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Thread: Jodi Arias Sentenced to LWOP in 2008 AZ Murder of Travis Alexander

  1. #101
    Administrator Heidi's Avatar
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    Recap: Week 16 of Jodi Arias trial

    Was Jodi Arias holding a knife or camera?

    Defense witness Bryan Neumeister, a forensic video and sound expert, was called to testify Monday, outside of the jury’s presence, about a close-up photo Arias took of Alexander in the shower just before his death.

    Neumeister enhanced the photo and said he was able to recover an image reflected in Alexander’s left cornea.

    Defense attorney Kirk Nurmi argued that the image shows Arias, standing feet away, holding the camera with both hands.

    Nurmi also pointed out that Arias did not appear to be holding a gun or knife, which supports her version of events.

    Prosecutor Juan Martinez fought back, arguing that the evidence was unreliable, stating that the image in Alexander’s eye looked more like a dog than a person.

    For the first few minutes of Neumeister’s testimony, Judge Sherry Stephens made a surprising decision to put Arias and Alexander’s family in the jury box, sitting just a few feet away from each other.

    After the hearing, Judge Stephens ruled it wasn’t necessary that Neumeister testify before the jury. She then summoned the jurors to the courtroom and read them the following stipulation:

    “Parties have reached an agreement. It is as follows. Ms. Arias was not holding a knife or gun when exhibit #159 was taken,” she said, referring to the enhanced photo of Alexander’s eye.

    Borderline Personality Disorder, not PTSD?

    After the defense rested its case Tuesday, prosecutor Martinez called his first rebuttal witness, a clinical psychologist who diagnosed Arias with Borderline Personality Disorder.

    Dr. Janeen DeMarte kicked off her testimony by comparing Arias' behavior to an immature teenager, prone to angry outbursts and blaming others for her aggression.

    DeMarte testified she interviewed Arias for about 12 hours and noted that Arias demonstrated an “above average intelligence” in her IQ test.

    The State’s witness testified Arias exhibited the following seven out of nine symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder:

    Suicidal thoughts
    A sense of emptiness
    A fear of abandonment
    A lack of identity
    A tendency toward unstable relationships
    Quickly shifting emotions
    Inappropriate and intense anger

    DeMarte challenged defense psychologist Dr. Richard Samuels’ opinion that Arias suffered from PTSD, claiming that the diagnosis was inaccurate because at the time of the test, Arias was claiming two intruders broke into Alexander’s home and killed him.

    “PTSD cannot be based on a made-up event,” DeMarte told the jury.

    Furthermore, DeMarte testified that Arias’ behavior after Alexander’s death suggested she did not meet the criteria for PTSD, pointing out that a sufferer experiences psychological distress when exposed to cues of the trauma.

    DeMarte noted that Arias attended Alexander’s memorial service, sent his grandmother flowers and frequently talked about Alexander after his death.

    According to DeMarte, these actions showed Arias appeared to be coping with the trauma, rather than avoiding it.

    Later in the day, DeMarte testified she did not believe Arias suffered any significant abuse at the hands of Alexander.

    Defense attorney Jennifer Willmott fired back on cross-examination, pointing out that DeMarte did not have extensive experience in the area of domestic violence.

    Another migraine puts brakes on trial?

    During cross-examination of DeMarte Wednesday, the witness gave in to Willmott, stating she did not consider herself an expert in domestic violence.

    DeMarte also agreed with the defense that in one of the tests she administered, Arias’ elevated scores could be consistent with PTSD.

    “Based on these test scores, we’re seeing elevated anxiety, elevated depression, and elevated defensive avoidance. Don’t those items also speak to PTSD?” Willmott asked DeMarte.

    “Those symptoms can be seen in PTSD and personality disorders,” DeMarte said.

    Willmott suggested that DeMarte’s diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder did not match up with Arias’ test scores, noting that in one test, Arias scored below the threshold for anger and irritability.

    Later in the day, Judge Stephens abruptly canceled court, saying “an issue has risen that will prevent us from going forward for the day.”

    While the judge didn’t give the jury a reason for the early dismissal, a source told HLN Arias was feeling ill after suffering from a migraine.

    Arias' attorney, expert battle in court

    During the heated cross-examination between Willmott and DeMarte on Thursday, the expert witness agreed that Alexander called Arias derogatory names, but she explained she did not consider his behavior abusive because it was usually in response to him feeling betrayed or wronged by Arias.

    Willmott also pointed out that the scores from DeMarte’s evaluation of Arias appeared to be consistent with characteristics of a battered woman and a sufferer of PTSD.

