Rebuttal, deliberations remain in Anthony trial

ORLANDO - Casey Anthony briefly broke down crying yesterday as prosecutors told jurors during closing arguments that she murdered her 2-year-old daughter Caylee because the child prevented her from having a relationship with a club promoter.

Prosecutor Jeff Ashton said Anthony wanted a relationship with her boyfriend, to go out with her friends, and to live the carefree life she had before Caylee’s birth.

“Something needed to be sacrificed, that something was either the life she wanted or the life thrust upon her,’’ Ashton said during his 90-minute argument. “She chose to sacrifice her child.’’

Prosecutors contend Caylee was suffocated with duct tape by a mother who then crafted elaborate lies to mislead investigators and her parents. Defense attorneys countered that the toddler accidentally drowned in the family swimming pool, and that her mother in fact was hiding emotional distress caused by alleged sexual abuse from her father. Her father has denied that accusation.

Judge Belvin Perry ruled yesterday morning that there was no evidence of such an accusation and that the defense could not allude to it in closing arguments. But Perry did say the defense could again present the drowning theory because there “is a reasonable inference that can be drawn’’ to suggest it.

Cindy Anthony then tracked down her daughter. When she couldn't produce Caylee, her parents called police. Casey Anthony then told investigators she worked at Universal Studios theme park as an event planner. She went so far as to take them there, talk her way past security into an office building. She gave up the lie as she was walking down the hall.

Ashton then attacked the defense contention that Caylee drowned and that George Anthony helped Casey Anthony cover it up. No one faced with an accidental drowning would do that instead of calling 911, Ashton said.

"It is a trip down a rabbit hole into a bizarre world where men who love their granddaughters find them drowned and do nothing," Ashton said. "Where men who love their granddaughters take an accident, a completely innocent act, and make it look like a murder for no reason. A world where a man who buries his pets will take the granddaughter who was the love of his life and throw her in a swamp."

Baez conceded that Casey Anthony told elaborate lies, but he said those inventions should have signaled to investigators that "there's something wrong with this girl."

"Instead, they had a murder case, and that was it. That was all they were interested in was evidence of murder. There's nothing sexy about a drowning," Baez said.

Judge Perry angrily stopped Baez's closing arguments after he referred to Ashton as "this laughing guy." Television showed Ashton smiling behind his hand at Baez's contention that the prosecution's forensic evidence was based on fantasy. One of Perry's written orders is that the attorneys not show emotion to the other side's statements.

Ashton apologized and said he tried to hide his expressions. Baez also apologized. Perry warned all of the attorneys that any other incidents would result in that attorney's removal from the trial.