What Would You Ask Ashton?***OPEN FOR DISCUSSION - POST INTERVIEW***

[Well Done 99]

Does anyone know if Jeff has a book signing schedule in place? If so, where would it be? Thanks!

[ame="http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=154346"]Imperfect Justice - Prosecuting Casey Anthony by Jeff Ashton Release date Nov. 15 - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community[/ame]

Post 364 on this thread uberwe. :seeya:

 

[RR0004]

I wouldn't be blushing RR, I'd be very proud of myself if I were you. You were awesome and sounded fantastic. Your efforts are very much appreciated.
You know, the more I look at Zippy's video, the more I think the snarl is directed at LDB rather than at JB (and JB turns to calm her or something).
There is a split-second moment, also, when she realizes what she's done. Maybe she is capable of feeling guilt after all lol.

I'm re-listening now. I was so nervous while I was in the queue that I missed the beginning of the show. I'm at the part where Jeff speaks about the piece of duct tape away from Caylee's body.

 

[beach]

Mods, will this now become a discussion thread to allow post-interview comment on Mr Ashton's replies?

Sure, you guys can use this for discussion now. I will edit the title.

Great questions everyone! I loved this interview and I imagine Jeff enjoyed answering questions from such well-informed members here.

Thanks everyone! :blowkiss:

 

[RR0004]

Well, I re-listened...and what I heard was that for "THIS incident" (and Jeff did emphasize this), legally it's over. But, now again, maybe this is my wishful thinking...but is there ANOTHER "incident"? Interesting choice of words. And I still can't shake this feeling I have that something is going on behind the scenes. I must be losing it!

 

[LCoastMom]

Well, I re-listened...and what I heard was that for "THIS incident" (and Jeff did emphasize this), legally it's over. But, now again, maybe this is my wishful thinking...but is there ANOTHER "incident"? Interesting choice of words. And I still can't shake this feeling I have that something is going on behind the scenes. I must be losing it!

I so hope you are correct and no I don't think you're losing it!!

RR Thank you so very much for getting the wheels in motion for this to happen! I missed the show and am hoping I'll have time to listen soon. Is there any chance that those of you who have heard the program could answer some of the questions from this thread? It would be so great to get a sneak preview to the interview!

(((HUGS))) to you RR, much thanks to Jeff, WS members, mods and admins for making it happen and Happy Holidays to all!

 

[HopeForUs]

Hi Mr Ashton
After relistening to the jail house tapes, it occured to me that on the visit with George + Cindy when he's telling Casey that she's the boss,and CEO of herself.. and to ask for a meeting with any LEO in private w/out baez, he wouldn't have done that if he were involved at all. Too big of a chance of her snitching on him to LE (because she was really deep in the doo doo by then) if he was involved in any way. But we all really know he wasn't involved and that she's a mega liar, I just wanted to point out yet another hole in their pitiful defense, wish you had another shot at that sorry excuse for a mother, daughter, human being,etc...

 

[HopeForUs]

Wow.. Duh missed another interview. Sorry guys, wish I coulda asked him if they had thought of that.

 

[Intermezzo]

Well, I re-listened...and what I heard was that for "THIS incident" (and Jeff did emphasize this), legally it's over. But, now again, maybe this is my wishful thinking...but is there ANOTHER "incident"? Interesting choice of words. And I still can't shake this feeling I have that something is going on behind the scenes. I must be losing it!

I wonder if by THIS incident he means the murder trial and the counts/charges associated with that..legally it is over
BUT
Casey still has a pending appeal on the 4 guilty counts of Lying to LE
AND
2 pending lawsuits..

But I am just guessing...

 

[Just K]

Thanks to the members who asked JA two of my questions! I missed the interview...dog gone it! I still want to know why they didn't introduce the cell phone records to show how CMA was always using her phone and that the dead time, just after the "flurry of calls" to Cindy, Jesse, TL, et. al., was highly unusual especially in the context of the weeks leading up to and just after Caylee's disappearance and death. The absence of texts, calls, and online activity in those two hours was evidence that may have swayed even that jury.

