Cindy Anthony dropped a bombshell on June 22 when she claimed, "I looked up chloroform," not Casey Anthony, as well as chlorophyll, in the week of March 17, 2008.
Her daughter, Casey Anthony, is on trial for allegations of first-degree murder after the remains of he 2-year-old daughter, Caylee Marie Anthony, were found on Dec. 11, 2008, after a series of lies Casey told about the toddler's whereabouts. The state of Florida alleges that Casey intoxicated the little girl with chloroform or by the suffocation by duct tape sealing her nose and mouth.
The state began their rebuttal phase on Thursday in the State v. Casey Anthony trial, but the jaw-dropping occurred Friday when contradicting testimonies by state witnesses proved Cindy perjured herself for what some have speculated was to take the wrap for her daughter.
John Camperlengo, chief compliance officer for Gentiva Health Services where Cindy is employed, took the stand and confirmed that the grandmother to the victim was at work on March 21, 2008, entering patient information into her computer's system, under her own user name, throughout the entire afternoon and most importantly between the 2 and 3 p.m. when the chloroform searches were being done.
Also in opposition of Mrs. Anthony's statements was the testimony by Kevin Stanger, under direct examination with Prosecutor Linda Drane-Burdick, on Friday, he addressed that when he used his system to verify any keywords typed into the search engine Google that began with "chloro," he found no results for chlorophyll. Cindy claimed she researched the item on her family desktop at her home to discover if was a substance in her backyard causing her dog illness.
Other information Cindy asserted she searched for were sanitizer, which did not appear, one search for "neck" was found in Stanger's test, but no bamboo.
"None of these terms were utilized in these files," Stanger said and added that he even repeated his analysis by using an older examination tool called Hex Editor to confirm, and those results were consistent with his initial ones.
Drane-Burdick's final question inquired if Stanger found any searches for dogs. "Somebody searched for fleas," he replied.
It is unknown whether legal action will be forced against Cindy for the misconduct, but Karin Moore, a law professor at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University and former criminal defender, assumes Cindy won't be. "They could file it in good faith," said Moore, "but under the circumstances of this case, it would be harsh." The charge for perjury is primarily felony in the third degree, she says.
After the final testimony by Yuri Melich in the state's segment, Drane-Burdick affirmed, "Your honor, the state has no further rebuttal witnesses."
Chief Judge Belvin Perry Jr. informed the jury that the attorneys have reached the conclusion of their presentations, and the 17 jurors will be dismissed until Sunday morning when closing statements will be initiated.
At the conclusion the case, the defense requested renewal of motions for mistrial they filed earlier in the trial. Cheney Mason stepped up to the podium to dispute the video submitted into evidence by the state, which demonstrates Caylee's face being superimposed into a skull, while a duct tape is wrapped around her face, concealing her nose and mouth, to imply the tape is the murder weapon. Judge Perry denied that motion.
He also petitioned the motion for a mistrial by death penalty expert Ann Finnell, arguing the death penalty to be stricken from this case, after Florida regarded it as unconstitutional.
Perry made the query to Mason, "You want me to continue reserving ruling on that matter?"
"I want you to continue reserving ruling on that," replied Mason.
Mason also inquired about a judgment for acquittal. He said the state reverts from different methods of homicide, saying the child died either from the poisoning of the chemical chloroform to the application of the duct tape blocking the child's breathing, "depending on what week of the trial are in."
Mason argued that the state lacked the "essential elements" in their evidence how the child died, where she died, and who, if anyone, was present when she passed, which he classifies as a burden for them. "These have not been answered since July 16, 2008," said the counsel.
He maintained there was no evidence of pre-meditation, aggrevated child abuse or felony murder and asked the court to reconsider counts one, two and three, stating that although Casey provided many falsehoods to several family members and friends, she was still a good mother to little Caylee Marie. "She was a very good, devoted mother to every witness who took the stand," he expressed.
He declared there to be no solid results for some of the investigations. Mason reinstated the doctors' testimony affirming there "may" have been chloroform in the trunk of Casey's car because there was only a "trace" of it, but still no proof the toddler's death was caused by it; nor is there proof that the tape was on the child's face. Tssues they have been facing for three years, he explained.
"The whole thing is a bunch of confusion," Mason asserted, who says the jury should not have to endure it. "They shouldn't have to be burdened to guess this ... This requires inference and speculation."
Drane-Burdick refuted the defense's disagreements. "There is sufficient evidence to go to the jury," she said. "We ask the court to deny the judgment of acquittal."
After hearing both sides' pleas, he responded, "Renewal for judgment of acquittal will be denied."
Because Perry reserved ruling on the amended motion for mistrial under Finnell's request to stricken the death penalty, Casey, as of now, may still have to be imposed to the sentence.
There will be no court proceedings on Saturday, but on Sunday when the jury is given their instructions, as well as Monday, when deliberation will be underway, followed by the verdict, according to Perry''s schedule estimation.
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