She began by speaking of her mother...."Several months back, while the first phase of this trial was ongoing, my mom visited me, like she had every week since the trial began". She went on to tell about how her mother, stopped one day at a stop light, had turned and seen the Alexander family in the car beside her. She said that they were both silent for a moment until her mother voiced what they both had been thinking. "I know they are going through hell". She said that until the victim impact statements, their pain had not been driven home. She claimed that she knew she was responsible for the families pain. She spoke of how she had wondered where Travis's grandmother had been, not knowing that she had passed but acknowledging that she was likely inadvertently responsible for her death as well as Travis'. She spoke of how Travis had told her on Thanksgiving of 2007 that his grandmother was "the glue that held the family together". She went on to talk about her thoughts and attempts of suicide saying that the one thing that always caused her to waiver was "sitting right over there", as she gestured towards her family. She claimed that she did not know that, if convicted to life, she could work and become self reliant. She cited the good things that she could accomplish while serving life in prison and the programs that she could start and continue to participate in. She then started a powerpoint presentation. Fully composed, she told the jury about how she had donated her hair to 'Locks of Love' before the trial began. It was the third time since her arrest that she had done so and if given the chance she would continue to do so for the rest of her life. She spoke of programs that she could start in prison, including a book club and teaching other inmates how to read, speak Spanish and even teach them American Sign Language. She spoke of starting a recycling program within the prison. She went on to show a slideshow of photos beginning with herself as a small child. She spoke of her family. Her closeness with her younger brother, Carl. Family trips to Seaworld and Hawaii. How, at age eleven she watched her baby sister, Angela, come into the world four weeks early. She showed pictures of her and Patti Womack, telling the jury that as a result of the announcement that Patti would be speaking on Jodi's behalf, she and her nine year old daughter had been threatened. Patti ultimately decided against speaking at the mitigation phase.. She showed picture after picture of herself with her previous boyfriends, Daryl Brewer and his young son Jack, citing that she had last seen him on June 3, 2008 (the day before Travis's brutal murder). Photos of her and Bobbi Juarez, Matt McCartney and other friends flashed on the screen. She showed family portraits at holidays and vacations. She spoke of the nieces that she had only met through a thick pane of glass, about the weddings and holidays she had missed. In one photo, taken at Christmas, 2010, her family had held a photo of her in their family portrait. This, she said, was the only way she would ever spend the holidays with her family again. She spoke of how her nieces were the closest she would ever come to motherhood because "of her own terrible choices". She showed copies of her artwork. Again, she spoke of how she had so desperately wanted to avoid trial and go "quietly into the night". She again claimed that she had intended to protect Travis's reputation and that it was never her intention to drag Travis's name through the mud. She stated that she had been forced, on the stand, to tell the truth. She reminded the jury that while she told of Travis's abuse, she was always quick to defend him in the same breath and that she loved Travis and looked up to him. At one point he had been her whole world. She said that this was the worst thing that she had done, could ever imagine herself doing and that before that day she had never harmed even a spider. She claimed that she was horrified at what she had done. She spoke of her families suffering and how she could not stand there, in good faith, and ask to be put to death. She asked for mercy, not for herself, but for her family whose pain was still so fresh after hearing the guilty verdict only weeks before.
The moment that stunned court watchers everywhere was when Jodi held up one of her 'Survivor' tee shirts. She said that she realizes that there were people that did not believe that she was an actual victim of domestic violence and that they were entitled to their opinions but that it was a cause that was close to her heart. For many people, this was her final knife in the back of the Alexander family. How could she continue telling her tale of abuse that had already been rejected by the jury? She spoke for approximately nineteen minutes. Many people believed that any progress that she may have made had been shred apart when she displayed her 'Survivor' shirt. The irony of a convicted first degree murderer, who so savagely killed a man that she claimed to love and left him to decompose in his shower, pushing a tee shirt that she designed that read 'survivor' seemed to be too much for many to accept. One of her final statements to the jury was that Steven Alexander had stated that he never wanted to see his brothers killer again and that with life in prison, he would never have to. The one thing that Jodi did not say during her allocution was "I'm sorry",
Jodi Arias delivering her allocution of her death penalty murder trial.
