Revolving Doors

In a case of what goes around, comes around, I wrote a post about James Thompson and Walmart last year, on October 8. Titled Does Not Compute, it focused on his description of running into Casey and Caylee at the Casselberry Walmart store on June 16, 2008, while on his lunch break. Normally, I would jump at the chance to find evidence proving that Caylee did not die sometime during the night of June 15, which has been the theory of many, but my goal was to just validate some things he claimed in his police report.

In my post from last year, I wrote this about Casey and Caylee:

If you recall, Thompson wrote in his statement to the Maitland Police Department that the two of them came into TechBay, his computer store, around June 9 of last year. He also wrote that he ran into them at the Casselberry Walmart store on June 16, the day after Father’s Day. This was the last day Caylee was seen alive according to law enforcement and state prosecutors. How fascinating, I thought. I live in Casselberry and shop at that particular Walmart. Not only that, but his computer store is in Maitland, right down the street from me on US 17-92. This was well worth looking into.

One thing immediately puzzled me. In his report, Thompson wrote that Casey was exiting Walmart around lunchtime, with Caylee lagging behind, while he was entering; yet Casey’s cell phone was nowhere near there at that time according to pings. She was at her parents’ house or very, very close by. Something was not computing in my head. The Casselberry store is 15 miles away,¹ while the closest one is less than half that distance from her house.² Both are on Semoran Blvd. Why would anyone go out of their way at lunchtime, especially when cell phone pings prove otherwise? Initially, I thought that, perhaps, her battery was dead, there were none available at the nearer Walmart, and an employee sent her up to the other store. But then, I went back and scrutinized her cell phone records and concluded that she chattered throughout the day except for about an hour, and it wasn’t until after 4:00 pm that she began driving north from Hopespring Drive.

So far, his story could be questionable because cell phone pings absolutely proved otherwise. There was no way Casey was in that vicinity at lunchtime, but lunchtime can be vague. In his police report, he wrote:

“Casey Anthony was coming out one of the interior Walmart doors as I was coming in. I recognized her immediately from the week before because she was the pretty girl who came into my store… At first I didn’t see Caley [sic] with Casey. I was going to ask Casey if she bought a monitor yet, but then I saw Caley in the background walking by herself about 10 feet behind Casey and having to open the big Walmart door by herself. The little girl looked angry and had a determined ‘I can take care of myself’ look on her face. I specifically remember feeling sorry for the little girl having to open the door by herself and wondered why her mom wasn’t helping her…”

Remember now, this is copied verbatim from James Thompson’s sworn police statement. I continued on my October post, after I had the opportunity to speak to him:

I asked him if he was sure he saw them on June 16. He was absolutely positive. I mentioned that on his written statement to police, he stated he saw Casey and Caylee at lunchtime, but on his interview with Bob Kealing on WESH, he said it was around 4:00 pm. That’s a big difference. He shot right back, though. He said when you own a store, lunchtime could be 4 o’clock. OK, I guess, maybe, in a stretch, but what about the doors that open outward? I told him I was over there last week shooting video and those doors slide sideways. He said this happened a year and a half ago. Actually, it was a year and four months ago, but I didn’t correct him. I asked him if the doors had been changed since then. He said, yes, there was a lawsuit over the old doors.

True, there was a lawsuit, but it wasn’t at that store. It took place years ago and it’s one of the reasons why Walmart changed their doors everywhere. To make a long story short, I proved that Walmart had sliding doors in place before June of 2008 from solid research on my part, and backed that up after one of my commenters supplied a link to a video of a gentleman walking to that precise store. No internal doors, either, and it seemed to have debunked his story. No cell phone pings registered near that store until 6:32 PM on the 16th, well after lunch, whether it was a noon lunchtime or 2:00 PM or 4:00 PM, which was conveniently changed in his rebuttal comments as I produced more information.

