Retrial for Sentencing of Jodi Arias #1

[rose222]

Agree.

Slightly off topic, however, still regarding the crime scene, who owns the house where Travis was murdered? It has been years since his death; is the house still vacant and if so who is paying for its upkeep, property taxes, etc.? If not vacant, how could it be an accurate representation of what occurred the day he was murdered?

:waitasec:

MOO

The lady owner of the house gave an interview. She said they have all new carpets, shower etc. She says she loves Travis Alexander and Juan Martinez. Here is the short interview:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ic-PKGBH8oA

 

[Tuba]

The Finger Lies. Sounds like a Sherlock Holmes film. Arias told Mark Udy she broke a glass at work & cut her finger. This is similar to the Margaritaville lie told Ryan Burns. There is no dispute that this is the same finger she holds up in court, and which she showed Detective Flores. The left ring finger.

 

[katiecoolady]

He can and he did!

I was also watching a trial video yesterday and Juan played a portion of her interview with 48 Hours where she describes Travis grabbing some food for a homeless woman at a Wendy's. Given that the people who knew him best, including Jodi, tell story after story of a similar nature regarding Travis' kindness and selflessness, I'd say this is probably the real Travis. The one who bought all the stuff his friend needed to start her business. The one who helped homeless people. The one who did so much for Jodi and got nothing in return but his life taken away. "She repaid those blessings by killing him." It was a touching story, btw and his brother, not Steven but the another one, looked so touched by it. It's still so heartbreaking. What she did to him and what she continues to do to him and his memory. It's an assault of the heart.

I think this illustrates what is so incredibly beyond frustrating and maddening about how our justice system has (d)evolved when it comes to murderers like Arias. The system promotes them continuing to abuse and debase their victims in public, falsifying completely fictional stories that villify their victims out of thin air while staining their memory to anyone who even hears it even if they don't believe it. This has been accepted as a completely commonplace line of defense now with no one setting boundaries on it's preposterousness.

"Expert" witnesses come out of the woodwork to support these fictional stories and testify to their "veracity" although their only source is the killer themself. Entire tales are spun creating the completely innocent victim as an unrecognizable character in their own life. Meetings are held to strategize how to spin the Truth in to something that turns the entire sordid event on it's ear pointing to the vicious killer as "victim". Intelligent, highly paid, educated professionals conspire in this dark dance.

And the legal system supports and condones it. All the way up to the day the vicious killer likely dies in prison of natural causes as these fights continue for decades selling fiction as fact, tarnishing someone's innocent child/sibling/friend/parent who never had a chance to fully live their life; all in the name of winning.

Or in some cases, such as Alyce La Violette, in the name of money. Thank God the scales of Karma didn't support her in that endeavor. But she has taken her tale of victimhood, erasing the man who's breath was taken in his own home, on to herself now. In the name of murderer Jodi Arias.

It's a level of insanity I feel sure our forefathers never anticipated. I don't think they knew this level of sophisticated evil back in those simpler times either. Nature or nurture we have a new breed of venom that walks the Earth now. And we protect them like precious jewels.

 

[sindydee]

If I were on the jury and knew the defendant had chose to represent herself, with no prior law knowledge or practice, at the sentencing part of her trial,(especially considering she could get the death penalty) this would raise a big red flag to me,screaming narcissism. So already, before she opens her mouth this would give me an indication of the sort of person she is. Someone with such self importance and arrogance who thinks she can do a better job than a trained professional with years of experience. Not a good start. Hope the jurors think that way too. Maybe I read too much crime.

 

[Tuba]

In her murder trial, Arias preferred to talk in generalities about abuse. She ran into opposition with the (false) particulars, products of detailed imaginings. Her accounts conspicuously lacked corroboration. Due to the limits of sentencing, I think she will make broadsides again. Do we need to look at the alleged instances of violence in the spring of 2008, especially April? It might be worthwhile since she will be challenged when she appears with her stack of Survivor tee shirts. It is such a yawn to go over her lies but laying them bare is not only therapeutic, it is sometimes useful. The more light & exposure that strikes a lie, the better. I think it's a truism.

 

[atthelake]

There is a LOT of info in that article.

Maybe the plan is to mitigate the cruelty factor (the many stab wounds) by saying it started in a location where she could not escape (she was cornered) and he kept coming. That's the only thing I can think of to explain away why one feels it necessary to stab a person over and over and over...and over.

It's anyone's guess what excuse can be dreamed up that will sound plausible to a juror.

I still think they should just give up this death wish and go for LWOP. I believe she will get that anyway and see no sense in putting everyone including the taxpayers through further ordeal.

Yeah, if someone was stabbing me to death I would try to stop them any way I could also. Just :thinking: how any of this is going to come together for her and I cannot figure it out

 

[lonetraveler]

The Finger Lies. Sounds like a Sherlock Holmes film. Arias told Mark Udy she broke a glass at work & cut her finger. This is similar to the Margaritaville lie told Ryan Burns. There is no dispute that this is the same finger she holds up in court, and which she showed Detective Flores. The left ring finger.

