Witnesses ID Joseph Smith on tape

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The videotape was a major piece of evidence during Tuesday's proceedings.

Several witnesses, including a handful of Sarasota County Sheriff's detectives, took the stand Tuesday in the second day of the Joseph Smith trial at the Sarasota County Courthouse.

All the civilian witnesses identified Smith as the man caught on videotape leading Carlie Brucia away from a Sarasota car wash. Smith is accused of kidnapping and murdering the 11-year old Brucia in February 2004.

"It looks like Joseph Smith without a doubt," school teacher Lynn Dinyes said.

Watch video of Dinyes' testimony.
	Click here to play Click here to play

Dinyes knew Smith through her husband, Ed, who worked with him at a Sarasota auto shop.

"The way that he walked was just like Joe walking through the shop," said Ed Dinyes. "I mean, he's got a different type of walk to him. Then when I watched him reach for the girl, I've seen him picking up tools like that. I knew it was him."

There was no hesitation when witnesses were asked to identify Smith in the courtroom.

The second half of the day was spent questioning the detectives who confronted Smith about the highly publicized videotape.

"He (Smith) says 'That looks like me, but it's not me,' " said Sarasota County Sheriff's Office Detective Toby Davis.

Smith's defense attorney, Adam Tebrugge, questioned the clarity of the video in identifying Smith. But witnesses like Dinyes said there's no question in their mind.

Ed Dinyes used to work with Joseph Smith.

"I didn't want it to be Joe," said Ed Dinyes. "There's no way that I wanted that to be that person, but I knew who it was."

Brucia's father, Joe Brucia, has been in court both days of the trial, but her mother has not. Attorneys for both sides said they should be able to wrap up their cases late next week.

For more information about the case, pick up a copy of Bay News 9's partner paper, The Herald.

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