Casey Anthony: Why didn’t she testify? WKMG points to sidebar
Casey Anthony in court today. Photo credit: Red Huber/Orlando Sentinel
Casey Anthony’s decision not to testify at her murder trial surprised many people today.
WKMG-Channel 6 investigative reporter Tony Pipitone found a possible explanation in a sidebar from last Friday: a discussion about Casey’s criminal activity.
He read a transcript of the sidebar on the 6 p.m. news. You’re likely to hear more about the sidebar in a special that WKMG will offer at 10 p.m. tonight. Anthony is charged with first-degree murder in the death of her daughter, Caylee.
Prosecutor Linda Drane Burdick warned defense attorney Cheney Mason that the defense would open the door up to Casey’s criminal activity by talking about family dysfunction.
Prosecutor Jeff Ashton added: “You think you’re going to be able to keep out all the stealing if you start that, that’s what she’s saying?”
Burdick said: “There are hundreds of checks that she wrote on her mother’s account, hundreds.”
Pipitone then interpreted the conversation: “The state was threatening, if Casey Anthony testified, to bring in not just the crimes she was convicted of, the Amy Huizenga convictions and taking her checks, but hundreds of checks that Casey Anthony wrote on her mother’s account, stealing that we’ve not confirmed yet.”
Pipitone said he saw Burdick going through checks from Cindy’s account yesterday. “That’s what the state was about to do,” Pipitone said. “And that is one reason why — there are many possible reasons — Casey Anthony did not testify today.”
What do you think about that?
Casey Anthony: Kim Kardashian predicts ’shocking outcome’
Casey Anthony in court today. Photo credit: Red Huber/Orlando Sentinel
Reality diva Kim Kardashian is following the Casey Anthony trial and tweeting her views.
She’s blunt. “I believe Casey is guilty,” Kardashian writes.
Anthony is charged with the first-degree murder in the death of her daughter, Caylee. Casey’s defense team says it will wrap up its case Thursday. Chief Judge Belvin Perry warned tonight that people should be prepared to work Sunday and Monday.
And that should give Kardashian more to tweet about over the July 4 holiday weekend. She has written the prosecution needs to do a better job and described the case as “a mess” because of so many conflicting stories.
“Inside Edition” called attention to Kardashian’s fascination with the Orlando trial tonight and noted that her late father, Robert Kardashian, was part of O.J. Simpson’s dream team.
“I feel this will be a shocking outcome,” Kardashian wrote of the Anthony case.
What do you say to that?
WUCF will be at Channel 1 on Bright House Networks
Grant Heston is the assistant vice president of news, information and WUCF at the University of Central Florida. Photo credit: UCF
PBS enters a new era in Central Florida on Friday when WUCF TV launches.
But where will it be? Now we know: Bright House Networks will place WUCF at Channel 1 everywhere in the region and at Channel 1001 in high definition.
“We’re No. 1. That’s easy to remember,” said Grant Heston, assistant vice president of news, information and WUCF TV at the University of Central Florida.
On DirecTV, Dish Network and U-verse, WUCF will be at Channel 68.
On Comcast, WUCF will be at Channel 440 in high definition.
Over the air, WUCF will be at 68.1.
WUCF is a partnership of the UCF and Brevard Community College. BCC’s TV station, WBCC, will broadcast WUCF TV. “Our goal is to provide public television access to the broadest number of Central Florida viewers as possible, and we believe this agreement delivers that,” said Kate Junco, BCC’s director of marketing and media relations.
The college will continue broadcasting the partners’ channels, UCF TV and WBCC.
On Bright House, UCF TV will shift to Channel 9 and digital 457 in Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties. WBCC will be on Channel 9 in Brevard County and at digital 456.
“I could not have asked for a better end result than this,” Heston said. “I would not have been bold enough to ask for all that Bright House has given us. They’ve been incredibly supportive.”
Donald Forbes of Bright House said in a statement: “The new PBS offering is an exciting addition for our Central Florida customers. We look forward to working with them on offering advanced digital video services like On Demand, Start Over and Look Back to our mutual customers.”
Heston said that the website WUCFTV.org will relaunch before the channel starts airing the PBS lineup. The website will offer extensive information on the channel’s schedule.
WMFE, which has broadcast the PBS lineup, will allow WUCF to send mail announcements to 25,000 WMFE members, Heston said. But the mail isn’t fundraising, Heston said.
The message, Heston said: “We’re the new kids on the block. Thank you for welcoming us into your homes and we hope you enjoy the new channel.”
