Casey Anthony: Bug expert ‘a spectacular witness’ for state - Hal

Casey Anthony: Bug expert ‘a spectacular witness’ for state
posted by halboedeker on June, 11 2011 12:46 PM

Trash, garbage and bugs were central topics this morning at the Casey Anthony trial. Dr. Neal Haskell, a bug expert, drew most of the media scrutiny.

WFTV-Channel 9 legal analyst Bill Sheaffer called Haskell “one of the most credible witnesses I’ve seen in this trial” and predicted Haskell’s testimony would bode well for the prosecution. Casey Anthony is charged with first-degree murder in the death of her daughter, Caylee.

“It’s an inescapable conclusion that she [Casey] drove around with that body [Caylee] in that car for three to five days,” Sheaffer said. Sheaffer predicted that information would have an overwhelming impact on the jury.

WOFL-Channel 35 legal analyst Brad Conway said Haskell helped establish a timeline crucial to the prosecution’s case. Caylee “would have had to be in the trunk long enough for decomposition to start but not for her to fully decompose,” Conway said. He later added, “It doesn’t paint a pretty picture, and this is what the state wants. They want the jury reacting emotionally.”

WKMG-Channel 6 legal analyst Mark NeJame said Haskell had been “a spectacular witness” for the state. The reason? Haskell’s timeline about Caylee’s body conflicts with the defense theory that someone moved the body.

NeJame added more detail to that point, saying the child was in the trunk three to five days, then apparently moved to a field in June or July. “This is so very significant because this runs contrary to the defense theory that we’re going to hear,” NeJame said. “They are saying her body, Caylee, was moved. This will show that she remained … in that field, in an intact state without being moved.”

Central Florida News 13 highlighted that Casey laughed during a discussion about the difference between trash and garbage. Anthony put her hands to her face, smiled and laughed at a quip from defense attorney Jose Baez. “She’s obviously looking a little healthier, a little bit better than she has in the past two days,” News 13’s Jackie Fell said. “Her parents, George and Cindy Anthony, are back in the courtroom.”

NeJame blasted Baez’s style of cross examining Haskell for suggesting the scientist was compromising himself by being paid. “This is a scholar. This is somebody who’s most concerned about doing good and excellent work, not about his money,” NeJame said.

NeJame said Baez was hurting the Anthony case by raising that point with witnesses repeatedly. Baez’s humor was also falling flat, NeJame said, after studying people in the courtroom who remained stone-faced. ”If that’s transferring over to the jury, one’s got to believe the jury is finding him equally unlikable,” NeJame said.

NeJame predicted that Casey Anthony will take the stand because the defense has acknowledged her lies. “Who can tell that story, according to the defense opening argument, other than Casey herself?” NeJame asked.

WFTV’s Sheaffer offered a withering take on Baez’s performance since the opening statement. “I don’t believe at this stage that the jury is buying into the defense opening statement,” he said. “I cannot find where Mr. Baez has presented any evidence, through cross examination or otherwise, supporting his opening statement.”

What do you think?

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment_tv_tvblog/2011/06/casey-anthony-bug-expert-a-spectacular-witness-for-state.html