a view from the inside: observations from our own court observers #5

[Love Never Fails]

Katie Wick ‏@KatieWickUSA 5m
Court cancelled. Jodi sick. Migraine. Court resumes 9:30 tomorrow morning.

Hi Katie! Welcome!!!!! Glad to see you here.

 

[Donnareit]

I've worked in the DV field for over 10 years as the asst director of a safehouse for women and children victims of physical & sexual abuse. I know Nicole Brown's family and worked with them as they were setting up their foundation. In my experience and research, sadly, on average, DV victims will leave their abuser 7 times before leaving for good. That is *not* to say shelter or safehouse victims will leave 7 times before leaving for good. I believe those victims who seek out and find the services of a good shelter or safehouse have a much better of recovery and independence than those who leave and go to a friend's or family member's etc. Just my opinion

Leaving is a process

 

[wonders]

Thanks for clarifying. I figured she HAD to have talked to her, as I thought that was who JM said JA told the " on TA's computer" story to.

Let me ask a follow-up, though IANAL. If she interviewed Jodi, reviewed evidence, etc., why is she not allowed to give an opinion as to whether or not TA was an abuser? Is it not an exact enough science or is there some other reason? Thanks.

**adding in: KCL said earlier she thought the restriction was because AVL had never interviewed TA.

Please forgive me as I don't remember who said it, but it was said that AVL couldn't interview Travis so she couldn't give testimomy about Travis.

 

[Love Never Fails]

Hi Katie! Welcome!!!!! Glad to see you here.

Oh I am sorry. Thought you were Katie.

 

[MeeBee]

I think it is something to keep her calm to avoid outbursts. Jodi had one the other day about "kicking her mother" and JW had to calm her to stop her from coming unglued. My guess is she did not take her meds today and it was too dangerous for defense to let her sit there because Nurmi is not about to touch Jodi to keep her calm while JW is doing her cross. Nurmi is certainly not likely to do what I have seen JW do to calm Jodi down when she is clearly agitated. My guess is Jodi is melting down. If defense can't control her they will have to do something. jmo

It's possible she just discovered the state has entered evidences or called a witness that caused a melt down. He added witnesses yesterday.

 

[miss.krissy]

Katiecoolady, I have read online that Samantha Alexander has an identical twin sister. Is this true, or is it just "here say"?. She is so pretty, having two of her would be awesome.

I read it here
http://www.webanswers.com/social-sc...heir-heads-negatively-while-jodi-arias-1bed4f

No, Samantha isn't a twin. Here is a photo of Travis and his siblings as children.

 

[A_News_Junkie]

It's possible she just discovered the state has entered evidences or called a witness that caused a melt down. He added witnesses yesterday.

GOOD POINT!!!!!!!!!!!!! Do we know who the 15 added are yet?

(I am sure Matt being added would give her a migraine!)

 

[KBisMe]

GOOD POINT!!!!!!!!!!!!! Do we know who the 15 added are yet?

(I am sure Matt being added would give her a migraine!)

Omg JM added 15 rebuttal witnesses? Did I read that right? Where did that info come from? Is that on top of the ones he already had listed?

 

[KBisMe]

Omg JM added 15 rebuttal witnesses? Did I read that right? Where did that info come from? Is that on top of the ones he already had listed?

Never mind. I just looked it up on the Maricopa County Superior Court website and it says the State submitted its fifteenth supplemental list of witnesses. I can't wait to find out who he added!!!

 

[Madeleine74]

It doesn't mean JM will call all the witnesses on his list for rebuttal, but all the potential witnesses had to be submitted to the court in advance.

A local murder trial in my area had the defense subpoenaing well over 100 witnesses and I think they called like 10 altogether.

 

[Nezumi]

No, Samantha isn't a twin. Here is a photo of Travis and his siblings as children.

Oh man. I'm a tough old bird but that picture just makes me want to cry.

