Jodi Arias Hammered on Cross Examination

Arizona prosecutor Juan Martinez came out swinging this morning during his second day of cross examination of murder defendant Jodi Arias.  The theme of this morning's questioning was the many lies Arias told to many people in the days, weeks and months following the killing of ex boyfriend Travis Alexander.

Arias is experiencing something she didn't face during direct examination - she is being asked direct questions, and Martinez is not allowing her to back away from answering. He essentially is showing that Arias's claims that she lied to the police during 7/15 and 7/16 interrogations was not because she lacked experience with law enforcement, as she claimed during direct - or because she was ashamed of what she had done. He attempted to show, with some success, that Arias lied when her lies benefited her and a possible murder case against her.

He highlighted the many lies she told to Ryan Burns, Leslie Udy, and even a  Bishop following the killing. When his body was discovered, she received a call from Alexander's close friend Daniel Friedman who informed her of Travis's death. Martinez pointed out that she didn't tell Friedman she was responsible. She called her Bishop at 3:00AM on June 10, 2008 - Martinez alleges that she called the Bishop to find out what he knew about the case. He got her to admit that was part of the reason she called. He discussed how Arias sent Travis Alexander's grandmother a bouquet of 20 iris's, with a sympathy card on June 13, 2008 - expressing her sorrow about the loss of Travis Alexander.

He is methodically showing this jury that Arias didn't lie to protect Travis Alexander's reputation, his secrets - but rather to protect her own interest and avoid being arrested. They are taking the lunch recess now, but will update this page later!  Arias appeared fairly shaken as they called the lunch break. She looks frustrated at not being able to get away with "I don't recall", "I don't know" and "I guess so".  

Arias has stated several times that she was suicidal - Martinez replied "yes, you've said that 3 or 4 times now". He went on to recount her attempt at suicide in the Yreka jail, where she used a razor and cut her wrist, but it stung and she decided she couldn't go through with it because it hurt. In my favorite moment on the mornings proceedings, Martinez says "can you imagine how painful it was for Travis Alexander when you stabbed him in the chest with that knife"?

Martinez is making her answer definitely, and over her attorneys objections the judge is pretty much making her answer as well.  Martinez is doing a pretty good job staying on topic.

After the lunch break, Juan Martinez pulled out some additional journal entries of Jodi Arias's - in particular an entry from a date in which Arias testified Travis Alexander backhanded her while they were driving in the car.  She testified in detail how he became angry after she told him she was moving back to Yreka.  Her journal entry (naturally) says nothing about being hit, backhanded or even a fight happening between the two. I guess that doesn't mean it didn't happen, but the entry describes a nice evening including the drive. Arias does state in the journal that she told him she planned to move back to Yreka, she writes that although this will be hard and she can't imagine her life without him in it that it's for the best. She wrote "he is my best friend in the world...I love him". Her journal describes him dropping her off, and her leaning in to kiss him on the cheek and they ended up kissing "tenderly" on the lips three times....Martinez drove the point home that Arias failed to write anything about being backhanded, nor did she seek medical attention or call police. And further, despite being hit - she leans in for a "tender kiss", she writes that she loves him and he's her best friend?

Also in the journal entry...interestingly enough, Arias wrote about Travis going rock climbing or hiking with Mimi Hall! She wrote that it was their 3rd date and Travis told her it went well!  Arias actually fell asleep at Travis's house the day he had that date with Hall, and was still there when he got home. What this shows me is that she DID know Travis was interested in Mimi Hall, she knew how many dates they had (this entry was in March, 2008) and she had to be jealous.  Is it a stretch to believe Arias found out, or already knew he was taking Mimi Hall to Cancun and couldn't handle it? I don't buy her story that she believed Travis was taking his friends babysitter, was a way of paying back a debt he owed to his friend. That makes no sense. I think she was jealous, and we all know how ugly jealousy can get.

The cross continues.....