WUCF also will send out its news via Facebook, Twitter and email blasts, Heston said.
What do you think of WUCF’s placement?
Casey Anthony ratings: WFTV in front most of the way Monday
Casey Anthony during a break in her trial today. Photo credit: Red Huber/Orlando Sentinel
For Casey Anthony coverage Monday, WFTV-Channel 9 was tops in the morning and the afternoon.
When WFTV broke away from the Anthony trial at 6 p.m., the ABC affiliate continued to be the most-seen station. But Central Florida News 13, which continued with the Anthony trial, had the most viewers in the 25-to-54 age group at 6.
Here are the Monday morning numbers in households: WFTV with 97,000 homes, WOFL-Channel 35 with 60,700, News 13 with 46,400, WKMG-Channel 6 with 38,600 and WESH-Channel 2 with 36.600.
Here’s how the stations placed in the morning in the 25-to-54 age group, which is most important to news advertisers: WFTV with 32,000 viewers, WKMG with 29,500, WOFL with 25,600, News 13 with 22,500 and WESH with 19,200.
Here’s how the stations fared that covered the trial from 1:30 to 6 p.m. Monday: WFTV with 112,300 homes and WESH with 43,600 homes.
Here’s how those stations performed in the 25-to-54 age group: WFTV with 48,700 viewers and WESH with 22,000.
Here’s how the stations fared that covered the trial from 1:30 to 7:15 p.m: WOFL with 58,600 homes, News 13 with 57,900 homes and WKMG with 36,600 homes.
Here’s how those three stations played with the 25-to-54 age group in the afternoon: News 13 with 29,000 viewers, WOFL with 23,000 and WKMG with 15,500.
At 6 p.m., WFTV and WESH returned to regular news while the other stations stayed with the trial. Here are the household counts from 6 to 7:15 p.m.: WFTV with 135,500 homes, News 13 with 82,700, WESH with 81,500, WOFL with 68,700 and WKMG with 59,500.
In the 25-to-54 age group in that time, News 13 drew 49,800 viewers and edged WFTV with 47,700. Here’s how the other stations fared in that time: WOFL with 39,400, WESH with 32,000 and WKMG with 26,800.
Anthony is charged with first-degree murder in the death of her daughter, Caylee.
Casey Anthony: Does this woman look competent to stand trial?
Casey Anthony in court today. Photo credit: Red Huber/Orlando Sentinel
The Casey Anthony trial produced another big surprise today: News that her competency had been evaluated over the weekend floored television pundits.
WFTV-Channel 9 legal analyst Bill Sheaffer said he was totally taken by surprise by the news, which stopped court Saturday. “She, from all appearances, seemed to act appropriately in court, seemed to be communicating with her lawyers,” Sheaffer said. “The defense filed their motion, however, and Judge [Belvin] Perry immediately stopped the proceedings. Kept everything quiet.”
Judge O.H. Eaton Jr., WESH-Channel 2 legal analyst, said it was unusual but not unheard of for there to be a competency issue during a trial. He speculated ”there must have been something that came up just recently that made some of the defense attorneys concerned that she was not competent to proceed.”
Three forensic psychologists evaluated Anthony, who is charged with first-degree murder in the death of her daughter, Caylee. The psychologists said that Anthony is competent to stand trial.
WKMG-Channel 6 legal analyst Mark O’Mara said Anthony had been engaged and interactive through the trial. He theorized that something has come up to put the defense on guard, possibly her uncertainty about whether to testify. “I think it’s got to be something the defense is aware of that isn’t apparent to the rest of us, who say this lady is doing fine,” O’Mara said.
On WOFL-Channel 35, the discussion was about why defense attorney Cheney Mason brought the competency issue to the court’s attention. Attorney Hal Uhrig speculated that Mason wanted to distance himself from the rest of the defense team. “I think when he got on the team, he thought it was going to be a team instead of a platform for Jose [Baez] and him sitting in the back,” Uhrig said.
WESH’s Amanda Ober quoted the defense motion for a competency investigation on Anthony. The motion cited a confidential communication with Anthony that alarmed attorneys. Jeff Deen, WESH legal analyst, said that communication could be anything. “Can she stand trial and understand the proceedings around her?” Deen asked. “You could have watched her this morning and have known that.”
Richard Hornsby, another WESH legal analyst, speculated that the defense motion related to the testimony of Cindy and Lee Anthony on Friday. “I have no doubt that she [Casey] was saying things to Mr. Mason that made him really question her connection with what’s really going on in that courtroom,” Hornsby said, stressing it was his personal opinion.
