HEARING VIDEO: Judge: No Conflict

Judge: No Conflict Of Interest In Casey Anthony Case

Posted: 12:24 pm EDT March 24, 2009
Updated: 11:25 am EDT March 25,2009

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. -- In another legal victory for Casey Anthony's defense team, Judge Stan Strickland ruled Wednesday there is no conflict of interest in Jose Baez serving as Casey's attorney.

Casey was in court wearing a long-sleeve purple shirt and blue pants. George and Cindy Anthony were also present at the 10:30am hearing, along with their attorney, Brad Conway.

RAW VIDEO: Casey Sworn In
IMAGES: Casey Anthony At Hearing
VIDEO REPORT: Defense Team's Funding Questioned
STATE MOTION: Determine Conflict Of Interest
DEFENSE RESPONDS: Casey Affidavit | Baez Motion

RAW VIDEO: Heated Conclusion In Casey Hearing
The situation got heated at the conclusion of the hearing in the case against Casey.



RAW VIDEO: Prosecution, Defense State Case
Casey Anthony appeared at a crucial hearing Wednesday morning. (03/25/09)



RAW VIDEO: Judge's Decision In Casey Hearing
Judge Stan Strickland made his decision Wednesday at a hearing in the case against Casey Anthony. (03/25/09)



The hearing was scheduled to discuss a possible conflict of interest and whether the defense has any book or movie deals that could be influencing the direction of the case. In the state's motion (read motion), it reads, her "seeming conversion from pauper to princess did not come from the sale of some tangible asset.

"Casey's attorney, Jose Baez, filed his response (read motion) as well as filed an affidavit from his client Casey Anthony (read Casey's response).

"It's come up, so I have to deal with it," Judge Stan Strickland said Wednesday in court. "I'm going to make a couple of inquiries ... part of this is just to protect your client.

"Attorney Jose Baez argued that any inquiries be made "in camera," a legal term for in private.

"I have to determine whether a conflict or not exists," the judge said. "She can either waive the conflict or say she wants a new lawyer."

The judge then asked Baez to assert that it's true that nothing is be sold.

"The undersigned's Retainer Agreement does not contain any clauses allowing him financial gain based on selling the rights to Ms. Casey Anthony's story, nor are there any other instruments giving Defense counsel or any third party the rights to Ms. Casey Anthony's story," Judge Strickland quoted from Baez's motion.

Baez asserted his statements to the judge and denied any literary rights exist.

Judge Stickland then swore in Casey Anthony to discuss the affidavit that was filed. She said all the items in her sworn affidavit are true.

Then, after a brief recession while the judge and attorneys met in private to discuss matter, the judge made his ruling.

"As far as I'm concerned, the matter has been resolved," Judge Strickland said. "I'm convinced, as we sit here today, that no conflict exists. I think we've covered the bases. The court is not going to issue an order per se. this was just a motion to determine if a conflict existed.

"WFTV legal expert Bill Sheaffer said, several weeks ago, if Anthony's attorney made a deal to sell her story then Casey could potentially use that deal to appeal if she is convicted. Some prosecutors think it's very possible Baez sold Casey's story to cover legal fees.

"She will say and do whatever it takes and have her attorneys do and say whatever it takes for her to gain an acquittal in the case," Eyewitness News legal expert Bill Sheaffer said.

Also Wednesday, lawyers for Zenaida Gonzalez will question the Anthony family's two private investigators, Jim Hoover and Dominic Casey, in the civil case against Casey Anthony. Gonzalez is suing because she has the same name as the mystery nanny who Casey blamed for Caylee's disappearance.

http://www.wftv.com/news/19002037/detail.html#-