On October 10, James Thompson filed a lengthy comment on my blog. It was a privilege to publish his response and I must give him credit for that. He wrote, “Remember, I was an Officer in the Military and completed over 185 JAG investigations myself so I have an excellent memory and attention to detail better than most. My vision is 20/20 or better and I am smart so I know what I saw no doubt,” only there were too many discrepancies. You really should go read his response, but one thing he made very clear was that, “I only shop at the Casselberry Walmart so it couldn’t have been anywhere else.”

This leads me to a piece of evidence that was released in the latest discovery, and it’s rather intriguing. Someone I know felt it was important enough to e-mail me news that Casey did, in fact, write a check at Walmart on June 16, 2008. HUH?! You bet that’s important, and sure enough, I saw it for myself, but unfortunately, there’s no time stamp. All we get to see is Cindy’s bank statement showing that a check was written at store number 3782. In early June, one was also written at store number 1084.

Here’s the problem with store number 3782. It’s not the Casselberry store where James Thompson insisted he saw her. That’s store number 943 and it’s much farther north. Store number 3782 is located on Goldenrod Road, near Lee Vista Blvd., and very close to the Anthony home, where Casey’s cell phone WAS pinging until late in the afternoon. Based on my research, Casey could have easily “killed” time there while allegedly waiting for her father to leave the house. I have no proof of anything else other than cell phone pings. Of course, there is one other possibility - that it was Cindy who wrote the check.

My job is to bring you the truth, however it turns out. I have every right to investigate and question anyone I please in this case. I would never accuse James Thompson of lying because I didn’t get the impression he was. Instead, I feel he may have gotten his facts confused, and I pretty much settled it. To his credit, James wants justice for Caylee as much as any of us, but I would much rather the state have a credible witness on their side; one that the defense couldn’t rip to shreds over inconsistencies. If Caylee was seen alive at 4:00 PM or later on the afternoon of June 16, the state’s case will be on shaky ground. That means she was alive and alert, and she would have to have been killed around dinner time and in a very populated area. Rush hour. It would also prove that cell towers are liars.

♦

I urge you to read the two posts about James Thompson. I would strongly recommend that you read the comments, too. Below are two videos; one I shot of the store and the other one an unsuspecting young man’s video that proves no interior doors existed when Thompson claims they were there. No doors to push, either. Below those two are parts 1 & 2 of the drive time from Sutton Place, where Anthony Lazzaro lived, and the Casselberry store.

One final thought… In the latest dump, you see a lot of checks written to Target. Someone asked me why Target would cash checks like that. I called the Casselberry store because, like the Casselberry Walmart, that’s the Target where I shop. I told the nice person on the other end why I wanted to know and she promptly asked for my autograph. Just kidding. She told me it’s company policy to not ask for IDs unless the individual clerk finds a reason to. As long as the check is clean and it clears, the store accepts it without asking for identification.

The following video was shot in January 2008:

Two more to watch:

Comments

[Dave Knechel]

Hi, New Puppy - Thank you very much. I think this blog is a lot better than the one at WordPress. I do try to stay more focused now and I hope it shows. Unfortunately, I must prepare myself for a private social this evening withmembers of the court. I promise I will remain reserved and I will limit myself to one glass of red wine, which I'm not crazy about, but it is an invititation only event, and I will meet new people, I'm sure.

I shall return! It should be over by 8 or so.

[Kara Zor-El]

Dave-
"Casey lied from the opening bell"
I know it's too late for Casey this go round, but perhaps she should order some six sigma books from the Jail library service.
From my view, it appears she hasn't reached 99.99966% of lies manufactured are free of defects.

[beachgirl]

Yes, Lee bought 4 "bat" phones for Casey, Cindy, George, and himself to use when Casey was released from jail. Cindy talks about them in her deposition. I don't know when LE found out about them, but if I had to guess, it was when they searched the Anthony home after Caylee's remains were found Dec. 11, 2008.

