Casey Anthony, pictured in an undated Orange County Sheriff's Office file photo, is the mother of missing Florida toddler Caylee Anthony. On October 14, 2008, a Florida grand jury indicted Anthony on charges of first-degree murder in the death of her daughter, who has not been found. (UPI Photo/Orange County Sheriff's Office) |
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ORLANDO, Fla., April 5 (UPI) -- A lawyer for murder suspect Casey Anthony and another for a search group traded verbal jabs in a Florida court Monday over records about volunteer searchers.
Jose Baez, lead attorney for Anthony, accused of killing her 2-year-old daughter, Caylee, complained Texas EquuSearch had not turned over the names of all those who searched the area near Anthony's home where her daughter's remains were discovered in December 2008, the Orlando Sentinel reported.
"Why is everyone so afraid of uncovering the truth in this case?" Baez asked at one point.
Texas EquuSearch attorney Mark NeJame, however, put the onus on Baez, saying he hadn't come to his office to look at the documents. NeJame called that "either laziness or sloppiness."
Anthony, 24, is charged with first-degree murder and could be put to death if convicted.
Before the little girl's remains were found, thousands of Texas EquuSearch volunteers twice combed parts of Orange County. The group says 32 people were in the vicinity of where the girl's remains were later found but had not been at the exact spot because it was flooded at the time.
The defense says there were other volunteers who also were in the area, and could raise the possibility someone other than Anthony put the girl's remains there.
In other developments Monday, attorneys on both sides discussed privately an illegal recording made by EquuSearch volunteer Joe Jordan, the Sentinel said. The recording was of a conversation between an investigator with Anthony's defense team, himself and his attorney.
In Florida, it's illegal to record someone without their knowledge.
