Jodi Arias jury - no unanimous agreement on penalty phase - mistrial

[Siwsan]

Not surprised. I suspect an 11 to 1 split.

[JI7]

1. what does this mean ?

[Lil Missy]

2. new jury for penalty phase only. Guilty verdict remains intact. n/t

[Siwsan]

5. The penalty phase re-trial could be very long, too

And, how will they find 12 people who have no set opinion???

How incredibly awful for the victims' family. One juror mouthed "I'm sorry" to the siblings. How heartbreaking.

[arely staircase]

3. not sure mistrial is the word (i could be wrong)

mistrial means there has to be a whole new trial on guilt or innocence - that has been decided. how they handle this situation in the penalty phase, I don't know. but it surely won't mean a whole new trial over guilt or innocence. maybe an AZ lawyer can clarify.

[Tx4obama]

9. It is a 'mistrial' on the penalty phase. See comment #4

[arely staircase]

11. thanks nt

[Tx4obama]

4. More info

UPDATE !!!

UPDATE: Jury could NOT come to unanimous decision. Mistrial. Jury has been dismissed.

A new Jury will be picked for 'only' the penalty phase.

The guilty verdict and the 'aggravation' found' verdict will stand.

Court will resume on July 18th

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022892839

[Siwsan]

12. I wonder if her recent statements during her interviews will be in evidence

That was probably not her smartest decision. She came across as completely unremorseful and fully arrogant.

[Ptah]

6. Jodi Arias: Hung jury, judge declares mistrial

Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Sherry Stephens declared a mistrial today
after jurors told her they could not decide between death and life for Jodi Arias,
the woman they had convicted of murdering her former lover, 30-year-old Travis Alexander.

The state has decided to seek a new trial and will seat a new jury on July 18.

There have been at least five hung juries in the death-penalty phase of cases in
Maricopa County since a 2002 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that said juries, and not judges,
should determine if there are sufficient reasons -- called aggravating factors --
to sentence a murderer to death.


http://www.azcentral.com/community/mesa/free/20130523jodi-arias-hung-jury-mistrial.html

[Cooley Hurd]

7. I hope she DOESN'T get the death penalty...

...because I oppose it in every case.

[Siwsan]

14. Same here. I was hoping for life with no possibility of parole.

But I seriously doubted anyone seriously pro-DP would compromise down to Life w/or w/o parole, especially in this case.

[Cooley Hurd]

15. Pro-DP=animal.

Revenge-seeking animals.

[Siwsan]

19. Absolutely revenge, but I can't put myself in the family's emotional place

I can't imagine the horror of seeing photos of a sibling with their head nearly separated from their body, a bullet hole in their head, and an additional 27 stab wounds - one to the heart. And, knowing their body was dumped and left in the shower by a psychopath who then left the corpse a chirpy, chatty voice mail, to start up her alibi trail. Then, once caught, starts on a no holds bar smear campaign against her victim.

So, although I'm against the death penalty, I can see how some would seek that ultimate revenge.

[Pragdem]

20. I'm against the DP, but could become a vengeance-seeking hypocrite pretty quick...

If someone in my family were the victim.

Not ashamed to admit that at all and will not judge anyone in that position.

[Siwsan]

21. Yea, you never know until it happens to a loved one

We all probably harbor a deep, primative need for vengence, on some level.

I've sat on 3 murder juries but, thankfully, Michigan does not have the death penalty so it wasn't even a consideration.

[hrmjustin]

8. I am against the death penalty so I say give her life in jail.

[djean111]

10. The prosecution could strike a deal with Arias - like life with no parole, take death off the table,

but it looks like they really want the death penalty.

[Cooley Hurd]

13. It's Arpaio's county...

...she has a Hispanic-sounding last name. They want this pseudo-Hispanic DEAD.

[Siwsan]

17. That might be a possibility, depending on the jury divide

Although I really think the jury was strongly leaning for the DP. But, if it was a 6-6 split, who knows. This trial has cost nearly $2,000,000. And, I wonder if her current defense team will stay on, or if they will have to be replaced. Both tried to get take off of the case, several times.

[jessie04]

16. Good luck finding a jury who hasn't heard about this case

" no, I never heard about this case....but I will vote to get death penalty"

[demoupground]

18. high media rating brought jury to prolong trial -- no surprise

goose that lays golden (media) eggs requires slow finish.
foxy murderer to get a second jury
before her celeb last meal and capital desert

[hrmjustin]

24. Welcome to DU my friend!

[aikoaiko]

22. I support use of DP, but I could live with life w/o parole for her

[Canuckistanian]

23. That's too bad.

All those thirsting for blood must be going insane right now.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

25. Oh, just give her life without parole and be done with it. Honestly.

Does Arizona really need to waste taxpayer money in a whole new sentencing phase just because they want to give the victim's family a false sense of "justice" that will soon dissipate after the execution?

Give her life with no parole, people will quickly forget about her, and Nancy Grace will have to find some other story to obsess about.

Just sheer idiocy when it comes to the need to execute people in this country.