Casey Anthony Trial Nearing End; Presentation of Evidence to Wrap Up Friday
The state began their rebuttal against Casey Anthony Thursday afternoon, after the defense finished up their case earlier with testimony from Casey’s family and her father’s alleged mistress.
Before they called their first witness, prosecutor Jeff Ashton tried to allow the jury to smell the air sample cans from Casey’s trunk, which the state believes Caylee’s body was placed in after she was suffocated by duct tape.
However, Judge Belvin Perry ruled that allowing the jurors to smell the cans would deny the defendant her Sixth Amendment rights and thereby denied the state’s request. He also stated that there was ample testimony for the jury to deliberate.
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Alina Burroughs was the first witness to take the stand for the state. She was a crime scene technician with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. On December 11, 2008, Burroughs photographed items of evidence at the Anthony residence during the execution of a search warrant.
She confirmed taking photos of clothing items, which were in wooden chest drawers, in the northeast corner of Caylee’s bedroom.
No cross-examination was conducted and the witness was the first and last witness for the day.
Ashton also showed the jury pages of George Anthony’s suicide note addressed to his wife, which he was questioned about previously on Wednesday.
He had attempted committing suicide because he wanted to be with Caylee and did not want to be in the world. The state published the letter in an attempt to show that George did not know about the whereabouts of Caylee.
The note revealed that George bought a gun in order to get answers from Casey’s friends about his granddaughter and would commit suicide after.
The defense claims, however, that George wrote the note to appear innocent and accuses Casey’s father of persuading his daughter to keep Caylee’s accidental death by drowning a secret.
The state is expected to wrap up their rebuttal sometime Friday.
Casey, 25, is charged with several counts including lying to law enforcement and murdering her 2-year-old daughter. If convicted, she may face the death penalty.
Additionally, Judge Perry convicted a 28-year-old man by the name of Matthew Bartlett of direct criminal contempt. He was caught holding up his middle finger to Ashton during trial, although it was expressly forbidden, for no apparent reason, and apologized for his careless actions.
Judge Perry sentenced him to six days in the Orange County Jail with a fine of $400 to be paid over the course of six months. Bartlett requested to appeal.
The murder trial, which has captivated the public, is expected to end this week. Judge Perry said Thursday that he expects presentation of all evidence to conclude on Friday and closing statements to be made Saturday morning. Deliberations would then begin that afternoon.
