SIDEBAR #7- Arias/Alexander forum

[suzyq211]

For those of you interested in how a juror could go visit a murderer after the trial, Google "Robert Durst".

Short version: Durst is a member of an enormously wealthy NYC family. His wife, a medical student, "disappeared" and was never found. He also had a friendship with a woman whose Daddy was in the mob. She continued this friendship with Durst for decades. One New Year's Day, she was slaughtered in her LA home. The cops wanted to question Durst, but he disappeared.

It turned out he was living in Galveston, TX, where he dressed and lived as a woman. He got into a fight with a neighbor, shot the guy in the head, then dismembered the body and threw the parts into trash bags, which he then dumped into Galveston Bay. The problem was, the bags started to wash ashore. The only body part not found was the victim's head.

Durst was tried for murder, and was represented by Dick DeGuerin, one of the hot shot defense lawyers in the country. Durst claimed self defense, and took the stand. He gave his version of the story. The jury decided to acquit, since the head was not found and the State could not determine the trajectory of the bullet to contradict Durst's story! Not only that, because he stayed in jail for a while for some other charges, multiple jurors used to go visit him!!! I have no idea where he is now, but he's walking the streets somewhere.

Whoa! I googled this and he is one slippery customer!

 

[DairyGirl]

I really don't have a problem with 18. I don't agree with him but I respect his opinion. It wasn't as if he hung the jury during the guilt phase or even the extremely cruel phase. It's just that he seemed to find a bit of humanity in her where most of us don't. That doesn't mean he was in love with her or even attracted to her. He just recognized something in her that many others didn't but some did. I don't have to hate anyone just because they don't hate JA.
As far as believing she was verbally and emotionally abused by Travis, that doesn't men he is stupid. He just choose to view the words Travis used in a different context then most. While I understand why he was pushed to the brink and frankly I don't know why we saw JA on trial and not Travis, because other men may have reacted a lot differently.
Even on this site there are those who think she was over charged or believe that she doesn't deserve the DP. I wish it would have ended differently for the Alexander family and that it would finally be over for them but I would rather see a mistrial then a sentence that wasn't what they feel would be justice. They are strong and they are committed to seeing this to the end, and I personally stand with them and support them in any way I can, whatever they feel they need to do.

 

[Night-owl]

Oh please. He seems blind to who Jodi really is. Ryan Owens already tried that and she turned on him in a hot second.

With all due respect, every one of those jurors voted premeditated murder in the first degree. Astigmatic, maybe. Blind? Hardly.

 

[MeeBee]

1. Donovan will break probation if Donovan speaks with the now felony convicted inmate, but Donovan said something on t.v. That does not break probation.

2. No one knows for sure about the family not being there that day. They either had a planned vacation or were just told there was no need to show up.

3. The Sheriff said no more interviews and 23 hour lock down, but who knows. We shall see.

4. Yes JA keeps the same attorneys, unless she - herself - asks for new ones.

5. It will not be in June for status, nor July as the Judge set. Most likely it will be a while and it depends on the Courts schedule and perhaps any overload due to this trial. Don't hold your breath for July.

Speaking about Jodi does not break probation, but speaking to her does. Jodi continued "tweeting" after she was convicted. If Donovan got those tweets in the way she usually did (by speaking on the phone with Jodi) then that is a no-no, apparently.

 

[KandyKane]

And also how well it was all hidden. I wonder why that didn't come in during trial? ty

Because those weapons were not used to kill Travis. This case was about why she killed Travis and whether or not it was premeditated and especiall cruel. Her being arrested with a gun and knives in her car that were not involved in the crime are not relevant to the case. Why would they be?

 

[DairyGirl]

It is possible the BDP may have been a mitigating factor for them. Maybe they thought she could be "cured". Unless they say what held them back we will never know.

We know that juror 18 believed she suffered verbal and emotional abuse from Travis, so he bought that mitigating factor.

 

[MeeBee]

With all due respect, every one of those jurors voted premeditated murder in the first degree. Astigmatic, maybe. Blind? Hardly.

I commend him for being able to think logically in the guilty phase and aggravating phase, absolutely. But he seems blind to her manipulation. He is totally free to his opinion and totally free to vote for life. I respect his decisions. But he doesn't seem to get Jodi and that, at least to me, is pretty blind. He thinks Travis abused her. He thinks she was normal until she met him. He thinks asking her straight up for the truth will do any good. He is blind to Jodi.

