Penalty Phase - Verdict Watch #2

[Alexander family fan]

Really .. so Dr Drew just reporting false information? I hope he gets a subpoena and has to go into court and explain himself and do a retraction because that's the kind of comment you just don't get wrong IMO.

No friend, the poster was mistaken. DD nor the juror said the juror opined that. DD said he, on his own, opined , speculated that. Our poster just misunderstood.

 

[Turnadot]

Justice is being held responsible for one's actions. Being convicted of 1st degree murder is the ultimate conviction one can obtain in this country. The DP is never a guarantee. Even if she were put on death row she would not be put to death for decades, if ever (likely never). So in the end it's still "life in prison," but with more restrictions if she's on death row.

Let's take a look at other heinous murderers who are spending life in prison with no parole:

- Diane Downs
- The Manson Family (DP commuted to LWOP in 1975)
- Jeffrey MacDonald
- Pamela Smart
- Jason Young
- Brad Cooper


Just to name a few.

How many interviews do you see them conduct? Not too many in total, some not at all. Are they queens/kings in their prisons? (yeah, right). Have any of them killed again? (answer: no). Is society protected? (yes). Is LWOP a harsh penalty? (I'd say it is).

Right. I couldn't care less about the literal definition. My personal feeling is that I don't feel comfortable opining on a public forum that a grieving family has already got justice and everything else is gravy. It makes me cringe to read it, that's all.

 

[JSR]

I agree.

Wonder what the split is and how many votes they have taken?

How many times will JSS send them back to try to reach a unanimous verdict?

I saw how shaken Travis's family was hearing this...maybe the jury did too and this might help figuring out that his family wants the DP.

If they come back again with another note that they can't come to a unanimous verdict that's it, it's done. Judge Stephens surely won't send them back again to deliberate. A mistrial will be called and the whole penalty phase starts again with a new jury. And since Jodi was smart and managed to pollute the potential jury pool with all her interviews last night it will take a very very very long time to seat another impartial jury. And it's likely the second jury would also hang since they won't be privy to just how horrendous Jodi is and has lied time and time again.

Jodi will likely at this point get life. Now we will have to see if Judge Stephens give her LWOP. That is also not a complete given.

 

[Jane Jetson]

I am thinking that society in general has become way to liberal minded to support the death penalty except for places like Texas, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia. "Her life could be worth saving"..... yeah right.

If this crime, where the jurors all agreed was premeditated and heinous, does not warrant the death penalty, what does???????

Maybe these holdouts are thinking "Well, it was only the one, little horrendous, planned out well in advance, viciously stabbed 28 times, throat sliced ear-to-ear and almost decapitated, shot twice in the head, dragged to the shower and cleaned up the body and scene, and tried to delete incriminating photos and wash them away, threw away the stolen from her grandparents gun, brought a knife murder."

 

[ahi]

Someone wrote in an earlier post that another option the judge has is to have the jury appoint another foreman. Don't know if that is an option, but I think this foreman is brilliant. Having that question read in the presence of TA's family...and having all the jurors AGAIN see the emotion on their faces...just might drive it home.

I'm not giving up on this jury yet...

 

[G&AMom]

I agree.

Wonder what the split is and how many votes they have taken?

How many times will JSS send them back to try to reach a unanimous verdict?

I saw how shaken Travis's family was hearing this...maybe the jury did too and this might help figuring out that his family wants the DP.

There seems to be an awful lot of confusion over what happened. It certainly sounded to me like the judge said the jury had said they couldn't agree, but even the court's twitter account says the jurors merely asked what would happen if they didn't agree. So I don't know.

I would think she can send them back more than once. The lawyers here would know better than me.

After those gut-wrenching victim impact statements from Samantha and Steven, it would be horrible if the jury was hung. I'm hoping the jury was merely asking for clarification, which is fine. Maybe I'm kidding myself but . . . .

 

[LambChop]

It was Woolwich and very isolated. Last I'd read it was believed two men attacked a (presumed) soldier with a machete and a meat cleaver, deliberately to encourage armed police to respond. They did, and the two attackers were shot. Citizens reports on the ground state the man was beheaded right in front of them. Barbaric and unbelievable.

Sorry for the O/T. Prayers, of course, to the man's loved ones, whomever they may be.

Deciding on DP is very difficult for juries. But if they were to look at this one instance where police acted appropriately by shooting them it could make their decisions a little bit easier. How would someone react if their loved one was being threatened with a knife at their neck? If they had the chance to kill them first, would that take that chance?

 

[momtective]

Travis' family and friends have said otherwise when posed with the question as to what Travis would want. I don't think we should speak for Travis when we did not know him in life, unlike family and friends who did.

What gave you the impression I was speaking for Travis? I simply gave an opinion. :doh:

 

[MandyLeigh]

I was just talking to my cousin about this. She brought something to my attention that I hadn't thought about...
It might not be that some of the jurors have sympathy for JA. They could just simply feel like she deserves to live with what she's done for the rest of her life. Maybe they think death is an easy way out.

That's true, that could be what is happening and I did not think about that.

If it is I am none too pleased becuase they are not listening to the family, not listening to Juan and not listening to Jodi herself who wants to live. They are imposing their own feelings and beliefs when they claimed they were OK with imposing the DP if they felt it was right. I don't understand how they wouldn't feel it's right after all agreeing to Guilty, Murder 1 and Extreme Cruelty. I am just boggled.