 

[Well Done 99]

Wow.. Duh missed another interview. Sorry guys, wish I coulda asked him if they had thought of that.

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/index.php
You can link to a replay from here.
Well worth listening to. Mr Ashton is as open as he can be, and is a sincere & honest gentleman. There were only a couple things he either wasn't aware of or prefered to scout around ... but who can blame him! Imagine trying keep all the things in one mind that we know collectively and even then by reminding each other.
Listen out for the other stars of the show too ... including beach, RR0004 and AZlawyer.

 

[jjw]

Sorry, if this was brought up before.

What did you think of Judge Belvin Perry? Was his rulings fair iyo? Was you annoyed by his helping Baez? If it had been decided by Judge Perry instead of the jury, do you think the verdict would have been different?

 

[AZlawyer]

Thanks to the members who asked JA two of my questions! I missed the interview...dog gone it! I still want to know why they didn't introduce the cell phone records to show how CMA was always using her phone and that the dead time, just after the "flurry of calls" to Cindy, Jesse, TL, et. al., was highly unusual especially in the context of the weeks leading up to and just after Caylee's disappearance and death. The absence of texts, calls, and online activity in those two hours was evidence that may have swayed even that jury.

I think it was because (1) "dead time" was really not that unusual for her at all, if you look at the full records, (2) there are several possible easy explanations for "dead time," like losing the battery charge because you have been making flurries of calls all the time, and (3) Casey's defense was not saying she was off calling friends that afternoon--they were saying her baby drowned and she was so mentally screwed up that she didn't call 911 or indeed anyone for help but rather followed her father's instructions re: lie and cover up. So not calling anyone is not inconsistent with that story.

 

[AZlawyer]

The media claimed JB's opening statement was trial changing and jaw dropping, yet as JB was presenting it, Mr. Ashton looked amused.
My question is, was JB's opening statement the equivalent of a giant sucker punch at the start of the fight, or was it completely expected by the prosecution and simply par for the course?

As a trial forensic expert Mr. Ashton, why did the state decide not to have the further testing done on the adipocere like substance that would have proven if the substance was indeed adipocere?

As a trial forensic expert Mr. Ashton, why is it policy for CSI's at the CSI lab to destroy their bench notes as Mr. Bloise did? Also, why do they place items in a drying room if this potentially alters evidence?

As a trial forensic expert Mr. Ashton, what explains the lack of DNA and decomp fluids in the trunk of the car? Why was the alleged decomp stain barely visible instead of being very dark as is the case with most decomp stains? What is a reasonable explanation for how extremely high levels of chloroform could exist in the trunk of the car. If the answer to this is unknown, then why did the state introduce evidence into the trial that they had no idea what it means and could not explain how it got there?

Why didn't the state present some kind of timeline as to when Caylee's death occurred, and why didn't the state present any kind of idea as to where Caylee's death occurred?

I believe JA has said in other interviews that they completely expected the defense and had warned George about it.

The adipocere-like substance was completely tested. The percentages of each type of fat was determined. Nothing more could be done. All you can say is, "This substance is made up of percentages of different types of fat that are consistent with the percentages you would expect from decomposing human bodies or maybe pigs." Even among decomposing human bodies and pigs, though, the percentages vary. And in theory (at least in crazy coincidence-land) it could have been something else with the same kind of percentages of fats. No scientist can tell you if it is really adipocere or something else exactly like it chemically.

It is policy to destroy bench notes because the notes are meant to help you write the report--once you write the report you don't need the notes anymore.

The drying room does not destroy any kind of evidence except for evidence that needs to be tested while wet. None of the evidence that was dried out in this case was that kind of evidence.

The plastic bags in which the body was placed and possibly cleaning explain the paucity of evidence in the trunk, but the evidence that WAS there was consistent with a decomposing human body.

The point of saying that the chloroform levels could not be explained by X, Y, or Z was that the only reasonable explanation remaining was, um, actual chloroform. Obviously this point was too subtle for the jury.

The state did not present evidence of the exact time or place of death because the state did not know the exact time or place of death.

If you want to talk about any of these issues further, please find the correct thread and bump it.

