Jodi Arias Trial

[boos2u]

I certainly don't know either of those things! (It depends on how credible one finds Samuels' testimony.)

Re: anything else, to me, the evaluation itself is evidence...how and when he arrived at his opinions/conclusions- are questionable to say the least and so suggests otherwise.

I do know two things: Arias wasn't Samuels' 'client', and therefore, I know Samuels should not have exhibited ANY personal interest as such! He was there to evaluate...meaning, he was to remain NEUTRAL. Indeed, digging into one's own pocket for a gift for a murder defendant he's hired to evaluate is NOT remaining an uninterested party!

I don't know how the jury will view (or did view) Samuels' testimony. Regardless, my opinion stands.

Hey regi! I agree with you. I also think that both Martinez and the jury probably feel that Arias manipulated Samuels. Arias + man in same room = her flirting and crying and flipping her hair, asking for stuff, etc. Like a true psychopath, she can customize her manipulations for each victim. I guess the defense wanted a pushover and he proved to be a little too much of a pushover. Even though he is a trained professional, I think he was overwhelmed. I feel somewhat sorry for the man, even though I question his professionalism.

[boos2u]

Hi all! I'm new here. I hope justice prevails for Travis and his the Alexander family!!!

Welcome, poodledoodlemom! Hey regi, look, another Texas lady.

[Leftcoastgal]

Gee this case could go on for a long time, however to me the only proof that would mean anything is if Jodi killed travis with the gun or knife frist of which can`t seem to be decided in this case.

What happened to question of premeditation? Here I was convinced this is the only question that remained, and would assist the jury with the life or death penatly phase.

Please, share your thoughts on how this remains a strong open question for you and the jury, am I missing something (again)? (Guessing we all try & go over the facts as a juror might)

[docyabut2]

What happened to question of premeditation? Here I was convinced this is the only question that remained, and would assist the jury with the life or death penatly phase.

Please, share your thoughts on how this remains a strong open question for you and the jury, am I missing something (again)? (Guessing we all try & go over the facts as a juror might)

I guess the question is if it was premeditation,tarvis would have been shot frist, but it is apparent in the evidence he may have been stabbed frist in a fit of anger and rage.In the demonstation on HLN last night the public and all of the juries except one decided jodi was gulity of stabbing travis frist, when presented the evidence .

Edited April 3, 2013 by docyabut2

[Regi]

Hey regi! I agree with you. I also think that both Martinez and the jury probably feel that Arias manipulated Samuels. Arias + man in same room = her flirting and crying and flipping her hair, asking for stuff, etc. Like a true psychopath, she can customize her manipulations for each victim. I guess the defense wanted a pushover and he proved to be a little too much of a pushover. Even though he is a trained professional, I think he was overwhelmed. I feel somewhat sorry for the man, even though I question his professionalism.

Hey, Girl!

Good word for Samuesl! Pushover!, big time, and you hit the bullseye about the defense...for them, it was a catch-22. They needed someone like Samuel's but someone like Samuel's serves to be an embarrassment on cross.

I'm not impressed by a long career. I didn't find Samuels professional in several aspects, and I don't believe he has the ability to be impartial. I don't feel sorry for him. He used smoke and mirrors with his testimony, and it's outrageous because he presented himself to be an expert and experts don't need smoke and mirrors!

Personally, I got a sort of 'smarmy' feel from the man. In fact, that's a recurring feeling.

Remember Searcy? Oh, Lord. King of Smarm! Remember... he gave Arias a cell phone (why are men compelled to give Arias things? ) Btw, I wonder if that was after she 'lost' the one she'd recorded that May 10th phone call on...

And remember that man Arias lived with? The divorced man with a son? The man was in his forties and hooked up with a girl in her early twenties, and went in with her on a house mortgage! Seriously?! Loser!

Also, he appeared evasive on the stand. I was just recently able to view his testimony, and to me, he attempted to come across as appropriate...sophisticated, but the work/domestic situations he described dictated otherwise.

