ORANGE COUNTY, Fla.,None — Day three of jury selection in the case against Casey Anthony was eventful on Wednesday.
First, Casey cried for the third time since her trial started, and then a potential juror was held in contempt for trying to talk about the case to a reporter, Casey then cried twice, and later was escorted out of the courtroom by officers. WFTV learned that she had some sort of pain in her hand or wrist.
DAY 3: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 CASEY COMPLAINS OF PAIN: Video | Images POTENTIAL JUROR SCOLDED: Video | Images SCOLDED POTENTIAL JUROR TALKS: Video | Images FOR POTENTIAL JURORS: Questionnaire | Instructions CASEY CRIES AGAIN: Raw Video | See Images READ: Message To Potential Jurors From Judge CASEY WALKING IN: See Images | Raw Video INSIDE COURTROOM: Casey, Attorneys, Judge READ: Potential Jurors' Instructions VIDEO REPORTS: More Questioned | Casey Escorted CASEY INSIDE JAIL: Raw Video | See Images VIDEO REPORT: Eventful Day 3
Casey is charged with first-degree murder in the death of her daughter, Caylee Anthony.
Casey walked into a Pinellas County courtroom on Wednesday, wearing a pink button-down shirt and what appeared to be the same grey slacks from Tuesday. She had her hair pulled back in a long ponytail. Once again, her parents, Cindy and George Anthony, were not present.
Chief Judge Belvin Perry began Wednesday's proceedings in Pinellas County by reading the charging documents to a new panel of 50 prospective jurors. Perry dismissed 50 prospects Tuesday because several of them were discussing the case in a jury holding room.
As Judge Belvin Perry read the charges against Casey, she began to cry (video) | (images) . She also cried on Monday when her trial began. She shook her head "no" when Perry described how she's charged with abusing and murdering her daughter Caylee and lying to investigators.
WFTV reporter Kathi Belich was inside the courtroom when one of the prospective jurors said "crap" when she walked in and realized it was Casey's trial.
Another potential juror became upset and wiped her eyes when the judge described the charges against Casey.
Judge Perry scolded potential juror, Jonathan Green, for trying to initiate a conversation about the case, and held him in contempt of court (video) | (images) .
"It has been brought to my attention, that one of the prospective jurors approached a reporter and tried to initiate a conversation with the explicit purpose of trying to get out of jury duty," Perry said.
Perry brought Green, an employee of a Publix grocery store, up to the stand and questioned him.
"What, sir, did you not understand about what I said that you should not discuss this matter with anyone?" Perry asked.
"I guess I didn't listen. I just wanted to get out of jury duty...I didn't know I did anything wrong," Green replied.
After the man admitted to talking to the reporter with the hopes of disqualifying himself, Perry promptly excused him, found him in contempt for not meeting the statutory requirements of jury service and fined him $450. Perry admonished him further saying "I won't imprison you this time" and allowed him to pay off the fine in $50 monthly installments.
Before he left court, Green said 'Oh, Jesus' and put his head in his hands. He walked out to a crowd of reporters, but only answered WFTV's questions ( video | images).
"Why do you not have anything to say now? Why did you want to talk earlier?" WFTV reporter Kathi Belich asked Green.
"Nothing, I'm leaving," Green replied.
"You can't make this stuff up. In 35 years of practice, having participated in first-degree murder cases and countless jury selections, I have never witnessed a potential juror deliberately violating the court's order in order not to serve on the jury," WFTV legal analyst Bill Sheaffer said.
WFTV's jury expert and defense consultant, Dr. Randy Fisher, said he has never seen that in 30 years.
"No, I have never seen anything. This is beyond my experience," said Fisher.
A sheriff was posted inside the jury holding room Wednesday to monitor and to make sure no one was talking about the case.
Perry anticipated calling an additional 40 prospects Wednesday afternoon, bringing the total number of potential jurors questioned to 200.
Perry told prospective jurors they would be staying in a nice hotel.
"I have selected a real nice hotel," Perry said.
He also said they would be eating excellent food, taking great field trips and will be able to talk to and visit with their families, under supervision.
Regardless of the perks, one woman told the judge she and her husband were inseparable.
"We're always together, we're always together. Anyone who knows us knows we're always together," she said.
However, she was not excused.
Perry also questioned a potential juror who said she has no issue serving on the jury for two months. Perry then asked the attorneys if they had any questions for the potential juror.
"Mr. Cheney?" Perry asked Casey's attorney Cheney Mason.
"I just heard that, correct, you know that your boss will pay you for being gone for two months?"
"Yes sir," she replied.
"How do you know that?" Cheney asked.
"[giggles] Well, I'm not really sure but I'm pretty sure they will," she said.
Perry did excuse a senior counsel central commander at MacDill Air Force Base, as a matter of national security.
He also excused a woman who cares for her mother, who suffers from dementia.
Perry promised to pay for one person's airline ticket, and to buy someone else Milwaukee Brewers baseball tickets to make up for their losses.
Wednesday's jury selection ran late, because Judge Perry decided to question the remaining 40 potential jurors.
As Perry read Casey's charges to the 40 people, Casey once again, began to cry.
Each time that Casey has cried during her trial, including on day one, she did so while Perry read the charges against her.
Wednesday's jury selection wrapped up at 7:08pm.
Judge Perry said jury selection will resume at 8:30am on Thursday.
Jury selection is being held outside Orlando because of intense media coverage.
Prospects who haven't been dismissed because of anticipated hardships of serving as a juror for nearly two months will be brought in for further questioning beginning Thursday.
Previous Stories: May 10, 2011: 49 Potential Jurors Dismissed On Day 2 Of Casey Trial May 9, 2011: Casey Rejects Plea Deal On Day 1 Of Jury Selection May 8, 2011: Casey Anthony Jury Selection To Begin Monday May 8, 2011: Report: Casey's Jury Could Be From Pinellas County May 7, 2011: Casey Anthony Rejects Mom's Request For Visit May 6, 2011: EXCLUSIVE: WFTV Polls Potential Jurors In Casey Case May 6, 2011: Appeals Court Returns Opinion, Casey Trial Won't Be Delayed May 6, 2011: Casey's Parents Will Be Allowed In Court For Trial May 6, 2011: Casey's Defense Loses Jury Selection Consultant