 

[SwampMama]

If Jodi genuinely suffers with migraines, well, I can't think of a better person to suffer with them. If she is faking it then I hope karma sets in and give her a migraine for real.

I do suffer from migraines in real life and they are incapacitating. I will be in utter agony, throwing up and just suffering miserably. I thank God i have a doctor who prescribes toradol injections which Mr Swamp is kind enough to give me.

I think Jodi is finally getting the point that she is NOT going to be walking out of there as an innocent heroine celebrity and media darling. I think she enjoyed the attention at first but I thinks as time goes by, she is finally seeing that she is loathed and repulsive. She won't be getting her "happily ever after" and life will go on for everyone else but her. She will spend her life behind bars or if we are lucky, she will get the death penalty.

The girl who is so vain that she smiled in her mugshot and wanted to put on makeup while being interrogated will be denied beauty products and life's little luxuries.

I'm so tempted to get her address in jail and when I go on vacation, send her a postcard with a little note about this being just one of the thousands of places she will NEVER see.

 

[Phesey]

Migrane? I would have pegged Jodi as a carrier.

I read that and pineapple came out my nose.:floorlaugh:

 

[My3Sons]

Court cancelled? Bummer. Just another day that the family has to wait for Justice for Travis...and more money out of their pockets :furious:

Here are my notes from yesterday:

Forgive me for the narrative, it's just the way I do things (the English major in me). I'll go back for questions...fire away!

So...I got there at 10:15. Got to the fifth floor just as they were taking everyone in for morning session--did NOT think I would be in! They took the first set, then came back for 8 more. I was number nine.

Then, they said they'd try to get me in (since I was the only one left)...and just like that, I'm in. Second row (behind JA's fam) on the end by the wall.

Great view of jury and Juan and DT table. JA comes in unannounced. She's much smaller and more frail looking in person. She has her hair in that dumb side-do and carries her coat over her arm.

Judge comes in and "please stand for the jury..." Here we go!

 

[My3Sons]

Housewife and Tri-color take notes on LV (Laviolette) experience...everyone paying attention. Trump has hand on chin (stays that way almost ALL day). Willie stares at the floor.

During the first sidebar, Judge was really giving it to JW Not happy with her at all...
Some notes as JW continues with LVs experience...they're listening but no one is really digging this. Some look at floor. Housewife looks back and forth between JW and LV--like a tennis match.

Maureen's chair is fully turned toward the witness, so her back is to ponytail next to her. She takes notes off and on but listens intently

Mitigation specialist escorted LV into the courtroom but didn't stay...

Sidebar #3--Paul Rudd fingers rub temple, CEO rubs eyes.

Side note: I sit next to a man in the am who says he's friends with LV for many years. Says she's terrified to be testifying...not sure of the reason (or reasons), but I can guess.
He also says OJ and Nicole were supposed to meet with LV two weeks before the murder...I don't know if that's true, but there you go.
He is very nice and friendly to me...but I think he and I are on different sides of the universe when it comes to this trial, IYKWIM.

 

[My3Sons]

Paul Rudd (who is handsome and really does look like PR) rubs his eyes and crosses his arms and JW and LV go over the "continuum". CPA hand over mouth, the wrestler has his hands clasped in front of him holding his pen, which he rests his chin on. These people look EXHAUSTED.

As LV goes over the continuum, jurors look at the screen and pay attention, but no notes. Poquito swivels in his chair...almost all day!

JW brings out "character assassination" in 3rd row...hello texts from Travis...BUT this row says no character assassination. OOps! No notes at all now.

"Depression the common cold of mental illness" interesting analogy

JW needs to move this along and get to Jodi and why this matters...

Nancy, Housewife, Ponytail and Maureen look at witness during "battering" column testimony...but none take notes

So far, all LV has done is convince me TRAVIS was abused by JODI...especially as pertains to the battering and terrorism columns.

 

[My3Sons]

Cellphone rings on the press side and Nurmi looks back. He's checked out big time. It's almost as if, when Judge SS says "approach" he's startled back to reality.