[ecossie possie]

Speaking of one Mr Thomson to another Hunter S Thompson .Documenting the Anthonys wouldve been write up his street.A journo like him would have done the pizza delivery stunt.Though he probably wouldve spiked it with LSD ... http://www.ottawacitizen.com/Hunter+Thompson+brutally+honest+Canadian+request/3606508/story.html

[New Puppy]

Thanks all re: the "bat" phones, I don't always remember exacts but sometimes something is left on my mind when I haven't heard the "why". Interesting time for it. If they called someone other than each other on those phones would there be record of those times on the other persons in-coming. I guess it would not tell where/who one came "from" . Casey was under watch the whole time by Padilla and officers. Unless they talked to each other under covers, room to room. If all their regular cells had been confiscated at that time, that could be the simple reasoning.

[Kara Zor-El]

he-he btw=
I sorta feel honored about the twist on my moniker...
usually happens when a nerve is hit..
but if the other Kara was really doing bizzaro (Htrae) world, it would have been le-roz arak
Just an FYI.
Also on Htrae.. they need facts, not a good argument to convict... Really on earth, you don't need a smoking gun, or a cause of death. Just a really good argument...
Sorry, just sayin....

[1520 Sedgwick]

I followed the OJ trail (guilty as sin he is) from start to finish, driveway -Barry Sheck -the whole deal and was never as lost as I am now, and the trail has not even started. I am going to take leave to see this trail, because no work is going to get done at the desk. Fry her already. If Baez takes a plea I hope Floridians speak with him about messing up your hard earned money. Be firm and wipe that grin off his puss.

[Mystical Pippin]

Hi Dave et al,
I'm just reading all this for the first time. I didn't know about this man who claims to have seen Caley/Casey on that fateful day. Intrigued, I read your original article, his statement to the police, his tv interview and his response to your article.

It's very interesting - mainly because of the intense, dramatic statements of Mr. Thompson's and his claims of feeling guilty because he might've been able to do something if he had spoken with her the day he saw her. thats very interesting because logic tells me that unless he is a mind reader and read Casey's mind, any conversation he might have had with her could not possibly have altered the course she was on that day or any other day for that matter. Casey had a support system - bad as it was - she had some friends and she has family - she had knowledge that there were people to talk to. She certainly would not talk to a stranger about her inner demons and she certainly would not indicate in any way what she was planning to do. So I find his claims a bit self grandising. I also find it extremely odd that being a techie who owns his own business, having a background in JAG investigations that he doesn't own a tv because he doesn't like to watch news.....especially because TV isn't just about watching the news....techies love electronics and not having a tv in your home is especially odd for someone who has a daughter - if he isn't living with her wouldn't she at least visit? What about watching a good movie with some friends or family? Doesn't add up.

His statement to the police wasn't really about what he saw that day or the week before in his own shop but more about him, what he does, and how he runs his business, his impression of Casey and why he thinks what he thought of her..."The last thing I needed was to be involved with another bad mother or heartless female as I have had my share of those, so as a result from my observations and thoughts I kept walking into Walmart without ......saying hello". This is simply saying he has experience and knowledge...IMO his statement is too well thought out and contrived. He obviously feels a great injustice was done to poor Caley as we all do but there is just too much for lack of a better word "bragging" in is statement. Almost as if he feels the police need the benefit of his "smart" and experienced mind in this investigation.

He remembers explicit details about the visit from Casey and his subsequent siting of her the following week yet he can't seem to remember ever hearing about her prior to Nov 8th? Odd since he lived and worked in such close proximity to where the crime occurred. One would think that almost everyone he encountered would be talking about it when it first came out and based on his overly adamant claims that he was an "officer in the Military, has done over 185 JAG investigations, he's smart, has an excellent memory and attention to detail, which would indicate he worked in the justice/legal department and typically people retain their interests from their past carreers, especially a horrible crime such as this would intrigue him enough to do some research about the case.

