Jodi Arias Defense - Going, Going, GONE!

You know the defense is in trouble when they have to count on the testimony of "expert witnesses" who have had ethics complaints lodged against them, former cell mates and ex-boyfriends (who are still alive). I suppose Arias defense attorneys Jennifer Willmott and L. Kirk Nurmi are doing the best they can, given their client is a proven liar and having little to work with to mount any type of effective defense against a murder that was so savage and brutal that it's difficult to believe the defendant has no memory of shooting, stabbing and slashing the life out of another person.  Those are the type of memories that people pray will go away.

As with the earlier testimony about Arias and Alexander's sexcapades, much has been made about Jodi Arias and her memory issues - the infamous fog that seems to roll in at the most opportune times for Arias. The memory issues are really a non-issue.  She knows what she did, I have no doubt that she remembers it all. The jury knows it too - judging by the 200+ questions asked of Arias by the jurors. Arias was aware, alert and had enough composure to attempt to clean up the crime scene and remove articles that could be linked back to her. The defense theories have been transparent.

For example - on redirect, Nurmi asked Jodi Arias if she had access to other guns that were not her grandfathers, and she named off several people who she believes would have loaned her a gun. What did that prove? Was Nurmi stating that Arias didn't need to steal a gun from grandpa? Given that he didn't ask further questions other than "did you have access to firearms", it would seem his point was just that - access = no need for theft.  Did Nurmi think the jurors would miss the point, Arias needed access to a gun that could not be linked back to her? Let's take a look at Nurmi's scenario. Arias asks Darryl or Matt, "hey, can I borrow your handgun for my road trip to Utah, just in case my car breaks down and/or I need it for protection because I'm traveling alone"?

A gun is used to shoot Travis Alexander, and the police question the friends and family of Arias and Alexander - do you think Darryl or Matt would be willing to lie and get involved as an accessory in a murder case?  If Arias had borrowed a gun, would she have returned it to the lender of said gun? If she did return the gun, a ballistics check would reveal the borrowed gun was used in the commission of a murder.  If the gun was used but not returned, Darryl or Matt would have to account for where their guns were during the time of Alexander's murder.  Arias may believe these men would not betray her, but I don't believe either men would be willing to take the rap for a murder they did not commit. Arias had to steal a gun. Nobody could know she brought a gun with her on her road trip. That was one of the weaker line of questioning from L. Kirk Nurmi during redirect, and it did little to bolster her story about the origin of the gun. If the jury doesn't believe that Travis Alexander owned a .25 caliber gun and kept it in that closet, Arias is all but done.

The expert witness the defense brought in to testify that Arias suffered/suffers from PTSD and amnesia ended up blowing up in their faces.  Juan Martinez wasted no time in revealing Dr. Richard Samuels dirty laundry for the jury.  It seems that back in the year 2000, Dr. Samuels was sanctioned by the New Jersey State Board of Psychological Examiners after two people lodged complaints against him. In one of the cases, Samuels actually made a recommendation on a child custody issue without ever examining the child's mother! In addition, Samuels was caught in a "bartering" scheme in which treatment was traded for dental work. I don't have additional details on these individual issues but I do know that he was fined $2,500.00 and ordered to undergo special training on ethics and boundary issues. He as also ordered to "cease crossing boundaries" with patients/clients or entering into relationships that could create conflicts of interest.

This is the best expert they could get?  It would be interesting to know how many experts they approached about testifying and how many turned them down - and the reasons why they took a pass on this case.  Juan Martinez questioned Dr. Samuels on the actual PTSD test he administered to Jodi Arias. In a dramatic moment, Martinez got Samuels to admit in open court that the test results he used for his diagnosis were based on Arias's 2nd story of two armed intruders killing Travis!  Although the test and the results should have been nullified because the answers were based on a story he knows to be false, and another test should have been administered based on her third/current story of self defense, but it wasn't.

When Martinez asked him why he hadn't re-tested Arias, Samuels looked like a deer in headlights. He said "that probably would have been prudent to do". I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Based on these facts, his testimony isn't worth the paper it's printed on.  Scratch another witness for the defense. Who's left? A convicted felon who used to share a cell with Arias, and Alyce Laviolette, who has some expertise on domestic violence issues.  Will the defense call any other witnesses or is this their case?  Arias should be afraid, be very afraid....her lies have finally caught up with her, and nobody can save her now.  She may have signed her own death warrant by choosing to shoot dirty pool with the allegations of pedophilia against Travis. The jury may find this so distasteful and disgusting that any sympathy/empathy they may have otherwise felt for her has been wiped out with the smear campaign on the murder victim.

