Jodi Arias Trial: In Her Own Words.. How I Killed Travis Alexander With HIS Gun and HIS Knife
Photo Courtesy AP Pool
Phoenix, Arizona- In today’s highly anticipated morning testimony, Jodi Arias finally “gets there”.
After weeks of what can only be described as the dog ate my defense testimony led by Kirk Nurmi, Jodi Arias explains the events leading up to and during the murder of Travis Alexander.
Arias describes an irate and menacing Travis who bounds from the shower, causing her to drop his new camera and pouncing on her, knocking her to the wet tile floor.
“ A five year old can hold a camera better than you.” Arias stated Alexander screamed at her among other threatening expletives while she struggled to break free.
She then ran to the master bedroom closet and apparently using the Spiderman techniques she absorbed via osmosis from the alleged Valentines gift, retrieved a gun she claimed Travis owned over two feet out of her reach while he was sprinting behind her.
She pointed the gun at him, did not realize it went off and then Travis, still coming at her, stumbles to his knees on the now bloody tile beneath him. ( Editors Note: As I have always said, I believe the order of this injury is true and is important to the charges against her)
Enter gratuitous memory gap.
“I have no memory of stabbing him.” – Jodi Arias
Although Arias admits to having flash backs, she states she cannot remember any other details with the exception of her crouched in the bathroom covered in blood and drops a knife she believes was upstairs used by Travis to cut ropes he used to tie her up to the bed.
She did however, have the presence of mind to grab the ropes, the gun, apparently removes and loses her shoes and has no idea what happened to the knife she used to stab Alexander 29 times and slit his neck from ear to ear.
Next memory she is driving in the desert with the gun she alleges was Travis’s when she pitches it out the window at a random location, then puts the ropes in a dumpster behind a gas station and washes blood off her hands.
Pause for Arias innocuous driving babble and road scenery.
“Why didn’t you call 911 and tell them what happened?” Kirk Nurmi asks his sniffling but tearless client.
” …He attacked you, why did you feel You messed up pretty badly?”
“This time it was different, he had done it before and nothing happened, it was heightened.” Responded Arias.
While approaching a check point in Utah, she feels like she will be apprehended there.
Arias decided to do a “whole bunch of things” to cover up she was ever there.
So .. “I called his phone to leave a voice mail”. For nearly 16 minutes she says she tried numerous times to leave a cheery voice mail to ask as if she was not present in Alexander’s home.
“I just thought they would be listening to his voice mail, so I just thought it would throw the scent off for a while.”
– Jodi Arias
Yes, she actually said that on the stand. Defense Attorney Kirk Nurmi was observed writing a note to co-counsel Jennifer Wilmott to send an assistant out to Sam’s for an industrial size supply of Tums.
I made that part up. Testimony continues following jury lunch break.
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I’m listening to her responses regarding the presence of the knife and the infamous “Fog” and I think this woman is toast.
Today the trial started at approximately 10:45 pdt. It is now 11:36 and the court has adjourned until 1:15. At this rate there is no fear of the death penalty as we all (jodi included) will have completed our natural lives…
Sometimes the banter between Jodi and Juan reminds me of the who’s on first skit.
Joan, one comment about premeditation. If she made up her mind at any point while she was with TA to kill him, that is premeditation. The knife and gun being available is a sign of premeditation. I dont care about the gas cans but renting a car, dying her hair, shutting her phone off so it wouldnt ping in Arizona, and creating an alibi for where she was wreaks of premeditation to me.
Great posts, kids!
Anyone else finding it difficult to tolerate Jodi’s clear lack of respect for authority? She is blatantly combative with JM, in a court of law. Lying is one thing. To go face to face with a court official is assanine. I can’t believe this behaviour has magically manifested out of the blue. This is her nature.
Is this the same Jodi, Travis knew? Combative. Stubborn beyond reason. Controlling. Needs to have the last word. It would have been terribly difficult to maintain conversation with this woman. Her stories have broken links, holes, missing details and have her in 2 places at the same time. I can’t keep up or follow her story, at all!
My humble observation:
I don’t condone physical harm against a child.
If the allegations Jodi has made about her parents using as a form of physical discipline, is true, it’s possible Jodi was already showing signs of being a difficult, defiant child, at a very early age. She stated her father started using the strap on her at the age of 7. So, 7 years into her life, he feels he needs to use the strap on his daugther? This isn’t text book characteristics of an abuser, of any kind. They show very early on, they are capable of endangering their loved ones, mentally, physically and verbally.
