long weekend break: discuss the latest here #102

[Allyne Smithe]

I believe what happened with the photos is, Det. Flores said they found the camera and there were photos taken contemporeanous to the murder floorlaugh and Jodi asked to see those. Not crime scene photos per se taken by LE. She wanted to know (a) if Flores was BSing her and (b) how she should change her story -- which she did they next day.

Detective Flores specifically asked her which photos she wanted to see, the ones before he was murdered, or the ones after.

The ones after, she replied. He said no.

The previous day he did show her the photo of her in pigtails, as she exclaimed "pigtails!" "Are you sure it's me?" She also asked whether it could have been taken a different day. That's the only photo he shows her in the interrogation footage that has been released.

She changed her story after he asked her if someone else was involved, whether she was protecting someone else.

In Detective Flores' investigation report of 8-27-08, he related that when Jodi came to Mesa for Travis' memorial service he asked her to stop by to talk the next day and said a few others were also going to give DNA swabs the same day. He asked her to do the same. She came gave a DNA sample but refused to talk to him, saying a friend told her word was going around that she was involved, so she thought she should have an attorney before giving an official statement.

Later on, she called and apologized and said she would be willing to talk to him and they set up an official phone interview. That interview, and two earlier phone interviews, can be found here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmXxck9IiFQ

 

[perfectvirgo]

Finger Info: Here's some interesting info about knife wounds that occur on the perpetrator..

MECHANISMS FOR SELF-WOUNDING

During a violent attack with a knife or similar sharp instrument with its ensuing struggle, there may be numerous opportunities for the assailant also to sustain injuries.

By the very nature of such an assault, often with hand-to-hand combat and with multiple thrusts or slashes, it is quite difficult, or impossible, for the knife wielder to control each action. The following seven scenarios are proposed as possible causative factors in self-wounding.


Mechanism 1: While stabbing the victim, the assailant hits bone or otherwise resistant material. The abrupt stopping of the knife causes the assailant's hand to slide forward, allowing the hand gripping the knife to slide across the blade. Such a scenario typically would cause a slicing of the palmar surfaces of the hand or fingers. If the attack continues after the hand is cut, the presence of the assailant's blood on the knife handle reduces the gripping ability further, making even multiple self-wounding likely.

<respectfully snipped>

BBM Yes and during the interview where he examined her ring finger Det Flores pointed out to her exactly this type of perpetrator injury.

 

[smeck]

Today I watched on TV an episode of Snapped detailing the murder of James Nibbe by his wife Jennifer Nibbe. The parallels in this case to the Travis Alexander case are somewhat the same. Jennifer Nibbe's 911 call claimed her husband was shot by a masked intruder and she was attacked and cut with a knife (later assumed to be self-inflicted). At trial Jennifer Nibbe claimed abuse, (but never told anyone prior to shooting her husband as he lay sleeping) and PTSD. Here is a news article about her sentencing.

http://mankatofreepress.com/local/x2004685428/Family-speak-out-at-Nibbe-murder-sentencing

I love watching Snapped.....many of the cases profiled are just as outrageous as the JA TA case. Many of the perps seem fairly normal until the snap which many times includes premeditation.

 

[2Hip2BSquare]

When you have a witness like JA and the good doc who come to the stand with attitude. Who do not answer questions properly and who have no respect for the court of law I am sure it is hard to remain calm after asking the same question over and over and not getting an answer. I know he is a professional and should be calm, but I don't think the jury minds because they feel the frustration also. JA and the doc are just prolonging the jury's time in the box and I am sure they are getting tired and want to get on with it. jmo

I don't think the jurors are tired of it. They are really invade still and even asked over 100 questions of the "psychologist" after Martinez's first exam with "psych".

I understand your view about him being tired of their argument, but sometimes he gets so angry that to me it seems he gets his words/argument a little bit mixed up. Also I understand he is frustrated, but despite how much of a penis we all think Jodi is, the justice system is to protect not only the victim but also the suspect within the court room and that both parties have a right to a fair trial.

I'm not sympathizing with Jodi or the defense, but the bias nature of this case (even the judge never once speaks on behalf of the defendant) and the media depictions of Jodi and negative attention might cause the jury to sympathize with Josi, especially the more they sit in that room and feel a personal connection/responsibility to her. Not saying Jury would give her any less than murder 2.

I think if a defendant is in the media too much and gains so much negative attention, the jury feels that the judgement of the defendant in the court of public opinion is a part of their punishment. This idea that "people will always know you are a murderer and what you did, that is punishment enough" rings loud with jurors in cases that draw much negative sensationalized attention towards defendant (a la Casey Anthony)...