 

[Myvice]

Agree to disagree on the misleading part. If the prosecutor tells me that there are "no mitigating factors relating to the crime" and I go back to the jury room and read my instructions that tell me the mitigating factors don't need to relate to the crime - I'm wondering why he bothered to add "relating to the crime" since it's totally irrelevant. The only thing I can come up with is that the prosecutor wanted me to think it was relevant. jmo

I don't know what the juror was thinking, obviously, but it's as reasonable a speculation as any, imo. Especially since he apparently thought Juan was treating the jury as though they were stupid.

Just my humble opinion but I would be more inclined to think Wilmott was being misleading by stating Jodi would spend the rest of her life in prison knowing full well the judge could go with LWP.

 

[21merc7]

Speaking about Jodi does not break probation, but speaking to her does. Jodi continued "tweeting" after she was convicted. If Donovan got those tweets in the way she usually did (by speaking on the phone with Jodi) then that is a no-no, apparently.

I think Donovan was tweeting as Donovan wishes. I really don't know. The tweets that were posted here sounded as if they were made up. Also, Donovan cannot stop mail coming to her, but I doubt there was mail as that takes a few days. Who cares? JA is the focus, she murdered. Donovan just some a young mind that knew nothing of the criminal system and decided to capitalize while she can.

Imagine the others that have had really hard lives, that see right through JA and what JA's reaction will be whenever she figures it out. That is the question.

 

[katiedid2]

1. she is being looked into by her parole officer for possibly violating parole after Jodi was convicted. She is not allowed to communicate with convicted felons.

2. They were in the Grand Canyon...

3. Arpaio put her on lockdown. She is in solitary and she can't do anymore interviews.

4. dunno, but I think so.

5. it's scheduled for July 18th, but many think it'll be much later than that.

Meebee
Hi
so is Donovan allowed to tweet for Jodie? Because there were a few tweets after some of Jodie's maniac tv interviews
Must suck to be in solitary confinement with no tv interviews in sight! wondering if she will suffer camera withdrawals. No attention from for her because no daily court and cameras.

 

[bettybaby00]

I really don't have a problem with 18. I don't agree with him but I respect his opinion. It wasn't as if he hung the jury during the guilt phase or even the extremely cruel phase. It's just that he seemed to find a bit of humanity in her where most of us don't. That doesn't mean he was in love with her or even attracted to her. He just recognized something in her that many others didn't but some did. I don't have to hate anyone just because they don't hate JA.
As far as believing she was verbally and emotionally abused by Travis, that doesn't men he is stupid. He just choose to view the words Travis used in a different context then most. While I understand why he was pushed to the brink and frankly I don't know why we saw JA on trial and not Travis, because other men may have reacted a lot differently.
Even on this site there are those who think she was over charged or believe that she doesn't deserve the DP. I wish it would have ended differently for the Alexander family and that it would finally be over for them but I would rather see a mistrial then a sentence that wasn't what they feel would be justice. They are strong and they are committed to seeing this to the end, and I personally stand with them and support them in any way I can, whatever they feel they need to do.

BBM

I don't get what you mean? He (Travis) was pushed to the brink? Why should Travis be on trial? Sorry I'm confused by what you are saying.

 

[21merc7]

Because those weapons were not used to kill Travis. This case was about why she killed Travis and whether or not it was premeditated and especiall cruel. Her being arrested with a gun and knives in her car that were not involved in the crime are not relevant to the case. Why would they be?

Because a gun and a knife were used to brutally slaughter Travis. If they came back with no DNA, they were not usable for the prosecution. It does not mean she did not soak them in bleach or anything else before the weapons were found.

I have honestly never seen a woman kill this brutally unless they were running a home and killed for Social Security money and were twisted as heck. This is not the worst female murder I know of, but it is close. Most were never published in papers, they were local. A lot you no one knows of if it never hits t.v.

 

[ZsaZsa]

1. Donovan will break probation if Donovan speaks with the now felony convicted inmate, but Donovan said something on t.v. That does not break probation.

2. No one knows for sure about the family not being there that day. They either had a planned vacation or were just told there was no need to show up.

3. The Sheriff said no more interviews and 23 hour lock down, but who knows. We shall see.

4. Yes JA keeps the same attorneys, unless she - herself - asks for new ones.

5. It will be in June for status, no trial likely July as the Judge set. Most likely it will be a while and it depends on the Courts schedule, the attorneys scedules, and perhaps any overload due to this trial. Don't hold your breath for July.

