Casey Anthony Apologize

Defense attorney Jose Baez apologized to the court and prosecutors at a Casey Anthony hearing. What could it mean? “On that patronage charge, looks like Jose Baez is just going to get a slap on the wrist,” Steve Barrett said.

Prosecutors had wanted Baez held in patronage for missing a court ordered deadline. But Chief Judge Belvin Perry praised prosecutors and the defense team for settling their differences.

Barrett quickly touched on a topic involving the station. Perry denied the defense’s motion to call WFTV’s Kathi Belich as a witness. WFTV news director Bob Jordan said in an email, “It is what we expected.”

Barrett then moved to the defense’s efforts to block from the trial statements between Anthony and family. The defense argues that family members were acting as “agents of the state” when they talked to their daughter. Anthony is charged with first degree murder in the death of her daughter.

The defendant’s mother (Cindy Anthony), testified today that she didn't wittingly or willingly” help the police build their case against her daughter. “Cindy Anthony testified that detectives encouraged her to try to get information from Casey on her own, but she stopped short of accusing law enforcement of using her to help them build their case,Bob reported.

Baez has been a recurring topic in the hearings. Yuri Melich, the lead detective, testified “that it was the Anthony family that asked, on numerous occasions, how they could sidestep Jose Baez, not the other way around,” Barrett reported.

Louis Bolden (WKMG Channel 6) said, “The state says detectives were getting pressure from family members to find Caylee and detectives were only trying to assist the family in getting answers.”

On the stand, Melich dismissed the notion it was his intent to manipulate the Anthonys to do his bidding. WESH’s Kealing focused on George Anthony’s reaction to testimony. As detectives reject trying to wangle the Anthony family, WESH showed Casey’s father shaking his head. “George Anthony sat in the audience struggling to contain his composure,” Kealing told.

The mood in court was a popular topic. WFTV anchor Vanessa Echols noted that colorful language from Cindy Anthony got a reaction from her daughter. Cindy testified that investigators had told the Anthonys they didn’t like or trust Baez.

“Barrett said, as that exchange continued about Jose Baez, Casey at one point seemed to console him by patting him on the thigh an awkward moment after Cindy said investigators thought he was ‘full of it’ and she didn’t use the word it."