And what was that about a remote control that he'd left in Arias' rental car?!

The prosecutor established that after Arias borrowed the gas cans and left, that she actually went back to his house to return 'his' remote to him. Martinez didn't go further with his questioning, and I'm curious as heck about what he might have up his sleeve regarding that remote!

[Regi]

Welcome, poodledoodlemom! Hey regi, look, another Texas lady.

Hive-five, poodledoodlemom, and welcome aboard!

[Regi]

I guess the question is if it was premeditation,tarvis would have been shot frist, but it is apparent in the evidence he may have been stabbed frist in a fit of anger and rage.In the demonstation on HLN last night the public and all of the juries except one decided jodi was gulity of stabbing travis frist, when presented the evidence .

To me, while the gun is a HIGHLY incriminating piece of evidence re: premeditation, it's only one piece of MANY which serve to show premeditation. (There's a video on YouTube re: the premeditation evidence of this murder.)

Whether or not Arias used the gun first is of no consequence to me because I believe that she went there with the intention of killing Alexander. In other words, how she succeeded in killing him doesn't matter to me.

[Leftcoastgal]

I guess the question is if it was premeditation,tarvis would have been shot frist, but it is apparent in the evidence he may have been stabbed frist

Hi docyabut2 ~ I have to agree with regi's response, premeditation is a separate issue. While JA may have planned events she couldn't have planned outcomes. In other words, who's to say it went as she had planned, right? If it had I doubt we'd of seen the hallway in the condition it was left in, i.e. blood alley. So regardless of what may have been planned, there is the fact of what actually did occur in those few minutes once the attack began. There was chaos, there was murder. There was a man trying to outrun or fight his assailant... she didn't plan that part I'm sure.

As for the gunshot, after listening to the ME's testimony twice, I'm certain it's as he stated it, the gunshot came last, as a last blow to ensure death, as if she may have doubted the wounds already inflicted were sufficient.

[Leftcoastgal]

Defense witness LaViolette is beginning to show signs of wear, IMO. She's looking tired & drained today. I feel for her knowing she's not even close to being done, let alone that the prosecution cross is going to be brutal, I think that's a safe bet to make. All worn out and here comes a pit bull... YIKES!

This trial must be setting records for duration of witness testimonies. .

[Leftcoastgal]

Does anyone remember (approx.) what point or day of trial Juan Martinez questioned the prisoner about the text messages TA sent her on May 26th. I'm curious as these msgs seem almost to have put a plan into immediate action... It seems as if motive screams out from that series of texts, and it's not about "I love/hate you", even though this does exist. It's more JA preserving her status quo I'm thinking. Anyway, I missed this part of trial, wanted to take a look at how that went on the stand... how Juan drew it out and nailed it down. Anyone... ring any bells for you?

May 26 Texts -

May 28 Gun Stolen

June borrows $ from Paul

June 2 Rents Car

June 4 murders Travis

I am SO not looking for long drawn out sex stuff, it's specifically the texts TA sent to JA on May 26th that began like this:

"I sent you a response to your dire conversation, that I hope you read because you need to read it. Maybe it will spark human emotion in you... "

Thanks for giving it a thought... and better yet, an answer if ya have one!

[Keel M.]

Not sure if any of you guys heard about this, but it seems one juror has been dismissed:

The Jodi Arias jury has a new panel member three months to the date since testimony began.

Arizona Judge Sherry Stephens dismissed a juror Tuesday morning after a meeting in her chambers with the prosecution and defense.

When the parties emerged from the meeting Stephens announced Juror Five had been removed and an alternate had been seated. Stephens did not explain the dismissal in court and told the jury panel not to speculate on the reason for the woman's dismissal.

On Sunday, Arias' defense team filed a motion for a mistrial. They accused Juror Five of misconduct, but they did not cite any specifics in their motion.

