Jodi Arias Sentencing Update: Prep for Second Penalty Phase to Commence This Week

By Jobs & Hire Staff Reporter | May 14, 2014 07:49 AM EDT

TEXT SIZE    

Jodi Arias' sentencing is yet to be fully realized, but progress is on the way as a lawyers prepare for the second penalty phase through a court meeting this week, Huffington Post has learned.

Arias is expected to be back in court this week as attorneys prep for the second penalty phase of her case.

The penalty phase of Jodi Arias' sentencing for the murder of her boyfriend is to begin on September, but as early as this week, the attorneys working on the case will convene for a court meeting with the convicted boyfriend killer, Latin Post reported.

Not far away from being sentenced, Arias is expected to be back in court on May 16, Friday as prosecutor Juan Martinez and her defense team present arguments about allowing video cameras during the retrial. Additionally, the defense team are also arguing whether a Sheriff's investigation of mitigation specialist Maria De La Rosa can pass as evidence, according to USA Today.

Early this year, De La Rosa was temporarily banned from visiting Jodi Arias at the Estrella jail in south Phoenix after the accusation of officials, claiming that the former smuggled one of Arias' drawings out of jail.

Jodi Arias was convicted last year of murdering her ex-boyfriend Travis Alexander in Arizona in 2008. However, jurors weren't able to reach a decision on how to sentence the 33-year-old, Huffington Post wrote.

While Arias' murder conviction stands, prosecutors have the option of putting on a second penalty phase with a new jury under state law. This is done in an effort to secure a death sentence for the convicted murderer.

In the event the second penalty phase will still fail to reach a unanimous decision, the death penalty will be removed from consideration.

Authorities said only then can the judge sentence Jodi Arias to life imprisonment with the eligibility for release after 25 years.

According to statements from the medical examiners, Arias stabbed her former lover 27 times, "primarily in the back and in the torso and heart." Arias also slit Travis' throat from ear to ear, almost decapitating him. Evidence also showed the convicted murderer shot her ex-boyfriend in the face prior to dragging his bloodied corpse to the shower where she left his body crumpled over.

The initial trial on Jodi Arias' case received a lot of attention from media, so now Judge Sherry Stephens has motioned to limiting media coverage inside the court room to avoid too much publicity of the high profile case.

Live video coverage and electronic devices are expected to be banned from the second trial, Latin Post reported.

pre post  |  next post
More Sections