Caylee Marie Anthony #155 1/19/10 - 2/23/10

[tupelohoney]

I saw this posted on HM   

http://members.calbar.ca.gov/courtDocs/06-O-14552-1.pdf

Todd Macaluso Disciplinary Charges

[trimmonthelake]

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/caylee-anthony/os-casey-anthony-explain-monday-20100124,0,5753219.story
Casey Anthony fraud case: Lawyers aren't talking, but something may happen Monday
9:39 a.m. EST, January 24, 20
What's going to happen Monday when accused child killer Casey Anthony appears in court to face fraud charges filed against her?

A trial was supposed to start — but that was canceled. Neither the state nor the defense has asked for more time to prepare. No new trial date has been set.

Hmmm. Something's in the works.

Prosecutors aren't talking. Defense attorney Jose Baez hasn't responded to calls or text messages from the Orlando Sentinel.

Anthony, a 23-year-old who is being held without bail in the Orange County Jail, is accused of taking her friend's checks to buy more than $400 worth of clothes and groceries at Target and Winn-Dixie stores. Security video shows her writing out checks in the summer of 2008.

Investigators also say she withdrew $250 from the bank and tried to pay a $574 phone bill, but there wasn't enough money left in her friend's Bank of America account. In July, Baez repaid $664 on behalf of his client to the bank.

Several things could happen Monday. Some options:
•The defense could negotiate some type of plea deal with prosecutors ahead of time. If Anthony pleads guilty or no contest to some of the 13 counts of check fraud, the state could decide to drop the others and recommend a sentence to Orange Circuit Court Judge Stan Strickland. He'll have final say, but typically judges go with the sentence that had been hashed out.

•Maybe the state offers no deal or offers one that Anthony doesn't like. She may chance her luck with Strickland. She could plead guilty or no contest to the charges and allow Strickland to decide her sentence.

•Anthony could ask for a jury trial. She also could opt for a bench trial, which means Strickland would weigh the evidence and decide her guilt or innocence.

In Anthony's case, the sticking point may be whether Strickland withholds adjudication. This means a defendant is not formally convicted of a crime.

That could be a factor in her murder trial.

Anthony is charged with first-degree murder in the death of her daughter, Caylee Marie. The 2-year-old's remains were found Dec. 11, 2008 in woods less than a mile from her family's east Orange County home. The state is seeking the death penalty.

If adjudication is withheld in the fraud case, prosecutors can't say she is a convicted felon.

However, if Strickland adjudicates her guilty in the fraud case, prosecutors can use the conviction against her in the murder case.

Attorney Andrew Chmelir — who is not involved in the Anthony case
Attorney Andrew Chmelir — who is not involved in the Anthony case — said some jurors may choose not to believe a client if they learn about a previous felony conviction.

"In a close case, you don't want to give anything up," he said.

[trimmonthelake]

Thanks Tupelo.   

[Western Observr]

Now that takes nerve- not only does she take every last penny out of Amy's account, she overdraws the account to pay her phone bill.  This girl was burning all bridges, she knew she was going to jail for the rest of her life and she knew why....

[Babybear]

Good afternoon, Monks.

As I recall Macaluso impressed some people in Orlando because he flew his own airplane from California.  Now we have reason to suspect where the $50,000 (which was likely a down payment) came from.  He has been oddly quiet recently but wasn't it he who announced in court that they had witnesses to prove Casey's innocence?  Didn't the SA demand the names of these witnesses?  Wasn't the defense ordered by the judge to produce these names sometime in February?  Isn't this hilarious?

"First let's kill all the lawyers."---Shakespeare

[Babybear]

Good afternoon, Monks.

As I recall Macaluso impressed some people in Orlando because he flew his own airplane from California.  Now we have reason to suspect where the $50,000 (which was likely a down payment) came from.  He has been oddly quiet recently but wasn't it he who announced in court that they had witnesses to prove Casey's innocence?  Didn't the SA demand the names of these witnesses?  Wasn't the defense ordered by the judge to produce these names sometime in February?  Isn't this hilarious?

"First let's kill all the lawyers."---Shakespeare

BTW, Tupelo and the other researchers, you're tops.

[trimmonthelake]

Hey BabyBear.   


http://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/law/os-law-and-you-cameras-20100124,0,6063827.story
Cameras in the courtroom? State by state the debate rages on

By Rich McKay, Orlando Sentinel

11:01 a.m. EST, January 24, 2010

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Our Americans lives are increasingly captured by a camera, whether on a traffic light camera looking for red-light scofflaws, the one staring back at you at an ATM or bank teller's counter, or a cell phone or iPod camera carried by almost any school kid.

Yet one debate seems universal. The key question: Should we allow cameras in all courtrooms?

