Casey Anthony: Is defense falling short? When will trial end? - Hal

Casey Anthony: Is defense falling short? When will trial end?
posted by halboedeker on June, 24 2011 6:59 PM

In the Casey Anthony trial, the prosecution won good reviews for a clear, chronological presentation. But the defense’s case, which should conclude next week, has been scatter shot, sometimes confusing and ultimately wanting, according to TV analysts. I have a feeling that most viewers share that view after today.

Attorney Brad Conway, on WOFL-Channel 35, was particularly critical of the defense. “I’m lost with their methodology,” he said. “It’s not consistent. They should have had an order, and they should have decided what they want to prove at the top and go through it in an orderly fashion so the jury remembers. They’re skipping all over the place. I think that’s where the jury gets lost.”

Viewers get lost, too, although the jury is the only audience that matters in this story.

Attorney Mark NeJame, on WKMG-Channel 6, said the big piece of the defense’s case — the sexual allegations against George Anthony in the opening statement — was still missing.

“We didn’t hear them do any cross on George Anthony, and we haven’t heard them do any cross on Lee Anthony,” NeJame said. “That was the cornerstone, in large part, of their opening argument. The fact of the matter is there’s still no mental health expert on the defense witness list. So this is going to have to be a story created by the defense and sold to the jury without expert testimony.”

NeJame said he was anxious to hear that part of the story — if it’s coming.

It will need to come soon, because defense attorney Jose Baez said he expects to wrap up Thursday. Casey Anthony is charged with first-degree murder in the death of her daughter, Caylee.

WFTV-Channel 9 legal analyst Bill Sheaffer said Chief Judge Belvin Perry was optimistic to think the trial could wrap up next weekend. “It’s more likely that this will go to the jury after the Fourth of July,” Sheaffer said. “Next week will be the last week of testimony.”

But WOFL-Channel 35 legal analyst Diana Tennis said she thought the jury could start deliberating a week from Saturday. “This going to get very complicated,” she said. “You have to be available — the lawyers, the judge — if they have a question at any time, want to have testimony read back … And that means on into Sunday and on into the holiday Monday.”

WKMG’s Tony Pipitone said today was different from recent days of forensic testimony, because Cindy Anthony, Casey’s mom, and Lee Anthony, Casey’s brother, took the stand. “The jury today got a peak inside this family — some say dysfunctional, some say in denial,” Pipitone said. “Whatever it is, it is a family in distress.”

WFTV’s Kathi Belich said that Lee and Cindy Anthony provided “damning testimony against Casey” for the prosecution, but turned inconsistent when testifying for the defense. Belich also highlighted that Cindy Anthony testified that Casey, when she was home in summer 2008 after her first arrest, never told the family that Caylee had drowned.

WESH-Channel 2’s Amanda Ober said Baez might have tried to ask Lee Anthony about alleged sex abuse in the family. “But Lee hesitated and didn’t go there,” she said. “Another area the defense did not get to go was the Anthonys’ marriage.”

But how was the defense doing? Judge O.H. Eaton Jr., WESH’s legal analyst, said the defense had gotten in some testimony and evidence that Caylee could have drowned. “I think they need more,” Eaton added.

“As far as the molestation is concerned, they first have to prove the dysfunctional family,” Eaton said. “That’s part of their defense to justify the actions of Casey after the child died, and we don’t have any molestation testimony at this point.” Eaton added that the defense had been unsuccessful so far in showing that Caylee’s body had been moved.

WOFL analyst Tennis also said the defense has fallen short in portraying the family’s problems and explaining why Casey is messed up. “What they need is super dysfunctional,” she said. “Really, this was kind of garden-variety dysfunctional.”

What do you think?

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment_tv_tvblog/2011/06/casey-anthony-is-defense-falling-short-when-will-trial-end.html