    “When we look at these scales, high level of anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem, they are symptomatic of PTSD?” Willmott pressed DeMarte.

    “Not all of them, no,” DeMarte responded.

    On redirect, in her final attempt to convince the jury Arias suffered from Borderline Personality Disorder and not PTSD as the defense claims, DeMarte highlighted more examples of the symptoms that led to her diagnosis:

    Arias’ inability to move on after her relationship with Alexander ended
    Arias’ frequent, unannounced visits to Alexander’s home
    Arias stole Alexander’s ring

    After answering 19 questions from the jury on Thursday afternoon, DeMarte concluded her testimony.

    http://www.hlntv.com/article/2013/04...di-arias-trial
    An uninformed opponent is a dangerous opponent.

    "Y'all be makin shit up" ~ Markeith Loyd

  2. #102
    Administrator Heidi's Avatar
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    Jodi Arias Defense Team Files Motion for More Expert Witness Testimony

    Jodi Arias' defense team has filed a motion asking the judge to allow an expert witness to rebut the prosecution's expert witness, a psychologist who diagnosed the accused killer with borderline personality disorder.

    The defense filed the motion with the court Monday even though they rested their 38-day case a week ago. Arias' team of lawyers would like to call San Diego, Calif., psychologist Dr. Robert Geffner.

    This motion comes after the prosecution called Arizona psychologist Dr. Janeen DeMarte last week. DeMarte diagnosed Arias with borderline personality disorder and also rejected testimony by defense witnesses who claimed she suffered from post traumatic stress disorder and domestic abuse.

    The personality disorder, she said, was characterized by a history of unstable personal relationships, inappropriate anger, feelings of emptiness, suicidal thoughts and transient stress related paranoid ideation.

    Arias' defense team says the personality disorder is new information introduced to the trial and it gives them the right to call another witness to rebut it.

    Arias, 32, is accused of killing Alexander, 30, in his Mesa, Ariz., home in June 2008 with 27 stab wounds, a slit throat and a bullet to the head. She initially denied killing Alexander, but claimed two years later that she killed him in self defense. She could face the death penalty if convicted of first degree murder.

    It's not clear whether the judge will allow the defense to reopen the case four months into the marathon trial, but it's possible because this is a death penalty case.

    "It's very rare for a defense team to ask for a surrebuttal and to get a surrebuttal, but this is after all the Jodi Arias case and everything is different," ABC News legal analyst Sunny Hostin said.

    DeMarte spent 12 hours interviewing Arias while in jail and said the accused murder is a manipulative liar. Last Tuesday, DeMarte also spent time on the witness stand discrediting the defense's domestic violence witness — psychotherapist Alyce LaViolette — who spent more than 40 hours interviewing Arias in jail. DeMarte said that amount of time was extreme to come to a definitive diagnosis.

    "It becomes therapeutic," DeMarte explained, adding that such a relationship could skew findings. She claimed that amount of time would only be needed for those "who weren't very good" at their jobs.

    On Thursday, defense attorney Jennifer Willmott portrayed DeMarte's time with Arias as incomplete and reminded jurors LaViolette spent more than 40 hours before coming to her conclusions that Arias was a victim of domestic violence.

    "Oh, you didn't know that?" Willmott said several times after asking DeMarte questions about Arias' life that the witness couldn't answer.

    The second motion filed by the defense asks the jury to consider a lesser charge than murder. Arias' defense team hopes "manslaughter by sudden quarrel" or "heat of passion" will be added to the jury instructions. If the judge allows that and the jury finds her guilty of such a lesser charge, Arias could only face a few more years behind bars.

    A manslaughter charge carries a 7 to 21 year prison sentence for defendants with no prior record such as Arias.

    Arias has been behind bars since her July 2008 arrest.

    http://abcnews.go.com/US/jodi-arias-...2#.UXaWjUr4KB8
    An uninformed opponent is a dangerous opponent.

    "Y'all be makin shit up" ~ Markeith Loyd

  3. #103
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    Jodi Arias trial: End is in sight for Jodi Arias trial

    Jurors in Jodi Arias' murder trial are expected to begin deliberations next week.

    Judge Sherry Stephens told jurors that court will be in session through Thursday. Trial will then recess until next Wednesday when attorneys will call the remainder of their witnesses.

    The judge says lawyers will present closing arguments on Thursday and Friday, after which jurors will get the case to begin deciding Arias' fate.