Jodi's plea was followed by closing arguments in which Jennifer Willmott listed the mitigating factors. She stated that Jodi was only 27 years old at the time of the murder, that she had no prior criminal record and had been an ideal inmate at the jail in the five years that she had been incarcerated. She cited Jodi's talent as an artist for being a reason to spare her life. In contradiction to Jodi's statements, Jenny told of the abuse that Jodi had suffered at the hands of her parents. She reminded the jury that if they decided to issue the death penalty, they would be taking her life. She asked if they could live with the decision to take another persons life. She argued that Jodi's life was worth sparing and could still be of some value behind bars. She claimed that Jodi wanted to better her life and help others and that Jodi had once been a 'good friend' to many people.
Juan Martinez reminded the jury of the brutality of the murder. He cleared up the issue with Patricia Womack, stating that he had interviewed her and she had pleaded the fifth amendment in an effort to not incriminate herself about alleged drug use and the sale of photos that were sold to the media in which were not reported to the IRS. He pointed out that Jodi was 27 years old at the time of the murder. That soldiers were sent off to war at just 18 years old. Jodi was nine years older than a legal adult. He pointed out that while Jodi would continue to age, Travis would forever be 30 years old. She had lived a full life, with multiple sexual partners and life experience. He asked what being an artist had to do with anything? He pointed out that while Jodi's family got to visit her in prison, Travis's family had to visit him at his grave.
Jennifer Willmott had the last word in the penalty phase since the burden was now on the defense to try and save Jodi's life. She walked over to Jodi, rested her hands on her shoulders and asked the jury if they were going to kill her or let her spend the rest of her life behind bars.
The decision of life or death was now with the same jury that had convicted her of capital murder and decided that it had been proven that she had acted in an especially cruel and depraved manner.
In a final shocking twist to the ongoing saga, Judge Stevens lifted the ban on media interviews given by Jodi. That night Jodi requested makeup. She made a list of the media outlets that she would allow to interview her and began her surprise media blitz. Below are links to the various interviews Jodi did on Tuesday, May 21, 2013 while her destiny hung in the hands of the jury.
It seemed that now that her attorneys were no longer on the case, Jodi was free to do as she pleased. If she thought that the media was going to coddle her, she was in for a big surprise. As always, however, Jodi seemed void of emotion. As each interviewer asked her why she had not apologized to the Alexander family, Jodi claimed that she had apologized, yet when asked if she wanted to apologize on air, she struggled to say the words "I'm sorry", claiming that the words seemed inadequate to the remorse she felt.
It seemed a slap in the face that just hours before she had stood in front of the jury and said that if given life, the Alexander family would never had to see her again. She smirked and stood her ground as one after one, reporters asked her tough questions followed by reminders of the hate that the general public felt towards her. Jodi was once again running the show, prepping for the camera and letting reporters know that they were not to show her jail pants or chains that she wore around her ankles. However, one media outlet released this photo, which spread like wildfire over social media.
The level of arrogance she displayed was appalling. It seemed as though this was all a game to Jodi. The world was her stage and she was loving the attention. The general public had never hated her more. All the while, the jury deliberated.
On Wednesday, May 23 at approximately 11:45 am MST the jury announced that they were unable to reach a unanimous decision after deliberating for less than three hours. Judge Stevens instructed them to continue deliberations and try to reach a unanimous decision.
That afternoon, Jodi began using Twitter again. It is not clear who managed her Twitter account at this point.
It became apparent that the Jodi Show was far from over.....
Jodi's smugness and arrogance is beginning to affect people everywhere. Please comment on your thoughts as to whether you think a convicted criminal should be able to give media interviews in which she continues to trash her victim.
***Update....On Wed. evening, Judge Sherry Stevens again put a ban on media interaction with Jodi Ann Arias
You are a really good writer. I know I was an English major / wannabe writer. You should seriously look at getting published.
ReplyDelete