After Being Convicted on Murder Charges, Jodi Arias Declines to Address Jury Directly on Sentencing
In May 2013, Jodi Arias was convicted on murder charges in the 2008 murder of her boyfriend Travis Alexander. Although the jury returned a clear guilty verdict after a much longer murder trial than anticipated, they were deadlocked on what her punishment should be.
She has returned to court on a retrial of the sentencing phase for the murder charges. On Tuesday, February 24th, she declined to address the jury directly to talk about her murder charges.
Originally, Arias requested that media and public leave the courtroom and she would then speak to the jury. When the judge denied her request based on the type of retrial, called allocution, Arias declined to speak to the jury altogether.
During Arias’s trial, prosecutors claimed that she murdered her boyfriend in a jealous rage, pointing out that he sustained multiple stab wounds, a gunshot to the head, and a slit throat. He had defensive stab wounds in his hands, where he tried to stop his assailant.
Arias argued that she acted in self-defense during her trial. However, prior to going to trial, she argued several different accounts of Alexander’s death, including that she was not involved. In September 2008, after she was indicted on the murder charges, she pleaded not guilty. She then told police that two burglars had broken into Alexander’s home and shot him, potentially with a .25 caliber gun stolen from Arias’s grandparents’ house while she was living with them. Two years later, she claimed she had been the victim of domestic violence, which had driven her to murder Alexander in self-defense.
Arias testified that the abusive relationship culminated after Alexander became furious with her when she dropped his camera, and she killed him in self-defense. A psychologist testified that Arias suffered severe acute stress at the time of murder, which could cause her brain to stop retaining memory and that would explain her conflicting testimony.
Arias currently faces life in prison or the death penalty for the murder charges.
The Strom Law Firm Defends SC Violent Crimes Charges Like Murder Charges
Being arrested or investigated for a crime can mean many things. What it does not mean is that you are guilty or that you have no rights. If you need help defending against charges for violent crimes, whether the case involves a drug possession, misdemeanor or felony drug trafficking, and murder charges — call or contact us in Columbia, South Carolina, today. 803.252.4800
