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Jane Velez-Mitchell

Verdict Watch: Life or Death?

Aired May 21, 2013 - 19:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, HOST: Jane Velez-Mitchell coming to you live from outside the Maricopa County Courthouse in Phoenix, Arizona.

The deliberations have begun in the sentencing phase. They have been deliberating, this jury of eight men and four women, for almost an hour now. And they have three options and three options alone: Life, death or unable to reach a unanimous decision.

Now, hours earlier, after much drama and many delays, Jodi Arias delivered a 19-minute pitch to the jury: spare my life. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JODI ARIAS, CONVICTED OF MURDER: I can hardly believe I was capable of such violence. This is the worst mistake of my life.

I have no one to blame but myself.

I was horrified of what I`d done and horrified still.

Everyone`s hopes for me were dashed. Because of my own terrible choices, I`ve had to lay that dream to rest.

I didn`t want to unveil all those ugly text messages and e-mails in that awful tape. I didn`t want to drag out Travis`s skeletons or mine. At one point, he was the world to me.

To 18 strangers (UNINTELLIGIBLE) and friends and my family, I`ve caused that pain. I caused them to hurt that way. The people who will hurt the most are my family.

I loved Travis and I looked up to him.

I want everyone`s healing to begin, and I want everyone`s pain to stop.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Now, how do folks think Jodi did? How do they think the prosecution did? How do they think the defense did? Because there were also prosecution and defense closing arguments.

Take a look at these folks. These are people who have been gathered around, really watching this trial.

You were inside court for some of the key moments today. Well, here`s a hint on how they think the prosecution did: "Juan Martinez for Governor." Juan Martinez for governor. Take a look at this button over here: "Juan Martinez for Governor." There is a movement starting to get Juan Martinez to become the governor of Arizona. I think that gives you a clue as to how they think the prosecution case did.

Now what -- you were upset a little bit with what Jodi Arias said in her 19-minute presentation.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We didn`t hear properly. You could hear a pin drop, OK, and yet her voice devoid of emotion. And she kept talking "me, me, me. This is what I`ll do. I`ll cut my hair and I`ll donate money." Never said sorry, never looked at Travis` family. She just kept saying, "I was ignorant." Remember she said she had an I.Q. that was better than Einstein, Now all of a sudden she`s ignorant. She said, "I don`t..."

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Is there anyone here who thinks that she made enough of an impact to spare her life? Anybody here?

No.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Anybody here?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Now I want to ask you, ma`am, come forward. You were listening. I don`t know if you were -- you were inside, right? Yes. What struck you about Jodi Arias`s argument?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, when I was in there listening to her pleading for her life, the only thing that I could think in my head was poor Travis pleading for his life. And she`s asking mercy from the jurors? And where was Travis` mercy? Did she give it to him? No. She -- we know what she did when he was begging for mercy. She didn`t give it to him, so why should they give it to her?

VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right. So this is just a sampling of opinion. These are folks who have been watching this trial and who wanted to weigh in on this.

Now, one of the most controversial aspects of Jodi Arias`s 19-minute plea was when she whipped out a T-shirt that said "Survivor." And I know the folks here are a little upset about that. Let`s listen to what she said, and then we`re going to debate.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARIAS: I designed a T-shirt.

This is the T-shirt of which 100 percent of the proceeds go to support non-profit organizations which assist other victims of domestic violence.

Some people may not believe that I am a survivor of domestic violence. They are entitled to their opinion. I`m supporting this cause, because it`s very, very important to me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right. Let`s debate it with our expert legal panel. Did Jodi trash Travis, again, as she pleaded for her life? Starting with -- I`m going to start with Jordan Rose for the prosecution on that one.

JORDAN ROSE, ATTORNEY: That T-shirt move was just insane. I mean, you may or may not be for -- you may be against the death penalty, but you`re certainly not for a brutal convicted murderer going ahead and becoming a fashion designer and hawking T-shirts. That was crazy. It was almost laughable, if it wasn`t such a serious case. And she made a mockery of the victims, once again. That cannot sit well with this jury.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Adam Swickle for the defense.

ADAM SWICKLE, ATTORNEY: I`ve got to tell you, I certainly don`t think, even for the defense, that it was the smartest move that a person could make when they`re pleading for their life.

However, I think the purpose of doing it was in hopes that there was one or two jurors who did believe the fact that she may have been verbally or somehow abused. Because even though they came back with a conviction for premeditated murder, they weren`t necessarily saying, "We don`t believe that Travis had these skeletons in his closet." That`s the only thing I can think of here. But I must agree that it probably wasn`t the smartest move that an individual can make.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Have we ever seen anything like that?

