Finally after a long drawn out trial that ended with a jury deadlocked over convicted murderer Jodi Arias's sentence for the murder of her on again- off again" dating partner" Travis Alexander, a Judge has handed down a sentence.
Already convicted of murder in the first degree last year the jury remained hopelessly at odds regarding Arias's sentence.
Finally years after Travis Alexander's brutal murder, a Judge sentenced Arias to life in Prison rather than the looming death penalty which the state of Arizona still uses, albeit sparingly when a Judge or Jury finds enough aggravating factors to warrant this ultimate sentence.
The sentence has been a long time coming;
Last year, after an arduous and emotional trial, the beleaguered Jury became hung on the sentencing portion of the murder trial, something that is akin to a mini trial of it's own.
The trial was televised and given massive media attention due to peripheral issues, such as the fact that Ms. Arias is a woman, a textbook psychopath, a remorseless killer and happens to be somewhat attractive.
To me these should not be the reason a murder case gets a bombardment of media attention whilst the millions of other murdered women each year often barely get a mention.
Sadly, this murder will likely be remembered for lurid details such as the collection of photos that were retrieved from the then deceased Mr. Alexander's washing machine (yes you read correctly) where Arias tried in vain to destroy evidence, placing her at the scene of the bloody crime and even showing photos of her foot and leg in what appears to be her dragging the then deceased Travis into his shower, where he was found days later by worried friends.
There were also the pictures that Arias and Alexander took of each other during that day's sexual romp, pictures that the media had a veritable feast over.
However those photos were to be Arias's undoing as she left the camera, which belonged to Travis, believing the water would destroy the evidence. The photos were not only time stamped placing her at the scene on the day of the murder, but they also gave Police a great deal of information and proof about the unfolding of the day and the murder.
Had Jodi Arias been extremely plain and had there been no titillating photos and tapes I doubt very much that this case would be such an interest to the likes of Nancy Grace and every national print and web publication with their respective tweeters.
A man was murdered.
Brutally and with aforethought cunning rage and detachment. A family is shattered and will never escape those images.
I am glad that some modicum of justice was doled out by a Judge for MS Arias's Sentencing although I strongly feel that with Arias's clear Borderline Personality Disorder (ie attachment issues being drawn to unattainable partners and a history of unstable relationships usually stemming from low self esteem often fostered by an abusive, absent or negligent father figure ie Read Lenore Walker chronicles men who batter murder and predate.
In this case packaged in a " crazy like a fox" attractive seductive woman/child, this was a combustible union deemed to end badly especially after the first signs of stalking and vandalism ( Arias is said to have slit Travis's tires while he was in his condo with a another date.)
Has Justice been served?
No. When parole is a possibility the words Life Sentence are a complete misnomer.
The aggravating factors of pre meditation were abundant.
Bringing a rental car to Travis's condo, blonde for years, Arias dyed her hair just prior to her trip to Travis's home, never mind the three versions she gave over the year regarding the day of the murder to Police.
The missing gun reported stolen from her grandmothers weeks prior to the murder does imply a pre-meditation as do all of the aforementioned facts.
According to all accounts, Travis owned no guns.
She lied to Police for years and was given plenty of opportunity to do so.
Add to this, Arias showed an overt dispassion during her police questioning at one point standing on her head whilst she believed she was alone in the interrogation room.
She was so unfettered by the situation - a man that she'd just made love to days earlier had been found brutally murdered and left in his bathroom and she was standing on her head in the questioning room the moment the detectives left.
That was the real Jodi Arias.
Behind the crocodile tears and affected soft spoken meek demeanor, this was the same Jodi Arias that
unabashedly informed a journalist years ago that " there wasn't a Jury out there that will ever convict me"
.
.
