Week 3: Caylee's death is presented in vivid, graphic detail

First part of week's testimony focuses on computer searches for "chloroform," "neck-breaking"Jurors see dozens of photos, hear hours of testimony regarding Caylee Anthony's remainsForensic expert: Homicide "only logical conclusion" for Caylee Anthony's deathDefense says Caylee's death was accidental drowning that "snowballed out of control" Tune in to TruTV's "In Session" from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. ET for live coverage of the Casey Anthony trial. Starting at 3 p.m. ET, catch the continued coverage on HLN.

(CNN) -- Potential jurors in Casey Anthony's first-degree murder trial were asked during jury selection in May if they could look at the remains of a victim as simply evidence and not let their emotions sway them one way or the other.

This week, jurors in the Florida mother's trial for the death of her daughter, Caylee, were put to the test.

Week 3 of the trial began with forensic testimony about how someone searched for "chloroform" and "neck-breaking" on the computer in the home Anthony shared with her parents in Orange County. By Thursday, panelists were fully immersed in the physical reality of the 2-year-old's death: bones, decomposition, odor and all.

The prosecution called key forensic witnesses, who described in graphic detail, the state of Caylee's remains when she was found in a wooded area on Dec. 11, 2008, six months after she went missing.

"This is the skull with the hair and tape along with some leaf litter and other debris that was received at the same time as the other specimens," Orange County Chief Deputy Medical Examiner Dr. Gary Utz said on Thursday as he described a photo of Caylee's remains.

Jurors saw images of the tiny, decaying shorts and Winnie the Pooh blanket found with Caylee's remains. Animals had chewed up Caylee's bones by the time law enforcement discovered them, according to testimony.

At times, the typically stone-faced defendant bowed her head and tried to avoid looking at graphic images of her daughter's remains. On Thursday, Anthony broke into tears and was deemed "ill" by Judge Belvin Perry. Court ended abruptly to allow her to recover.

Anthony, 25, faces seven counts in Caylee's death, including first-degree murder, aggravated child abuse and misleading investigators. If convicted, she could face the death penalty.

Anthony has denied having anything to do with her daughter's death. Her defense team asserts Caylee's death was an accidental drowning that "snowballed out of control." Defense lawyer Jose Baez attorney said in his opening statement the Caylee drowned in the family pool shortly after her family last reported seeing her and that Casey Anthony and her father, George Anthony, panicked on discovering the body and covered up her death. George Anthony denied that scenario in his testimony the first week of the trial.

Beginning Thursday, jurors saw dozens of photos and heard hours of testimony on the remains.

Despite objections from the defense, jurors saw a video in which images of Caylee's skull and the duct tape found across the front of it at the scene were superimposed over a photo of a Caylee alive, smiling, with her mother.

The prosecution argued the video showed how the duct tape could have covered both Caylee's nose and mouth, while the defense argued it was only designed to appeal to juror emotions.

Dr. Jan Garavaglia, star of the Discovery Channel's "Dr. G. Medical Examiner" and chief medical examiner in the case, offered some of the most compelling testimony of the week. Garavaglia, who examined the child's remains, testified Friday she could not say for sure how Caylee died .

But, homicide is "the only logical conclusion," she said.

During cross-examination, defense attorney Cheney Mason questioned Garavaglia's method of evaluating the manner of death, suggesting that forensic evidence, and not outside facts of the case, should determine her conclusion. Garavaglia defended her method, saying the cause of death can rarely be determined without outside information.

"The fact that it's tossed in a field to rot in bags is a clear indication that the body was trying to be hidden," Garavaglia said during cross examination. "It being put in a bag is a very big red flag for homicide, never seen in an accidental death for a child, and the fact that there's duct tape attached anywhere to that child's face is to me indication of a homicide."

The trunk

By Saturday, testimony reached discussion of bugs and larvae found in Anthony's trunk, where the prosecution alleges Caylee's body was kept in garbage bags for days after her mother knocked her out with chloroform and taped her nose and mouth.

While forensic entomologist Neal Haskell credited the bugs to decomposition, the defense argued and Haskell admitted the bugs could be attributed to a trash bag found in the trunk.

The prosecution also called Arpad Vass, a senior research scientist at Tennessee's Oak Ridge National Laboratory, who testified Monday about his examination of items from the trunk.

Vass said he was "shocked" by the high level of chloroform in the trunk carpet sample and had an immediate reaction when he opened the can containing the sample.

"I essentially jumped back a foot or two," Vass said, before confirming to Assistant State Attorney Jeff Ashton that he believed the smell was human decomposition. "The odor was extremely overwhelming. I was shocked that that little bitty can could have that much odor associated with it."

