Friday, March 5, 2010

Poor Casey Anthony

Well, it's finally happened. The defense is now claiming that Casey Anthony can't afford her defense expenses.

WKMG is reporting about this long-awaited catastrophe.

Bold is mine:

Defense attorneys for Casey Anthony have filed a motion requesting that the court declare her indigent and have the taxpayers shoulder some of the cost of her defense.

Jose Baez filed the paperwork at 5 p.m. Friday. He is asking Judge Stan Strickland to declare Anthony indigent for costs, meaning she does not have the money to fund her defense.

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

Anthony has already paid Baez and death penalty expert Andrea Lyon $111,954, but Baez said that is not enough to give Anthony the defense she needs, and taxpayers should make up the difference.

Nearly $90,000 of the amount was used for Baez's fees
, the remainder covered Lyon's costs. She is working on the case for free.

Baez said Anthony, 23, was willing to pay for her defense until the state put the death penalty back on the table, making her unable to cover the expense.

The motion asks the state to cover the cost of depositions, transcripts, investigators, legal research, expert witness fees, medical or mental examinations, travel expenses and other costs the defense has or will incur.

Legal experts said defending a complex death penalty murder case like Anthony's can easily run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars, especially when potential witnesses and experts are dispersed around the country.

Baez estimated the total cost of defending Anthony will amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars.

If Strickland signs the order, Florida taxpayers will pick up the bill for the defense costs, but not the defense fees.

Now, I have to ask... If Baez is claiming that the defense has spent $111,954 for the defense so far, and about $21,954 was for Andrea Lyon's expenses and the rest for Baez's fees, has the defense ever paid anyone else for their services?

Is the State of Florida to pay Dominic Casey the $90,000 he claims is owed to him? How many other "unpaid experts" have not had their expenses covered? It would seem so from what the article had to say.

Of course, Baez blames the reinstatement of the death penalty for the problem. However, the death penalty was reinstated April 13, 2009!

What Baez is saying here is that for the past 10+ months, the defense expense fund has been running on empty, with the exception of his fees and Andrea Lyon's expenses.

As an attorney, Baez should have had Casey declared indigent from day one of this case. Casey had even filled out the form prior to hiring Baez!

There has always been a great deal of speculation as to how the defense was being funded. A hearing held March 25, 2009 was instigated by a motion by the state to investigate the funding of the defense and the possible conflict of interest for the defense attorney. Read HERE for what that motion entailed. The judge was apparently satisfied that everything was okay after an in camera session with the defense.

I also find this new development fascinating because the motion apparently does not include Mr. Baez's fees.

When the issue first came up, it was pointed out that if Casey were to be declared indigent, the defense would have to open up the books to prove their case.

I have a few questions and hope you all have some ideas!

Will Baez have to produce his books to get the expenses?

Will he have to justify his $90,000 in fees?

Will he be able to withhold his fees from the case for indigence?

I am so looking forward to actually seeing this motion and I hope that Mr. Hornsby or Mr. Sheafer will fill in some of the blanks.

16 comments:

FRG said...

Ritanita,
"Baez blames the reinstatement of the death penalty for the problem. However, the death penalty was reinstated April 13, 2009!"
What about JB blame himself and his client for being so irresponsible and waste all of the courts time and tax money payers. JB should be disbarred. KC should have had a speedy trial and she would be free in no time, so hubby says.
Bad, bad counseling!!!! Boy, I am so mad!!!
Sorry, Ritanita! Just venting!! LOL

ritanita said...

If it weren't for the duct tape and the heart-shaped sticker, FRG, I'd agree with you totally.

That duct tape was no accident. Perhaps if Casey had 'fessed up in the beginning, there would have been the possibility of an involuntary manslaughter plea agreement. I'm sure Casey, with her rich fantasy life, could have come up with a good explanation for that duct tape!

But no, Jose was going for the glory!

Anonymous said...

Wwhere did KC get over a hundred grand?

ritanita said...

Anonymous,

It's generally accepted she got it from selling Caylee's pictures/videos.

Anonymous said...

Hi Ritanita!!

I am STUMPED as you with this MOTION!! They ALL BRAGGED last year when NANCY GRACE was FREAKING out how all these SPECIALISTS could be afforded. Well shortly after that MR SCUM BAEZ was on GERALDO and he MADE IT CLEAR to the PUBLIC that NO TAX PAYER MONEY was NEEDED EVER as HE, LYONS, BADEN and the OTHERS were ALL DONATING THEIR SERVICES NON GRATTA because they BELIEVE she is INNOCENT and being RAILROADED!! So why would you do that on NATIONAL TV and now BE BEGGING the TAXPAYERS for FUNDING? TOO WEIRD. I hope they GET NOTHING as they DO not DESERVE to be PAID after you have TOLD VARIOUS TV STATIONS you are doing it for FREE and for the POINT of the MATTER.

ALSO Rita...with her PLEADING GUILTY in the CHEQUE FRAUD trial does that not pretty much SEAL HER FATE of GUILTY in the MURDER? Now she has SAID YES I WROTE THAT CHEQUE, buying ALL THAT INCRIMINATING evidence!! Would a JURY not have to SEE that is GUILT no matter how you SLICE IT? JMO!! She should have had her DAY in COURT YEARS AGO instead of WASTING EVERYONE'S time and money!!

