CASEY'S BACK IN COURT,OR IS SHE?

Marion Pellicano Ambrose

 

 

Casey Anthony was tried for the murder of her 2 year old daughter, Caylee in 2012. Caylee disappeared in 2008. Her body was found dumped in the woods near the Antony home.

While Casey was aquitted of the murder charge, she was sentenced to 3 years for lying to Yuri Melich, the lead detective. Anthony stated that she had left Casey with a babysitter named Zanaida Fernandez Gonzalez claiming that she, Gonzalez, was responsible for the child's disappearance. Gonzales is suing for defamationof character,saying Casey's accusations have ruined her life.

Casey is due to appear in court today, but one her attorney claims she will not be present and he will accept the subpoena in her place. She has been in hiding since her release from jail last year. WIth the 3 years served and time off for good behavior, Anthony is scheduled to finish her sentence on Sunday , after having served one year probation.


 



CASEY ANTHONY BACK IN THE NEWS

Marion Pellicano Ambrose

                                                                               Photo by TMz

The judge who ordered Casey Anthony back to Florida to serve probation for check fraud stepped down from that case today. Jose Baez , attorney for Casey Anthony, warned she would be in danger if she has to return from an undisclosed location.

Circuit Judge Stan Strickland recused himself from the case two days after signing an order that Anthony had to report for a one-year-probation term. Strickland did not say why he was removing himself, but Anthony's defense lawyers had accused him of prejudice after he gave television interviews about Anthony's acquittal last month in her trial on charges of murdering her child.

Anthony has until 10 a.m. Thursday to report to the Orlando probation office.Unless a judge changes the probation order, Casey Anthony must report to the Orlando intake office. Once she is in the system, her address and income information could become a public record unless an exception is made because of safety concerns.

Casey’s probation terms would include having to report monthly to a probation officer, avoid drugs and excessive alcohol, get a job, and no firearms or association with know criminals.

Anthony  disappeared from public view right after her acquittal by a jury in the death of her 2-year-old daughter, Caylee. She was convicted of lying to detectives but released from jail because of time served. Baez said bringing Anthony back to Orlando would only add to what he called the "circus-like atmosphere" around her case. News of a possible sighting of Anthony has been hitting the news with photos, causing quite a stir. (Anthony had relatives living in Ohio.)

"This thing is over and done. And for some reason things seem to keep coming up again for no apparent reason, for absolutely no apparent reason, other than let's just keep this thing going, let's just keep this madness going and engage in the circus-like atmosphere that is called the Casey Anthony case," Baez said.

Baez reported that there were threats against Anthony because of her acquittal. He expects Orange County would have to provide security if she was forced to return.  Anthony's attorneys included a flyer in their motion that showed a doctored photo of Anthony with a bullet mark on her forehead. Text underneath the photo reads in part, "With a forehead that big, the headshot will be easier."

Toddler Killed by Python : Justice for Shaianna

Marion Pellicano Ambrose

A few months ago I wrote a story for Paranormal Pub called “The Pet Python”. http://delayedreactionlounge.blogspot.com/2011/05/pet-python.html

Never in a million years would I have believed I’d see the same title as a news headline with an innocent, toddler for a victim!

Officials remove the 8 foot python that killed a two year old

Tragically, 2-year-old Shaianna Hare was strangled Wednesday by her family's 8-foot-long pet Burmese python. Shaianna was already dead when paramedics arrived at about 10 a.m. according to Lt. Bobby Caruthers of the Sumter County Sheriff's Office.

Charles Jason Darnell, 32, the snake's owner and boyfriend of the child’s mother, said he discovered the snake missing from its terrarium and ran to the toddler’s room, where he found the snake wrapped around her. Darnell said he stabbed the snake several times until he was able to pry the child away while someone else called 911.

"The baby's dead!" the sobbing caller from the house screamed to a 911 dispatcher in a recording. "Our stupid snake got out in the middle of the night and strangled the baby." "She got out of the cage last night and got into the baby's crib and strangled her to death," the caller said.

Authorities removed the snake from the home Wednesday afternoon. Once outside, the snake was placed in a bag and placed inside a dog crate. The snake was still alive.