During a combative cross-examination, defense lawyer Baez attempted to cast doubt on Vass' testimony, accusing him of having a financial interest in the case and questioning his testing methods. Vass acknowledged that he has a pending patent on a device designed to detect clandestine graves. But he rejected the suggestion that his testimony in the high-profile trial could potentially inspire interest in the device and its applications.

The dogs

Tuesday and Wednesday brought key testimony of the four-legged variety. Deputy Jason Forgey of the Orange County Sheriff's Office, and Sergeant Kristin Brewer of the Osceola County Sheriff's Office, detailed the efforts of cadaver dogs Gerus and Bones, who searched critical areas in search of human remains.

Gerus detected human decomposition in both Anthony's car and in the Anthony's back yard, Forgey testified.

Brewer told jurors that Bones picked up the possible presence of human remains in the backyard near Caylee's playhouse. Images of Caylee's bright plastic playhouse were shown to jurors for demonstration.

During cross examination, Forgey and Brewer agreed that the dogs are not infallible when it comes to identifying remains and, "like humans," are imperfect.

The computers

Though Wednesday and Thursday's testimony on computer forensics was less graphic compared to what was to come, it represented some of the prosecution's most critical evidence so far.

Through the testimony of three computer experts, the prosecution worked to establish premeditation, a factor essential to convicting Anthony of first-degree capital murder.

Searches conducted on the Anthony family computer on March 17 and 21 of 2008 included "chloroform," "how to make chloroform," "household weapons" and "neck-breaking," according to testimony.

"Chloroform" was searched for 84 times, according to the testimony of John Bradley, who developed the computer program used by investigators to locate the searches.

During cross examination, Bradley agreed it is impossible to know for sure how much time was spent on each page viewed, and that some of the terms searched, like "hand-to-hand combat" and "self defense," appeared to have no relation to a case involving the death of a 2-year-old.

Week 4 is expected to bring the close of the prosecution's case and possibly the start of the defense. Only a few prosecution witnesses remain, including a trace-evidence analyst and a tattoo artist Casey Anthony visited in the weeks following her daughter's disappearance.

CNN

Judge allows use of graphic video in Casey Anthony trial

Defense says the prosecution use of a graphic video only inflames the juryProsecutors say the video establishes that "duct tape is sufficient to be murder weapon" Casey Anthony is accused of killing her daughter, Caylee, 2, in 2008Tune in to HLN's "Nancy Grace" at 8 ET for live reports from Orlando, Florida on the Casey Anthony trial. And follow the action on Nancy's special Casey Anthony trial page.

Orlando (CNN) -- The defense is calling the prosecution's use of a graphic video that features a smiling Caylee Anthony with a skull and duct tape superimposed over her face highly prejudicial, saying it only serves to inflame the jurors.

The accusation came in the third week of the trial of Caylee's mother, 25-year-old Casey Anthony, who faces seven counts in her daughter's death, including first-degree murder, aggravated child abuse and misleading investigators.

If convicted, she could face the death penalty. She has pleaded not guilty.

Caylee's cause of death and the condition of her body when discovered months after she was reported missing have been the focus in recent days. The trial is scheduled to resume Saturday.

The defense on Friday argued against allowing the video into court, saying it presented just one of many possible scenarios and would only inflame sentiments among the jurors.

But the prosecution countered, saying it was necessary "to establish the state's theory that this duct tape was sufficient to be the murder weapon."

Orange County Chief Judge Belvin Perry agreed to allow the video into evidence, saying the role of duct tape in the girl's death was "highly relevant."

Perry also denied a mistrial motion made by the defense, related to the video, at the close of Friday's proceedings.

Attorneys for Anthony have said Caylee drowned in the family pool and that Casey Anthony and her father, George Anthony, panicked and tried to cover up the death. George Anthony denied that scenario during his testimony.

Prosecutors allege Anthony used chloroform on her daughter and suffocated her by putting duct tape over the little girl's mouth and nose.

They allege she put her daughter's body in her car trunk before disposing of it. Caylee's skeletal remains were found on December 11, 2008, less than a mile from the home of Anthony's parents.

Earlier Friday, the chief medical examiner in the case said the way in which prosecutors say Caylee's body was discarded left no doubt that the girl was intentionally killed.

Dr. Jan Garvaglia testified that Anthony's failure to report her daughter missing for more than a month was just one of three red flags that strongly indicate foul play.

The others were the discovery of the girl's remains amid black garbage bags in a wooded field -- "tossed in a bag to rot" was her testimony -- and the presence of duct tape on the girl's skull.

On Friday, jurors saw graphic photos of Caylee's bones and heard testimony that they had been gnawed by animals as her body decomposed during as much as six months in the field.

In Session's Nancy Leung contributed to this report.