What will today's court day bring? Will today's forecast include fog and/or clouds?  Tune in later for an update.  Enjoy your morning and your day!

Juan Martinez Squares Off Against Dr. Samuels

Another day, another battle between Arizona Prosecutor Juan Martinez and a defense witness.  This time, he took on "expert witness" for the defense, Dr. Richard Samuels.  Dr. Samuels is an individual who interviewed Jodi Arias twelve times over a period of 4-5 years, and who has diagnosed her as having PTSD and amnesia. Arias attorney Kathleen Willmott continued questioning Samuels today in an effort to explain away the memory issues (aka "the fog") Jodi Arias has relating to the actual stabbing/slashing of Travis Alexander.

Samuels is a paid witness - make no mistake about it, his report more than likely was tailor made to fit the Arias defense theories. Her memory issues are the least of her problems.  Just because she claims to not remember what she did to Travis Alexander, that in no way relinquishes her responsibility nor does it alter the absolute savage nature of this murder.

Dr. Samuels has explained the function of various sections of the brain, and how some areas will shut down and effect a persons memory because they essentially do not create memories of stressful events. Could it really be that simple? No memory created and therefore nothing to remember? Arias' amnesia is very convenient - since she does remember things immediately before and shortly thereafter, it's the actual stabbing/slashing she doesn't remember. She admittedly remembers removing items from the crime scene that would implicate her, so I have a hard time believing she was in some "dissociative state" of mind.

This testimony sickens me, attempting to create sympathy and give Arias excuses for lying and covering act this brutal act.  What about Travis Alexander? We haven't heard one word from the defense on how terrified he must have been being trapped in the shower and/or the bathroom while being shot, viciously stabbed and having his throat slashed by a woman he allowed into his life and into his home. I can't imagine how painful his death was or how confused he must have been once he realized what was happening.  We are supposed to feel empathy for Jodi Arias because she shakes when people raise their voices at her?

Arias could not fool Detective Flores or the Mesa Police Department - it's hard to tell if Dr. Samuels actually believes what Arias told him, or if he is giving the opinion he is being paid handsomely for.  They could parade 10 experts to the stand and it wouldn't change the facts of the case or make her less liable. The facts of the case reveal that Jodi Arias had minor injuries immediately after this "life and death" struggle she had with Travis Alexander. The crime scene and autopsy photos tell any reasonable person that this was never a fight or struggle between two people fighting for their lives. It was a blitz attack on Travis, and it appears he never had a chance. She had him relaxed and with his guard down in that shower, and the first stab wound probably sent him into shock, but Arias was far from finished.

She incapacitated him and while he was unable to protect himself, she unleashed a rage that had been building up inside of her for months. She didn't stop until he was no longer moving. If he ever did have a chance to fight back, I'm certain Jodi Arias would have been injured. He was stronger and bigger than she was.

Juan Martinez finally got his shot at Dr. Samuels today, and he wasted no time in discrediting many things Samuels said and did during his appointments with Jodi Arias.  Among the highlights:  Samuels administered the PTSD test to Arias BEFORE she admitted to killing Travis Alexander. When he found out that she had taken the test while still sticking with the two armed intruder story, did he re administer the test?  No. He didn't. Martinez got him to admit that it would've been the prudent thing to do!

In addition, Martinez pulled some of Samuels dirty laundry out of the hamper. It seems he was fined and/or censured for conflicts of interest involving some women he previously treated. He has a history of "crossing boundaries" with people he has treated or done assessments on. He also gave Arias a self-help book, another no-no since he wasn't technically treating Arias, just assessing her. Martinez also questioned Samuels as to why he used a pencil while testing or grading Arias's PTSD test instead of a pen. Did he use a pencil so he could alter Arias's answers? He denied altering anything.

By the time Juan Martinez was done with Samuels, he didn't seem like such a great witness anymore.  Good job Mr. Martinez!!  Until tomorrow.....

Former Cell Mate Of Arias To Testify?

