Judge Belvin Perry threw the book at the Casey Anthony defense team on Monday for failing to provide witness information to the prosecution, saying they had willfully violated a court order and flouted court-ordered deadlines. The judge ordered Jose Baez, Casey Anthony’s lead defense attorney to personally pay the court cost of the motion brought by the prosecution, in relation to the violation, reports cfnews13.com.
Perry had previously ruled that the Anthony defense should provide by December 14th, information on expert witnesses and their testimony, as part of discovery in the Casey Anthony murder case.
The defense team had failed to comply with the court order and the prosecution wanted the Anthony defense team to pay $500 per day until they had done so. But, Perry did not go for this, instead asking that the cost to file the motion by the prosecution be determined, which will be paid by Baez. He also ordered the defense to provide the relevant information in seven days.
The Anthony defense attorneys have filed a series of motions as these relate to keeping out the details of Casey’s sex life; her reaction, caught on video, when she learned her daughter’s Caylee’s remains were found; a tattoo–“Bella Vita” or “Beautiful Life”–placed on her arm after Caylee went missing and a stain in the trunk of Casey’s car, among others.
The prosecution has 12-15 days to response to some of the motions filed by the defense team, reports cfnews.13. And on others motions, Judge Perry has not yet ruled.
Anthony is charged with first degree murder in the death of her two-year-old daughter, Caylee. She has maintained her innocence and has said that her daughter was kidnapped by a baby sitter. The child’s remains were found in a wooded area near the Anthony family home, in December 2008.
Anthony is in the Orange County Jail awaiting trial which is expected to commence in May 2011.
