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Casey Anthony Trial Update: Judge halts court for the day after scolding lawyers for "gamesmanship"

Casey Anthony Trial Update: Judge halts court for the day after scolding lawyers for "gamesmanship"
Attorney Jose Baez, left, stands with his client, Casey Anthony during her murder trial June 18, 2011. AP Photo/Red Huber

(CBS) - If viewers of the Casey Anthony murder trial expected the defense to open its portion of the case with a broad dramatic stroke, they were sorely disappointed. Yet the decision to bring a series of forensic experts to the stand first has supplied more than its fair share of angst and anger.

Pictures: Casey and Caylee Anthony, Personal Photos

The trial was supposed to resume today with testimony from a forensic anthropologist and an expert in trace evidence analysis. Neither was sworn in and court was adjourned for the day after Judge Belvin Perry Jr. scolded lawyers for both the prosecution and the defense. Perry accused both sides of "gamesmanship" and selectively interpreting his court orders. He warned the lawyers that he won't stand for any of that anymore.

Perry raised the possibility of an exclusion order. Without getting into the legal weeds on what that could mean, Perry is threatening to exclude witnesses if the lawyers don't toe the line - disclosing the conclusions of the experts to the other side in advance of the testimony.

Perry says he is well aware that appellate courts in the state of Florida have never upheld an exclusion order in a capital case, primarily because the law gives every benefit of doubt to the defense. There is, after all, a defendant's life on the line. Yet Perry said Monday in open court, that if there is a pattern of intentional violations of his orders by the lawyers, and he believes there would be grounds to issue the order. In effect, that would take the case back to square one.

Casey Anthony remained impassive during the judge's statements. She is on trial for the murder of her two-year-old daughter Caylee during the summer of 2008.

Post contributed by Lisa Meyer-Steinhaus.

The Casey Anthony case was recently reported on by "48 Hours Mystery."

Complete coverage of Casey Anthony on Crimesider

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