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| Jodi Arias looks at her family after being found of guilty of first-degree murder in the gruesome killing of her one-time boyfriend, Travis Alexander, in their suburban Phoenix home, Wednesday, May 8, 2013, in Phoenix. |
PHOENIX (AP) -- The jury has found Jodi Arias guilty of first-degree murder in the death of her one-time boyfriend in Arizona. Arias initially denied involvement and later blamed the killing on masked intruders. Two years after her arrest, she said she killed Travis Alexander in self-defense.
After
a four-month trial that included graphic details of their sexual
escapades and photos of Alexander just after his death, jurors began
deliberating Friday afternoon.
This is what AP reporters on the scene Wednesday are learning about the events unfolding:
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TWITTER TRENDS, 2:40 p.m.
Right
after the verdict, the case dominated Twitter in the United States,
with seven of the top 10 trending topics having to do with the trial and
different terms sliding in and out of the list. Among the trends:
"Justice for Travis," "Juan Martinez," the prosecutor, and
"(hashtag)JodyArias" - a misspelling of Arias' first name, Jodi.
---
"RELIEF", 2:32 p.m.
Julie
Haslem, a close friend of the Alexander family, sobbed as she left the
courtroom. She said: "I feel relief." Asked if Arias will receive the
death penalty: "I hope so."
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ARIAS' MOTHER, 2:29 p.m.
Sandra Arias, Jodi Arias' mother, declined to comment to reporters as she left the courtroom.
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WRONGFUL DEATH, 2:24 p.m.
Attorney
Jay Beckstead said Alexander's siblings will file a wrongful death
lawsuit against Arias. He thanked the county attorney, the detective,
and said the siblings "appreciate the outpouring of support they have
received from the public."
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VICTIM'S FRIEND, 2:21 p.m.
David
Hall, Alexander's friend, told reporters as he left the court that this
case was what the death penalty was for. He said after five years, the
family finally got the verdict they were waiting for, and he thanked the
jury. He said he couldn't look at Arias as the verdict was read. "My
eyes traveled up, I couldn't see, I think I just looked skyward and said
`Thank God," for today."
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EXPERT OPINION, 2:15 p.m.
Phoenix
defense attorney Julio Laboy said he believed the prosecutor wouldn't
have any trouble convincing the jury that the crime was "either cruel,
heinous, or depraved." He said the jury sent clear messages in the
questions during trial and in their speedy verdict. He points out the
jury didn't ask any questions during deliberations.
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JOY OUTSIDE COURTHOUSE, 2:10 p.m.
Sixty-year-old
social worker Tish Guzman works downtown and came to the court building
for the first time Wednesday to watch the trial. She had been hoping
Arias would be convicted of first-degree murder. She said Alexander was
"part of our community. We need to support our community." Elise Leon, a
paralegal who is also 60, made four signs all calling for justice for
Travis. One read "Travis you are in our hearts."
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EXPERT OPINION, 2:02 p.m.
Phoenix
defense attorney Julio Laboy said he was not surprised by the
first-degree conviction, "given the speed - yes the speed - with which
the jury returned its verdict. Fifteen hours, despite what the naysayers
say, for a four-month trial and 600-plus exhibits with one witness on
the stand for 18 days, is lightning fast."
---
WHAT'S NEXT?, 1:58 p.m.
The
same jury will reconvene at 1 p.m. Thursday for the next phase of the
trial, called the "aggravation" phase. Both sides may call witnesses and
show evidence during a mini trial of sorts. If the panel doesn't find
the presence of aggravating factors, the judge dismisses them and
sentences Arias to either the rest of her life in prison or life in
prison with the possibility of release after 25 years. If jurors find
there were aggravating factors, the case moves into a penalty phase. The
jury decides whether Arias should be executed or get life in prison.
Additional witnesses could be called by both sides. If jurors don't
reach a unanimous agreement on the death penalty, the judge sentences
Arias to either the rest of her life in prison or life in prison with
the possibility of release after 25 years.
---
REACTION, 1:53 p.m.
As
the guilty verdict was read, Arias opened her mouth, licked her lips
and swallowed hard, and then fought back tears with a look of disbelief.
Alexander's family smiled and hugged each other. Outside, people
cheered and hugged, then began chanting "USA, USA, USA."
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ARIAS GUILTY OF 1ST-DEGREE MURDER, 1:49 p.m.
Jury finds Arias guilty of 1st-degree murder.
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JUDGE ENTERS, JURY ENTERS, 1:48 p.m.
The judge and jury are in the courtroom.
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ARIAS IN THE COURTROOM, 1:46 p.m.
