The Jodi Arias Trial--Fatal Attraction – The Murder of Travis Alexander

[HairOfTheDog]

Whatta POS she is. I really hope that jury has its act together, we've been witness to so many that haven't.

I think Juan Martinez sealed Jodi's fate today. He spent the day forcing her to take responsibility for everything that she claims she can't remember in terms of the murder (using logic, forensics, receipts, phone records, her own words...) and made a very strong case for premeditation using the same tactics. He was outstanding and focused; he had Jodi backed into a corner with nowhere to go. For a period after lunch, Jodi refused to even look at Martinez while he questioned her. Weird.

Martinez rested his cross-examination today. I think next week is redirect with Nurmi, rebuttal with Martinez, juror questions, expert witness testimony and then closing arguments. I don't think this trial will be over until mid March.

[JsMom]

Did anyone else see on HLN where the media showed a video of her balling but right after she took her glasses off they slowed it down and you can clearly see That Bitch smile. ???

[Adub]

So, we're finally at Martinez questioning Jodi about the actual killing.

Jodi's story is ludicrous.

She says:
-She drops the camera while taking photos of Travis in the shower
-Travis immediately body slams her to the tile (maybe with one foot in the shower, maybe not, she can't remember)
-Her head is facing south (she remembers that though)

Never Eat Soggy Waffles

[Barbara]

During the trial today when Jodi commented that her cell was smaller than Travis's closet, I could not help but think of how small a "cell" she forced Travis to be in forever, because of the choices she made that day. I think the Prosecution has done a great job in exposing the truth in all of her lies. I hope for Travis's family that she gets life in that prison.

[HairOfTheDog]

During the trial today when Jodi commented that her cell was smaller than Travis's closet, I could not help but think of how small a "cell" she forced Travis to be in forever, because of the choices she made that day. I think the Prosecution has done a great job in exposing the truth in all of her lies. I hope for Travis's family that she gets life in that prison.

I would be okay with LWOP too, though in Jodi's case, the death penalty would not bother me. Anything less than LWOP will be a slap in the face to the Alexander family, imo. I thought the prosecution's final day of cross-examination (yesterday) was incredibly damning to Jodi.

Here's a picture of the closet in Travis's bedroom, shown in court yesterday.

Jodi claims that she ran in here after she escaped Travis's initial attack in the bathroom. The closet is totally undisturbed, nothing out of place. But, Jodi claims there was a gun on the upper right shelf and that she somehow managed to stand on another shelf, grab this gun, and run to the middle of the bathroom before Travis (who for some reason took forever to chase her from the bathroom into this closet and back into the bathroom) caught up to her and lunged at her like a "linebacker", forcing her to shoot him to save her own life. She claims that's when the memory "fog set in".


Here's a picture of a bullet casing found inside of Travis's bathroom; shown in court yesterday.

The bullet casing is clearly on top of a pool of blood. The Medical Examiner believes that Travis was stabbed first and shot last. But, Jodi says she shot first just to stop him from attacking her (self defense) and can't remember any stabbing. Martinez argued that she couldn't have shot first or there would be no blood for the casing to land upon. Jodi responded, "that's not where the cartridge landed". Martinez didn't push it. Either Jodi's lying about not remembering what happened after the shot, or Jodi's lying about shooting first. I think it's the latter, but Martinez busted her out either way without going further.


Here's a diagram of wounds to Travis's back, Jodi was shown the actual autopsy photo in court yesterday (which includes stab wounds to the head as well).

While Jodi says she shot first in self defense, Travis has 29 knife-inflicted wounds altogether, with 9 of them to his back. Martinez essentially asked Jodi during his final day of cross, "ok, let's go with your version and assume you shot first; you say you shot him and he cursed at you and then hit the ground; so he's incapacitated and no threat and yet you stabbed him 9 times in the back, why?" Jodi can't answer that question, the memory fog had already set in.

Other really incriminating info that was tied together in the last day of cross-examination:
1. Jodi claimed she borrowed gas cans to fill up in Arizona because gas was cheaper there than Cali. However, she actually filled them up in California on the way to Az. Martinez has the receipts. He argues she premeditated the murder and used the canned gas after the murder so that there would be no record that she was in Arizona that day. Premeditation.

2. Jodi claims that she was in a fog after shooting Travis, but she had the presence of mind to try to clean/alter the scene, delete nude photos from Travis's camera, put sheets (and camera) in washing machine, call Mr. Burns and lie about getting lost to explain why she would be late arriving to his house, etc... Shows guilt; immediately trying to cover tracks.

3. Jodi left cheerful voicemails for Travis after she killed him. 3 days after she killed him, she also sent him an email calling him "sweetie" and apologizing for not being able to get off work to come and see him before he goes to Cancun. She indicated she would probably be in town when he was in Cancun and she planned to sleep on his comfy couch*. Shows guilt; intentionally trying to mislead investigators; covering tracks.
*Yikes, Travis told his friend Mimi that he had a stalker named Jodi who used to crawl into his house through the doggie door and sleep on his couch - Mimi told the police this when they first questioned her after she and his friends found his body - she testified about it on the first day of the trial).

I don't think there's any way that Jodi can be found guilty of anything less than first degree premeditated murder given all of the facts. I hope the jury sees it the same.

[Duchess]

I have concerns with her being on the stand for so damn long. If this jury begins to feel like they know her in some fashion it will be very difficult for them to go with the death penalty.

[username]

Did anyone else see on HLN where the media showed a video of her balling but right after she took her glasses off they slowed it down and you can clearly see That Bitch smile. ???

I heard about that but haven't seen it. I want to see it.

[Duchess]

I looked for it briefly but HLN has 110 youtube videos regarding her.