Most states allow at least some access to news outlets for television and print cameras. Orlando's Ninth District State Court for Orange and Osceola counties allows news cameras even in the high profile Casey Anthony trial, a mother accused of slaying her daughter Caylee. But federal criminal and civil courts almost universally don't allow cameras.

The question has recently caught the nation's attention through the appellate case of California's controversial "Marriage Protection Act" or its short-hand "Prop. 8," which changed the California's state Constitution to ban same-sex couples from getting married.

That amendment upended the brief time in California in which same-sex couples were allowed to get married.

As that battle wages in a federal appeals court in San Francisco, opponents to the marriage ban wanted the nation to watch the legal proceedings on television.
The political hot potato went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, where a majority of the justices said no to camera. Their reasoning: irreparable harm likely would result because witnesses on either side of the issue feared they would be harassed because of their testimony.

But does that fear outweigh the public good of allowing citizens a front row seat to public court proceedings?

Most U.S. states allow cameras in state criminal and civil cases, a trend that allowed the world to watch the mid-1990s O.J. Simpson homicide trial. A subsequent civil trial, which by a judge's order wasn't televised, and the civil jury found that the preponderance of the evidence indicated that Simpson was responsible for the murders of his ex-wife and her friend, and awarded a multi-million-dollar civil fine

Cameras should be allowed in the courtrooms under most circumstances, says Orlando attorney Derek Brett, who practices Constitutional law.

"From a First Amendment perspective, I'd say that the press should have unfettered access to all courtrooms, and that would include bringing in cameras," he said.

He said that our nation's founders were wary of the dangers of courts holding trials in secret.

"Cameras, of course, weren't invented yet when the Constitution was written, but the issue was clearly tackled," Brett said. "Our founders wanted unfettered access for the press so the public at large could know what was happening in our courts."

Federal Chief Judge Anne C. Conway, based in the Middle District of Florida, said the main reason cameras aren't allowed in her court is because the Supreme Court says so.
And she's OK with that.

"There are a lot of facets to this issue," Conway said. "There are security issues, privacy issues. We get a lot of threats here at the federal level, but because we're not on TV, we get to move through society without being worried if we're being targeted."

She cited drug cases as an example and whether a witness in a drug case would be willing to take the witness stand knowing there's a potential for anyone to see who's pointing a finger a defendant.

Of course, those same people could go to the federal courthouse and sit in and watch in person the same testimony without any restrictions.

Conway also pointed to the Simpson trial. Most experts agreed the trial turned into a media circus, with lawyers on both sides playing to the television cameras instead of the jury.

She also pointed to the on-going legal saga of Casey Anthony, the young mother accused of slaying her two-year-old daughter Caylee. The legal saga, which hasn't even gotten to the point of selecting a jury has captivated the nation.

"You'd be hard-pressed to find anyone who hasn't heard of Casey Anthony," she said. "We have to be concerned first and foremost with holding a fair trial."

But she did point out a Supreme Court decision made last week. The high court overturned a drug conviction in a Georgia state court because a judge ordered the public to leave the courtroom because there wasn't enough room for both the public as well as prospective jurors.

Professor Ray Surette, who teaches criminal justice and legal affairs at the University of Central Florida, said that the freedom of the press, enshrined in the First Amendment, was put there because our founders didn't trust government too much.
Surette said that there is so much murder, sex and celebrity cases that get most of the TV airtime, that it could give a distorted view of the function of the courts. For instance, back in 2007 there was much watched hearing over who would get custody of the body of Anna Nicole Smith, the former playmate who married an oil billionaire, and she died of an apparent prescription drug overdose.

But there are also cases where the outcome was of true national importance, such as the 2000 Bush v. Gore case over the outcome of the razor-close Florida election. Florida law allowed the nation to have a front-seat view of the court case via their television sets. When it was ultimately appealed and decided in the U.S. Supreme Court, no cameras were allowed. But in a rare move at the time, the U.S. Justices did allow audio recordings of the proceedings to be made and released daily.

"The press functions as a surrogate for the public, because can't all be at every court hearing," Surette said. "It's not a perfect system, but it helps keep government accountable."

Rich McKay can be reached at rmckay@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5470.

[no rose colored glasses]

Cameras should be allowed in the courtrooms, and not just because I'm nosy.

[Brandi]

Cameras should be allowed in the courtrooms, and not just because I'm nosy.

I agree. And on the dashboards of police vehicles. And not just because I am nosy also.

[trimmonthelake]

Cameras should be allowed in the courtrooms, and not just because I'm nosy.

I agree. And on the dashboards of police vehicles. And not just because I am nosy also.

I agree with both of you.

[Miki Monkey]

I wonder if the judge will take into consideration that KC will be a convicted felon and withhold adjudication because it will adversely affect her murder trial if she is convicted of this crime. Is he allowed to consider this or not?. I hope not.
What would be the "normal" sentencing in a crime like this for a first time offender?