1st category on "terrorism" column is STALKING. Did that stick out to you guys? It did to me in the courtroom, especially since there's been testimony that she Travis stalked him.

LV says "When a relationship ends, one person is usually not ready for it to end, so they show up uninvited, follow the person around, text them constantly..." um, hello?? That's JA!! This chick is a PT witness so far.

The screens in the courtroom are really large. As I look at the document on the screen, I think about how terrible it must have been to see the crime and autopsy photos up on this screen.

Nancy takes notes re: isolation--no one to talk to or tell. Writes more re: balance of power.

Jury often looks bored when LV tells stories about other cases. What is JA doing during this time? So weird to look at the back of her head rather than get to see her.

The story about the father who killed his daughter's abuser was weird--especially when she said " he didn't know what he was doing; like he was sleepwalking". Strange considering JA's defense!

So...I think where LV is going in Travis terrorized JA sexually. It's the only item on her continuum chart that I can see them trying to apply to him.

Lunch break...I get the 8th spot in line for the afternoon.

I ask someone to hold my spot while I potty and this is when I run into Dr Drew's producer...

 

[My3Sons]

Oh...btw...I kept tally of the sidebars after yesterday. There were only 3 in the morning session--shocking!! 6 in the afternoon.

Ok, before the afternoon session begins, a little more from the morning...

When Judge SS sustained Juan's objection right after the sidebar, she smiled at JW as she sustained the objection...as if to say, jeez lady, you had a chance to come up with a real question...this is when JW said "can we approach" and JSS said "ask another question".

Before the pm session starts LONG chat between JA mom and MS but I did not see any notes/paper passed. Samantha and Stephen enter from victims family room and you can tell Sam has been crying.

JA's mom and aunt enter after we're seated. Their ribbons are PURPLE. I am told later at HH that the Jodiisinnocent site is decked out in purple ribbons, so their ribbons are Jodi support ribbons...I can't confirm that, but that's what I'm told.

 

[Novice Seeker]

Thanks for clarifying. I figured she HAD to have talked to her, as I thought that was who JM said JA told the " on TA's computer" story to.

Let me ask a follow-up, though IANAL. If she interviewed Jodi, reviewed evidence, etc., why is she not allowed to give an opinion as to whether or not TA was an abuser? Is it not an exact enough science or is there some other reason? Thanks.

**adding in: KCL said earlier she thought the restriction was because AVL had never interviewed TA.

AVL can't claim Travis was an abuser bc she never "evaluated" him so JW is using the "hypothetical" scenarios to portray Travis as an abuser.

 

[My3Sons]

AFTERNOON: JW and JA chat at the defense table; JA looks back at the gallery a couple times. I don't make eye contact, but I wanted to. I do think I specifically see her look at Katie DDJ, who is right in front of me in the pm session. She knows who she is, IMO.

Jurors enter, they do NOT, and I mean not a one, look at JA as they enter or as they stand and wait for the judge to day "be seated". She may THINK she has a connection with one or two, but she doesn't.

LV goes over "intimate person" violence. No notes from the jury, this goes on too long. JW talks about "the person", meaning JA, then calls her "victim". BS

JA trying really hard to show off that wonky left finger to the jury. She's holding her head in her hands with her left hand to the jury, wonky finger sticking out.

LV STILL talking in general (women w/ resources who still stay). Jurors look bored. It's obvious what's being implied about this testimony, but we need to get to how this matters for Jodi.

Ponytail may be taking notes now, or she may be doodling. She's intent on whatever she's doing in her notebook and does not look up.

Paul Rudd drinks Gatorade, Nancy wipes nose, Wrestler blowing nose...lots of jurors sick. Case taking it's toll.

Maureen twists her hair with her hands during minister's wife testimony, then hand over mouth.

Juan starts writing as LV talks about not reporting...he has just been sitting and listening most of the day.