Jodi Arias trial update: Tense, but worthy adversaries at the witness stand, The Jodi Arias death penalty trial is three months old and nowhere near completion. Defense mistrial requests, a dismissed juror, illness and defense tactics have taken the trial to surreal lengths. According to an April 9 ABC News article, the trial resumes today.
The trial reached the highest levels of heat and irritation on Monday as a more subdued prosecutor, Juan Martinez, grilled domestic abuse expert Alyce LaViolette. Martinez still went after LaViolette like a linebacker. La Violette was an equally powerful combatant who stood her ground.
The day started with LaViolette's evasive responses and narrative answers.She repeatedly accused Martinez of "mischaracterizing" her statements, but that tactic eventually failed her. The normally laconic judge repeatedly instructed her to answer the questions. Martinez repeatedly yelled "Yes or no!"
The "Snow White" issue came up because LaViolette used the theme for one of her speeches. Trial watchers scratched their heads until Martinez revealed the method to his madness. He brought out two important facts: That just as LaViolette never interviewed the fictional Seven Dwarfs; she did not extensively interview the victim or witnesses. She based the bulk of her conclusions and opinions on the word of Jodi Arias. Since her arrest in 2008, Arias has been a creative and prolific liar. This implies that the bulk of LaViolette's testimony was based on unreliable anecdotal evidence.
Martinez also showed how LaViolette's methodology is not scientific to the level where another psychologist could reproduce the same results. After sparring over such concepts as DNA and blood evidence, LaViolette was forced to admit that the bulk of her opinions are subjective and not objective or scientific.
Martinez also challenged LaViolette's claim that she was a keynote speaker at a major convention. He proved that she was only a workshop speaker. In academic and other circles, the Keynote speaker position is a major accomplishment. False claims about that role indicate a lack of professional integrity.
Under direct testimony LaViolette glibly and relentlessly twisted Arias's journal entries into proof that Arias was a domestic violence victim. LaViolette even went so far as to call Travis Alexander "the perpetrator" of his own murder.
LaViolette did make a compelling argument against giving "yes or no" answers to all questions. She lost points when she stubbornly kept giving rambling answers to every question instead of doing so only when appropriate.
The trial continues on Tuesday with the defense's latest request for a mistrial based on prosecutor's misconduct. The defense claims that Martinez yells, tosses pencils and uses aggression that prevents them from providing an adequate defense. In addition, LaViolette created a furor when she approached the Alexander family and spoke to them. This is a serious violation of court procedure. Finally, the judge must decide whether to allow a videotaped police interview where Arias's Father said the defendant was "crazy".
LaViolette is on the stand right now for a tenth day of sparring with Martinez as Travis Alexander's sole advocate. Arizona allows juror questions and word is that the jurors have some. Then the defense will redirect and Martinez will cross-examine once more.
Currently, the defense is using forensic psychology to prove that Arias feared for her life on June 4, 2008. That strategy is not going well. The first witness, Dr. Richard Samuels, did poorly. LaViolette faces a huge backlash from domestic violence victims who see Travis Alexander as the victim, not Jodi Arias.
Arias stabbed Travis Alexander 29 times, shot him in the head, attempted to clean the crime scene, removed a gun and knife and left for a tryst with another boyfriend. Alexander lay dead in his shower for five days before roommates discovered his body. Arias took actions before and after the murder that give powerful evidence of premeditation. Missing evidence, prolific lying and the victim's state of decomposition make it difficult to prove premeditation beyond a reasonable doubt.
Arias claims to be "in a fog" about the actual killing, yet recalls vast numbers of other details. Like Casey Anthony, Arias constructs elaborate, detailed stories and embellishes them when cornered. After her arrest in 2008, her self-defense claim followed told two other stories about the crime. Arias has been in jail since then.
Twitter and Facebook are buzzing as a growing crowd congregates to discuss the disturbing case, communicate their theories and express their opinions about the murder.
CNN's Headline News channel discovered a trial coverage gold mine, but the coverage gets a lot of criticism. Viewers complain about frequent commercial interruptions, terminated coverage and irritating commentary from a growing crowd of characters. Since the demise of full, live coverage at Court TV, more trial followers are resorting to live streaming at YouTube and other websites.