According to CNN, Juror Five, a woman in her 30s, had been gossiping about the case. She was seen sobbing when she left the courthouse, the news network reported.

The dismissed juror reportedly remains under a court-imposed gag order. She is the first juror dismissed from the case.

The judge denied the defense motion for a mistrial and the trial continued Tuesday afternoon.

Full story

Edited April 3, 2013 by Lady Kasey

[Regi]

Defense witness LaViolette is beginning to show signs of wear, IMO. She's looking tired & drained today. I feel for her knowing she's not even close to being done, let alone that the prosecution cross is going to be brutal, I think that's a safe bet to make. All worn out and here comes a pit bull... YIKES!

This trial must be setting records for duration of witness testimonies. .

Yeah, you know, I think the prosecution wrapped up it's end in mid Jan....

Anyway, I'm looking soooo danged forward to Martinez's cross of that abuse expert.

[Regi]

Does anyone remember (approx.) what point or day of trial Juan Martinez questioned the prisoner about the text messages TA sent her on May 26th. I'm curious as these msgs seem almost to have put a plan into immediate action... It seems as if motive screams out from that series of texts, and it's not about "I love/hate you", even though this does exist. It's more JA preserving her status quo I'm thinking. Anyway, I missed this part of trial, wanted to take a look at how that went on the stand... how Juan drew it out and nailed it down. Anyone... ring any bells for you?

May 26 Texts -

May 28 Gun Stolen

June borrows $ from Paul

June 2 Rents Car

June 4 murders Travis

I am SO not looking for long drawn out sex stuff, it's specifically the texts TA sent to JA on May 26th that began like this:

"I sent you a response to your dire conversation, that I hope you read because you need to read it. Maybe it will spark human emotion in you... "

That makes two of us!

I know exactly what you're referring to, but I don't even know if those texts were entered into evidence. It seems they certainly would have been!

I've seen others speculate that those texts where likely the triggering event for Arias.

I'm looking forward to the rebuttal part of the trial because I'm not at all familiar with what that's all about.

Edited April 4, 2013 by regi

[Leftcoastgal]

That makes two of us!

I know exactly what you're referring to, but I don't even know if those texts were entered into evidence. It seems they certainly would have been!

I've seen others speculate that those texts where likely the triggering event for Arias.

I'm looking forward to the rebuttal part of the trial because I'm not at all familiar with what that's all about.

Hey there Ms. regi.... yet another trial day rolling out. I caught a couple minutes at front end, defense asking for jury to be sequestered apparently. Denied. I have wondered about this myself, especially most recently as it gets more and more press and crowds at courthouse.

So.....back to our case (haha) If the texts were brought up while the prisoner was on the stand wouldn't they have to have been entered into evidence, assigned exhibit #'s etc.? I scoured you tube for testimony about these but got mired down by so much of the sexual stuff, got discouraged and stopped looking. I saved what is a majority of the texts from May 26th (I think) and when read together they seem a powerful ultimatum put forward by TA, calling the prisoner out on alot of stuff she'd done. I thought about posting them here but wondered if it was too much... let me know if you want to see the running texts... they're actually alarming to a degree and sure seem to have set things in motion.

The way things are going it will be a good while before we get to them in rebuttal. Arrrggghhhh!

EDIT - as it turns out the defense going thru text msg by msg today. They're up to May '08 now, & when I tuned back in they were exactly on the series I had questions about... found out the date on the series I had is incorrect, they were all from early april, so toss that theory.

Let's see what comes up for May 26th IN COURT, the only story we can trust... so much mix & match with the facts out in the ether you know what I mean?