 

[sunniTX]

I am so angry & bewildered; how, after all these months, can this jury come out with this statement when they have barely begun to deliberate??? This makes no sense to me.

I just pray that the reactions of the poor Alexander family snaps the jury back to the reality of what the convicted murderer really did, & will continue to do if she is not given death.

 

[2door73chevy]

Yeah, I am. But not the possibility of parole.

YES....I NEVER want her to get parole.

 

[Garlandy]

Does anyone know...has any jury in the past that was sent back to deliberate after telling the judge they couldn't agree on a verdict - come back with the DP?

 

[Hez]

:twocents:

Please jury.....work together! If they give her life, it's out of their hands and into JSS's hands! Don't let that happen!

JSS may see something redeemable in that and give her LWP! NO, Jury don't let that happen!

Monsters like Arias DO NOT change. Please work harder and come together for the family of the VICTIM!

JSS has seen this beast in-chambers for months, so she has seen the version of Jodi that the jury doesn't get to see. If it comes down to it, I think she would give her LWOP.

 

[kayice]

Candle lit, praying and when all else fails....gonna go do some dishes. JUSTICE FOR TRAVIS ALEXANDER

 

[Shadowboy]

What the jury actually asked (forgive me if this has been previously posted):

http://www.azcentral.com/community/mesa/free/20130522jodi-arias-jury-deadlocked.html


'The jury sent a handwritten note on an official question form to the judge. It said: “If the jury is unable to come to a unanimous decision @ this stage, do we notify the judge of this on the form (verdict) or do we just tell the judge her instruction on the bottom P. 10 on the final jury Instruction-Penalty phase?”

It was signed by juror No.18.'

 

[believe09]

I am more in favor of the accuracy of the court tweet. They have been deliberating for a very short time-it makes no sense that they would be stating they cant come to a unanimous decision. jmo.

 

[Lark2]

No friend, the poster was mistaken. DD nor the juror said the juror opined that. DD said he, on his own, opined , speculated that. Our poster just misunderstood.

Oy vey, that was me. Apologies, I deleted the comment. Dr. Drew said that he talked to Juror#8. Based on what AFF says, it was Dr. Drew's impression that several female jurors were sympathetic and that they were "not young." Maybe someone has the clip.

I stand corrected and have no problem doing so.

 

[TotallyObsessed]

We need to be fair. I have posted this several times, but it applies more than ever now. All of us who believe in the death penalty would be death penalty qualified jurors. That is an ENTIRELY different thing than putting someone to death. The difficulty is that you and I (and probably everyone of those jurors) can sit behind our screens and ask for the death penalty, but it is VERY different being one of the twelve in a small room knowing that you are part of taking someone's life. I think we know enough about this jury by now to know they were truthful, that they have weighed the evidence, and that they are strong. They have faced many hard decisions and made the difficult choice presented to them.

I have been jury coordinator on several death penalty trials. I have had one jury deadlocked. It was as painful for the one holding out as the ones who were for the death penalty. There were many tears and heartache. A jury who goes through this type of trauma together is bonded. They likely trust one another. To be a 'hold out' is a difficult thing - it rests on personal conviction about the case.

Keep in mind two things:
1. Being death penalty qualified does NOT mean you have promised to give the death penalty. Please give these jurors credit. They have sacrificed much and have deliberated carefully on all matters. If one or two believe she is too young to be put to death, they have to live with themselves later. It is important to respect the process. As much as we all sit here begging for what we want, please keep in mind that these jurors are in a much different position. They know that their individual votes will cause life or death. It is a weighty matter for ANYONE with a conscience.

2. Just because they asked what will happen does not mean they are deadlocked. They may be asking what to do.

I trust this jury. I trust the process. I am grateful to know that we have 12 strong jurors on this case. This isn't a decision to be made lightly. I promise you that even if all 12 agreed on death, no one goes home rejoicing. It is one thing to say you want the death penalty and completely another to leave the jury room with the weight on your shoulders that you just put someone to death. Entirely different. I have witnessed it.

I have deep compassion for this jury. They have been through much. My prayers are with them. I pray for the Alexanders that this can end without further trial.

You are so wise. My DD just emailed me this: along the same lines when I said I don't know what crime deserves the death penalty, if not this one.

Nah, I don’t think anyone is buying any of her crap. I just think that it is hard to actually live up to what you say you can do. What she did was absolutely heinous, but sentencing her to death after you have been staring at her every day for months on end is probably harder than any of them expected. You expect to hate her…but maybe some of them have pity for her for some reason – like you do bc her family didn’t plead for her life.

Who knows what is going on back there. But I certainly don’t think anyone believes any of her BS

 

[fran]

Attention Please!

This thread is now closed.

Please continue the discussion here

:justice: Penalty Phase - Verdict Watch #3 - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community :justice:

 

[Overuled]

What the jury actually asked (forgive me if this has been previously posted):

http://www.azcentral.com/community/mesa/free/20130522jodi-arias-jury-deadlocked.html


'The jury sent a handwritten note on an official question form to the judge. It said: “If the jury is unable to come to a unanimous decision @ this stage, do we notify the judge of this on the form (verdict) or do we just tell the judge her instruction on the bottom P. 10 on the final jury Instruction-Penalty phase?”

It was signed by juror No.18.'

Could someone let HLN know this- they drive me crazy with wrong info!