“He who represents himself has a fool for a client.”
Jodi Arias isn’t going down without a fight, even if she is the only one fighting. Arias is representing herself in this latest attempt to get a sentence secured for her conviction on the charge of first-degree premeditated murder, with aggravation that made her eligible for the death penalty.
During the aggravation phase of her trial, which would determine death penalty eligibility, Arias’ attorneys had repeatedly asked to step down.
So far in this phase, Arias has managed to use her own pro se talents to get a delay out of Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Sherry Stephens so she can meet with a witness.
For those rock-dwellers among us, Jodi Arias was accused of the aggravated murder of Travis Alexander, her ex-boyfriend, in Mesa, Arizona, back in 2008. Alexander was stabbed nearly 30 times, had his throat slit and was shot in the head.
Arias was convicted after a media-frenzied trial that included such highlights as Arias bragging that she would never be convicted, sex tapes played for the jury, and tales of abuse and rage-filled fights.
Arias and her legal team had argued that she had indeed killed Alexander, but that it was in self-defense, and that the most she should be facing was a manslaughter charge. In the end, the jury did not buy it.
At one point in the whole affair, Arias had said that she would prefer the death penalty. But she later changed her tune and is fighting to receive a life sentence.
After the initial conviction, the jury could not decide on the appropriate sentence for Arias. A new jury will be chosen to make that determination.