Amy Huizenga, Lee Anthony, Yuri Melich
6-1-11
Nutshell of testimony:
Casey Anthony’s friend, Amy Huizenga testified she only knew Casey for 5 months, communicated mostly by text, Amy allegedly drove drunk & crashed her car a couple of times, had a thing for Casey’s ex fiancé Jesse Grund! Casey once texted to Amy that her car smelled like a dead animal. Jose Baez made Amy Huizenga out to look like a drunk with a bad memory who was jealous of all of Casey’s boyfriends!
Casey’s brother, Lee Anthony testified. Most of the time he claimed he couldn’t remember & the DA had to show him his written depositions. At one point the defense objected that the DA was trying to improperly impeach their own witness. Lee spoke of 7-15-08 when Cindy called cops & said Caylee was missing. Lee said he told Detective Edwards that the reason Casey gave for not wanting to go get Caylee on 7-15 was “maybe I’m a spiteful b*tch!” He said Cindy called Casey an unfit mother, that Caylee was a mistake, but a great mistake. Lee said Casey said she got a phone call from Caylee earlier that day. Lee picked up Casey’s clothes & laptop from boyfriend Tony Lazzaro’s apt. He noticed the computer screen was blue, indicating a virus. Lawyer Dorothy Clay Sims (who has a porn star voice) suggested maybe Lazzaro was using Casey’s computer causing the screen to turn blue.
A slew of cops and the Sawgrass Apt manager testified.
Jose Baez confronted lead detective Yuri Melich about his posting on blogs using the screen name “Dick Tracy Orlando” and saying a missing person’s case is basically a murder investigation without a body. Baez said this shows bias against Casey that he treated her like a murderess right away instead of the mother of missing child. Judge Perry wouldn’t allow the jury to hear any evidence about blogging. Melich and the other cops took Casey to the Sawgrass Apartments where she claimed she dropped Caylee off.
Jose Baez confronted Yuri Melich about Cindy Anthony telling him that the ladder had been left up on the pool – yet Melich did not investigate the pool area! Baez said there could’ve been blood splatters or hair in the pool, yet Yuri Melich ignored Cindy’s statement.
A crowd of people, including people in wheelchairs and neck braces, ran to the courthouse doors at 5:30 am to get a coveted seat to the Casey Anthony trial. There are only 50 seats available to the public. They looked like a crowd of girls chasing a rock star!
Here’s the testimony in greater detail:
AMY HUIZENGA
Tot Mom, Casey Anthony’s former best friend who she stole checks from, Amy Huizenga returned to the stand today for cross examination by defense lawyer Jose Baez. Amy Huizenga is currently working in a theatre on a cruise ship.
She testified that she was only friends with Casey Anthony for 5 months from Feb – July 2008 and communicated with her mostly via Myspace and text messages.
Jose Baez pointed out that in the numerous text messages from Casey, that only 1 message involved Cindy Anthony watching Caylee Anthony so Casey could go out. In a lot of the the texts it was Amy Huizenga who was asking Casey to go out and not vice versa. A lot of times, Casey said she couldn’t but never said why.
Amy Huizenga testified that she would be out partying 3-4 times a week, drank and one time crashed her car! She had previously been drinking and crashed her car. The air bag went off, she got a bloody, crusty nose and sustained a head injury. Jose Baez claimed that because Amy Huizenga never saw a doctor she doesn’t know the full extent of the air bag hitting her head – it could be effecting her memory. She claims she sobered up hours before she drove. After crashing, Amy Huizenga sent out a text asking for people to call in 10 minutes in case she passed out! This wasn’t the first time she had crashed her car, reportedly.
Ricardo Morales is Casey Anthony’s ex boyfriend. Jose Baez pointed out that after Casey broke up with him Amy Huizenga moved into the apartment with Ricardo Morales and his roommate JP Chatt
Jose Baez also revealed that after Caylee Anthony went missing, Amy Huizenga went out with Casey Anthony’s former fiancé, Jesse Grund. She told him she always wanted to meet a good Christian boy.
Jose Baez was painting Amy Huizenga as a drunk with a bad memory who was jealous of Casey Anthony and wanted her boyfriends!
Casey once texted Amy about a smell in her car the day she dropped it off at Amscot. She said it smelled like a dead animal plastered to her fender.
After the cross examination was over, Amy Huizenga turned to the judge and said, “Can I say something”? Both the defense & DA were stumped, didn’t know what was going to come out of her mouth so the judge called a sidebar. That’s where only the lawyers and judge conference at the judge’s bench. Huizenga was called over to join the side bar, happily jumped then left the room. Outside of court she refused to say what she wanted to say on the stand.
