Guilty or Not Guilty

  "The dead cannot cry out for justice.

It is the duty of the living to do so for them."

Lois McMaster Bujold

Two cases have grabbed my attention on television. One was the Casey Anthony trial and currently it is the Jody Arias trial.  Of course, all I know is what's on television and HLN makes sure to keep everyone informed by running the hearings, speculations, ideas, theories and opinions continuously on television.

The Casey Anthony trial left me with a feeling of disbelief.  I believed that when one swore on the Bible, that  the truth would be spoken.  After watching the trial I found out that people do not tell the truth, even if they swear on the Bible.  I was very disappointed when Casey Anthony was released from jail because I thought all of the facts pointed to Casey Anthony being guilty.  I realized that if one has a lawyer who is a good showman, is outrageous in presenting the case, or looks good, he or she will have a better chance of winning. It surprised me that  facts can be manipulated.

Travis Alexander & Jody Arias

I did not pay any attention to the Jody Arias trial in January when it began. One day as I flipped through channels I saw Jody on the stand testifying.  I watched and she seemed very sure of herself as she bantered with the prosecuting attorney, Juan Martinez. A friend of mine who watched daily believed that Jody Arias would get off.  She told me that Jody had "snapped" after being used and rejected by her boy friend, Travis Alexander, and that was what caused Jody to kill him. Her attorney claimed that Jody was abused physically and sexually by Travis  My friend believed that Travis had used Jody and then tossed her aside. This angered Jody and my friend's theory was that Jody should not be found guilty because Travis had demeaned and put her down. She believed that Jody was a woman who fell under the battered woman syndrome.

I couldn't help but think that my friend should never sit on a jury because she makes up her mind before hearing all the facts. I did not agree with my friend.  In my past, I had worked in Family Law with battered women and I did not think Jody fit the pattern of a battered women. Her attitude did not strike me of someone who had been abused.  When I heard the expert on domestic violence, I did not agree with many of the things she said.  Every woman I know that has been in a relationship could be considered a battered woman by that expert's opinion. Women have suffered rejection or are scorned by loved ones, yet they do not go out and murder. They move on. It seemed that the defense witness would say nothing good about Travis and only good things about Jody.

It was difficult to believe anything Jody said after seeing the many lies she told police, investigators, and news correspondents.  She was very good at expressing herself in a soft, sweet voice.  I could see how she could win people over, especially men. She seemed extremely intelligent and had a tremendous memory.

It gave me a feeling of satisfaction when I heard talk shows making the same comments that I was thinking.
As the hearing continued, I waited and watched to see what other facts would come out. I did not like the defense or the prosecuting attorneys. I did not care for the aggressive and bullying style that Juan Martinez used.  I kept thinking if I heard the word "right," yelled at a witness one more time, I would scream. The defense attorney seemed so slow and meandering that I wanted to yell, "Get to the point!"

Juan Martinez

Kirk Nermi

Jennifer Willmott

Martinez argument made sense to me but he seemed to harp on things that weren't important. He is described as a bull dog, latching on to an idea and never wanting to let it go.  Kirk Nermi seemed to enjoy dwelling on the sexual content. Jennifer Willmott seemed to be the only even-keeled attorney. Back and forth the arguments went and so did my thoughts.  Before long I began to lean toward premeditated murder.  How could it have been self-defense? Her stabbing him numerous times, slicing his neck from ear to ear and shooting him made me believe it was more than self-defense. What could he have done to make her react in such a violent manner? Abused women try to get away not stay and fight the abuser. Why didn't she run away if she was afraid for her life. He was in the shower and naked and he would not have followed. It made sense to me he was the one trying to get away down the bloody hall.

I do not believe a battered woman would have driven to see her batterer and if it was self-defense, where did the she get the weapons.  His close friends were saying Travis never owned a gun and the weapon used was a 25 mil just like the one stolen from Jody's grandparents home made it sound too coincidental. If she was afraid of him why would she drive from California to Arizona to see him? Could sex have been so great with him? Did she want him to change his mind? Did she think she could convince him with one more roll in the hay? Nermi tried to make it sound as if Travis was a sexual deviant but in the recordings played, Jody sounded as if she enjoyed sex as much as he did.

In listening to Travis Alexander's friends talk about him, Travis sounded like a good person. To me he was like any other man his age, horny as hell!   Jody, on the other hand, came off as a conniving liar, showoff and a manipulator.  It seemed as if she had no feelings.


The jury got the case on Friday afternoon, May 3, 2013, and fifteen hours later they had a verdict. Guilty. If the verdict had come in "not guilty" I would have lost any respect I have for our court system. When Jody heard the word guilty, I wondered what was going through her mind.  She certainly did not look frightened. Her chin quivered a bit but I wondered if it was because the jury, in her mind, did not like her!

The Jody Arias trial is nearing an end. I do not believe in the death penalty so I hope she is put away for a long time.  Hearings are not yet finished because there are two more phases to go through. One to prove that the killing was cruel and then the sentencing. A few minutes after court ended, it was reported she was giving a news conference. Then court was cancelled because Jody was placed in a psychiatric ward and she was on suicide watch.  Will the drama never end for Jody Arias?

"Ladies who play with fire 

must remember that smoke 

gets in their eyes."

Mae West 

Note: All pictures are from the Internet.