Well folks, the decision over Jodi Arias' life is now in the hands of the jury. After a 90 minute delay this morning, Jodi Arias stepped up to the podium and delivered what seemed to be more of a campaign speech than a plea for mercy. Using a Powerpoint presentation, Arias flashed photos of herself as a baby, a small child - family photos taken during holidays through the years. Sure doesn't look like a family that was abusive and not supportive. This was one of the problems with the mitigating factors the defense presented to this jury. While on one hand, they described Jodi's family as being neglectful and abusive to her while she was a child and as an adult, all the while these family photos are being shown.
There's a reason her family can't testify for her, and the fact that we know that makes this hard to listen to and even harder to swallow. Back to Arias' 19 minute speech. At times, she seemed to be on the right track while discussing a jail visit from her mother in which her mom was stopped at a signal and looked over and saw the Alexander siblings in a car next to her. She said she and her mother talked about how horrible this must be for his family and what they must be going through. "I caused that", Arias said. She seemed to be ready to own up to the pain she has caused everybody, but just when it seemed she may be ready to show some emotion, regret and remorse - it went back to Jodi. She ultimately came across flat, with a lack of affect and she never did what she needed to do most and that is to apologize.
Arias seemed to be campaigning for public office, talking about the things she has done while awaiting trial and the programs she would like to enact if she is given life in prison. She talked about setting up a recycling program at the prison, which would create jobs and keep materials out of the landfill. She talked about starting a book club! Teaching other inmates how to read, how to speak Spanish or teach them sign language. Yes, those are all good and positive things she could do if given mercy and being allowed to live. But the way she presented this, and the things she didn't say and needed to may overshadow her visions to make prison a better place for the inmates she believes she can help. She told the jury that during her incarceration, she has been donating her hair to "Locks of Love", and vowed to continue to donate hair if allowed to live. I'm not saying that is not an admirable thing. But when I look at her behavior over the last 5 years and the self-serving endeavours she has taken on, it makes me wonder how much good will she has in her heart for causes that don't further her own agenda.
In the middle of her Powerpoint presentation, she actually pulled out one of her "Survivor" t-shirts and showed the jury!! She said "I know some people don't believe I was a victim of domestic violence, and you are entitled to your opinion". She told jurors that 100% of the proceeds from these t-shirts is going to domestic violence non-profit organizations! Hmmm...I just saw on her tweet and her website that a PORTION was going to domestic violence centers, and the portion she was donating is questionable! Her speech on how much she could help other women from inside prison came across as crass - sort of like she was a better class of inmate than the women who are incarcerated. She wants to teach illiterate women how to read? Too little, too late.
She then talked about everything she will miss in life due to her bad decisions. "I won't be at my sister's wedding and I won't get to take her wedding photos", and "I missed my brother's wedding" and talked about getting to know her nieces through a glass partition. "Ill never get to be a mother", she said. No emotion, she was just speaking the words. I discussed her televised lies, her artwork and she said she loved Travis Alexander and put him on a pedestal. She talked about how Steven and Samantha's victim impact statements touched her and she acknowledged that she caused their pain. She claims she didn't know Travis' grandmother had died until she heard it in court last week. But ultimately, she lacked the emotion I think she needed to show. It was like a business proposal. She said that although she has talked about suicide and wanting to die, she has had a change of heart and now believes she can have contribute to the world if given the chance to live her life in prison.
She talked about the pain she caused her family, and asked the jury to spare her life for their sake! There was a lot more than this, I'm paraphrasing. Those are just the highlights. Before the lunch break, Judge Stephens read the jury instructions, very lengthy - after lunch, Jennifer Willmott spoke. Her message was basically "people are better than their very worst deed". That was the argument, Jodi Arias did something horrendous and these mitigating circumstances are not excuses. Willmott argued that Jodi has much to contribute and her life is worth sparing. She showed more passion in her closing argument than Arias showed in her 19 minutes at the podium. Willmott described Arias as "an amazing poet (doesn't she just quote other poets?), an amazing writer (because she journals?) and mentioned her desire to help other victims of domestic violence. Again with the domestic violence. Didn't the jury reject that argument already?
Willmott's other theme was to argue the abuse and neglect Arias allegedly suffered from her parents, "they weren't there for her when she needed them". "They punished her for inexplainable reasons", Willmott said. Didn't the punishment/grounding start when they caught their 14 year old daughter growing pot on the roof? She left that factoid out. She seemingly is not embracing DeMarte's diagnosis of borderline personality disorder, referring to it as mitigating factor and a result of the abuse and neglect suffered at the hands of her parents! "People with BPD are prone to violent outbursts, is that what happened here?", Willmott asked. She argued there was so much mitigation in this case, and just one aggravating factor. I'd say that's a very big aggravating factor. "Two wrongs don't make a right", Willmott said and asked the jury to show mercy on Jodi Arias and give her a sentence of life.
Juan Martinez told the jury that Travis Victor Alexander will always be 30 years old. Referring to the photos Arias displayed, showing her as a small child and age-progressing over the years, yet Travis will never have the opportunity to age. "Travis' family tries to remember him the way he looks in this photo", Martinez displayed a photo of Travis smiling. "But they cannot forget the pain, the suffering and the agony", he said - and you shouldn't forget this either - he displayed one of the crime scene photos of Travis. I noticed that the prosecutor allowed the defense to give their closing statement without much interruption, yet I counted 14 objections by the defense while Martinez was delivering his closing argument!
He went through each one of the mitigating factors cited by Jodi Arias, and carefully examined each one and explained why these were not mitigating factors at all. He told the jury Jodi's age at the time of the crime should not be a mitigating factor - she was over the age of 18 and had experienced life. She wasn't under the age of 18, she was an adult. Again, he reminded the jury Travis would always be 30 years old. He did this with each one of the mitigating factors one by one. If I were delivering a closing argument, I would have talked about the fact that Travis Alexander was executed by Jodi Arias, he had no trial - no attorneys. Jodi Arias was the judge, jury and executioner. I would have talked about the mitigating circumstances that were not considered before Travis was murdered. Travis Alexander had a truly hard upbringing complete with neglect and abuse! There is real evidence there in the form of his 7 siblings and his grandparents.
Travis was a good friend, evidenced by the sheer number of people who have spoken out on his behalf about the inspirational and big-hearted person he was. He helped people, he had a ton of potential that will never be realized. Travis had no criminal history, he had a lot of talents. There are probably dozens of additional factors I am not aware of since I didn't know Travis. My point is that Travis was shown no mercy. Yet Jodi Arias expects to be given mercy? The death penalty really should be reserved for the worst of the worst. I'm neither pro or con the death penalty, but I do believe there are some cases where there seems to be no other appropriate penalty but death. What Jodi Arias did to Travis Alexander during the course of the murder, and what she did to him after killing him in that court room - she is the worst of the worst, in my opinion. Mercy is given where mercy is shown.
Willmott had the final word, but I don't have time to elaborate on it now. All in all, I think Jodi Arias' presentation was too business-like, lacked emotion and was completely self-serving. Bringing out that Survivor t-shirt was a huge mistake! Again, Arias has overestimated her "skillset" and underestimated the seriousness of her crime. I don't think she came across as sorry. The case is in the hands of the jury now. What do you think? Did she do enough today, or did she fall flat? Will she get death, or life?
MY CRIMETIME BY MY FORTE. A DISCUSSION OF MURDERS IN THE NEWS.
Jodi Arias' Lies Prevent Character Witness Testimony
Wow. It's almost a full day later and I'm still left with "wow"! Jodi Arias is expected to speak to the jury this morning at 9:30AM PST and with all that has happened during this trial, I'm hesitant to speculate on whether or not that will even take place. Yesterday, the defense was supposed to call character witnesses to speak on behalf of convicted murderer Jodi Arias - childhood friend Patricia Womack was supposed to speak first. When she declined and was a no-show in court, a meeting in the Judge's chambers ensued. Another trial delay was no surprise in this trial, where on most days delays have become standard.
What happened after the parties came out of chambers was shocking. If you read yesterday's post or watched the trial, you know what happened. Womack apparently had second thoughts about publicly testifying in this trial, but the reasons for her reluctance vary depending on whether you believe the prosecution or the defense. The defense claims Womack chose not to testify because of threats to her life, basically witness intimidation. Prosecutor Juan Martinez says otherwise. When he interviewed Womack on May 15th, he apparently had done his homework on Womack and uncovered skeletons in her closet that included drug use, income that was potentially not reported and other things that have not been publicly disclosed. Womack became nervous during her interview with Martinez on May 15th when asked about her prior drug use - she left the room briefly with Arias' attorneys, and when she returned she asserted her fifth amendment rights and refused to answer Martinez's questions.
After several motions by the defense failed yesterday, including a motion for a mistrial, motion for Nurmi & Willmott to withdraw from the case and a motion to stay the penalty proceedings, Nurmi stood before Judge Stephens and said the defense would not be calling witnesses, in light of the courts rulings. He was rude and aggressive to the Judge and seemed critical of her handling of the trial and previous motions. That being said, Judge Stephens offered a remedy to Womack's concerns about publicly testifying - she, or any other witness would be allowed to testify outside of the presence of the media in a sealed proceeding. Not good enough for Arias & Co.
