Todays panel consisted of Simon and Jan Barrett, crime writer Denny Griffin, veteran trial lawyer Mannie Barling, journalist (inside the court room) Dave Knechel, and Bail Bondsman William Cobra Staubs.

The trial on First Degree Murder of Casey Anthony began last Tuesday with the prosecution and defense offering their opening thoughts. The prosecution played a very conservative game, over the course of 2 1/2 hours they detailed the direction that they were planning to explain the case. While not water tight, it certainly seems to have a solid base.

The defense responded with what I view as a pretty wild notion. Of course the ‘Lip Flapping’ of attorneys during this phase of a trial is little more than an Op-Ed piece. No proof needs to be produced, and theories can be floated for the Jury to consume. However to NOT deliver on the promises can scuttle any case.

Sequestered Jurors tend to be grumpy Jurors, this particular batch are stuck in a hotel, two hours from home, They are cut off from Newspapers, the Internet, and most TV channels known to man. I have to admit that the ‘lack of TV’ reminded me of a story from the late 1980’s. I was engaged in a huge project for a well known bank. In order to make our product people friendly we brought in a Branch Manager. The hotel was top notch, the expense account was almost limitless, but the damn place did not have QVC on the TV menu.

She took it stoically, but was unhappy. One day after about two months of this imprisonment she walked in with a letter. It was from QVC. She was a frequent shopper and wanted to make sure that she was OK.

My story may be strange, and by no means was this lady sequestered, but when you take people out of their normal surroundings, they do get upset. The moral of the story… if you tell a story about the upcoming trial, you had better make good on your word.

This week the jury got to hear just the very beginnings of the prosecutions case. Taking a leaf out of the TV Soap Opera play book, Saturday left us with a cliff hanger. Cindy Anthony on the stand, the prosecution wringing every last drop of sympathy for this grieving Grand Mother, and the defense mildly letting the story unfold. Unlike other witnesses that we have seen on the stand, the defense was very quiet about objecting to anything. When they do get their shot at Cindy will they go for the jugular as they did with George, or take the soft route? The saying ‘damned if you do, damned if you don’t’ springs to mind.

If you missed our live broadcast you can catch the recording here.

I’d also like to make a personal observation, as host of the program, my mission is a rather curious one, I ask questions, and let them head in whatever direction they may lead. It was clear from some listeners that they disliked the position put forward by Cobra. It is important to understand that at this stage we are dealing with opinions only. However the scenario put out by Cobra is far more realistic that you can imagine. Who thought OJ would walk away a free man?

Simon and Jan Barrett

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