Jose Baez: From Unknown Jailhouse Lawyer to 'Luckiest Man in America'

Every attorney knows that you don't cut your teeth on a capital case, but Jose Baez did.

And while every attorney knows that you carefully craft a defense so that it relies on evidence you can actually present, Jose Baez didn't.

And he still won.

But is he just another one-verdict wonder who happened to get lucky?

Everyone, including George Anthony, was skeptical when Jose Baez stepped up and agreed to represent Casey Anthony, reports CBS. Given his less-than-stellar background, one had to wonder whether he was out to make a reputation for himself.

And he did.

But the road to Tuesday's verdict was long and bumpy, with constant judicial reprimands for failing to make disclosures, and for pushing the boundaries of good faith questioning.

By all accounts, Jose Baez's ability to question witnesses improved over the duration of the trial, but it still appears that his ability to spin tales is light years ahead of his ability as a lawyer.

And while some would say that the two are the same, the difference is that a good lawyer knows which tales to tell, and a bad one tells them all. And Jose Baez told them all.

His entire strategy appeared to be centered on bombarding the jury with so many potential alternatives that they couldn't figure out which one to believe. While it may have worked, he often placed Casey Anthony's life in danger.

Recall that he told the jury that he would prove that Casey Anthony was sexually abused by her father and brother, and that Caylee accidentally drowned.

He presented not one shred of evidence attesting to these allegations, making him out to be a liar, too.

If this is how Jose Baez handles all of his cases, then one can only hope his future clients will get some of his now well-known luck.

Related Resources:

• Jose Baez entered Casey Anthony courtroom a 'Bozo' but left a miracle worker (Florida Times-Union)
• Casey Anthony Trial Judge Admonishes, Threatens Lawyers (FindLaw's Strategist)
• Casey Anthony Verdict: She's Guilty...of Lying (FindLaw Blotter)