Hornsby said it seemed highly improbable that Anthony would testify if her attorneys had just questioned her competency.
Deen summed up: “If I’m her lawyer, and she says to me, ‘I want to testify,’ I’m going to immediately think she’s crazy, but I’m going to know she’s not incompetent.”
WFTV’s Sheaffer said the defense might be trying to stop Anthony from testifying. “It may well be that Casey Anthony believes she should take the witness stand against her lawyers’ advice,” he said.
WFTV’s Kathi Belich explained that the decision to testify is Anthony’s alone.
The testimony of a forensic chemist this afternoon didn’t seem to help the defense after intense cross examination by prosecutor Jeff Ashton, Sheaffer said. Ashton turned the defense witness “in short order” into a state witness, Sheaffer said. Ashton’s cross examinations of expert witnesses had been “a think of beauty” and “masterful,” Sheaffer added.
WOFL legal analyst Brad Conway described the defense’s story as “one step forward, three steps back” and said that a skilled attorney, such as Ashton, could “completely obliterate” the opposing side.
WESH anchor Martha Sugalski relayed reports that the jurors were getting fidgety. WESH legal analyst Eaton said, “Quite frankly, the question is, after you listen to all this stuff, what do you take home with you? Really, not that much.”
Casey Anthony: Is delay significant or no big deal?
Casey Anthony in court Saturday. Photo credit: Red Huber/Orlando Sentinel
What’s coming Monday at the Casey Anthony trial?
The mysterious recess Saturday has people wondering.
Geraldo Rivera, last night on his Fox News Channel show, called the delay shocking. But he also cited ”an unimpeachable source” who said the legal issue “is expected to have no long-term impact on the trial, and further, it is still possible this contentious case could be wrapped up before July 4.” And Rivera added that the trial is “expected to resume Monday as if nothing happened, legally speaking. There is no harm, no foul.”
Yet Mark NeJame, the Orlando attorney who is a legal analyst for WKMG-Channel 6, advised trial watchers to be “glued” to their sets at 8:30 a.m. Monday. “This is significant, this is substantial, this is a fundamental issue,” NeJame told Tony Pipitone.
NeJame discounted the notions there was a problem with the jury or a witness or that someone got sick. “You can take this judge at his word. He said it was a legal issue,” NeJame said.
NeJame highlighted that defense attorney Cheney Mason approached the bench about the issue. NeJame said other possibilities include a plea deal or Anthony wants someone off the defense team.
Vinnie Politan of “In Session” and HLN said that Jean Casarez talked to Mason last night. Here’s what Casarez reported last night: “Cheney Mason, attorney for Casey Anthony, confirms with me that ALL of the media speculation surrounding Judge Belvin Perry’s dismissal of court this morning is false. This speculation would include plea deal, mistrial, Roy Kronk’s telephone records and issues with Dr. Bill Rodriguez testifying for the defense. What was put on the record today in chambers is under seal and cannot be made public at this time.”
NeJame also said talk of a mistrial was highly speculative. Anthony is charged with first-degree murder in the death of her daughter, Caylee.
WFTV-Channel 9 legal analyst Bill Sheaffer said the legal issue “of some importance” apparently came up in a short time. He also compared the situation to Baez’s leaving court during jury selection — an event that set off a lot of incorrect speculation.
The Saturday issue certainly set off a lot of speculation, too. Will we find out what it is Monday morning?
Nick Charles: admired sportscaster, heroic example
Nick Charles died today after a two-year battle with bladder cancer. His legacy includes being CNN’s first sports anchor and working with Fred Hickman for almost two decades on “Sports Tonight.” But the heroic way in which Charles faced death, sharing his story frankly, brought him new admirers.
“What is life?” he said. “It’s 20 percent what happens to you and 80 percent how you react to it.”
Charles told his story in a moving Sanjay Gupta program that just premiered last weekend. CNN said “Nick Charles: No Regrets, Lessons from the Fight” will repeat at 7:30 a.m. Sunday.
In a recent interview, Gupta talked about reporting on Charles, who had stage four bladder cancer. “I’ve been following Nick for some time, looking at someone who’s given that diagnosis,” Gupta said. “How he decided what to pursue and not to pursue. Most of it became about his spiritual journey.”