"It's a tragedy," Sumter County Sheriff Lt. Bobby Caruthers said outside the home. Authorities said it's "a definite possibility" that the python may have been trying to ingest the girl. Blood was found on the mattress and teeth marks were found on her head.

Darnell did not have a permit for the snake, which would be a second-degree misdemeanor, according to Joy Hill, a spokeswoman with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The snake was said to be malnourished, weighing only 13 and a half pounds, when a full grown python should weigh 140. Officials believe the snake had not been fed in over a month. 

The Humane Society of the United States said including Wednesday’s death, at least 12 people have been killed in the U.S. by pet pythons since 1980, including five children.

On Thursday, a Florida jury found Jaren Hare and Charles "Jason" Darnell guilty in the python strangling death of Hare's 2-year-old daughter, Shaianna. The couple was found guilty of all charges, including third-degree murder, manslaughter and child neglect. Hare and Darnell could be sentenced to 35 years in prison.

Pythons are not native to Florida, but some residents keep them as pets, especially Burmese pythons, which can grow to more than 15 feet and weigh more than 150 pounds.  When the snakes become too large, some owners release them into the Everglades and other wild areas, Florida officials say. One killed an alligator and then burst when it tried to eat it.

"It's becoming more and more of a problem, perhaps no fault of the animal, more a fault of the human," said Jorge Pino, a state wildlife commission spokesman. "People purchase these animals when they're small. When they grow, they either can't control them or release them."

The fast-growing population of snakes has been invading southern Florida's ecosystem since 1992, when scientists speculate a bevy of Burmese pythons was released into the wild after Hurricane Andrew shattered many pet shop terrariums. Scientists don't have an accurate estimate of how many pythons are in Florida, but estimates range from thousands to hundreds of thousands.



Shaianna



Caylee



So here’s what we want to know:

*Do you believe the jury was correct in throwing the book at these parents and finding them guilty of murder, manslaughter and child neglect?

*Do you think the perceived lack of justice in the Casey Anthony case had anything to do with this jury’s decision?

*If you disagree with this jury’s verdict, what would your verdict have been?

CASEY RECEIVES HER SENTENCE

Marion Pellicano Ambrose

Judge Belvin Perry has sentenced Casey Anthony to 4 years in prison and $4,000 in fines.

Judge Perry will also impose court costs.  Penalties include 1 year for each count, $1,000 fine on each count, consecutive sentence and credit for time served. The court will calculate how much time Casey has already served and it will be announced sometime this morning. The defense has 30 days to appeal the sentence. The Defense is arguing that all 4 offences were actually one single act.

In the meantime, crowds formed outside the courthouse protesting the decision of the jury. Signs reading "Boycot books and movies by Casey Anthony","No  justice for Caylee" and others referring to Casey's "Belle Vida" are being carried by some of the crowd.

Heavy security is in effect around the Orange County Court house. Armed officers and Deputys are stationed all around the exits. Throngs of media stand in wait to attemt to see any of the key players as they emerge from the courthouse.

A hearing was set for August 25th to decide on the restitution part of the case. Jose Baez informed the court that Casey is indigent and will require public assistance in the event of an appeal.

CASEY ANTHONY VERDICT JUST IN...

CASEY ANTHONY NOT GUILTY!

Of any counts related to murder or abuse of Caylee.
First Degree Murder - NOT GUILTY!
Manslaughter - NOT GUILTY!
Child Abuse and Neglect - NOT GUILTY!

Convicted GUILTY of various counts of providing false information to police officers. 
Sentencing will be Thursday.  
Speculation is that with time served she could walk out of jail in the very near future.  

JURORS DELIBERATE OVER CASEY'S FATE

Marion Pellicano Ambrose

The jury for the Casey Anthony murder trial is in deliberation. This morning, closing arguments ended with the prosecution presenting Casey  as a pathological liar who diverted attention away from herself by claiming her dead daughter, Caylee, had been kidnapped.

State Prosecutor Linda Drane Burdick played portions of jailhouse tapes of Casey Anthony lying about her daughter being kidnapped by a fictional nanny and the 911 call made by Casey Anthony's mother, Cindy Anthony, to report Caylee missing, further showing Casey’s lies despite the anguish it caused her parents.