Who's left on Jodi Arias' defense witness list? Far as I can tell, Dr. Samuels, Kimberly Ross and possibly Alyce Laviolette are on that list. Dr. Samuels, who we saw last week is expected to continue his testimony today, once the attorneys and judge duke it out over what he is qualified to say and whether or not he will be able to use the PowerPoint presentation Juan Martinez objected to last week. He also had an opinion on whether the murder was premeditated based on the crime scene photos he reviewed! Ah, no - what qualifies him as an expert on crime scene photos? Does he use a Magic 8 Ball to tell him if the murder was premeditated?

Jodi Arias's former cellmate, Kimberly Ross may also testify on her behalf.  I did some digging around on Kimberly Ross, and I found it very interesting that while she was incarcerated, from 4/6/09 - 10/5/09 she was a "Clerk in Library", and from 5/16/07 - 3/17/09 she was listed as "Library Aide". I found this information on Mugshots.com, looks like she has at least two mugshots on file (see below) and it's not clear to me if she held these jobs in the library during her time in jail or during her prison stint.  It would be interesting to know if she worked in the jail library, and it would be even more interesting to have a look at what books Arias may have checked out!  What will Ross have to add to further Jodi Arias's version of events leading to the murder of Travis Alexander? What Jodi Arias told her while they were sharing a cell is not evidence - I always wonder why they call these type of witnesses to the stand. They have such a weak case that apparently they are hoping the jurors find their witnesses credible.  Here are the two (undated) mugshots of Ross:

Hard to believe these are the same person - quite a different look between the two photos.  I can't imagine why they are calling her as a witness but just because she is on the witness list doesn't mean she will ever be called.

Alyce Laviolette is another person who has been mentioned during the trial. Her website lists her as a specialist in Anger Management, Domestic Violence Counseling for Survivors and Perpetrators, Gender Issues, and Expert Witness.  Laviolette is located in the Long Beach area and it's unclear how she became involved in this case but I've heard Juan Martinez mention her several times during his cross examination of Arias.

So what do these "expert witnesses" charge for their services?  I found a website (http://www.seak.com/expert-witness-fee-study/) that will give you an idea of what these people are making for trial time etc:

Expert Witness Fees By Area of Expertise
The survey includes responses from over 1,000 expert witnesses in over 300 areas of expertise, from Accident Reconstruction to Wound Care. This is the most comprehensive study ever conducted on expert witness fees.

There was significant variation in fees amongst different areas of expertise. Medical expert witnesses are on average better compensated than non-medical expert witnesses. The average hourly fee for in court testimony for all non-medical experts is $248. The average hourly fee for in court testimony for all medical experts is $555. Medical expert witnesses on average earn more than double (124% more) what non-medical expert witnesses earn. 45% of all responding experts were medical experts and 55% of all responding experts were non-medical experts.

Surprisingly, less experienced experts generally charge more than experienced experts. The median hourly rate for all experts for in court testimony was $300. The median hourly rate for experts who have been testifying 1-5 years was $350 and the median hourly rate for experts who have been testifying 26+ years was $275.

Not a bad hourly rate! Does anybody else feel this is unethical, to be paid for giving testimony? It certainly would seem to give an expert the incentive to say what the defense/prosecution needs them to say. I can understand why experts are useful in certain cases but any form of compensation other than travel costs and reasonable reimbursement seems excessive.

What will happen in the courtroom today when Dr. Samuels resumes his testimony, and when will Juan Martinez finally get to his rebuttal case?  This trial has had so many breaks and 3-day court weeks that it seems there is no end in sight. Over the weekend, I was thinking about that check that Jodi Arias was so worried about - if you recall after she was informed of Travis's death, she asked Detective Flores if he knew when the check she wrote Travis would be deposited. I believe the check was dated either 5/25/08 or 5/28/08 and it was either money she borrowed or a few car payments, because I remember it listed two months on the "memo" section of that check.

Now that we believe Arias staged the break in to steal her grandfather's gun, traveled to Mesa without telling a single soul - I began to wonder if she KNEW that check would never be deposited because Travis Alexander would be dead? Wasn't she broke during that trip? Would that $525+ dollar check have cleared her account had Travis lived to deposit it?  I would love to see her bank records to see if she wrote the check knowing it would never clear her bank. If she had to borrow money to take that trip, what are the chances she had more than $500 sitting in her account to pay Travis back?  Just another one of those little things that only Jodi Arias knows.  