 

[Pink Panther]

Respectfully snipped and bolded by me.

Can someone find that text. I looked for it and couldn't find it. I'm pretty sure in the text it says "feel THE wrath" and not "MY wrath"

Did JW actually read out "my wrath"??? Here's the text, and it shows "the wrath":

http://s1352.photobucket.com/user/tabularasa6/media/169_zps94314fde.jpg.html?sort=3&o=111

 

[borndem]

A true body slam onto tile bathroom floor would give her bruised or broken ribs, a concussion to the head, and she would need several minutes to recover her breath and sense of awareness before getting away. If Travis was actually in a murderous rage then she would not have survived to run to the closet. She would not even have been able to stand up, as he was standing over her (according to her story), and his arms would have caught her and restricted her ability to struggle. By then, he would have calmed down and apologized.

Good points, getReal. And IMO, it could have even been worse. If he had slammed her with any force, IMO it would have likely split her skull open & killed her. Then with TA as the "doer" we would have a true case of self-defense which would have never wound up in a courtroom.

Your skull slammed on ceramic tile?? You'd be done.

Not buying this body slam b.s. Never did; still don't.

 

[popsicle]

She must be kicking herself for not taking that memory card. Otherwise only the palm print pointed to her.

I would like to know what time her cell phone pinged on the 'cell tower 57m N of Kingman' we've heard about. An estimate of the driving time from Mesa would point to a likely leaving time from Mesa. A wide discrepancy might indicate a detour or lengthy stop for disposal of gun, bloody clothes etc. prior to Hoover Dam.

Also her hair with the root attached and her blood DNA in the palm print.

 

[MeeBee]

I don't think the jurors are tired of it. They are really invade still and even asked over 100 questions of the "psychologist" after Martinez's first exam with "psych".

I understand your view about him being tired of their argument, but sometimes he gets so angry that to me it seems he gets his words/argument a little bit mixed up. Also I understand he is frustrated, but despite how much of a penis we all think Jodi is, the justice system is to protect not only the victim but also the suspect within the court room and that both parties have a right to a fair trial.

I'm not sympathizing with Jodi or the defense, but the bias nature of this case (even the judge never once speaks on behalf of the defendant) and the media depictions of Jodi and negative attention might cause the jury to sympathize with Josi, especially the more they sit in that room and feel a personal connection/responsibility to her. Not saying Jodi would give her any less than murder 2.

I think if a defendant is in the media too much and gains so much negative attention, the jury feels that the judgement of the defendant in the court of public opinion is a part of their punishment. This idea that "people will always know you are a murderer and what you did, that is punishment enough" rings loud with jurors in cases that draw much negative sensationalized attention towards defendant (a la Casey Anthony)...

A few things: Is the judge supposed to speak on behalf of the defendant? Is that her job? Though that was her lawyers'?

The judge has kept certain prejudicial information that would hurt her out of this trial. The judge is doing her job.

The media will have no affect on the jury because they are admonished from discussing or reading about the trial. All they get to hear about her is what they hear in the courtroom.

I also suggest you read KCL's court observations of the jury. They don't sympathize with her. So there's that.

 

[dani]

I must admit that when I heard court was canceled because someone upchucked, I had a flashback to a spinning head spewing green stuff everywhere ala the Exorcist.

Aw, geezze! Why did you have to go and get descriptive? It's been 40 years since "The Exorcist" movie (1973) and it was just this past winter I was finally able to eat split pea soup again. :facepalm:

 

[Nosey Parker]

She must be kicking herself for not taking that memory card. Otherwise only the palm print pointed to her.

BBM and snipped for context

Don't forget the hair found in blood with her DNA.

 

[perfectvirgo]

Also her hair with the root attached and her blood DNA in the palm print.

Yes good points. I do think that the recovered photos with the time and date embedded are more powerful evidence of presence on that day than the hair and blood. Certainly the hair would be there anyway unless he was a most meticulous male vacuumer (like me!)

 

[Nosey Parker]

Also her hair with the root attached and her blood DNA in the palm print.

Oops, you beat me to it, popsicle

 

[westies4ever]

I have noticed that in some of the taped interviews and programs Jodi often refers to Travis in the present tense? As if he were still alive and with us (or her)?

I watched some clips of the IE and 48 hours interviews she did and caught this a couple times, sorry I don't have her exact words.

Bizarre!!!

Anyone else notice this?