Desperation to get his daughter to submit to obedience? Makes me think she was showing signs of sociopathy, which looked a lot of rebellion and the inability to submit to authority, in her parents’ eyes. I’m not giving them a pass, but this looks so much like parents who may have been at their wits end. Then again, her credibility of telling the truth is shot like the elastic in my panty hose.
OMGOSH! I want to b*itch slap my tv hard enough for Arias to feel knocked back into prison, for good.
AJMO.
..and why aren’t we seeing Jodi begging for the death penalty?
Yes yes yes and yes mr. Martinez! It came late but it came. I always doubt her scenario was a lie because of the time. I said in my previous post the last pic alive from Travis alive must have been the one of him sitting in the shower with no head no arms to be seen because by then he begun to fight for his life. She had the knife with her in that bathroom. Mr. Martinez seems to say the blood that can be seen in the pic from the hall with the foot came from the troat being slit and not from the shoot. And she tries to not answer any questions because she knows he knows…
The fight begun as he was sitting in the shower. She attacked him with the knife he stood up got to the sinck ( maybe shouting “are you crazy what have you done “)
Remember the blood spots at the sinck there were small ones to the left from a wound that spread blood out. ( the shot to the head was from upper eyebrow fight
The fight begun as he was sitting in the shower. She attacked him with the knife,he stood up, got to the sinck ( maybe shouting “are you crazy what have you done “)
Remember the blood spots at the sinck some of them were very small on the left side of the sinck ,from a wound that spread blood out. ( the shot to the head was from upper eyebrow right to the under left cheek with no exit wound and the spots of blood were on left side of the sink, so those could not come from the shot in the head)
She stabbes him again this time into his back. He moves around try to flee down the hall, collapses on his knees and his hands and at this point she stabbes again until she slips his troat. She wants to put him back into the shower and as she draws him to the bathroom he is grasping for air. His lasts grasps. She goes to the bedroom takes the gun, goes back to the place (where the bullet case was later found ) and shoot him in the head. For me that is how it happened…
The sneer on Travis’ brother’s face says it all.
My heart simply goes out to the family. I can’t imagine enduring this spiteful process JA is putting them through. IMO, this is another example of her ‘whatever it takes; no regrets; MEMEMEMEMEMEMEMEEEEEEEE!’
I hope the jury has noted Jodi’s ability to look them in the eye, and lie.
Discussing tonight on The Dana Pretzer Show so who else’s link would I post this on, FriendLY?
http://scaredmonkeysradio.com/2013/03/13/the-dana-pretzer-show-wednesday-marchy-13-2013-dont-miss-tonights-show-with-authors-martin-clancy-and-tim-obrien-gil-harrington-blink-from-blinkoncrime-and-gene-serv/
No more questions from the jury. Jodi lets out a visible sigh of relief.
@Ragdoll. I don’t think straps at 7 had any impact on Jodi’s wiring or psychology.
Frankly not only I but many others reared by country Texans had switches broken off bushes & straps taken
to them from earlier ages. It was societal. I also remember belt lines to run thru in school, and paddles with holes.
All us poor TX kids (and I bet across the deep South) didn’t become murderers as a consequence.
It was so accepted no one would’ve thought to use it as a defense before the 80s imo.
Martinez is a firebrand today.
A thought I’m having tonight…
JM is a guy’s guy. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve asked my husband for details about conversations he’s had with co-workers, family, etc. I even accuse him of not asking the most important questions. He drives me nuts sometimes.
However, the majority of the potential jurors listening to this nonsense are men.
The men he is asking questions to Jodi Arias for definitely understand JM and Jodi with the evidence presented thus far, and his line of questioning thereof…
I, like a previous poster would like him to let her dig herself in deeper.
Men completely get to things a lot faster than women do (conversationally speaking amongst other things) IMO.
I think JM is playing to his male jurors.
Thoughts?
Oh Happy Day…we no longer have to listen to her ridiculous lies and rambling illogical stories!!!
Once again today…she continued to contradict prior testimony and proves even further what a lying witch she is…new day, same crud!
Can’t wait to see what the paid experts have to say…although I don’t think anyone will give much credence to what they have to say at this point…
Discussing tonight on The Dana Pretzer Show so who else’s link would I post this on, FriendLY? quote, unquote
Dearest friendLY o’ mine, I’m not sure what you’re asking, but you know I’m honoured to help in any way I can.
I’m certain to be tuned in! Boys night out; no girls allowed. LOL
Heart u xo
Thank you dearest ragdoll, the fp post was not ready and I wanted it to be in the thread so I tagged onto your post- full packed show and I believe I have a short stint on this one, but Dana is awesome.
