Will Casey Anthony testify?

Casey Anthony's defense team said it would rest its case on Thursday in the high-profile murder case in Orlando, Fla.

Day 31 on Wednesday featured an emotional George Anthony back on the stand answering questions from Jose Baez about sexual abusing his daughter, Casey, and his suicide attempt in January of 2009. George Anthony came off as genuine and believable....at surface level. We know what kind of liar, actress and manipulator Casey Anthony is, but how far does the apple fall off the tree?

While I don't believe George Anthony had anything to do with the actual death of Caylee Anthony, there are lingering doubts about how much he isn't telling everyone. The testimony George Anthony gave Tuesday about visiting a woman's condo, while both were helping search for then-missing Caylee Anthony, showed one secret he doesn't want in open air. He denied sexually abusing Casey again today by saying, "I would never do that to my child." Baez countered with, "You would never admit to doing that" before prosecutors objected.

George Anthony broke down into tears on the stand when talking about his suicide attempt in a Daytona Beach hotel, and the letter he wrote to his wife, Cindy, while there. Casey Anthony stared unemotionally at her dad as he cried on the stand. 'If looks could kill' came to my mind.

All of this leads up to the million-dollar question: Will Casey Anthony take the witness stand?

My prediction: NO

If she takes the stand, she will be forced to answer questions she simply not capable of answering. First reason: She's a proven liar many times over. She'll be grilled about what she was doing in the month her daughter was missing. Jeff Ashton, the lead prosecutor, will be relentless in attacking her lies.

And what will her own attorney ask? Will they really ask her to lay out this accident story, and that her dad helped cover it up after there is no proof he did? There are far too many negatives for putting Casey Anthony on the stand.

The only reason she would take the stand would be to sell the sexual abuse theory. It could be effective, but it's only one part of the testimony. Once she's up there, she's stuck.

I believe the defense will call Casey Anthony's ex-fiance, Jesse Grund, to push the sexual abuse theory further into the jury's mind. Grund testified Tuesday outside of the jury's presence that Casey Anthony told him stories that her brother, Lee Anthony, had groped her and was caught standing over her as she slept. This could raise enough doubt in that area to avoid putting Casey Anthony on the stand to sell that particular theory.

The sexual abuse theory is bold, and yet to be proven. However, because it's of the nature of the alleged offense, we may never know if it's true unless Casey herself backs off the theory. Perhaps George Anthony has that deep, dark regret he is so ashamed of he will never admit, no matter what the cost. That's why I thought Baez's question of "You would never admit that..." was appropriate. While George could certainly be lying, history has shown many times over that Casey Anthony will commit to a lie until it can be proven.

Lee Anthony's inappropriate behavior, according to Grund, led Casey Anthony to tell Lee she didn't want him around newborn Caylee. Cindy Anthony apparently agreed because Lee Anthony testified to being ignored by his parents when asked about Casey's pregnancy, and how he wasn't allowed to visit the hospital during Caylee's birth.

All signs point to Casey Anthony not taking the stand in her own defense. This has been the game plan from the beginning. I don't believe there was ever any intention of calling her, but the defense certainly wishes it had gotten further with other witnesses to provide more evidence of its theories laid out in opening statements.

The defense says it will rest Thursday. Will they have done enough?

Moment of note: Before the day's session began Casey Anthony spoke in court for the first time by responding to a question from Judge Belvin Perry. One of her attorneys, Ann Finnell, was addressing the court by phone about declaring a mistrial based on the Florida death penalty being unconstitutional. Baez and Cheney Mason hadn't arrived yet and Perry asked Casey Anthony if she wanted to answer the question or wait for her attorneys. She said, "I can answer that now. I agree with Miss Finnell. ... You're welcome."