 

[2Hip2BSquare]

A few things: Is the judge supposed to speak on behalf of the defendant? Is that her job? Though that was her lawyers'?

The judge has kept certain prejudicial information that would hurt her out of this trial. The judge is doing her job.

The media will have no affect on the jury because they are admonished from discussing or reading about the trial. All they get to hear about her is what they hear in the courtroom.

I also suggest you read KCL's court observations of the jury. They don't sympathize with her. So there's that.

Every single time Jodie's defense has called an objection it seems the judge literally doesn't even blink before rejecting it. Some of the objections are warranted. Many actually.

I know the jury does not sympathize. This doesn't mean they wont give her murder 2 instead of murder 1.

The court is open to public. There have been people kicked out of the court for numerous offenses who are meer "fans" of the case. I dont think the jury is falling for anything, but the presence and understanding that a news crew has been watching and people are lined up outside to get a seat in court to see the drama can't be all a mystery to the jury.

All I'm saying is if the intensity of the court of public opinion is palpable, the jury may give her life in prison instead of death with the idea that "she will have to live forever with the public hating her knowing she is a murderer. Thats better than death".

 

[dani]

She must be kicking herself for not taking that memory card. Otherwise only the palm print pointed to her.

Bolded and Snipped by me:

Well, that and about 342 of Travis' closest friends! :seeya:

 

[outofstatelawyer]

Ohhh, I watched the "Blue Eyed Butcher" about the Susan Wright case today. It looked like a playbook for this trial: claims of PTSD, a "fog" that she went in and out of a full week after she stabbed her husband 199 times. She was convicted of second degree murder. Then again, her husband had cocaine in his system and a felony conviction and former assault charges (against a different woman). But the story made me uncomfortable.

 

[Southern_Meadow]

I think it's a reasonable precaution under the circumstances.

**Note - I'm NOT cheering for either side and don't really have a fully formed opinion about guilt or innocence. Just watching the trial and discussing ideas. ***

If Jodi Arias is aquitted (and that's a very real possible outcome in any trail) - there appears (to me anyway) an real issue for her safety and for the jury.

The general population seems to have lost the reality that all defendants on trial are innocent until proven guilty - by a jury and a court of law (not the press or the public).

Not true in this one. Even defense attorneys have said, with her own testimony, she has pretty much give the jury permission to convict her of at least 2nd degree murder.

 

[MeeBee]

Every single time Jodie's defense has called an objection it seems the judge literally doesn't even blink before rejecting it. Some of the objections are warranted. Many actually.

I know the jury does not sympathize. This doesn'tean they will give her murder 2 instead of murder 1.

The court is open to public. There have been people kicked out of the court for numerous offenses who are meer "fans" of the case. I dont think the jury is falling for anything, but the presence and understanding that a news crew has been watching and people are lined up outside to get a seat in court to see the drama can't be all a mystery to the jury.

All I'm saying is if the intensity of the court of public opinion is palpable, the jury may give her life in prison instead of death with the idea that "she will have to live forever with the public hating her knowing age is a murderer. Thats better than death".

I haven't seen that. She overrules and sustains pretty consistently for both sides. This is like when sports fans argue the referee is biased against their team with the calls they make and the other side argues the same. Everyone sees things differently but it often ends up being in their own head. The world is against me, type thing.

I understand the jury is probably aware of the media presence and how big the case must be. But like I said, they are not getting any info from the media or the news or the paper because they have been strictly admonished. Any media bias will not affect the jury. They aren't seeing it. Only what's been presented in court.

This also seems a serious jury. If they feel the crime fits with the law and their jury instructions, I am confident they will convict as is fit. Murder one.

 

[Truth Detector]

BBM and snipped for context

Don't forget the hair found in blood with her DNA.

There's plenty of evidence, alright, but how many juries actually get photos of a lying torture-murderess in the act?

Who knows?

Folks comment a great deal about the still images, but JA may also have a video of herself butchering TA as well...

Orenthal James Simpson had If I Did It.

Jodi Ann Arias will likely pen If I Had It To Do Over Again or Torture Murder For Dummies.

 

[katiedid2]

The way I understand it is that after all the evidence is in, the attorneys will argue in front of the judge weather or not that second degree has been established. That hearing will be where the judge decides weather or not the plea will be added.
If ALV brings up a "snapped" situation, and DT argues it should be included, Juan will have his say. There's been zero argument SO FAR that she snapped, rather than planned it.

This judge worries me biggtime. I have no confidence in her ability to remain in partial, it seems that she is partial to the defence. All wilmott has to is stomp her feet and act like a petulant child.