Heart u back
B
I think she shot him while he was sitting in the shower (last pic of him alive). His right temple was at the right angle for that shot. He was stunned, but was able to get up and aspirate in the sink. That is when she started stabbing him in the back. In his stunned phase but wih a will to live, he turned to defend himself (defense wounds on hands). This is when she stabbed him in the heart.
He then goes (very woundedly) out into his bedroom to seek assistance from 911. Not possible with all his injuries. He crawls on the hallway floor. This is when she slits his throat from ear-to-ear.
That’s what the evidence speaks to me. But I’m no expert, I just play one on crime blogs.
Regarding the discussion on the third gas can and the need to fill up all 3 in salt lake city: i haven’t studied her return route after her visit to mr. Byrnes, so this really is an ignorant statement on my part, but is it possible that she drove back to or drove by the scene of the crime to check things out? I mean, it must have been driving her crazy wondering why she hadn’t received “the call” yet notifying her that travis was dead.
I didn’t get to see all of today’s testimony, and i’m sure we are all posting simultaneously many of the same remarks, but since they are not up yet, i could not tell you if this will be redundant, but anyway……loved it when Martinez spoke of the rating of the shelving unit in Travis’ closet….and she said she did not know what that meant!!! Ha! I seriously feel this will be her biggest downfall. She dances around all other answers and is so vague, but she was so certain that she stood up on that shelf to get the gun!!!!
Oh, and really, she was eye level with that picture in the closet?!!? Seriously?!?! Is she 8 feet tall?!?!
Oh, and her answer to the question about the knife today: she couldn’t remember if she put it in the dishwasher, blah blah…(paraphrasing) but she says that since the knife that was used to cut the rope belonged to Travis, then she feels that she probably put it in the dishwasher, since it was his. If we use that same logic regarding the gun that she alleges belonged to Travis, then why didn’t she leave that at the house?
Mom3.0….imdb….ahhhh, i feel better
*lyla says:
March 13, 2013 at 2:26 pm
Today the trial started at approximately 10:45 pdt. It is now 11:36 and the court has adjourned until 1:15. At this rate there is no fear of the death penalty as we all (jodi included) will have completed our natural lives…
*Pam says:
March 13, 2013 at 2:28 pm
Sometimes the banter between Jodi and Juan reminds me of the who’s on first skit.
**********
You all almost caused me to have to Heimlich my steak from my throat!
Sometimes children who grow up with sociopathic behavior exhibit this in one of two ways. They early on begin to tell stories that anyone older by a couple of years or more know they are untrue. To me this is the practice period where they spend time trying out these stories. The second is resistance to direction and authority. If a parent or older sibling is directing them to follow directions, they resist with all their being.
Children don’t come with owners manuals. A father that has zero experience and lacks proper patience may decide that the only way to get respect and attention is to administer punishment in the way of a spanking or the use of a strap. It usually does not work and only makes the child angry and more determined to have their way. The proper way IMO is to find something they like to do and remove it from their activities until they agree to behave.
[...] Blink Previous Coverage [...]
@ A Texas Grandfather says:
March 13, 2013 at 7:34 pm
You present this view in a way I couldn’t. I agree with your assessment, 110%, ATG.
Thank you, as always, for sharing your wisdom with us. xo
@ B
Thank you, kindly and understood. Looking forward to 7 pm MST.
@ Rose says:
March 13, 2013 at 6:38 pm
I appreciate your response and insight, Miss Rose. Thank you xo
SOTT says:
March 13, 2013 at 7:14 pm
~ snip~
Oh, and really, she was eye level with that picture in the closet?!!? Seriously?!?! Is she 8 feet tall?!?!
- did you see Martinez smiling at her when she said that- he couldn’t hold back- she was so ridiculous!
Eloise says:
March 13, 2013 at 7:17 pm
You all almost caused me to have to Heimlich my steak from my throat
=====================================================================
This gave me the same reaction lol.
@ Joan – getting to your request
The video from Travis memorial that jden posted was just beautiful, absolutely heartbreaking. I really hope the prosecution will play this for the jury during closing.
Is it possible that the pictures of sex earlier in the day are actually pictures of pictures? Could she have snapped photos of still shots from happier days in an effort to build her case? I am wondering if Travis did not even know she was there until the moment he was showering..
No Starsky, but I definitely had considered it.
B
I think she made a serious mistake with it coming across as her answers to the jury questions being deceptive/answers changing. Of all of the people in this world, I would think the last people she wants to lie to or try to deceive is the members of the jury.