 

[jane the dood]

I have a question for AZlawyer (enjoyed hearing you during the interview, btw):

Why do you think the prosecution never asked the Anthonys about the pool? That was the whole defense, wasn't it? Caylee "drowned?" I kept waiting for Linda to bring it up. It would have made a great "Lt. Columbo" moment. Linda, seemingly finished with questioning Cindy Anthony and walking back to the SA's table, turning around and putting a finger on her chin:

"Oh by the way, Mrs. Anthony...do you still have the pool in the backyard? And do you still use it?"

To me, even this particular jury might have perked up and asked themselves: "Yeah, what about the pool? If it was the 'cause of death,' why are they still swimming in it?!" Seriously...if my grandchild actually drowned in the above-ground pool, I couldn't get rid of it fast enough; who would want that kind of memory in their own backyard?

Well....this is the Anthonys we're talking about here! Sheesh...silly me.

But really, I kept waiting for the prosecution to ask this question and they never did (if they did, I completely missed it). Do you think it would have impacted the jury at all, AZlawyer? Or were they so swayed by the "pretty girl defense" that it wouldn't have mattered, anyway?

I value your opinion.

 

[AZlawyer]

A few questions...
Did you verify that the picture of Caylee at the sliding glass door was in fact Caylee?
Why did the CPS report get released after the verdict seeing that one of the charges was child abuse?
How do you feel about "Caylee's Law"?

I ditto this question! I know that I was :banghead: when the report came out AFTER the trial as would have loved to have had the conclusion before the trial - so add onto question.......could it have been entered/presented to jury? CPS obviously thought the FCA was a guardian and stated as much although........the jurors did not agree the FCA was the guardian.

The CPS report definitely could not have been introduced at trial. It is completely irrelevant what a CPS caseworker thinks the evidence shows.

 

[AZlawyer]

I have a question for AZlawyer (enjoyed hearing you during the interview, btw):

Why do you think the prosecution never asked the Anthonys about the pool? That was the whole defense, wasn't it? Caylee "drowned?" I kept waiting for Linda to bring it up. It would have made a great "Lt. Columbo" moment. Linda, seemingly finished with questioning Cindy Anthony and walking back to the SA's table, turning around and putting a finger on her chin:

"Oh by the way, Mrs. Anthony...do you still have the pool in the backyard? And do you still use it?"

To me, even this particular jury might have perked up and asked themselves: "Yeah, what about the pool? If it was the 'cause of death,' why are they still swimming in it?!" Seriously...if my grandchild actually drowned in the above-ground pool, I couldn't get rid of it fast enough; who would want that kind of memory in their own backyard?

Well....this is the Anthonys we're talking about here! Sheesh...silly me.

But really, I kept waiting for the prosecution to ask this question and they never did (if they did, I completely missed it). Do you think it would have impacted the jury at all, AZlawyer? Or were they so swayed by the "pretty girl defense" that it wouldn't have mattered, anyway?

I value your opinion.

I don't think Cindy or George were "adopting" the drowning theory, were they? But it might have been a good question, if nothing else to SHOW the jury that they did not adopt the drowning theory.

I don't think it would have worked on this jury. I think this jury was looking for evidence of premeditation.

 

[AZlawyer]

Why weren't Cindy & George's textmessages released? Cindy said she texted Casey daily (after Casey stopped calling/answering her phone).

Why didn't you show the jury George his work records? He was at work on June 16th. You could have asked his coworkers on the stand about his demeanor that day. Was he late? Nervous or his usual self? I don't think it would've made a difference but I ws wondering why the state didn't try to back up George's story.

Cindy and George's texts couldn't be retrieved.

Good point about asking George's coworkers if he was acting like he'd just killed, molested, or buried his granddaughter.

Why didn't you open up the "can of death" for the jury to smell? Why didn't you take the jury to the "death car" and let them smell that?

They were not permitted to open up the can for the jury. We had a discussion among the lawyers here and disagreed about whether or not the ruling was appropriate. I thought it was appropriate because the jurors could be expected to know the smell of "kitchen trash" and should have been given the chance to confirm that the smell was NOT kitchen trash. But JA said during the radio show that the jury did have the spare tire cover, which still smelled.

