Judge Takes Himself Off Anthony Case

May of 2011 for crying out loud... The poor girl was murdered what seems so long ago...

(CNN) -- The judge in Casey Anthony's murder trial took himself off the case Monday after the defense contended he was biased against her.

"Over the past 20-plus months, in between media interviews, guest appearances on television shows and press conferences, defense counsel has filed a litany of motions," Ninth Circuit Court Judge Stan Strickland observed in an order recusing himself from the high-profile murder trial.

"At its core," the judge continued, "defense counsel's motion accuses the undersigned of being a 'self-aggrandizing media hound.' Indeed. The irony is rich."

The case has been reassigned to Judge Belvin Perry Jr.
(Read Judge Strickland's order)

"Judge Perry is a good judge; he knows the law," Cindy and George Anthony's attorney, Brad Conway, told CNN. "Stan Strickland is just as good and knowledgeable. He's also extremely patient. He lets you say what you have to say, then he rules."

Anthony is awaiting trial in Orange County, Florida, on a charge of first-degree murder in the death of her daughter, Caylee, who was 2 when she disappeared in June 2008. The little girl's remains were found near the Anthony home in December 2008.

Casey Anthony has pleaded not guilty, and her murder trial has been set for May 2011.

In a motion filed 12 minutes before the court closed on Friday, Baez accused Strickland of forming a "personal relationship" with blogger Dave Knechel, who writes under the pseudonym "Marinade Dave."

Knechel's blog includes made-up legal motions with titles such as "Casey Anthony must die!" "Caylee's murder: Premeditated and pretty stupid too" and "Guilty as charged."

Baez alleged that the judge called the blogger to inquire about his health and did not disclose the relationship with the defense. He also contends in court papers that the judge recognized Knechel at a court hearing and summoned him to the bench.

Strickland denies there was any personal relationship, saying in his order that he made only "infrequent sojourns into the blogosphere." He added that the blogger had criticized "those who came onto the blog for the sole purpose of bashing the defendant and her family." He said he thanked the blogger in open court for being "both fair and civilized."

Video of an October 19 hearing reviewed by In Session staff shows a bailiff pointing at Knechel. Off-camera audio reveals snippets of a conversation with the judge in which Knechel says people are reading his blog because he does a "good job, very simple."

Although Strickland denied wrongdoing, he acknowledged that repeated accusations of bias would be disruptive at a trial.

"Since the undersigned has now been accused of bias and wrongdoing, potentially each denial of a defense motion will generate renewed allegations of bias," Strickland wrote.

Conway recalled that when he first appeared before Perry years ago, the judge invited him into chambers and gave him two rules: "One, the train leaves at 8:30 a.m. Be on it. Two, be prepared."

Conway said that Perry assured him, "If you follow those two rules, you'll be fine."

Judge's Staff Releases Caylee Anthony Autopsy Report, But No Photos

Orlando Sentinel- Authorities were investigating for a brief time this afternoon whether autopsy photos of Caylee Marie Anthony were released today to a member of the public in violation of state law.

They were not released.

State Attorney's Office spokesman Randy Means expressed concern earlier today that two autopsy photos could have been accidentally released to a legal analyst for WFTV Channel 9, which was the first station to get the autopsy report of the slain 2-year-old from east Orange County.

Legal analyst Bill Shaeffer told the Orlando Sentinel the copy he received from the judge's office did not contain any autopsy photos. That copy was released about 30 minutes prior the release from the State Attorney's Office.

A judge today said the report should be released, despite complaints from Caylee's grandparents, because it is a public record under state law.

However, an exemption to the law specifically prohibits the release of autopsy photos.

After the judge's ruling, Shaeffer, a legal analyst for Channel 9, received a copy of the autopsy report from a person in Circuit Court Judge Stan Strickland's office, Means said.

The report he picked up may have included two autopsy photos, Means said. Shaeffer said the photos were not included in the report he received.

Other media outlets, including the Orlando Sentinel, obtained photo-less copies of the autopsy report from the State Attorney's Office.

Photos are not public in Florida under a law named after racing legend Dale Earnhardt, who died in 2001 during a crash at the Daytona 500.

Concerns about the possibility of Earnhardt's photos becoming public prompted Florida lawmakers to quickly pass the exemption.

Under the law, it is a felony for people to look at or copy autopsy photos and videos unless they can persuade a judge to let them do so.


