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Payment Of Casey Anthony Defense 'Dream Team' Raises Questions

Anthony Charged With Murder In Daughter's Disappearance

POSTED: Monday, December 15, 2008
UPDATED: 5:12 pm EST December 15, 2008

The "dream team" of experts and attorneys assembled for the defense of Casey Anthony is raising questions because they will not disclose who is paying for their work.


VIDEO: 911 Call | More Bones Found
VIDEO: Evidence Seized | Clothing Found
PHOTOS: Evidence Seized From Home | Remains Found
PHOTOS: Possible Caylee Sighting | More Pics
PHOTOS: Bone Search | Casey Baby Photos

"We have qualified people -- the best in the business -- reviewing this evidence," said Jose Baez, the attorney for Anthony, who remains jailed on first-degree murder charges in the disappearance of her 3-year-old daughter, Caylee. "I'm not about pumping my chest and flaunting about who we're bringing in, you'll see it when they come," Baez said.

The skull and remains of a child were discovered last week in a wooded area near the home that Anthony, 22, shared with her daughter and her grandparents, George and Cindy Anthony.

The "dream team" includes Dr. Henry Lee; Linda Kenney Baden, who debuted on the team Thursday in court at an emergency hearing in the case; Dr. Kathy Reichs; and Dr. Werner Spitz.

Lee and Spitz have weighed in on the Kennedy assassination and the O.J. Simpson double-murder case, which was also investigated by Michael Baden, husband and co-author with new defense attorney Linda Kenney Baden. Reichs is a best-selling author, who has also taught the FBI how to detect and recover human bones.

The dream team thus far has not been allowed to visit the area where the human remains were found.

"We have certain experts we were hoping to get closer to the scene," said Baez, who bristled when asked how the experts were being compensated. "I don't think it's any concern of anyone who's paying for all of that. It's confidential information, and I'm not about to disclose confidential information."

"They are not interested in profiting from this tragedy, and Mr. Baez has assembled a team of experts. I don't know what the financial agreements are, and I'm not concerned with that," said Anthony family attorney Brad Conway.

More Human Bones Found

Meanwhile, investigators have discovered more human remains in the area where a skull and other remains were located, and Conway said the Anthonys are realistic but hopeful about the outcome.

"It's a bad situation all the way around. They're realistic about the probability that it's Caylee, but they pray that it's not. They continue to be optimistic -- and they will until there's a positive identification -- they're not going to give up hope. None of us are," Anthony family attorney Brad Conway said.

Forensic teams will continue to the search the area for the next couple of days. Local 6 News confirmed that animal bones were also found in the wooded area.

Caylee has been missing since mid-June, and no trace of her was found until last week's discovery. Orange County sheriff's deputies, agents from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and FBI experts have converged on the vacant property and continue to comb it for clues.

Sheriff's spokesman Carlos Padilla said Sunday that the thick undergrowth has made for slow searching.

"They're being very tedious and very methodical," he said.

Padilla would not say if any other pieces of evidence were found during the search.

Casey Anthony waited a month to report her daughter missing. She initially told police that she left the child with a baby sitter, but detectives said her story was untrue. Anthony was charged in her daughter's murder on Oct. 14.

The discovery of the skull was the first major break in the case in months.

Although DNA results on the remains probably won't be released for several days, authorities and even Anthony's own attorneys are treating the find as if it is the little girl.

Linda Kenney Baden, said during a court hearing last week that "anthropological measurements and hair color" of the remains were said to match Caylee.

Sheriff Kevin Beary said that a search of the grandparents' home where the mother and daughter lived had also yielded links to the remains that he would not reveal. There are no other similar missing-child cases in the area.

Anthony is being held without bond at the Orange County Jail.

On Sunday, the suburban neighborhood near the Anthony's home and where the remains were found buzzed with activity. Inflatable Santa decorations and holiday lights were an odd backdrop for the crime scene vans and satellite TV trucks.

Neighbors wandered over to take photos of a small, makeshift memorial for Caylee, which included a unicorn, a Cinderella fan and teddy bears of varying sizes and colors.

California bounty hunter Leonard Padilla -- who had previously bailed Anthony out on lesser child-neglect charges -- stood by a canal, taking photos with well-wishers and handing out autographs. At one point, Padilla had conducted his own search for Caylee, and on Sunday, he pontificated on how long detectives might stay at the scene.

"I came 3,000 miles to find out truly if this is the end of this," Padilla said.

"Thank you for all of your help," neighbor Tim Lewis, 45, said to Padilla, shaking his hand.

Lewis, a 45-year-old flight attendant, admitted he has been captivated by the case.

"The truth has been very hard to find in this story," said Lewis, as his two daughters snapped photos of a cowboy hat-clad Padilla. "Maybe, finally, the truth is going to come out."
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