started to argue with the prosecutor and was stopped by Perry.

"I'm not stupid. This is very unsettling for me," Cindy Anthony told the judge and prosecutor.

Drane Burdick asked Cindy Anthony what she thought detectives were doing when they took Casey Anthony the day Caylee was reported missing.

"I don't know. I was not told," Cindy Anthony said.

Anthony said she assumed they were attempting to find Caylee.

Drane Burdick asked Cindy Anthony if she wanted deputies to use the tactic of taking Casey to jail over the stolen money to help find Caylee.

"I wanted anything to get to Caylee, but I didn't want my daughter arrested," Cindy Anthony said.

Anthony also said it was very traumatic to see her daughter handcuffed and placed in a patrol car.

One of the issues between the prosecutor and Cindy Anthony was whether or not Casey Anthony was allowed to leave her house when deputies and detectives arrived.

Drane Burdick asked if Casey could have left on her own.

"I wouldn't let her leave by herself," Cindy Anthony said.

The prosecutor asked Anthony if she would have sat on Casey Anthony to keep her in the house if she had to.

"Probably," Cindy Anthony replied.

After about an hour of testifying, Cindy Anthony left the stand.

As she walked out of the courtroom, she mouthed, "I love you" to Casey Anthony.

Debate about subpoenas, other legal issues

The first item of the morning was a debate over subpoenas for several Orange County jail officials. Perry ruled the employees are on standby to testify.

Next, Perry denied a request by Baez to have what he called a "personal attack" on him by the prosecution addressed first, before the long list of motions being dealt with, today and Thursday.

The prosecution has asked for Baez to show why he should not be held in contempt of court for failing to miss a deadline. The issue is scheduled to be handled last in the serious of motions. Perry agreed it would be dealt with later.

What happens today through Thursday could largely frame the prosecution and defense strategies for the trial, scheduled to begin in May.

If convicted, Casey Anthony faces a possible death sentence in the 2008 death of her daughter, Caylee Marie.

Also likely to emerge during this week's hearings: ongoing tensions between defense attorney Baez and the prosecution, which again called for Baez to be punished for failing to meet a court-ordered deadline.

Here's a sampling of the issues to be argued in court:

The defense wants to keep out statements Casey Anthony gave law enforcement early on in the case, so the witnesses likely to take part in the proceedings include Orange County detectives Yuri Melich and John Allen, and also members of Casey Anthony's family.

Pieces of evidence considered will include Anthony's handwritten statement made July 15, 2008; a handwritten letter she wrote to then-Sheriff Kevin Beary; statements she gave during a trip to Universal Studios with investigators; and transcripts and audio of her statements to Melich and Allen.

The defense also wants to block statements Casey Anthony made to her parents, her brother, a fellow inmate she befriended at the Orange County Jail and a former corrections officer at the jail.

Witnesses on those issues should include the detectives, George, Cindy and brother Lee Anthony, the inmate/friend Robyn Adams and the former corrections officer, Sylvia Hernandez.

The defense has argued that efforts by Casey Anthony's family and law enforcement "to elicit information [from Casey Anthony] in the absence of counsel was neither fair nor honest and should not be tolerated by the court." The defense also argues that the Anthony family members early on in the case "were acting as agents of the state" by trying to get Anthony to share information and talk to authorities.

WFTV challenges witness plan

Prosecutors want to exclude certain defense witnesses that showed up recently on a list, including WFTV-Channel 9 reporter Kathi Belich. Assistant State Attorney Linda Drane Burdick argued that the release of the witness list in mid-February was late and the defense needs "to establish good cause for the delay in disclosure of the witnesses." WFTV attorneys also challenged the defense calling Belich as a witness for certain information she has reported, citing reporter "privilege."

They also expressed concern about Belich's ability to cover the case, if she is sequestered as a witness.

Chloroform issues

The prosecution challenges the defense team's legal arguments and attempts to exclude certain scientific information, specifically evidence dealing with chloroform and plant and root growth in connection with the case.