Gupta said in a statement today: “Even though we knew this day would come, it was still a shock to hear about the passing of my friend Nick. He was a grand dreamer, and his dreams only grew when confronted with the mortality he faced with courage and grace. I grew up watching Nick reporting the biggest sports stories, and it was a privilege to later know him, and call him a friend. We shared the special bond of being fathers to young daughters, and my heavy heart is with 5-year-old Giovanna today, his extraordinary wife Cory, and his entire family.”
Cory relayed the news that Nick, who was 64, had died peacefully in Santa Fe, N.M. He left video diaries for his daughter to see on her birthday in years to come.
Jim Walton, president of CNN Worldwide, said in a statement: “As a journalist and sports personality, Nick Charles helped put CNN on the map in its early days. He brought intelligence, style and heart to his work — qualities that translated to our company and inspired those of us who were fortunate to work alongside him. His passing is a loss to CNN, to the sports world and to the fans and friends everywhere who were with him to the end of his extraordinary life. Like them, our thoughts today are of Nick and with his family.”
Nick’s thoughts were with his family, too, in explaining his outlook: “I feel that when I go, that I’m going to prepare a place for my daughter and my wife. I’m going to be in their heart and soul. I tell them that every day.”
Casey Anthony: Is defense falling short? When will trial end?
Casey Anthony in court today. Photo credit: Red Huber/Orlando Sentinel
In the Casey Anthony trial, the prosecution won good reviews for a clear, chronological presentation. But the defense’s case, which should conclude next week, has been scatter shot, sometimes confusing and ultimately wanting, according to TV analysts. I have a feeling that most viewers share that view after today.
Attorney Brad Conway, on WOFL-Channel 35, was particularly critical of the defense. “I’m lost with their methodology,” he said. “It’s not consistent. They should have had an order, and they should have decided what they want to prove at the top and go through it in an orderly fashion so the jury remembers. They’re skipping all over the place. I think that’s where the jury gets lost.”
Viewers get lost, too, although the jury is the only audience that matters in this story.
Attorney Mark NeJame, on WKMG-Channel 6, said the big piece of the defense’s case — the sexual allegations against George Anthony in the opening statement — was still missing.
“We didn’t hear them do any cross on George Anthony, and we haven’t heard them do any cross on Lee Anthony,” NeJame said. “That was the cornerstone, in large part, of their opening argument. The fact of the matter is there’s still no mental health expert on the defense witness list. So this is going to have to be a story created by the defense and sold to the jury without expert testimony.”
NeJame said he was anxious to hear that part of the story — if it’s coming.
It will need to come soon, because defense attorney Jose Baez said he expects to wrap up Thursday. Casey Anthony is charged with first-degree murder in the death of her daughter, Caylee.
WFTV-Channel 9 legal analyst Bill Sheaffer said Chief Judge Belvin Perry was optimistic to think the trial could wrap up next weekend. “It’s more likely that this will go to the jury after the Fourth of July,” Sheaffer said. “Next week will be the last week of testimony.”
But WOFL-Channel 35 legal analyst Diana Tennis said she thought the jury could start deliberating a week from Saturday. “This going to get very complicated,” she said. “You have to be available — the lawyers, the judge — if they have a question at any time, want to have testimony read back … And that means on into Sunday and on into the holiday Monday.”
WKMG’s Tony Pipitone said today was different from recent days of forensic testimony, because Cindy Anthony, Casey’s mom, and Lee Anthony, Casey’s brother, took the stand. “The jury today got a peak inside this family — some say dysfunctional, some say in denial,” Pipitone said. “Whatever it is, it is a family in distress.”
WFTV’s Kathi Belich said that Lee and Cindy Anthony provided “damning testimony against Casey” for the prosecution, but turned inconsistent when testifying for the defense. Belich also highlighted that Cindy Anthony testified that Casey, when she was home in summer 2008 after her first arrest, never told the family that Caylee had drowned.
WESH-Channel 2’s Amanda Ober said Baez might have tried to ask Lee Anthony about alleged sex abuse in the family. “But Lee hesitated and didn’t go there,” she said. “Another area the defense did not get to go was the Anthonys’ marriage.”
But how was the defense doing? Judge O.H. Eaton Jr., WESH’s legal analyst, said the defense had gotten in some testimony and evidence that Caylee could have drowned. “I think they need more,” Eaton added.
“As far as the molestation is concerned, they first have to prove the dysfunctional family,” Eaton said. “That’s part of their defense to justify the actions of Casey after the child died, and we don’t have any molestation testimony at this point.” Eaton added that the defense had been unsuccessful so far in showing that Caylee’s body had been moved.
