Casey Anthony trial: Defense says toddler Caylee drowned by accident
The murder trial of a Florida woman accused of killing her two-year-old daughter opened with a series of bombshells on Tuesday as her defense lawyer told the jury in an opening statement that the toddler was not murdered, but had accidentally drowned in the family swimming pool.
Defense Attorney Jose Baez called the death of Caylee Anthony a 鈥渉orrible tragedy, a common tragedy.鈥�
But he said the young mother, Casey Anthony, panicked, and instead of calling for emergency help, participated with her father, a former police detective, in a coverup.
鈥淐asey should have been stronger,鈥� Mr. Baez said. 鈥淪he should have called 911.鈥�
Baez said Ms. Anthony鈥檚 father, George Anthony, was present as the two discovered Caylee鈥檚 lifeless body.
The assertions stunned those observing the high-profile trial in Orlando. Many had wondered on the eve of the trial how the defense would answer prosecution charges that Ms. Anthony had waited a month before contacting police about her missing toddler.
But the accidental drowning assertion was only the beginning of an explosive account offered up by Baez. The defense鈥檚 version of events took several darker turns.
The defense lawyer said George Anthony had sexually molested his daughter Casey since she was eight years old, and that Casey鈥檚 brother, Lee, had also sexually molested her. He also alluded to an FBI theory that Lee might have fathered Caylee.
No father on birth certificate
No father was designated on the child鈥檚 birth certificate, and the family had sought to hide her pregnancy.
鈥淭his family must keep its secrets quiet,鈥� the lawyer said.
鈥淭his is not a murder case. This is not a manslaughter case. This is a tragic accident that happened to some very disturbed people,鈥� Baez said.
In an increasingly strange twist, Baez also told the jury that George Anthony not only sought to cover up the child鈥檚 death, but actively worked to implicate Casey in what he described as Caylee鈥檚 staged murder by allegedly placing duct tape over the dead toddler鈥檚 face and then positioning the remains in a place where they would likely be discovered.
鈥淎ll you have to do is follow the duct tape and discover who placed Caylee鈥檚 remains,鈥� Baez urged the jurors.
Prosecution's opening statement
That version of events differs sharply from the account offered earlier during the two-hour opening statement of Assistant State Attorney Linda Burdick.
She told the jury that Casey Anthony had engaged in a pattern of lies to family members and police about the whereabouts of her daughter.
The child was last seen alive on June 16, 2008, yet police were not notified that Caylee was missing until a month later. Word that she was missing triggered a nationwide alert and massive search. The toddler鈥檚 remains were discovered Dec. 11, 2008, a short distance from her home.
The cause of death is undetermined, but prosecutors charged Casey Anthony with first-degree murder. If convicted she could receive a death sentence.
At one point, Casey Anthony made up a story that a nanny had kidnapped the toddler. There was no nanny. In addition, Casey Anthony told members of her family that she worked at Universal Studios. Police discovered that, also, was a lie.
鈥淚n a pattern that is repeated throughout this case when Casey Anthony鈥檚 lie can no longer stand 鈥� when she can no longer get out of the corner she has painted herself into 鈥� what does Casey Anthony do 鈥� Casey Anthony comes up with a new, a bigger, a better lie,鈥� Ms. Burdick told the jury.
'Three pieces of duct tape'
Prosecutors suggested to the jury that Casey Anthony had grown tired of the burdens of being a mother. She allegedly used chloroform to subdue the child and then wrapped duct tape over the toddler鈥檚 mouth and nose.
鈥淭he only evidence of cause of death are three pieces of duct tape covering [Caylee鈥檚] nose and mouth,鈥� Burdick said. 鈥淭here is no other reason for the placement of multiple pieces of duct tape on this child鈥檚 nose and mouth other than the specific intent to end that child鈥檚 life.鈥�
The prosecutor concluded her opening statement by referring to a possible motive. 鈥淎s difficult as it may be for anyone to accept that a mother would intentionally kill her own children, from the evidence you will hear in this case there is no other conclusion to be drawn,鈥� she said.
鈥淣o one else benefited from the death of Caylee,鈥� Burdick said. 鈥淐aylee鈥檚 death allowed Casey Anthony to live the good life 鈥� at least for 31 days.鈥�
Defense lawyers offered a different view of the evidence, accusing the police of conducting a selective investigation aimed more at winning a murder conviction against Casey Anthony than revealing the truth of what happened to Caylee.
鈥淓veryone wants to know how in the world can a mother wait 30 days before ever reporting her child missing,鈥� Defense Attorney Baez said. 鈥淚t is insane, bizarre. Something is just not right about that.鈥�
鈥淭he answer,鈥� he said, 鈥渋s that she was never missing. Caylee Anthony died June 16 in her family鈥檚 swimming pool.鈥�
The defense tactic raised a second question. Why, if her death was an accident, did Casey Anthony lie so frequently to her family and to police.
'Ugly secrets will come out'
The answer, according to Baez, is tied up with Casey Anthony鈥檚 past as an alleged victim of sexual abuse and molestation by both her father and brother.
鈥淲hat does a sex abuse victim look like,鈥� Baez asked. 鈥淭hese ugly secrets will come out slowly in this trial.鈥�
After the opening statements, prosecutors called their first witness 鈥� Casey Anthony鈥檚 father, George.
He denied sexually abusing his daughter and he denied the version of events offered by defense lawyers that he discovered his granddaughter鈥檚 body in the swimming pool, later placed duct tape over her mouth and nose, and disposed of the body.
The trial is expected to continue on Wednesday.