One would have had to been living in a cave to not hear about this crime that happened so close to his daily life. Another thing I noticed from his own response to your article proves that he does not pay attention to detail in fact he dislikes it because he insinuates the matter about the doors in walmart is "an obsession" and dismisses the detailed and thorough investigation you made about those doors by saying things like "you can’t rely on asking the senior citizens who work there for their opinion because they simply don’t know." Gee, I hope he never interviewed any senior citizens in any of those 185 JAG investigations he was involved in because he obviously would have discounted them based on their age... Another huge detail he ommits regarding the "lawsuit" about the doors at Walmart which he claims were brought about due to the stampede death of Jdimytai Damour are completely bogus. The stampede had nothing to do with the doors which were electronic by the way. It had to do with Walmarts lack of security and organization in allowing people to wait for hours and hours outside the store until it opened on Black Friday 2008, chomping at the bit to get in and score huge deals in - get this...their electronics department! In all of the stories I read about that incident, NOTHING was mentioned in any lawsuit about the doors. It was all about lack of security and employees placed outside to keep the crowd from rushing in when they opened.
He goes on to explain in great detail, what Casey & Caley were wearing which is odd in itself considering that at the time of his interaction with them there would be no reason to notice let alone remember such details yet he can pull it from his memory over a year later?? And he is vague at best when trying to dismiss the ping reports from the cell phones - another odd thing for being a techie..... I know a lot of techies myself, and they always want explain why something doesn't work but he gives us nothing about the reasons why. "Regarding cell phone pings and towers and all of that, as a technician I know that cell phones usually work off of 3 towers at anyone time and one of the 3 may be the primary one at the time for any reason, one of them being distance, another one being traffic load and problems." ummm HUH? a lot of smoke and mirrors but no nexus to anything in that statement....

Again, he mentions he has issues with "bad mothers" in his response to your blog in fact he says he despises them. Do you think this guy has baggage with bad mothers? Could it be that combined with this baggage and his arrogance about his experience and level of intelligence that he has caused his own nightmares? I think its a strong possibility Mr. Thompson for all of his good intentions has worked himself up a little fantasy to help put Casey away - or at least in his mind he is doing his part to help put her away...because after all she was a bad mother.

Frankly I find his claims of all his interactions with Casey and Caley to be disengenuous. I don't believe him when he describes how Caley managed her way through a heavy door like the one he describes because she was too small to open a door like that. I don't believe Casey went to his shop either.
Too many holes in his telling of it especially the Walmart incident. His statements are too contrived and too perfect in describing the clothes they were wearing... I'm not buying it because he has lied several times and defends himself far too much on the whole "I"ve done 185 JAG investigations, I'm smart, I can remember details," proclamations but can't explain anything reasonably, when it comes to facts already out there.

I'm not saying it isn't possible... I just don't think he's very credible.

[New Puppy]

Interesting Mystical, I think your intricate evaluation is enlightening. Along with Dave's Post, Mr. Thompson's story doesn't "help" Casey at all. You could be right, maybe he never intended it to be helpful or harmful, just a bit of notoriety involving himself, maybe a paid media interview or the like.

[Dave Knechel]

Hi, Mystical Pippin - You know, I didn't set out to rain on the guy's party, but I have been shopping at that Walmart for a long time, probably as long as him, and I never saw, or remembered seeing, any doors like he described. That piqued my interest and I decided to investigate. Nope, the doors he mentioned were never there. His lunchtime changed, too, as more evidence negating him came to light. Lunchtime went from noon to 2 to 5 and beyond. There's no way I would eat lunch at 6 pm. Common sense, to anyone who has it, would tell you it's dinner time. Therefore, he should have said "I skipped lunch that day and saw her at dinnertime." Someone here also mentioned something else that's practical. Even if the doors existed, which I have proved they don't and never did, what 2-3 year old girl could push open a big glass door with a metal frame like that? Why didn't he take that opportunity to go help the little girl to snuggle up to her mother? It would have been the perfect opportunity.

