Casey Anthony: Which way you going, defense team? - Hal

Casey Anthony: Which way you going, defense team?
posted by halboedeker on June, 24 2011 11:18 AM

Where was Casey Anthony’s defense team headed this morning?

WFTV-Channel 9 legal analyst Bill Sheaffer said the defense was trying to raise reasonable doubt based on Jose Baez’s opening statement. “We’re seeing the defense do what the defense does,” Sheaffer said. The defense had “carefully woven” the tools at its disposal to raise a reasonable doubt, then attacked the state’s case by highlighting conflicts in the evidence, Sheaffer said.

But Sheaffer also said he thought the state had proved first-degree murder. Casey Anthony is charged with first-degree murder in the death of her daughter, Caylee.

The WOFL-Channel 35 analysts weighed in on Chief Judge Belvin Perry’s asking the defense what was going on with its case.

Alex Ferrer, host of “Judge Alex,” told WOFL that the defense usually offers a vague opening statement and not one that boxes itself in. Baez baffled many legal observers with a detailed opening statement.

“The defense doesn’t have to share what their theory is of defense,” Ferrer said. “They can say something in the opening statement and change it, and frankly it’s going to bite them when they do, because the prosecution will make sure it does,” Ferrer said.

Sheaffer said Thursday was the defense team’s best day. But he predicted the jury would punish the defense if it abandoned the opening statement. “They’re darned if they do and darned if they don’t at this time,” Sheaffer said.

Ferrer said a basic problem with the defense that Caylee drowned was former cop George’s knowledge that his daughter wouldn’t get in trouble for an accidental drowning. Ferrer saw glaring problems in the idea that George would toss Caylee’s body like garbage, then not protect a falsely accused Casey.

Attorney Hal Uhrig, also on WOFL, said the defense has two big problems: the smell of decomposition and the way Casey reacted in the 31 days before Caylee was reported missing.

One of the more amusing exchanges came Friday morning on WOFL. Attorney Diana Tennis returned to the testimony of Dr. Jan Garavaglia, the medical examiner. Tennis stressed that Garavaglia isn’t a behavioral scientist and the defense should have cross examined her more sharply on her views about human behavior.

“I would submit Dr. G wouldn’t have a popular show if people didn’t act in crazy, out-of-the-norm kind of ways,” Tennis said.

“Neither would I,” Ferrer said.

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment_tv_tvblog/2011/06/casey-anthony-which-way-you-going-defense-team.html