Casey Anthony Defense: Caylee's Death an 'Accident'
Defense lawyer Jose Baez admitted during closing arguments of the Casey Anthony trial Sunday that his client "made some mistakes and bad decisions," but maintained that Casey Anthony was not guilty of murdering her daughter Caylee Anthony.
Baez told jurors that his "biggest fear" was that the outcome of the Casey Anthony trial would be based on emotions, not evidence. He urged the 12-member jury during his closing arguments to give a verdict based on evidence and not get caught up with the emotions surrounding the case.
In the opening statements of the trial, Baez claimed that Caylee had accidentally drowned in the family pool and that George Anthony helped cover up the death. George Anthony has denied those claims.
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"How did Caylee die? That's why we're all here," Baez said Sunday. "Don't speculate. Don't guess. It has to be proven to you beyond a reasonable doubt."
Caylee's death was an "accident that snowballed out of control," he said.
During his closing arguments, defense attorney Baez acknowledged that Casey should have reacted differently to Caylee's purported drowning, but said her actions does not constitute evidence that she killed her daughter.
"She made some mistakes and bad decisions...She should have called the police," he said. "She should have reported her death. There is no doubt about that. That question was never contested. That issue was never debated."
Baez said that the state of Florida has the right to charge her for crimes related to her lies, but has no right to pin her for the death of her daughter "just because it's entertainment, just because everyone wants to know, just because there is some mystery."
Prosecutors say that 25-year-old Casey killed her daughter, knocking her out with chloroform, suffocating her with duct tape, placing her body in a car trunk and then burying her in the woods near the family home.
Baez showed a "Who Smelled What?" chart during his closing arguments, saying that there was an "abundance of people who didn't smell anything" in the trunk of Casey's car. Only George Anthony, who claimed he smelled human decomposition in the trunk, smelled something but didn't take action, he asserted.
The defense attorney also attacked the prosecution, saying they altered the trash evidence found in the trunk and "destroyed" any evidence that would have exculpated Casey.
Judge Belvin Perry recessed the trial for lunch. Baez will continue closing arguments after recess.
The jury is expected to begin deliberations after the defense finishes its closing arguments.
During closing arguments by the prosecution, lawyer Jeff Ashton painted Casey Anthony as a party girl who sacrificed her daughter in order to live the carefree life she had before becoming a mother.