Lifetime Planning Jodi Arias Movie

We knew it was just a matter of time, but Lifetime has announced they are planning a movie based on the Jodi Arias murder trial.  Lifetime is known for bringing "docudramas" to their network, having already made movies about Casey Anthony, Scott Peterson, Susan Wright ("The Blue Eyed Butcher"), Phillip Markoff ("the Craigslist Killer") and many other high profile cases.

I bet Jodi Arias loves the idea of having a movie based on HER, even if portrays her as a ruthless murderess . So who would be the best choice to play Arias? I've been thinking about this for some time now - it was a safe bet there would be a made-for-TV movie about this case, and if any of you saw the "The Perfect Husband", I think Sarah Brown would be a great pick to play Arias.  Sarah Brown played the role of Kate Vignatti, one of Laci's good friends who was married to Tommy Vignatti.  Sarah Brown is probably best known for her role as "Carly Corinthos" on General Hospital. Back in GH's heyday, the role of Carly was recast several times, but Sarah Brown probably was the fan favorite. Her nose is very similar to Arias', and she has been a blond and a brunette in roles over the years:

She's a pretty good actress and already has a few Lifetime TV projects under her belt. Another factoid about Sarah Brown, she's from Eureka, CA, not Yreka but Eureka, so there you have it! Tomorrow morning before court resumes, the attorneys will meet with Judge Stephens to hash out Dr. Richard Samuels testimony, and what he will be allowed to render an opinion on.  Someone left a hilarious comment on one of the previous blogs, referring to Samuels as "Dr. Fog"! I was literally laughing out loud. 

The only other defense witness I found on the list that's available to the public is Kimberly Ross, a former cell mate of Jodi Arias. I wonder what she could possibly have to offer as testimony? They wouldn't be calling her to the stand if she didn't have something they believe would be beneficial to Jodi Arias.  But again, Arias more than likely lied to the people she's been housed with - so why would we believe her to be credible if her testimony is based on what Arias may have told her?  Just goes to show what an extremely weak defense case they have - when your case consists of a murder defendant, "Dr. Fog" and a former cellmate who also has a lengthy record?

A comment was left on a previous posting on whether or not the jury will be able to find Arias guilty of a lesser charge than first degree murder.  What I was able to find was a document from 7/9/08 where Jodi Arias was indicted on:

• One Count of First Degree Murder under two theories:

1. Premeditation
2. Felony Murder

It appears that these are the only charges the jury can consider. I'm not certain if the judge can add "lesser included charges" such as second degree murder or  manslaughter. I'll do some more poking around to see if the lesser charges can be added after the trial has began and/or after it has concluded.  I don't believe they can be, but I'm no lawyer!

I do know that in July of 2011, Kirk Nurmi submitted a memo to the prosecutor on behalf of Jodi Arias in relation to a possible plea deal in which Arias would plead guilty to second degree murder. The State said "no thanks". Tune in to tomorrow's court proceedings and see what else Dr. Samuels has to say about his 12 interviews with Arias - I may have to throw something at my television if Judge Stephens allows him to comment on whether the crime scene appears to show premeditation - that was one of the more ludicrous moments from last week. There is no way he can make that type of assessment and even with a special jury instruction, he should not be allowed to say anything close to that.  Neither side should -  just my opinion.

Who do you think would be a good fit to play Jodi Arias and Travis Alexander on the made-for-TV movie about this tragedy?  Please leave your suggestions in the comment section! Enjoy your weekend and Happy St. Patrick's day!

Beyond Bizarre - New Jodi Arias Video Surfaces

Just when I thought things couldn't get stranger in the Jodi Arias murder trial, a new video clip was released from July 15, 2008 when Arias was arrested in Yreka, CA. We've all seen the interrogation video(s) between Detective Esteban Flores and Jodi Arias from July 15th and July 16th, but today a clip was released that has never been seen before.

The clip shows Arias in the room where she was questioned by Detective Flores, and at some point Jodi Arias is left alone in that room and what does she do? She does a handstand against the wall, no shoes on - just does a handstand against the wall of that interview room! In the audio, she can be heard laughing, giggling - and at one point she talks to herself in the third person "Goodness, you could've at least done your makeup Jodi".....she's smiling yet it's almost an eerie and evil smile, and laughing like a lunatic.

Now I've really seen it all!  This woman had just been arrested for the first degree murder of a man she supposedly loved and she's laughing and smiling? Concerned about her makeup? And anybody who talks about themselves in the third person is a little bit off to begin with. The jury hasn't and won't see this clip - actually, it may be better that they don't because they may think she is crazy, and that may actually hurt the State's case.