    Arias faces a potential death sentence if convicted of first-degree murder in the June 2008 killing of her one-time boyfriend at his suburban Phoenix home. Authorities say she planned the attack on Travis Alexander in a jealous rage.

    Arias initially denied involvement then later blamed it on masked intruders. Two years after her arrest, she said it was self-defense.

    http://www.abc15.com/dpp/news/region...#ixzz2RQWl1l39

  4. #104
    Administrator Heidi's Avatar
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    Recap: Week 17 of Jodi Arias trial

    Ex-girlfriend: Alexander was not abusive

    Prosecutor Juan Martinez kicked off his rebuttal case Tuesday by calling a lightning round of witnesses to discredit Arias’ testimony.

    Alexander’s former friend and co-worker Jacob Mefford testified he observed Alexander being affectionate with Arias in public, countering the defense’s claim that Arias was Alexander’s “dirty little secret.”

    A video Mefford shot in March of 2007 shows Arias resting her head on Alexander’s lap. Mefford also shared a photo taken in June 2007 that shows Alexander kissing the back of Arias’ head.

    Amanda Webb, a Wal-Mart employee, testified that records from the Salinas, California, store show no one returned a five-gallon gas can on June 3, 2008. According to Webb, the store’s records show there wasn't a single transaction involving that product in general until a week and a half later.

    Travis Alexander’s ex-girlfriend Deanna Reid was the State’s standout rebuttal witness Tuesday.

    Reid stated she and Alexander began dating in 2000, broke up in 2001, and reconciled in 2002 before their final break-up in 2005.

    Alexander’s ex-girlfriend insisted he was never abusive physically or verbally during their relationship. She also testified she never saw Travis with photos of little boys as Arias claims to have seen.

    “He was always a gentleman,” Reid said.

    While their faith prohibited pre-marital sex, Reid said she and Alexander were sexual in 2004 for about a year before they broke up.

    “He never pressured me [to have sex],” Reid told the jury.

    Defense attorney Kirk Nurmi asked Reid if Alexander had ever called her a “slut,” or a “whore.”

    “No,” Reid answered.

    “Must have been a different relationship,” Nurmi said before ending his cross-examination.

    Testimony concluded Tuesday after Detective Michael Melendez told the jury he did not find any pictures of nude women, images of children, or pornography on the laptop recovered from Alexander’s home after his death.

    Detective: No evidence Alexander owned a gun

    Martinez called two more rebuttal witnesses Wednesday in an attempt to prove the State’s belief that Arias committed premeditated murder.

    Detective Robert Brown testified he recovered three photos of Arias taken the day before the killing from her phone. The photos show Arias with dark brown hair, supporting the State’s belief that Arias attempted to conceal her identity.

    In another strike to the defense, Detective Esteban Flores returned to the witness stand to testify that he found no evidence that Alexander owned a gun, a holster, cleaning kits, or ammunition.

    Detective Flores also testified about the shelves in Alexander’s closet where Arias claimed she retrieved the gun that was used in the shooting.

    A photograph shown to the jury showed the closet shelf flipping upwards from the pressure of Flores’ hand. His testimony suggested if Arias retrieved a gun from the top shelf as she claims, she would have had to step on the shelf which would have caused it to be displaced. However, crime scene photos taken after the killing show the shelves in order and none of Travis items were out of place in the closet.

    Medical Examiner: Alexander was stabbed first

    Juan Martinez rested his rebuttal case Thursday after calling Dr. Kevin Horn, the medical examiner who conducted the autopsy on Alexander’s body, to challenge Arias’ claim that she fired the gun first before stabbing Alexander to death.

    Martinez showed a series of gruesome pictures of Alexander’s dead body, and Arias immediately looked away and began to cry.

    Horn testified that the gunshot wound passed through Alexander’s right front lobe, causing an injury that would have quickly incapacitated him and rendered him incapable of defending himself.

    Martinez then displayed a photo of Alexander’s hand that showed cuts to his finger and palms that Horn called defensive wounds.

    According to Horn, Alexander likely received those wounds when he was deflecting the attack or attempting to grab the knife.

    Horn stated he did not believe it was possible that Alexander would be capable of holding up his arms if he had been shot first as Arias claims.

    http://www.hlntv.com/article/2013/04...di-arias-trial
    An uninformed opponent is a dangerous opponent.

    "Y'all be makin shit up" ~ Markeith Loyd

  5. #105
    Administrator Heidi's Avatar
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    Powerful closing argument by Juan Martinez.

    Watch live now.

    http://www.wptv.com/generic/news/nat...ial-live-video
    An uninformed opponent is a dangerous opponent.