LEE ANTHONY
Tot Mom, Casey Anthony’s brother, Lee Anthony, took the stand for the first time today. On 7-3-08, Casey’s mom, Cindy Anthony, asked Lee if he could help find Casey and Caylee who Cindy hadn’t seen in over a month. Lee & Casey had mutual friends. Lee Anthony figured out through chatter on Myspace & Facebook that Casey would be at the nighclub, the Dragon Room in downtown Orlando that night. Lee, his girlfriend Mallory and another friend go to the Dragon Room, no Casey. Lee calls Casey who says she’s in Jacksonville at a country western bar with a friend. He tells her he knows she’s in town. Casey hangs up on him.
DA Frank George asked Lee about his former deposition where he states how mom, Cindy Anthony acted. Lee couldn’t remember. Defense lawyer Dorothy Clay Sims objected that the prosecution was trying to improperly impeach their own witness! Lee was then allowed to look at a deposition of what he formerly testified to.
On 7-15-11 George Anthony asked Lee to come over. He enters through garage and saw his old Pontiac Sunfire (Casey’s car) that had an odor. Within 5 minutes Cindy & Casey arrived home arguing. He heard Casey say, “you’re not listening to me, why do I even bother?”
Lee Anthony stood in the doorway of Casey’s bedroom door as Cindy and Casey argued. Casey told Cindy Caylee was at the nanny and she didn’t want to disturb her sleeping routine. Prosecutor Frank George confronted Lee that in his deposition to Detective Edwards, he gave a different answer as to the reason Casey gave about not wanting to go get Caylee. Frank George had to show Lee his depositon of what he formerly said. Lee then read the deposition and said the reason Casey gave as to not wanting to get Caylee was, “Maybe I’m a spiteful b*tch”!
Lee Anthony on the stand, couldn’t remember a lot of what he formerly testified to in his deposition and had to be shown a transcript of it.
Lee Anthony, after looking at his former testimony on paper then said that Casey said to him that Cindy Anthony threw it in Casey’s face that she was an UNFIT MOTHER. Casey said, “maybe I am”. Cindy also said that CAYLEE WAS A MISTAKE, but a great mistake, the best mistake Casey ever made.
Lee Anthony said Casey told him that the nanny, Zenaida Fernandez-Gonzalez kidnapped Caylee. She was missing for 31 days and last seen at the Sawgrass Apt. when Casey dropped her off. Casey camped out in front of the apt., watched the place for a couple of days, went to stores that Zenaida went to.
Lee said Casey Anthony said she got a PHONE CALL FROM CAYLEE earlier in the day. She asked Caylee to put an adult on the phone.
Lee & Casey later spoke in the garage. They talked of Tony and how awful the car smelled.
Lee Anthony said he went to Tony Lazzaro’s apartment on the evening of July 15th or early hours of 16th. Tony gave him a duffel bag with Casey’s clothes, backpack, a bag of knick knacks and Casey’s laptop. The laptop had a blue screen indicative of a virus.
Prosecutor Frank George then showed Lee an envelope with items, 19 receipts taken from Casey’s belongings from Tony’s apt. There were movie ticket stubs, etc.
Lawyer Dorothy Clay Sims did the cross exam. Much to my surprise, Dorothy Clay Sims, an older middle aged woman has got a voice like a porn star!
Dorothy Sims pointed out that George Anthony had his own set of keys that would allow him access to Casey’s car. He never went into the room to ask Casey what was going on. It’s George who cleans the family’s cars every other weekend.
Lee said it didn’t look like Lee packed the duffel bag he picked up from Tony Lazzaro.
Lee earlier mentioned that when he picked up Casey’s laptop from Tony Lazzaro’s apartment, the screen had turned blue, indicative of a virus. Dorothy Sims said that Lee can’t say that it wasn’t TONY LAZZARO THAT CAUSED COMPUTER SCREEN TO TURN BLUE? (This would suggest that maybe Tony used Casey’s computer and might’ve done those searches)
CORPORAL RENDON FLETCHER
He’s a Corporal with the Orange County Sheriff’s Dept. 1st cop to arrive on the scene. Originally called there to investigate a stolen car. Said George Anthony was quiet. Casey Anthony wasn’t forthcoming. Casey told him Caylee had been missing for 1 month, was with the nanny & she was conducting her own investigation. Deputy Adriana Acevedo arrived. Corporal Brendon Fletcher then called Sargeant Reginald Hosey.
Corporal Brendan Fletcher drove his cop car to Sawgrass Apt. Deputy Acevedo drove Casey in her car. Deputy Acevedo had Casey point out Zenaida’s apartment. The apt was 210. blinds open, no furniture. Casey left with Acevedo while he remained.
Jose Baez asked him about Cpl Brendon Fletcher about going into the garage. Jose Baez trying to get him to say he didn’t observe any smell coming from car with garage door open. Jose Baez trying to get him to say what his report contained. That he’s putting facts in his report of things people told him.