The video has made it's way onto the web - it's not hard to find. I just saw it on HLN News, but it's already made it's way onto Radar Online :

http://radaronline.com/exclusives/2013/03/jodi-arias-sings-handstands-police-interrogation-video/

and other sites. Arias seems to be obsessed with her own looks. If you recall, Detective Flores said that when he went to her grandmother's home in Yreka to arrest Jodi, she asked if she could go back in to get her makeup.  In her "press conferences" from jail, she can be seen applying makeup and actually asking them not to roll the film until she's ready.  Narcissistic AND a psychopath. Not a good combination.

The hearing on what Dr. Samuels will be allowed to testify to and what materials can be submitted was cancelled today and rescheduled for Monday morning.  These 3 day trial weeks is really stretching this thing out, and I worry that the jury isn't sequestered - all it takes is one juror to read, hear or discuss something about this case and you have a mistrial.  I think they need to start having FULL court days, no more late/delayed starts and at least a 4 day trial week!  They've had these 4-5 day recesses in between, not to mention that 12 (?) days between the prosecution resting and the defense starting their case.

This is a very high profile case, and it seems to be a part time trial. Very few full days, where they begin on time remain in the courtroom for full days. I understand that trials are fluid, and things come up that can't be foreseen, but it seems like they have had a lot of issues with evidence - I thought all of that stuff was supposed to be hashed out pre-trial?  

If you haven't seen the Jodi Arias handstand video clip, you have to see it. What a whack-job!!

Defense Expert Witness ($$$) - Arias Has PTSD

Testimony in the Jodi Arias murder trial will continue on Monday, but attorneys on both sides will be in court today for an evidenciary hearing.  Prosecutor Juan Martinez is objecting to a Power Point presentation that was prepared by an expert witness for the defense, Dr. Richard Samuels out of Scottsdale AZ.  Martinez objected yesterday on the grounds that he was only given a copy of the presentation yesterday before court began, he added that there appeared to be new information not included in previous reports - and he believes that receiving the presentation at the last minute was no accident.

The hearing today will determine whether Dr. Samuels will be able to testify on his opinion of whether the murder of Travis Alexander appeared to be pre meditated or not - based on his review of crime scene photos and his 12 interviews with Jodi Arias. I can see why Juan Martinez is fighting to keep this testimony out. Dr. Samuels could have no way of knowing whether Arias planned to kill Alexander. I did hear him state that unplanned homicides tend to be "disorganized" and "chaotic" - aren't most homicides chaotic?  I hope Judge Stephens does not allow this testimony to come in, even if she gives special jury instructions attached to the testimony it should not be allowed. This guy is not qualified to make a presumption of premeditation based on 12 meetings with a lying defendant and viewing some crime scene photos!

I always have a problem with these types of witnesses, because frequently they are writing their reports based on what the client/defendant has told them - and they are assuming they are being told the truth.  Arias would have no motivation to tell the truth to this man or anybody else for that matter. They can throw five experts up there to testify that Arias has PTSD, Acute Stress Disorder, Detachment and Amnesia Disorders but those things only seek to explain her post murderous behavior, not her motive or the reason she killed him or if and how she planned it.

Dr. Samuels testified yesterday that he met with Jodi Arias 12 times over a period of 3 years while she was being held in the Estrella jail complex she has called home since her arrest back in July of 2008. Samuels attempted to explain how our brains function, and he explained what Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is, how it can be brought on and he cited situations where he has assisted police officers who suffer from PTSD after shooting a suspect or witnessing a traumatic event, he also explained PTSD is a fairly common condition for members of our armed forces when they return from war. He also explained the brains "fight or flight" responses and what part of the brain produces these reactions and stated that they are involuntary in nature. He said that during times of stress, our brains go "off line" - sound familiar? Didn't Arias & Nurmi compare her brain to a computer, she referred to it as "freezing up" like a computer does?  Really? 

What really caught my attention however, is when Dr. Samuels started using the terminology we've heard Jodi Arias & Co. using over her 18 days on the witness stand. He actually used the words "fog" and "foggy" to describe people who suffer from PTSD - could Arias be parroting what she read in Samuels assessment or report on her? It's the chicken and egg thing. More often people refer to having "blackouts" when they can't remember certain events, but this is the first time I've personally heard it referred to as a "fog" - is this just another coincidence?

