Scientists for defense testify in Anthony trial
ORLANDO, FL
Defense witness Michael Sigman pulled the samples from Anthony's
trunk six days after the skeletal remains of Anthony's 2-year-old
daughter Caylee were discovered in a wooded area in December 2008.
He was one of five witnesses to take the stand as the defense
continued to attack the prosecution's contentions that the toddler
was suffocated by duct tape and then spent at least some time in
the trunk.
"I cannot conclusively determine that there were human remains
in the trunk," said Sigman, a chemistry professor at the
University of Central Florida.
Anthony is charged with first-degree murder in her child's
death. She has pleaded not guilty and faces a possible death
sentence if convicted. The defense says the toddler drowned in her
grandparents' swimming pool.
Anthony's defense team also called a geologist, toxicologist and
fiber analyst -- all from the FBI -- as witnesses on Day 25 of the
trial, which was only a half-day because of a prior commitment for
Judge Belvin Perry.
Sigman's testimony conflicted with research scientist Arpad
Vass, a former colleague at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Vass, a
witness for the prosecution, said he determined human decomposition
in the trunk based on an unusually high amount of chloroform found
on a carpet stain.
Prosecutor Jeff Ashton pointed out during his cross-examination
of Sigman that by the time he collected his air samples, the
trunk's carpet and spare tire cover had been removed.
"So your samples only tell you want was in the air, it doesn't
tell you where (any gasses) came from, correct?" Ashton said.
"Yes," Sigman responded.
Ashton also noted that Sigman didn't have the collection
instrument Vass recommended and therefore couldn't take a large
sample.
Sigman only found "traces" of chloroform and a primary
presence of gasoline, but Ashton got him to acknowledge the
chloroform present could have come from a source other than
cleaning supplies like a bottle of bleach.
"There's nothing in our results that indicate the source of
chloroform...we simply know it's there," Sigman acknowledged.
Chloroform or other signs of human decomposition could not be
found on any of the clothing from Casey Anthony's closet, or on
trash and debris from the trunk, FBI hair and fiber analyst Karen
Lowe testified.
Lowe also said that of hundreds of hairs collected from items at
the Anthony home and inside the car, only one exhibited any
characteristics of human decomposition.
FBI geologist Maureen Bottrell testified that she analyzed 22
pairs of shoes taken from the Anthony home. She said three pairs of
shoes had significant enough amounts of soil to compare with
samples taken from the site where Caylee's were found. But she
found the soil on those shoes differed.
Perry had originally hoped the jury could start deliberations
next week, but that timeline will likely be delayed at least a
week. The state has already notified him of its intention to call
rebuttal witnesses before closing arguments.