Casey Anthony: Does Cindy Anthony help or hurt state?
Cindy Anthony cries during testimony today. Photo credit: Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel
Cindy Anthony’s tearful testimony dominated reporting today of her daughter’s murder trial.
Wall-to-wall trial coverage could be found on Central Florida News 13, WOFL-Channel 35 and WRDQ-Channel 27, the sister station of WFTV-Channel 9. WFTV later picked up the trial, and many news organizations also streamed the trial. Casey Anthony is charged with first-degree murder in the death of her daughter, Caylee.
WFTV legal analyst Bill Sheaffer said that Cindy was “a very powerful witness for the state” and that she “lends George credibility.”
The defense has alleged that George Anthony, Casey’s father, sexually abused his daughter and helped cover up his granddaughter’s drowning death. George Anthony denied the accusations on the witness stand.
Cindy “undercuts the defense argument that George is a monster,” Sheaffer said. “I think this reinforces and strengthens George’s testimony.”
Later, Cindy gave detailed testimony about Casey’s comments about Zanny the nanny, a figure who doesn’t exist. Casey Anthony listened stonily to her mother. Cindy’s testimony, Sheaffer said, revealed “the intricacies of the lies that Casey told.” Sheaffer said, “It’s astounding.”
Casey Anthony cries during a recess today. Photo credit: Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel
During a break in Cindy’s testimony, Casey Anthony could be seen crying. “Earlier, Cindy began crying about things and Casey really had no reaction at all,” WFTV’s Steve Barrett said. “Now Casey’s very, very emotional. But earlier, when Cindy kind of lost it on the stand there, Casey didn’t have any reaction.”
Jacqueline Fell of Central Florida News 13 said that Cindy’s “tears started coming” the minute that prosecutor Linda Drane Burdick asked Cindy about granddaughter Caylee.
WOFL’s Shannon Butler said was struck by Casey’s emotion. “There is a lot of emotion from Casey Anthony,” she said. “Now what that is, I don’t know. You can tell there is some tension between her and her mother while her mother’s on the stand. I think those tears … I don’t know that you can fake that.”
After court adjourned, Fell of Central Florida News 13 said, “What a day!”
News 13 offered footage of the shaken Cindy Anthony leaving the court after testifying. George Anthony had his arm around his wife as she shook her head. “He’s holding on to her quite tightly,” Fell said.
News 13 also shared footage of Casey Anthony crying when she saw her parents embrace before walking out of the courtroom. “She was very upset,” Fell said of Casey. “Not really sure exactly what started it.”
Brad Conway, former attorney for George and Cindy Anthony, served as analyst for WOFL. He analyzed testimony from Tony Lazzaro, former boyfriend of Casey, who read text messages between Lazzaro and his former girlfriend. In one message, Casey called herself “the dumbest person and the worst mother. I honestly hate myself.”
Conway called the text messages by Casey “blatant lies” and saw no half-truths in them. “Lazzaro’s got a serious concern for what’s happened and where Caylee is, and Casey continues to lie,” Conway said.
The stations had predicted that the state would try to get to Cindy Anthony’s 911 call before court adjourned, but that didn’t happen. On WOFL, Conway said “it was a big mistake” for the state not to get to the 911 call today.