Arias is in the courtroom.
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WHISPERS INSIDE, SHOUTING OUTSIDE, 1:43 p.m.
As
those in the courtroom wait for Arias to be brought in and things to
start, people are whispering. Alexander's family is sitting and staring
straight ahead. Outside, the crowd is chanting "Justice for Travis." The
court had said the hearing would begin at 1:30 p.m. It's not clear
what's causing the delay.
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AP IN THE COURTROOM, 1:38 p.m.
AP
Reporter Brian Skoloff is in the courtroom, which is packed. Some
members of the media didn't get in. The families are in the front, and
the proceedings should start any minute.
---
"SHHHH", 1:35 p.m.
Outside
the courthouse, people are urging the crowd to be quiet as the time for
the verdict approached. Reporters are being escorted into the
courtroom.
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TWITTER TRENDS, 1:30 p.m.
In
the minutes before the reading of the verdict, four of the top 10
trending topics on Twitter in the United States had to do with the
trial: Nancy Grace, Jodi Arias, (hashtag)justicefortravis and
(hashtag)verdictwatch.
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DIFFERING OPINIONS, 1:28 p.m.
The
case has caused a rift between a Phoenix couple standing outside the
courthouse. Forty-three-year-old Gilbert Morales, who thinks Arias is
guilty, wants her put to death. His wife, 38-year-old Kassandra Morales
has been trying to convince her husband that Arias was a victim. She
says Arias was abused, and that "if it was premeditated she would have
done things better and different."
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FORMER JURORS, 1:25 p.m.
Two of the jurors removed from the case during the trial are in the courtroom to see the verdict.
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FAMILIES ARRIVE, 1:20 p.m.
The families of Alexander and Arias have entered the courtroom, as has prosecutor Juan Martinez.
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EXPERT OPINION, 1:15 p.m.
Phoenix
defense attorney Julio Laboy is providing analysis to the AP about the
case and the upcoming verdict. He said it's a fast verdict. He said
deliberations mark the first-ever discussion about the evidence and
testimony, since juries are admonished by the judge not talk about the
case all through the trial.
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SCENE OUTSIDE COURTHOUSE, 1:10 p.m.
The
streets leading to the courthouse are lined with TV crews, media trucks
and reporters. Outside the building entrance TV cameras are waiting.
Spectators include families with kids in strollers. Margaret Fernandez,
68, retired, of Phoenix, has been following the case from home but came
to catch sight of the prosecutor she admires and the other lawyers. "I
just want to make sure the justice system works," said Fernandez, who
wants Arias to get life in prison. "I'm a mother. I have a son. I don't
know what I would do in that situation."
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VICTIM'S FAMILY, 1:00 p.m.
Family and friends of Alexander are at courthouse wearing blue ribbons and wristbands with the words "Justice For Travis."
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FIRST-DEGREE MURDER, 12:45 p.m.
If
the jury convicts Arias of first-degree murder, the trial will move
into what's called the "aggravation" phase. Both sides may call
witnesses and show evidence during a mini trial of sorts. The jurors are
the same. OPTION 1: The panel doesn't find the presence of aggravating
factors, so the judge dismisses them and sentences Arias to either the
rest of her life in prison or life in prison with the possibility of
release after 25 years. OPTION 2: Jurors find there were aggravating
factors, and the case moves into a penalty phase. The jury decides
whether Arias should be executed or get life in prison. Additional
witnesses could be called by both sides. If jurors don't reach a
unanimous agreement on the death penalty, the judge sentences Arias to
either the rest of her life in prison or life in prison with the
possibility of release after 25 years.
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POSSIBLE VERDICTS, 12:18 p.m.
If
Arias is convicted of first-degree murder, she faces either life in
prison or a death sentence. Jurors also have the option of convicting
her of second-degree murder if they believe she didn't premeditate the
killing but still intentionally caused Alexander's death. If convicted
of that charge, she could be sentenced to 10 to 22 years in prison.
Manslaughter is an option if the panel believes Arias didn't plan the
killing in advance and the attack occurred in the heat of passion after
"adequate" provocation from Alexander. A conviction on this charge
carries a sentence of seven to 21 years in prison. If they believe she
killed Alexander in self-defense, Arias would be acquitted and would
walk out after being incarcerated for more than four years.
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VERDICT REACHED, 11:30 a.m.
Court
system sends out an email: "The jury has reached a verdict in the State
v Jodi Arias. The verdict will be read today at 1:30 p.m." That
triggered a flurry of people rushing to the courthouse and live TV shots
and Web feeds by the numerous news outlets covering the trial.