Here are the links to the autopsy:
http://www.wftv.com/pdf/19801498/detail.html
http://www.wftv.com/pdf/19801734/detail.html
http://www.wftv.com/pdf/19801861/detail.html
http://www.wftv.com/pdf/19801867/detail.html

Ooops, Corrections Officers Audio Recordings ACCIDENTALLY Released??

The three DVDs containing video, photo's, and cell phone records released by the the State Attorney's office included audio interviews with two jail officers. Prosecutors told WFTV news they accidentally released the audio recordings of the Orange County Corrections officers with Casey, on the day Caylee's remains were discovered.

Click here to listen to Lt. Tammy Unser on Dec. 11, 2008.
Click here to listen to Sgt. Billy Richardson on Dec. 11, 2008.

The officers said Casey heard the news on the radio in her cell and then officers took her to the medical clinic, where she watched the news on Dec 11.
The defense requested a Strickland to rule the recordings as private. No ruling had been made before the accidental release. The audiotapes were to be held until the judge ruled on a defense request to not be public.

The defense has not commented on the release of the two audio recordings.
Judge Stan Strickland was to rule on the audio files May 7.

Judge Stan Strickland Filed Complaint Against Jose Baez

YES!

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. -- Jose Baez has been investigated by the Florida Bar before, but now sources tell Eyewitness News it's the judge in the case against Casey that's filed a complaint against Casey Anthony's own attorney.

Eyewitness News has learned Circuit Judge Stan Strickland is one of two people who have filed new complaints against Jose Baez. The Florida Bar says both investigations involve Baez's former private eye, Dominic Casey. He's the guy who was at the remains scene a month before detectives found Caylee.

It's very rare for a judge to file a complaint like this, but all judges are obligated as attorneys to report possible violations.
There's speculation the complaints involve the private eye's claim he was told not to call 911 if he found Caylee's body. But, shocking as it might be, WFTV legal analyst Bill Sheaffer says calling 911 could've gotten Casey Anthony's defense team in trouble.

Circuit Judge Stan Strickland would not talk to Eyewitness News about his Bar complaint against defense attorney Jose Baez. Sheaffer, who served on a Bar grievance committee, told Eyewitness News the complaint would not automatically disqualify Strickland from the case.
Casey Anthony would have to make a strong claim that it jeopardizes her right to a fair trial, but Sheaffer wouldn't advise it.

"Casey Anthony should think long and hard before she files a motion to recuse Judge Strickland from this case because there are a lot of other judges out there that are less tolerant and patient with her attorney than Judge Strickland has been," Sheaffer said.

Dominic Casey told detectives he would've called 911 if he had found Caylee in November, but also that he was told not to call 911 by someone he apparently identified during an interview, which Judge Strickland sealed because it divulged defense secrets.

Sheaffer says no one is legally obligated to call 911 after finding a body and Casey's defense team would be legally obligated not to if it would incriminate her.
"He is prohibited by the rules of ethics from ever divulging that information," Sheaffer said.
Sheaffer said it would cost Baez his license and, for the justice system to work, it has to be that way.

"A client must know that there is one person that they can tell the truth to," Sheaffer explained.
Sheaffer believes the judge's complaint involves more than a defense instruction to Dominic Casey not to call 911. He says judges usually handle trivial issues with attorneys by holding contempt of court hearings in their own courtrooms.

But Jose Baez isn't alone. Eyewitness News also confirmed Wednesday that another lawyer wrapped up in the case is under investigation by the Florida Bar.

Brad Conway is the lawyer representing George and Cindy Anthony. Eyewitness News has learned Brad Conway was with Dominic Casey when Dominic Casey gave investigators information that Judge Strickland later determined was privileged to the defense. Eyewitness News is still working to find out the exact complaint in Conway's investigation. (source)

Recently Ruled- Casey Anthony Must Attend Hearings

Good, so now we get to see more of that hand shaking when she's swearing oath, hehe.

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - A judge has ruled that a Florida mother charged with killing her toddler must attend her pretrial hearings.

The Orlando judge ruled Thursday that Casey Anthony must be at all hearings except scheduling and trial status hearings. The next one is scheduled for Friday morning.

Her defense attorney had objected, citing the media frenzy it causes each time Casey Anthony is in a courtroom. The attorney says Anthony signed a form waiving the requirement that she be in court during the hearings.

The order came from Judge Stan Strickland who has taken a hard stance against the Casey Anthony. Anthony stands accused of murdering her two-year-old daughter Caylee Anthony, accusations that she has denied.


Besides the hand shaking, we'll get to see her do this face everytime she hears something she doesn't want to:

......Meanwhile, when is news of Caylee's funeral being announced? I guess it can wait longer at this point..?!