New criminal charges were filed against Casey Anthony on Wednesday and Eyewitness News has learned she could be getting a powerful local attorney. Meanwhile, late Wednesday afternoon Eyewitness News learned about possible new evidence.
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NEW CHARGES: Read Both New Arrest Affidavits (PDF)
RAW INTERVIEW: Bounty Hunter Says New Details "Will Shock The World"
VIDEO REPORT: High-Profile Attorney Contacted In Anthony Case
911 CALLS ABOUT PROTESTORS: Call #1 | Call #2
ARCHIVE: Read Previous Reports On Anthony Case
MESSAGE BOARD: Talk About Anthony Case
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Sources close to the investigation confirmed to Eyewitness News late Wednesday afternoon that preliminary tests show chloroform inside the trunk of Casey Anthony's car. That is the same place investigators found a hair and a stain they believe belonged to Caylee Anthony and that showed she was dead.
Also late Wednesday afternoon, a cadaver dog alerted on an area in the search for Caylee Anthony just south of the Orlando International Airport. It's near the same place where search teams have been scouring the woods trying to find Caylee's body.
Orange County investigators were at the scene Wednesday evening to investigate the discovery made by the Body Hunters, an organization out of Ohio. That group said their own cadaver dogs hit on something, but it was unclear what that discovery may be or if it was connected to the Anthony case.
NEW CHARGES FILED UNRELATED TO CAYLEE'S DISAPPEARANCE
The new charges Casey is facing are unrelated to her daughter Caylee's disappearance. They stem from Casey's arrest Friday night, when she was accused of stealing money from her friend's checking account. The friend, Amy Huizenga, says Anthony stole several checks and cleaned out her bank account while Huizenga was vacationing in Puerto Rico.
The sheriff's office said they were able to connect Casey with the checks using video surveillance from a Target and Bank of America location.
The new charges filed Wednesday are for two counts of uttering a forged check, two counts of petit theft, and two counts of fraudulent use of personal identification.
HIGH-PROFILE ORLANDO ATTORNEY CONTACTED
Only Eyewitness News has learned one of Orlando's most prominent defense attorneys, Mark Nejame, has been contacted in the case, but he hasn't decided if he'll take it over. Late Wednesday afternoon, Eyewitness News learned George and Cindy Anthony met with Nejame at his office.
Mark Nejame
Nejame has decades of experience in high-profile cases. He said the Anthonys only contacted him for advice and were not currently seeking to have him act as their or Casey's attorney. He told Eyewitness News the Anthonys had questions about the case related to Caylee and didn't ask any questions related to Casey.
Nejame said that the Anthonys just wanted advice regarding evidence found relating to Caylee's disappearance, but Nejame wouldn't disclose what kind of advice he gave.
"To be going through the loss of their granddaughter, their daughter in jail, it's a lot. And then, nobody's trained for this sort of thing, nobody's trained. They're regular, hard-working, good people and now their daughter in jail, their granddaughter missing, the media's at their door every minute," Nejame told Eyewitness News early Wednesday evening after meeting with George and Cindy Anthony.
Mark Nejame and his team of attorneys have been known to represent high-profile cases in Central Florida. In 2004, he represented Jesse Maali. The high-profile I-Drive business man was investigated by federal agents and then indicted on charges of hiring illegal aliens, money laundering and tax evasion.
President of the Central Florida Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys Richard Hornsby told Eyewitness News that Nejame's firm would be an asset to Casey Anthony's defense because he is media savvy.
"If Mark would take over to the Anthony case, it would be a great benefit from both the media and legal standpoint, because you know the right decision would be made," Hornsby said.
Nejame's law firm was in the spotlight when he represented Fred Khalilian. Khalilian is best known for opening nightspot Club Paris at Church Street Station with hotel heiress Paris Hilton in 2004. Khalilian was accused raping a girl at his apartment after leaving his nightclub Dolce.
Former city commissioner Ernest Page hired Nejame when he got into hot water. Page was accused of using his city hall position to demand business dealings with a developer.
But Hornsby believes the Anthony case is so big, it takes more than just one attorney to handle it.
"If Mark's firm were to be taking over, it would be like a team as opposed to a sole practitioner, which quite frankly this case needs," he said.
www.wftv.com
this seems to be a wrap up of what has happened today. Not sure where to put it???
