Who Is Jodi Arias? What You Should Know About Her Trial
Arias claims she acted in self-defense in the brutal murder of her ex-boyfriend Travis Alexander.
On Monday, Jodi Arias testified in her death penalty trial and admitted to killing ex-boyfriend Travis Alexander, 30, in June 2008.
Like a tale straight out of a romance-gone-deadly novel, Arias, a 32-year-old photographer, admitted to following past loves into witchcraft, as well as Buddhism and Hinduism, before Alexander converted her to Mormonism in 2006. Alexander was a devout Mormon; however she claims the two shared an intense forbidden relationship since pre-marital sex is against the group's beliefs.
After initially denying to everyone from police to Inside Edition that she killed Travis Alexander in the shower of his Mesa, Ariz. apartment by stabbing him 27 times, slashing his throat, and shooting him twice in the head, Arias now says she acted in self-defense. Here are five other crucial components of the Jodi Arias trial you need to know:
1. Arias claims she was abused throughout her life. She testified that the abuse began with her parents at age 7 and continued through a string of boyfriends.
2. She considered committing suicide after the murder. “I was very confident no jury would convict me because I was going to be dead,” she testified.
3. Arias claims Alexander was abusive and controlling throughout their yearlong relationship, plus the sexual affair that continued after their split. Defense attorneys cited a woman's T-shirt with "Travis Alexander's" written on it, as well as panties with the word "Travis'" on the front, as evidence of his possessive nature.
4. A camera was found inside Alexander's washing machine that contained previously deleted sexual photos of Arias and Alexander, photos of Alexander in the shower just prior to his murder, and bloody images.
5. Prior to claiming self-defense, Arias told authorities she was not at Alexander's home at the time of his death, later changing her story to state she witnessed two unknown intruders attack him.
Do you believe Jodi Arias will be convicted?
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