"When you use your common sense, you can listen and hear that there's nothing that's wrong with Casey Anthony that can't be explained using two words: pathological liar," Burdick said.

"At the end of this case, all you really have to do is ask yourself the simple question, 'Whose life was better without Caylee?'" Burdick said.

The prosecution ended by showing a picture of a “party girl” Casey  and the tattoo that read "Bella Vita," Italian for the beautiful life, all while Caylee was supposedly missing.

Earlier,Prosecutor Jeff Ashton, showed jurors images of the skull and skeletal remains of Caylee. He reminded them of the state’s claim that pieces of duct tape on the remains were placed on Caylee before she died.

“We believe the evidence in the case supports the scenario that Casey Anthony chloroformed Caylee so that she would not suffer, placed duct tape over her nose and mouth…and then disposed of her body," Ashton said.

"Any way you slice it...Casey Anthony is guilty of murder in the first degree in this case," Ashton concluded

According to ABC News, Judge Belvin Perry instructed jurors how to proceed in their deliberations. He gave jurors the option of finding her guilty of a lesser crime such as second degree murder, manslaughter or third degree felony murder. Those crimes do not carry a death sentence.

Along with the first degree murder charge, Anthony faces charges of aggravated child abuse, aggravated manslaughter and four charges of lying to law enforcement.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/casey_anthony_trial/casey-anthony-trial-jury-begins-deliberations/story?id=13992868

CASEY ANTHONY TRIAL: KRONK TESTIFIES

Marion Pellicano Ambrose

The Casey Anthony murder trial resumed after a lunch break today with the playing of two 911 calls made by meter reader Roy Kronk, on Aug.11 and 12 of 2008.  Kronk stated that he found a suspicious white object and gave his location.  Kronk was drilled by the defense but remained calm under examination. He denied telling his son that he was going to be famous and admitted that he received $15,000 for rights to a photo he took of the snake. He denied the money was for an appearance on the Good Morning America TV show. During opening statements, Casey Anthony's defense team accused Kronk of obtaining Caylee's remains and planting them in the woods to obtain a reward. Lead defense attorney Jose Baez described Kronk as "morally bankrupt" in his opening statement.

Editorial comment: Roy Kronk did not come off as the money hungry beast that the defense had hoped to present. His detailed account of his efforts to have someone look at the suspicious object he found was very believable.  In his calls to get assistance, he never inquired about a reward and even opted to remain anonymous in the first two attempts. I believe he presented a credible explanation. In my opinion, the Defense failed to prove Kronk to be "morally corrupt".  Just what the jury really believes is yet to be seen.

As for George Anthony, he vehemently denied having an affair with Krystal Holloway and stated that she told him she was ill and had a brain tumor.  He stated that Holloway also told Cindy the same information.  He also remained composed and cool throughout questioning. . I’m sure George will be back on the stand again.

Casey Anthony Trial: Psychics and Psychologists

Marion Pellicano Ambrose

Private Investigator James Hoover testifies in the Casey Anthony Trial

Judge Belvin Perry explained why he called a sudden recess of the Casey Anthony trial on Saturday. The Defense requested Casey be declared incompetent to stand trial. Judge Perry had 3 psychologists evaluate Casey independently. After reviewing the results he deemed her competent to stand trial.

The Defense called private investigator, James Hoover, to the stand today. Hoover had been hired by George and Cindy Anthony to look into the disappearance of their granddaughter, Caylee Anthony. Hoover testified that a psychic directed him to the location of Caylee's remains but when he searched at that time, he found nothing. A month later, Caylee’s remains were found at that same location, according to Hoover. The Defense hopes his testimony will form questions in the minds of jury members as to whether Caylee’s body was in the woods as long as the Prosecution claimed. The trial will continue again Tuesday morning.

CASEY ANTHONY TRIAL: Jail Mate May Testify & Kronk May Be Morally Bankrupt

Earlier Today, Baez complained to Judge Perry that  prosecutors had given him an indication that a conversation Anthony heard from jail mate, April Whelan, in an adjacent cell.  The scenario Whelan spoke of bears a  striking similarity to the claims made by the defense that Caylee drown and then the death was covered up.