I feel so bad for JM. I think he found his stride when he found the word “acknowledge” versus asking her to agree or “would you say” type leads. She is still horribly defiant but it seems to be a better way to approach her.
I had switches against my rear-end more times than I can count and I haven’t murdered anybody because of it. I didn’t feel physically abused. I mostly deserved/earned the punishments I received. I have manners. I respect others. I was raised with those things being important and have raised my own children accordingly. My husband was raised the same. I introduced him to JM on HLN last night and the very first comment he made was something about how defiant she is with JM. He was shocked.
I do believe JM is doing a great job and the jury is listening to him. He is clearly in Travis’ corner and hopefully will bring him the justice he deserves.
OT – How ironic is it that she says TA said, “F#$%^&g kill you B###H”? If she does receive the DP, she will blame Travis for that sentence.
AJMOO
Survivor- respectfully I could not let your post stand without saying that I disagree. I do not believe you ever deserved such physical punishments. I believe that modern society and parental educational processes have realized this as well. That said, I have never been hit with anything by my parents- but I have had some of the most undesirable laborious punishment jobs when I deserved them and I like to think I turned out with the same sort of outcome one hopes the punishments you describe.
I say this because I believe there is no way a person can discipline a child in that way, without anger. I don’t believe acting in anger ever serves anyone. I don’t want anyone to think it is ok to physically hurt their child for what they may feel are correct disciplinary lessons.
We are talking about cases that involve violence. How could I?
B
Joan says:
March 13, 2013 at 12:40 pm
Pam says:
March 10, 2013 at 4:19 pm
Pam,
I’m so sorry you’ve been through that. Prayers for you.
I’m wondering what you meant by this? I know it might be a lot to explain. Is there a book or article you can point me to? No rush! I’m just curious, so if you come across an article or something that explains it, please post it sometime. Thanks!
“He would had to have known that her stalking ways would have resulted in a fight to the death. This is hard to know unless you have educated yourself on stalkers and the criteria for it to get to that point. Some of the criteria in this instance is just not there from what I know.”
======================================================================
Joan,
First thank you for your prayers. Right now that situation is calm, although I am on alert. To everyone else sorry if this ends up being a long post.
Without going into a whole lot of detail with my situation, I was married to him in 89 and divorced him that same year (Dr. Jekyll Mr. Hyde) After months of harrassment,phone calle, showing up at my job and just plain stalking me I thought I was rid of him. I had moved and years later 93/94 came home to a note on my door. Changed my name and moved again. He kept up with me although I did not learn of this until 04/05. There were also a lot of things that were going on that I just did not know it was him until I did learn that he knew where I was. When I found out that it was him, I became hysterical and completely freaked out. I had to learn about what I was dealing with (I knew who). In any case, back in 04/05 I did a lot of research on the internet regarding stalking. I also heard of a book which I got from the library. I think it was called “Stopping stalking” or “How to stop stalking” or something like that. I cannot recall the author either. If you want to know, I can see if the library has record of it and try to find out for you. I will try to remember best I can re: the criteria. The length of time that the stalking occurs (this is why I gave a bit of my history), unstable job history,lack of social graces, lack of friends, criminal history, familiarity with weapons, distance travelled, violence in the relationship. This is all I can think of at the moment. In my own situation, I stopped all communication with him in 1990. The break up occured in the end of 89. There was also violence during our 6 month marriage. Some of the things that are “just not there from what I know” regarding Travis and Jodi would be the length of time. Hard to guage since they continued interacting. Lack of criminal history, familiarity with weapons, violence towards Travis during the relationship. Yes some of this sounds odd given that she brutally killed him and used weapons, but I am mainly speaking to what he would have seen/experienced PRIOR to her killing him that would have put him on alert. Again, sorry to all for the lengthy post.
Oh I failed to mention that the person needs to possess several of the criteria for the possibility to be there of it ending in death.
So, now we’re to believe Travis did load the gun in the December prior to his murder and even took it with him somewhere? Well, that came out of nowhere. Juan was like, “that’s the first we’re hearing of this.” The lies just rollll her her forked little tongue.
Then, in answer to a jurist about how many times she has seen this gun of ‘Travis” she fails to mention the time in December he loaded it and took it with him somewhere.
She reminds me of weebles when we were kids. Weebles wobble but they don’t fall down. Thats her
B
I don’t believe any parent should be angry when the time comes to administer punishment for something the child did. Anger is a poison to good thinking and usually results in poor choices.
