Casey Anthony Trial Update: Defense tries to counter prosecution's forensic evidence
(CBS/WKMG/AP) ORLANDO, Fla. - The murder trial of Casey Anthony, who is accused of killing her 2-year-old daughter, Caylee, resumed a day after the defense continued to try to poke holes in some key prosecution forensics evidence.
Pictures: Casey and Caylee Anthony, Personal Photos
First, lead defense attorney Jose Baez called Susan Mears back to the stand. Mears, the Orange County Sheriff's Office crime scene supervisor, testified on Wednesday that a World of Disney bag and a Gatorade bottle were located about 7 inches from Caylee's skull, reports CBS affiliate WKMG.
Baez on Thursday introduced a syringe that was found with the bag and bottle into evidence before excusing Mears, who was not cross-examined by the state either day.
The defense then called Dr. Stephen Shaw, a hair and fiber expert for the FBI, as its next witness.
Shawn was shown slides of hairs prepared for a study. Two of the hairs taken, which were taken from people who are alive and then subjected to long exposure to water or soil were misidentified by examiners as having come from dead bodies. After conferring with each other, they changed their opinions to correctly state they came from live people, reports the station.
The state put a Powerpoint presentation into evidence that showed color pictures, which were previously excluded by Judge Belvin Perry because they were not turned over to the defense soon enough. But, because the defense used some of the slides during its direct questioning of Shaw, the state was permitted to use it, the station reports.
Prosecutor Jeff Ashton asked Shaw to explain what happens to hair post-mortem.
Casey Anthony, 25, is charged with first-degree murder in the death of her 2-year-old daughter Caylee in 2008. If convicted, she could face the death penalty. Prosecutors have argued that Caylee was suffocated by her mother with duct tape. The defense contends Caylee drowned in her grandparents' swimming pool.
Caylee's remains were found in December 2008, almost six months after she went missing in Orlando.
The Casey Anthony case was recently reported on by "48 Hours Mystery."