When you step back for a moment and look at all of the people the defense could call, but won't - and peel back the layers of this smelly onion of Jodi Arias' creation, it's not difficult to see how she has sabotaged her own witnesses. Her lies have created so many conflicts and issues. Let's break it down:
Sandy Arias - Mother
If the defense were to call Jodi's mom Sandy, she would be subject to cross examination by Juan Martinez. It's public knowledge that Sandy Arias approached the National Enquirer and tried to sell them copies of letters allegedly written by Travis Alexander to Jodi Arias in which he admits to being abusive and a sexual deviant. The letters were rejected as evidence and are believed to be forgeries. If Mama-Arias got on the stand, Martinez would be able to cross examine her and these issues would come to light. Martinez would also be able to ask her about the alleged childhood abuse and the wooden spoon she supposedly beat Jodi with. Who knows what else would come to light, but these facts alone make her an unlikely witness for her daughter. Again, this mess was created by Jodi Arias, not Juan Martinez or the media or Judge Stephens.
William Arias - Father
They could potentially call Papa-Arias to the stand to beg for his daughter's life. I'm not aware of any issues involving Jodi's father that would prevent him from testifying - other than his interview with Detective Esteban Flores, in which he called his daughter "strange" and "secretive". He also told the detective that Jodi was very abusive to his wife Sandy, and that they did not maintain a close relationship with their daughter after she moved out of their home at age 17. Arias was unable to follow the rules of the house and moved in with then-boyfriend Bobby Juarez. Martinez, on cross examination would be able to ask Jodi's father about the alleged abuse at the hands of both parents. This is the only issue I'm aware of involving Bill Arias. Arias has been at the trial off and on, he suffers from medical issues that prevent him from attending the trial regularly as his wife does.
Matt McCartney - Ex Boyfriend and Friend
Although we have heard an awful lot about former boyfriend Matt McCartney, he didn't testify during the guilt phase of the trial and I've never seen a photograph of him. Arias has testified that McCartney is a person who would never let her down, and she claims that she and Matt maintained a close friendship years after their romantic relationship ended. There is one big thing the prevents McCartney from coming forward on Jodi's behalf now. During the guilt phase of the trial, Juan Martinez presented evidence that suggests that Jodi Arias attempted to give magazines to friend Ann Campbell during a jail visitation. The magazines were intercepted and examined by jail personnel and they were found to have secret-coded messages in the pages of two magazines. The magazines were seized, and while the intended recipient is not known they were believed to have been meant for Matt McCartney who had an upcoming interview with prosecutor Juan Martinez just days away. The message, when "de-coded" seemed to ask that he change or alter his testimony in the interview with the prosecutor. Here is the content of the message:
"You fucked up. What you told my attorney next day directly contradicts what I've been saying for over a year. Get down here ASAP and see me before you talk to them again and testify so we can fix this. Interview was excellent. Must talk ASAP".
I seriously doubt Matt McCartney wants to be subject to perjury charges and has wisely backed away from Jodi's defense. Again, Jodi Arias' lies and manipulation has blocked another defense witness from testifying on her behalf. This is not the media's fault, not the prosecutor's fault and not Judge Stephens fault!
Patricia Womack - Childhood Friend
Patricia Womack is a long-time friend of Jodi Arias. She has appeared on several television shows including Nancy Grace's show and talked about the Jodi Arias she grew up with. She is probably the person who has known Arias the longest and she was supposed to testify in last Thursday's afternoon proceedings. That session was abruptly halted for reasons unknown. Some of those reasons came to light yesterday. Womack apparently has some substance abuse issues that would become public knowledge if subject to cross examination by Juan Martinez. There has also been talk of Womack receiving "licensing fees" for the photos of Arias she has shared/sold to the media. I heard something about these funds being unreported, although I'm not sure if that means she failed to report the funds as income or if it somehow involves the public assistance she either is receiving or had been receiving. Many cans of worms with this witness. She formally is claiming the reason she doesn't want to testify is because of death threats she is receiving - were these threats discussed on May 15th when she was interviewed by Juan Martinez, when she invoked her fifth amendment rights against self-incrimination? That's the big question here. The defense is playing this card close to the vest. They are presenting Womack's reluctance as "witness intimidation", by the prosecutor and the public at large.
Donovan Bering - Friend
Donovan Bering met Jodi Arias while she was housed in the Estrella jail. She has been a supporter of Jodi Arias since the trial began, and is frequently seen in court with the Arias family. There are several problems with calling Bering as a character witness. It was Bering's friend Ann Campbell who Arias tried to give those coded magazines to. Bering is also a convicted felon, and it's widely known she is the person who "tweets" on behalf of Jodi Arias. If you put Bering on the stand, those tweets would more than likely be introduced. Bering is technically prohibited from associating with Jodi Arias now that she has been convicted of murder. Bering herself is on "Supervised Probation for a Class 2 Felony Conviction (ARSON)". Her probation officer has been notified of her affiliation with Arias, and if Bering wants to remain on parole/probation, she would be wise to stay away from Arias' questionable fundraising activities and Twitter account!
In a dramatic rant yesterday, Kirk Nurmi rattled off the defense witnesses who were being threatened and likened Jodi Arias' trial to a Salem Witch Hunt or a public stoning! Are you kidding me? There is still one viable witness they could call, and that's Darryl Brewer. HLN News reported yesterday that Brewer was ready and willing to testify yesterday. He was actually staying in the same Phoenix-area hotel where the HLN staffers were, and they spoke with him briefly and he confirmed his readiness and willingness to head to the court room and testify. Seems Brewer is the only witness Jodi Arias hasn't tainted to the point of rendering them more harm than help. But Arias' defense attorneys are now choosing to abort any/all defense character witnesses, putting on no mitigation case. The way in which Kirk Nurmi delivered his speech to Judge Stephens yesterday was rude, unprofessional and bordered on contempt of court in my opinion! Seems that since the judge denied their numerous motions, they want to take their ball and go home.
I personally believe the defense wants a new jury altogether. They probably sense that this jury heard enough from Jodi Arias' 18 days of testimony and their guilty verdict is a signal that they did not believe what Jodi Arias said about Travis Alexander being abusive. If they can't get a mistrial, they are going for the next best thing - a new jury. The only way they can get a new jury is if this jury is hung. Is their decision to not present mitigating defense witnesses a reason for Arias to potentially win an appeal? I don't think so. This judge has done everything she can possibly do to remedy these problems and her patience was really put to the test yesterday after Nurmi attacked the entire trial process and her prior rulings. I haven't agreed with some of her rulings, I feel she has been overly lenient with this defense team. Will Nurmi & Willmott try to use Stephens lack of experience in death penalty trials against her? Or are they just throwing anything and everything against the wall to see if something sticks?
Is Jodi Arias behind these defense decisions? Do you believe she will speak today? This trial has been one for the books. I thought the Casey Anthony trial was the biggest circus on the planet - until the Jodi Arias trial. Even Casey Anthony had the sense to stop talking after her numerous lies were uncovered. Jodi Arias will never stop talking or trying to make money off of the people out there who either believe her stories or feel some sort of empathy for her. One thing is certain, she is one of the biggest manipulators ever to step foot inside a United States court room!
What will happen today? Will Judge Stephens ask to withdraw from this trial? Will Nurmi & Willmott show up to represent Jodi Arias today, and will Jodi Arias actually take the stand? Will Arias have a last minute migraine? Will the defense ever take advantage of the mitigation specialist who has billed the state for at least 100 hours of time, that we are aware of? Just when you thought you've seen and heard it all, something else happens.....
Have a great day!
What happened after the parties came out of chambers was shocking. If you read yesterday's post or watched the trial, you know what happened. Womack apparently had second thoughts about publicly testifying in this trial, but the reasons for her reluctance vary depending on whether you believe the prosecution or the defense. The defense claims Womack chose not to testify because of threats to her life, basically witness intimidation. Prosecutor Juan Martinez says otherwise. When he interviewed Womack on May 15th, he apparently had done his homework on Womack and uncovered skeletons in her closet that included drug use, income that was potentially not reported and other things that have not been publicly disclosed. Womack became nervous during her interview with Martinez on May 15th when asked about her prior drug use - she left the room briefly with Arias' attorneys, and when she returned she asserted her fifth amendment rights and refused to answer Martinez's questions.
After several motions by the defense failed yesterday, including a motion for a mistrial, motion for Nurmi & Willmott to withdraw from the case and a motion to stay the penalty proceedings, Nurmi stood before Judge Stephens and said the defense would not be calling witnesses, in light of the courts rulings. He was rude and aggressive to the Judge and seemed critical of her handling of the trial and previous motions. That being said, Judge Stephens offered a remedy to Womack's concerns about publicly testifying - she, or any other witness would be allowed to testify outside of the presence of the media in a sealed proceeding. Not good enough for Arias & Co.
When you step back for a moment and look at all of the people the defense could call, but won't - and peel back the layers of this smelly onion of Jodi Arias' creation, it's not difficult to see how she has sabotaged her own witnesses. Her lies have created so many conflicts and issues. Let's break it down:
Sandy Arias - Mother
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| Jodi & Sandy Arias (Daily Entertainment News) |
William Arias - Father
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| William Arias In Court |
They could potentially call Papa-Arias to the stand to beg for his daughter's life. I'm not aware of any issues involving Jodi's father that would prevent him from testifying - other than his interview with Detective Esteban Flores, in which he called his daughter "strange" and "secretive". He also told the detective that Jodi was very abusive to his wife Sandy, and that they did not maintain a close relationship with their daughter after she moved out of their home at age 17. Arias was unable to follow the rules of the house and moved in with then-boyfriend Bobby Juarez. Martinez, on cross examination would be able to ask Jodi's father about the alleged abuse at the hands of both parents. This is the only issue I'm aware of involving Bill Arias. Arias has been at the trial off and on, he suffers from medical issues that prevent him from attending the trial regularly as his wife does.