Prosecutor Juan Martinez holds a 14-0 win/loss record that includes convicting the only other women who sits on Arizona's death row. Now he and a growing number of trial followers want Jodi Arias on death row or removed from society for the rest of her life.
source examiner
The trial reached the highest levels of heat and irritation on Monday as a more subdued prosecutor, Juan Martinez, grilled domestic abuse expert Alyce LaViolette. Martinez still went after LaViolette like a linebacker. La Violette was an equally powerful combatant who stood her ground.
The day started with LaViolette's evasive responses and narrative answers.She repeatedly accused Martinez of "mischaracterizing" her statements, but that tactic eventually failed her. The normally laconic judge repeatedly instructed her to answer the questions. Martinez repeatedly yelled "Yes or no!"
The "Snow White" issue came up because LaViolette used the theme for one of her speeches. Trial watchers scratched their heads until Martinez revealed the method to his madness. He brought out two important facts: That just as LaViolette never interviewed the fictional Seven Dwarfs; she did not extensively interview the victim or witnesses. She based the bulk of her conclusions and opinions on the word of Jodi Arias. Since her arrest in 2008, Arias has been a creative and prolific liar. This implies that the bulk of LaViolette's testimony was based on unreliable anecdotal evidence.
Martinez also showed how LaViolette's methodology is not scientific to the level where another psychologist could reproduce the same results. After sparring over such concepts as DNA and blood evidence, LaViolette was forced to admit that the bulk of her opinions are subjective and not objective or scientific.
Martinez also challenged LaViolette's claim that she was a keynote speaker at a major convention. He proved that she was only a workshop speaker. In academic and other circles, the Keynote speaker position is a major accomplishment. False claims about that role indicate a lack of professional integrity.
Under direct testimony LaViolette glibly and relentlessly twisted Arias's journal entries into proof that Arias was a domestic violence victim. LaViolette even went so far as to call Travis Alexander "the perpetrator" of his own murder.
LaViolette did make a compelling argument against giving "yes or no" answers to all questions. She lost points when she stubbornly kept giving rambling answers to every question instead of doing so only when appropriate.
The trial continues on Tuesday with the defense's latest request for a mistrial based on prosecutor's misconduct. The defense claims that Martinez yells, tosses pencils and uses aggression that prevents them from providing an adequate defense. In addition, LaViolette created a furor when she approached the Alexander family and spoke to them. This is a serious violation of court procedure. Finally, the judge must decide whether to allow a videotaped police interview where Arias's Father said the defendant was "crazy".
LaViolette is on the stand right now for a tenth day of sparring with Martinez as Travis Alexander's sole advocate. Arizona allows juror questions and word is that the jurors have some. Then the defense will redirect and Martinez will cross-examine once more.
Currently, the defense is using forensic psychology to prove that Arias feared for her life on June 4, 2008. That strategy is not going well. The first witness, Dr. Richard Samuels, did poorly. LaViolette faces a huge backlash from domestic violence victims who see Travis Alexander as the victim, not Jodi Arias.
Arias stabbed Travis Alexander 29 times, shot him in the head, attempted to clean the crime scene, removed a gun and knife and left for a tryst with another boyfriend. Alexander lay dead in his shower for five days before roommates discovered his body. Arias took actions before and after the murder that give powerful evidence of premeditation. Missing evidence, prolific lying and the victim's state of decomposition make it difficult to prove premeditation beyond a reasonable doubt.
Arias claims to be "in a fog" about the actual killing, yet recalls vast numbers of other details. Like Casey Anthony, Arias constructs elaborate, detailed stories and embellishes them when cornered. After her arrest in 2008, her self-defense claim followed told two other stories about the crime. Arias has been in jail since then.
Twitter and Facebook are buzzing as a growing crowd congregates to discuss the disturbing case, communicate their theories and express their opinions about the murder.
CNN's Headline News channel discovered a trial coverage gold mine, but the coverage gets a lot of criticism. Viewers complain about frequent commercial interruptions, terminated coverage and irritating commentary from a growing crowd of characters. Since the demise of full, live coverage at Court TV, more trial followers are resorting to live streaming at YouTube and other websites.
Prosecutor Juan Martinez holds a 14-0 win/loss record that includes convicting the only other women who sits on Arizona's death row. Now he and a growing number of trial followers want Jodi Arias on death row or removed from society for the rest of her life.
source examiner
