Casey Anthony: What’s coming Tuesday morning?
Casey Anthony stands wit defense attorney Jose Baez in court Friday. Photo credit: Gary W. Green/Orlando Sentinel
“The biggest trial in Central Florida history,” WFTV-Channel 9 anchor Bob Opsahl said in opening the 5 p.m. newscast tonight.
The trial, of course, is that of Casey Anthony, who is charged with first-degree murder in the death of her daughter, Caylee.
WFTV caught defense attorney Cheney Mason headed to the Orange County Courthouse today. “The coin has been tossed. I’m ready for the kickoff,” Mason said.
What to expect Tuesday morning in the opening statements?
“Premeditation — the state’s got to focus on that and hammer [it] through this trial,” said WKMG-Channel 6 legal analyst Mark NeJame said.
Each side will get 90 minutes to two hours for opening statements, WKMG’s Tony Pipitone noted.
WFTV reporter Kathi Belich said the prosecution’s opening statement will include video, photos and audio.
WFTV legal analyst Bill Sheaffer described what the defense has to do in its opening statement: “Right out of the gate, the defense is going to have to start punching holes in the state’s case.”
WOFL-Channel 35 legal analyst Diana Tennis cited the 30 days before the child was reported missing as crucial. Of the defense, Tennis said, “I don’t think they’re going to be able to get away with just poking holes in the state’s case. I think they’re going to have to give an alternative explanation, and they better do that in the opening.”
About Casey’s car, Tennis said, “That child was in that car, and mom is going to have to explain why.”
WKMG legal analyst Mark O’Mara said both sides need to be precise and focused. “They don’t want to lose the jury that early on,” O’Mara said. “They also need to be careful because what they bring in during the opening statement they’d better be able to prove.”
What else does Sheaffer expect from the defense? “They can’t be so specific that should the evidence not come out the way they believe it’s going to come out that they’ve married themselves to some theory that the jury says, ‘Oh my goodness, you promised me something you didn’t deliver.’ ”
Sheaffer discounted an approach in which the defense would say Caylee’s death was an accident. “The facts really don’t support that,” Sheaffer said.
WESH-Channel 2’s Amanda Ober talked to two women who formed friendships over the Internet while following the case. They plan to be in the courtroom Tuesday. One woman described the prosecutors as her heroes and said, “They will bring Caylee Anthony into that courtroom, and I think it will be powerful.”
WOFL-Channel 35’s Holly Bristow said the scene at the courthouse had been “very quiet” today except for media rushing to make sure their temporary sets were ready for Tuesday. A man passing by dismissed the general public’s interest in the case, calling it “a little strange” and “a little morbid.” Another man said the media trailers at the courthouse suggested there would be a concert.
‘Saturday Night Live’ scores best season-finale ratings in 7 years
Justin Timberlake sang part of his 'Saturday Night Live' monologue to a woman in the audience. Photo credit: NBC
With Justin Timberlake as host and Lady Gaga as musical guest, “Saturday Night Live” enjoyed a huge ratings boost this weekend.
The preliminary ratings for the 36th season finale were the largest in seven years, NBC said. The show scored a 7.0 household rating, matching a mark set by the 2004 season finale hosted by the Olsen twins.
The last time a season finale scored better was in 2000, when Jackie Chan hosted and Kid Rock was the musical guest. That show put up a 7.3 household rating.
Last night’s show scored ratings 21 percent higher than the season finale last year.
“Saturday Night Live” was bigger than anything in prime time last night on CBS, Fox, NBC or ABC.
Casey Anthony: WFTV previews opening statements
Defense attorney Jose Baez pats Casey Anthony's arm after the jury was sworn in Friday. Photo credit: Gary W. Green/Orlando Sentinel
If you want a weekly recap of the Casey Anthony case, WFTV-Channel 9 is offering informative specials at 7 p.m each Saturday for the trial’s duration. Tonight’s show was a mix of memorable footage and crisp analyses by experts.
Tonight’s show was most interesting when reporter Kathi Belich and legal analyst Bill Sheaffer previewed the opening statements set for Tuesday morning. Anthony is charged with first-degree murder in the death of her daughter, Caylee.
Sheaffer predicted an unusual high-tech presentation — audio, video, photos — from the prosecution. “I would expect the first thing they want to do is put a face to this young child, and what a face Caylee has,” Sheaffer said. “Then they’re probably going to play that 911 call from Cindy Anthony.”
Sheaffer said he believes the prosecution will show some of the Casey party pictures, but not dwell on them.
And Sheaffer predicted that the defense team will deliver on its promise in the opening statement to explain why Casey didn’t reveal Caylee was missing for 31 days. ”This is the burning question in this community,” Sheaffer said. “Why did a mother of 2-year-old child that goes missing for 31 days not tell law enforcement? And then on top of that she tells lie after lie after lie?”