How much better it would be if parents waited a bit of time to get themselves under control before administering punishment.
I can remember how I was able to get our youngest daughter to see the foolishness of some of her mistakes. All I had to do was sit her down and explain what I thought she did wrong and how disappointed I was in her lack of choosing a better behavior. That usually resulted in big tears rolling down her cheeks as she did not want to disappoint her dad. Every child is as different as are snowflakes. What works well for one may not work for another.
Rose expressed the type of things in Texas during my childhood and later as understood by the child to be normal for punishment. Those were the days when “children were to be seen and not heard” in an adult environment. Most of us were normal children who grew up without a need for ugly behavior towards others.
anyone else think Judge was
fed up w/Defense today?
JA states she had “both hands on the gun” when she shot Travis….so where does the knife come in? What prompted her to go get a knife? I believe she used the knife while he was in the shower. Tried to cover up by dragging him out of the shower and then shot him in the head to finish him off. She acted out of jealousy. Premeditated and willfully set out to kill Travis Alexander.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/28/jodi-arias-trial-highlights_n_2785537.html
Thank you Blink! I was whipped with a belt as a little girl and as far as I’m concerned it was abuse. I never felt like I deserved that kind of pain and humiliation. Bless my dad’s heart, he’s a good military man, and very tender hearted and he’s sorry today for those beatings we got.
I have never raised a hand to my babes and they are so precious and happy. It’s just not necessary to hurt your kids.
Blink all seems to be well with the fp now.
The closet-
the ceiling pic shows the light in the closet off-
there is another pic of the bedroom looking toward the closet showing the closet is very dark when the light isnt on-
Martinez made a very good point in asking about the darkness today- & the holster. all take time to deal with… as does cocking aiming pointing and shooting… he also asked about the pegs , the shelves- and the neatness of the closet-
Pretty much laying waste to her closet/gun – non-deliberation/premeditation story
I agree with others who took note of her supposed eye level- Travis jeans are hanging in that pic and just by that comparison alone- her height etc is illogical
Either she is lying about how tall she is- that would mean Wilmott was too- or her jump up on shelf with all her weight grasp shelf/gun story is waaaay false—-
- Another observation she claims to have never seen any ammo ever- so exactly when was Travis supposed to have loaded this gun in DEC— with what ammo- and she never claims she took the box or the holster in clean-up so why wasnt it found in his home?
AJMO
ABOUT THE GUN:
Am I the only one asking the question of how Jodi was certain that the gun was in the closet? She says she went straight to it- apparently the first thing that popped into her mind was, ” go to the closet and get the gun”…. She didnt express any doubt that it was absolutely there on that shelf. Why not?
She didnt live with Travis, she hadn’t been in his house for at least a month.. and it seems the actual time she was physically in the house was sporadic…. she wasn’t cleaning his house any more.. by her claim that Travis had told her he loaded it the previous December.. hmmmmm.
Sounds like she kept very good track of that gun.
I beleive that she brought the gun with her, of course. But if you go with her lie, you gotta ask why she thought the gun was there in the first place. If she answered ” thats where he kept his gun, always”, then you have to ask, well if that is where he kept his gun, why wasn’t the hoslter there too?
I don’t want to get into the morality of the death penalty in general, and I am quite sure I would never be chosen for a jury in a DP case, but with regards to Jodi Arias specifically…:
The cost of supporting a prisoner in my state ( which is not Arizona)- ONE prisoner- is about $ 47,000 per year, which covers everything, the staff the facilities the food etc etc. That is 47 k , per prisoner per year.
If the jury believes that Arias is guilty, but will not use their reason to connect the dots, and cannot give her DP because the prosecution cannot tie everything up into a neat bow… the state’s taxpayers are the ones who will pay for Jodi’s crime. Lots of $$ at that.
At an all day conference and just now catching up on yesterday’s hearing.
I feel like Nurmi objected every time he feared a query. It was excessive and did not bode well to expertise and professionalism.
@ Rose says:
March 13, 2013 at 6:38 pm
I don’t believe the strap had anything to do with her wiring, either. If you read my post, it suggests her ‘wiring’ could have been a reason for receiving the strap. I was also being sarcastic, suggesting that she was getting the strap @ 7? I would think she’d have received it much earlier, if that was an acceptable form of punishment to her parents. I recall, while Jodi was testifying about her mother carrying a wooden spoon in her purse, the camera showed Jodi’s mother and her twin sister. The sister looked at Jodi’s mother with sympathy and offered some comfort. Jodi’s mother looked betrayed.