Matt McCartney - Ex Boyfriend and Friend
Although we have heard an awful lot about former boyfriend Matt McCartney, he didn't testify during the guilt phase of the trial and I've never seen a photograph of him. Arias has testified that McCartney is a person who would never let her down, and she claims that she and Matt maintained a close friendship years after their romantic relationship ended. There is one big thing the prevents McCartney from coming forward on Jodi's behalf now. During the guilt phase of the trial, Juan Martinez presented evidence that suggests that Jodi Arias attempted to give magazines to friend Ann Campbell during a jail visitation. The magazines were intercepted and examined by jail personnel and they were found to have secret-coded messages in the pages of two magazines. The magazines were seized, and while the intended recipient is not known they were believed to have been meant for Matt McCartney who had an upcoming interview with prosecutor Juan Martinez just days away. The message, when "de-coded" seemed to ask that he change or alter his testimony in the interview with the prosecutor. Here is the content of the message:
"You fucked up. What you told my attorney next day directly contradicts what I've been saying for over a year. Get down here ASAP and see me before you talk to them again and testify so we can fix this. Interview was excellent. Must talk ASAP".
I seriously doubt Matt McCartney wants to be subject to perjury charges and has wisely backed away from Jodi's defense. Again, Jodi Arias' lies and manipulation has blocked another defense witness from testifying on her behalf. This is not the media's fault, not the prosecutor's fault and not Judge Stephens fault!
Patricia Womack - Childhood Friend
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| Jodi Arias & Patricia Womack (Nancy Grace) |
Patricia Womack is a long-time friend of Jodi Arias. She has appeared on several television shows including Nancy Grace's show and talked about the Jodi Arias she grew up with. She is probably the person who has known Arias the longest and she was supposed to testify in last Thursday's afternoon proceedings. That session was abruptly halted for reasons unknown. Some of those reasons came to light yesterday. Womack apparently has some substance abuse issues that would become public knowledge if subject to cross examination by Juan Martinez. There has also been talk of Womack receiving "licensing fees" for the photos of Arias she has shared/sold to the media. I heard something about these funds being unreported, although I'm not sure if that means she failed to report the funds as income or if it somehow involves the public assistance she either is receiving or had been receiving. Many cans of worms with this witness. She formally is claiming the reason she doesn't want to testify is because of death threats she is receiving - were these threats discussed on May 15th when she was interviewed by Juan Martinez, when she invoked her fifth amendment rights against self-incrimination? That's the big question here. The defense is playing this card close to the vest. They are presenting Womack's reluctance as "witness intimidation", by the prosecutor and the public at large.
Donovan Bering - Friend
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| Donovan Bering (Channel 5 News) |
Donovan Bering met Jodi Arias while she was housed in the Estrella jail. She has been a supporter of Jodi Arias since the trial began, and is frequently seen in court with the Arias family. There are several problems with calling Bering as a character witness. It was Bering's friend Ann Campbell who Arias tried to give those coded magazines to. Bering is also a convicted felon, and it's widely known she is the person who "tweets" on behalf of Jodi Arias. If you put Bering on the stand, those tweets would more than likely be introduced. Bering is technically prohibited from associating with Jodi Arias now that she has been convicted of murder. Bering herself is on "Supervised Probation for a Class 2 Felony Conviction (ARSON)". Her probation officer has been notified of her affiliation with Arias, and if Bering wants to remain on parole/probation, she would be wise to stay away from Arias' questionable fundraising activities and Twitter account!
In a dramatic rant yesterday, Kirk Nurmi rattled off the defense witnesses who were being threatened and likened Jodi Arias' trial to a Salem Witch Hunt or a public stoning! Are you kidding me? There is still one viable witness they could call, and that's Darryl Brewer. HLN News reported yesterday that Brewer was ready and willing to testify yesterday. He was actually staying in the same Phoenix-area hotel where the HLN staffers were, and they spoke with him briefly and he confirmed his readiness and willingness to head to the court room and testify. Seems Brewer is the only witness Jodi Arias hasn't tainted to the point of rendering them more harm than help. But Arias' defense attorneys are now choosing to abort any/all defense character witnesses, putting on no mitigation case. The way in which Kirk Nurmi delivered his speech to Judge Stephens yesterday was rude, unprofessional and bordered on contempt of court in my opinion! Seems that since the judge denied their numerous motions, they want to take their ball and go home.
I personally believe the defense wants a new jury altogether. They probably sense that this jury heard enough from Jodi Arias' 18 days of testimony and their guilty verdict is a signal that they did not believe what Jodi Arias said about Travis Alexander being abusive. If they can't get a mistrial, they are going for the next best thing - a new jury. The only way they can get a new jury is if this jury is hung. Is their decision to not present mitigating defense witnesses a reason for Arias to potentially win an appeal? I don't think so. This judge has done everything she can possibly do to remedy these problems and her patience was really put to the test yesterday after Nurmi attacked the entire trial process and her prior rulings. I haven't agreed with some of her rulings, I feel she has been overly lenient with this defense team. Will Nurmi & Willmott try to use Stephens lack of experience in death penalty trials against her? Or are they just throwing anything and everything against the wall to see if something sticks?
Is Jodi Arias behind these defense decisions? Do you believe she will speak today? This trial has been one for the books. I thought the Casey Anthony trial was the biggest circus on the planet - until the Jodi Arias trial. Even Casey Anthony had the sense to stop talking after her numerous lies were uncovered. Jodi Arias will never stop talking or trying to make money off of the people out there who either believe her stories or feel some sort of empathy for her. One thing is certain, she is one of the biggest manipulators ever to step foot inside a United States court room!
What will happen today? Will Judge Stephens ask to withdraw from this trial? Will Nurmi & Willmott show up to represent Jodi Arias today, and will Jodi Arias actually take the stand? Will Arias have a last minute migraine? Will the defense ever take advantage of the mitigation specialist who has billed the state for at least 100 hours of time, that we are aware of? Just when you thought you've seen and heard it all, something else happens.....
Have a great day!
Justice Delayed - Jodi Arias Penalty Phase
This morning, mitigation witnesses for Jodi Arias were supposed to begin testifying in the penalty phase of the death penalty murder trial - if you recall, childhood friend Patricia Womack was supposed to testify on Thursday but court was abruptly cancelled after the lunch break. The reasons for the shortened day on Thursday were unknown, but there was speculation that Womack did not want her face to be shown in the televised proceedings.
Court was supposed to begin at 10:00AM PST today, but there were several motions that delayed the proceedings - all I can say is "wow"! We have learned that the defense filed a motion for mistrial, citing three main issues:
1) Biased media coverage
2) Witness intimidation (Patricia Womack, Alyce LaViolette)
3) Failure to sequester the jury
Kirk Nurmi argued that Jodi Arias has not received a fair trial from the start. He alleged that the extensive media coverage has made it impossible for her to have a fair trial. This argument is coming from the attorney of a defendant who has actively sought out the media and the spotlight in general? Has Nurmi not seen all of his client's tweets, interviews and her website? Are you kidding me?
His second point stemmed from the failure of Patricia Womack to show up to testify in court today. He is alleging that prosecutor Juan Martinez intimidated her to the point where she does not want to appear and testify on behalf of Jodi Arias! Apparently there is some truth to those rumors about Womack's drug use and her general history with law enforcement. Much of what was argued about Womack's change of heart was discussed behind closed doors in a sealed proceeding. From what I understood from Juan Martinez's statement to Judge Stephens, he interviewed Patricia Womack on May 15 - and she failed to answer his questions about her previous use of illegal drugs. At that time, Womack left the room briefly with Kirk Nurmi and Jennifer Willmott who are Jodi Arias' attorneys, not hers. Martinez argued it was inappropriate for Nurmi or Willmott to advise Patricia Womack in any manner since they represent Jodi Arias.
When Womack, Willmott & Nurmi returned to the interview with Juan Martinez, Womack asserted her fifth amendment right to remain silent! Apparently Martinez has uncovered some of Womack's dirty laundry, and it sounds as if there may potentially be some things she could be potentially prosecuted for. There was a reference made to photographs and unreported income, but no specific details were made available. I think this may be related to Womack's media interviews and the "exclusive" photos she shared with Nancy Grace. Could it be that Juan Martinez asked her if she was paid for the photos and/or the video footage of her wedding, where Jodi Arias was a bridesmaid? Did she fail to report that as income on her taxes?
Martinez argued to the judge that they don't know the reason why Womack failed to show up but he added that an attorney, Kenneth Countryman was made available to her last week and he is the person who should have been advising Patricia Womack on whether or not it would be in her best interest to assert her fifth amendment rights. Juan Martinez submitted a taped copy of his interview with Patricia Womack from May 15, 2013.
Judge Stephens offered a remedy to the issue of any witness who may be apprehensive about testifying in the penalty phase of this trial - she said this witness could be called and testify in a sealed proceeding, which she offered as a remedy to the Patricia Womack issue.
