Why Did the Jury Request Exhibit Item 313 , A Crimson Heart with Cardboard?

“Come on, come, come on, now touch me baby. Can’t you see that I am not afraid? What was that promise that you made? Why won’t you tell me what she said? What was that promise that you made? Now, I’m gonna love you, ’til the heavens stop the rain. I’m gonna love you, ’til the stars fall from the sky for you and I.” Touch Me – The Doors

heart and cardboard

Jose Baez pointed out that the crimson heart had subsequently come detached from the cardboard object. That is, when CSI agents had originally processed the crime scene in the second week of December 2008, the two curiosities were attached. Why split hairs over this seemingly inconsequential evidence? Or is it inconsequential?

As I lay in bed last night, I kept scratching my head. I remembered seeing photos of item 313 on talk shows many times before. Had Casey put two hearts on Caylee’s duct-taped mouth? Or was this crimson heart the top portion (outer shell) of the object that Elizabeth Fontaine had testified about on Monday?

She had seen only the ‘fossil,’ (Q 63) on the loose piece of duct tape, or as she described it, what looked like the remnants of adhesive when you remove a band aid from your skin, that’s been on there for a very long time. That is, could the crimson heart be matched to the fossil shell on the random slice of Henkel duct tape?

bella vita

We’ll never find out, since Ms. Fontaine altered the imprint with a dye stain. Nor was it photographed. We can’t assume, nor can the jury, that the heart object was ever on the duct tape. And amazingly enough, the prosecution hasn’t attempted to match the heart to one of the rolls of stickers found at the Anthony home. There were two search warrants, one on 12/11 and one on 12/20/’08.

poster w duct tape

Another source of excitement from yesterday’s proceedings was the introduction of a news loop from WFTV 9 in Orlando. Way back in time on August 13, 2009, their cameras had captured a poster of Caylee, affixed to a pole with a piece of Henkel duct tape. The fact that this duct tape is rare and is the same type found at the crime scene, seems to tie it to the Anthony household.

However, Jose Baez reminded Cynthia Anthony, that she had previously said in a deposition that it was only George Anthony who used the tape. Baez also reminded Cindy that she had stated previously that Casey never had removed any duct tape from the house.

I’ll remind you, in December the police didn’t find any duct tape. However, the WFTV video clearly demonstrates that the Anthony’s used the roll to put up missing posters of Caylee. Casey was arrested on July 16th, so this was just four days later. Good job WFTV 9!

WFTV 9 video of pristine Henkel duct tape

http://www.wftv.com/video/21186456/index.html