I think my comment was misunderstood. Where does I suggest that punishing your child in anger is ok? I did say that if…IF…she got the strap AND the wooden spoon, it may have been b/c her sociopathy looked like disobedience and disrespect to parental authority. I also said I DO NOT GIVE THEM A PASS, if those allegations are true. It may be a case of parents at their wits end, trying to reform their daughter. My point was that….a) she has no respect for authority, as demonstrated in the court room. This lack of reverence would begin at a very early age. I don’t believe she got the strap. Quite the contrary. I believe there was no structure in her home. b) I do not remember what I was going to say.
Anyhoo…I felt the need to clarify myself. Anyone who knows me here, knows I wouldn’t support physical punishment, regardless of how out of control their child/ren may be. It goes against my faith and the living word of God.
Prov 14:9 Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.
James 1:19 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.
Ephesians 6:1-4 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
JMHO and peace
…and I’ve got that weebles song going through my head. LMAO @ ‘that’s her’. That was funny.
Blink Travis knew she was a sociopath, he knew her so well , why did he just not chased her away in the right time. That is just so sad.
Wow, M did a marvelous job today. Bravo! I like how he said “your little scenario” doesn’t work out (meaning the way she says the murder happened), and then goes on to talk about how the shelves in the closet that she stepped up into doesn’t hold more than 20 pounds of weight before they tip over forward (she put her entire body weight on them). How nothing in the closet is messed up or out of place despite her climbing on shoe racks, in a hurry, and grasping for a gun at the top shelf (in the corner). Now she’s backtracking about the holster, which she knows isn’t playing out because M is clearly pointing out there isn’t enough time between photos she took of TA in the shower alive, and then with blood and dead.
Yeah, sociopaths don’t think those details through. She did just what she said when she lied to the detective the prior times, she made up a scenario to try to match the forensics, but she left out the common sense details.
Anybody in their right mind would question, if you had the camera in your hands and there wasn’t a strap on you, and you were body slammed, then you ran down the hall (without the camera), and you grabbed a gun, then a knife…how in the world did the camera get back into your hands to take random pictures while you were killing travis? BECAUSE YOU WERE WEARING THE CAMERA AROUND YOUR NECK THE ENTIRE TIME WHILE YOU WERE STABBING HIM.
JM is breaking it down little by little so the jury can see just how ridiculous the story she told really is and the truth unfolds. In closing arguments all of this will be summed up into one scenario and the jury will see how what she says doesnt doesn’t fit the forensic evidence they found, and it just doesn’t make common sense. I think he’s convincing the jury that she did plan this and execute it well. And that her memory issues aren’t issues at all but convenience because she knows if she talks about stabbing him first it’s all over.
Her defense has nothing to work with. All they can do at this point is interrupt JM’s questions in an attempt to make it hard for the jury to hear when JM is interjecting the questions they should be thinking. But I am convinced they already know she is a habitual liar and I think they know the decision they need to reach in this case. JM is going to continue exposing the truth until the very end, so that last juror, the one who holds out hope that maybe the premeditated scenario just isn’t true, will see that JA is all out of excuses and lies and all that remains are facts – and the facts don’t measure up with what she’s been trying to get them to believe.
Thanks I passed this on. Did you clear cache?
B
We are talking about cases that involve violence. How could I?
B
Blink,
My intent wasn’t to offend or advocate violence. I do think there is a difference between spanking and “spanking”. I never felt violence with regard to spanking. My granny was the primary person because I was with her a lot before I started school. I never saw or felt anger from her. Spankings were consequences for unacceptable behavior. When I think of her telling me to go get her a switch (usually off a peach tree), I smile at that memory. I think mostly because I could be a handful and I believe I inherited my rebellious ways from her and she is still so very dear to my heart even though she has been gone for over a decade.
I didn’t use spanking with my kids either except very early on a “pop” on the hand or rear with my hand to stay away from dangerous stuff like outlets and hot ovens. They have never had a spanking. “Time out” wasn’t a popular thing when I was growing up either although I did spend my fair share of time on restriction. To get really controversial, because our kids have a strong faith in God, we remind them that everything they choose to do is known by Him. They need to recognize how the choices they make reflect on themselves (outwardly to others) and their relationship with Jesus. We tend to guide more than discipline. In fact, we don’t have to discipline much. Usually, “that look” that only a mom can give and calling their name is enough. We allow natural consequences and do not interfere. (Don’t do your homework, don’t make the grades. Don’t make the grades, consequences of losing privileges at home or extra-curriculars.) We talk a lot more about pro-active approaches, making good choices and being responsible than having to discipline on the other side. Since they could breathe, they have had to hear this over and over and over again – Everything you do sets an example, good, bad or otherwise. So long as you live in my house, it damn well better be a good one! They smile at this now but I think they are finally old enough to understand what it means. I’m not perfect though and there have been times that I had have to ask dad to handle it because I was angry and had to walk away. There have been times that I have had to ask him to walk away because he thinks certain things are funny and they aren’t. (OK they are but can’t let ‘em see you sweat – or smile – Like the first time a 4 letter word came out of my son’s mouth and he laughed about it.)