Edited April 4, 2013 by Leftcoastgal

[Aaronsmom]

I think the big problem with the idea of self-defense or claiming jealous rage = no premeditation is that Travis was shot AND hacked to bits with a knife. If she shot Travis first in self-defense, how can defense justify a need to follow up with stabbing the victim more than 2 dozen times, not to mention, slashing his throat? If she used a knife to defend herself, how many times did she need to stab the guy and slash his throat in self-defense? And shoot him too? If she stabbed him in a fit of jealous rage, negating premeditation, why follow-up with shooting the guy? There is not argument that explains all she did in a way that lessens the brutality and cold-bloodedness of it IMO. Even if Travis did dominate and bully her, she should have broken off with him and stayed away. Murdering him isn't a defensible option.

[docyabut2]

Hi all, after listening to Laviollette all day, I can relate that Jodi many have been physically and emotionaly abused by Travis. The time before when she says he almost strangled her, was over her seeing someone else, he saw other women on along, where he claim to them he was a virgin in the religion, but with Jodi he was going all the way. And like Travis friend said Travis was obsessed with Jodi. On the day before Travis was killed he knew Jodi after their break up had plans to go Utah to see another guy.She may have stopped in to see Travis one more time and in his power grab over her he may have physically abused her. The reason I convinced is that her old boy friends say she was always a sweet person but since she got mixed up with Travis she changed and Travis abusvie ways could have done that to her.So she may have tried to defend herself.Another thing is the gun, she said Travis said it wasn`t loaded when she got it to defend herself to try and stopped him, it could explained why there was only one bullet in it, when she turn to the knife that they used in the sex act.To me it would take the death pentaly off the table and given a lighter sentence for going persek in takening his life. Laviollette was a good whitness and I think most of us women can relate to all she said about abuse from a man.Martinez is doing no good the way he is attacking her.

[Moon Gazer]

I think I read somewhere that the order of things wasn’t related to whether it was premeditated or not (as couple of others said, that is a different issue), but whether he suffered or not. If he was stabbed first he is more likely to have suffered and being in a lot of pain which would increase the chances of being given the death penalty (if found guilty of murder), but if it could be proven he was shot first it might reduce the sentencing even if found guilty.

Does anyone know if this would be true? I can’t remember where I read it so don’t know if it was anything official or just some comments made by the public.

[Myles]

Does anyone really believe that she will get the death penalty? Slim to no chance in my opinion. Even without the abuse defense, it is extremely rare that a young lady get it.

[docyabut2]

I think I read somewhere that the order of things wasn’t related to whether it was premeditated or not (as couple of others said, that is a different issue), but whether he suffered or not. If he was stabbed first he is more likely to have suffered and being in a lot of pain which would increase the chances of being given the death penalty (if found guilty of murder), but if it could be proven he was shot first it might reduce the sentencing even if found guilty.

Does anyone know if this would be true? I can’t remember where I read it so don’t know if it was anything official or just some comments made by the public.

http://www.hlntv.com/article/2013/01/22/what-really-killed-travis-alexander

The defence is trying to prove Travis was shot frist and the proscution is trying to prove he was stabbed frist, but after looking at all blood spatter and the clean up, either can`nt really be proven, just speculation.

[Moon Gazer]

http://www.hlntv.com...ravis-alexander

The defence is trying to prove Travis was shot frist and the proscution is trying to prove he was stabbed frist, but after looking at all blood spatter and the clean up, either can`nt really be proven, just speculation.

Thanks! I thought I had read it somewhere.

[Regi]

Hey there Ms. regi.... yet another trial day rolling out. I caught a couple minutes at front end, defense asking for jury to be sequestered apparently. Denied. I have wondered about this myself, especially most recently as it gets more and more press and crowds at courthouse.

So.....back to our case (haha) If the texts were brought up while the prisoner was on the stand wouldn't they have to have been entered into evidence, assigned exhibit #'s etc.? I scoured you tube for testimony about these but got mired down by so much of the sexual stuff, got discouraged and stopped looking. I saved what is a majority of the texts from May 26th (I think) and when read together they seem a powerful ultimatum put forward by TA, calling the prisoner out on alot of stuff she'd done. I thought about posting them here but wondered if it was too much... let me know if you want to see the running texts... they're actually alarming to a degree and sure seem to have set things in motion.