The motion for a mistrial was denied. Kirk Nurmi promptly stated that he and Jennifer Willmott wanted to withdraw from the case. Judge Stephens denied his request. Kirk Nurmi then stated that they would not be calling any mitigation witnesses in the defense's case. Judge Stephens appeared to be getting agitated with the defense's attempts to halt the proceedings. Can you blame her? Nurmi ranted about the court's failure to protect the rights of Jodi Arias by allowing the prosecution to attack their expert witnesses in the presence of the jury (that's called a cross examination, isn't it?!), and now the court has allowed the prosecutor to intimidate a mitigation witness into not testifying by calling into question her prior substance abuse issues.
Nurmi insisted that the jury be read a statement as to why Patricia Womack would not be testifying in the penalty phase. The judge agreed to read a statement, but not the statement Kirk Nurmi wanted. She would only agree to tell the jury that Ms. Womack was unavailable to testify, and they should not speculate as to the reasons etc. The defense still has Darryl Brewer, so why is he not being called? They didn't get their way on the motion for mistrial, so they tried to withdraw from the case, that was also denied - so now they are going to not put on a mitigation case? Is this a ploy so that Jodi Arias has an argument that her defense attorneys were ineffective? It appears to be some type of strategic move on their part.
Kirk Nurmi made a final plea to stay the penalty phase, which was also denied by Judge Stephens. Jodi Arias is expected to speak on her own behalf tomorrow morning when court begins at 9:30AM PST. What a morning it was. I'll update this when/if more information becomes available. I am constantly surprised at the shenanigans of this entire defense team. I've never seen any thing like this! It was almost like a temper tantrum, listening to Kirk Nurmi this morning in that courtroom. The more denials he heard from the judge, the more visibly upset he became. It was almost as if he was threatening to derail the entire 5 month long trial, by not putting on any type of mitigation witnesses now because of Judge Stephens decisions!
How is it Judge Stephens or Juan Martinez's fault that Patricia Womack decided it wasn't in her best interest to testify under oath in a court of law? What is she personally hiding that could be that bad to make her back out of this whole thing? Whatever it is, I'm fairly sure it involves her and not Jodi Arias. That is not the court's problem, it's Womack's and it's now Jodi Arias' problem. A mistrial is not a remedy for choosing a poor character witness to speak for your client. Why not call Jodi Arias' family to speak on her behalf? They still have viable options! This whole trial has become a mockery - Arias has received more leniency than most murder defendants do. Her out of court profiteering hasn't been made known to the jury, she's received every possible consideration.
So many things happened in that abbreviated court session. Is the defense just trying to throw a wrench in the trial, fearing that Jodi Arias is likely to be sentenced to death? Do you think that Nurmi & Willmott should be allowed to withdraw from the case at this late phase of the game? What could potentially happen if Arias' defense chooses not to put on a single mitigation witness and they simply choose to rest their case? Will Jodi Arias still testify tomorrow as scheduled, or is she going to try to play the martyr card in addition to the falsely convicted?
Anything is possible in this trial! And I honestly mean that! Have a great day - I'll post updates if more information becomes available. Until tomorrow.....
Court was supposed to begin at 10:00AM PST today, but there were several motions that delayed the proceedings - all I can say is "wow"! We have learned that the defense filed a motion for mistrial, citing three main issues:
1) Biased media coverage
2) Witness intimidation (Patricia Womack, Alyce LaViolette)
3) Failure to sequester the jury
Kirk Nurmi argued that Jodi Arias has not received a fair trial from the start. He alleged that the extensive media coverage has made it impossible for her to have a fair trial. This argument is coming from the attorney of a defendant who has actively sought out the media and the spotlight in general? Has Nurmi not seen all of his client's tweets, interviews and her website? Are you kidding me?
His second point stemmed from the failure of Patricia Womack to show up to testify in court today. He is alleging that prosecutor Juan Martinez intimidated her to the point where she does not want to appear and testify on behalf of Jodi Arias! Apparently there is some truth to those rumors about Womack's drug use and her general history with law enforcement. Much of what was argued about Womack's change of heart was discussed behind closed doors in a sealed proceeding. From what I understood from Juan Martinez's statement to Judge Stephens, he interviewed Patricia Womack on May 15 - and she failed to answer his questions about her previous use of illegal drugs. At that time, Womack left the room briefly with Kirk Nurmi and Jennifer Willmott who are Jodi Arias' attorneys, not hers. Martinez argued it was inappropriate for Nurmi or Willmott to advise Patricia Womack in any manner since they represent Jodi Arias.
When Womack, Willmott & Nurmi returned to the interview with Juan Martinez, Womack asserted her fifth amendment right to remain silent! Apparently Martinez has uncovered some of Womack's dirty laundry, and it sounds as if there may potentially be some things she could be potentially prosecuted for. There was a reference made to photographs and unreported income, but no specific details were made available. I think this may be related to Womack's media interviews and the "exclusive" photos she shared with Nancy Grace. Could it be that Juan Martinez asked her if she was paid for the photos and/or the video footage of her wedding, where Jodi Arias was a bridesmaid? Did she fail to report that as income on her taxes?
Martinez argued to the judge that they don't know the reason why Womack failed to show up but he added that an attorney, Kenneth Countryman was made available to her last week and he is the person who should have been advising Patricia Womack on whether or not it would be in her best interest to assert her fifth amendment rights. Juan Martinez submitted a taped copy of his interview with Patricia Womack from May 15, 2013.
Judge Stephens offered a remedy to the issue of any witness who may be apprehensive about testifying in the penalty phase of this trial - she said this witness could be called and testify in a sealed proceeding, which she offered as a remedy to the Patricia Womack issue.
The motion for a mistrial was denied. Kirk Nurmi promptly stated that he and Jennifer Willmott wanted to withdraw from the case. Judge Stephens denied his request. Kirk Nurmi then stated that they would not be calling any mitigation witnesses in the defense's case. Judge Stephens appeared to be getting agitated with the defense's attempts to halt the proceedings. Can you blame her? Nurmi ranted about the court's failure to protect the rights of Jodi Arias by allowing the prosecution to attack their expert witnesses in the presence of the jury (that's called a cross examination, isn't it?!), and now the court has allowed the prosecutor to intimidate a mitigation witness into not testifying by calling into question her prior substance abuse issues.
Nurmi insisted that the jury be read a statement as to why Patricia Womack would not be testifying in the penalty phase. The judge agreed to read a statement, but not the statement Kirk Nurmi wanted. She would only agree to tell the jury that Ms. Womack was unavailable to testify, and they should not speculate as to the reasons etc. The defense still has Darryl Brewer, so why is he not being called? They didn't get their way on the motion for mistrial, so they tried to withdraw from the case, that was also denied - so now they are going to not put on a mitigation case? Is this a ploy so that Jodi Arias has an argument that her defense attorneys were ineffective? It appears to be some type of strategic move on their part.
Kirk Nurmi made a final plea to stay the penalty phase, which was also denied by Judge Stephens. Jodi Arias is expected to speak on her own behalf tomorrow morning when court begins at 9:30AM PST. What a morning it was. I'll update this when/if more information becomes available. I am constantly surprised at the shenanigans of this entire defense team. I've never seen any thing like this! It was almost like a temper tantrum, listening to Kirk Nurmi this morning in that courtroom. The more denials he heard from the judge, the more visibly upset he became. It was almost as if he was threatening to derail the entire 5 month long trial, by not putting on any type of mitigation witnesses now because of Judge Stephens decisions!
How is it Judge Stephens or Juan Martinez's fault that Patricia Womack decided it wasn't in her best interest to testify under oath in a court of law? What is she personally hiding that could be that bad to make her back out of this whole thing? Whatever it is, I'm fairly sure it involves her and not Jodi Arias. That is not the court's problem, it's Womack's and it's now Jodi Arias' problem. A mistrial is not a remedy for choosing a poor character witness to speak for your client. Why not call Jodi Arias' family to speak on her behalf? They still have viable options! This whole trial has become a mockery - Arias has received more leniency than most murder defendants do. Her out of court profiteering hasn't been made known to the jury, she's received every possible consideration.
So many things happened in that abbreviated court session. Is the defense just trying to throw a wrench in the trial, fearing that Jodi Arias is likely to be sentenced to death? Do you think that Nurmi & Willmott should be allowed to withdraw from the case at this late phase of the game? What could potentially happen if Arias' defense chooses not to put on a single mitigation witness and they simply choose to rest their case? Will Jodi Arias still testify tomorrow as scheduled, or is she going to try to play the martyr card in addition to the falsely convicted?
Anything is possible in this trial! And I honestly mean that! Have a great day - I'll post updates if more information becomes available. Until tomorrow.....
Jodi Arias Trial - Dirty Little Secrets Or Dirty Little Lies?
The Lifetime movie based on the murder of Travis Alexander, "Dirty Little Secrets: The Jodi Arias Story" is reportedly set to air on June 22, 2013 on the Lifetime Movie Network. The cast and crew who have been filming for several months halted the filming to watch as the verdict aired live in mid May. The ending is being re-worked to include the guilty verdict.
Actors Jesse Lee Soffer and Tania Raymonde are playing the lead roles and are pictured below in character as Travis and Jodi:
What do you think of the casting? Some believe Raymonde to be a ringer of Arias. Appears close enough, although I believe Travis was a little heavier than Soffer appears in this photo. Nonetheless the docudrama airs in around a month. I think a more appropriate title would be "Dirty Little Lies: The Jodi Arias Story", but that's just my opinion!
