Jodi Arias Legal Question and Answer Thread *no discussion*

[ttcRider]

ok, just so that I have a clear understanding..its been foggy; Jodi will not know what the questions are ahead of being asked in court? SO she won't be 'coached' on how to answer them right? lease: I thought I heard Nurmi say that they would need time to go over them with her.

 

[SkiptomyLu]

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU for your time & input!
I believe the Judge said: "..more than 100 questions" :what:

 

[AZWatcher]

Thank you so much for taking the time to answer all of our questions. I hope you know how much we all appreciate you!!!

I'll Drink to that!!!

 

[minor4th]

Wow! I have been swamped with work today and had no time to check the threads. To answer your questions:

100 jury questions is unheard of! :what:

IMO it will take quite a while to argue these. Judges normally allow every one they possibly can, because they don't want the jurors to feel like they're being ignored. The ones that aren't asked will be for the same reasons as the attorneys' questions are sometimes rejected (irrelevance, etc). But the judge will go out of her way to "work with" the jury questions--e.g., if there is no foundation, she will ask the lawyers if they could establish foundation with additional questions; or if it has been asked & answered, she will probably just ask it again.

The witness does not get to preview the questions.

There will be additional recross/redirect if the jury questions bring up any new material.

IMO there is no way to guess which way the jurors are leaning without hearing the questions.

Judge told the jury they don't need to show up until 1:00 tomorrow -- I imagine she plans to spend the morning discussing the jury questions with the lawyers.

 

[neenee15]

I heard judge ask the defense to be at courthouse at 10:00, ms arias will be here, give you an opportunity to review these questions?

My question is if they can review the questions with their client does that mean she can come up with her answers in advance?

How is that possible when no other witness is allowed to know questions from the opposing party? If that is the case, than will the jury know she was present for reviewing and know questions in advance?

 

[polleypockets]

do you think martinez can recross just based on all the new stories today, like thun gun suddenly was in a holster? plus that crazy video edited w/ YA's were tryoed out and bolded??

 

[AZlawyer]

So Jodi will be hearing the questions at the same time we do? But her lawyers before then? :waitasec:

Thank you!

ok, just so that I have a clear understanding..its been foggy; Jodi will not know what the questions are ahead of being asked in court? SO she won't be 'coached' on how to answer them right? lease: I thought I heard Nurmi say that they would need time to go over them with her.

I heard judge ask the defense to be at courthouse at 10:00, ms arias will be here, give you an opportunity to review these questions?

My question is if they can review the questions with their client does that mean she can come up with her answers in advance?

How is that possible when no other witness is allowed to know questions from the opposing party? If that is the case, than will the jury know she was present for reviewing and know questions in advance?

I've said upthread that she shouldn't be seeing the questions. But then, she has a constitutional right to attend every aspect of the trial and to assist her counsel, so perhaps in the case of a witness who is also the criminal defendant, she would be allowed to participate. I don't do any criminal work at the trial level, and defendants hardly ever testify anyway, so I'm not sure about this. I'm just thinking through the constitutional issues.

 

[AZlawyer]

do you think martinez can recross just based on all the new stories today, like thun gun suddenly was in a holster? plus that crazy video edited w/ YA's were tryoed out and bolded??

Perhaps he could recross re the holster or anything new.

Re: the video, do you mean the audio sex tape? If so, that wasn't new, it was just newly edited. So I don't think he can recross on that. But maybe you're talking about something else--I haven't had a chance to catch up on today's testimony.

 

[kscornfed]

Was photo evidence presented today depicting JA with her hands tied? TIA.

not that i know of.

 

[SieSie]

I've said upthread that she shouldn't be seeing the questions. But then, she has a constitutional right to attend every aspect of the trial and to assist her counsel, so perhaps in the case of a witness who is also the criminal defendant, she would be allowed to participate. I don't do any criminal work at the trial level, and defendants hardly ever testify anyway, so I'm not sure about this. I'm just thinking through the constitutional issues.

Thanks to YouTube user, croakerqueen123 (not sure if she's a WSer or not?), here is the portion of the Judge discussing the 100+ questions from the jury (sorry, I don't know how to embed, only give links):
http://youtu.be/xKOv4FC1_Yw?t=1h17m48s

The video will start at 1:17:48, where the Judge says, “I wasn't going to have a court proceeding, I was going to allow defense counsel to review the questions with their client, in the back, then I was gonna give you a chance to review them at 11:00, then we would go on the record around 11:30 and discuss objections.”

