Casey Trial Continues; State Wants Fraud Convictions In - WFTV

Casey Trial Continues; State Wants Fraud Convictions In
Posted: 5:57 am EDT June 1, 2011
Updated: 6:56 am EDT June 1, 2011

Excerpt:

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. -- Day 18 of Casey Anthony's murder trial will begin on Wednesday, and her defense attorneys will try to keep a major mistake from allowing the jury to hear about her criminal past.

During a hearing set for 8:30am, Casey’s lead attorney Jose Baez will have to convince Chief Judge Belvin Perry to not allow Casey's criminal past to be admitted as evidence.

Prosecutors argue that while Baez was cross-examining Casey's mother, Cindy Anthony on Tuesday, he made the mistake of probing Casey's own comments and questioning her credibility in ways prosecutors have not.

So prosecutors cited case law that allows them to tell jurors about Casey's six prior felony convictions.

"The jury, when they hear this, will never look at her the same,” said WFTV legal analyst Bill Sheaffer.

The convictions stem from the shopping spree Casey took with her friend Amy Huizenga's stolen checks.

“Once he places the credibility of his client before the jury in the form of an out-of-court statement he opens the door to have that testimony impeached with her prior felony convictions," argued prosecutor Linda Drane-Burdick on Tuesday.

More: http://www.wftv.com/news/28091499/detail.html