Court watchers who expected the prosecution to continue their rebuttal in the State vs Casey Anthony case were disappointed on Friday, as a clearly tick-off Chief Belvin Perry, recessed the court “indefinitely”, before jurors could take their seats.
Outside the presence of jurors, lead defense attorney Jose Baez argued their side needs more time to depose a few expert witnesses for the prosecution and review additional computer records where Cindy Anthony, mother of the defendant, worked in March 2008.
Cindy, who testified for the defense one week ago, said she was the one that conducted the internet searches for “chlorophyll” which jumped to “chloroform” on March 17, 2008 and not her daughter Casey.
On cross-examination by prosecutor Linda Drane Burdick, Cindy also said she conducted other searches such as “neck breaking”, “injury”, ruptured spleen” and more. She testified she did not conduct any searches on “how to make chloroform.”
But Cindy may have perjured herself as prosecutors in their rebuttal case will show through additional computer work records she was at work at the time she claimed those searches were conducted from her home on the family computer.
The state is trying to prove it is Casey who conducted the searches for “chloroform” and used the deadly drug 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.
Casey’s defense attorneys have claimed that the 2-year-old toddler died accidentally in the Anthony swimming pool and that grandfather George Anthony covered it up.
Prosecutors also plan on calling two expert witnesses, Dr. Bruce Goldberger, a University of Florida toxicologist and Dr. Michael Warren, a forensic anthropologist to refute testimony of defense witnesses. Warren will say opening a skull during an autopsy is not a requirement, as testified to by defense expert witness Dr. Werner Spitz. Goldberger is expected to testify that there was no organic material found when he undertook the cranial wash of Caylee’s skull.
Baez told the court that he needs more time to depose the prosecution’s expert witnesses, given that they are introducing new evidence. Prosecutor Jeff Ashton said that the evidence is not new.
Perry requested the reports of the experts witnesses for review, but warned that he hoped the problems being encountered were “real” and not “imaginary.” He told Baez he could use the rest of the morning to depose witnesses.
“If you are so troubled, we will let you take the time and work until a reasonable time and be back her tomorrow, and Sunday, and Monday, and Tuesday, and Wednesday,” Perry warned.
Perry recessed the court indefinitely.