She needs to get her JUST DESSERTS once and for all. ENOUGH is ENOUGH!! Fess up to what you did and give your MUM, DAD and CAYLEE closure that they DESERVE.

Stephanie

ritanita said...

Well, Stephanie, it's a long jump from a simple check fraud case to the death penalty.

Nobody has ever figured out the finances on this case. Maybe we will learn something new and SOON!

donchais said...

Why is this not a surprise?

ritanita said...

Uh, donchais, could it be because of all the foreshadowing??? Lyon mentioning Casey could be declared indigent for deposition expenses in the Jill Kerley situation?

The Anthony home is up for foreclosure? That's one people keep mentioning! However, Casey is an adult and her parents are not responsible for one plug nickle of her defense costs anyway!

Raven said...

You have to wonder if Baez was waiting to file this until after the Anthony's foreclosure was made public. As a taxpayer here I don't like the idea of paying even expenses for Baez's antics. I say give her a Public Denfender, we would all be better off. If Baez stays on the case an appeal is a certain.

donchais said...

Seriously, this is so totally slimy and disingenuous.

I mean, she was all happy and prepared to pay for her defense, but can't now because the death penalty was put back on the table????

Uhhhhh, how long has the death penalty been on the table?

CaliGirl9 said...

It's a good thing the fine taxpaying citizens of Florida don't have anything better to fund with their scarce dollars! What a worthy cause!

I am going to go puke now. "Criminal" justice system, yes indeedy!

Anonymous said...

Even if it were not a death penalty case, there would be many depositions and expert witnesses involved. Casey is presumed to be innocent but I do believe the Prosecution has a bill of goods that the Defense would need to counter. This counter would be needed whether or not the dealth penalty was on the table.

I don't see that money put towards depos. I think there was more money involved than what is mentioned in this article.

JB, in my humble opinion is an inept, sleeze who is inarticulate and is on an ego trip. I think Andrea is promoting her book, providing fodder for her students to work with and having another case for volume 2 of her next book.
I think she is looking ahead.

I hate all this. I do not want Florida taxpayers to be ripped off more than they are. I think they have not paid any of the experts.

Check into JB's housing situation and his new house in the ghetto. I hear it is a a house that is overpriced for the surrounding areas.

Alot I could say but JB is certainly not the best defense. No nanny, no job, 31 days, the duct tape, her attitude, the tattoo, her partying..... gee what is in her favor at all to even slightly suggest innocence.

Did the Anthony's go on the cruise to perhaps find Zanni. Nobody is looking for the Nanny that Casey is sticking to that story?

Try to arrange a plea and lets get it over with. If someone claims indigency and then the state pays and people donate to the snack fund.. i think the state should be paid back every dime first. Commissary ordering should be a priviledge and never a requirement. Let her subsist on prison food ALONE. Some people who are hungry would be glad to have that. She needs no special snacks or priviledges of any kind. Let her wash her hair with soap. She doesn't need body lotion. etc. Jail is punishment not a country club.

FRG said...

Ritanita,
Seriously, JB is her counsel right? What is he doing besides going for his glory as you said and filling his pocket with money???
Immunity deal was offered on July 29, 2008 and expired on August 28, 2008 at noon, then extended until Sep 2, 2008 at 9 am. DP was withdrawn on Dec 6, 2008 (IIRC), days before they found Caylee's remains, DP was back on April 13, 2009. How ineffective and irresponsible counsel can JB be??? Did he JUST NOTICE KC is indigent?
Here is a snip from wftv:
http://www.wftv.com/news/22757843/detail.html
"Since taxpayer dollars could be involved, the judge could question Anthony's attorneys about any possible book or movie deals that may be planned.
If Anthony does have money coming in from any such deals, she would be obligated to reimburse the county."
Don't you agree with that Ritanita? Unless JB's Gil Cabot and Cindy are making deals and the money trail can't be traced back to KC. Is it legal, if you know what I mean? Thanks a lot.

ritanita said...

FRG, donchais and I were just talking about this very issue. While Strickland was apparently OK with what Baez said about the finances a year ago, I sure hope that he's not let off the financial hook easily.

I still remember the State's "Pauper to Princess" motion. They've been asking about the money for a long time!

Here's that motion:

http://www.cfnews13.com/uploadedFiles/Stories/Local/Motion%20to%20Determine%20Potential%20Conflict%20of%20Interest%20and%20Waiver.pdf

or you can go back to my original article about the hearing which has a link in the article.

FRG said...

Ritanita,
Good morning! I think you would like to know it.
Snip:
Posted: 11:03 am EST March 8,2010

http://www.wftv.com/news/22774311/detail.html

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. -- A trial date was set in the case against Casey Anthony Monday. In an order signed by Judge Strickland, Casey’s trial has been set for May 9, 2011.

ritanita said...

LOL! FRG, I was just posting this info!

I will be posting the documents on the newest entry when they become available!