[HairOfTheDog]

I have concerns with her being on the stand for so damn long. If this jury begins to feel like they know her in some fashion it will be very difficult for them to go with the death penalty.

You might be right and it's probably the defense's strategy. But, she's less sympathetic the more she lies (and her lies have been clearly exposed) and her crying is ineffective, in my opinion. Could go either way.

While I'd be okay to see the bitch caged for life, I hope you're wrong because his family has been in court every single day and reportedly really wants the death penalty.

[HairOfTheDog]

Just heard a recap of yesterday's testimony. I remembered incorrectly; in her her email to him 3 days after she killed him, she said she was probably gonna be in Mesa when he was in Cancun and would probably sleep in his "cozy bed" (not his "comfy couch" as I posted upthread) .

I wish I could find that email in text. Very creepy that she thought this email would help her, as if there weren't texts from Travis telling her that they'd never be together and that she was a sociopath. I don't think she even realized that he would have told his friends that she was stalking him (which he not only did, but also told them that they should look at Jodi if anything happened to him).

[Duchess]

"Crawl into his house through the doggie door". That is so creepy.

[Sphincter Cop]

I wonder if she cut his throat and stabbed him in the bathroom. Only for him to collapse in the hallway. Where she shoots him between there and the shower. I can't imagine how long it took that idiot to drag him to the shower.

I think Martinez ended pretty strong. The defense has a lot of damage control to do now. CNN stated the jury has showed no emotion since the beginning of this trial. Like they are very stoic. I wonder what went through their heads when Martinez laid it all out with the mulitple gas cans, color of rental car issue, and her foggy memory. Not too mention "no jury will ever convict me video."

[Barbara]

Jodi was questioned by the Prosecutor about the rope that she claimed she and Travis used that day. Jodi also took that rope when she left, along with the gun. Why would she take the rope? I am thinking she must have tied Travis up at one point while she was murdering him. Although, I suppose he would have had rope marks on his body, or did she use it to drag him back to the shower?.....Could the shell casing that was found at the scene be traced back to the bullets that might have been in Jodi's Grandfathers house? We all know she was the one that stole her Grandfathers gun. Loved your post HairOfTheDog And yes Duchess, crawling through that doggie door......She is just too much. I would have a hard time putting anyone to death. I have thought about this lately because of this trial. Life in prison forever. Society would not be safe with Jodi free.

[Sphincter Cop]

I am not to sure about the use of the rope in the murder. His defensive wounds indicate that his hands were freely mobile. However, maybe she used it to pull the body into the bathroom from the hallway?

Wish the dumb whore would just tell the story as it happened. I would be willing to sacrifice a death penalty stance if she just owned up to being cuckoo over Travis.

[thekid65]

I'm kinda viewing this (her testimony) as a 12 round prize fight. Have it scored 7-4 after the 11^th. Martinez pummeled the shit out of her over the last two rounds. That wench is wobbly, dazed, and confused. She clearly looked badly beat down and wore out during the final day of cross. Can't blame her really, she's been on that stand for a long time. I don't think she'll be able to recover from the beating she took over the last couple rounds during the final round (re-direct).

Another punishment that would be appropriate would be to put her in a room with Alexanders sister for 24 hours:



That is one pissed off woman. She has had the same expression on her face every day since I started watching this trial.

Will be very cool to hear Martinezs' closing statement, when he puts the whole story together, to where it all makes sense, including the premeditation aspect.

In the end, however....I think she's managed to garner enough sympathy to escape the death penalty, and will end up with life in prison (no parole).

[d505]

Why would she take the rope?

The reason for the rope is to explain why there was a knife in Travis's room. She claims that the knife in Travis's room was used to cut the rope during their bondage play. Just like the gun was in Travis's closet when she needed to defend herself.

The defenses strategy for this is to argue that it was not MURDER ONE it was not pre-meditated. She did not bring the knife or gun into the room with her with intent to kill. Instead conveniently there was a knife and a gun in his room and closet when she needed to defend herself.

So to answer your question there was never a rope to take.

[d505]

I can't imagine how long it took that idiot to drag him to the shower.

Given the fact she technically "killed him three times": stabbed him 27 times shot him once---this lady was one angry lady full of adrenaline. I bet her blood was pumping... I bet she dragged him to the shower faster than superwoman.

[Barbara]

d505 That does seem a logical. I was thinking last night about how she "claims" she cannot remember certain things, to help her seem like a battered woman who was suffering....NOT....A woman who has lost her mind would not be together enough to lock Travis's bedroom door while leaving her crime. Duchess, I would so love to know what really happened that day, that would be the least she could do for the family. Could anyone really ever believe her? Also, with the camera going off and taking the photo of her foot near his head, I am thinking while she was taking the shower photo's, she had the camera around her neck, perhaps she had the gun pointed at Travis the whole time he was in the shower. I just do not know how a man as strong as he was could not use force to somehow stop her at one point. I knew when she had to demonstrate how Travis looked as he came after her when the gun went off, that she would make sure to turn her head just so, to be sure the bullet would had entered his face as to where it did. She is pure evil.

[Barbara]

As extensive and well organized as Travis's closet was, one would assume he kept a pair of scissors handy for tags and strings on his clothing. Most people do not carry a knife all the way up the stairs to cut something.

[Sphincter Cop]

In looking at this photo, has anyone thought that the way his arm is positioned; that she might have been pulling him at that point.


I cannot get away from this photo either. The blood pattern is more of a spray. I am really intrigued if she cut his throat here at the sink, then he tried to fight her off down the hallway only to collapse. Then she finished the job by shooting him as he lay there bleeding out. It could have happened so many different ways. Wish the crazy bitch would just tell the real story.


This is an interesting format; which the original photos do indicate a timeframe.