After mother's testimony, Casey Anthony trial enters second week - CNN

After mother's testimony, Casey Anthony trial enters second week
By Cara Hutt, In Session
May 31, 2011 2:01 a.m. EDT

Excerpt:

(CNN) -- The second week of the Casey Anthony trial begins Tuesday after a break for the Memorial Day holiday.

Anthony, 25, is charged in the death of her 2-year-old daughter, Caylee. The girl's body was found dumped less than a mile from the family home six months after she was last seen on June 16, 2008.

The first week of the trial ended Saturday, capped off by the compelling testimony of Anthony's mother, Cindy Anthony.

A summary:

The prosecution

From the prosecution, the jurors have heard about an Anthony free of remorse who had an affinity for parties, drinking and sleepovers with men. During opening statements on May 24, the jury heard about how Anthony waited nearly 31 days before reporting Caylee missing.

During that period, she got a tattoo, participated in a "hot body" contest at an Orlando club and spent many nights at the apartment of her then-boyfriend Anthony Lazzaro, the prosecution said.

"No one else benefited from the death of Caylee Marie Anthony" said Assistant State Attorney Linda Drane-Burdick in her opening statements last week. "Caylee's death allowed Casey to live a good life, at least for those 31 days."

Prosecutors allege Anthony forced Caylee to inhale chloroform and then suffocated her by placing duct tape on the toddler's nose and mouth.

The defense

The defense painted a picture for jurors of a loving mother, whose dysfunctional family forced her to live in a state of denial. They argued the family held dark secrets, including that Anthony was sexually abused by her father and brother.

"It all began when Casey was 8 years old and her father came in and began to touch her inappropriately," Anthony's lead defense attorney, Jose Baez, said during his opening arguments Tuesday.

The defense says Caylee drowned in the family pool as the result of what Baez called "an accident that snowballed out of control."

He said Anthony's father, George, was privy to the accident and tried to cover up the drowning at Anthony's expense.

"As soon as Casey came around this corner and went back, she saw George holding Caylee in his arms," Baez said as he showed a diagram of the Anthony home and pool. "And shortly thereafter George began to yell at her, 'Look what you've done!'"

George Anthony was the first witness called after Baez's opening argument. He denied the molestation and any knowledge of the alleged drowning.

More: http://www.cnn.com/2011/CRIME/05/31/florida.casey.anthony.trial/index.html?section=cnn_latest