Prosecution, defense offer closing arguments in Casey Anthony trial
(CNN) - As Casey Anthony alternately cried, glared and shook her head, prosecutors in her capital murder trial told jurors in closing arguments Sunday that evidence in the case points to only one conclusion - that she murdered her 2-year-old daughter Caylee.
"When you have a child, that child becomes your life," prosecutor Jeff Ashton told the seven-woman, five-man jury. "This case is about the clash between that responsibility, and the expectations that go with it, and the life that Casey Anthony wanted to have."
Defense attorney Jose Baez, however, told jurors, "I probably think you have more questions than you have answers." And the central one, he said, remains how Caylee died.
Just after 6:30 p.m., before the prosecution could offer its rebuttal to the defense's closing presentation, Orange County Chief Judge Belvin Perry Jr. dismissed the jury for the day.
"I want all of you bright-eyed and bushy-tailed," Perry told the jury. "It's been a long day, (and) it will be a long day tomorrow."
Jurors are expected to start deliberations Monday - even though it is the Independence Day holiday - to decide if Anthony, now 25, is guilty of killing Caylee. She is charged with seven counts, including first-degree murder, aggravated child abuse and misleading police. If convicted of first-degree murder, she could receive the death penalty.
Casey Anthony has pleaded not guilty to all charges, and denies harming her daughter.
Prosecutors allege that the Orlando woman used chloroform to render her daughter unconscious before putting duct tape over her nose and mouth to suffocate her. She left Caylee's body in the trunk of her car for a few days before disposing of it, they allege.
In his closing, Baez attacked the state's case, saying it does not constitute the kind of evidence that jurors need to make a decision in such a serious matter. Prosecutors' allegations are based on "fantasy (computer) searches, fantasy forensics, phantom stickers, phantom stains (in the trunk) ... and no real, hard evidence," he said.
Updated: 8:28 p.m.
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Post by: Ashley Hayes Filed under: 360° Radar • 360º Follow |
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the trial is still ongoing as of now 5 pm central time..i am sure they will continue until both defense and prosecution are finished so that the jury might start deliberation..i heard today that one juruor has a cruise scheduled for the 7th of july, so they want to fcomplete the trial before that date..it is a shame the jury cannot hear all of the evidence that has been discussed on tv..i feel that she is guilty..many so called "loving" mothers have murdered their children for whatever reason, so i find that defennse ridiculous...
You know Jose Baez is as big a story teller as Casey. It's a shame that he is practicing law. trying to blame someone
else: look up in the bible. anyone that blames someone else is just as guilty. Casey's lawyer doesn't know what to do
so hey why not make up stories; he must of got it off of Casey. She is such an awful. RIP Caylee Anthony.
Baez is confusing reasonable doubt and certainty in his closing. He stated that if there is even one iota of a doubt, that the jury must take that as reasonable! It reminds me of the movie Dumb and Dumber, in the scene when Jim Carrey's character is asking Lauren Holly's character what his chances of dating him are. She responds, "More like one in a million". In that context it is obvious that one in a million is a joke; Baez seems to be suggesting that one in a million is a certainty! That is an insult to any reasonable person's intelligence!
I have been folowing this case when i can, im kinda wondering why nobody has maybe suggested that the clorofom was used to "knock"poor caley out then possibly the tape used as the prosecuters suggest..but maybe she was put in the trunk alive...and thats how it can be tied in..If that was the case then Casey wouldnt have had to see or hear her poor daughter and maybe thats how she is able to distantce herself so much from the reality that her little girl is no longer here and its her fault??
Baez told in closing that the reason Casey borrowed the shovel was to break the lock on the shed to get a gascan. He said the Anthony family had 4 shovels of their own in the shed. But he just said the shed was locked....Duh! I believe, she couldn't get to their shovels so she borrowed one.I believe the friends didn't smell the odor in the car becauseCasey had buried Caylee, she hadn't placed her in the car, yet. Later, I believe she dug her up (after the blow flies were almost gone) and put what was left in the car,for a period of time and then reburied her in another spot at a later date.
ALSO the pics of Caseyand Caylee that were shown around 12:30 this afternoonon on HLN during the lunch break,where Casey is playing the guitar in a bedroom wearing a purple blouse...in the background is adresser with an open drawer, and on the floor are white tennis shoes...were these ever recovered and tested for soil samples?Or did they disappear from the time this pic was taken and the discovery of the body?
One thing I don't understand is who is tha the father of Caylee Anthony and why havn't we heard about him or from him in testimony in regards to Casey Anthony, or basically what his thoughts are?
to mike :
to answer the question WHY didnt george call the police at the tow yard.
one word......cindy !
If Lee or dad molested Casey. would she really allow them to babysit her child?????My experiences as a young girl being molested by an uncle I kept my kids far away from him!!!!My heart goes out to the family as their lives have been needlessly destroyed.Remember the beautiful little child the world has lost!