CNN

Obama decides not to release 'graphic' bin Laden photos

WASHINGTON — President Obama declared Wednesday that "you will not see bin Laden walking on this earth again" but said he would not release photos of the terrorist leader's corpse as proof that he is dead.

President Obama, speaking Wednesday at the White House, said of the photos, "We don't trot out this stuff as trophies."

"It is important for us to make sure that very graphic photos of somebody who was shot in the head are not floating around as an incitement to additional violence, as a propaganda tool," Obama told CBS' 60 Minutes in an interview to be broadcast Sunday. "You know, that's not who we are. You know, we don't trot out this stuff as trophies."

Obama's decision put an end to two days of speculation about whether the White House would release photos of the dead al-Qaeda leader or other images from the compound where he was shot on Monday or his subsequent burial at sea.

Although CIA Director Leon Panetta on Tuesday told NBC Nightly News that he didn't think there was any question that "ultimately a photograph would be presented to the public," White House press secretary Jay Carney said Obama "held this opinion very firmly."

The White House has said repeatedly that there is ample evidence that Osama bin Laden is dead: from photos, DNA sampling and facial recognition technology. "There are going to be some folks that deny it," said Obama, alluding to conspiracy theorists. But "there's no doubt that bin Laden is dead," he said. "So we don't think that a photograph in and of itself is going to make any difference."

Reaction to his decision was mostly positive. "If there was a serious doubt out there, if people were claiming he was still alive, that (would be) different," said former 9/11 Commission chairman Tom Kean, a Republican. "But it seems to me that everyone is in agreement that he's dead. So particularly if it's graphic, I don't see the necessity of it."

Carie Lemack, whose mother Judy Larocque died aboard American Airlines Flight 11 on 9/11, said, "There are people out there who are going to continue to demand proof, but I don't think that releasing the photos would give them the proof. I want to make sure nobody else dies because of this man."

Lemack plans to attend today's ceremony at Ground Zero in New York City, where Obama will lay a wreath at the site of the World Trade Center towers. Former president George W. Bush declined Obama's invitation to join him, citing a desire to stay out of the spotlight. Obama, who will not make public remarks, plans private meetings with relatives of 9/11 victims and first responders.

In Congress, the heads of the House and Senate intelligence committees also said they support keeping the images classified. "I don't think that the timing is such that something incendiary is the right thing to do." said Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., chairwoman of the Senate committee. Said Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., head of the House panel: "I don't want to make the job of our troops serving in places like Iraq and Afghanistan any harder than it already is."The risks of release outweigh the benefits. Conspiracy theorists around the world will just claim the photos are doctored anyway, and there is a real risk that releasing the photos will only serve to inflame public opinion in the Middle East. ... Imagine how the American people would react if al-Qaeda killed one of our troops or military leaders, and put photos of the body on the Internet. Osama bin Laden is not a trophy ? he is dead and let's now focus on continuing the fight until al-Qaeda has been eliminated."

But opinion was not unanimous. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., called Obama's decision "a mistake."

"The whole purpose of sending our soldiers into the compound, rather than an aerial bombardment, was to obtain indisputable proof of Bin Laden's death," Graham said. "I know bin Laden is dead. But the best way to protect and defend our interests overseas is to prove that fact to the rest of the world," he said.

Former Alaska governor Sarah Palin also disapproved. She tweeted: "Show photo as warning to others seeking America's destruction. No pussy-footing around, no politicking, no drama; it's part of the mission."

Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., had another idea: keep the images under seal for a period of time, maybe 10 years, and then make them available. "The free flow of information is not just a matter of good government, but a necessary part of our democracy," Nelson wrote in a letter to Obama.

Obama's decision to withhold the images came as the White House also stopped releasing details of the dramatic raid on bin Laden's compound. One day after officials corrected misstatements by counterterrorism czar John Brennan, who had said bin Laden had been armed and that his wife had been killed, Carney said no more details about the raid would be released because the methods used by the Navy SEALs in the operation are top-secret and that secrecy must be maintained for possible future raids.

"In terms of the operational details, we have gotten to the point where we cannot cross lines because of the necessity for preserving the methods and operational techniques and capabilities of the kinds of forces that were used in this case," he said. "We've gone to the limit of our ability to do that and still maintain some of the things we need to maintain and be kept secret."

For more information about reprints & permissions, visit our FAQ's. To report corrections and clarifications, contact Standards Editor Brent Jones. For publication consideration in the newspaper, send comments to letters@usatoday.com. Include name, phone number, city and state for verification. To view our corrections, go to corrections.usatoday.com.We've updated the Conversation Guidelines. Changes include a brief review of the moderation process and an explanation on how to use the "Report Abuse" button. Read more.

USATODAY.com

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.