Trapped with Ms. Arias
Section 3
Preparing for the Guilt Phase
in Aug 2009 L thought case was "pretty much set in stone"
more evidence came in
in this section L will discuss:
obtaining new evidence
in chap 14- obtaining text messages
in chap 15- obtaining emails
in chap 16-
"the ordeal that was 'The Letters' "
in chap 17- sex tapes
in chap 18 - more info received about TA
in chap 19-
"reviewing the murderer's jail phone calls "
in chap 20-
"getting past the infamous 'ninja story' "
in chap 21-
"importance or lack of the murder weapons"
in chap 22-
"Ms. Arias' Supposed guilt phase witnesses"
in chap 23-24-
"discuss the important interviews that took place since I obtained the file. A new stone had indeed emerged"
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Chapter 14
The Text Messages
at first, few text messages
were found on TA's phone by Mesa police dept- recovered from his house (found 2-3 days when TA's body found- phone found between 6/9/2008 and 6/11/2008)
case was a
" 'who-done-it' " and who had motivation to commit crime (argument? threats?, etc)
received case a
"year or so later"- was not a
"who-done-it" to him- never believed ninja story
"I did not need to determine who did it"
needed all evidence could find
"that would demonstrate to a jury the history of the relationship... evidence that relationship itself gave rise to any psychological issues..."
if he didn't seek out the evidence, could be grounds for conviction/sentence being overturned for ineffective assistance of counsel
entitled to text messages by law and State was required to give them to the defense
State did not give all texts to him
2 reasons- could be
-no text messages?
-State not following law?
- knew texts existed- issue became forcing State to comply-
"had the State been complying with the law, they would have been turned in already"
needed
" courtroom intervention" - filed Motion to Comply - response from State- texts didn't exist
State served search warrant on cell phone co- there were 100s of texts! (
"not shocking to me at all")
talks about not receiving texts from phone co himself- State received them 1st-
"would have preferred this [received them directly]
so I could feel more confident that the messages themselves were unaltered"
"..it is amazing how the State when called out for violating the rules suddenly cares about them when it is to their advantage."
talks about
"after several weeks of litigation...weeks of waiting, I had info...that should have been automatically handed over to me when I first received the file" (pg 75)
Note: seems the page #s are screwed up (thought I was going crazy) Chapter 13 ends on pg 89- then next- Section 3 Preparing for the Guilt Phase is pg. 71 :scared:
received many text messages
"not spelled out in a cohesive manner"
TA and the murderer texted a lot, every day, often several times day- frequency demonstrated that they were really involved with each other
"demonstrated to me that there was no point in time where Mr. Alexander tried to disengage from Ms. Arias by actually not communicating with her , he either responded
to her text messages or initiated a conversation...instead of wanting nothing to do with her as he told others, the objective data told a much different story, that he was very
into Ms. Arias....further evidence of the reality that Ms. Arias was not a 'stalker ex-girlfriend' but at the very least she was Mr. Alexander's friend and sexual partner" (pg. 75)
to L texts were
"genuine and objective..wrote at a time when neither had an incentive to fabricate.....no secret motive behind them... thinking that nobody but themselves would ever read them"
L thoughts about texts-
"Wow this stuff is amazing"- provided him with insight into relationship- a
"treasure trove"- illustrated "
chaos inherent in this relationship"
talks about some of the texts- TA texted didn't want anything to do with the murderer- next, she was most beautiful : another text- called her a
"evil liar" then he
loved her and "was awesome"; another text, TA "even threatened to destroy Ms. Arias by turning everyone she cared about against her''
"remarkable" to L because they kept talking to each other- relationship was chaotic- TA
"didn't hold anything back...was comfortable articulating his anger"
sex was important part relationship (talks about
" BJs,
mouth hugs", oral sex, spankings, re to anal sex, sexual intercourse, re their genitals) so many texts that they blended together
found it funny-
"Funny because in one text Ms Arias was talking about how she groomed her vagina for Mr. Alexander and in the next text she asserted her support for Mitt
Romney in the upcoming election"
other texts found on the murderer's Helio phone (the one she said was stolen)
some texts were very graphic- nude photo shoots TA wanted her to participate in, rape after photo shoot
conclusions he came to:
"My overarching thought was one of sadness- so many texts that were non-sexual, loving or downright mundane"- taken as whole, texts made him feel sad
"it was as if I was watching two people running towards a cliff that neither fo them could see but not being able to warn them because it was too late, they had already fallen" (pg 77)
L says that TA and the murderer were
"dedicated to the relationship regardless of how unhealthy it was"
questions he had at this point:
- why did they still interact with ea other
- why did the murderer stay after TA had "disdain" for her- why not move on - had Ryan and others
- why continued sexual relationship after break-up
text messages were sent to others also- important to see how they interacted with others
L wasn't interested in TA's business, meeting schedules or other info about the murderer's misc texts
interested in TA's text messages to other women that were sexual- not to
"trash " or
"bash" the victim
"is it bashing the victim if it is the truth?"- context of massages is the truth- TA sent "graphically sexual messages to other women...in doing so...revealed that he was certainly not a one woman man" (pg 79)
stated that the murderer was not TA's only sexual partner- he was
"reliving the moments he spent between their legs" in his texts to them
L states that TA was free to have sex with whomever he wanted and didn't deserve to be killed for having sex with others
BUT...
"However, you are wrong when you say it is not relevant in the sense that the Supreme Court says it is highly relevant to present the circumstances of the offense to the jury in a death penalty case, so relevant in fact that my failure to do so could have led to a reversal...these text messages negate any argument that Ms. Arias is responsible for luring Mr. Alexander into the evils of sex. Now you may believe that this is what she did but the facts, those stubborn things that they are, demonstrate that this is not true." (pg 80)
L states- some text messages were missing
"from certain conversations"...intentional?
had concerns that someone deleted some data- could never prove it at the time
===================================================
Chapter 15
The Emails and Other Online Communications
State did not comply with rules for handing over emails/other commun- filed Motion to Compel
was ton of emails/online
"chats"
also
"objective" like the texts were, for same reasons
wonders why they just didn't talk to each other in person/on phone? this was how things were done by younger generation he assumes
but- considered possibility deeper psychological issues that made them less
"vulnerable to each other's words"- may never understand tho'
many messages
"blended together...a few stood out"
email the murderer sent to friend Abe- became big deal - 2nd trial
"..
this email made it clear that at some point in time Mr. Alexander and Ms. Arias had a conversation about the interaction and/or relationship that Ms Arias had with Abe"....TA..
"did not approve of any continued interaction between Ms. Arias and Abe. "- TA had
"power and control over Ms. Arias"
speaks about online
"chats"
-L states most important chat to him : 5/2008 (the
"