So – JA WILL get to review the questions with her attorneys!! Ugh, that makes me angry. Is there a lawyer friend who DOES do criminal work at the trial level that you could ask around if this is common?? Thanks so much for all of your time answering our questions – much appreciated!!

 

[lmkag96]

Does anyone know why it took so long for this case to get to trial?

 

[forb8182]

Does anyone know why it took so long for this case to get to trial?

I heard the answer to that last night from a lawyer in AZ on the news. What was said that, Everytime a date was set she would change and add to her story over the the years, her defense would put up another fight to have DP taken off the table. Also at one point she fired her attornies and tried to represent herself and then told the judge she was in over her head and new lawyers were appointed, causing more of the same delays.

 

[AZlawyer]

Thanks to YouTube user, croakerqueen123 (not sure if she's a WSer or not?), here is the portion of the Judge discussing the 100+ questions from the jury (sorry, I don't know how to embed, only give links):
http://youtu.be/xKOv4FC1_Yw?t=1h17m48s

The video will start at 1:17:48, where the Judge says, “I wasn't going to have a court proceeding, I was going to allow defense counsel to review the questions with their client, in the back, then I was gonna give you a chance to review them at 11:00, then we would go on the record around 11:30 and discuss objections.”

So – JA WILL get to review the questions with her attorneys!! Ugh, that makes me angry. Is there a lawyer friend who DOES do criminal work at the trial level that you could ask around if this is common?? Thanks so much for all of your time answering our questions – much appreciated!!

I asked a defense lawyer friend of mine last night, and she said the issue hasn't come up for her where her client is testifying and the jury questions are for her client, but the judge BETTER let her clients review the questions with her if it ever does come up.

 

[sleuth21]

Sorry - quote not working - following question is from Siesie

So – JA WILL get to review the questions with her attorneys!! Ugh, that makes me angry. Is there a lawyer friend who DOES do criminal work at the trial level that you could ask around if this is common?? Thanks so much for all of your time answering our questions – much appreciated!![/QUOTE]

I'm a criminal trial attorney. Unlike the other witnesses , JA is on trial. Defendants always have a right to be present and to assist in their defense at each and every step of the process, even the really, really boring stuff, unless they waive their right. Our local federal court even allows defendants to go up to side bars. (Although nearly all defendants waive that right). We don't do jury questions in my jurisdiction. Rats!! The jury will still be able to assess her credibility as she answers the questions. JA has also had a very long time to craft her story and the jury knows this. If there were any great questions that could really stump her JM would have already had a chance to ask her without her knowing that the question was coming. Her defense team also can not tell her what to say or encourage her to say something they know, for certain, to be a lie.

 

[Midnight Meddler]

So... the defense gets from 9 - 10 to go over the jury questions. Then it's the prosecutions turn from 10 - 11. Then both sides debate the questions together from 11 until whenever lunch break is. Yesterday the judge said when both sides object to question together, it will be on record. I'm wondering if because it's on record, does that mean cameras will be on? I'm hoping to hear this part! Anybody know? Thanks!!

 

[bobkat]

New comer here, but wanted to clear my head about a couple of things...
1. was the check to Travis found at the scene drawn on either of the bank accounts she made deposits to during the trip? (I ask because she seemed very very concerned over it being cashed, think she deposited the cash to cover the check in case things worked out and she didn't have to kill him afterall)
2. I have thought from the very beginning that she shot him in the head after she put him back in the shower, when he was already dead. I also have a strong strong feeling she used one of the throw pillows from the bed, with tassels on it to put up to his head to silence the gun shot somewhat. This would explain those 'rope' type fibers found in the bathroom and on the steps. Any thoughts?

 

[AZlawyer]

So... the defense gets from 9 - 10 to go over the jury questions. Then it's the prosecutions turn from 10 - 11. Then both sides debate the questions together from 11 until whenever lunch break is. Yesterday the judge said when both sides object to question together, it will be on record. I'm wondering if because it's on record, does that mean cameras will be on? I'm hoping to hear this part! Anybody know? Thanks!!

Well, the court's cameras will be on (the FTR system). I don't know if the media cameras will be in the room.

 

[Isabelle]

Can the new video, of Travis and Jodi and others, that was shown last night be brought in as evidence at this late date?

 

[AZlawyer]

Can the new video, of Travis and Jodi and others, that was shown last night be brought in as evidence at this late date?

I doubt it. It's pretty late and pretty irrelevant, legally speaking.

 

[Camdenres]

I guess I need to go back and reread this post because I am certain I heard on HLN last night that JA would be able to review the questions last night in jail...did they mean the Judge?