JON LEIBERMAN, HLN CONTRIBUTOR: It was pathetic. Let`s not mince words, Jane.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Jon Leiberman.

LEIBERMAN: It was -- it was despicable. It was absolutely one of the lowest things that she could do. Already, the jury has spoken twice about what they believe about these trumped-up allegations of domestic abuse. And now she tries to go to the well a third time? I mean, it literally -- it was just despicable. It really made my stomach turn.

(CROSSTALK)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: ... on camera...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Didn`t say anything about whether or not there was domestic violence. All the jury said was she was guilty of murder. They didn`t say there was no domestic violence.

LEIBERMAN: The jury doesn`t believe her lies. The jury has rejected Jodi Arias`s lies since day one.

SWICKLE: The jury rejected the self-defense theory. They didn`t reject the theory that there was domestic violence. They never made a finding of that. Nobody said anything about that.

ROSE: How bizarre, she`s going to give the proceeds to domestic violence victims instead of Travis`s family. I mean, if she showed any sort of remorse and give at least, this crazy scheme, she gives the money to Travis`s family. They`re the ones who have been victimized.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Now, hang on panel, for a second, because it goes beyond that. Not only did she pull out the survivor T-shirt, but then she also said something that totally contradicted that. She essentially said, "I love Travis" -- She actually said that -- and that "I would never do anything to disparage him." Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARIAS: I wanted so much to avoid trial. Not necessarily the outcome, although that`s naturally not something I was looking forward to, but trial. All of the graphic, horrifying, horrific details paraded out into the public arena. Instead, I was hoping to go quietly into the night, whether off to prison or the next life.

With the amount of attention my case received early on, I felt in my ignorance that it was important to speak out. I got on TV, and I lied. I lied about what I did, and I lied about the nature of my relationship with Travis. It`s never been my intention to malign his name and poor (ph) character. In fact, it was a goal of mine to preserve his reputation.

I didn`t want to drag out Travis`s skeletons or mine and explain my experiences with him. I didn`t want to unveil all those ugly text messages and e-mails in that awful case. All these things which now stand for public testimony in the darker aspects of our relationship. To 18 strangers and in front of Travis`s family, in front of my family, in front of what feels like the whole world. It`s never been my intention to throw mud on Travis`s name.

When I took the stand, I was obligated to answer the questions posed to me. And if you`ll remember, many times I was quick to defend him in the same breath. I loved Travis, and I looked up to him. At one point, he was the world to me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Breaking news. And we`ve got breaking news just in. And I hope you`re all sitting down, because you`re liable to fall off your chairs. The judge has lifted the ban on Jodi Arias doing TV interviews, and in two hours, she`s going to start -- she is free to do TV interviews. And I understand from my producers, she`s indicated that she will do them, multiple interviews. She is going to do apparently multiple TV interviews.

I know I heard a gasp back here. It`s really kind of shocking.

We`re very honored tonight to have two dear friends of victim Travis Alexander with us. And I want to get their reaction immediately to this breaking news as you watch the verdict clock.

Clancy Talbot, dear friend of Travis Alexander, as well as Michael Hughes. And I`ll start with you, Clancy. As the verdict clock ticks away, they`ve only been deliberating an hour and seven minutes. The judge lifted the ban on Jodi Arias doing TV interviews. There`s a list a mile long of media outlets that want to interview her. And we are being told that she could start doing interviews within a couple of hours.

Your reaction to that, Clancy?

What?

CLANCY TALBOT, FRIEND OF TRAVIS ALEXANDER: It`s because it doesn`t matter. It`s all in the hands of the jury at this point. And that doesn`t surprise me. Jodi, it`s all about her, and of course she`s doing interviews. She wants to be heard; she wants to be the center of attention. She wants to be the spotlight. Not surprising at all.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Michael Hughes, your reaction as a dear friend of the victim to this breaking news that she -- and I`m not just talking about if she starts doing interviews, they`re lined up out the block -- down the block to do interviews with her.

MICHAEL HUGHES, FRIEND OF TRAVIS ALEXANDER (via phone): Well, I`m sure they are. Here, we have the Jodi Arias reality type TV show.

You know, listen, I -- what concerns me the most is that the jury comes back and they get it right. Hopefully, they give her the death penalty, because this is exactly what she`s going to do. She`s going to continue to torture the living victims, the Alexander family. And they`re going to constantly -- she`s going to constantly be giving these lies and poisonous venom out there that`s going to constantly taunt the Alexanders.

