Trial break: The State vs Jodi Arias; trial resumes 4 February 2013

[Chester_from_THM]

Actually, it is possible to feel dislike and disgust for the person AND, as a separate matter entirely, to find her "art" pedestrian. As I do.

Also, although IMO a worldwide conference of shrinks and experts probably couldn't figure out what makes a Casey Anthony tick, I think a layperson like myself (yes, with multiple graduate degrees, though none of them involving psychology) can figure out the likes of Jodi Arias fairly readily. Just my opinion.

I have little doubt that the jury will see her for what she is too and find her guilty of 1st degree murder. A mother who kills her baby is beyond what most of us can or want to imagine, but a fatal attraction stalker fits into all kinds of very deeply rooted and mainstream stereotypes. She's cooked.

So well articulated, Hope. For those of us who followed the Caylee Anthony case and were so disturbed by the whole Anthony clan and of course the outcome, it is good to see you plainly state how this is a very different situation. The universal story of a woman scorned is a crime that is much easier for most adults to comprehend how one can be driven to murder a lover.

 

[Lucylu7]

I happen to think Jodi is a very talented artist. I realize many disagree. I can separate out my feelings about her as a person who murdered Travis and what I see when I look at her drawings. This is not someone with a "junior high" level of artistic talent--she happens to be able to capture a level of detail to an extremely fine degree. You may not *like* her art and art is, afterall, in the eye of the beholder, but I personally think she is talented. Very talented.

That makes it even a bigger shame that she not only ended Travis' life in such brutality, but she ended her own life in a way that she cannot ever fully explore her own talents as an artist. This (jailhouse paper and backs of tablets and colored pencils) is the best she'll be able to work with. And she could have had a good life and explored and grown as an artist. But the path she took ended all of that too. So yes, her artwork will sell on ebay or wherever, but she could have been a true professional artist--she does have the ability and talent for it, or at least the potential for it, IMO. She threw everything away, even the good things within herself.

That's the part that always fascinates me with these cases.I've followed a few ,Scott Peterson,CA,OJ,Drew and more.I cannot fathom taking the chance of giving up my own life ,simply for revenge or monetary gain.I'd rather live free ,and maybe poor.And I've never been in any situation where revenge could look that sweet to me.

 

[Madeleine74]

I don't think she has a choice not to take the stand, given the mountain of evidence against her now. She basically has nothing to lose. At this point I believe they have a DP conviction. Why not throw a "hail Mary"?

At this point they have a first degree murder conviction, but a DP sentence in the bag? No.Way. Not yet. It's not that simple and a jury will have to weigh mitigating versus aggravating. They're not there yet and it doesn't require a defendant getting on the stand to save their life.

 

[Wishbone]

Living with two parents that were on meth and boozing had to be very distressing and "crazy". I've wondered if Travis' turbulent early childhood left him desensitized to "dangerous and crazy".

Having been a codependent myself, I can say that its quite normal if you’re raised or partnered in a dysfunctional relationship for any length of time the chances are that you become addicted to “excited misery”. You’re right about getting used to the craziness.

 

[nursebeeme]

At this point they have a first degree murder conviction, but a DP sentence in the bag? No.Way. Not yet. It's not that simple and a jury will have to weigh mitigating versus aggravating. They're not there yet and it doesn't require a defendant getting on the stand to save their life.

bbm they don't have that yet either.

 

[Really?]

Kinda O/T here but, is anyone else here living with a significant other who is on the opposite side of the argument? He called the CA case from the start and I lost.........with? lol

 

[joypath]

I'm not nursebeeme, but I don't think the camera was intentionally left behind when Jodi left the house and scene of the murder. I tend to think she scooped it up by mistake, and then either couldn't find it because she never imagined it would be in the washer, or she forgot about it entirely in her state of mind after the murder.

Personally, I would be willing to bet that Jodi has spent a lot of time being angry at herself for overlooking that camera. I think she was astonished when Flores told her he had it, AND that it still had pics on it that she thought she had deleted. She certainly had the presence of mind to take the gun and knife with her to hide and dispose of them.

I do think Jodi planned to kill TA, but thankfully for the sake of justice, Jodi didn't think much about the after effects of what kind of evidence would be left behind in such a violent, gruesome murder. She is truly not a very organized or mature psychopath, and for that we can be glad. Casey Anthony also was a maturing psychopath when she murdered Caylee. It's just so incredibly sad and frustrating, and infuriating, that the Pinellas 12 decided to free her in the great experiment they set in motion. IMO.

I am incredibly hopeful that the Maricopa 12 will convict Jodi. I dont care much whether she gets LWOP or DP, as long as she never is let out again. She needs to remain incarcerated for whatever days she has left on this earth, IMO.

BBM/underlined,too!

I "bet" that she ASSUMED that the camera was in her possession when she left if only because she was an amateur photographer, THAT item would have a higher value to her than TA's life!
Probably it was left on the bed while she attempted to "clean up"....what a waste of time THAT would be given the copious volume of blood present! Then she gathered the linens et al and tossed them into the washer, using bleach to denature HER possible blood evidence from this set of bedding,towels et al. and NEVER thinking that she left a print on the wall!
Where did the knife & .25 go? Probably discarded & incinerated along with all other items associated with the death scene that she collected (she'd make a miserable crime scene tech!) in her haste to vacate the home. And she had miles of desert/abandoned & empty geography as she headed to her new destination!
K_Z, I agree completely that she's furious with the karma dealt to her regarding the camera but of course, it's Travis' fault because his death was his own fault in HER eyes! LWOP or DP would be terrific additional karma for her, IMHO!

