Casey Anthony trial: Casey's team seeks mistrial based on death-penalty ruling - OS

Casey Anthony trial: Casey's team seeks mistrial based on death-penalty ruling
By Anthony Colarossi and Bianca Prieto, Orlando Sentinel
7:15 p.m. EDT, June 27, 2011

Excerpt:

Casey Anthony's defense team is urging Chief Judge Belvin Perry to declare a mistrial in the young woman's murder trial, according to a motion her attorneys released this afternoon.

The motion cites a recent federal court ruling on a South Florida case that said the state's death penalty statute is unconstitutional.

The defense wants Perry to hold a hearing on the issue, order the prosecution to file a memorandum of law on the issue and protect Anthony's due-process rights by declaring the statute unconstitutional.

It also asks Perry to "declare a mistrial in this case and begin jury selection anew with a non death-qualified jury."

The motion was filed by defense death-penalty expert Ann Finnell, who told Perry she wants an opportunity to argue the motion later this week.

More: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/caylee-anthony/os-casey-anthony-trial-day-29-20110627,0,3654894.story