CASEY ANTHONY TRIAL: DEFENSE CALLS FIRST WITNESS

Marion Pellicano Ambrose

The first witness called in the Casey Anthony trial today was Orange County sheriff's crime scene investigator, Gerardo Blois. . Bloise  has already testified for the prosecution in the case about items found in Casey Anthony’s bedroom. The defense questioned Bloise about his examination of Casey Anthony's clothing and of her ex-boyfriend, Tony Lazzaro’s car.

The second witness the defense called was Heather Seubert, aforensic DNA expert with the FBI in Quantico, Virginia. Baez asked Seubert if George Anthony had been tested as a possible father of Caylee Anthony. The Prosecution objected and asked that the question be stricken from the record. Judge Perry then dismissed the jury for lunch and stated that he would consider the matter and make a ruling this afternoon.

CASEY ANTHONY DAY 17: FINGERPRINTS AND HAIR

Marion Pellicano Ambrose

Stephen Shaw , evidence examiner for the FBI  testified today that he analyzed hair found in the trunk of Casey Anthony's car, along with samples taken from the remains of Caylee Anthony's skull, which were found in a wooded area not far from the Anthony home, six months after the 2-year-old was first reported missing.

Shaw told the jury that he saw further evidence of decomposition on the hairs taken from the skull than on the hair found in the trunk.

The Prosecution hoped to admit a PowerPoint presentation regarding hair evidence however, Judge Perry did not allow it to be submitted.

Following Shaw, Elizabeth Fontaine, Latent Print Scientist for FBI took the stand. Fontaine examined 3 pieces of the duct tape found with Caylee’s remains. Fontaine’s testimony was stiff and seemed to be memorized in part. She directed all her comments right to the jury. She testified that she was unable to find latent fingerprints on the tapes, but on one piece she did find an outline of a heart. The outline was destroyed by the different processes used to try and detect fingerprint before it could be photographed. The heart shape was located about where the mouth of little Caylee would have been covered with the tape. An FBI supervisor also saw the heart shape during Fontaine’s examination.

The testimony this morning was scientific and complicated, but Fontaine was able to break down the technical information so it could be easily understood.  Shaw’s technical testimony on the other hand was dry and difficult to comprehend. Some visitors in the gallery were actually seen yawning. Casey sat with her usual stone faced expression.

Judge Perry told the jury that the State should wrap up their case within the next two days. By Saturday they should have a good idea of how much longer the trial will go on. He estimated that all evidence will be presented by the 25th or 27th of June and the jury should be ready for deliberation at that time. Court was recessed until tomorrow afternoon at 1pm when the State's next witnesses will arrive.

CASEY ANTHONY TRIAL UPDATE JUNE10th

Marion Pellicano Ambrose

Dr. Jan Garavaglia and Caylee

Today’s trial focused on cause of death for little Caylee Anthony.  Orange/Osceola County Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Jan Garavaglia testified that the death was a homicide. The defense tried repeatedly during cross examination to get Dr. Garavaglia to admit the death could have been an accident. The Medical Examiner also testified that even a small amount of chloroform would be enough to kill a child. When pressed by

CASEY ANTHONY BREAKS DOWN IN COURT

Marion Pellicano Ambrose

Judge Belvin Perry called an early recess in the Casey Anthony trial Thursday morning. It was a day of showing and discussing crime scene photos including Caylee’s remains. Casey Anthony appeared to be pale and trembling, holding the sleeve of her sweater and a ball of tissues to her mouth. She looked away from the monitor for most of the testimony. According to Attorney Baez, Casey has never seen the crime scene photos.  Forensic anthropologist John Schultz testified that Caylee's vertebrae were found all in the same place, showing that the body was intact when it was brought there.

CASEY ANTHONY TRIAL: THE FORENSIC EVIDENCE

Marion Pellicano Ambrose

The Casey Anthony trial resumed today and the first witness called was Dr. Arpad Vass, researcher at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (aka “The Body Farm”) in Tennessee. Vass has discovered a new technique for detecting human decomposition from air samples. Vass testified that the odor of human decomposition is different than the smell of animal decomposition.

"I jumped back a foot or two," Vass said of the odor he detected when opening a can containing an air sample from Casey’s car, "It was shocking that strong of an odor could be in that little can."
Vass presented charts showing high levels of certain compounds in samples taken from Anthony's car. One of the compounds present, chloroform, Vass said was found in "shockingly high" amounts on a sample taken from a stained portion of carpet in Anthony's trunk.

The Prosecution hopes to prove that traces of Caylee’s decomposing body were found in the carpet of Casey’s car.  Defense attorney Baez dismissed the evidence calling it “junk science”

 Over the weekend Orange County Sheriff's Office crime scene supervisor Michael Vincent testified saying that he helped obtain several air samples from the car trunk. Vincent said air samples also were taken from a bag of trash that had been in the car trunk. Vincent assisted in the processing of Anthony's car in July 2008, collecting stain and air samples from the vehicle, including the trunk. Vincent said processing Anthony's car was the first time that he had ever collected an air sample. Again Baez dismissed the evidence saying that it was too new and unprecedented.

On Saturday, FBI forensic expert Karen Korsberg Lowe testified as an expert that one hair removed from the trunk of Casey Anthony's car was consistent with hair from a dead person and was similar to hair pulled off Caylee Anthony's brush. Under cross-examination Lowe said that she could not be 100 percent certain that the hair was from a dead person or specifically from Caylee.

There’s a lot on the line for Casey Anthony, who is facing the death penalty if convicted. She has seven counts against her, including first-degree murder, aggravated child abuse and misleading investigators.

Justice for Caylee