WRT JA, I don’t know how or when her sociopathic tendencies displayed themselves. I have no doubt she was a difficult child. However, kids flourish within boundaries. By boundaries, I mean unwavering sets of rules that remain consistent minute by minute, day by day, month after month and year after year. Not when mom or dad feels like it, but consistent. I don’t think she had true boundaries and consistency.
Sorry to be so long and AJMOO.
Not at all Survivor- I struggled about even commenting because I don’t want to offend anyone who may have had this type of rearing- however, I had to let my conscience be my guide as I don’t understand the concept of teaching a child what not to do, and yet doing same to them. ( Don’t ever hit anyone but it’s ok I have use capital punishment on you).
You jogged my memory on something. I was spanked once by my Mother. I took both my younger sisters out of the house and we walked about a mile to the farm and I never told her where we were going ( I think 7, 5 and 4 range). She was driving around like a mad woman and she gets to the farm and all she saw was three pairs of shoes on the bank of the creek, lol, and there we were splashing around in it as she discovered when she drove over the metal grate bridge. She told me she was never so horrified or overjoyed at the same time and she needed to collect herself and I should wait for her in my room.
I remember her hitting the top of the stairs and the shine on that spatula. My room faced the top of the stairs and I did not think she was coming up to ask me if I wanted to help her bake. She told me that what I did was so dangerous for so many different reasons that she did not think at my tender age she could explain appropriately so as to insure I would not take such risks that in her mind, could have ended very differently. She told me I would not understand until I was a parent myself that it was going to hurt her far worse than it would me, but that she could deal with that better than she could deal with fear, and how she would feel if anything ever happened to me if she did not make sure in some way I would never forget it. Before she passed in July I would tease her about it every chance I got, and I would swat her behind every time we were in the kitchen together. She would always laugh at first and then stop what she was doing and give me a hug and a kiss and tell me that haunted her.
So again, much different time and parenting social attitude ( How are kids that age leaving the yard un-noticed today- hello? I see three kids that age walking down the street unaccompanied I am calling 911). I was a precocious child and an utter handful to say the least and so I guess in fairness it has it’s place in certain environments and households although I personally have never and would never discipline our children that way.
B
Alas, after weeks of JA’s testimony we all have a few more gray hairs, but are no closer to the truth than when her testimony began.
JA’s bad behaviors began as a child/teen, but we know very little of her upbringing and do not know if her behaviors were appropriate for the situation.
The number of sexual partners we know of are probably about average for unmarries women of her age and generation. She may be more sexually adventurous than many here are, or are at least willing to admit, but there are no reports of “perverted” activity. In fact, other than the stalking and murdering, many men in their 20′s and 30′s would _initially_ find her to be the ideal girlfriend, but probably not the ideal wife, just as TA apparently did. She maintained several relatively long-term relationships, and apparently even kept in contact with them.
What I still don’t understand is why this “fun” girl suddenly turned into a homicidal maniac. And her testimony has not cleared this up, at least for me.
My best guess, and it is only a guess, is that her previous relationship was winding down. Her previous boyfriend was moving away to be closer to his son, and they slipped apart. At this point, she became involved with the cult-like Pre-Paid Legal crowd which led her to TA. I wonder if she didn’t see this as her “last best chance” for marital happiness and prosperity. Unfortunately for JA, TA was torn between his animal attraction to JA and his own religious beliefs and things didn’t work out. When this relationship broke apart, especially with TA still taking advantage of the booty calls, this was the tipping point and turned her to the dark side.
A brief word about JA trashing TA in court. Did anyone expect anything different? TA’s family wants to kill JA (with the State pushing the drugs), similarly, Juan Martinez wants to kill her (again with the state pushing the drugs). The natural response of all persons, and JA is still human, is self-defense, and she is expected to do whatever it takes to escape punishment. JM and TA’s family have chosen to pursue “blood vengeance”, and it is understandable, but they knew exactly into what they were getting.
