Much as I find the verdict distasteful, I think it's actually the best possible outcome. On Death Row, Jodi would have had international attention. She won't get that in Max. Plus, the odds of her getting an appeal of either 2 verdicts is unlikely, because of JSS's conservatism and the input from the CofA. On top of that, who'd want to represent her as a defense attorney? It's been pretty obvious that Willmott and Nurmi were put through the mill by Jodi herself. Then there were the previous attorneys who didn't meet Jodi's muster. Obvious, too, that it's impossible to find a credible expert witness. Imagine, even if Jodi could find a willing defender how much it will cost her. Nurmi alone cost, what, a million, two? So Jodi can raise that on her own with a "lost cause" premium thrown in? And 11+8 jurors voting for the death penalty, with alternates who said they would too? Even if I were the very sleaziest of sleazy attorneys, I would run....
Jodi will be forgotten..... Time will pass, and there will be no one to fatten up her commissary account (after some years, she could have $80 per month on deposit). As it is, no one spoke in defense for her life: they're going to send her $$ in prison? (It's remarkable that none of her online associates spoke up for her, either.) No ultra-expensive Securepak care packages. No food visits. Since all these privileges take years to earn, and who's going to stick by her?
In a few years, no deodorant for Jodi. No shampoo and conditioner. No Little Debbies. No replacement fan. Orange jacket, orange shirts, orange cap, cheap sneakers, all of which she has to pay for herself, very expensively. Technology will have passed her by within a year. No arts and craft supplies until she earns a spot up a notch or two, and even then, it's pencils and paper (the number of pieces might even be restricted, I forget). $.10 per hour, when she's never kept a job in her life. And she'll have to get along with other inmates while she's working? Manipulation's not going to go over very well with workmates.
And I don't know how the Ariases would ever be able to write and market a book, when so many jurors voted for death. It's not like they ended this in a blaze of glory. It's not as though they got up and spoke for their daughter and managed to sway some jurors with their reality. Imagine having a daughter to whom so many were willing to give the death penalty. If Jodi had gone to death row, they could have been martyrs, or at least pawns during the appeals process. If Jodi had squarely landed in a "life" verdict (instead of almost death), and had a big WIN, they maybe could have suggested some redeeming value in a book. But neither of those options applies: there's only a very lousy infamy.
Again, I'd rather the verdict had been otherwise, but my feelings aside, I believe Jodi got the worst possible outcome.