Dr. Richard Samuels was back on the stand today, and was aggressively questioned by prosecutor Juan Martinez on his methods and diagnosis of murder defendant Jodi Arias. Dr. Samuels, a defense expert who is being paid $250.00 per hour diagnosed Arias with PTSD, acute stress and dissociative amnesia stemming from the 6/4/08 killing of Travis Alexander.
Juan Martinez battled Samuels and at times seemed to belittle him, as Samuels admitted to making several clerical errors and omissions on the reports he generated relating to Arias. Martinez questioned whether Samuels had lost his ability to be objective in regards to Jodi Arias, which triggered angry objection from Jennifer Willmott and Dr. Samuels.
Martinez was as aggressive as we've seen him. I was surprised to hear a few things today I wasn't aware of. Martinez stated that Jodi Arias sent an 18 page letter to Travis's family at some point, I believe after she was arrested - although they didn't say. The reason I believe it was after the arrest is because she mentioned wanting to send them a letter during the arrest/interrogation video we have seen. It was also stated today that during a visitation with her mother, Jodi Arias kicked her! Juan Martinez was questioning Dr. Samuels about Arias's anger towards her mother, after 6/4/08. Martinez argued that Arias has always had a contentious relationship with her mother, this didn't begin after the murder.
Juan Martinez did seem to be taking his issues with Dr. Samuels to a personal level today, and I have to say that although I don't agree with this doctor's diagnosis of Arias, Jennifer Willmott did a pretty fair job redirecting Samuels near the end of the day. One thing I don't agree at all with, Samuels claiming Jodi Arias created an "alternative reality" as a way to cope with the trauma of killing Travis Alexander. The alternative reality he speaks of were all the lies Arias told and her attempts to cover up her involvement in the crime. He testified that it was because it was too painful for her to admit or cope with what she had done, and if we hadn't heard Arias testify otherwise, I may have bought this line! But Arias has already testified that she lied to cover up her involvement due to her fear of the consequences, and she didn't want everybody to know she was capable of such a crime. So the alternative reality theory doesn't hold water - she lied to evade punishment!
I'm so glad this witness is going to be off the stand because they have been over these same points many times. Wondering how the jury viewed Martinez during his questioning of Dr. Samuels objectivity, and his allegation that Samuels had feelings for the defendant. Would have loved to see how that played out. Now let's move on to the next witness! I believe the domestic violence expert is up next, Alyce Laviolette. Laviolette is usually an expert for the prosecution, so this will be interesting!
MY CRIMETIME BY MY FORTE. A DISCUSSION OF MURDERS IN THE NEWS.
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My Forte - She sent Travis' Grandma the 18 page letter at the same time that she sent the 20 white Iris'. Supposedly, from brief references made in court testimony the content of the letter was based on the detailed Ninja cover story.
ReplyDeleteNancyB,
DeleteThanks so much for that information - I'd love to see that letter. I'm confused about this letter. If she sent flowers to his grandmother, that would have been around the time of his funeral or memorial in June of 2008. In the video footage from the day of her arrest in July of 2008, she is asking if she can send a letter to his family. Would that be a second letter? This stuff should be in evidence, don't you think? If her letter was based on the 2-intruder story, she must have been apologizing for being a coward and leaving him to die! What a horrible thing to put his poor grandmother through, she has no concious! Thanks for the info NancyB
Actually, I thought that she usually testified for the prosecution too but she testified to a question posed to her by JW that she's testified for the defense 16 or 17 times and 9 times for the prosecution.
ReplyDeleteI'm trying to find any info on something I heard, can you help.
ReplyDeleteSupposedly JM was in the Judge's chambers raising cane because Ms. LaViolette made a comment per Jodi that Travis was looking at little boys on his computer...not pictures on the bed as Jodi testified.
I'm no sleuth but would really like to know more about this. Seems to me she may have been doing an interview. Can you help?
Anonymous (3/26/13 at 5:45AM),
DeleteI thought this came up earlier in the trial for some reason - did this happen yesterday? I didn't think LaViolette got that far yesterday.
I also heard that they are going for the Battered Spouse
ReplyDeletetheory, chrisstark@stark3923, that Jodi was married
before, ex lives 2 states away, said he was abusive to
her. I can't confirm that, but she is pretty good source. LaViolette is testifying for the defense.
Anonymous (3/26/13 at 7:03AM),
DeleteWow, that would be something we haven't heard before! I know there are sites where you can look up public records, we should be able to find if she has any marriages or divorces on the record. Interesting. LaViolette has an extensive and impressive background in the area of domestic violence. Scary that she would testify for Jodi Arias!
It is scary......why is she testifying for the defense?!?
DeleteSue
Sandra Arias Jodi's mom is supposed to be
ReplyDeletewriting a book.Brother Carl was selling pics on
E-bay. Brother Joseph wrote on his facebook
page that Jodi taped the sex tapes for Travis's
future girlfriends. Facebook page taken down
sometime in 2008. Remember mom was trying
to sell forged Ped. letters to National Enquirer.
Anonymous (3/26/13 at 7:14AM),
DeleteWhat's with this family? I heard about the National Enquirer story and about brother Carl, but didn't know Arias' mom was writing a book! What will the title be, "How to Raise A Sociopath"? Yes, it was so obvious to me that Travis had no idea that call was being recorded. Otherwise, there wouldn't have been all the small talk. She was going to use it against him in some way. Thanks for commenting!
It really is a sick family.
DeleteSue
Anon - In an earlier hearing or deposition with LaViolette, by phone, she did testify about JA's claims about finding Travis looking at pic of little boy BUT she said these were on the computer. JM lit into her asking if she was aware that no forensic evidence of ANY pictures related to pedophilia were found on Travis' computers and that Jodi's claim had changed to seeing Travis looking at hard copy of one pic. Is that what you are referring to?
ReplyDeleteI read somewhere else that LaViolette will not be allowed to discuss ANY of Jodi's claims of Travis' so-called violence or physical/verbal abuse. She can only discuss Jodi's response. I hope that is correct because I'm very tired of the victim being trashed and also this should make her testiphony shorter.
NancyB,
DeleteThat sounds correct - I thought that came up earlier in the trial. I wonder if LaViolette has any idea of the type of person she is dealing with in Jodi Arias? It has to make you wonder, why would someone with her credentials and reputation go out on a limb for a liar? I don't understand! I hope you are correct that her testimony will be very limited in nature! Thanks for the info!
Yes My Forte, in the interrogation video her reference to writing the family was a 2nd letter which I have never heard of before so I don't know if she ever wrote or sent a 2nd one. The 18 page one Juan brought up with her when she was on the stand. I too, would love to read that letter.
ReplyDelete