Donovan was on NG show that night and said the family were pretty upset that they were never notified to attend court!
I don't FB, but many reports of her sister's posts that day say she was in the Grand canyon with the rest of the family......?

 

[mck16]

Because those weapons were not used to kill Travis. This case was about why she killed Travis and whether or not it was premeditated and especiall cruel. Her being arrested with a gun and knives in her car that were not involved in the crime are not relevant to the case. Why would they be?

Because it proves to me she was out on another 'adventure' and that she should be put away for good. And as far as juror 18 saying he didn't know they would get a hung jury I say ignorance of the law is no excuse. He had the instructions, did he not read them or listen to the judge when she read them? He in my opinion is just like Jodi. Blaming someone else (JM) for his stupid decisions.

Why would a harmless little waif have those weapons in her car and have them hidden. A gun and knives. Her weapons of choice. I think it is very relevant because it speaks to her personna and if she can ever be a functioning member of society. And no they were not used in the crime, she had moved up a knotch in her gun of choice. jmo

 

[MeeBee]

I think Donovan was tweeting as Donovan wishes. I really don't know. The tweets that were posted here sounded as if they were made up. Also, Donovan cannot stop mail coming to her, but I doubt there was mail as that takes a few days. Who cares? JA is the focus, she murdered. Donovan just some a young mind that knew nothing of the criminal system and decided to capitalize while she can.

Imagine the others that have had really hard lives, that see right through JA and what JA's reaction will be whenever she figures it out. That is the question.

I'm not saying it matters, but someone asked the question. I'm just telling you why there was an investigation into her. Maybe Donovan wrote the tweets herself without Jodi's input (doubtful, they sound like Jodi) but it still has to be looked into. If she didn't know the terms of her parole, she does now.

 

[21merc7]

Donovan was on NG show that night and said the family were pretty upset that they were never notified to attend court!
I don't FB, but many reports of her sister's posts that day say she was in the Grand canyon with the rest of the family......?

Donovan can talk with the family as they are not convicted felons. (Thanks for the info, no cable t.v. here and early working person bed time.)

Who knows about the family. It could have been a ploy, it could have been really gone on vacation, they could have been at home with sick dad. Most DP juries do not come back for days....

Keep in mind that t.v. does not always know the truth when following too fast, they just make up stuff to keep people watching. Long gone are the days of verifying and waiting.

 

[polleypockets]

IMO, 18 came across like he had something against JM and apologetic for the killer.
Had he just said I didn't think she deserved the DP we would not be in as much of a snit, but his hubris kept him from keeping his thoughts to himself even at the cost of the Alexander's feelings....
in my book that says a lot about him

yes! i admot i am torn about the forman and what he is going thru - on one hand he broke his agreement w/ all the other jurors and started a press tour at 4am and blamed travis and juan and just basically said the stupidest things he could possibly say to the press, and i feel he does deserve criticism, but on the other hand, it is one thing to be on a board discussing the case and your feelings on the foreman, but its another thing to start emailing him, going to his fb twitter company website to harass and threaten him, thats just wrong and makes me feel so sad at what some of our culture has become

 

[outofstatelawyer]

Speaking about Jodi does not break probation, but speaking to her does. Jodi continued "tweeting" after she was convicted. If Donovan got those tweets in the way she usually did (by speaking on the phone with Jodi) then that is a no-no, apparently.

Someone is tweeting for Arias. This was just yesterday:

Jodi Arias ‏@Jodiannarias 25 May
WOW... http://OccupyHLN.org ...just wow.

 

[Elley Mae]

1. she is being looked into by her parole officer for possibly violating parole after Jodi was convicted. She is not allowed to communicate with convicted felons.

2. They were in the Grand Canyon...

3. Arpaio put her on lockdown. She is in solitary and she can't do anymore interviews.

4. dunno, but I think so.

5. it's scheduled for July 18th, but many think it'll be much later than that.

bbm
Thank You for this info, I did not know this, it made me smile.:seeya:

 

[MeeBee]

bbm, I did not know this. Than you for this info. You made my day.:seeya:

It made me feel much better after the hung jury to know that she could not get on tv and gloat about by spewing her pseudo-sentimetal tripe, as well.