One week ago on June 23, Cindy Anthony testified that she conducted several internet searches for such things as “chloroform” and it was not her daughter, Casey Anthony, who is on trial for first degree murder in the death of her two-year-old daughter Caylee.
Although Cindy’s time clock records reflected she was at work when searches were done on the Anthony family computer on March 17, 2008, between 1:43 p.m. through 1:55 p.m., when cross-examined by prosecutor Linda Drane Burdick, she testified “It’s possible,” that she made the searches.
“If these searches were made, I know I made them”, Cindy testified last Thursday.
“It’s possible even if your work records reflect something else?” Drane Burdick pressed Cindy one week ago.
“Yes,” Cindy Anthony replied.
But Cindy might have perjured herself as prosecutors in their rebuttal case plan on presenting evidence of additional computer records and calling at least one witness who will testify she was in fact at work at the time searches for “chloroform”, “neck breaking”, “injury”, “ruptured spleen” and more, were done on the Anthony family computer.
Earlier on Thursday, defense attorneys Cheney Mason and Jose Baez argued unsuccessfully before Chief Judge Belvin Perry that the prosecution was in clear violation of the rules of discovery with their desire to present new computer records and witnesses, including a chief compliance officer from Cindy’s former workplace, who will refute her testimony.
The state is trying to prove it is Casey who conducted the searches for “chloroform” and used the deadly gas to murder her daughter, placing duct tape over the child’s nose and mouth, before disposing of her body in a wooded area not far from the Anthony family home.
On Thursday afternoon, outside the presence of jurors, Casey said she would not testify.
“It is your decision not to testify based upon consultation with your counsel?”, Perry asked.
“Yes, sir”, Casey replied.
“Has anyone used any pressure in making you arrive at your decision?” asked Perry.
“No, sir”, Casey said.
“Have you had ample time to discuss the pros and cons of not testifying?” Perry inquired.
“Yes, sir”, Casey replied.
The defense rested their case on Thursday and Prosecutor Drane Burdick called Alina Burroughs a crime scene technician with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office as the state’s first rebuttal witness.
Presented with several photographs of clothing items seized from the Anthony family home belonging to Caylee, Burroughs testified they had come from a wooden chest of drawers in the northeast corner of the toddler’s room.
The defense did not cross-examine Burroughs.
The state then moved to introduce a number of items into evidence, including maps of the area searched by private investigator Dominique Casey and Equusearch volunteer, Joe Jordan, both of whom had testified earlier. Also, prosecutor Jeff Ashton, introduced George Anthony’s suicide note for jurors to read.
At 3:30 pm, Perry send home jurors for the day saying it was his expectation that on Friday, presentation of all evidence in the case would be completed. He also told jurors that final summation would be heard from the state and defense on Saturday morning and he hoped thereafter, to give jurors instructions on the law, so that they could begin their deliberations.