 

[bobloblaw]

At this point they have a first degree murder conviction, but a DP sentence in the bag? No.Way. Not yet. It's not that simple and a jury will have to weigh mitigating versus aggravating. They're not there yet and it doesn't require a defendant getting on the stand to save their life.

Fair enough, I will take your word on this. I'm no expert but seems like Felony First Degree has all but been proven as well as "cruel and suffering" or whatever that term is.
There are two counts to make it DP right?

 

[StephanieHartPI]

Totally! We are a product of what we know, of our environment. I have never been hit and I have never "hit". (on occasion my mom would qualify that and say it was not because we didn't deserve one :floorlaugh So growing up in a loving non violent family means that kind of behavior is very foreign to me. In fact I might admit to over reacting a bit about the "hitting" stuff because I can't grasp my head around anyone that hits. I take any level of physical or mental abuse very seriously.

In the same way that he may have been a bit desensitized to it, due to my opposite experience, I didn't see "crazy" coming when It happened (at first) of course the first message that said "I almost killed you today, you were wearing a red jacket, I could have run over you if I wanted" did peak my attention and I was fully on board that I had a problem on my hands :what:

Living with two parents that were on meth and boozing had to be very distressing and "crazy". I've wondered if Travis' turbulent early childhood left him desensitized to "dangerous and crazy".

 

[Lucylu7]

We have also heard it could go into April.

Yes,I heard that too.I was only referring to the defense CIC.After that there's evidentiary hearings,prosecution rebuttal,etc.And with these court hours ,it still could take until April,although I can't see deliberations taking all that long,but who knows?

 

[Madeleine74]

Fair enough, I will take your word on this. I'm no expert but seems like Felony First Degree has all but been proven as well as "cruel and suffering" or whatever that term is.
There are two counts to make it DP right?

IMO they've proven the elements needed for a jury to reach a 1st degree murder conviction (premeditation and intent). Whether this jury will is yet to be seen. The penalty phase only gets invoked if the jury does convict on 1st degree murder. And the elements for that have not been 'proven' yet since they haven't gotten to that phase of the trial. Stay tuned!

 

[2door73chevy]

Kinda O/T here but, is anyone else here living with a significant other who is on the opposite side of the argument? He called the CA case from the start and I lost.........with? lol

Not mine...He does think she will get LWOP, not the DP and I agree.

 

[StephanieHartPI]

Purchased with him and she was on the mortgage also, or she lived with him.

BBM

She wasn't living at her grandparent's house when she met him.
She was living in a $2,800 a month, $360,000 home in Palm Desert, CA purchased with Darryl Brewer.


Direct to Darryl's testimony regarding the home, in case anyone missed it:
http://youtu.be/_qVnAogvSzw?t=1h5m45s

 

[Madeleine74]

Not mine...He does think she will get LWOP, not the DP and I agree.

I agree with you and your boyfriend! :wink:

 

[Shelby1]

Purchased with him and she was on the mortgage also, or she lived with him.

Purchased with him. They were both on the mortgage.

 

[BritsKate]

Fair enough, I will take your word on this. I'm no expert but seems like Felony First Degree has all but been proven as well as "cruel and suffering" or whatever that term is.
There are two counts to make it DP right?

No. In my opinion she's charged with two counts in order to get a consensus for a first degree murder conviction because the jury does not have to be unanimous on premeditation. It's a back up plan, because they can - and it's brilliant in my opinion. Some jurors get hung up on the definition of premeditation though in this case it's overwhelming.

'Cruel and heinous' is the aggravating factor they are using to seek the death penalty. If she were only charged with one count of 1st degree they would be using the same aggravating factor.

 

[polleypockets]

I wonder if the animosity between the DAs and PA is real or just a courtroom thing. I've read about other cases where attorneys are at each others throats in the courtroom but share a beer together afterwards.

idk - but imo i think it is real - i think martinez is very passionate in getting justice for his victim and is appalled by nurmis tricks and constant delays that have caused the family so much grief - and i think nurmi feels animosity towards martinez because he is a better atty, he is completley out gunned - imo

 

[Quester]

BBM

She wasn't living at her grandparent's house when she met him.
She was living in a $2,800 a month, $360,000 home in Palm Desert, CA purchased with Darryl Brewer.


Direct to Darryl's testimony regarding the home, in case anyone missed it:
http://youtu.be/_qVnAogvSzw?t=1h5m45s

BBM - Poor Darryl! CA ... JA ... well, I guess it's a wash! :lol:

 

[minor4th]

IMO they've proven the elements needed for a jury to reach a 1st degree murder conviction (premeditation and intent). Whether this jury will is yet to be seen. The penalty phase only gets invoked if the jury does convict on 1st degree murder. And the elements for that have not been 'proven' yet since they haven't gotten to that phase of the trial. Stay tuned!

I think the evidence of the aggravating death penalty factor has to be proved in the case in chief, not in the penalty phase. This is why there was a motion to dismiss the death penalty as a possible sentence. Judge ruled there was sufficient evidence to both charges and the death penalty aggravating factor (extreme cruelty)

 

[panthera]

I don't think Jodi is going to take the stand. I realize she "should" if she has any chance of reaching the jury, but at this point, seeing exactly how good Juan M is, I think her attorneys will persuade her (and maybe they won't have to try very hard either) to stay off that stand. Juan is among the best of the best (IMO) and if that wasn't clear to the defense team before, it should be by now.

Agree. Her self-defense needs an explanation, however, that can only come from her. Is the Jury to believe that when she allegedly dropped Travis' camera he lunged at her, she feared for her life, the gun and knife were within reach and within less than two minutes she HAD to kill him in order to save her own life? There has been a feeble attempt to place the knife in the bathroom, however, where did the gun come from? What exactly did Travis do that made her so fearful when there wasn't a mark on her from him assaulting her?

:waitasec:

MOO