Casey Anthony: Defense team knocks judge’s ‘fraud,’ interviews - Hal

Casey Anthony: Defense team knocks judge’s ‘fraud,’ interviews
posted by halboedeker on August, 2 2011 5:46 PM

“Guessing game” was WKMG-Channel 6’s headline on the latest Casey Anthony developments tonight.

Anthony’s attorneys filed a motion late this afternoon for an emergency hearing to quash Judge Stan Strickland’s order that Anthony must begin probation for check fraud.

But it was unclear what would happen next because the attorneys filed the motion just minutes before 5 p.m. Chief Judge Belvin Perry could decide to grant a stay or have a hearing, WKMG-Channel 6’s Tony Pipitone reported.

WOFL-Channel 35’s Holly Bristow said Anthony’s team described Strickland’s order as “fraudulently filed product by a previously disqualified judge with a lack of jurisdiction by the court and a violation of the defendant’s rights to due process and a violation of double jeopardy.”

Bristow also highlighted that Anthony’s attorneys “knock” Strickland for talking to two media outlets after Anthony was acquitted of first-degree murder in the death of her daughter, Caylee. Anthony’s team said that Strickland discussed “his complete and utter shock” at her acquittal and that Strickland wondered if the jury understood circumstantial evidence, Bristow reported.

One of Strickland’s interviews was with WESH-Channel 2. ”I guess the one final irony is that Casey can now afford a nanny,” Strickland said after her acquittal. “I thought the prosecution made their case beautifully,” Strickland also said.

WESH’s Bob Kealing stressed the Anthony team’s argument that she had served her probation in Orange County Jail while waiting for the murder trial.

According to Strickland’s order, Anthony must report for probation by Wednesday afternoon. Defense attorney Cheney Mason said Anthony wasn’t obligated to report to begin probation, but a corrections spokeswoman said Anthony could be arrested if she doesn’t show up in person, Kealing reported.

“It looks like this is going to go down to the wire,” Kealing said. “Meanwhile, her defense is calling for this emegency hearing. We don’t know when this will happen.”

WKMG’s Pipitone highlighted the urgency of the Wednesday deadline. “Strickland is on vacation until Aug. 10,” Pipitone reported. “It is believed Judge Belvin Perry, as chief judge, will pick up his emergency hearings, this one included.”

Pipitone held up a letter from the Department of Corrections that Anthony had successfully completed her probation for check fraud. The defense’s exhibit also included a death threat made against Anthony; Pipitone held up a photograph showing a bullet hole through Anthony’s forehead.

The point, Pipitone explained: If Strickland’s order is upheld, the defense argues that she serve administrative probation, under which she wouldn’t have to be here.

“They feel that her safety would be in question should she be forced to report here,” Pipitone said.

WFTV-Channel 9 showed Anthony attorney Mason walking to the courthouse and flipping the finger to a driver. It’s a familiar gesture for Mason, who flipped the bird at a photographer after Anthony was acquitted July 5. The defense said it will file more motions Wednesday, WFTV’s Kathi Belich reported.

Pipitone said that Mason also dropped off a copy of today’s motion at the state attorney’s office.

More: http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment_tv_tvblog/2011/08/casey-anthony-defense-team-knocks-judges-fraud-interviews.html