Day 3 of jury selection in the Casey Anthony case was quite eventful.
Beginning shortly after 9:00 am, on Wednesday, Judge Belvin Perry introduced the court room players, discussed the role of jurors and again read the indictment against Casey, as he had done on Monday.
Casey breathed heavily and shook her head ever so slightly from side to side as Count #1-premeditated murder was read. She cried again, as the rest of the charges were read–Count 2-aggravated child abuse, Count #3-aggravated manslaughter and Counts # 4,5,6 and 7-providing false information to the Sheriff’s office and a police officer.
Casey held her head down for much of the indictment, appeared to quiver and seemed to have even more trouble breathing. At one point she had to be escorted from the court. As the day wore on, the crying stopped, but she consistently removed her hair from her face, breathed heavily periodically, rubbed her hands together and persistently wiped the corners of her lips.
As he did on Monday, Perry explained the procedure to potential jurors–there would be hardship questions, others related to pre-trial publicity, and questions about their views on the death penalty. He also discussed the two distinct phases of the trial, reminding that the burden of proof is on the state to prove its case.
“It is to the evidence you must look for that proof,” Perry said. “If you have no reasonable doubt, then it is guilty. If you have reasonable doubt, it is not guilty.”
Perry again, admonished potential jurors not to discuss the case with anyone, use any electronic devise, such as a computer to look for information and not to read newspapers or blogs about the case.
Perry also fined one potential juror, Jonathan Greene, $450 for talking to a reporter about the case while the court was recessed. There is speculation that Greene did so deliberately so he would not be called to serve.
As on Monday and Tuesday, potential jurors filed in one by one and were asked the central question as to whether they would experience any hardship, should they be selected to serve on the jury.
Many were excused for cause due to financial hardship, some for medical reasons, and few requested to return on Friday for a second round of questioning.
Perry adjourned the proceedings at 7:09 pm, indicating that the rest of the inquiry of jurors will continue on Thursday.
Prosecution and defense attorneys will have an opportunity tomorrow to question jurors on pre-trial publicity and the death penalty.
One woman who has been asked to come back for a second round of questioning, offered up that she does not believe in capital punishment. No doubt the defense team will try to have her seated as a juror!
The court will resume at 8:30 am, on Thursday.
