"It Was A Domestically Abusive Relationship", Says Alyce LaViolette

Defense expert witness Alyce LaViolette is back on the stand today to continue her direct examination in the Jodi Arias murder trial.  It's hard to listen to. LaViolette has bought Jodi Arias's schpeel, hook line and sinker. She has now gone on the record as calling the relationship between murder victim Travis Alexander and Jodi Arias "domestically abusive".  Following the recent dismissal of "Juror #5", who was thought to be a pro-prosecution juror, how powerful will LaViolette's opinions be to the remaining jurors?

Defense attorney Jennifer Willmott continues to walk LaViolette through Jodi Arias's journal entries and they are picking Travis Alexander apart.  LaViolette described some of the interactions between Arias and Alexander as "mild acts of aggression" that escalated over a period of time.  She talked about the alleged incident in which Arias claims Alexander kicked her, and calls it an escalation from mild aggression to more severe acts of aggression.  LaViolette testified that "fear makes people dangerous", and "fear of loss makes people especially dangerous". Willmott seems to be trying to elicit some specific testimony from LaViolette and I'm not sure why Juan Martinez isn't objecting more because she is totally leading this witness.  LaViolette also testified that based on some of the e-mail and text messages she reviewed, a pattern emerged in regards to Travis Alexander's behavior.  She didn't come out and call him controlling, but clearly she believes he was.

LaViolette also seems to believe that Jodi Arias was trying to pull away from Travis Alexander (and not vice versa, like many of us believe) and that he may have been fearful of her leaving him ("fear makes people dangerous")!  She also testified that Jodi Arias was beginning to "have a backbone" with Travis Alexander.  LaViolette discussed Arias's journal entries relating to Marie "Mimi" Hall - she testified that she did not see any signs of jealousy in her journal entries, her IM's or text messages relating to Travis Alexander's interest in having a relationship with Mimi Hall. They are trying hard to shoot down the prosecution's theory that Arias was jealous and this was part of the motive for murder. LaViolette believes Arias wanted Travis Alexander to be happy, even if it was another woman.  

They then went on to discuss what they are referring to as "the third violent incident" that allegedly occurred in Travis Alexander's car following an argument about Arias moving back to Yreka.  This is the incident where Arias says Travis slapped her in the face and she called her mother to ask for help moving home. Wow, LaViolette has really bought into every single thing Jodi Arias has told her and she is no longer speaking in general terms, this is specific to Arias and Alexander.  It will be very interesting to see how Juan Martinez handles the cross examination of this witness.  Has this witness given Arias stories more credibility? Will her status in the field of domestic violence sway this jury? It certainly hasn't hurt. 

But what has it changed? Will the jury believe that Travis Alexander owned a gun? Because if he didn't, that means Arias brought it. Regardless of where the gun came from - will the jury believe Arias HAD TO use it?  Regardless of which injury Travis received first, regardless of which weapon Arias used first - was it necessary for her to stab him 29 times, slit his throat from ear to ear and shoot him in the face for her own personal safety? Urrgh!!!!!  Well, the defense can try to keep this witness on the stand to reiterate Jodi Arias as the "victim", but sooner or later it will be the State's turn and I expect Juan Martinez to be ready.  I'm literally feeling sick after hearing this testimony.  Court is in a 5 minute recess now......