If she`s put in -- in 23 hours behind bars by herself, she`s not going to have the capability to be able to do that. I hope the jury gets it right for the Alexanders` own piece of mind.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Now Selin Darkalstanian, our senior producer on the scene, is on the fifth floor, and she has been there for the duration.

What`s happening as the deliberation clock ticks away and as the eight men and four women try to decide whether to give Jodi life, death or are unable to come up with a unanimous decision, Selin?

SELIN DARKALSTANIAN, HLN PRODUCER (via phone): Jane, I`m up here on the fifth floor. There`s a bunch of media out here. We`re all sitting here, waiting for the -- for them to come to a verdict. It`s been a little over an hour. I can tell you that this -- this hallway is packed with -- every national media outlet is here, sitting here waiting.

Just a few moments ago, a representative from the Maricopa County Sheriff`s Department came in with a long list, and she said, "All right, gather around. Here is who Jodi is going to speak to and who -- here is who she said no to." And she read off all the national outlets who she will speak to and who she has rejected.

And they`re setting up interviews for tonight. And the media outlets that will be speaking to her, she will be giving an hour and a half interview to each outlet that she has agreed to speak to. And they`re going to do all the interviews tonight.

So it is kind of bizarre. On one hand, we`re waiting for either she`s going to get life or death. We`re all sitting here in the hallway waiting. And on the other hand, we just found out who she`s going to grant interviews to. It`s kind of bizarre, I have to tell you, sitting up here while we`re waiting for her -- to see what happens.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: It`s surreal is what it is. And we`ve got some folks back here. Now we just heard Jodi Arias has OK`d interviews with a bunch of media outlets starting in a couple of hours. Is that shocking to you?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Very.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Unbelievable. I mean, there`s no reason for her to. I don`t believe -- I can`t believe that the judge is allowing this.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Listen -- listen, you know, you have to protect everybody`s constitutional rights.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What were Travis`s rights? She took his voice from him. So that`s kind of messed up that she has this right to go and say whatever she wants to say. Where`s his voice at?

VELEZ-MITCHELL: We`re going to take a short break. People here very upset about this latest news. We`ll be back with more as the clock ticks. Stay right there.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARIAS: Every time I had the thought or desire to commit suicide there`s one element that has always, almost always caused me to waver. They`re sitting right over there. My family.

At times I lost track of that element. For example, the incident I testified to, when I took my razor apart at the county jail. I managed to convince myself that they would get over the pain with time. And that in the long run I was doing them a favor by unburdening them with my presence in their life.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARIAS: Travis`s family, theirs is a much greater loss, and I can never make up for it. It`s my hope that with the verdict you`ve rendered thus far that they will finally gain a sense of closure. Steven said he doesn`t want to look at his brother`s murderer anymore. If I get life, he won`t have to.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Let`s debate it. Should Jodi Arias be allowed to do the slew of media interviews that we`ve just heard in breaking news she is going to be doing in a couple of hours, even -- we`re learning this news as the jury deliberates her life or death. Starting with Jon Leiberman.

LEIBERMAN: It is so utterly disrespectful to Travis`s family that she is going on a network television tour. When you are a convicted murderer, you surrender certain rights. And no, I don`t believe she should be allowed to make a mockery of the system when she hasn`t even been sentenced yet.

First today, she called the slaughter of Travis a, quote, "mistake," and now she`s going to go all over national TV and talk about how, if they spare her life, she`s going to put a recycling program into -- in at the jail. I mean, it`s absolutely ridiculous. And again, it`s re-victimizing the victim.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes.

LEIBERMAN: This is why victims and their families deserve more rights, more rights than the criminals, and they don`t have it.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: I say leave recycling out of it, Jodi Arias, because you`re giving recycling a bad name. And I`m a big fan of recycling.

Now, of course, she spoke about all her good deeds when she made this 19-minute pitch to the jury, "Please, save my life." Listen to some of these, and we`re also going to debate that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARIAS: I didn`t know that if I got life there are many things I can do to affect positive change and contribute in a meaningful way.

In prison, there are programs I can start and people I can help. A few months before trial, and by that I mean jury selection, my hair was past my waist, and I donated it to Locks of Love, the nonprofit which creates wigs for cancer patients who have lost their hair.

I`ve received many requests from inmates (ph) to teach them Spanish and American Sign Language. Because my case is pending, I still have time. In prison, I will. If I`m sentenced to life, I will live among the general population of women, and I`ll be able to share my knowledge of those subjects with them.

If I get permission, I`d like to implement a recycling program. I`d like to start a book club or a reading group, something that brings people together in a positive and constructive way so that we can share and recommend other good books and stimulate discussions of a higher nature.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Let`s debate it with our expert panel, Jodi the altruist?

