We first got a glimpse of Casey Anthony’s attorney, Cheney Mason’s arrogance and overblown opinion of himself when he announced to the press that he was” going to walk out of the courtroom with Casey arm and arm” with her being a free woman .
But now we have seen a full-blown picture of Cheney Mason up close and personal . We have seen his verbally abusive, arrogant and childish behavior, especially towards Orlando 9’s star reporter Kathy Belich.
Interviewed by a group of Orlando reporters, Cheney was first asked, “What do you expect here today?” His attempt to come across as humorous fell flat, as he sarcastically replied “Lets see. I expect it to rain and you get caught in it. “
He was then asked “Which experts are gonna be here today?”
As soon as he replied “ Besides myself?”it just conformed to me what I saw all along. The man appears to me to be completely ego driven and full of himself. He clearly sees himself as the top legal expert here.
Then Orlando 9’s Kathy Belich who is an excellent and thorough reporter asked him the legitimate question, “Do you think Henry Lees problems with the Spector case is going to cause problems? “
Instead of answering a simple “No” or “Not at all” He got very defensive. He rushed past the reporters as his whole physical demeanor changed. He was now wearing an angry scowl as opposed to his previous smug, arrogant smile.
As he rushed away he replied what sound like “ Shhh” stopping himself short of continuing what he perhaps really wanted to say- “ Shit”.
He then said in a sassy school boy defensive sounding tone “ No . I Think YOUR problems are causing problems.”
WHAT???? This school boy tone from an alleged seasoned criminal attorney?
Kathy couldn’t believe her ears either. S o she loudly asked “What was that now?” Cheney ignored her and entered the building.
Since the comment was directly leveled against Kathy Belich, she promptly did what any good reporter would do and followed Cheney into the building . She was the only reporter who followed him into the building and understandably so. She heard Cheney make a hostile comment directed at her and she wanted to follow up.
As she stood in back of him she asked “ You don’t think it will cause trouble?” She realized Cheney was getting out his ID and following the procedures of the Sherriff’s Department. So she stood quietly behind Cheney until he completed his business with the reception desk.
Then she spoke up and asked “ Are you worried about that ? That the problems …”
Cheney then turned to her and replied in a childish cadence like something you would her on a grade school playground during recess, “ I worry about YOU- that YOU’RE always bothering me.”
Kathy rightfully asks in a calm and professional tone “ Why do you worry about that ?”
Cheney replied with his back turned to Kathy in a defensive tone” You’re always bothering people.”
Kathy calmly replied “ I’m just doing my job.”
Then like an immature child with his continued to be turned against Kathy he replied” I don’t intend on answering your question. They are always too STUPID!”
As a professional Kathy continues to ask “ Do you think that’s the reason the judge insisted that the Sherrif’s department videotape your search of the evidence because of the problems?”
Cheney’s knee jerk reaction was “You have to ask the judge.” Then he got angry and said” No he did not! I’m sure of that….
Then Kathy continued with “Why do you think he insisted …” to which Cheney immediately faced her put up his and pointed his finger at her.In school boy tone he said to her, “If you don’t leave me alone , I’m gonna have to tell your boss.” It reminded me of a child on a playground saying “ if you don’t stop it, I’m gonna tell my mommy.”
He then pointed his finger to show her how bad she was. He told her how her colleagues are outside and doing things like professionals.
Kathy doesn’t budge. Instead she replied,” My boss wants me to ask you these questions.”
Then, in keeping with his immature childish tone and using the same verbiage one would hear on a grade school playground, Cheney replied. YOUR BOSS IS STUPID TOO!
I couldn’t believe that I was hearing this from an alleged seasoned criminal attorney.
When people are scared and loosing something , they often get defensive. There is no doubt he must be feeling these things about Casey’s case. He must be scared and feeling that he will be losing the case, especially now that he has sunken his teeth into the case.
He then turns his back to her and suddenly turns around to face her as she says DO YOU SEE THE OTHER PEOPLE OUT THERE ACTING LIKE JACKASSES OR JUST YOU?
Kathy calmly replies I’m just doing my job” to which Cheney points his hands and yells at her Don’t keep asking me the same STUPID questions.
Kathy is calm and says “I obviously struck a nerve” to which Cheney regresses back into the grade school child mode and says (with his back turned towards her) “No you haven’t stuck a nerve! YOU ARE A NERVE!”
Then the other reporters came into Sheriffs office and Kathy spoke up and asked a question, which he completely ignored.
So now we know that this high faloootin criminal attorney acts and sound much like a grade school child when confronted and when he is feeling stressed.
There is no doubt that as things get heated in Casey’s trial we may very well see Cheney’s grade school boy behavior and tone leak out in the courtroom. In this long and arduous trial, if he acts like this in front of jurors which I have no doubt he will, they will clearly not like him.
When jurors don’t like an attorney in the courtroom, it can have a great impact the outcome of the case as well. In my view that’s a good thing as far as Casey Anthony is concerned. If that is the case, it will just be one more step thing that leads towards justice being served for little innocent Caylee. www.drlillianglass.com
