Stop Touching Casey During Jail Visits

[Where Is Caylee]

Jose Baez Repeatedly Told To Stop Touching Casey During Jail Visits



In the past two weeks Casey Anthony?s attorney Jose Baez has visited her at the jail, seven out of 14 days.

Eyewitness News has discovered that on at least two occasions jail staff had to step in and Baez was warned repeatedly about hugging Casey during their visits.
A jail report states: ?The inmate?s attorney was observed hugging inmate and was advised that physical contact was prohibited.?

Then a week later another report stated: ?Baez again observed hugging his client.?

The room Baez and Anthony meet in is very small and typically there is a desk and two chairs.

Sources told Eyewitness News that on one occasion, Anthony was sitting and Baez was very close to her face. A corrections officer had to go into the room to separate them.

Eyewitness News confronted Jose Baez about the situation.

?I have no comment,? he said.

Eyewitness news? legal analyst Bill Schaeffer said it?s unusual that an attorney would ever touch a client.

?The more experience you are in handling these type of clients or situation, the less likely you are to place yourself in a situation that could be regarded as a compromising situation,? said Schaeffer.

When Casey was out on bond, there were several times that she would spend six hours a day at Baez?s office including Saturdays. There?s nothing criminal about having a relationship with a client, but Schaeffer said there are ethical issues.

?The appellate court could find that relationship overstepped the bounds of attorney client relationship and affected that performance and order a new trial,? he said.

There was no evidence that Baez and Casey were actually having a relationship.

The reason touching isn?t allowed at the jail is because contraband items could be passed. Baez told jail officials that he didn?t know the rules, and wouldn?t do it again.

[Where Is Caylee]

<u>Bar To Investigate Baez For Hugging Casey In Jail </u>

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. ? The Florida Bar Association will investigate attorney Jose Baez to determine if jailhouse hugs with Casey Anthony are violations of its ethical standards.Eyewitness News broke the story of the displays of affection between Baez and Anthony at the Orange County jail where Casey is awaiting trial on charges she murdered her daughter, Caylee.

Casey and Baez have been seen on numerous occasions hugging each other, holding hands or sitting extremely close. Law enforcement sources said while at the jail, Baez would sit extremely close to Casey. During one visit an officer had to separate the two and warn him about what was called inappropriate behavior.

The jail would only say Baez had violated rules for hugging Casey on two occasions. In an internal email, a corrections officer wrote, ?I spoke with Mr. Baez concerning his continued physical contact (hugging) of his client.?

A jail spokesman said, ?We do not allow contact for security reasons.?

The first time Baez was warned, officials said he told officers he did not know the rules, and was sorry and would make an effort to remember.

The jail email said, ?Mr. Baez stated he was upset as he hugs all his clients. He went on to say he would hate for a brief to be filed in order to correct this.?

Jail officials said at one time, there was video of the meetings between Baez and Anthony but that video had been recorded over.

The complaint with the Florida Bar was filed by a woman from Indiana who had read about the incident online and felt Baez overstepped his boundaries. The Bar said it would investigate the complaint even though the woman had no involvement in the case. Baez could have his license revoked if the Bar deems the conduct inappropriate but license forfeiture would be extreme in a case such as this. WFTV October 31, 2008

[Where Is Caylee]

<u>Florida Bar: No investigation Into Hugging Incidents</u>



ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35, Orlando) ? Jose Baez will face no disciplinary action from the Florida Bar for his jailhouse incident with client Casey Anthony .

According to published reports, Baez was under investigation from the Bar. But spokesperson Susannah Lyle said that hugs are permitted by their rules between attorney and client as long as the client does not object.

VIDEO: ?Anthony and Baez hug in jail

According to Lyle, a Bar Association rule must be broken in order for there to be an investigation. At this point there is no Florida Bar investigation into the incidents.
Jail officials said Casey Anthony and her defense attorney, Jose Baez, were seen hugging on two separate occasions and were told both times that it was a violation of jail policy.

Though there is no surveillance video that would show the two hugging, jail officials confirm seeing the two touch on two different times.

E-mail?s from Orange Co. Jail concerning JB & KC hugging here