Casey Anthony: Issue of media coverage takes ironic turn - Hal

Casey Anthony: Issue of media coverage takes ironic turn
posted by halboedeker on April, 15 2011 5:17 PM

A day before he will appear in a national television interview, Jose Baez suggested turning off the courtroom cameras for jury selection in the Casey Anthony trial.

“I do not know how I could legally tell the broadcast media they can’t cover or report this,” Chief Judge Belvin Perry Jr. said, smiling broadly.

When Baez suggested the option of switching off cameras, Perry offered a lecture on the Florida Supreme Court’s keeping the cameras on. “I haven’t heard any reported case that they have turned them off,” Perry said.

“Well, judge, I think the state of Florida vs. Casey Anthony could be the first,” Baez said.

Perry predicted that the news media would quickly get such a decision reversed — he mentioned a 48-hour reversal.

That was an intriguing number, because Baez will appear on “48 Hours Mystery” at 10 p.m. Saturday on CBS. Baez and other defense team members will discuss the case, and the CBS program has set up a focus group — or mock jury, if you will — to weigh Anthony’s guilt. She is charged with first-degree murder in the death of her daughter, Caylee.

“We have to something to ensure the constitutional rights and the integrity of this process,” Baez said.

“I’m doing everything I can, including to the disdain of some media outlets, not letting them know unless they sign a confidentiality agreement of the location,” Perry said. “Those who do not sign it will find out at 8 a.m., an hour before jury selection.”

When Baez persisted on the issue, Perry said, “You file it, I’ll look at it.”

On “In Session,” Vinnie Politan summed up, “There it is Jose Baez trying to turn off the cameras inside the courtroom and Judge Perry not necessarily believing that you can do that.”

On WFTV-Channel 9, Kathi Belich called Baez’s request ”highly unusual” and noted that the judge said he had no authority to do that. When Baez suggested putting some restrictions on the media, the smiling Perry said, “We don’t live in Egypt. We don’t live in Libya.”

On WESH-Channel 2, Bob Kealing highlighted Baez’s contention that the possible jury selection in Orange County “would be a punishment to the defense.”

What did you make of it all?

On Central Florida News 13, Jacqueline Fell examined Perry’s hints about where jury selection will unfold. She played footage of Perry saying there will be “some press in that area, not as much as you’ve seen here, because of certain limitations.” And Fell added: “Judge Perry also says the hotels come cheap at this secret location.”

In other news today, Belich noted that the defense “has now backed off of having its own mental health experts testify about Casey’s state of mind during those 31 days she kept Caylee’s disappearance a secret, because prosecutors would then have the chance to have their mental health experts examine Casey.”

Perry also ruled that a heart-shape sticker and Anthony’s “Bella Vita” tattoo will be part of the trial.


http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment_tv_tvblog/2011/04/casey-anthony-issue-of-media-coverage-takes-ironic-turn.html