Selecting a jury in the penalty retrial of convicted murderer Jodi Arias has been easier than many first anticipated. Arias was found guilty of murdering her on-again/off-again boyfriend Travis Alexander in June 2008. Arias changed her story several times while on trial, but what was clear was that stabbing Alexander 30 times, slitting his throat and then shooting the victim seemed like a display of overkill rather than self-defense. Jurors originally agreed and convicted Arias, but then the case went sideways during the first penalty phase. Some 300 potential jurors were interviewed for the second shot at a penalty phase in Arias's case, and the official panel is expected to be seated Tuesday, Oct. 21. Her defense team is fighting to get the death penalty off the table.
Since jurors could not agree on a sentence for Arias the first time around, prosecutors have used this opportunity to beef up their presentation of this case in the hopes of securing a death sentence for Arias. Her team is, of course, attempting to get the death penalty off the table.
If unsuccessful, Arias's defense team is expected to present their side in a manner that will pave their path through an appeals process.
Arias's complicated and obsessive romance with Alexander has not only made legal headlines, but turned into the kind of true-crime story that appealed to a broad audience. Of course, every detail has been documented in the tabloids, but Lifetime also made a movie version of this case that did well in the ratings.
These things only made it harder to sit an impartial jury, but somehow the Phoenix court system has managed to do that.
Do you think the death penalty will ultimately be thrown out before the penalty retrial begins, or will Arias's team end up fighting for her life a second time? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!
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