Defense Attorney Wants Potential Jurors' Opinions On Anthony Trial

GASTONIA, N.C.,None — No one would mistake tall, lumbering Christopher Horton, a former Scout leader facing charges of sex offense and indecent liberties with minors, for the petite Casey Anthony.

But Horton's attorney, Jim Carpenter, worries that Anthony's acquittal on charges of killing her daughter may hurt his client's shot at a fair trial. Carpenter is afraid people still outraged about the not guilty verdict in the Anthony trial in Florida may find a seat in the jury box in Gastonia.

Channel 9 found several people Monday in the area who still feel strongly about the Anthony trial and said those feelings could affect their future judgment if they were chosen to serve on a jury.

Johnny Kale said if he served on a jury in a case in which the defendant was accused of crimes against a child, he would be very critical.

Rita Ferguson said she would also have strong feelings.

"If I had an inkling they were guilty, I would stand by and say, ‘You are guilty,'" she said.

WATCH: Defense Attorney Wants Potential Jurors' Opinions On Anthony Trial

Carpenter said emotions like those are why he will ask potential jurors in Horton's trial their opinion on the Anthony verdict.

Defense attorney David Phillips said that's a good idea.

"They may assume or presume that, that person is guilty or they wouldn't be in court," Phillips said.

He said many people think the jurors in the Anthony trial didn't hear all of the evidence, so other jurors may try to compensate for that.

"(They might) try to find a person guilty, even though the evidence does not support it," Phillips said.

Phillips said he thinks more and more defense attorneys will ask jurors for their opinions on the Anthony trial.

WSOC