HHJP would never have allowed a field trip to the car.

what was the item that LE allegedly pulled from OCA's wallet and took on 15 july 2008 before CA had a chance to see it? we opined a false ID or whatnot, but we never heard what it actually was.

do JA, LDB, and FG believe that journal entry of OCA's was related to caylee's murder and just couldnt prove it in court?

do JA, LDB, and FG believe the pink heart sticker found at the site was the heart sticker that caused the adhesive shape on the tape?

do JA, LDB, and FG, with their combined years of experience, believe that OCA is a one trick pony or will she reoffend?

I doubt there ever was any such item pulled from the wallet. Or if there was, it was immediately returned and not taken in as evidence, because it wasn't on any of the evidence sheets.

JA answered questions about the journal during the show. They decided it was from high school.

The pink heart shape at the site definitely was NOT the heart sticker that caused the shape on the tape, and I don't think JA et al. thought it was, but I wish I had asked him. To me, it was crystal clear that the sticker that caused the shape on the tape was the one that was missing from the sticker backing that was carefully cut out with curly scissors and placed on top of everything else in the Caylee keepsake box found in Casey's closet.

Did anyone ever test Caylee's hair mass? If so, what did they find? (My husband and I always felt it was a mixture of live Caylee hairs, pulled out when Caylee was alive by the duct tape, as well as deceased when she died.)

The hair mass was tested and had the decomp roots.

What does he know about the 1200 'bad pictures' that LE told George about?

I would bet anyone a million dollars that they were just talking about the photos on the computer. The peeing in the parking lot, etc.

 

[jane the dood]

I don't think Cindy or George were "adopting" the drowning theory, were they? But it might have been a good question, if nothing else to SHOW the jury that they did not adopt the drowning theory.

I don't think it would have worked on this jury. I think this jury was looking for evidence of premeditation.

You know what struck me? Remember in the jailhouse interviews, when Cindy was talking to Casey; she was peering intently into the monitor and saying (I'm paraphrasing here), "Now they're saying maybe Caylee drowned in the pool" and then you see Casey and her eyes are darting back and forth, and she says "Surprise, surprise." To me, it seemed as if Cindy were feeding the idea to Casey as a great alibi, and then Casey picked up the ball and ran with it. But that's just me. I guess that's why I'm obsessed about the pool! As far as I'm concerned, Cindy is an accessory after the fact for trying to cover up Casey's crime and then perjurying herself.

OK...I'm off my soapbox now! Thanks for your input, AZlawyer!

 

[logicalgirl]

You know what struck me? Remember in the jailhouse interviews, when Cindy was talking to Casey; she was peering intently into the monitor and saying (I'm paraphrasing here), "Now they're saying maybe Caylee drowned in the pool" and then you see Casey and her eyes are darting back and forth, and she says "Surprise, surprise." To me, it seemed as if Cindy were feeding the idea to Casey as a great alibi, and then Casey picked up the ball and ran with it. But that's just me. I guess that's why I'm obsessed about the pool! As far as I'm concerned, Cindy is an accessory after the fact for trying to cover up Casey's crime and then perjurying herself.

OK...I'm off my soapbox now! Thanks for your input, AZlawyer!

I don't know if that's what CA was doing for OCA but we do know CA was repeating some of the questions the media and protestors were screaming at her as she was entering the jail.
And I have a vague recollection of an inmate in the same section as OCA whose young child had died in a pool accident however that was a completely separate issue for what the woman was in the clink for.

 

[jane the dood]

I don't know if that's what CA was doing for OCA but we do know CA was repeating some of the questions the media and protestors were screaming at her as she was entering the jail.
And I have a vague recollection of an inmate in the same section as OCA whose young child had died in a pool accident however that was a completely separate issue for what the woman was in the clink for.

Oh yeah, I remember that, too.

Well, maybe they were going for a "throw it all against the wall and see what sticks" defense...guess it worked. At least with this jury. *sigh*