ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — On day 15 of Casey Anthony's murder trial Friday a manager of a towing yard stated that Casey's car smelled of decomposition, her brother's fiancee said Casey's relationship with Caylee was "amazing," George Anthony took the stand once again, and Judge Bevlin Perry denied a motion to renew a motion for a mistrial.
DAY 15: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 BILL SHEAFFER: Analysis Of Day 15 CASEY WALKS IN: See Images | Raw Video IN COURT: Casey, Judge, Attorneys, Witnesses LEE, CINDY, GEORGE: Images | Raw Video VIDEO REPORT: Witnesses Testify
Casey Anthony entered the courtroom just before 8:30am, wearing dark pants and a black vest over a white shirt. She had her hair pulled back in a bun.
Judge Perry then called court to order at 9:00am.
The manager of a towing yard where Casey Anthony's car was kept for more than two weeks during the summer of 2008 testified at her murder trial Friday that he smelled an odor coming from her car consistent with decomposing bodies he'd smelled in the past.
Simon Birch was the strongest prosecution witness of the day. The state also showed a series of videos of Casey going on a shopping spree over several days in late June and early July 2008.
Prosecutors have been portraying Casey as carefree and cheerful in the weeks after her child, Caylee, was last seen in June 2008, hanging out with friends and hitting the clubs. Caylee was reported missing a month later and her remains were found that December.
Birch said he'd spent 30 years in the towing business as well as two years in waste management, and had come across deceased bodies at least eight times. He said he first noticed the smell coming from Casey's' car on the fourth day her 1998 Pontiac was parked on his yard. The car had been towed after spending four days in an Amscot parking lot.
"In my opinion and experience, the smell of decomposition is unique in comparison to rotten food or rotting garbage," Birch said.
The defense argued in its opening statement that the smell was actually from a bag of trash that Casey left in her car.
"The instant flash in my mind was `Oh, I know what that smells like,"' Birch said about noticing the odor.
George Anthony took the stand again on Friday. He was questioned about Casey's car when it was at the towing yard.
As a former cop, George testified that he recognized the smell of human decomposition.
Since he hadn't seen his daughter or granddaughter for several days, he said the smell immediately frightened him.
"I just said, 'Please God don't let this be Casey or Caylee,'" Goerge said as his voice cracked.
Prosecutors also showed a photo of the backseat with Caylee's car seat still in it.
WFTV legal analyst Bill Sheaffer said the testimony is damaging for Casey's defense.
"He is familiar with the smell of trash and familiar with the smell of human decomposition and can tell the difference. He's a very important for the state," Sheaffer said.
The talk of the smell of death didn't seem to bother Casey as she sat stone-faced during the testimony.
Earlier in the day, the fiancee of Casey's brother, Lee Anthony, testified on Thursday that Casey had an "amazing" relationship with her 2-year-old daughter, Caylee, who she is accused of killing.
Mallory Parker testified Friday that Casey had a special bond with Caylee.
"How was Casey and Caylee's relationship?" Parker was asked.
"It was amazing," she replied. "Casey and Caylee had a very special bond."
Parker broke down crying, and Casey also had to wipe tears away.
Parker was called to the witness stand by prosecutors who coaxed her into describing how Casey's brother and she had searched for Casey in Orlando bars in an attempt to locate her when her family hadn't seen her in many days during the summer of 2008.
Prosecutors say she was having fun with friends around the same time her daughter went missing.
William Waters was called to the stand on Friday. He said Casey and friend were planning on getting a house together to have a nanny take care of their children. He testified that Casey said she worked as an event coordinator at Universal Studios.
"She loved her job," Waters said.
He described the shopping trip he made with Casey while she was essentially "fake shopping" for furniture so Casey could move into a new home with Caylee and a friend.
"Her and a friend of hers were looking for a stay-in nanny so they'd have their house together," Waters said.
The defense was also dealt a couple of blows. Judge Perry ruled in favor of prosecutors, forcing the defense to reveal questions before the jury is present if they plan to ask witnesses about statements that Casey may or may not have said or what might be considered "hearsay."
The defense also hoped to keep videos of Casey at Target and other stores out of court, saying prosecutors were trying to show a lack of remorse.
But the prosecutors argued it showed Casey's action and the judge allowed the videos.
A long list of witnesses told jurors on Thursday that Casey had no real reaction to Caylee's death in June of 2008.
One witness recalled Casey on the phone in a car, then bragging about a deceptive conversation with the person on the other end of the call.
"When she hung up she just kind of threw the phone down and said, 'Oh my God I'm such a good liar,'" said witness, Melissa England.
So far, no witnesses have been able to point to signs of remorse, which prompted Casey's defense attorney Cheney Mason to ask the judge for a mistrial based on case law that restricts testimony that's sole intent is to show lack of remorse.
Prosecutors say Caylee died from three pieces of duct tape being placed over her mouth and nose, while Casey's attorney has claimed the toddler accidentally drowned in her grandparents' pool.
Casey, 25, has pleaded not guilty. If convicted of first-degree murder, she could be sentenced to death.
Casey's murder trial will resume at 9:00am Saturday.
Previous Stories: May 26, 2011: Casey's Ex-Lovers, Friends Testify On Day 14 Of Trial May 25, 2011: Casey Friends Say They Never Knew Caylee Was Missing May 24, 2011: Casey Murder Trial Brings Tears, Blame And Shame May 23, 2011: Legal Analyst Previews Casey Trial Opening Statements May 20, 2011: Casey Anthony Back In Orange County Jail May 20, 2011: Details On Jurors For Casey Anthony Trial May 20, 2011: Casey Jury Sworn In, Opening Statements Start Tuesday May 20, 2011: Woman Yells "She Killed Somebody" During Casey Trial
WFTV
