Retrial for Sentencing of Jodi Arias - Day 5

[Madeleine74]

You guys really need to understand the underlying Constitutional laws that are the basis of any criminal litigation in the U.S. I know many don't care and think it somehow should not apply to someone who is so evil and deceitful, but the founders of this country and the U.S. Constitution don't discriminate against anyone, not even ones who are hateful and evil and don't play fair. The laws are written to protect individuals from the government and to hold the government accountable for things like taking away freedom. It may not feel fair, but this is what our country is based on.

 

[MeeBee]

Is that good or bad?

Well, let's see. Jodi was so shocked and horrified and "debased" at what she was hearing yet still was able to orgasm twice on the call. I'd say Juan made a good point here, whether Jodi wants to say she was faking or not. She was an active participant on the call, and everyone can hear that for themselves.

 

[Becky Sharp]

@monicalindstrom: Could it be she was thinking of the best time to Slice him up? JM to Det Flores #JodiArias

Does anybody know what exactly JM is referring to here? I get that they're talking about the shower, but is he here trying to demolish KN's 24 second and 16 second courtroom silences?

 

[steelman]

It's actually getting harder and harder to figure out who is the most evil, disgusting and pathological here........... Jodi or Nurmi ??

Keep in mind, Nurmi is presenting all of this himself, I imagine he dreamed up at least 90% of this garbage and then presented it to Jodi as...."This is what happened.. right ?"

 

[Nali87]

Does anybody know what exactly JM is referring to here? I get that they're talking about the shower, but is he here trying to demolish KN's 24 second and 16 second courtroom silences?

I think so.

 

[TexMex]

Can we please stop bashing the judge for "allowing" questions that she has no choice but to allow? It is not the judge's fault that JA/Nurmi chose victim-bashing as part of their theory of the case and she does not have any right to stop them from doing it.

The point of these questions IMO is to show that Jodi and Travis had a "secret," twisted relationship totally in conflict with Mormonism, which created this huge tension and feelings of "debasement" for Jodi, and that Travis helped set up that situation. The jury is supposed to think that, combined with Jodi's mental illness, this stressful situation pushed her over the edge into premeditated cruel murder. Voila! Mitigation!

IMO this ain't gonna work. But JSS has to let them try even if it makes her puke.



Normally, the client is in charge of the "facts" and the goals, and the lawyer is in charge of getting from here to there. But IMO the strategy of linking up the sex facts to the goal of a life sentence was probably Nurmi's, based on his experience in that area.

Well said. I think JSS has done a remarkable job under difficult circumstances.

 

[Nosey Parker]

It's actually getting harder and harder to figure out who is the most evil, disgusting and pathological here........... Jodi or Nurmi ??

Keep in mind, Nurmi is presenting all of this himself, I imagine he dreamed up at least 90% of this garbage and then presented it to Jodi as...."This is what happened.. right ?"

Along with "Did you perhaps really mean X when you said Y"?

ETA: I do think she has had, and continues to have, a great deal of input into what is being presented.

 

[rose222]

I think regardless of what the defense introduces, Juan has two things against him - this tape, the killer's age and the killer's sex. I am not sure he can get a DP conviction but man, I hope so.

There comes a time when the Judge, in her efforts to avoid appeals, actually ends up helping the Defense. It's hard to believe that this is the penalty phase. It's more like the 'Let's bash the victim' phase. What remorse is this? I don't see the defendant begging for her life. Yes, she ought to be begging and pleading for her life. That is appropriate in the penalty phase. Instead, she is spewing more venom. No remorse but justification for her murder. It's more like 'I rid the world of a pedophile/abuser. Now give me life.' The odds were against JA being convicted of anything but first-degree but unfortunately, the odds this time around are stacked in her favour.

 

[TorisMom003]

Thank you all that are posting the tweets from the courtroom.

 

[Kensie]

So is it better to be the plaintiff or the defendant?

 

[steelman]

It would thrill me to death to see Nurmi get dis-barred and Judge Stephens get removed from the bench when this is all over.

Before or after the sentencing phase makes no difference one way or the other. Just be gone......................

