PI Dominic Casey testifies but George, Cindy Anthony don't have to answer questions

PI Dominic Casey testifies but George, Cindy Anthony don't have to answer questions

Sarah Lundy and Amy L. Edwards
Sentinel Staff Writers

4:53 p.m. EDT, September 9, 2009

Excerpt:

Lawyers representing a Central Florida woman in the defamation suit against Casey Anthony withdrew their request to force George Anthony and Cindy Anthony to answer questions they originally refused to address during a deposition.

Lawyer Keith Mitnik told Orange County Circuit Court Judge Jose Rodriguez he could obtain the information he needed from other resources, such as FBI interviews.

Mitnik also withdrew his request to ask the judge to force Casey Anthony to answers questions that had been submitted to her. He said he doesn't want that issue to keep the case from moving forward.

"Moving forward is too important," he said.

Mitnik represents Zenaida Gonzalez, a Kissimmee mother of six who claims her reputation was damaged by Anthony.

Gonzalez claims her reputation was hurt when Casey Anthony claimed a nanny by the name of Zenaida Fernandez-Gonzalez took her daughter.

Criminal investigators have said that there was never a nanny named Zenaida.

Gonzalez was not in court today. Also absent were George Anthony and Cindy Anthony.

Casey Anthony, 23, is accused of killing her daughter, 2-year-old Caylee Marie, last year.

Since that initial discussion, the focus of today's hearing has been on private investigator Dominic Casey, who did not show up for an earlier deposition.

For more than half an hour this afternoon, Dominic Casey took the stand and answered questions from his lawyer, Diana Tennis, and then from Mitnik.

Casey said he considered his work for a joint family defense team comprised of George Anthony, Cindy Anthony, Casey Anthony and her defense lawyer Jose Baez, he said.

Read more: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/orl-bk-casey-anthony-update-090909,0,165700.story