I've noticed throughout the trial that Arias has certain themes and phrases she uses over and over again. For example, "linebacker pose", "body slammed" - who body slams another person? Only the TV wrestlers or the ultimate fighting competitors!  I simply cannot imagine Travis getting out of the shower naked and wet, and putting his arm through Jodi's legs and picking her up and slamming her to the tile. This is just ludicrous. But she's had more than 4 years to come up with these tall tales, refine them and commit them to memory.  She's rehearsed, she's done her best to memorize dates and events that she hopes will help her.

Acute Stress Disorder

The traumatic event is persistently re-experienced in at least one of the following ways: recurrent images, thoughts, dreams, illusions, flashback episodes, or a sense of reliving the experience; or distress on exposure to reminders of the traumatic event.

Acute stress disorder is also characterized by significant avoidance of stimuli that arouse recollections of the trauma (e.g., avoiding thoughts, feelings, conversations, activities, places, people). The person experiencing acute stress disorder also has significant symptoms of anxiety or increased arousal (e.g., difficulty sleeping, irritability, poor concentration, hypervigilance, exaggerated startle response, motor restlessness).

Above is a partial description of Acute Stress Disorder, also mentioned by Dr. Samuels. How can this apply to Arias? With this disorder, she would be experiencing recurrent images, thoughts, dreams, illusions, flashbacks or a sense of reliving the experience. She doesn't remember anything! It also says that a person with the disorder would avoid thoughts, feelings, conversations, activities, places & people. Arias got in her car and made a bee-line for Ryan Burn's place after she killed Travis Alexander. She wasn't avoiding people or places. She even talked about Travis with Leslie Udy, telling her that she hoped one day her children and Travis's children would play together! It doesn't fit, does it?

I do believe that Jodi Arias has some type of personality disorder, maybe even a few of them. But not the type of disorders that would dismiss murdering somebody. She knew exactly what she was doing, and I truly believe she remembers every single thing she did to him on June 4, 2008. When they were showing the crime scene photos and Arias had her hand over her face, if you look closely, you can see her looking at the small screen in front of her and looking at those awful photos of Travis. She wanted to see them, she even asked Detective Flores if she could see them. She know what she did and how she did it. The physical evidence tells the story of what happened in that bedroom and bathroom. Arias has no injuries except for cuts most likely inflicted when she cut herself when the knife she was killing Travis with became too slippery for her to handle. To quote the jury, she walked away "fairly unscathed". I'm not sure if the evidenciary hearing will be televised today. If it is, I'll update this page later. Have a great day!

Did you know: (**UPDATE**)

*Under Arizona law,if Arias is convicted of 1st degree murder but all 12 jurors are unable to agree on the death penalty, prosecutors have the option of enpaneling a second or third jury to repeat the penalty phase of the trial? The judge would become involved in deciding the penalty if three jury panels were unable to come to an unanimous decision - if Arias's life is spared by the jury, she could receive 25 years to life, or life without the possibility of parole. 

*This information can be found in this US News article:

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/03/14/17313818-jodi-arias-18-days-on-witness-stand-could-save-her-life-experts?lite

Dr. Richard Samuels To Testify As Expert Witness for Jodi Arias

**UPDATE** Dr. Samuels is on the stand.  He just referred to "foggy and cloudy" memory issues that occur when our brains are under stress. Could that be the origin on the "fog" terminology Arias has been using all along? He also just referred to a person who shakes, uncontrollably under certain situations! The terminology they are using is just TOO close to how Arias & Co. have been describing her issues with memory. Tailor-made statements!

Oh boy - here we go again.  Trial has been delayed, and the attorneys are now arguing about the defense witness who will testify next - Dr. Richard Samuels. Dr. Samuels is a "Clinical and and Forensic Psychologist" out of the Scottsale Arizona area. He has testified as an expert witness many times and his background and training is actually fairly impressive (see http://svpexpertwitness.com/curriculum_vitae.asp).

The prosecutor is objecting to a Power Point presentation that Dr. Samuels is planning to use today - Juan Martinez says he was not given a copy of the presentation until this morning and hasn't had adequate time to review it. He argued that "it's doubtful that they just finished this report last night", or something to that effect. He objected to several individual slides and alleges that some of the material is new or has changed since the 7/11 interview Martinez conducted with him.