The defense must confront those issues in the opening statement, Sheaffer said, while raising doubt.
Local TV stations have said they will broadcast the opening arguments live at 9 a.m. Tuesday.
In tonight’s special, WFTV recapped the past week, including a female spectator’s outburst and the difficult jury selection. Sheaffer predicted that the jury will come together quickly and dismissed the notion that one juror, who said she had a hard time judging people, could derail the process.
WFTV jury expert Randy Fisher predicted that a counselor in her 60s will become the jury foreperson. “The foreperson is the most influential person on the jury,” Fisher said, adding that the woman was a question mark to him.
WFTV also studied Casey Anthony’s look and emotions during the past week. Anchor Vanessa Welch said a mug shot taken Saturday showed Anthony was pale and had bags under her eyes. Belich said Anthony’s look in the 11 days of jury selection had ranged from ”bedraggled to stylish and upbeat to apparently frightened.”
What are you expecting in the opening statements?
PBS: WMFE was wrong about dues increase
Paula Kerger, president and CEO of PBS, was in Orlando this week for PBS' annual meeting. Photo credit: PBS
When WMFE announced that it was selling its TV station, the Orlando public broadcaster cited PBS dues as one reason for the sale.
Jose Fajardo, WMFE president and CEO, said a possible 37 percent increase in PBS dues figured in the decision and noted that WMFE paid nearly $1 million a year.
PBS didn’t respond to Fajardo’s comment when WMFE announced the sale on April 1. But Paula Kerger, president and CEO of PBS, disputed Fajardo’s version this week when PBS had its annual meeting in Orlando.
“Their dues were not going to go up,” Kerger said. “He went on the record and said the dues were going up 37 percent and that is not true.”
PBS had no warning that WMFE was selling the station, Kerger said: WMFE announced the sale, then Fajardo went to see PBS about the transition.
“He came to see us and, at that point, there was nothing to be done except to talk about a transition,” Kerger said. “He said they were selling the station and he thought the sale would have gone through by July 1. That’s what we’re working against.”
Kerger said she was looking forward, not backward.
“If the station’s been sold, it’s been sold. My interest, frankly, is the people of Orlando,” she said. “I want to make sure the people of Orlando receive a public broadcasting service.”
Kerger said she hopes an announcement will come within a few weeks about how Orlando viewers will receive PBS after Channel 24 goes dark June 30.
‘20/20? explores Arnold Schwarzenegger, Dominique Strauss-Kahn stories
Dominique Strauss-Kahn sits during a recess in his bail hearing Thursday. Photo credit: Richard Drew/Reuters
ABC’s “20/20″ announced today that it will report tonight on “the sex scandals that are imploding the worlds of two superstar politicians.”
Those politicians are former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who revealed that he had fathered a child by his former housekeeper, and Dominique Strauss-Kahn, who was considered a strong candidate to be France’s next president. Strauss-Kahn, the former head of the International Monetary Fund, is charged with trying to rape a hotel maid in New York.
“The cases are radically different, but both raise questions about very powerful men who had everything, and now, may have everything to lose,” ABC News said in previewing the stories.
The program airs at 10 tonight on WFTV-Channel 9. Another segment looks at infomercials. Elizabeth Vargas and Chris Cuomo co-anchor the program.
Katie Couric thanks viewers for sharing ‘incredible journey’
Katie Couric smiled broadly today before President Barack Obama gave a speech in Washington. Photo credit: Jason Reed/Reuters
Katie Couric’s final “CBS Evening News” tonight began with a report about a former teammate accusing cyclist Lance Armstrong of using banned substances to win.
Scott Pelley, Couric’s successor on the “Evening News,” reported the Armstrong story, which will air Sunday on “60 Minutes.”
The news will go on even as the anchors change. During her final “Evening News,” Couric interviewed Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and joked with correspondent Anthony Mason about the huge initial public offering for social network LinkedIn. “Some analysts say LinkedIn’s success could mean the sky is the limit for Facebook,” Mason said.
“And that means we’re not relevant,” Couric quipped.
Couric was brought in to raise the ratings at “CBS Evening News.” She began with fanfare, but she couldn’t bring new viewers to the network, and she acknowledged that anchoring wasn’t her strength. She reportedly is considering trying a daytime talk show, possibly for Disney.
Still, the former “Today” co-anchor had many memorable moments at CBS. In saying farewell, she recapped her five years at the network in five minutes. The well-edited segment replayed bits of interviews with George W. Bush, Michael J. Fox, Alex Rodriguez (he lied to Couric), Sarah Palin, Barack Obama, Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, astronaut Mark Kelly, Betty White and Clint Eastwood (for Couric, he said, “Go ahead, make my day”).
In her final moments on the broadcast, Couric told viewers, “Thank you so much for coming along with me on this incredible journey.”