:giggle: Damn, that finger just catches hell, doesn't it?

 

[lonetraveler]

In her murder trial, Arias preferred to talk in generalities about abuse. She ran into opposition with the (false) particulars, products of detailed imaginings. Her accounts conspicuously lacked corroboration. Due to the limits of sentencing, I think she will make broadsides again. Do we need to look at the alleged instances of violence in the spring of 2008, especially April? It might be worthwhile since she will be challenged when she appears with her stack of Survivor tee shirts. It is such a yawn to go over her lies but laying them bare is not only therapeutic, it is sometimes useful. The more light & exposure that strikes a lie, the better. I think it's a truism.

I totally agree with you. Does anyone know if the jury will be able to ask questions like they could at the trial? This will be interesting to watch.

 

[janx]

Anyone want to venture a guess on when we're going to get a ruling on the latest motion about TV coverage?

 

[krkrjx]

I think this illustrates what is so incredibly beyond frustrating and maddening about how our justice system has (d)evolved when it comes to murderers like Arias. The system promotes them continuing to abuse and debase their victims in public, falsifying completely fictional stories that villify their victims out of thin air while staining their memory to anyone who even hears it even if they don't believe it. This has been accepted as a completely commonplace line of defense now with no one setting boundaries on it's preposterousness.

"Expert" witnesses come out of the woodwork to support these fictional stories and testify to their "veracity" although their only source is the killer themself. Entire tales are spun creating the completely innocent victim as an unrecognizable character in their own life. Meetings are held to strategize how to spin the Truth in to something that turns the entire sordid event on it's ear pointing to the vicious killer as "victim". Intelligent, highly paid, educated professionals conspire in this dark dance.

And the legal system supports and condones it. All the way up to the day the vicious killer likely dies in prison of natural causes as these fights continue for decades selling fiction as fact, tarnishing someone's innocent child/sibling/friend/parent who never had a chance to fully live their life; all in the name of winning.

...

(snipped for space)

I could not agree more! It is exactly what I said in the Anthony case when the defense was allowed to say anything they could dream up and point the finger of guilt at someone else. Not only does the defense have no responsibility to prove anything, what they say does not even have to be true, while the state must prove everything they assert every step of the way.

And another thing radically wrong with our system is the appeals process. If a witness says or does something they should not and it is objected to and the objection is overruled, one side has a right to appeal if they choose; the other has no such recourse. One side has legal right to pick apart every single ruling by the judge and every sideways glance by a juror and request a do-over, and the appeals courts more often than they should are willing to hear them out and go over every word of their claim with a fine-tooth comb looking for a reason to overturn.

The scales of justice are tipped to one side. It was not always this way but our system has morphed into something that is more about winning and less about justice and holding criminals responsible for their actions.

 

[Charterhouse]

I was wondering if you are in the jury pool, how much trouble would you be in if you refused to answer a question asked by JA or answered in an snarky manner. Does anyone know? I am sure you would not be selected for the jury.

 

[krkrjx]

I was wondering if you are in the jury pool, how much trouble would you be in if you refused to answer a question asked by JA or answered in an snarky manner. Does anyone know? I am sure you would not be selected for the jury.

You would probably be directed by the judge to answer, and admonished if you were snarky. But JA could be snarky with you and nothing would happen because she has rights that you would not have.

 

[Niner]

I also don't understand what the crime scene has to do with mitigation. What could be there to show that she was "justified"?

Has Aiken been confirmed as one of her other witnesses? I don't understand how jail conditions or her behavior in jail would be mitigating factors either ( I assume that's what he does?). She's in jail and she's going to prison because of what she did, which has been proven to be premeditated murder. How well she does or adjusts or whatever is irrelevant. She should be sentenced for *what she did.* Not what might happen to her because of what she did.

I'm glad Judge Stephens is being so careful. (Please don't throw things at me!) Nothing would make Arias happier than appeal after appeal. I hate that the Alexander family has had to wait so long for justice. But CMJA *will not stop.* She'll try anything and everything to drag out the sentencing retrial. I'm positive that she's going to try to prove her "innocence," regardless of the fact that it won't be allowed. Something wildly untrue will be stated, it will get objected to by JM and the Judge will tell the Jury that they must disregard it. But once it's said the jury's heard it. And she only needs *one* person to avoid the Death Penalty. Just that ONE. I really don't think she's going to get Death if the retrial goes forward.

I honestly think that a death sentence would be more to her liking anyway. If she gets that, suddenly she's a "victim of the system" and anti-Death-Penalty groups will line up to be sure that she doesn't die. She's got a free appeal on the State's dime. She's still in the spotlight. Poor Jodi and all that. If she were sentenced to LWoP, she's done. Sure she can file an appeal, but there won't be well-funded groups to assist. No one would care. And Judge Stephens has been careful to avoid appeal issues. A year from now, no one would know who the heck she is. I think that's her nightmare: to be locked up and forgotten.

