Weighing reaction vs. testimony in Casey Anthony trial - CFNews13

by mom_in_il on Wed Jun 22, 2011 2:05 am

Weighing reaction vs. testimony in Casey Anthony trial
By Christine Webb, Anchor
Last Updated: Wednesday, June 22, 2011 6:36 AM

ORLANDO -- The jurors in Casey Anthony's murder trial are not only watching her every move, but also how her parents and brother react in court.

The question is -- how do jurors weigh those reactions verses the testimony?

It's tough. We are all human beings and while jurors are not supposed to base their verdict on sympathy and other emotions, it's hard not to.

We talked with News 13's legal expert David Fussell about this.

For instance, when Cindy Anthony left the stand and mouthed "I love you" to Casey -- Casey's reaction was shaking her head.

We asked Fussell, does he think jurors are weighing the reactions of the Anthony family in addition to the testimony?

"They are. We just don't know what it's adding up to. How they are delivering it to you... we just don't know how," Fussell said.

In the end though, Fussell said it's not going to be a major issue. It may sway a few jurors, however, the big thing will be the science and the evidence.

http://www.cfnews13.com/article/news/2011/june/267172/Weighing-reaction-vs-testimony-in-Casey-Anthony-trial