The defense has conceded that Casey was a habitual liar and that her claims have often been laced with a crumble of truth.  The judge has left the door open for Whelan to testify, however there is no indication that prosecutors will choose to bring the jail mate to the stand.

Defense expert, Dr. Richard Eichlenbloom was on the stand talking about test performed on the duct tape found near Caylee's skull.  He said there was no trace of DNA on the tape.  Prosecutor Jeff Ashton has tried to discredit this "science".  (The jury is not privy to the information that Ashton was among the first prosecutors in 1988 and 989 to fight DNA science as evidence.)

Dr. Jan Bock, forensic botanist,  testified about the vegetation at the site where the body was found.  Under questioning by Prosecutor Jeff Ashton, Bock admitted her opinion has changed ad to the length of time the child's body was in the woods.  She now states no less then two weeks which contradicts her earlier deposition where she stated that it was impossible to tell.

Defense attorneys may use this information to debunk testimony by Roy Kronk, the utility meter reader who found the body, hoping to extend the insinuation that Kronk was after reward money and may have had a role in hiding Caylee's body.

CASEY ANTHONY TRIAL: BICKERING ANNOYS JUDGE PERRY

Marion Pellicano Ambrose

Judge Belvin Perry became frustrated and annoyed at attorneys on both sides of the Casey Anthony trial this morning. He threatened “Exclusion” if the bickering continues. Exclusion could force the trial to start over. In addition, Perry told attorneys that they will now begin their day at 8:30 from now on to discuss issues and stop wasting the jury’s time. The judge informed both attorneys that he was considering possible disciplinary action against the lawyers at the conclusion of the trial. He then adjourned court at 11am.

CASEY ANTHONY TRIAL: BATTLE OF THE BUGS

Marion Pellicano Ambrose

Dr. Tim Huntington was finally excused this afternoon after exhausting examination and cross examination in the Casey Anthony Trial.  Defense attorney Jose Baez had estimated that Huntington would only be on the stand for about 30 minutes. Instead, the witness was on the stand all day. Huntingtons testimony directly contradicts that of the State's expert witness. Star witness for the defense was supposed to be called today, but testimony from Dr. Werner Spitz, an experienced former medical examiner, will have to wait until tomorrow. Spitz is expected to testify that he did a second autopsy on Caylee Anthony and found evidence of drowning.  Court will be in recess until  9am tomorrow.

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 TRIAL:THE DEFENSE RESTS

Marion Pellicano Ambrose

Casey Anthony, Day 19

The Prosecution rested today in their case against Casey Anthony.  Before retiring they entered items into evidence which included 2 cans containing parts of the trunk liner of Casey’s car which were said to emit the smell of decomposing corpse.

Judge Belvin Perry read out the translation of Casey’s “Bella Vita” tattoo, which means “good life” or “beautiful life”. Casey got the tattoo during the time Caylee was “missing”. She agreed that “Beautiful Life” was the correct meaning.

Judge Belvin Perry denies Defense motion for acquittal 

The Defense began argument over a motion for acquittal after the jury was dismissed. Judge Perry denied the motion. The Defense will call its first witness on Thursday morning.

If convicted in the first degree murder of her daughter, Caylee Anthony, Casey will face the death penalty.



CINDY AND CASEY MAKE EYE CONTACT IN COURT

Marion Pellicano Ambrose

Cindy Anthony testifies in the murder trial of her daughter Casey Anthony

Today’s trial began at 1pm as the State was awaiting the arrival of FBI Forensic Mitochondrial Analyst, Catherine Theisen.  Theisen testified about hair samples she processed in the Casey Anthony case. Her testimony confirmed that the hair from Casey’s trunk and hair from Caylee’s skull were a mitochondrial match. This shows that the hair was from a family member on the maternal side (Caylee, Casey, Cindy or Lee).