The Arias defense team takes center stage tomorrow as the sentencing phase of Jodi Arias' trial resumes in Phoenix. As mentioned in previous postings, the only two witnesses in addition to Jodi Arias are expected to be childhood friend Patti Womack and former boyfriend Darryl Brewer. Seemingly absent from the witness list are Arias' immediate family members and longtime trusted friend Matt McCartney.
The question on everybody's mind is whether the defense will be able to sway the jury into granting Jodi Arias the mercy that was absent when she killed Travis Alexander. Arias is big on quoting other people. I'd say to her, "mercy is given where mercy is shown", in other words - too little and much too late. She has had many chances to show remorse and to accept responsibility for her heinous crime, yet she refuses to acknowledge the life she took or the lives that she forever ruined. She seems to have never looked back on the wreckage left in her destructive path. Will she be able to find the words that may now convince the jury of her sorrow and remorse over her actions? More importantly, will anybody believe her words? Her own lies have destroyed her credibility and her actions before, during and after the killing make her appear more of a sociopath than someone who snapped and made a regrettable mistake.
Looking at her behavior during the trial, and through what we have learned about her through her own testimony and expert witness testimony, she certainly appears to have many of the traits sociopaths display. Some of the key interpersonal traits of sociopaths identified in a checklist by Dr. Robert Hare, PhD (from www.lovefraud.com's Protect Yourself From Sociopaths: Learn To Recognize The Traits - Then Stay Away) :
Actors Jesse Lee Soffer and Tania Raymonde are playing the lead roles and are pictured below in character as Travis and Jodi:
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| Photo From NY Daily News |
The Arias defense team takes center stage tomorrow as the sentencing phase of Jodi Arias' trial resumes in Phoenix. As mentioned in previous postings, the only two witnesses in addition to Jodi Arias are expected to be childhood friend Patti Womack and former boyfriend Darryl Brewer. Seemingly absent from the witness list are Arias' immediate family members and longtime trusted friend Matt McCartney.
The question on everybody's mind is whether the defense will be able to sway the jury into granting Jodi Arias the mercy that was absent when she killed Travis Alexander. Arias is big on quoting other people. I'd say to her, "mercy is given where mercy is shown", in other words - too little and much too late. She has had many chances to show remorse and to accept responsibility for her heinous crime, yet she refuses to acknowledge the life she took or the lives that she forever ruined. She seems to have never looked back on the wreckage left in her destructive path. Will she be able to find the words that may now convince the jury of her sorrow and remorse over her actions? More importantly, will anybody believe her words? Her own lies have destroyed her credibility and her actions before, during and after the killing make her appear more of a sociopath than someone who snapped and made a regrettable mistake.
Looking at her behavior during the trial, and through what we have learned about her through her own testimony and expert witness testimony, she certainly appears to have many of the traits sociopaths display. Some of the key interpersonal traits of sociopaths identified in a checklist by Dr. Robert Hare, PhD (from www.lovefraud.com's Protect Yourself From Sociopaths: Learn To Recognize The Traits - Then Stay Away) :
- Glib and superficial
- It has been observed that sociopaths can be witty and articulate. They are often amusing and entertaining conversationalists who tell unlikely but convincing stories that often cast themselves in a positive light. They can be very effective in presenting themselves well and are often likable and charming. Typically sociopaths attempt to appear experts in sociology, psychiatry, medicine, psychology, philosophy, poetry, literature, art or law. A signpost to this trait is often a smooth lack of concern at being found out that they are not.
- Egocentric and grandiose
- Psychopaths have have a narcissistic and grossly inflated view of their self-worth and importance, a truly astounding egocentricity and sense of entitlement. They see themselves as the center of the universe, as superior beings who are justified in living according to their own rules.
- Lack of remorse or guilt
- Psychopaths show a stunning lack of concern for the devastating effects their actions have on others. Often they are completely forthright about the matter, calmly stating that they have no sense of guilt, are not sorry for the pain and destruction they have caused and that there is no reason for them to be concerned. Psychopaths lack of remorse or guilt is associated with a remarkable ability to rationalize their behavior and to shrug off personal responsibility for actions that cause shock and disappointment to family, friends, associates and others who have played by the rules. Usually, they have handy excuses for their behavior, and in some cases they deny it happened at all.
- Lack of empathy
- Psychopaths display a general lack of empathy. They are indifferent to the rights and suffering of family members and strangers alike. Because of their inability to appreciate the feelings of others, some psychopaths are capable of behavior that normal people find not only horrific but baffling. For example, they can torture or mutilate their victims with about the same sense of concern that we feel when we carve a turkey for Thanksgiving dinner.
- Deceitful and manipulative
- Lying, deceiving and manipulation are natural talents for psychopaths. Given their glibness and the facility with which they lie, it is not surprising that psychopaths successfully cheat, bilk, defraud, con and manipulate people without the slightest compunctuation about doing so.
- Shallow emotions
- Psychopaths seem to suffer a kind of emotional poverty that limits the range and depth of their feelings. While at times they appear cold and unemotional, they are prone to dramatic, shallow and short-lived displays of feelings. Careful observers are left with the impression they are play-acting and that little is going on below the surface.
- Impulsive
- Psychopaths are unlikely to spend much time weighing to pros and cons of a course of action or considering the potential consequences. More than displays of temper, impulsive acts often result from an aim that plays a central role in most of the psychopaths behavior: to achieve immediate satisfaction, pleasure or relief. Psychopaths tend to live day-to-day and change their plans frequently. They give little serious thought to the future and worry about it even less.
- Poor behavior controls
- In psychopaths, inhibitory controls are weak, and the slightest provocation is sufficient to overcome them. As a result, psychopaths are short-tempered or hot-headed and tend to respond to frustration, failure, discipline and criticism with sudden violence, threats and verbal abuse. It's not unusual for psychopaths to inflict serious physical or emotional damage on others, sometimes routinely and yet refuse to that they have a problem controlling their temper.
- Need for excitement
- Psychopaths have a need for excitement - they long to live in the fast lane or on the edge where the action is. Psychopaths are easily bored and you will not likely find them in occupations or activities that are dull, repetitive or that require intense concentration over long periods.
- Lack of responsibility
- Psychopaths are frequently successful in talking their way out of trouble. They are almost as successful in convincing the criminal justice system of their good intentions and their trustworthiness. Although they frequently manage to obtain probation or early release from prison, they simply ignore the conditions imposed by the courts.
- Early behavioral problems
- Most psychopaths exhibit serious behavioral problems at an early age. These may include persistent lying, cheating, theft, fire setting, truancy, class disruption, substance abuse, vandalism, violence, bullying, running away and precocious sexuality. Early cruelty to animals is usually a sign of serious emotional and behavioral problems. Cruelty to other children, including siblings is often a part of the young psychopath's inability to experience the sort of empathy that checks normal people's impulses to inflict pain, even when enraged.
- Adult antisocial behavior
- Many of the antisocial acts of psychopaths lead to criminal convictions. Even within prison populations, psychopaths stand out, largely because of their antisocial and illegal activities are more varied and frequent than those of other criminals.
Do any of these sound familiar when reflecting on what we know about Jodi Arias? I see a lot of symptoms that seem fitting. In particular, the lack of responsibility, lack of remorse or guilt, lack of empathy, deceitful and manipulative and shallow emotions seem spot on. Will Kirk Nurmi and Jennifer Willmott now try to paint Jodi Arias as a mentally flawed individual who was not capable of understanding the implications of her actions, or will they continue to portray her as a victim of abuse - shifting blame to her parents and away from Travis Alexander?
What would you do? Is there anything Arias can do or say that will even come close to swaying the jury to spare her life, or was this crime too vicious for any such mercy? Does Jodi Arias truly have a death wish, preferring a death sentence to living her life in prison?
Arias' court room behavior, the jury's perception about the honesty or dishonesty of her testimony, the brutal nature of the murder, her lack of genuine remorse and her continued refusal to accept responsibility for what she has done are things that may put her on Death Row. These factors will be weighed against those mitigating factors Kirk Nurmi outlined on Thursday. Will it be enough? Could it ever be enough? We are very close to finding out.
Enjoy your Sunday!
The Arias Defense Witnesses - Sentencing Phase
The sentencing phase of the Jodi Arias murder trial is expected to resume on Monday following the sudden cancellation of the Thursday afternoon court session. The reason for Thursday's delay is still unclear, but rumors point to a potential issue with defense (character) witness Patti Womack not wanting her face to be shown during testimony. Womack is one of two known witnesses who are expected to speak on Arias' behalf - former Arias boyfriend Darryl Brewer is the other. I didn't know who Patti Womack was, but when I did some digging around, I quickly recognized her from her telephone interview with HLN's Nancy Grace.
In case you don't watch the HLN News lineup, Patti Womack is described as a "close childhood friend" of Jodi Arias. When interviewed by Nancy Grace recently, Womack shared childhood photos of the pair and video of her wedding in which Jodi Arias was a bridesmaid. This is Arias and Womack in an undated photo from HLN's website. Womack described the Jodi Arias she knew and grew up with - naturally, she was shocked to learn her friend was involved in the murder of Travis Alexander.
There are some rumors on the web that one of Arias' character witnesses may have some issues of her own to contend with, reportedly a DUI arrest involving drugs. I'm not trying to fan the flames around Arias' character witness, however there is a clip on You Tube where Womack is seen sitting in the court room with Sandy Arias back in late January - the two are laughing and Womack appears to be under the influence of something. You can check out the clip and judge for yourself! Womack is the woman with the black and white zebra-striped shirt with numerous tattoo's on her left shoulder and arm. I'm not implying that tattoos are in any way associated with substance abuse, just pointing out the tattoos so you don't miss Womack in the short clip! I'm having issues trying to post the clip on this page, but it's easy to find on You Tube.
