ORLANDO, Fla. — Evidence released Tuesday in the case against Casey Anthony raises new questions about whether a former EquuSearch volunteer made up evidence while working for Casey's defense team.
EVIDENCE RELEASED 09/21/10: » Investigative Photos Of Casey's Trunk » Photos Taken By Search Volunteer Joy Wray » Video Of Joy Wray At Caylee Memorial In May '09 » Video Of Wray Back At Memorial In June '09 » AUDIO INTERVIEWS: Tim Miller | Joe Jordan | Hoffman | Ibison | Tinelli | Reilly | Creque | Rovinsky | Churchill | C. Conaway | J. Conaway
VIDEO REPORT: Interviews With EquuSearch Volunteers Released
The information came out in interviews that were released to WFTV. Now, the sheriff's office is investigating.
One EquuSearch volunteer believes another made up records indicating he searched and cleared an entire area four months before Caylee was found there, but he says he couldn't because it was knee-deep under water.
Casey Anthony's defense team really wants to show her daughter Caylee's body was not there in the woods until after Casey was locked up without bond in October 2008 to prove someone else put Caylee's body there.
Texas EquuSearch volunteer Joe Jordan says, a month before that, he brought a group to search for Caylee in the same area, but he could only get in about ten feet because, beyond that, it was under water.
"That was the farthest we went, which was, I want to say, five to ten feet in," Jordan told investigators (hear interview). "We stayed next to the road, like right in the front, and once we got in there it was too much. Because the water, the water was too much … it was like knee deep at that point. When you first stepped in it, it was knee deep."
Casey Trunk Photos BLURB 092110 Photos Released Of Casey's Trunk But Tuesday, WFTV learned he told investigators the defense might be fabricating evidence to the contrary, and the sheriff's office is looking into it.
"If there's individuals that are fabricating evidence in my case, that's criminal in nature and that needs to be investigated," sheriff's investigator Eric Edwards told Jordan.
Jordan says, a year after his search, in October 2009, he agreed to meet with a defense private investigator who tried to twist his words, using a document he believes is bogus. He says it came from a woman named Laura Buchanan, claiming to be an EquuSearch volunteer who joined the defense team.
"You can bet the sheriff's office will do a thorough investigation," WFTV legal analyst Bill Sheaffer said.
Investigators say Casey dumped Caylee's body in the woods near her home, months before the first search there, in June 2008 and say it could have been reduced to bones in just weeks in the summer conditions.
WFTV contacted defense attorney Jose Baez on Tuesday and he denied all of it, saying there were no falsified documents.
Also among the evidence released Tuesday were videos taken in May and June 2009 by search volunteer Joy Wray at the Caylee memorial site and investigative photos of the trunk of Casey Anthony's car.
CASEY'S FRIENDS CASHED IN ON CAYLEE
Casey Anthony's friends made money off little Caylee's murder. It came out in documents released in the case Tuesday.
VIDEO REPORT: Docs Show Casey's Friends Cashed In
Two of Casey's friends, at least one of them an ex-boyfriend, negotiated with the tabloid The Globe, trying to make hundreds of dollars by selling their photos of Casey and Caylee and make extra for quotes.
JP Chatt and Casey's former boyfriend, Ricardo Morales, negotiated with The Globe by email less than a month after it was learned that Caylee was missing.
The new records show, in August 2008, Chatt and Morales were offering to sell their photos and their stories. Chatt, who was at Caylee's second birthday party at her house, was offered $1,000 for his photos.
Morales, Casey's ex-boyfriend, was driving a hard bargain, making sure he didn't lose out on the $1,500 for his, plus $50 extra for quotes and 50-percent of the profits from the world rights to the photos.
CASEY'S ATTORNEYS QUESTION SCIENTISTS
Casey Anthony's attorneys were in Tennessee Tuesday where they began questioning scientists from the Oak Ridge Laboratory.
RAW INTERVIEW: Attorneys Jose Baez, Cheney Mason In TN
The lab's experts said they tested air from Casey's car, which indicated there was a decomposing body in it. But Casey's lawyers are calling the findings "junk science" and don't want the evidence brought into court.
"The bottom line is their science has never been admitted in court before, anywhere. They're trying to experiment in a death penalty case in Florida. We're just not going to do that," Cheney Mason said Tuesday.
Anthony's attorneys deposed three scientists. They plan to question one more on Wednesday.
WHAT'S NEXT IN THE CASE?
Casey's next status hearing is scheduled for Monday, but Casey isn't required to be there.
The prosecution must finish its expert witness depositions by month's end.
Then, another status hearing will be held October 29.
The deadline for depositions for all other witnesses is October 31.
Casey's trial starts May 9, 2011.
DR. G TO BE DEPOSED BY CASEY'S ATTORNEYS
Attorneys plan to depose several key medical witnesses in the case against Casey Anthony.
Attorneys will depose three people from the Orange County Medical Examiner's Office, including medical examiner Jan "Dr. G" Garavalia, on September 28.
Dr. G's testimony is key because she said Caylee's death was a homicide, but couldn't determine a cause of death.