Cindy Anthony took the stand again today to testify about the length and color of her daughter’s hair in 2008.  An interesting turn of events occurred when Casey and her mother Cindy made eye contact, which has not happened since this trial began. Up to now Casey has avoided looking at her parents in court. Observers reported that Cindy mouthed the words “I love you” to Casey. Casey was said to shrug and slightly grimace for a second and then reverted to her stone faced demeanor.

Bobby Williams, a tattoo artist, was also called to testify today. It was Williams who gave Casey her now famous “Bella Vita” (Good Life) tattoo. He stated the Casey was given her tatoo on July 2 and on July 15th came in again to make an appointment for herself and a friend. She mentioned that her daughter Caylee would accompany her on the 19th, the day of the appointment. Attornies for Casey Anthony objected to the State's line of quetioning of Williams and called yet again for a mistrial based on the animation of the skull, the heart shaped sticker testimony and the State's bringing up the subject of people getting tatoos to remember loved ones that have passed. Judge Perry denied the motion for a mistrial. The State announced that they will enter 2 more pieces of evidence tomorrow morning and then rest. The defense will begin their presentation on Thursday.

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: CANINES AND COMPUTERS!

 Marion Pellicano Ambrose

Osceola County Canine Sgt. Kristin Brewer testified this morning about what she and her canine, Bones experienced when checking the Anthony back yard. Bones alerted to human decomposition on the same spot in front of Caylee’s playhouse as Orange County Canine Gerus alerted to on the first investigation. The next day neither dog alerted on the spot. Sgt. Brewer stated that whatever evidence had been there was most likely scraped away when investigators removed the topsoil looking for further evidence.

Detective Sandra Osborne of the Orange County Sheriff's  Office then took the witness stand to testify about photos and Internet searches on a computer at Casey Anthony's home. Prosecutors have said previously that an Internet search on chloroform was conducted with the computer.

CASEY ANTHONY: JUNE 7th AFTERNOON UPDATE

Marion Pellicano Ambrose

Deputy Forgey and Gerus

Judge Belvin Perry dismissed the jury a little early today after the testimony of Orange County Deputy Jason Forgey and videos of the canine search for remains. Deputy Forgey remained calm even as Baez poured on the pressure. He was also cross examined intensely by the Prosecution.  The Defense hoped to prove that Forgey was speculating on the behavior of his canine, Gerus.  Forgey reported that his canine jumped into Anthony’s car and made a beeline for the back seat, reaching toward the trunk. When led to the trunk, Gerus gave his “final alert” indicating that he detected the presence of decomposition of a human body. The dog also hit on an area in front of Caylee’s playhouse in the Anthony’s back yard. The impressive record and education of the dog was highlighted, as was the training and experience of Deputy Forgey.

FBI agent Dr. Michael Rickenbach testified today that he found miniscule amounts of dried chloroform residue in the carpet of the car. Baez pointed out that the amount of chloroform found was equal to that of what could be found in cleaning products.  This was in contrast to previous testimony that large amounts of chloroform were found in the air sample.

Judge Perry will start the day tomorrow with the testimony of yet another Canine Officer. He chose to wait until tomorrow rather than keep jurors past their usual end time of 5pm. The judge announced that he had several details to work out which included meals and scheduling for tomorrow.

CASEY ANTHONY TRIAL: JUNE 7th MORNING UPDATE

Marion Pellicano Ambrose

The Casey Anthony Murder Trial resumed today. On the stand was crime scene investigator Gerardo Bloise. Baez questioned him as to why he dried out the garbage from Anthony's trunk that was said to have produced the odor of human decomposition. Baez implied that the evidence was altered because of Bloise’s actions. Bloise testified that he followed procedure and that drying actually preserves evidence and makes it easier to examine.

The “Bone Yard” Doctor, Arpad Vass was called for cross examination this morning.  Vass has been described as “quirky” but is considered a credible expert witness. Baez again tried to discredit Vass’ findings by pointing out that garbage from the junk yard where the car was found had not been collected and tested and that the junkyard itself might have contaminated the air samples from Anthony’s car. Vass offhandedly replied that they took all that into consideration and that his findings were valid.  His candid, slightly geeky demeanor has become popular with the public and possibly with the jury. Only time will tell. The court is in recess for lunch and will resume this afternoon.

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