DEPUTY ADRIANA ACEVEDO She also arrived the night the third 911 call was made when Cindy Anthony told cops Caylee was missing. Adriana Acevedo looked like a mixture of black and Spanish. She spoke like a robot on the stand.
When Adriana Acevedo arrived Cindy was upset, George and Casey were both quiet Deputy Adriana Acevedo went to Sawgrass at 12:05 apt 210 with Casey& Cpl Brendon Fletcher, returned to Hopespring Dr at 12:25 am. When Casey went with Adriana Acevedo, she was in back cage of police car separated by a cage.
On Cross Exam – Adriana Acevedo said she was in the house for 2 hours, saw garage, smelled foul odor. Redirect – didn’t notice if trunk was open. Passed car to get into house. Doesn’t have a lot of experience with decomposition odor.
AMANDA MACKLIN
Manager of Sawgrass Aparments testified. She said the last occupant in apt 210 was not a Zenaida Gonzalez.
SARGEANT REGINALD HOSEY
Sgt Reginald Hosey said he smelled foul odor in car at home, never reported it to CSI. He separated Casey from rest of family. He was not aware of anyone advising Casey of Miranda rights. When asked on cross exam if Casey had any way of getting out of Deputy Acevedo’s car, he said no. When Casey came back from Sawgrass there were 3 deputies in the house waiting for Yuri Melich to arrive.
Redirect – Casey told Sgt Reginald Hosey that Casey was with the nanny, didn’t want Cindy to have contact with Caylee that evening. Hosey testified that he didn’t tell Casey she couldn’t go anywhere. George was calm & told them he was an ex cop.
DET. YURI MELICH
Employed under 10 years with the Sheriff’s office. Now with Internal Affairs. Showed Casey her statement, said she wrote it out.
Yuri Melich then began reading CASEY’S STATEMENT which said: on 6-9-08 Casey took Caylee to Zanny’s apt. Caylee was wearing pink shirt, jean shorts, white sneakers, pontail. Between 9-1pm she was taken to the Sawgrass Apts. Zanny the Nanny watched her for past 2 years. Casey said Zenaida Gonzales is 25, from NY, has dark brown hair, birthday in Sept. Casey met her through Jeffrey Hopkins in Christmas of 2004. After dropping Caylee off she went to work at Universal Studios, left work at 5, went back to Sawgrass. Zenaida Gonzales, Raquel Ferrell & Jennifer Rosa not home. Casey waited. called, phone not in service. Headed to familiar places Zenaida Gonzalez took Caylee to. Went to Jay Blanchard Park where Caylee liked to go. Then went to her boyfriend Tony Lazzaro’s apt. Spent everyday looking for Caylee. Didn’t tell family out of fear. No contact since Thursday 6-12 2008 “Eveyday I’ve gone to malls, parks, bars, restaurants looking for info.” 7-15-08 SHE GOT A PHONE CALL FROM CAYLEE! Yuri reviewed statement with Casey in spare bedroom.
AUDIO INTERVIEW
Detecive Yuri Melich did an audio interview with Casey Anthony at home. The video played on the screen in front of Melich on the stand. The jury and courtroom heard it. Here’s what the video said:
- Casey said she dropped Caylee off with Zenaida Fernandez-Gonzalez. Known Zenaida for 4 years.
- She met Zanny through Jeffrey Michael Hopkins who work ed with her at Universal. He left Universal. 9 months ago, lives in Jacksonville, FL.
- Casey has 2 phones, 1 she got from Universal. Casey lost her old phone The number is 4076199286
- The phone she had Jeff’s # in lost, she took sim card out before it was lost…made a report to Universal about lost phone 9 days ago. Met her while she was pregnant.
-Casey use to have a middle school friend watch Caylee named Lauren Gibbs before Zanny. Lauren stopped watching CA April 2006. Then Zenaida started watching Caylee.
-ZG lived off Glenwood, then lived with mom then moved to Sawgrass, 3-4 months ago.
– Casey said she left Universal to pick up Caylee from Zanny’s. She knocked, no one answered. Call cell, no longer in service, sat on steps, no one came to house, then went to Jay Blanchard park, stores, place Zanny shops at and had taken Caylee before.
- After 7 pm she was upset, went to neutral place. (Tony Lazzaro’s apartment) She didn’t want to come home & not know what to say about where Caylee was.
- Called Zanny’s mom, Gloria, never got a call back.
- Had Nokia that was lost. Zanny’s number changed, Jeff # changed.
- Talked to Juliette Lewis, a coworker at Universal. Casey said she worked as an event coordinator at Universal. Juliette Lewis # just changed, she left Universal 2 months ago. Casey talked to Juliette Lewis 3 weeks ago.
- Yuri Melich asked Casey why she didn’t call. Casey said she was scared if she called cops something would happen to Caylee, that she was naïve.
