Noted as present in the gallery today: For the Victim - Stephen and Samantha Alexander and other siblings whose names I don't know, Chris and Sky Hughes, Deanna Reid; For the Defendant - Bill, Sandy and Angela Arias.
11:33am Central (9:32am Pacific): [Great Seal on Live Feed] - HLN reports the Defense team is in the interview room with Jodi Arias. A podium has been placed in front of the jury box.
11:38am Central: [Great Seal] - HLN reports Kirk Nurmi is in the courtroom, Arias is not.
11:43am Central: [Great Seal] - HLN reports Arias enters the courtroom dressed in black, goes into the judge's chambers.
11:55am Central: [Great Seal] - Ex-parte meeting still in progress.
11:57am Central: [Great Seal] - All parties have gone into judge's chambers per HLN's Jean Casarez.
12:10pm Central: [Great Seal] - Prosecutor and victim's siblings move to the witness room.
12:26pm Central: [Great Seal] - Prosecutor and siblings came out of the witness room; Defense is still in Judge's chambers per HLN's Selin Darkalstanian.
12:30pm Central: [Great Seal] - Official 1-hour delay reached.
12:36pm Central: [Great Seal] - HLN reports Arias moved to the holding cell with her mitigation specialist.
12:38pm Central: [Great Seal] - Father and sister of Arias leave the courtroom, apparently mother remains.
12:48pm Central: [Great Seal] - Casarez reports packets of materials placed on both Defense and Prosecution tables.
12:52pm Central: Stephens takes the bench. Father and sister of Arias are back in the gallery.
JUDGE STEPHENS: Calls for the jury.
STEPHENS: Thank you for your patience. Ms. Womack was supposed to testify regarding the abuse ... she is unavailable to testify. The Defendant will now speak to you. She is not under oath and not subject to cross-examination. You may proceed... please wait to begin. One of the jurors needs a new headset. You may proceed.
JODI ARIAS: I never meant to cause [the family of Travis] so much pain. I didn't learn until last week what happened to his grandma. To know that I may have inadvertently induced her passing destroys me. If I get life there are many things I can do... people I can help... programs I can participate in. I donated my hair to Locks of Love... I will continue to donate. If I'm sentenced to life I'll live in the general population [and be able to teach them Spanish and American Sign Language]. I could start a prison recycling program. Reading has enriched my life... I can help other women become literate. I'd like to start a book club in prison. I've designed a T-shirt, 100% of proceeds to other survivors of domestic violence. Insists she IS a victim.
[Shows childhood pictures.]
Patti Womack isn't here today because she and her daughter were threatened if they testified. [Doesn't clarify by whom]
[Relates relationship with Bobby Juarez, shows photo.]
[Photo of Arias and Matt McCartney]
[Photo of Arias and Darryl Brewer]
[More damned irrelevant photos....]
I'm never going to be a mother because of my own terrible choices.
[Shows her lame artwork]
Following my arrest, I wanted so much to avoid trial. Instead, I was hoping to go quietly off into the night. I felt it was necessary to speak out. I went on TV and I lied. I didn't want to drag out Travis' skeletons. It's never been my intention to throw mud on Travis' name. I loved him and looked up to him. This is the worst mistake of my life, the worst thing I've ever done... I never wanted to harm spiders. I never wanted to believe I was capable of such violence. I'm horrified.
My family [has been destroyed]. I caused them to hurt [and Travis' family].
If I get life, Stephen won't have to look at me. I said I wanted death and I meant it but I lacked perspective. To me, life in prison was the most unappealing thing I could think of. [Spare me for my family.] If my life is shortened, the people you will hurt the most will be my family.
I want everyone's healing to begin. I want everyone's pain to stop.
CRY ME AN F ' ING RIVER, BITCH! You smiled all the way through that. Yeah, Jury, if you kill Jodi you'll only be hurting her family. Ah but she really really wants to die. Spin your heads around that, Jury. Damn, this is the happiest I've seen Arias in a long while!
STEPHENS: [Jury asked to leave]. Counsel please approach. [Sidebar; Jury returns, Jodi seems pleased with herself.] Ladies and gentlemen, the bailiff will give you a copy of the instructions for the final penalty phase. [Reads instructions then calls lunch recess.] Please return at 1:15pm. You are excused.
To be continued... here.
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