The trial started today with the defense continuing to cross-examine Tony Lazzaro. Lazzaro described what a fun and happy child Caylee was. He explained how her favorite show was Dora the Explorer and how Caylee could count to 40 in Spanish. At this moment the camera showed Casey wiping tears and nodding in agreement with Lazzaro. This was the first time in fact that one could actually see a moment of a mother in Casey.
He also explained how he could not smell any odor of a decomposing body. He only smelled gasoline. He was not close enough to see inside the trunk completely.
After the jury was dismissed for the day, Lazzaro was brought in and questioned by Baez about a secret Casey told him. Lazzaro explained that Casey had revealed that her brother Lee had tried to feel her up on occasion. When asked about his reaction, he claimed that he was shocked and changed the subject. When questioned about George, Lazzaro said she told him about abuse, but that he thought it would be more physical than sexual. He mentioned that he took it as discipline instead of abuse.
The second person called up was George Anthony. This was a definite battle that went down between these 2 men that had and have Casey life in their hands. Baez grilled George so much that Judge Perry actually allowed him to explain his feelings towards Baez regarding his questioning technique. This was in regards mainly to his repetition and not being specific about items he wanted George to talk about.
The questioning was mostly about the gas cans in the shed. The following is what occurred from the News 13 website:
On asking Casey about the gas cans:
George said Casey was surprised to see him when she came home that day. He asked about Caylee, but Casey said she had 10 minutes to get to work. George said he believed Casey had his cans, and told her he had to get something out of her car. But Casey rushed past him and got them herself, saying "Here's your [expletive] gas cans."
On the trunk of the car:
He said he never saw inside the trunk, and only smelled gasoline from the cans. He later clarified for the defense he did not smell human decomposition in the trunk that day.
On the duct tape on the gas can:
The prosecution showed the jury a photo of one gas can, with duct tape on it. George said he put that piece of tape there after Casey returned it, because a plastic piece was missing from the can. Jose Baez then cited a deposition in 2009, in which George said he did not put duct tape on the can. George clarified, saying that photo he was shown at that deposition was a different photo. Judge Perry told Baez he could not ask anything about a photo that has not been submitted as evidence.
On what he told police when he reported his gas cans missing:
Baez asked if George if he mentioned his granddaughter was missing. George said no, because to his knowledge at that time, "she wasn't missing."
George lashes out:
At one point, Baez showed the court three large poster boards featuring monthly calendars for June through August 2008. He asked George to mark down:
- June 16 -- The date he last saw Caylee alive
- June 24 -- Went to cut the grass, found gas cans missing
- July 31 -- Interviewed by the FBI
- August 1 -- Investigators collected the gas cans
The prosecution then brought in a slew of associates and friends of Caylee. This was in order to establish the actions that Casey demonstrated and acted upon while her daughter was missing. They all mentioned the fact that Casey never mentioned anything that could have been wrong and never changed her demeanor. She was always happy. These witnesses were later used as a reason for Mistrial according to Baez. He claims that these witnesses are used in order to show that she has no remorse. According to him that is enough legal basis to file for mistrial. Reasons for a mistrial are as follows: Hung Jury, Improperly Admitted Evidence, Jury Tampering, Witness Tampering, Court Officer Misconduct. These witnesses did in part benefit the defense when explaining what a loving mother Casey was with Caylee.
Ricardo Morales: Dated Casey from Feb. 2008- April 2008. Mentioned that Casey told him she worked at Universal Studios. Both Casey AND Caylee would spend the nights over his house with Casey sleeping in between himself and Caylee. He last saw Caylee on June 10. He sold pictures that he had of Casey and Caylee to The Globe for $4000. One included a picture of Caylee with a bruise under her eye that did not result from abuse. He was also questioned about a picture that he had posted on his MySpace which which showed a man romancing a female with the caption "Win her over with Chloroform"underneath it. He also told the defense he never searched for the term "chloroform" on Casey's home computer. He found it funny at the time.
Melissa England only met Casey during a week vacation while visiting her boyfriend (Troy Brown) which was a friend of Casey's. One of the most damaging things for the defense was mentioned by this witness. Casey never mentioned having a daughter. According to her , Casey once lied to some friends over the phone, hung up and then said "I'm such a good liar."
Troy Brown was also questioned. He mentioned that Casey would be angry on the phone one moment then as soon as she hung it up, she was back to normal. He last saw Caylee in June 2008.
On his time out with Casey:
He retold the same story as his former girlfriend, Melissa England. Brown also said he saw Casey become upset and cry while fighting with her brother over the phone, but she reverted to her "regular mood" whenever she was not on the phone.
On Caylee Anthony:He retold the same story as his former girlfriend, Melissa England. Brown also said he saw Casey become upset and cry while fighting with her brother over the phone, but she reverted to her "regular mood" whenever she was not on the phone.
He said he last saw Caylee in June 2008 at Morales' home. Brown later told the defense he had no information on how, when or where Caylee died.
Iassen Donov described Casey as social, happy and talkative. When she contacted him in June and July 2008 over AOL Instant Messenger, he did not notice a difference. She talked about how she loved Caylee's nanny. He was shocked when he found out about Casey's lies. Said Casey was not a heavy drinker.
Dante Salanti has known Casey for 11 years. Knew Casey to be a good mother and that she was "completely free of worry" when he saw her in June and July 2008. Claims that Casey was not a heavy drinker.
Cristopher Stutz had Casey and Caylee over his house in May 2008 and they spent the night at his apt. He saw Casey in June but Caylee wasn't with him. In July Casey sent him a text mentioning the fact that Caylee was missing and said that she also tried to contact him from Jail. Casey did not like to drink alot because she didn't want to leave Caylee at home with Cindy and George.
Matthew Crisp has know Casey since 2002. Saw Casey June 17, 2008 and described her as "joyful"
The defense had the same question for all of these witnesses. "Do you know how, when or where, Caylee died?". No further questions.
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