Defense attorney Cheney Mason told everyone how he felt about the Casey Anthony coverage.
Then he gestured to show his disapproval. I think the gesture will probably last longer than his lecture about the media. Mason later told TMZ.com the middle-finger salute was for a guy from a radio station who has been stalking my team for months.
What was behind Masons anger after Anthonys acquittal? I gained insights from Geraldo Rivera of Fox News Channel. Rivera, a friend of defense attorney Jose Baez, complained about how Baez had been treated by local attorneys on television.
Theres a big difference between Casey and Jose, Rivera said. There was negative press directed at Jose by the local Bar. They were relentless in the attacks on him, people like Mark NeJame. They went after Jose in a way that was vicious. Jose has proved himself. He could have folded a million times. He stood his ground. He was David against Goliath. The Constitution protects unpopular people. The fact is he got paid chump change, sacrificing three years of his life. He is owed a huge apology from the local Bar and NeJame and other people.
NeJames response? Geraldo has done as much research on me as he did on Al Capones vault.
NeJame, a legal analyst for WKMG-Channel 6, said he gave Baez great compliments for tenacity.
As for Masons criticisms, NeJame said: What we did were never personal attacks. I was being critical of matters such as those brought out in the opening statement. I think to engage in that type of assassination of others without presenting any proof at trial bothers me. Obviously, Judge [Belvin] Perry, through his repeated rulings contrary to the defense, concurred.
WESH-Channel 2 legal analyst Richard Hornsby was definite about Baez. He is not owed an apology, Hornsby said. The verdict doesnt excuse sloppy pretrial legal work.
Anthony was acquitted Tuesday of first-degree murder in the death of her daughter, Caylee.
Baez deserves every accolade, and he grew as an attorney, Hornsby said. The verdict he obtained is a greater achievement than the O.J. Simpson verdict. People liked O.J. No one likes Casey.
Hornsby adds: I praised him [Baez] when he did things right. He complains about the media, but hes the one thats fired the media fire, that appetite for information. Hes the guy that cried wolf.
After Anthonys acquittal, defense attorney Mason railed against media assassination and incompetent talking heads saying what would be and how to be.
As CNNs Anderson Cooper noted last night, Mason used to be one of those talking heads. I looked back at my blog posts in which Mason sounded off before joining the Anthony defense team. On television, Mason talked about the trials start, its cost and the possible ways the defense could raise reasonable doubt.
CNN replayed a WKMG clip in which Mason, as a talking head, said: It could have been an accidental death
and an improper disposal. It could have been an outright brutal homicide. We dont know. They have no credibility whatsoever.
And Mason predicted: You can pretty well predict that theres going to be a life sentence.
After the verdict, Mason complained about the TV coverage: Im disgusted by some of the lawyers that have done this. And I can tell you that my colleagues from coast to coast and border to border have condemned this whole process of lawyers getting on television and talking about cases that they dont know a damn thing about it and dont have the experience to back up their words or the law to do it.
NeJame says he spent hundreds of hours familiarizing himself with the case. And he sees hypocrisy in Masons criticism. Theyre not critical of the talking heads that were critical of the state, and there were many, NeJame said. Youve got to be fair. You cant pick and choose the times you want the Constitution to be appropriate to you.
WFTV-Channel 9 legal analyst Bill Sheaffer said that Masons criticism had some validity because they were lawyers from outside Central Florida who were commenting about a case they didnt understand. But Sheaffer said that he, Hornbsy and NeJame had worked long hours in studying the case.
I knew this case about as well as anybody who wasnt representing someone in this case, Sheaffer said. I believe the community was served by the analysis.
Sheaffer was often critical of Baezs inexperience but also praised him before Anthony was acquitted. I said there was no quit in this guy, Sheaffer said. He stayed and fought for his client.
Sheaffer stressed that with experience Baez would improve as a criminal defense attorney. Theres inexperience and inexperience shows, and its a shame that it had to play out on a national stage, and I hope it doesnt affect him, Sheaffer said.
NeJame said he was surprised and disheartened by the Anthony verdict, but that he wholly supported the jurys decision.
Were in a free society, she had a fair trial, she was acquitted, and people were free to talk about it, NeJame said. Its the essence of the Constitution and a free society. Rather than complaining, the defense team should be pleased.
And that's because she was molested by her father, so she has no coping skills? Even someone who was "forced" into silence would grieve for their chid, wouldn't they? Was this some sort of bizarre, counter-reaction because of the supposed abuse?
)... but after reading it myself, I have to say, it made me feel a little better for some reason ... I guess maybe it was because Marcia Clark sums up everything and puts into prospective what I was thinking and feeling about things, yet couldn't quite put into words as she does ... I hope maybe the article can help you a little too ... 
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Maybe not tonight tho...I'm weaning myself from this trial!)
... I really hope and prayer some major changes for the good will result from this and little Caylee can finally Rest In Peace 
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(scrolled down, glanced and looked and oops--I typed pro-defense.
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