Casey Anthony Defense Calls First Witness

The defense of Casey Anthony called its first witness today. Anthony is accused of killing her two-year-old daughter, Caylee, in 2008. The trial has been underway for several weeks, with the prosecution laying its foundation by calling witnesses to testify against Anthony. The prosecution claims Anthony suffocated the girl by placing duct tape over her nose and mouth, while defense attorneys claim Caylee was a victim of accidental drowning.

The defense called an Orange County crime scene investigator as their first witness. The investigator, Gerardo Bloise who also testified for the prosecution, processed the items taken from Anthony’s bedroom. The prosecution spent 19 days laying out its case, the framework of which is that Casey is a liar who parties too hard. Throughout the previous weeks, they worked to tie this image together with the evidence of the killing, and prove that she murdered her daughter.

Twenty-five-year-old Anthony is accused of first degree murder and if convicted faces the death penalty. Caylee’s sekeltal remains were found five months after she was reported missing on July 15th, 2008 by her grandmonther Cindy Anthony.

Casey and Caylee were living with Cindy and her husband George until June 2008. Cindy stated that throughout June she asked to see Caylee, but Casey refused for various reasons. After Cindy reported Caylee missing, the police arrested Casey several times over the course of the investigation, for various reasons, among them: giving false statements, neglect of a child and obstruction of a criminal investigation. Initially, investigators thought Casey to be a neglectful mother but as the investigation progressed, Casey was indicted on first degree murder and arrested for a final time. Caylee’s body was found in December of 2008.