Casey Anthony Jury Of 12 Sworn In, Opening Statements Set For Tuesday

We have a jury.

Late Friday afternoon, following 11 days of jury selection, Judge Belvin Perry swore in a panel of 12 jurors, plus five alternates. Before that, the defense used its last peremptory challenge and the state used one to move a juror from the main panel to the end of the list of alternates. Both sides used one challenge each to strike an alternate, as well.

Defense attorney Jose Baez requested additional challenges, but Perry denied that motion. Baez had his “vigorous” objection to the process noted for the record, but Perry again overruled him.

The final makeup of the panel includes seven women and five men. Five are married, five are single and two are divorced. Six have children.

Three of the alternates are male and two are female. Three are married, one is a widow and the other is single. Three are parents.

After consulting with the jury, Perry announced that opening statements in Casey Anthony’s murder trial will begin Tuesday at 9 am in Orlando, a day later than he had previously planned.

Also, the spectator who Judge Perry held in contempt Friday morning was brought back into the courtroom late in the afternoon. Perry said there was precedent in the district for her to have a right to have counsel present. An attorney helped Elizabeth Rogers explain more of her background, her home situation and the fact that she had not taken her medication all day.

Perry said her statement, “she killed somebody anyway,” indicated forethought and knowledge that she was in a courtroom where the defendant was accused of murder. He said her bipolar disorder does not fully excuse her behavior but he felt two days in jail was a reasonable and proper sentence after taking into account the mitigating factors. He repeated his earlier finding of contempt and remanded Rogers to the custody of the sheriff’s office.