The defense argues that scientific findings of "high amounts of chloroform" found in the trunk of Casey Anthony's car are "absolutely 100% false and constitute a fraud on the American public and potential jury pool of Miss Anthony."

In a response, prosecutor Jeff Ashton called the defense motion "glaringly insufficient" for citing no "scientific authority which would call into question the general acceptance of standard tests used by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory."

Baez faces contempt allegation

The last motion scheduled for hearing may be the most contentious. Ashton has called for Baez to show in court why he should not be held in contempt for missing a court-ordered deadline. Earlier this year, Ashton argued for court sanctions against Baez for missing another deadline.

This time, Ashton notes, Baez was supposed to submit written details with the court and the prosecution on certain issues to be objected to under the so-called "Frye test," which deals with admitting new scientific evidence in the courtroom and determining whether the evidence has "gained general acceptance."

The deadline passed on Feb. 17, and when Ashton contacted Baez about his compliance with the court order, Ashton said he "expressed some 'confusion.'" In an email later sent to the judge's assistant, Ashton said Baez claimed "not to understand the clear and unambiguous language in the court's order."

In an angry response filed Monday, Baez questions whether Ashton is engaging in "gamesmanship" with this argument and then calls Ashton's actions "clever, the tactic being, make opposing counsel defend himself instead of his client."

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The man sitting in front of George was their PI
Jeremy Lyons. Valhal has a good analysis on the hinky meter this morning. Its 5:53 am and I up again
The bags under my eyes could take their own
flight to Florida! Waiting to start!

Artgal, you are cracking me up!! Sure hope you have some fantastic eye cream or some cucumbers for those bags!

You're a trooper!

JP admonishing the court - no facial expressions
or gestures or you are out! Casey fiddling with her hair this morning I hope she doesnt keep this up all day - she has a jacket over her red sweater today
I think she said to Baez she was cold yesterday
Baez in conference with the judge on some matter

Baez trying to make the point that when Casey was handcuffed that she was in essence arrested. Sgt
Hossey? sorry I dont hear his name well stating his testimony and not too clear. He said he didnt remember telling the cop that handcuffed Casey to un-handcuff her and that he heard that fact on TV. Baez has got some points through on this testimony so far.Casey sits there writing furiously - I wonder what she writes? I think she just pretends she is part of the law firm. Linda's turn to cross.

Well, I'm finally here...I wondered who that guy was...The PI I mean. I had never seen him at a hearing before.

That didn't sound too good about him not remembering telling Eberlin to take the handcuffs off...Sounds like LE might have made some mistakes that night...Of course, with that crazy family, how could they know WHAT to do!?

You are right. There was so much going on and this is going on 3 years ago...

On cross now it comes out the Sgt is responsible for a lot of calls and a lot of responsibility that is probably why he is fuzzy on every little detail -as at that point
he is only briefly aware of what exactly was happening
at Hope Spring Drive. It seems he made quite a few calls that evening. I dont know how they remember all these details I cant remember the beginning of the week!

I never heard this before Sgt Hosey says Casey walked with him a little way down the street and told him Caylee was ok and that her parents wanted to take
Caylee away from her. The Sgt said there was animosity between Cindy and Casey and Casey said this was all from her mother causing problems
that is a wow!

Good catch artgal.

Casey shooting daggers at Sgt Hosey - Linda just demolished most of Baez's previous points.
Baez on redirect trying to discredit the Sgt's testimony
by saying he doesnt remember the details regarding the police work but he remembers the conversation
with Casey trying to cast doubts on that.

I am doing a wow on the Baez cross exam

Would he really not remember the handcuff issue? Did Eberlin do that at the insistence of CA on his own, then realized his error, and released her?

I know, LM...Bozo is surprising me..

That Sgt should have remembered to tell someone much sooner about the details he is remembering 2 yrs later.

And he did not write any of it down for an official record?

Boy, that was short and sweet with John Allen!