He is objecting to some of the report's content.  This should be interesting. From what I gathered from what was televised, this doctor is expected to discuss amnesia, PTSD, disassociative disorders, "instrumental" crimes versus "reactive" crimes. The writing is ALL OVER THE WALL with this witness, and just in reviewing the Wikipedia definitions (see below) around these types of disorders tells us exactly where they are taking her memory issues and running with them:

Dissociative disorders are conditions that involve disruptions or breakdowns of memory, awareness, identity or perception. People with dissociative disorders use dissociation, a defense mechanism, pathologically and involuntarily. Dissociative disorders are thought to primarily be caused by psychological trauma.

The five dissociative disorders listed in the American Psychiatric Association's DSM IV are as follows:^[1]

• Depersonalization disorder: periods of detachment from self or surrounding which may be experienced as "unreal" (lacking in control of or "outside of" self) while retaining awareness that this is only a feeling and not a reality.
• Dissociative amnesia: (formerly Psychogenic Amnesia): noticeable impairment of recall resulting from emotional trauma
• Dissociative fugue: (formerly Psychogenic Fugue): physical desertion of familiar surroundings and experience of impaired recall of the past. This may lead to confusion about actual identity and the assumption of a new identity.
• Dissociative identity disorder: (formerly Multiple Personality Disorder): the alternation of two or more distinct personality states with impaired recall among personality states.
• Dissociative disorder not otherwise specified: used for forms of pathological dissociation that do not fully meet the criteria of the other specified dissociative disorders.

I copied/pasted information on Dr. Richard Samuels  from his webpage (see below) to illustrate some of the disorders he treats. Just by reading his areas of expertise and looking at the Wikipedia definitions of these disorders plays perfectly into Jodi Arias's alleged foggy memory issues. Particularly noteworthy, I think there's a good chance they will claim Jodi Arias suffered from "dissociative amnesia" or even "depersonalization disorders".

This is frightening, and I can see why Mr. Martinez is objecting so strongly. He  interviewed Dr. Samuels back in July of 2011, but he claims there is new information and/or findings on the report that was not included or discussed during the previous (7/19/11) interview. It is now crystal clear why they have proceeded in the manner in which they have around her memory issues - if the doc testifies that in his opinion, Ms. Arias suffers from one or more of these disorders AND the jury buys into it, I'm afraid she may walk among us again one day.  Based on the jury's 200+ questions to Arias, it seems they are not buying many aspects of Arias's tall tales - how/will that change if an "expert" comes in to explain why she behaved the way she behaved? I feel like this whole thing has been an elaborate set up. Her behavior seems to have been custom designed for these disorders.

They took so much time reviewing this Power Point presentation this morning that the Judge decided to have the jurors take the lunch break now while the try to work through what will be admissible and what won't. Jennifer Willmott argued for the defense today and she has a much different style than Nurmi - but she became a little hostile or defensive after Juan Martinez voiced his concerns over not receiving a copy of the new material until the day this expert is testifying. Willmott claimed that there was nothing new in the report, and that she would not go into a line of questioning as to this witnesses opinion on whether the crime was premeditated or not - the expert doesn't believe the murder was planned, but he cannot make those type of statements in open court

Juan Martinez is upset and looked a little concerned.  This should be a very interesting day in court! I think we will all be happy to hear someone other than Jodi Arias talking.  I will update this page after testimony concludes.  Buckle your seat belts - we may be in for some turbulence today!!

Evaluations

Richard M. Samuels, Ph.D., FACCS, ABPP is a practicing Clinical and Forensic Psychologist with over thirty years of experience. With an extensive background in evaluation, analysis, report writing and testimony, Dr. Samuels specializes in Sexually Violent Perpetrator evaluations, Psychosexual Risk Assessments, Sexual Harassment and Gender Discrimination Matters for Defendants and Emotional Trauma from Medical Malpractice for Defendants and Plaintiffs.

Working closely with public defenders and private attorneys, he will determine the facts of the case and any special circumstances and mitigating factors involving the trial process. An extensive evaluation of the respondent, in depth case analysis and research contributes to a succinct report which often will result in a more favorable outcome for your client. His clear and strong testimony in support of the report can help to educate juries and judges.

When you need a verified expert in the field of Sexually Violent Perpetrator commitment hearings, Psychosexual Risk Assessments for sentencing, Sexual Harassment and Gender Discrimination Matters for Defendants and Emotional Trauama from Medical Malpractice for Defendants and Plaintiffs, Dr. Richard Samuels has the experience, education and prestige to help you support your vital arguments.