But first, before we start the debate, I`ve got to go to this. Because Elsie Leon (ph) is the woman who started the prosecutor Juan Martinez for governor movement. And she`s come up with these mitigating factors. It`s a facetious list from Jodi: "I grow hair. I recycle." Now again, let`s not give recycling a bad name here. "I`m good with hands," question mark. "I make T-shirts, and I trace pictures." Clever and facetious, obviously.

But let`s go to Wendy Walsh for the prosecution. Did she make a case? Wendy Murphy for the prosecution, did she make a case for mitigation?

WENDY MURPHY, FORMER PROSECUTOR: Look, she made a case for me sticking my foot in her face. I mean, I don`t believe in the death penalty, but I wanted to knock her over when she started her list of good deeds. Let me tell you why.

It was really the height of manipulation. We`ve watched her manipulate from day one on this. Right? Here`s what she was doing. She said, "I`m going to teach people how to do sign language." That was a little gift to the hard-of-hearing juror.

Then she said, "I`m going paint pictures of Frank Sinatra." That was a gift to the eight men in the jury who, I`m sure, love Frank Sinatra.

Oh, what were the other ones? "Oh, we`re going to do some reading." I`m sure one of the jurors is a teacher. And the stuff about recycling. Probably she knows that one of the jurors is interested in the environment.

That was the most disgusting, manipulative, offensive presentation that I know. I know I`m right on this. That jury is...

(CROSSTALK)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Adam Swickle for the defense, quickly.

MURPHY: I`m offended. Offended.

SWICKLE: Listen, you know, we can all sit here. You were offended. I`m disgusted. I`m all these wonderful adjectives. This is a death penalty case. And everybody knows that a death penalty case, that the person has to stand up there and talk about redeeming values, things that they can do in their life...

MURPHY: How about apologizing?

SWICKLE: ... if you spare their life.

MURPHY: How about just apologizing?

SWICKLE: Excuse me, when you`re in jail -- when you`re in jail, there are things that you can do. This goes on in every sentencing phase in every death penalty case. That you expect anything different...

MURPHY: There`s nothing redeeming about her. Nothing redeeming about Jodi.

SWICKLE: ... is just getting on TV and bantering. That`s all that`s going on here. Everybody knows this is...

VELEZ-MITCHELL: They have deliberated one hour and 20 minutes. We`re going to continue the debate on the other side. And whatever happened to Jodi saying, "I want to die?" We`ll examine that on the other side. Stay right there.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARIAS: I said years ago that I`d rather get death than life. That still is true today. I believe death is the ultimate freedom.

But as I stand here now, I can`t in good conscience ask you to sentence me to death because of them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARIAS: Until very recently, I could not have imagined standing before you and asking you to give me life. To me, life in prison was the most unappealing outcome I could possibly think of. I thought I would rather die.

But as I stand here now, I can`t in good conscience ask you to sentence me to death because of them. Asking for death is tantamount to suicide.

Either way, I`m going to spend the rest of my life in prison, either shortened or not. If it`s shortened, the people who will hurt the most are my family. I`m asking you please, please don`t do that to them. I`ve already hurt them so badly, along with so many other people. I want everyone`s healing to begin, and I want everyone`s pain to stop.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: That was Jodi Arias a little while ago, begging for her life, her final plea to the jury. Wait a second. What happened to Jodi Arias saying, "I want to die. Death would be the ultimate freedom"? Cheryl Arutt, psychologist, she flip-flopped.

CHERYL ARUTT, PSYCHOLOGIST: She did flip-flop, Jane. She certainly did. I think that it may have been an attempt at reverse psychology in the beginning to say, "I want death," because then if they delivered death, she could say, "See, that`s what I wanted anyway."

But there was no sense that the Travis Alexander family was real, that the jurors were real, that she could really get up there and connect with them and say, "I did this. I am so sorry." It was so disconnected. And I wonder if anyone is keeping track of how often she said the word "I" in her statement?

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Susan Constantine, jury consultant, there were huge delays this morning. Everybody kind of speculated, oh, they`re probably begging her, "No, you don`t want to die. You`ve got to speak in your own defense." Then she comes out with this really sophisticated PowerPoint presentation with a whole bunch of photos. Obviously, it wasn`t something she just pulled out of a hat this morning. So she`d been planning on doing this all along.

SUSAN CONSTANTINE, JURY CONSULTANT: You know what, Jane? Let me tell you what I visualize. I see Jodi Arias seeing herself as, like, this philanthropist, a mentor, a scholar, a spokesperson for domestic violence. That`s her next business.

