Casey Anthony murder trial is taking a dramatic turn as the defense starts laying out its side in court and the attention to this case is still strong with spectators creating a spectacle of their own outside the courthouse.
Outside the courthouse, spectators try to get in to watch the defense team make their case that the 25-year-old did not kill her 2-year-old daughter, Caylee.
The trial is gripping Florida residents and garnering national attention.
The prosecution contends the little girl was suffocated by duct tape placed over her nose and mouth. Defense lawyers say she drowned in the family pool. The defense questioned a key witness about whether DNA evidence links Anthony to duct tape found on the skeletal remains.
Since the trial began, those hoping to get a glimpse of Anthony legal drama have lined up during the night for one of the 58 seats reserved for members of the public. Anthony, 25, is accused of murdering 2-year-old daughter Caylee. She has pleaded not guilty and could face the death penalty if convicted.
The overnight brawl wasn't the first time those seeking admission have gotten into a scuffle. Other skirmishes have occurred over the last few weeks, but none got this violent.
On Thursday night, people began lining up as early as 8:30 p.m. for a chance to attend today's hearing. When the crowd was moving to a location closer to the courthouse entrance around 5 a.m., fists began to fly.
Jessie Dorris, 27, told ABC Affiliate WFTV that she was shocked when the men "just cut in front of us."
The two men trying to cut to the front of the line began throwing punches and one lady is seen on camera punching another man to free her friend from a headlock. The fight was caught on video.
After this morning's punch up, the rules for gaining access to the trial now require people to line up at 8 a.m. on the day before they want to attend a hearing. At 4 p.m., a list will be made of those who can attend the next day's hearing. At 8 a.m. the next morning, those on the list must present an I.D. to gain admission to the hearing. Those hoping to get admission to a Monday hearing must line up on Saturday afternoon.
For those lucky enough to emerge with a ticket from this morning's melee, today's proceedings promise plenty of intrigue. Dr. Werner Spitz is expected to testify and provide an alternate theory for Caylee's cause of death. Spitz, a pathology expert who has performed more than 60,000 autopsies and consulted on cases ranging from the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr all the way up to the JonBenet Ramsey trial, is expected to testify in support of the defense's theory that Caylee Anthony drowned in her grandparent's pool. It may seem like a stretch, given all they've heard so far, but the jury only has to find reasonable doubt. One more reason to stay tuned.
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