Casey Anthony: WFTV previews opening statements - Hal

Casey Anthony: WFTV previews opening statements
posted by halboedeker on May, 21 2011 8:08 PM

If you want a weekly recap of the Casey Anthony case, WFTV-Channel 9 is offering informative specials at 7 p.m each Saturday for the trial’s duration. Tonight’s show was a mix of memorable footage and crisp analyses by experts.

Tonight’s show was most interesting when reporter Kathi Belich and legal analyst Bill Sheaffer previewed the opening statements set for Tuesday morning. Anthony is charged with first-degree murder in the death of her daughter, Caylee.

Sheaffer predicted an unusual high-tech presentation — audio, video, photos — from the prosecution. “I would expect the first thing they want to do is put a face to this young child, and what a face Caylee has,” Sheaffer said. “Then they’re probably going to play that 911 call from Cindy Anthony.”

Sheaffer said he believes the prosecution will show some of the Casey party pictures, but not dwell on them.

And Sheaffer predicted that the defense team will deliver on its promise in the opening statement to explain why Casey didn’t reveal Caylee was missing for 31 days. ”This is the burning question in this community,” Sheaffer said. “Why did a mother of 2-year-old child that goes missing for 31 days not tell law enforcement? And then on top of that she tells lie after lie after lie?”

The defense must confront those issues in the opening statement, Sheaffer said, while raising doubt.

Local TV stations have said they will broadcast the opening arguments live at 9 a.m. Tuesday.

In tonight’s special, WFTV recapped the past week, including a female spectator’s outburst and the difficult jury selection. Sheaffer predicted that the jury will come together quickly and dismissed the notion that one juror, who said she had a hard time judging people, could derail the process.

WFTV jury expert Randy Fisher predicted that a counselor in her 60s will become the jury foreperson. “The foreperson is the most influential person on the jury,” Fisher said, adding that the woman was a question mark to him.

WFTV also studied Casey Anthony’s look and emotions during the past week. Anchor Vanessa Welch said a mug shot taken Saturday showed Anthony was pale and had bags under her eyes. Belich said Anthony’s look in the 11 days of jury selection had ranged from ”bedraggled to stylish and upbeat to apparently frightened.”

What are you expecting in the opening statements?

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment_tv_tvblog/2011/05/casey-anthony-wftv-previews-opening-statements.html