Good Afternoon Monkeys......

[Babybear]

Cameras should be required in courtrooms and police cars because I AM nosy.

[ccndixie]

Can anyone tell me what time this circus kicks off tomorrow and where is the best place to observe?  Probably right here, as I recall getting direct feeds thru this website on some of the other hearings.  Just wondering if any of the networks (HLN??) might be there also.  TIA for the information.  Should be an interesting show.

[trimmonthelake]

http://www.cfnews13.com/News/Local/2010/1/24/will_casey_take_plea_deal_in_check_fraud_case.html
 Will Casey Take Plea Deal In Check Fraud Case?
Sunday, January 24, 2010 9:51:11 AM
ORLANDO -- Monday could be a big day in the case against Casey Anthony as she heads back to court.
LIVE COVERAGE
Watch the latest Casey Anthony hearing LIVE at 1:30 p.m. Monday. Plus, follow @CFNews13_Casey on Twitter to get instant updates.

The big speculation is over what will happen with Casey’s check fraud civil case, in which she has been accused of stealing more than $400 from a friend and going on a shopping spree.

Because that trial was postponed, legal experts said a plea deal could very possibly be in the works, and Casey could plead guilty to at least some of the charges against her.
Also up for debate Monday is a potential ruling in her murder case.

Casey’s lawyers want to get sworn testimony from the ex-wife of Roy Kronk, the former meter reader who found the remains of Casey’s 2-year-old daughter, Caylee, in 2008.

In previous interviews, Jill Kerley told defense investigators that Kronk was violent and used duct tape to restrain her -- similar to the duct tape used on Casey’s daughter.

Deputies said Kronk is not a suspect in Caylee’s murder.

Bump for ccndixie 

[tupelohoney]

Can anyone tell me what time this circus kicks off tomorrow and where is the best place to observe?  Probably right here, as I recall getting direct feeds thru this website on some of the other hearings.  Just wondering if any of the networks (HLN??) might be there also.  TIA for the information.  Should be an interesting show.

The hearing is at 1:30 and I'm sure most of the local news outlets will be airing it.

http://cfnews13.com/   they have stated they will be covering the hearing

http://www.wftv.com/index.html

http://www.clickorlando.com/index.html

http://www.myfoxorlando.com/

[tupelohoney]

Oh yeah, TruTV may be airing the hearing as well.....too many commercials for me, but good as last resort. They sometimes discuss the hearing afterward too.

[SunnyinTX]

Trimm that is funny  I've got this weird feeling come Monday she will be stubborn and won't plead guilty, now that would be interesting if that happened.

Hi Monks!! nrcg...nothing would surprise me......I think we have to be prepared for anything at this point!!

[SunnyinTX]

Trimm that is funny  I've got this weird feeling come Monday she will be stubborn and won't plead guilty, now that would be interesting if that happened.

I will be glad to see Monday get here.   

Hi trim....me too....I have had a very busy weekend and managed to even get my ironing done yesterday so I can watch the hearing on Monday and not feel guilty!!

[trimmonthelake]

http://www.cfnews13.com/News/Local/2010/1/24/will_casey_take_plea_deal_in_check_fraud_case.html
 Will Casey Take Plea Deal In Check Fraud Case?
Sunday, January 24, 2010 4:03:41 PM
ORLANDO -- Monday could be a big day in the case against Casey Anthony as she heads back to court.

EXTENDED COVERAGE
Watch extended coverage of the latest Casey Anthony hearing Monday. Plus, follow @CFNews13_Casey on Twitter to get instant updates.

The big speculation is over what will happen with Casey’s check fraud civil case, in which she has been accused of stealing more than $400 from a friend and going on a shopping spree.

Because that trial was postponed, legal experts said a plea deal could very possibly be in the works, and Casey could plead guilty to at least some of the charges against her.

Also up for debate Monday is a potential ruling in her murder case.

Casey’s lawyers want to get sworn testimony from the ex-wife of Roy Kronk, the former meter reader who found the remains of Casey’s 2-year-old daughter, Caylee, in 2008.
In previous interviews, Jill Kerley told defense investigators that Kronk was violent and used duct tape to restrain her -- similar to the duct tape used on Casey’s daughter.

Deputies said Kronk is not a suspect in Caylee’s murder.

The defense is saying they don't have all the scientific studies that have been done.  Prosecutors say they're still waiting for the defense to hand over a witness list and their  evidence.
   
A motion concerning Texas EquuSearch has been delayed.

[trimmonthelake]

Trimm that is funny  I've got this weird feeling come Monday she will be stubborn and won't plead guilty, now that would be interesting if that happened.

I will be glad to see Monday get here.   

Hi trim....me too....I have had a very busy weekend and managed to even get my ironing done yesterday so I can watch the hearing on Monday and not feel guilty!!

All right!We're ready.