, 


, 3-whole wonder, corruptive carcass")
- horrible things to say- amazes him that
"MS. Arias simply took it and did not return fire by calling him names"...did not..
"put an end to the conversation"
- why was TA still talking to




?, why the murderer kept talking to TA?
- conclusion for L-
"they were addicted to each other"
another email: stands out to L: 1/2007- TA speaking to Chris/Sky Hughes ( background- Chris/Shy told the murderer to move on because TA
"loved Deanna Reid and because he wasn't treating her well" The murderer told TA and he emailed the Hughes)
-
"Mr Alexander begins this conversation by blaming Chris and Sky for speaking ill of him and/or bashing him in front of Ms. Arias. He expressed his unhappiness that Chris and Sky Hughes had called him a jerk who was abusive to woman. Mr. Alexander also seemed upset that the Hughes had told Ms. Arias that he was using her for a booty call and that he would never commit to her until he was over his feelings for Ms. Reid." (pg 84)
Hughes decide that they said things because the murderer lied to them
L says facts
"as Mr. Hughes put it..in past 5 years" Ta "not committed to one woman..that Deanna was always in the background..." loved Deanna- no commitment tho' and he was "biggest flirt this side of the Mississippi"- TA likes to claims that
"the T-Dog pulls chicks"
Chris amused by how TA
"would hook up with chicks, get into their hearts and then become disinterested"
Sky said the murderer in love with TA and "
to him she was just a booty call"- TA called the murderer a "





", she called TA a
"heart predator", said TA
"took great joy in making women fall for him and laughs about what he could get away with"
Shy also said that she wouldn't want sister to be with TA and would not allow it
"..one of Mr. Alexander's closet friends would be fearful of how he would treat her sister...ponder that statement... and ask yourself, would I want Travis Alexander dating my sister?" (pg 85)
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Next:
Chapter 16
The Letters
Chapter 17
The Phone Sex Tape
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