PICS + VIDEO:

PICS + VIDEO:
New Watch It! (Or Not) Slideshow

°

Homepage / Orlando News
Text Size

Docs: Baez, P.I. Disagreed On Payment

'48 Hours' Show Raises Questions

POSTED: Monday, October 19, 2009
UPDATED: 8:30 am EDT October 20, 2009

Newly released documents in the Casey Anthony case show that a former private investigator for the defense and defense attorney Jose Baez had a falling out over money.

The defense team hired private investigator Dominic Casey around two weeks after Anthony was arrested last summer.

Casey now works for Anthony's parents, George and Cindy Anthony, but when Baez hired him, the two had a written agreement.

In a sworn statement, Casey said Baez agreed to pay him "contingent on necessary funds becoming available."

Casey believed he would be paid if and when Baez was paid. When a spokesman for Baez announced the defense team had received funds from an anonymous donor several months later, Casey assumed he would be paid. Casey said Baez told him he had been working for free.

Casey filed a formal bar complaint against Baez several months ago, alleging that the defense attorney told him not to call authorities if he found Caylee Anthony's remains during a search for the toddler. Casey said Baez told him to walk away, call the attorney, and not tell anyone else about what he found.

The Florida Bar investigated those allegations against Baez, but found no evidence of wrongdoing and Baez was cleared.

Anthony told investigators she left Caylee with a baby sitter named Zenaida Gonzalez, a woman with the same name is suing Anthony for defamation.

Casey has claimed that his work for the defense protects him from answering questions in the civil case against Anthony, but attorneys representing Gonzalez could use the sworn statement to show that Casey ended his relationship with the defense team early on and should be forced to answer their questions.

Anthony is charged with first-degree murder in the death of her daughter, Caylee.

Caylee was 2 when she was reported missing in July 2008, one month after she was last seen alive. Her remains were found in a wooded area near the Anthony family's east Orange County home in December.

Anthony is currently being held at the Orange County Jail on no bond pending her trial. She could face the death penalty if convicted.

TV Special Raises Questions

Casey Anthony's parents sat down with "48 Hours" for a special, which raised several questions about the case.

Grandparents to slain toddler Caylee Anthony, George and Cindy Anthony have been in the spotlight since the 2-year-old was reported missing last summer.

Cindy Anthony told CBS's Maggie Rodriguez that the state is mistaken in assuming that Casey Anthony is the person who searched terms like "neck-breaking," "household weapons," and "how to make chloroform" on the Anthony family computer.

"I remember I looked up chlorophyll back in March of last year and I am not sure if I looked up chloroform as well," Cindy Anthony told prosecutors in a deposition.

Records show that Cindy Anthony was at work at the time the chloroform search was conducted, but she said her time sheets were not always 100 percent accurate.

Casey Anthony's attorneys also spoke in-depth with the show, including a comment about a DNA fragment on a piece of duct tape.

"Another party that did not belong to the FBI, did not belong to the law enforcement, did not belong to the Anthony family, left DNA on that duct tape," defense attorney Linda Kenney-Baden said.

According to court documents reviewed by Local 6 investigative reporter Tony Pipitone, the DNA Kenney-Baden is referring to is consistent with another FBI analyst who touched the tape. There is not enough DNA to say it was the analyst for sure, but there is also not enough evidence for the defense to go as far as to say it was a stranger's DNA.

Text Size
The views expressed are not those of clickorlando.com, WKMG or its affiliated companies. This is a community moderated forum. (Please note the 'Like' and 'Report' tabs.) By posting your comments you agree to accept our Terms of Use.

Comments

blog comments powered by Disqus

Sponsored Links

Links We Like
Sponsored Content
Boost your home value and make buyers bite with these bathroom updates. More

Employers generally have options when it comes to hiring. Makes sure you present yourself as professionally as possible, or else. More

The signs of Cancer can sometimes be very subtle. Here's a guide to help you recognize them early. More

Snacking can be a healthy part of your diet, as long as you choose the right snacks. Get tips for eating between meals. More

Most Popular