"The rebuttal evidence immediately led to new speculation that Cindy Anthony concocted a story in an attempt to save her daughter's life. If so, she could be charged with perjury. But legal experts say that's unlikely.
"I would be very, very surprised if they did that," said Miami-based criminal-defense attorney and former prosecutor Daniel Lurvey. "It's a very difficult crime to prove."
Instead, Lurvey said the prosecution called these witnesses Friday to solidify their case.
"Rebuttal is just for the state to plug any holes they feel the defense made in their case," Lurvey explained."
REPORTER ANTHONY COLAROSSI; THE ORLANDO SENTINEL;
A backgrounder on this high profile Florida case cane be found on Wikipedia at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Caylee_Anthony
A guide to the Child Cases can be found at:
http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=120008354894645705&postID=858012168717160055
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"If Cindy Anthony conducted searches for chloroform from her home computer, the prosecution's first-degree murder case against her daughter Casey doesn't fly," the Orlando Sentinel story by reporter Anthony Colarossi published earlier today under the heading, "Casey Anthony trial: Closing arguments Sunday: There will be no proceedings in the trial Saturday as attorneys for both sides prepare for closing statements, which will be Sunday," begins.
"The chloroform searches, as far as the state is concerned, represent pre-meditation – Casey Anthony's intent to kill her daughter. So the prosecution called a series of witnesses Friday who undermined Cindy Anthony's contention that she did the computer searches in March 2008," the story continues.
"Friday was the last chance for jurors to hear testimony in the trial, which enters its ninth week Sunday, when both sides will have their final say with closing arguments meant to sway the jurors and alternates.
In its critical rebuttal Friday, prosecutors began by questioning officials with the company Cindy Anthony worked for in 2008, Gentiva Health Services. Those witnesses said her time card history and work computer activity indicate she was at work at precisely the times the suspicious searches were done at her home.
Earlier in the trial, Cindy Anthony said searches she did for "chlorophyll" led to the chloroform references, but Orange County Sheriff's Office computer forensic experts also cast doubt on that testimony Friday.
The rebuttal evidence immediately led to new speculation that Cindy Anthony concocted a story in an attempt to save her daughter's life. If so, she could be charged with perjury. But legal experts say that's unlikely.
"I would be very, very surprised if they did that," said Miami-based criminal-defense attorney and former prosecutor Daniel Lurvey. "It's a very difficult crime to prove."
Instead, Lurvey said the prosecution called these witnesses Friday to solidify their case.
"Rebuttal is just for the state to plug any holes they feel the defense made in their case," Lurvey explained.
Casey Anthony, 25, is charged with murder in the death of her 2-year-old daughter Caylee in the summer of 2008. She faces the death penalty if convicted as charged.
Another plea for acquittal — denied
When the state was done calling its witnesses Friday, the defense team called on Chief Judge Belvin Perry to grant a judgment of acquittal – a motion Perry promptly denied.
There will be no trial proceedings today as attorneys for both sides prepare for closing statements set to begin at 9 a.m. Sunday. Jury deliberations could start late Sunday.
Defense attorney J. Cheney Mason may have provided a glimpse of the defense team's closing with his argument to get Casey Anthony acquitted. He called the prosecution's case "mythical fantasy."
"There has yet to be any evidence in this case as to how this child died," Mason said.
He added, "The whole thing is just a bunch of confusion."
But Assistant State Attorney Linda Drane Burdick said it is the jury's job to decide "what is fact and what is fiction." She told the judge that Mason's request should be denied because there is "no new hypothesis of innocence."
Cindy Anthony's story rebutted
Jurors on Friday heard from John Camperlengo, a chief compliance officer for Gentiva Health Services. He said records show someone with Cindy Anthony's password and username logged in and logged off at her work computer during the week of March 17, 2008.
The records show her logging in the mornings and logging out well after 5 p.m. During that week, the records also show computer activity throughout the afternoons of March 17 and March 21."
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The story can be found at:
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/caylee-anthony/os-casey-anthony-trial-day-33-20110701,0,7984859.story
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PUBLISHER'S NOTE: The Toronto Star, my previous employer for more than twenty incredible years, has put considerable effort into exposing the harm caused by Dr. Charles Smith and his protectors - and into pushing for reform of Ontario's forensic pediatric pathology system. The Star has a "topic" section which focuses on recent stories related to Dr. Charles Smith. It can be found at:
http://www.thestar.com/topic/charlessmith
Information on "The Charles Smith Blog Award"- and its nomination process - can be found at:
http://smithforensic.blogspot.com/2011/05/charles-smith-blog-award-nominations.html
Harold Levy: Publisher; The Charles Smith Blog; hlevy15@gmail.com;