I'm not implying that Jodi's friend is a drug addict or a criminal. I simply find it interesting to look at the back story of this cast of characters because it's usually interesting and surprising what we find. Is anybody else curious as to why the mysterious Matt McCartney won't be testifying on Jodi's behalf? During the trial, Arias described McCartney as somebody who would never betray her - she told the jurors what a great post-relationship friendship they maintained. So what gives? Does Matt McCartney know too much, and would his testimony become a liability given that Juan Martinez would get to cross examine him? I sense that is the case. Could that be who Arias referred to as having let her down, in her post-conviction interview?
So many twists and turns - this trial has taken on a life of it's own. It feels like Jodi Arias is handling her infamy almost as if this was a career. Have you ever seen a person facing the death penalty plan a media blitz, selling t-shirts, tweeting and "fund raising" in the manner Jodi Arias has? It's got to be a first. I know I have posted some of her tweets here previously, but I'm constantly astonished at her shameless self-promotion. She is definitely a case-study in sociopathy. I have yet to see or hear a single word of apology, regret, sorrow or remorse from the convicted killer. Any empathy or understanding she may have garnered from people who are against the death penalty is quickly dissolving as her true nature is revealed through her own actions and words.
Her Twitter activity has slowed down considerably since she was convicted, but her words are reflective of her greed, denial and refusal to take responsibility for the crime. How fitting that she had these t-shirts printed up, as many people will always suspect Arias herself had the "Travis Alexander's" t-shirt and shorts printed up herself.
"JodiArias.com and Jodiariasisinnocent.com are the only 2 sites where my art is guaranteed authentic" 1hr
"God's love is so great that He loves even the proud, the selfish, the arrogant,and the wicked" - Dieter F. Uchtdorf May 15
"If you preorder at "Survivor" tee, shipping began Mon. Thx for furthering the cause" May 15
"Any donations to my family or me are made only at Jodiariasisinnocent.com. Any other source asking for donations is fraudulent. Thank you" May 13
"N DisGrace has set back the cause of all women who have survived domestic violence. Her circus makes a mockery of something very serious" May 6
"RE: commissary, many of the items I didn't receive were for indigent girls less fortunate then me. I thankfully have a mini surplus of food" May 6
"I wanted so much to avoid trial but the State forced it. My only other option was suicide and well..." May 6
"I would have signed a plea deal years ago to avoid this disaster, but I was refused a plea as the State and the family refused to settle" May 6
The victim impact statements read by Samantha and Steven Alexander on Thursday will be hard to follow on when the defense returns to court to beg the jury to spare Arias' life on Monday. With only two (known) character witnesses and Jodi Arias expected to testify on her own behalf, the sentencing phase may not take as long as anticipated. Many legal analysts believe having Arias on the stand for an unheard of 18 days was a crucial mistake on the part of the defense. Daniel Gibb, dismissed Juror #8 told Dr. Drew that he found much of what Arias said "too far out there". He clearly felt she spent too much time on the witness stand.
Will we see a different Jodi Arias when she makes her final plea to this jury? Will she show any genuine remorse, or do you believe she is incapable of real emotion around this murder? We know she is sorry she got caught, but is she really sorry she did it? How will Arias handle being cross examined by Juan Martinez one last time? Expect the unexpected with this trial.
Have a great weekend!
In case you don't watch the HLN News lineup, Patti Womack is described as a "close childhood friend" of Jodi Arias. When interviewed by Nancy Grace recently, Womack shared childhood photos of the pair and video of her wedding in which Jodi Arias was a bridesmaid. This is Arias and Womack in an undated photo from HLN's website. Womack described the Jodi Arias she knew and grew up with - naturally, she was shocked to learn her friend was involved in the murder of Travis Alexander.
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| From HLN News |
There are some rumors on the web that one of Arias' character witnesses may have some issues of her own to contend with, reportedly a DUI arrest involving drugs. I'm not trying to fan the flames around Arias' character witness, however there is a clip on You Tube where Womack is seen sitting in the court room with Sandy Arias back in late January - the two are laughing and Womack appears to be under the influence of something. You can check out the clip and judge for yourself! Womack is the woman with the black and white zebra-striped shirt with numerous tattoo's on her left shoulder and arm. I'm not implying that tattoos are in any way associated with substance abuse, just pointing out the tattoos so you don't miss Womack in the short clip! I'm having issues trying to post the clip on this page, but it's easy to find on You Tube.
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| Patti Womack/Sandy Arias, YouTube |
So many twists and turns - this trial has taken on a life of it's own. It feels like Jodi Arias is handling her infamy almost as if this was a career. Have you ever seen a person facing the death penalty plan a media blitz, selling t-shirts, tweeting and "fund raising" in the manner Jodi Arias has? It's got to be a first. I know I have posted some of her tweets here previously, but I'm constantly astonished at her shameless self-promotion. She is definitely a case-study in sociopathy. I have yet to see or hear a single word of apology, regret, sorrow or remorse from the convicted killer. Any empathy or understanding she may have garnered from people who are against the death penalty is quickly dissolving as her true nature is revealed through her own actions and words.
Her Twitter activity has slowed down considerably since she was convicted, but her words are reflective of her greed, denial and refusal to take responsibility for the crime. How fitting that she had these t-shirts printed up, as many people will always suspect Arias herself had the "Travis Alexander's" t-shirt and shorts printed up herself.
"JodiArias.com and Jodiariasisinnocent.com are the only 2 sites where my art is guaranteed authentic" 1hr
"God's love is so great that He loves even the proud, the selfish, the arrogant,and the wicked" - Dieter F. Uchtdorf May 15
"If you preorder at "Survivor" tee, shipping began Mon. Thx for furthering the cause" May 15
"Any donations to my family or me are made only at Jodiariasisinnocent.com. Any other source asking for donations is fraudulent. Thank you" May 13
"N DisGrace has set back the cause of all women who have survived domestic violence. Her circus makes a mockery of something very serious" May 6
"RE: commissary, many of the items I didn't receive were for indigent girls less fortunate then me. I thankfully have a mini surplus of food" May 6
"I wanted so much to avoid trial but the State forced it. My only other option was suicide and well..." May 6
"I would have signed a plea deal years ago to avoid this disaster, but I was refused a plea as the State and the family refused to settle" May 6
The victim impact statements read by Samantha and Steven Alexander on Thursday will be hard to follow on when the defense returns to court to beg the jury to spare Arias' life on Monday. With only two (known) character witnesses and Jodi Arias expected to testify on her own behalf, the sentencing phase may not take as long as anticipated. Many legal analysts believe having Arias on the stand for an unheard of 18 days was a crucial mistake on the part of the defense. Daniel Gibb, dismissed Juror #8 told Dr. Drew that he found much of what Arias said "too far out there". He clearly felt she spent too much time on the witness stand.
Will we see a different Jodi Arias when she makes her final plea to this jury? Will she show any genuine remorse, or do you believe she is incapable of real emotion around this murder? We know she is sorry she got caught, but is she really sorry she did it? How will Arias handle being cross examined by Juan Martinez one last time? Expect the unexpected with this trial.
Have a great weekend!
Arias Defense Team Wants Off Case
Yesterday the third and final phase of the Jodi Arias death penalty murder trial got under way with opening statements and victim impact statements in the sentencing phase. Jodi Arias has not been silent since the reading of the guilty verdict, and it's become more apparent that her attorneys are frustrated with their lack of control over their client. Arias, famous for giving media interviews before and after her trial seems to want to continue talking despite her attorneys advice.
The differences between Jennifer Willmott, Kirk Nurmi and Jodi Arias reached a peak last week when the defense team petitioned Judge Sherry Stephens and asked to withdraw from the case. Apparently Arias wants to run the show, and I suppose it IS her trial - but despite what we may think of her distasteful defense, these two attorneys have gone to battle for her. And how does she repay them? Not an hour into her conviction of first degree murder the finger pointing began, or as I like to say the broken-finger pointing began! By the time Jodi Arias sat down with Fox's Troy Hayden she was already proclaiming her innocence and alleging that her attorneys chose not to introduce key evidence that may have helped her at trial.
Per the Superior Court of Arizona, Maricopa County website's minute entry from 5/14/13, Judge Stephens ruled on several outstanding issues:
IT IS ORDERED there shall be no further media interviews with the Defendant pending further order of the court.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED the Maricopa County Sherriff's Office shall not approach the Defendant with any media requests pending further order of the court.
Discussion held regarding Defendant's Request that Victim Impact Evidence be Presented via Videotape.
IT IS ORDERED denying the Request for reasons stated on the record.
Discussion held regarding the Defendant's Motion for Discover of Victim Impact Evidence.
IT IS ORDERED denying the Motion.
Discussion is held on Counsel for the Defendant's Motion to Withdraw.