- Yuri Melich asked if anything in the statement was untrue – Casey said no. He asked if she caused injury to the child. Casey said no.
- Casey said she had no prob with drugs. No mental commitments .
- Zenaida Gonzalez is seasonal employee at Universal. She’s originally from NY. She’s mixed black, & Puerto Rican. Her birthday is in Sept. She moved down here to go to college.
- Caylee has a birth mark left shoulder, small line, eyes brown-green.
-Statement taken 4:11am & lasted 20 minutes. END OF STATEMENT.
Detective Yuri Melich then took CS to 301 north hillside. Drove by building asked Casey to point out windows belonging to Zanny & family – they’d lived there at 1 point .
CS friends lived at 232 Glenwood Amy Huizenga & Ricardo Morales lived across from building she showed Yuri Melich
Yuri Melich then went to Sawgrass where Caylee was dropped off between 6-9. Apt 210 They didn’t get out of car.
Then went to apts at Conway & Michigan. This was one place Zanny had lived & dropped Caylee off. Casey wasn’t sure which apt. They got out of car. Marked patrol car following. Casey sat in car while Melich got out.
At 6am Yuri Melich drove Casey home and left.
CROSS EXAM
Defense lawyer Jose Baez asked Yuri Melich if he ever went by any other names including the name “Dick Tracy Orlando” Yuri Melich had a puzzled look on his face then answered no. When he answered no, Yuri Melich perjured himself. He committed one of the same crimes Casey is being accused of – giving false statements to law enforcement. (Jose Baez, as a lawyer, is an officer of the court)
The prosecution objected as soon as Jose Baez questioned him about his using the name, “Dick Tracy Orlando”. The jury was told to leave the room and a sidebar ensued.
Jose Baez said Yuri Melich was on blogs discussing case. (Specifically a blog called Websleuths)
Baez said it goes to bias & credibility. Judge Perry said attacking professionalism is not related to bias.
At this point Judge Belvin Perry kept trying to say the word “specifically” a couple of times and instead kept saying “pacifically”. It annoyed me to no end. This judge needs speech therapy lessons. In addition Judge Perry has been very biased in favor of the prosecution, shooting down most defense objections & allowed in almost all evidence to come into trial that the defense objected to. The judge’s father use to be a cop and he himself is a former prosecutor. It’s a no brainer who’s side he’s on.
Getting back to Detective Yuri Melich and his blogging. As it turned out, on 9-29-08 he posted on the blog that a true missing persons case is murder without a body. Baez argued that if he felt that way then he had a bias towards Casey because he’s looking at it as a murder not a true “missing person”.
Baez said CINDY ANTHONY INFORMED YURI MELICH THAT THE LADDER WAS LEFT UP ON THE POOL. There were multiple statements from both George and Cindy that this could’ve been accident. Yuri Melich did not inspect pool. Jose Baez said hairs or splatters of blood could’ve been in pool, post mortem banding on hairs to indicate drowning in pool. Baez said, “if you don’t look you’ll never know.”
Prosecutor Jeff Ashton said there was no evidence of drowning. Yuri Melich blogged while home recuperating from breaking his leg.
Judge ruled Baez can’t use Yuri Melich’s blog statement that missing person case is like a murder investigation.
Jose Baez pointed out that supervisor reprimanded him for blogging.
Yuri Melcih arrived on scene at 4am. Met with Sgt Hosey. He was looking at a missing person’s case & theft, told about Sawgrass. Told about car, never looked at car, never called CSI
Jose Baez: You saw her as a suspect? Melich said no. YM claims he didn’t know Casey was handcuffed. Didn’t read maranda warning prior to questioning. Yuri Melich wrote that Casey’s version of story suspect.
Statement portion in quotations – place where Casey felt at home. Jose Baez: You never asked her why she didn’t feel at home in her own home , never asked Casey why she didn’t feel safe at home. (in quotes in statements that Melich wrote)
Jose Baez confronted Yuri Melich about his statement to Casey about his asking her if anything was fabricated.
Baez asked Melich about Casey not giving him any info on how to reach Jeffrey Hopkins. That Jeffrey went to North Carolina then moved down to Jacksonville, talked of Sim cards, – did you confront her about sim cards.
Jose Baez said Casey said she spoke to Juliette Lewis about Caylee . Yuri Melich asked for info on Juliette. Baez pointed out that Casey told Melich Juliette just moved up to NY. That she subleasing her apt. Doesn’t work at Universal. Baez: Casey said she spoke to Juliette about Casey, but yet she moved to NY couple of months ago. Baez: were you made aware of POSSIBLE SEIZURE THAT CASEY MAY HAVE HAD? Did you get medical info? No.
Prosecutor Linda Drane-Burdic said half of prosecution’s witnesses called.
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