The way things are going it will be a good while before we get to them in rebuttal. Arrrggghhhh!

EDIT - as it turns out the defense going thru text msg by msg today. They're up to May '08 now, & when I tuned back in they were exactly on the series I had questions about... found out the date on the series I had is incorrect, they were all from early april, so toss that theory.

Let's see what comes up for May 26th IN COURT, the only story we can trust... so much mix & match with the facts out in the ether you know what I mean?

Hey there, Ms. Leftcoastgal!... Well, well, well, where do I start? Oh, yeah. I'm confused at what's entered into evidence and what's not. And the news articles aren't always accurate, and yes indeed, trying to find exhibits is a real pain in the tush!

I'm not aware of a site where one can find the court documents/exhibits, or believe me, I'd be posting them here.

You know, it's no wonder that with the interest in this trial and that it's gone on this long and that the jury goes home every night, that at some point, issues are bound to come to light associated with the jury/media/public.

( ... our case)

That theory? Nooooo, don't toss it! It turns out that at least some of the texts you referred to ARE in evidence. That one where Alexander says Arias is a sociopath and calls her out on other things...those are indeed from May 26th.

(Of course, the abuse expert had an entirely different interpretation of those, but we didn't expect anything other than what she said, now did we?

What can I say? It doesn't call for an expert to accurately interpret those texts. )

Anyway, look at what we know about the chain of events because whatever set them in motion occurred before the 28th. (I say May 28th because that's the first blatant indication- that I know of- of premeditation of murder.)

Arias wrote a 500 dollar check on May 25th (or, that was when it was dated... and I think she mailed it. According to what she told a detective on a phone interview, it was the first of her payments she was to make to Alexander for the BMW he'd sold to her. It seems she said he wanted something like a hundred dollars a month minimum- it was a very casual agreement between them- but apparently, according to the amount- then she'd had the car for a while without making any payments. I wonder, though, if there wasn't something more to that 500 dollar check.)

Then there was text from Alexander on the 26th and the burglary reported May 28th.

I don't know anything about the communication between Arias and Alexander immediately prior to or since those on the 26th, and it'd be nice to know why Arias wrote that check- in that amount- on the 25th when it's highly doubtful she could make good on it.

I'd like to know what Arias did that caused Alexander to call her out like he did in those texts. I think it could have been an invasion of privacy issue, or certainly, several things combined, but it's clear that whatever it was, it was huge from Alexander's perspective.

Edited April 5, 2013 by regi

[Aaronsmom]

This Snow White thing is so ridiculous! "Was Snow White a Battered Women?" That's the title of a presentation Alyce LaViolette gave at some domestic violence conference in Calif. some time ago. What a bunch of hokum! LaV. claims Snow White was an abused child. Uh, excuse me? According to the fairy tail, Snow White was abused by her wicked stepmother--A WOMAN! Not a boyfriend, not a husband, not a partner, none of the dwarves. It says Prince Charming kissed her while she was in a coma, she woke up, they fell in love, got married, and LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER! It says nothing about Snow White marrying the prince, who turned out to be a batterer who knocked SW around for years, bullied her, dominated her and coerced her into kinky sex that degraded her. It didn't say she got pushed around by the prince until she couldn't take it anymore, so she snapped one day and butchered the guy. How dumb. Someone I know said Martinez is going after ALV on this to make her look like a flake, to discredit her. IMO, anyone who makes up the premise of Snow White being a battered woman deserves discrediting. I wonder how much ALV was paid to give that Snow White talk. I would like to know how many hungry children living in poverty could have had a nutritious meal on the money paid to ALV for that malarche. Sheesh!

[Leftcoastgal]

There is not argument that explains all she did in a way that lessens the brutality and cold-bloodedness of it IMO. Even if Travis did dominate and bully her...