She might not have succeeded in the ratings, yet she left interviews that will be studied for years to come. The Fox and Sullenberger chats were remarkable. And the Palin interviews will be examined as long as there is political reporting.
Couric’s time at CBS is a reminder that there are ways to make a mark beyond ratings. To her credit, she ended her stint gracefully, too.
Casey Anthony: Jose Baez says, please, stop speculating; TV doesn’t
Casey Anthony sits in court today. Photo credit: Gary W. Green/Orlando Sentinel
Jose Baez issued a statement this afternoon that today’s adjournment in the Casey Anthony trial selection was “a private matter.”
He added, “Please stop the speculation as jury selection will continue at 8:30 tomorrow morning.”
Did television stop speculating? Ha.
WESH-Channel 2’s Bob Kealing talked to “a source close to the case” who said that Baez “had taken ill.” And WFTV-Channel 9’s Kathi Belich said “a courthouse source” told her Baez “wasn’t feeling well.”
WKMG-Channel 6’s Tony Pipitone highlighted that Baez was pulling lozenges from a bag today. When lawyers met behind closed doors today, Pipitone said the station “had been told sickness was discussed.”
Baez, of course, didn’t confirm that.
WOFL-Channel 35 legal analyst Diana Tennis said she didn’t know what the problem was. But she added, “It was obviously something the judge thought was pretty darn important or he wouldn’t have let him leave. And it’s also something that took him out of the courtroom, so maybe that weighs against it being illness. Maybe something in his personal life.”
WOFL legal analyst Hal Uhrig speculated ”there was a decent chance it was some family emergency that the judge would obviously allow him to run back home.” If it’s a personal matter, people may never know what happened, Uhrig said.
Adam Longo of Central Florida News 13 noted there was “wild speculation,” then asked the chanel’s legal expert, David Fussell, what most likely happened. Fussell said Baez was probably sick.
Baez’s absence set off a flurry of speculation about the case.
Pipitone bemoaned “all this speculation, this nonsense you hear on cable TV about plea deals and emergency appeals and all these sort of things. Basically, the guy was sick.”
“There was speculation about a possible plea,” Belich said. But WFTV legal analyst Bill Sheaffer disputed that idea and added, “I don’t see any circumstances that are inconsistent with Mr. Baez having a personal issue that may be health-related.”
Judge O.H. Eaton Jr., who is WESH’s legal analyst, dismissed speculation about a settlement in the case. “I do know that both sides are in trial mode right now. Unless something happens to break that up, I don’t think this case is going to settle,” Eaton said.
Kealing noted that the jury selection remained stuck at 11. “Perry announced that he’d like the trial to start Monday, but those hopes are dimming,” Kealing added. Anthony is charged with first-degree murder in the death of her daughter, Caylee.
Belich reported that Judge Perry had extended the reservation for the courtroom in Pinellas County through Saturday.
Eaton saw Perry’s comments about the possible loss of the Pinellas courtroom as posturing more than fact. “The chief judge in Pinellas County is not going to evict him from the courthouse,” Eaton predicted to Amanda Ober. “They’ll make arrangements somehow for him to use the courtroom.” Such a deal could go into next month if necessary, Eaton said.
CBS cancels ‘Bleep My Day Says,’ ‘Criminal Minds’ spinoff
William Shatner, right, squared off against Lee Majors in an episode of "Bleep My Dad Says." Photo credit: Greg Gayne/CBS
CBS introduced five series last fall. Three will be back this fall: “Hawaii Five-O,” “Mike & Molly” and “Blue Bloods.”
“Bleep My Dad Says” and “The Defenders” didn’t earn second seasons.
Earlier this year, William Shatner predicted that “Bleep My Dad Says” would be renewed. He told me: “We did 19 shows. I thought we ended up in top 25. In my previous experience, that’s a hit show. I can’t imagine us not coming back.”
But he won’t be coming back. The other cancellations are midseason entries “Mad Love,” “Chaos” and “Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior.” “Medium” ended its run with a series finale. I write about the full CBS schedule here.
The biggest news: CBS is moving “The Good Wife” to 9 p.m. Sundays.
Casey Anthony: How far along is jury selection?
Casey Anthony was in court today for jury selection. Photo credit: Gary W. Green/Orlando Sentinel
Day eight of jury selection in the Casey Anthony case was the top story on noon newscasts.
Eleven possible jurors were in the running, WFTV-Channel 9 anchor Greg Warmoth said. Chief Judge Belvin Perry said he can’t swear in the jurors until there are 12, then he will turn to alternates, WESH-Channel 2’s Bob Kealing reported.
Adam Longo of Central Florida News 13 said the process was “going very slowly” because the potential jurors were being called in from home, and he speculated that the trial wouldn’t start this week. Perry had hoped the trial would start today.