IT IS ORDERED denying the Motion
10:59 a.m. Status Conference concludes
http://www.courtminutes.maricopa.gov/docs/Criminal/052013/m5770706.pdf
You can read all of the court minute entries at clerkofcourt.maricopa.gov. Although the reasons for the request to withdraw as Counsel is unknown, we do know they have tried to withdraw from this case at least twice. So what gives, are Nurmi & Willmott just plain sick of Arias' hijinx and thirst for media coverage? What do you do with a client who refuses to listen to your advice? At this late stage of the trial, apparently there is nothing they can do. The trial will go on, and there's nothing Arias can do to stop it. Maybe she believes if she causes enough disruption she will get a do-over? Perhaps her defense team are just the latest victims in her trail of destruction and wreckage.
Meanwhile, Jodi Arias seemingly isn't letting a little thing like a murder conviction slow down her tweeting and self-promoting. Just hours after the jury concluded the aggravating factors were proven by prosecutor Juan Martinez, making her eligible for the death penalty, Arias took to Twitter (through friend Donovan Bering) to announce the arrival of her "Survivor" t-shirts. Arias tweeted a link to her website, where the t-shirts are on sale for $15.00 - a disclaimer on the site claims "a portion of the profits generated from the sales will support other survivors of domestic violence, and go to non-profit domestic violence organizations selected by Jodi". Also noted on the site "no refunds or returns are accepted". Yes, you heard it right. I think if she replaced "Survivor" with "Murderer", I might buy one myself.
In another tweet, Arias quotes Dieter F. Uchtdorf - "God's love is so great that He loves even the proud, the selfish, the arrogant and the wicked". Looks like Arias has her Book of Mormon in her cell. When the sentencing phase continues next week, we should hear again from former boyfriend Darryl Brewer and an old friend of Jodi Arias named Patty Womack. Womack is the witness who didn't want her face to be broadcast during her testimony. That was cited as one of the reasons the trial did not resume after the afternoon lunch break - perhaps they had technical difficulties or needed to make adjustments to accommodate the request?
Naturally we will hear more from Jodi Arias next week as well. She is expected to tell the jury about the person she was prior to 2006 when she met Travis Alexander. I'm not sure what the logic in that time frame is, it seems to me that the jury should be looking at the person she is now, not 7-10 years ago! They need to decide if the person before them should be given the opportunity to live and spared the death penalty. That requires that they consider who she is now, not who she used to be! Just my opinion.
In the meantime, enjoy your weekend and talk to you next week!
The differences between Jennifer Willmott, Kirk Nurmi and Jodi Arias reached a peak last week when the defense team petitioned Judge Sherry Stephens and asked to withdraw from the case. Apparently Arias wants to run the show, and I suppose it IS her trial - but despite what we may think of her distasteful defense, these two attorneys have gone to battle for her. And how does she repay them? Not an hour into her conviction of first degree murder the finger pointing began, or as I like to say the broken-finger pointing began! By the time Jodi Arias sat down with Fox's Troy Hayden she was already proclaiming her innocence and alleging that her attorneys chose not to introduce key evidence that may have helped her at trial.
Per the Superior Court of Arizona, Maricopa County website's minute entry from 5/14/13, Judge Stephens ruled on several outstanding issues:
IT IS ORDERED there shall be no further media interviews with the Defendant pending further order of the court.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED the Maricopa County Sherriff's Office shall not approach the Defendant with any media requests pending further order of the court.
Discussion held regarding Defendant's Request that Victim Impact Evidence be Presented via Videotape.
IT IS ORDERED denying the Request for reasons stated on the record.
Discussion held regarding the Defendant's Motion for Discover of Victim Impact Evidence.
IT IS ORDERED denying the Motion.
Discussion is held on Counsel for the Defendant's Motion to Withdraw.
IT IS ORDERED denying the Motion
10:59 a.m. Status Conference concludes
http://www.courtminutes.maricopa.gov/docs/Criminal/052013/m5770706.pdf
You can read all of the court minute entries at clerkofcourt.maricopa.gov. Although the reasons for the request to withdraw as Counsel is unknown, we do know they have tried to withdraw from this case at least twice. So what gives, are Nurmi & Willmott just plain sick of Arias' hijinx and thirst for media coverage? What do you do with a client who refuses to listen to your advice? At this late stage of the trial, apparently there is nothing they can do. The trial will go on, and there's nothing Arias can do to stop it. Maybe she believes if she causes enough disruption she will get a do-over? Perhaps her defense team are just the latest victims in her trail of destruction and wreckage.
Meanwhile, Jodi Arias seemingly isn't letting a little thing like a murder conviction slow down her tweeting and self-promoting. Just hours after the jury concluded the aggravating factors were proven by prosecutor Juan Martinez, making her eligible for the death penalty, Arias took to Twitter (through friend Donovan Bering) to announce the arrival of her "Survivor" t-shirts. Arias tweeted a link to her website, where the t-shirts are on sale for $15.00 - a disclaimer on the site claims "a portion of the profits generated from the sales will support other survivors of domestic violence, and go to non-profit domestic violence organizations selected by Jodi". Also noted on the site "no refunds or returns are accepted". Yes, you heard it right. I think if she replaced "Survivor" with "Murderer", I might buy one myself.
In another tweet, Arias quotes Dieter F. Uchtdorf - "God's love is so great that He loves even the proud, the selfish, the arrogant and the wicked". Looks like Arias has her Book of Mormon in her cell. When the sentencing phase continues next week, we should hear again from former boyfriend Darryl Brewer and an old friend of Jodi Arias named Patty Womack. Womack is the witness who didn't want her face to be broadcast during her testimony. That was cited as one of the reasons the trial did not resume after the afternoon lunch break - perhaps they had technical difficulties or needed to make adjustments to accommodate the request?
Naturally we will hear more from Jodi Arias next week as well. She is expected to tell the jury about the person she was prior to 2006 when she met Travis Alexander. I'm not sure what the logic in that time frame is, it seems to me that the jury should be looking at the person she is now, not 7-10 years ago! They need to decide if the person before them should be given the opportunity to live and spared the death penalty. That requires that they consider who she is now, not who she used to be! Just my opinion.
In the meantime, enjoy your weekend and talk to you next week!
Emotional Victim Impact Statements Given By Alexander Siblings - Jodi Arias Trial
Today the final phase of the Jodi Arias murder trial began, the sentencing phase where the jury will decide whether Jodi Arias is sentenced to death or life. Today's proceedings began with Judge Stephens discussing matters of the law around the sentencing process. Kirk Nurmi's opening statement included the mention of 8 mitigating factors the jury should consider and weigh against the aggravating factors. He told the jury they would hear from two of Jodi Arias' friends (Darryl Brewer and Patty Womack) as well as Jodi Arias herself. Does this mean her family members are not testifying? That in itself seems shocking to me.
Kirk Nurmi wants the jury to know who Arias was prior to meeting Travis Alexander in 2006, and he will attempt to convince the jurors to spare her life by discussing these 8 mitigating factors. He reminded the jury that they had all stated during jury selection they could consider a life sentence if Arias was found guilty, even with aggravating factors - he stated this twice. He talked about "fairness and mercy".
Here are the 8 mitigating factors he referenced (in summary):
1) Jodi Arias was 27 at the time of the crime (she was born 7/9/1980, so she was MUCH closer to 28 than 27, but whatever!)
2) Jodi Arias has no prior criminal record
3) Jodi Arias was a "good friend" (just not to TRAVIS)
4) Jodi Arias had a lack of family support as a child and adult
5) Jodi Arias suffered from neglect and abuse as a child and adult
6) Jodi Arias tried to make the best out of her life
7) Jodi Arias tried to improve herself
8) Jodi Arias has artistic talents (can Martinez talk about the sale of this artwork for profit during the trial??)
Juan Martinez began his opening statement by telling jurors that Arias' age and the other "mitigating circumstances" were flawed. "There is no connection between her being 27 years old and the fact that she stuck a knife in Travis Alexander's chest", Martinez said. He talked about fairness, as Kirk Nurmi did during his opening statement. Martinez said fairness goes both ways, to Jodi Arias but also to the victim, Travis Alexander - the person who is no longer here.
This is just a quick update during the court lunch break, so my apologies if this feels thrown together. What I really wanted to talk about are the victim impact statements that we heard from Travis' younger brother Steven and younger sister Samantha. They were so full of emotion, so heartfelt - each of them struggled through the words, tears streaming down their faces. It becomes so clear this family has been profoundly effected by the loss of their brother.
Steven went first. I've noticed that Steven has appeared angry through most of the trial. He looks like he hates Jodi Arias, and I can't say I blame him. You can sense the toll this ordeal has taken on him - but to hear him talk about some of what this family has been through really drives home how large of a loss this will always be for each and every one of them. His voice was cracking, he held back tears as he described being asleep, after a 12 hour graveyard shift and he was awakened by his crying wife. She handed him the phone, it was Samantha. Samantha told him "Steven, Travis is dead". Steven told the jury how much he looked up to Travis. "I thought my brother was bulletproof", he said as he described Travis surviving through two motorcycle accidents as well as rolling a snowmobile. He thought he was unbreakable.
He went on to discuss the impact Travis' murder has had on him, particularly the nature of his murder. He has nightmares about somebody coming after him and his family with a knife, he has dreams about Travis curled up in that shower. He admitted that he is now afraid of the dark. In one of the most emotional moments, he said "I don't want to see my brother's murderer any more. I want this to be over". "I don't want to hear his name being dragged through the mud", he stated. Steven went on to tell the jury about the toll this has had on his personal and family life. The stress and anguish caused him to seek professional help, and he admitted to having to try various anti-depressants and anxiety medications. The stress and anxiety caused he and his wife to separate briefly.