She's a joke and he is a disgusting blob.

 

[grammieto5]

WOW! Nurmi was exhausting! And very embarrassing!

 

[Kensie]

It would thrill me to death to see Nurmi get dis-barred and Judge Stephens get removed from the bench when this is all over.

Before or after the sentencing phase makes no difference one way or the other. Just be gone......................

Nurmi has probably made enough money from this trial that he can sit back and relax.

 

[MeeBee]

There comes a time when the Judge, in her efforts to avoid appeals, actually ends up helping the Defense. It's hard to believe that this is the penalty phase. It's more like the 'Let's bash the victim' phase. What remorse is this? I don't see the defendant begging for her life. Yes, she ought to be begging and pleading for her life. That is appropriate in the penalty phase. Instead, she is spewing more venom. No remorse but justification for her murder. It's more like 'I rid the world of a pedophile/abuser. Now give me life.' The odds were against JA being convicted of anything but first-degree but unfortunately, the odds this time around are stacked in her favour.

I can't imagine any of what Nurmi's doing is helping the defense much. I'm sure more than one juror is already pretty disgusted at this.

Obviously, Nurmi has to outline and highlight Travis' flaws and there are times when he's done an okay job of it. But there's a point where you're going too far and not just hurting the victims but your case, as well. Nurmi does not need to do this to establish his case. For instance, he made good points when he was saying there was no evidence Travis got a restraining order or saying that Travis was a seemingly willing participant in the sex. But that's where you stop and walk away. He's doing a very bad job in that he continues to dig and dig and dig trying to portray the victim as a bad man who didn't follow Mormon code and did terrible things. At some point the jury clues in that this is a mud slinging fest. That's why I'm not too worried. Anyone with a semblance of common sense can see what is happening here. All they have are insinuations and judgments.

Also, she has been convicted and the jury knows this. So there is a different lens they are looking through now. If I was a juror, I'd be thinking, okay, so this stuff came in in her trial and she was still convicted and she's still up for the death penalty? It must not have been too convincing in the end. Let's see what the prosecutor has to say.

 

[TexMex]

It would thrill me to death to see Nurmi get dis-barred and Judge Stephens get removed from the bench when this is all over.

Before or after the sentencing phase makes no difference one way or the other. Just be gone......................

I believe she's up for reelection in 2016. I imagine presiding over Stabby Einsteins being convicted and taken away to die in jail will be a feather in her cap. :behindbar

 

[katydid23]

There comes a time when the Judge, in her efforts to avoid appeals, actually ends up helping the Defense. It's hard to believe that this is the penalty phase. It's more like the 'Let's bash the victim' phase. What remorse is this? I don't see the defendant begging for her life. Yes, she ought to be begging and pleading for her life. That is appropriate in the penalty phase. Instead, she is spewing more venom. No remorse but justification for her murder. It's more like 'I rid the world of a pedophile/abuser. Now give me life.' The odds were against JA being convicted of anything but first-degree but unfortunately, the odds this time around are stacked in her favour.

She would fare far better if she had gone a totally different route. She could have talked about her dysfunctional childhood, father punching her, past boyfriends being emotionally abusive, etc etc...then she meets a powerful, charismatic man and falls totally in love. When he forsakes her, she snaps, and is NOW full of pain and remorse ....PEOPLE COULD MAYBE BUY THAT. But bashing and degrading her victim is not the way to go if she wants to be shown mercy, imo. :no:

 

[Kensie]

The killer wanted easy street with a decent person but easy street wanted a decent person.

 

[~Lyric~]

Jeffrey Evan Gold ‏@jeffgoldesq 16s17 seconds ago Phoenix, AZ

#JodiArias was in break now back . Nurmi wants transcript of tape in. Juan objects.

 

[TorisMom003]

What tape does Nurmi want a transcript of in?

 

[krkrjx]

So is it better to be the plaintiff or the defendant?

Well, in this case, the plaintiff is the State of Arizona, and the defendant is...yeah, that's right.

I'd rather not be her under any circumstances. Or have to even see her in person.