Judge denies Jodi Arias bid to move murder-sentence retrial, but bans TV cameras in court
The sentencing-phase retrial in the high-profile murder case of Jodi Arias won’t be moved away from Phoenix, an Arizona judge has ruled.
But television cameras that streamed live coverage of the trial in which Arias, now 33, was convicted in May of the first-degree murder of her onetime boyfriend, Travis Alexander, will be banned in the courtroom during the sentencing, as well as electronic devices. Her potential sentence includes the death penalty.
Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Sherry Stephens didn’t explain why she was nixing cameras in the Arias sentencing, according to the Associated Press and Reuters.
However, she did explain why she is denying the change of venue: “The court has no basis for finding the publicity about this case has been so outrageous that it will turn the new sentencing proceeding into a mockery of justice or mere formality.” The judge also plans to call for a jury pool of 400 members to allow for those with “preconceived notions” about sentencing Arias to be struck.
Public interest in the case ignited after an Arias interview, years prior to her trial, in which she described for 48 Hours how she had fled the scene after others attacked both herself and Alexander at his home and then was afraid to report the crime. At trial, she admitted she had killed Alexander, but claimed she did so in self-defense.
See also:
ABAJournal.com: “Jury reaches guilty verdict in Jodi Arias first-degree murder trial”
<a href=”http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-57609294-504083/jodi-arias-files-motion-to-fire-attorney-says-he-has-little-to-no-tolerance-for-her-emotional-shortcomings/” <a href=”http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-5103510-504083.html” title=”title="Crimesider">Crimesider (CBS News): “Jodi Arias files motion to fire attorney, says he has “little to no tolerance” for her “emotional shortcomings”
Crimesider (2009): “48 Hours: Camera Captures Forbidden Romance And Murder”