... Murdering him isn't a defensible option.

Hi Aaronsmom... I think this is the full point the prosecution wants to drive home to the jury... and by extension to the death house. JM referred repeatedly to TA's suffering when he had the ME on the stand. It is, as you said, indefensible. The facts show it to be exactly what it was, regardless of which side tells it, for TA it was brutal and then some.

[+ouija ouija]

I think I read somewhere that the order of things wasn’t related to whether it was premeditated or not (as couple of others said, that is a different issue), but whether he suffered or not. If he was stabbed first he is more likely to have suffered and being in a lot of pain which would increase the chances of being given the death penalty (if found guilty of murder), but if it could be proven he was shot first it might reduce the sentencing even if found guilty.

He was just as likely to have 'suffered and been in a lot of pain' if the gunshot was the first wound because the gunshot wasn't enough to have killed him.

[Leftcoastgal]

Hey Ms. regi...

yesterdays court review of txt & IM's is posted on YT. Trial day 41. You can get decent screen shots of the spreadsheet detailing the communications, pause the clip & enlarge so you can read them yourself w/o lawyers and witness discussion. (nice feature haha). Anyway, wanted to comment on some of your thoughts. I sure hope JM loses this Snow White analogy he's trying to use right now. It feels like a poor fit... he's taking big risk with an already tired jury, IMO. Anyway... a few days rest is right on time!

'regi' timestamp='1365179326' post='4724715']

That theory? Nooooo, don't toss it! It turns out that at least some of the texts you referred to ARE in evidence. That one where Alexander says Arias is a sociopath and calls her out on other things...those are indeed from May 26th.

So I learned. What I had did incl. bits from April, most were 26^th though incomplete. IM's covered a period of 6-hrs, 16-pages in print. IM’s from 26^th are discussed in court Thurs 4/4

What can I say? It doesn't call for an expert to accurately interpret those texts.

True, but differences of opinion R likely though. I know I came away w/new perspective on how addicted these two were to each other, to the highs, lows, sex, fights, all of it. IMO they were equally enmeshed in a toxic relationship that neither could fully just walk away from. Example being after this 6-hr epic IM, TA unloading fully at JA from 1,000 miles away, a day (or 2? not confirmed yet) later he was nice to her again & inviting her to come over on her way to Utah for sex.

Anyway, look at what we know about the chain of events because whatever set them in motion occurred before the 28th

Yes, the plan manifests, action begins. 5/28 Grandpa’s gun disappears. Two questions I have about chain of events, & am sure JM covered them, so I'll look 4 'em later.

Arias wrote a 500 dollar check on May 25th this hasn’t come up a lot.

Can’t comment, don’t know enough about this. Nobody covered this yet in open court?. They did establish over last couple days that TA was borrowing money from folks, incl.JA. He wasn't in good financial shape, but guarded that fact closely, though who does share this with the world at large, besides nobody.

I don't know anything about the communication between Arias and Alexander immediately prior to or since those on the 26^th. Trial Day 41 reviews txt & IM’s going back Jan-May 26, then hands off LaViolette to prosecution.

I'd like to know what Arias did that caused Alexander to call her out like he did in those texts. I think it could have been an invasion of privacy issue, or certainly, several things combined.

Agreed by the 26^th IM he'd become aware of all the breaches into his various accounts. But there is more that isn’t clear, it's part of threatening the ultimatum of exposing her to everyone, but some part of this was left unsaid, (therefore undocumented). What is it i wonder? So big or awful it couldn't be IM'ed? Seemed like something else was there, avoided, but... could be nothing in the end.

I'm sure you'll be percolating over the parts that have a hold on your thoughts, like that check for one, maybe camera case still? Fit in a nice weekend while you're at it. This case is exhausting even for long distance viewers, imagine what the players are feeling like on Friday. WHEW with that Amen?

sorry if too long fellow trial watchers. I've trimmed it 2X ... really.