Personally, I'd love it if JM just dropped the Death Penalty before the retrial and Judge Stephens immediately sentenced CMJA to LWoP. I can't think of anything that would piss her off more. She would have NO say in that. No amount of histrionics, manipulation or stalling would matter anymore. It would be done, off to Perryville, no State-backed appeal for you, see ya, that's it. And I think that the Alexanders would never have to hear of her again. With the Death Penalty imposed, this would drag on and on for years.

My 2 cents, MOO and all of that other stuff. I hope I understood this all correctly.

Great post, Miss Judi! I so agree - drop the DP before this retrial and be done with her...

YEP! I do remember that. I hope there will be cameras

It would be SO much better to watch this live; you just can't get the same "feel" thru tweets!!

Great posts everyone!

:wave:

 

[Tuba]

Another falsehood. This one from April, 2008. On the stand, the killer testified, "I saw Matt a few days later and he called me out on the bruises." She is asked where this took place. "Over the phone, just days after, I think." The assertion did not survive cross, as Martinez drew attention to the absurdity of claiming McCartney could observe the bruises over the phone. She was in Yreka according to her and he was way, way down the coast.

 

[katiecoolady]

(snipped for space)

I could not agree more! It is exactly what I said in the Anthony case when the defense was allowed to say anything they could dream up and point the finger of guilt at someone else. Not only does the defense have no responsibility to prove anything, what they say does not even have to be true, while the state must prove everything they assert every step of the way.

And another thing radically wrong with our system is the appeals process. If a witness says or does something they should not and it is objected to and the objection is overruled, one side has a right to appeal if they choose; the other has no such recourse. One side has legal right to pick apart every single ruling by the judge and every sideways glance by a juror and request a do-over, and the appeals courts more often than they should are willing to hear them out and go over every word of their claim with a fine-tooth comb looking for a reason to overturn.

The scales of justice are tipped to one side. It was not always this way but our system has morphed into something that is more about winning and less about justice and holding criminals responsible for their actions.

ding ding freakin ding!

 

[atthelake]

Great post, Miss Judi! I so agree - drop the DP before this retrial and be done with her...



It would be SO much better to watch this live; you just can't get the same "feel" thru tweets!!

Great posts everyone!

:wave:

Some of us in Websleuths chat used to not be able to watch live, and would watch together in "real time" from CroakerQueen etc...and start at same time so we could do it "together" at the same time and comment. It was a arty: for sure those days! If they do indeed do a delay, would be fun to revive doing such! http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?68121-New-chat-server and there are other ways to get there also if you don't have mIRC or don't like to use java from your browser.

 

[LambChop]

Another falsehood. This one from April, 2008. On the stand, the killer testified, "I saw Matt a few days later and he called me out on the bruises." She is asked where this took place. "Over the phone, just days after, I think." The assertion did not survive cross, as Martinez drew attention to the absurdity of claiming McCartney could observe the bruises over the phone. She was in Yreka according to her and he was way, way down the coast.

Wonder how many transcripts JM has lined up from the original trial?

 

[Teresa]

ding ding freakin ding!

Can I add a few more dings? DING, DING!

 

[Augustgurl]

My GUESS is that it may have something to do with the closet shelving which still may be there. Det. Flores spoke at the trial about weight-bearing specs., etc. which is why she may want his personal notes??? I also don't understand why this would be part of the resentencing/mitigation issue. But I also think that the court and especially JM would stop this dead in its tracks unless it wasn't related. This is really far fetched but maybe she hid something in some nook or cranny and wants to see if it's still here. Sure hope someone accompanies this investigator from the prosecution team so we don't have "evidence" planted!

I know EXACTLY what that conniving murderer is up to. Think about it: her acting as her own atty accomplishes so many things. One, her phone calls are not recorded AND she can have privacy ( you know that atty privelege) with her so called witness so she can witness tamper all her little black heart desires. Two, this PI ( supposed, it could just be a "friend" ) is her ticket to the outside and all it's info. She is basically doing research for what she believes will be her second trial or more importantly her appeal. She is going to try to find conflicting data from what martinez or Flores presented in court. She is " fine-tuning" if you will, her story. This working as her own atty thing is a gift from God for her. I really despise this woman. Her and Casey Anthony are two of the same horrible kind.

 

[geevee]

I think there's a good chance all of her re-investigating will backfire, and likely why JM isn't objecting at this point, instead of actually trying to find mitigation factors to persuade the jury not to give her the death penalty, she's wasting her time and spinning her wheels private-eyeing information she can't introduce into evidence because it pertains to the part of the case already decided. She can't relitigate her guilt, so nothing new found that doesn't fit into mitigation is just going to be objected/sustained away during retrial.

She may have decided she really doesn't care about the verdict this time as her main goal is to gain info for her appeal and try to win an entirely new trial, who knows, but there's nothing in Flores' personnel file or Travis' closet that could aid her in mitigation, I don't believe, nor do I think she believes so.