Arias: Penalty Phase 5/16 (2)

Proceeding Notes & Opinions - Mitigation

These are my notes, not a verbatim transcript.  Part 1, Victim Impact Statements.

While waiting for court to resume, I get goofy angry with talking heads calling for Jodi Arias to apologize.  In the first place, she is not at all sorry.  In her warped mind, Travis made her kill him -- she did nothing wrong.  She is the victim here, not Travis.  And, in the second place, nobody would believe any apology pushed across her lips as being anything more than just another manipulative, self-serving lie.  Come on, people, stop wasting your breath harping about an apology.

2:10pm Pacific - HLN just reported Patti Womack, friend of Arias and expected mitigation witness, is in chambers with the judge.

2:20pm Pacific - Still staring at the state seal.  Holly Hughes on HLN's Evening Express speculates Arias will use her artwork as the big-gun mitigating factor... that she will sell her artwork and give the profits to victims of domestic violence.  Uh, right.  I'm betting only a portion of the profits (i.e. her 10% tithing mentioned in the KSAZ-TV interview) will go anywhere other than her own commissary account.  And should the State choose to go after her for legal expenses (as Florida did against Casey Anthony), she'll probably cease to be an artist altogether.

2:30pm Pacific - The in-chambers meeting is still in progress.

2:40pm Pacific - Ditto.  Good Lord, is this witness backing out or what?  She's probably scared she'll get cross-examined about the pot-growing incident.  In an interview she gave to Nancy Grace she declined to talk about that when asked.  It's not as if the statute of limitations didn't run out eons ago.  So is there something else she doesn't want to testify to if asked?

2:44pm Pacific - Jean Casarez, HLN legal correspondent, reports the Alexander family being escorted into the judge's chambers by Juan Martinez.

Patti Womack with Sandy Arias

3:00pm Pacific - Judge has ordered that Patti Womack's testimony will be audio only.  Darryl Brewer, previously restricted to audio only will now have no restrictions.  Criminitaly!!  You wasted an hour of everyone's time on petty crap like this?  Patti's face has been all over the television [Nancy Grace Show] and internet.  Now she's shy?

3:05pm Pacific - How do we get here?  Arias wants to die.  Nurmi and Willmott want off the case.  Now we have to hear how we should spare her in spite of herself.

3:11pm Pacific - Now HLN reports everyone except the families have been asked to leave the courtroom.  What a circus!

3:15pm Pacific - Casarez now reports the family has been asked to leave the courtroom. 

3:28pm Pacific - I'm seeing video from inside the courtroom.  Maybe we're actually going to have court again today. 

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JUDGE STEPHENS: Apologizes for the delay.  We're unable to proceed this afternoon.  Please return on Monday at 10am.  You are excused.

To be continued ...someday.