I’ve been away from the trial this week, but I understand the defense is about to introduce “expert” testimony on the JA’s behalf. Can someone please explain *what* (generally) to which these experts will testify? Will they (for example) try to explain JA’s behavior and alleged memory loss as being the result of possible abuse? If so, doesn’t the reliability of their testimony depend on the truthfulness of JA’s narration of events? If *that* is the case, I cannot imagine the prosecution having an easier time debunking the expert testimony, since it will be only as reliable as JA’s story.
Am I understanding all this correctly?
I do have a theory as to why Travis was shot FIRST. Travis was a rugged guy and in good shape. Jodie would not have had the intention to stab him first because he would have overpowered her. She would have had to be skilled in Marshall Arts in order to have an edge on Travis. So I believe she had to overpower him with a shot to the head to at least get some control over him. Maybe she planned on shooting him more, but the gun jammed. He surprised her however and went after her in the way she showed the court – the line backer pose – and because she had the knife on her, she stabbed him in the back while he had her around the waist. I think the autopsy would show the angle of the stab wounds. (I’m not sure of the angles myself and don’t believe they were ever discussed in detail.)
Also, I wish they would explain the height of the top shelf of that damned closet once and for all to show that she couldn’t have reached the gun like she said she did. Hopefully, this will be covered in closing arguments and the jury will see that there was NO gun in the closet and proof that it was her grandfather’s gun that she showed up with to intentionally murder Travis Alexander.
I intend to listen to the podcast after lunch today. Sorry if this was covered in the podcast Blink. This was on my mind after watching the trial last night on DVR.
@ B Not at all Survivor- I struggled about even commenting because I don’t want to offend anyone who may have had this type of rearing- however, I had to let my conscience be my guide as I don’t understand the concept of teaching a child what not to do, and yet doing same to them. ( Don’t ever hit anyone but it’s ok I have use capital punishment on you).
Thanks for sharing and I am not offended at all. I don’t think I explained my thinking very well. There’s the “lashing out in anger” beatings and the “you do this, and you get a spanking” sort of consequence. Mine was the latter. It was “just” a consequence for breaking the rules.
I laughed at the above copied response from you because I have a 15 year old with quite a sense of humor. He also doesn’t hestitate to call me on my stuff. My response to him is usually “do as I say and not as I do” and we both laugh about it because I can’t say it with a straight face. I know when I’m wrong – and caught! An example, he is about to start parent-taught driver’s ed. We live out in the middle of nowhere and a couple of days ago, I was driving on our street which is quite rural and responding to a text message. (I know. BAD, BAD, BAD.) There is a 90 degree turn in that road and I didn’t make the turn smoothly. I looked at him and told him, “Rule #1 of driver’s ed is to NEVER text while driving. I’m teaching you what NOT to do.” I got a smirk and some eye-rolling in response.
Similar to your story, I once walked myself, my younger brother and our three neighbors kids (all at least three years younger than me) across the main lanes of IH-35 just north of Austin because I had caused us to miss the bus for school. I was in 5th grade, so maybe 10 or 11 years old. Mama was NOT happy. Funny, I don’t recall the consequences for it. I just remember her being mad. It TERRIFIES me to think of some of the things we did when I was younger and I think God that I lived through it all. I just hope my kiddos aren’t as “creative”.
Parents with the same goals for children about behavior usually stand together in setting the directions and how punishment will be administered. I am thinking that Jodi’s parents were not on the same page that produced consistency. If that is true, it contributed to the behavior we see on the witness stand of dodging and weaving around a point so that she does not become responsible for the true outcome of her actions.
Sue raises an excellent point about establishing the height of the shelf unit to determine if is possible to do what she claims. I do not remember from the photos if the unit reached the ceiling. We also do not know the height of the ceiling from the floor.
Houses of today often have rooms with different ceiling heights. Houses built in the period prior to WWII often had nine or ten foot ceiling heights. I once rented a house built in 1890 which had sixteen foot ceilings.
With regard to normal arm length, one can usually reach an object higher than ones head by looking at the distance from the elbow to the knuckles at the palm of your hand. I am saying that if you raise your arm straight up, the elbow will be at the top of your head.
Jodi is approximately 5’4″ tall. She can extend her height by standing on her toes and by raising her arms. This may get her to the height of 6′ for total reach. Beyond that she will need to stand on something.
There are sources for this information. The Sweets catalog of manufactured components for housing and Ramsey & Sleepers guide to building design. The Ramsey & Sleeper book has an entire section related to ergonomics of the human body.