For the first time, we've heard about all of the positive attributes Travis Alexander had. He had a big heart, he was funny - he wrote his life out on flashcards. Steven told jurors on the last flash card Travis wrote before he was killed, he wrote "call Steven". He never got that phone call. Steven then read that last entry from Travis' blog, his "Affirmation for 2008", where Travis wrote about his goals for 2008 and beyond. Sadly, 2008 was the last year of his life.
Samantha Alexander was next. She, too was very emotional, and fought through tears to deliver her family's message to the court and the jury. She said they were tortured over the loss of Travis. Travis was that person in their family who people went to when they needed to talk, if they needed inspiration - he seemingly was the glue that held the family together. Samantha talked about the disbelief she felt when she received the voicemail from her grandmother on June 10, 2008 - telling her to call immediately. She knew from the tone in her grandmother's voice that somebody had died. She never considered it could be Travis.
Their father passed away on Travis' 28th birthday, and shortly thereafter their mother passed away. Samantha said Travis got the family through these losses. She talked about the ill-effects Travis' death had on their grandmother, who was so extremely close to Travis and raised him. Her health went downhill after Travis was killed, and sadly she passed away before jury selection began in this case. "Travis was our strength, our beacon of hope, our motivation and our lives will never be the same", she said. Travis worked hard for everything he had, he took nothing for granted. His greatest attribute, Samantha said was his ability to make other people feel good about themselves.
Samantha last saw Travis in late May of 2008, when he visited her in Southern California and shared with her the introduction to the book he was writing called "Raising You". Juan Martinez displayed a photo of Travis and Samantha on the large courtroom screen that was taken during that trip. Samantha said she didn't want to take the photo because she was still in her pajamas. "I'm so glad I let him talk me into taking the picture", she sobbed. Samantha is a police officer in Riverside California. She told the jury that her brother's crime scene photos are among the worst she has seen in her 11 years in law enforcement. That's saying a lot. "Our minds are stained with the image of Travis' throat, slit from ear to ear", "our minds are stained with the image of Travis' body in that shower", Samantha said.
The Alexander family is large, there were 8 siblings - 4 boys and 4 girls. They haven't all been together as a family since Travis' murder. "It's too hard to see that empty chair where Travis should be". As Samantha told the jury how their family has been forever changed by their brother's murder, it was so clear their pain has not subsided with the passage of time. It's just as painful today for them. As Samantha finished and walked back to her seat in the gallery, she looked directly at Jodi Arias as she walked by the defense table. HLN's Jean Casarez reported that Samantha looked at Arias "with daggers in her eyes". She reportedly gave Jodi's mother Sandy Arias the same look before taking her seat with her family.
It was very emotional and powerful testimony. The jury is not supposed to allow emotion to effect their decision in sentencing, but I don't see how it can't. The Alexander kids all shared a difficult upbringing, yet that doesn't seem to have effected them in a negative way. They appear to be a very bonded and close family. Thank God they have each other and their faith to get them through this. I hope with the conclusion of this trial, they can find some peace and take comfort in knowing they will see Travis again when the time comes.
Who will the defense call to the stand first? How will they try to counter those emotion filled victim impact statements? I'm so glad the jury got to hear about the wonderful qualities Travis Alexander possessed after hearing 5 months of trashy sex talk.
Kirk Nurmi wants the jury to know who Arias was prior to meeting Travis Alexander in 2006, and he will attempt to convince the jurors to spare her life by discussing these 8 mitigating factors. He reminded the jury that they had all stated during jury selection they could consider a life sentence if Arias was found guilty, even with aggravating factors - he stated this twice. He talked about "fairness and mercy".
Here are the 8 mitigating factors he referenced (in summary):
1) Jodi Arias was 27 at the time of the crime (she was born 7/9/1980, so she was MUCH closer to 28 than 27, but whatever!)
2) Jodi Arias has no prior criminal record
3) Jodi Arias was a "good friend" (just not to TRAVIS)
4) Jodi Arias had a lack of family support as a child and adult
5) Jodi Arias suffered from neglect and abuse as a child and adult
6) Jodi Arias tried to make the best out of her life
7) Jodi Arias tried to improve herself
8) Jodi Arias has artistic talents (can Martinez talk about the sale of this artwork for profit during the trial??)
Juan Martinez began his opening statement by telling jurors that Arias' age and the other "mitigating circumstances" were flawed. "There is no connection between her being 27 years old and the fact that she stuck a knife in Travis Alexander's chest", Martinez said. He talked about fairness, as Kirk Nurmi did during his opening statement. Martinez said fairness goes both ways, to Jodi Arias but also to the victim, Travis Alexander - the person who is no longer here.
This is just a quick update during the court lunch break, so my apologies if this feels thrown together. What I really wanted to talk about are the victim impact statements that we heard from Travis' younger brother Steven and younger sister Samantha. They were so full of emotion, so heartfelt - each of them struggled through the words, tears streaming down their faces. It becomes so clear this family has been profoundly effected by the loss of their brother.
Steven went first. I've noticed that Steven has appeared angry through most of the trial. He looks like he hates Jodi Arias, and I can't say I blame him. You can sense the toll this ordeal has taken on him - but to hear him talk about some of what this family has been through really drives home how large of a loss this will always be for each and every one of them. His voice was cracking, he held back tears as he described being asleep, after a 12 hour graveyard shift and he was awakened by his crying wife. She handed him the phone, it was Samantha. Samantha told him "Steven, Travis is dead". Steven told the jury how much he looked up to Travis. "I thought my brother was bulletproof", he said as he described Travis surviving through two motorcycle accidents as well as rolling a snowmobile. He thought he was unbreakable.
He went on to discuss the impact Travis' murder has had on him, particularly the nature of his murder. He has nightmares about somebody coming after him and his family with a knife, he has dreams about Travis curled up in that shower. He admitted that he is now afraid of the dark. In one of the most emotional moments, he said "I don't want to see my brother's murderer any more. I want this to be over". "I don't want to hear his name being dragged through the mud", he stated. Steven went on to tell the jury about the toll this has had on his personal and family life. The stress and anguish caused him to seek professional help, and he admitted to having to try various anti-depressants and anxiety medications. The stress and anxiety caused he and his wife to separate briefly.
For the first time, we've heard about all of the positive attributes Travis Alexander had. He had a big heart, he was funny - he wrote his life out on flashcards. Steven told jurors on the last flash card Travis wrote before he was killed, he wrote "call Steven". He never got that phone call. Steven then read that last entry from Travis' blog, his "Affirmation for 2008", where Travis wrote about his goals for 2008 and beyond. Sadly, 2008 was the last year of his life.
Samantha Alexander was next. She, too was very emotional, and fought through tears to deliver her family's message to the court and the jury. She said they were tortured over the loss of Travis. Travis was that person in their family who people went to when they needed to talk, if they needed inspiration - he seemingly was the glue that held the family together. Samantha talked about the disbelief she felt when she received the voicemail from her grandmother on June 10, 2008 - telling her to call immediately. She knew from the tone in her grandmother's voice that somebody had died. She never considered it could be Travis.
Their father passed away on Travis' 28th birthday, and shortly thereafter their mother passed away. Samantha said Travis got the family through these losses. She talked about the ill-effects Travis' death had on their grandmother, who was so extremely close to Travis and raised him. Her health went downhill after Travis was killed, and sadly she passed away before jury selection began in this case. "Travis was our strength, our beacon of hope, our motivation and our lives will never be the same", she said. Travis worked hard for everything he had, he took nothing for granted. His greatest attribute, Samantha said was his ability to make other people feel good about themselves.
Samantha last saw Travis in late May of 2008, when he visited her in Southern California and shared with her the introduction to the book he was writing called "Raising You". Juan Martinez displayed a photo of Travis and Samantha on the large courtroom screen that was taken during that trip. Samantha said she didn't want to take the photo because she was still in her pajamas. "I'm so glad I let him talk me into taking the picture", she sobbed. Samantha is a police officer in Riverside California. She told the jury that her brother's crime scene photos are among the worst she has seen in her 11 years in law enforcement. That's saying a lot. "Our minds are stained with the image of Travis' throat, slit from ear to ear", "our minds are stained with the image of Travis' body in that shower", Samantha said.
The Alexander family is large, there were 8 siblings - 4 boys and 4 girls. They haven't all been together as a family since Travis' murder. "It's too hard to see that empty chair where Travis should be". As Samantha told the jury how their family has been forever changed by their brother's murder, it was so clear their pain has not subsided with the passage of time. It's just as painful today for them. As Samantha finished and walked back to her seat in the gallery, she looked directly at Jodi Arias as she walked by the defense table. HLN's Jean Casarez reported that Samantha looked at Arias "with daggers in her eyes". She reportedly gave Jodi's mother Sandy Arias the same look before taking her seat with her family.
It was very emotional and powerful testimony. The jury is not supposed to allow emotion to effect their decision in sentencing, but I don't see how it can't. The Alexander kids all shared a difficult upbringing, yet that doesn't seem to have effected them in a negative way. They appear to be a very bonded and close family. Thank God they have each other and their faith to get them through this. I hope with the conclusion of this trial, they can find some peace and take comfort in knowing they will see Travis again when the time comes.
Who will the defense call to the stand first? How will they try to counter those emotion filled victim impact statements? I'm so glad the jury got to hear about the wonderful qualities Travis Alexander possessed after hearing 5 months of trashy sex talk.
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