WOFL analyst Tennis also said the defense has fallen short in portraying the family’s problems and explaining why Casey is messed up. “What they need is super dysfunctional,” she said. “Really, this was kind of garden-variety dysfunctional.”
What do you think?
Casey Anthony: Cindy gives everyone something to talk about
When Cindy Anthony took the stand, jurors became alert. Photo credit: Red Huber/Orlando Sentinel
Just what is up with Cindy Anthony? Her testimony in her daughter’s murder trial left TV analysts asking.
“At the beginning of the case I wondered if this family was colluding,” WOFL-Channel 35 Diana Tennis said. “George and Cindy did not help her during the state’s case, so I’m really confused about what is going on with this family. Again. Right now.”
WOFL anchor Bob Frier added, “It is a soap opera.”
It’s the soap opera that continues play out across local television stations, and Cindy certainly energized a trial that had bogged down in forensics.
“Finally, we’re playing some hardball here,” veteran attorney Jeff Deen said on WESH-Channel 2. “That defense finally came out with something they [the prosecution] had to react to on the fly. You could tell by [prosecutor] Linda Drane [Burdick's] reaction she had not heard this before. She didn’t expect it.”
WKMG-Channel 6 legal analyst Mark O’Mara predicted that prosecutors in their closing will say: “There’s mom trying to save daughter.”
Casey Anthony is charged with first-degree murder in the death of her daughter, Caylee.
O’Mara said prosecutors will have to go after Cindy “as someone who seemingly is changing their testimony and shading it in favor of their daughter. And that’s the tack they’re going to take from now on.”
Mark Lippman, attorney for George and Cindy Anthony, was asked if Cindy was lying for Casey. “Absolutely not,” he replied.
Kathi Belich saw things differently on WFTV-Channel 9. “Cindy Anthony told a whole new story under oath today, even claimed she’s the one who looked up neck-breaking,” Belich said. “Cindy’s testimony was inconsistent today with itself and inconsistent to what she’s said before.”
Judge O.H. Eaton Jr., legal analyst WESH, saw problems with Cindy’s testimony. “She certainly did shoot some holes in the prosecutors’ case, if she is credible,” he said. “She came across today a little less credible than she did before. She equivocated some, she tailored her testimony towards her daughter some.”
Letting George and Cindy Anthony sit in the courtroom was a mistake, Eaton said. “This is a perfect example of why witnesses should not be allowed to stay in the courtroom,” Eaton said.
And what of Cindy’s revelation that Casey had been arrested for check charges? “Those prosecutors didn’t touch that with a 10-foot pole because it would have opened up all kinds of legal issues for them,” Deen said on WESH. He predicted that the state wouldn’t follow up unless Casey Anthony takes the stand.
WESH’s Bob Kealing said the jury was following Cindy’s testimony closely, and five to six jurors were taking notes.
WKMG’s Tony Pipitone said the jury, after days of dry testimony, became alert once it was announced that Cindy was the next witness. “They were clinging to every word as everyone else was in that courtroom,” Pipitone said.
Casey Anthony: Should you talk back to Nancy Grace? Yes
Nancy Grace at the Orange County Courthouse last month. Photo credit: Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel
People don’t talk back to Nancy Grace on her HLN show. They do on “Good Morning America,” which makes for far more interesting television.
In a discussion on “GMA” this morning, Dan Abrams said it would be wise for the defense team to shift gears away from accusing George Anthony, Casey’s father.
Grace ripped into that line of reasoning. “You guys are talking about this like you’re out driving your Porsche along Park Avenue and you’re just going to shift gears and go into second gear,” Grace snapped. “It’s not like that.”
Abrams shot back: “Tell me how it works, Nancy. … I’ve been waiting to learn how it works.”
Grace scoffed that attorneys don’t promise things in opening statements, then shift gears.
Abrams then did the unthinkable: He stopped Grace from talking and asked her a question. It was a historic moment in television. He challenged her, and she came up with a memorable line.
“Here’s the deal: No matter what they do, they’ve ruined their case,” Grace said. “They ruined their case in opening statement.” She said the defense has to stick with the opening statement and make the best of it.” Casey Anthony is charged with first-degree murder in the death of her daughter, Caylee.
In another memorable bit, Grace slapped her hands and urged Abrams and “GMA” anchor George Stephanopoulos to “wake up.”
Stephanopoulos cracked, “I’m still trying to figure out how to get in my Porsche on Park Avenue.”
Grace shot back, “I’m just the messenger.”
Weather anchor Sam Champion chimed in: “That was good TV.”
Sure was. Maybe Grace should let people challenge her more often.