About the alternate issue, WKMG-Channel 6’s Mike DeForest said that Perry “originally wanted eight and he’s certainly going to settle for less” during the selection process in Clearwater.
DeForest speculated that Perry would need two to four alternates. “What if somebody gets sick on this jury panel or there’s another reason that he can’t serve over this two-month trial?” DeForest asked. “It’s very possible we could be back here again tomorrow for jury selection.”
WFTV legal analyst Bill Sheaffer predicted that the jury-selection process was only about two-thirds completed. Anthony is charged with first-degree murder in the death of her daughter, Caylee.
Longo of News 13 said there were 17 potential jurors when the day started, but six were excused, and four more potential jurors were dismissed this morning.
“The only person who said she cannot judge people based on what others say is the only one who’s all but assured to be on Casey Anthony’s jury, and prosecutors are concerned she’ll hang the jury,” WFTV’s Kathi Belich said.
But Chief Judge Belvin Perry again rejected the prosecution’s argument.
WESH’s Kealing focused on a potential juror, a woman, who said she couldn’t understand Casey’s partying behavior after Caylee disappeared. Kealing noted that Anthony averted her eyes during those comments. That woman was dismissed after she would have been “hysterical” if her child was missing.
WFTV jury analyst Randy Fisher said some potential jurors were simply hard to read and speculated that both sides ”fear they may turn into loose cannons who could hurt them.”
Longo of News 13 predicted that getting to the number 12 could be difficult, because the defense and prosecution each has five challenges. “Worst-case scenario, we could end this day with only one juror left,” Longo said.
Longo also highlighted a lighter moment today: Perry said he would help a potential juror who gave up tickets to a Milwaukee Brewers game. Perry indicated he would help the man get good tickets later, and the man said he would hold Perry to that promise, Longo reported. Perry wrote down his phone number and gave it to the man, Longo added.
Casey Anthony: Potential jurors and a possible trial start
Casey Anthony talks to defense attorney Cheney Mason in court today. Photo credit: Gary W. Green/Orlando Sentinel
How was the seventh day of jury selection in the Casey Anthony case?
“Productive,” WESH-Channel 2 anchor Jim Payne said.
“Just within the past 10 minutes, the judge announced they’ll wait until tomorrow morning to decide whether any of the 17 jury finalists should be eliminated,” WFTV-Channel 9 anchor Martie Salt said as the 6 p.m. news started. “If 12 survive the elimination, then they’ll be sworn in.”
WFTV’s Kathi Belich described the group from Pinellas County: Nine men and eight women. Most were white — two were African Americans — and most were in their 40s. They include a nurse, a truck driver, a counselor, a chef and several students. WFTV jury specialist Randy Fisher called attention to the counselor, who ”speaks in beautiful, complete sentences” and could be persuasive.
WKMG-Channel 6’s Tony Pipitone said the process could “get interesting” because the prosecution and defense each has eight strikes — or eight people — they could get off the jury. “If the defense really wants to take out a lot of these jurors, for instance, we could be back here again on Wednesday,” Pipitone said. “The intention of the court right now was to get this thing done tomorrow, have Wednesday off and get the trial started on Thursday.”
Anthony is charged with first-degree murder in the death of her daughter, Caylee.
WESH’s Bob Kealing said looked at the defense: “Jose Baez is sending signals that the defense is unhappy with the number of potential jurors who can’t seem to follow Perry’s instruction to put their personal feelings aside.”
WFTV’s Belich explained the defense could use all of its eight remaining challenges at once to eliminate as many potential jurors as possible, then ask the judge for more challenges. WFTV legal analyst Bill Sheaffer predicted that approach wouldn’t work and noted that would give the prosecution the edge in choosing the jury.
WFTV’s jury expert Fisher said, “The state is basically just trying to eliminate any juror they think may be biased against the prosecution and we haven’t seen one of them yet.”
WKMG’s Pipitone marveled that one woman who knew a lot about the case was questioned for 90 minutes before the prosecution decided it didn’t want her. “She was fascinating because she knew so much about this case,” he said. “A lot of these younger people are not really watching a lot of news, reading a lot of newspapers. Some of the older people are.”
Anthony’s demeanor was a recurring topic.
WESH’s Kealing said that Anthony “appeared more engaged in the process, keeping track of juror candidates’ comings and goings.”
WFTV’s Belich said Anthony was “in ivory today, looking more put together.” Belich also highlighted that Anthony reacted (she mouthed “wow”) when a woman told of getting away from a home invader.
On “In Session,” Vinnie Politan wondered how much input Anthony, who was taking notes today, would have on jury selection. Orlando attorney Diana Tennis, who was offering analysis, said she asks her clients for their thoughts. “I tell them watch carefully, give me feedback,” she said. And she asks them, “Who looked you in the eye and gave you that kind evil stare? Who did you have a good sense of?”