Day 14 in the Casey Anthony murder trial turned out to be a highly emotional one for Casey, so much so that she fell ill and Judge Belvin Perry had to recess the court an hour-and-a half before the scheduled 5:00 O’clock hour.
Jurors saw gruesome photo after gruesome photo of 2-year-old Caylee’s remains found off Suburban Drive on December 11, 2008.
Steven Hanson, Chief Investigator in the Medical Examiner’s Office, who resumed his testimony after the luncheon break on Thursday, told jurors that duck tape was found on Caylee’s skull and that it was resting in an area with undergrowth and overgrowth. Hanson said there were strands of hair over the skull and there was hair matt.
Hanson said how he photographed, in addition to the skull, long bones, a black plastic bag, a canvass bag and other items in the vicinity, before transporting them back to the Medical Examiner’s office.
Next, Chief Deputy Medical Examiner for Orange County, Dr. Gary L. Utz was called to the stand.
Prosecutors showed more gruesome photos that Dr. Utz had taken of Caylee’s skull from various angles, some with empty eye sockets, teeth, small bones, much of which was embedded in vines and weeds. Jurors also viewed more photographs of plastic bags, clothing, and other items collected from the wooded area when Caylee’s body was found. A pair of tattered shorts, presumably belonging to Caylee which was found near the skull was also shown.
Casey, for most of the day, did not look at the photos, but kept her head turned away. At times, she appeared to cry, breathe heavily and seemed visibly ill as the photographs grew more gruesome.
Around 3:25 pm, when it time for the mid-afternoon break, Perry, after consultation with both prosecution and defense attorneys abruptly recessed the court for the rest of the day.
Out of earshot of jurors, Perry said, “Ms. Anthony is ill, we are recessing for the day.” There are reports that Casey, upon returning the the Orange County Jail, was being seen by medical staff of the Corrections Health Services.
Prosecutors believe that Casey murdered her two-year-old daughter, Caylee and drove around with the child’s body in the trunk of her car for sometime. They believe that she was the one who placed duct tape on the child’s skull, before dumping the body in the woods. Prosecutors have said that the duct tape on Caylee’s skull was similar to what was found in the Anthony family home.
Casey’s defense attorneys have claimed that Caylee accidentally drowned in the family swimming pool and George Anthony, Casey’s father covered up the crime. The defense has also said that their client was sexually abused by George, and her brother Lee.
Casey, if convicted, could face the death penalty.