You brought up some well thought out facts and ideas about his supposed interaction. I'm with you on this one, and I'd rather stop this here than in a court of law, where his testimony could be shot full of holes by the defense. That wouldn't help the state one bit.

Thanks for your input. You really did scrutinize his story and that's very important with this case.

[Dave Knechel]

He seemed to fade back into obscurity, New Puppy, and he did say he wasn't seeking publicity, so what motivated him? I don't know. It couldn't have been like the way he described it. Now, I can't say one way or the other whether Casey and Caylee stopped in his store, but I do know the doors he described were not there on that date, and I have a video that proves it, made by someone 5 months earlier. Plus, people who work there, as if older people can't think or remember their daily surroundings. I just hope the state never calls him on the stand because the defense would have a field day.

[Mystical Pippin]

Hi New Puppy and Dave,

You know I didn't really mean to get so intricate but Dave when I read your articles, I take them at face value - when you said a couple of times this guy did not come across to you as someone who was lying I believed it because I know that you're smart enough to be a good judge of character. But, I also know that you always endeavor to tell both sides of the story and to stay as neutral as you possibly can. And thats enough for me to keep an open mind.....

But when I read his handwritten statement to the police it just screamed at me "Sales Pitch". It was a sales pitch about his business, how smart he is and his ability to pay attention to minute details and his excellent memory. It was basically a sales pitch about him and His idea of Casey Anthony.

Then I read his response to you Dave and that really drove it home. This guy has some major issues with "bad mothers" or perhaps women in general - who knows but he definitely has some baggage there and some strong opinions about them. He was almost funny in his discount about the doors and the pinging of the cell phones. And so contradictory because 1 minute he was bragging about how smart he was and he's better than most at seeing and remembering details - the constant reminders of that & the next minute he couldn't give you a single factual truth about those doors being there as he claimed in his statement. Nor the pinging reports, or the time of day. And I just couldn't imagine little Caylee being able to open one of those doors.
Yeah, I think he wasn't being to forthcoming about his story. I think he was in fact looking for some attention and possibly some free advertising. Of course he is educated enough to realize if he tried to make any money by doing interviews it would discredit him immediately. I think he faded away because he knew he put himself out there after all the harrassing calls came in so he went back to his normal life. I don't believe the prosecution will call him as witness either because his story really doesn't add up.

[Christi]

Maybe I'm missing something but I don't quite get the significance of this. She WAS at a Walmart on 6/16/08. What are the odds that he would know that?

I'm a Target gal myself and I go to the same Target store most of the time but occassionally I may go to another one but I still think that I was at my "usual" Target when recalling the visit. (I told a friend about something on clearance at a certain location because I could have sworn I was at that store but it turned out I was at a different store. People just forget stuff like this, even if they claim to have an excellent memory.)

The report was taken on July 9, 2009, over a YEAR later. I may know I was at a Target and I may feel certain it was a particular location but after an entire year, I may just be confused. I get confused over stuff like this in a WEEK. George claims he saw Casey and Caylee leave the house at around 12:50 which is what most people call lunchtime. She may have stopped by Walmart and the guy may just be confused as to which one he saw her at.

Also, he said the "interior door", not main entrance. Don't you think its odd to refer to the main doors as an "interior door"? Even in your video, the two doors that have to be pulled open are to the SIDE of the main entrance, facing the middle of the store and he could be referring to that as an "interior" door since it isn't the normal main entrance.

Also, sometimes there are people loading things or just being slow at the front door and impatient people (like Casey) will go in the side door to keep from having to wait. May explain why Caylee was 10 feet or so behind her.

Also, he could be confusing the visit at the Tech store with Walmart as far as Caylee struggling to get in the door. Human beings DO this, they get details confused. Especially after an entire year. Anyway, I just can't figure out for the life of me what this is or isn't supposed to prove. Is it just a goal to discredit the guy who made the statement?

Anyway, it entertained me for about a half hour, ha ha. So thanks!