Casey's lawyers have also recently picked up another 700 pages of discovery documents, which will eventually be made public.
DEFENSE QUESTIONS KEY INVESTIGATOR
Casey Anthony's defense team questioned one of the top investigators in her case Wednesday.
Attorneys Cheney Mason and Jose Baez arrived at the Orange County courthouse for the deposition of sheriff's Sergeant John Allen, who has been on the case since Caylee was first reported missing two years ago.
Allen made key decisions in the investigation, from the search for Caylee to Casey's subsequent arrest.
THREE LAWYERS JOIN CASEY ANTHONY DEFENSE TEAM
The case against Casey Anthony will be the biggest criminal trial ever in Central Florida and her defense just got a lot bigger. Three new lawyers joined the team Tuesday.
9/14 NEWS CONFERENCE: Part 1 | Part 2 BILL SHEAFFER: Analysis Of New Lawyers VIDEO REPORT: Team Announces New Lawyers
The new lawyers seem to thrive in the spotlight. One has a book out and another was the subject of an Oscar-winning documentary.
Now, joining lead attorneys Jose Baez and Cheney Mason are Ann Finnell, a Jacksonville attorney and expert on the death penalty, Dorothy Clay Sims, an Ocala attorney who specializes in cross-examining medical experts, and Charles Greene, an Orlando attorney who will handle Casey's civil case.
The defense is replacing lawyers it lost and says it had a tough time doing that. One of the new attorneys appears to be involved in helping the defense fight crucial evidence found in Casey's car trunk.
Casey Anthony's defense team held a news conference Tuesday to talk about its new lawyers. Sims was there and told WFTV about her expertise in cross-examining medical doctors and other expert witnesses.
"I go around the country and cross-examine that expert to determine whether the science is legitimate or whether it's junk science," she said.
Sims admits to not having extensive criminal experience, but it appears she's helping the defense try to get air tests from Casey's trunk, showing chemicals of human decomposition, thrown out. The tests have never been used in a criminal case before and the defense will be questioning the experts who did those tests.
"The revolving door of changing personnel does not change the facts in this case," WFTV legal expert Bill Sheaffer said. "The facts are the circumstantial evidence that form the chain to establish guilt."
Finnell, who will work on death penalty issues, was not there Tuesday. Her claim to fame is winning an acquittal for a 15-year-old boy accused in a tourist murder 10 years ago. It was the subject of an Oscar-winning documentary. With her, the defense team is now up to five.
"Is this an indication that you're worried?" WFTV reporter Kathi Belich asked attorney Cheney Mason.
"It might be to you, but it's not to us. It's an indication of total confidence. We're up against the State Attorney's Office that has changed its mind about the death penalty, not the death penalty, unlimited resources, a law firm of 150 people," Mason said.
Orlando attorney Charles Green will be representing Casey against a defamation lawsuit filed by Zenaida Gonzalez, whose name is the same as the alleged nanny Casey said disappeared with Caylee, a woman investigators say does not exist.
"They all believe in the cause, our cause for justice, to try to get justice for Caylee, for Casey," Baez said.
Sheaffer says that could be, or there could be another reason.
"For notoriety, for financial gain," Sheaffer said.
But they could suffer financial drain instead. Former defense team lawyer Andrea Lyon, who, despite having new book out, asked taxpayers to pay for her flights from Chicago because she could no longer afford to.
"A case like this could be so polarizing that you, as a lawyer, are associated with your client and the act of your client," Sheaffer said.
If Casey is convicted and, especially if she's sentenced to death for murdering her daughter Caylee, these lawyers could face humiliating finger-pointing from Casey's appellate attorneys.
"You will be attacked. You will be caused to defend your actions," Sheaffer said.
Four other attorneys have already come through and left either Casey or her parents.
In November 2008, Mark NeJame stopped representing Casey's parents, partly because they wouldn't follow his counsel during the search for Caylee.
In April, Todd Macaluso was disbarred and withdrew from Casey's defense. Three months later, lack of finances cost Casey her death penalty specialist, Andrea Lyon.
Last month, Brad Conway quit Casey's parents over claims that Casey's lawyers made false statements about him.
Previous Stories: September 17, 2010: Dr. G To Be Deposed By Casey's Attorneys September 14, 2010: Three Lawyers Join Casey Anthony Defense Team September 8, 2010: Ocala Attorney Joins Casey's Defense Team September 3, 2010: Casey's Attorneys Question Dozens Of Officers August 31, 2010: Lawyers Give Updated Timeline On Casey Case August 26, 2010: Woman Says Casey Case Leading To Threats August 26, 2010: Casey Anthony's Parents Hire New Attorneys August 24, 2010: Casey's Defense Wants To Block Release Of Docs August 23, 2010: Attorney No Longer Representing Casey's Parents August 13, 2010: Cindy Says She's Not Convinced Caylee Is Dead August 12, 2010: Casey Anthony Owes The Jail Money Again August 11, 2010: Casey May Have License Suspended Over Owed Fees
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