Defense team says it knows Casey Anthony isn't guilty of 'intentional first-degree murder'

Defense team says it knows Casey Anthony isn't guilty of 'intentional first-degree murder'

posted by halboedeker on Nov 20, 2009 8:33:06 AM

The national morning programs usually preview movies ("Twilight") and television series. This morning, they previewed the latest twist in the Casey Anthony case. And some people would say the Anthony case is like a thriller with twists and surprises. The defense delivered a stunner Thursday.

Members of the defense team appeared on NBC's "Today" and CBS' "The Early Show." ABC's "Good Morning America" quickly recapped Thursday's major development: The defense is pointing to former meter reader Roy Kronk, who found Caylee Anthony's remains, as a possible suspect in the child's death.

Casey Anthony is charged with first-degree murder in her child's death.

"The Early Show" held the Anthony story for the 7:30 half-hour, when attorney Linda Kenney Baden said there was as much incriminating evidence against Kronk as there is against Anthony. Baden cited the defense's interviews with two ex-wives of Kronk.

"These people have no motive or reason to lie," Baden said, a line sure to surprise anyone familiar with divorces.

"No one investigated any of this," Baden said. "The cops are trying to make a theory fit her. ... They never got Mr. Kronk's cell phone records. They didn't test his DNA. I mean we are four lawyers and two investigators and we've uncovered this. Why couldn't they?"

CBS' Maggie Rodriguez asked why Kronk would alert authorities to the remains if he had killed the child.

"It's easy to snatch a kid away," Baden said. "We see it in Florida every day."

Baden said, "We know our client is not guilty of intentional first-degree murder. We know the evidence has been compromised."

Rodriguez wondered why Baden had worded her statement that way -- "not guilty of intentional first-degree murder."

Baden said she didn't mean that Anthony is guilty of a lesser crime.

"Today" pushed the story into its first half-hour, which is reserved for the biggest news. The Anthony story preceded a segment on Oprah Winfrey's decision to end her television show in 2011.

Andrea Lyon and Jose Baez visited "Today" and said authorities should have investigated Kronk. An incredulous Matt Lauer asked, "Do you really think there is as much circumstantial evidence implicating Roy Kronk as there is implicating Casey Anthony?"

Lyon said, "He's the only who's been with the body. He's the only one who magically discovers it. He takes a day off the day before he discovers it again it in December. He calls his son a month ahead of time and says, 'I'm going to be on TV.' "

Lauer listed problems with Anthony's case: She lied, she partied, she didn't alert authorities for 31 days.

"Those facts will come at out trial," Baez said. "Everything will be cleared up. Everyone wants to try this case today. It's not going to get tried today."

"Good Morning America" started its Anthony story at 7:37 a.m. -- after a segment on Winfrey. No defense attorney appeared on that program.

Reporter Andrea Canning noted that Kronk's attorney, David Evans, "strongly denied" the defense's allegations. The prosecution had no comment, Canning added, but had said he did the right thing in the days after Caylee's remains were found.

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment_tv_tvblog/2009/11/casey-anthony-defense-team-makes-morning.html