    "Y'all be makin shit up" ~ Markeith Loyd

  6. #106
    Banned TheKindExecutioner's Avatar
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    Predictions?

    I say guilty and death!

  7. #107
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    I second that!
    An uninformed opponent is a dangerous opponent.

    "Y'all be makin shit up" ~ Markeith Loyd

  8. #108
    Administrator Heidi's Avatar
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    Jodi Arias: A timeline of a sensational murder case

    Jodi Arias, 32, is charged with first-degree murder in the June 2008 killing of her on-and-off lover, Travis Alexander, in his suburban Phoenix home. Arias claims she killed Alexander in self-defense when he attacked her after a day of raunchy sex, but police said she planned the murder in a jealous rage. Arias faces a potential death sentence if convicted.

    September 2006 - Travis Alexander and Jodi Arias meet at a work conference in Las Vegas, Nev.

    February 2007 - Alexander and Arias begin dating.

    June 29, 2007 - Alexander and Arias break up, but maintain a physical relationship.

    May 28, 2008 - Police investigate a report that a .25-caliber gun was stolen from Arias' grandparents' home in California. It was never recovered.

    June 2, 2008 - Arias rents a vehicle from Budget Rent-a-Car in Redding, Calif., police say.

    June 4, 2008 - Alexander is killed. His body is found days later in the shower of his home in Mesa, Ariz. He suffered nearly 30 knife wounds, was shot in the head with what was ultimately determined to be a .25-caliber gun and had his throat slit. Arias' palm print was found in blood at the scene, along with photos of her and Alexander from the day of the killing.

    June 5, 2008 - Arias goes to visit Ryan Burns, a love interest and former co-worker, at his home in West Jordan, Utah.

    June 7, 2008 - Arias returns her rental car to Budge Rent-a-Car in Redding, Calif., police say.

    June 9, 2008
    - Alexander's friends call 911 after discovering his body. When questioned by police, Alexander's friends say Arias should be questioned.

    June 19, 2008 - Police question Arias about Alexander's murder.

    July 9, 2008 - Arias is indicted on first-degree murder charges in Alexander's death on her 29th birthday.

    July 15, 2008 - Arias is arrested in California on suspicion of first-degree murder.

    September 5, 2008 - Arias is extradited to Arizona.

    September 11, 2008 - Arias pleads not guilty at her arraignment.

    September 12, 2008 - Arias denies killing Alexander in an interview with The Arizona Republic, and won't discuss evidence police say links her to the killing.

    September 24, 2008 - Arias goes on "Inside Edition," where, for the first time publicly, she says that she was present when Alexander was killed by two intruders.

    October 31, 2008 - Prosecutors file a notice of intent to seek the death penalty for Arias.

    June 23, 2009 - An episode of "48 Hours" airs in which Arias reveals more details about Alexander's killing. She claims he died during a home invasion, and that the two were using his camera before the intruders attacked.

    August 16, 2010 - Arias submits a request to the court to have letters allegedly from Alexander admitted into evidence. The letters were meant to help prove Arias' new theory of self-defense.

    In a motion to preclude the letters, prosecutors wrote, "[The] defendant argues that the letters are relevant to her claim of self-defense and that she was a victim of previous 'sexual and physical abuse' by Mr. Alexander."

    It was at this point in time that Arias reportedly began to claim Alexander became angry when she dropped his camera and that she was forced to kill him in self-defense.

    December 10, 2012 - Jury selection begins. There are 375 potential jurors; a panel of 12 jurors and six alternates is eventually chosen and sworn in for the trial.

    January 2, 2013 - Opening arguments begin.

    February 4, 2013 - Jodi Arias makes the surprising move of taking the witness stand in her own defense. She admits to the jury that she killed her ex-boyfriend - claiming it was self-defense - and says that she had plans to kill herself after. She concluded testimony on March 13, 2013.

    January 17, 2013 - The prosecution rests.

    April 16, 2013 - The defense rests after 38 days of testimony.

    May 2, 2013 - Closing arguments begin.

    http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_1...l-murder-case/
    An uninformed opponent is a dangerous opponent.

    "Y'all be makin shit up" ~ Markeith Loyd

  9. #109
    Administrator Heidi's Avatar
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    Kirk Nurmi's closing argument is boring me to death.
    An uninformed opponent is a dangerous opponent.

    "Y'all be makin shit up" ~ Markeith Loyd

  10. #110
    Senior Member Frequent Poster elsie's Avatar
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    Me too! I want to scream at him.

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