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| Travis Alexander's Home - from MSN News |
I just read Jodi Arias petitioned the Court for access to Travis Alexander's East Queensborough home in Mesa, aka "the scene of the crime" - her request was granted. Arias reportedly plans to bring a new investigator to the home where the brutal slaying occurred. What she hopes to accomplish during her twisted field trip is anyone's guess. Since Arias' guilt is NOT at issue for the upcoming penalty phase retrial, what can possibly be gained by returning to the scene? Naturally there are new occupants at the home and they can't be thrilled with the prospect of Jodi Arias in that house. After all, she is responsible for the horrors that unfolded more than 6 years ago when she yielded a knife and gun, and presumably attacked an unassuming man who was simply taking a shower.
Sadly the house on East Queensborough had become somewhat of a tourist attraction in the years that followed the murder - the people who ultimately purchased it initially thought it had been vandalized when they saw it. There were fixtures missing and there was work to be done, all of which they were willing to do. By the time the house was listed and being shown to prospective buyers, there were no outward signs that this was the scene of such a brutal murder.
I'm all for doing whatever needs to be done to get this trial back on track, I simply don't see what can be gained by her revisiting this site. I can't see WHY she'd want to go back there where such a devastating and life altering event happened. What exactly is the probative value in doing so? Is she still hung up on trying to prove justification in this attack? Does Arias hope a walk through will cure her of the foggy amnesia she claims erased much of her memory of the stabbing and slashing that took place? The only act of violence she seems to remember was the gunshot - but even that admission came with a qualifier. She said Travis was coming after HShe does still speak of herself as a survivor of domestic abuse, despite there being not a shred of evidence to support her claims other than some verbal altercations that went both ways. Is this why Kirk Nurmi has fought so hard to be removed from this case? Is this one of the impasses they reached during the course of their business relationship?
From what I've read, Arias has hired on a new investigator with the funds she has raised through her various online ventures and art sales. Hey, who's to say what any one of us would do if we were fighting for the right to live and avoid death row - but everything Arias does seems to be in the gray area of the law. How could she go back there? I don't get it. I'll probably never get why she has done many of the things she has done but if she has hopes of getting her guilty verdict tossed via this penalty phase retrial she's in for a big surprise because it's not going to happen.
During this penalty phase of her trial, both sides will argue - the prosecution will lay out the aggravating factors that make this a death penalty trial and the reasons her actions support a death sentence. For Arias, this is her chance to argue mitigating factors, and she didn't lay out many during the first trial other than pointing to her parents and asking to be spared "for them". Jodi Arias also presented the jury with several pet projects she hopes to spearhead from prison, such as a recycling program and various educational and literary groups. She should be focusing on the reasons she isn't a death row candidate, NOT domestic violence or what she has repeatedly referred to as a "wrongful conviction". Not during this trial - I have no doubt the prosecutor will have none of it. He must be salivating at the thought of Arias representing herself at trial. He clearly has the advantage but he also must walk a fine line or risk Arias gaining the sympathy of the jury if he is perceived as bullying her.
I'm just shocked that they are allowing a convicted murderer to return to the scene of the crime before this phase of the trial, just unbelievable to me. I'd love to know what the basis for the request is since it would seem to be completely irrelevant to the matters that will be argued during the penalty phase. It all seems to point to Jodi Arias not wanting to concede that she LOST at trial. She is a convicted murderer - that part is done, history. Granted there undoubtedly be appeals, but we are nowhere near that at this point. I just don't see what can be gained by her returning to the house where she committed murder.
I've got to keep reading and find out more about this move. There are no new minute entries that speak of this move and for the most part hearings have been done out of the public with the transcripts sealed under lock & key. Will the jury selection begin on September 29th, or will Arias seek yet another delay to prepare? Remember, when Judge Stephens granted her motion to represent herself she told her there would be no further delays! Don't any of these warnings stand, or are they so afraid of denying this defendant anything she asks for because of potential appellate issues? Your guess is as good as mine.
Let's get this trial started. Travis has been dead for more than 6 years now!
S I X Y E A R S! Arias and her defense team have had plenty of time to prepare for trial and it's time to stick to the program starting now.