So let me tell you something. When she got up there with that PowerPoint presentation, I said, "You know what? She learned a lot from Travis, because he was a really great public speaker." And she was following right in his footsteps, using all the tools that she`s learned from him to put that really crazy presentation together.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, on the other side of the break, we`re going to talk to Clancy Talbot and Michael Hughes, two dear friends of Travis Alexander.

The defense attorney, Jennifer Willmott, said, you know, Jodi was popular at PrePaid Legal. She had a lot of friends. Well, we`re going to hear another side to that story on the other side.

Stay there as the clock ticks away. They are deliberating life or death right now, right here.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARIAS: I`m never going to (UNINTELLIGIBLE) motherhood, because I`m not going to have children of my own. I`m not going to become a mother because of my own terrible choices. I`ve had to lay that dream to rest.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JODI ARIAS, CONVICTED OF MURDER: To this day, I can hardly believe I was capable of such violence. This is the worst mistake of my life. I have no one to blame but myself.

I was horrified with what I had done and I`m horrified still. Their hopes of ever welcoming me home, they were dashed because of my own terrible choices. I had to lay that thing to rest.

I didn`t want to unveil all those ugly text messages and e-mails and that awful tape. I didn`t want to drag out Travis` skeletons or mine.

At one point he was the world to me. To (inaudible) strangers (inaudible) my family -- I have caused that pain. I have caused them to hurt that way.

The people who will hurt the most are my family. I loved Travis and I looked up to him. I want everyone`s healing to begin and I want everyone`s hate to stop.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: That was Jodi Arias` final pitch to the jury, which has been deliberating now about an hour and a half -- eight men, four women. They have three options, life, death or unable to reach a unanimous decision.

Now, in this defense presentation, folks said they noticed something that they noticed untruthful. Let`s listen to the sound byte of the defense attorney, Jennifer Willmott, ok. And then we are going to hear from two of Travis` friends and we`re going to compare and contrast. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JENNIFER WILLMOTT, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Jodi was a good friend that there are people who care about her. And when we talk about these people, you heard them when they testified during the guilt phase. When she would come to the PPL meetings and the super Saturday meetings, these people enjoyed her. That she got along well with people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right. We have just learned -- breaking news -- the jury has finished deliberating for the day. They`ve deliberated about an hour and a half.

Now back to my point. Clancy Talbot, a good friend of Travis Alexander`s. Also, you are with Legal Shield, which used to be Prepaid Legal. And you tell a completely different story.

Here is Jennifer Willmott, Jodi Arias` attorney telling the jury oh, she was popular at PPL, at Prepaid Legal. She had a lot of good friends. What is your side of the story?

CLANCY TALBOT, FRIEND OF TRAVIS ALEXANDER: Well, before I answer that, I just want to speak for just a moment about Travis and his family`s character and integrity and talk about some of the things that they are actually doing that actually do benefit society. They have a fund set up, TravisAlexanderfund.com. And with any excess that was donated to the fund, they are setting up a legacy, Travis` legacy to help at-risk youth, to help animal rescue, green projects and also to aid families of victims of violent crimes. That`s the integrity and character of Travis Alexander and his family.

As far as Jodi being popular in Prepaid Legal or Legal Shield, I don`t know of anyone that liked her besides one person -- one person I can think of that enjoyed her and liked her. I didn`t like her. She gave me the creeps. I tolerated her as many of us did because she was Travis` girlfriend. And that`s what she was, was tolerated not liked.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Why did she give you the creeps? What basically was it about her?

TALBOT: The very first time she touched me, she came up and gave me a hug. I got a sick feeling in my stomach. I had the hair on my body stand- up and I have never gotten that feeling from anyone like that. The closest thing I can compare it to is the creeps I have gotten from some creepy guy but it`s not the exact same feeling.

I don`t know why. I don`t know why but the very first time she ever touched me, that was the feeling I got and from that point on, I just kept my distance. But I don`t know what it was about her. I don`t know. Intuition, gut instinct, I don`t know.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, you are not the first person I have talked to. Many of Travis Alexander`s friends and they all said that they were put off. And some said she radiated a tremendous sexual energy, others said she seemed disconnected. There was nothing here, flat affect. In fact, we saw the flat affect today, a lot of people believe.

Let`s listen to what Jodi Arias said in her final plea to the jury to have them spare her life. That`s what she wants. Let`s think about this. Did she ever say "I`m sorry"? Listen to this and we are going to debate it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARIAS: The first days of trial was ongoing, my mom visited me just like she had been doing every week since trial began. She told me that after leaving the courthouse she was idling at a stoplight and she happened to look over at the car next to her. Travis` siblings were in that car.

My mom and I were silent for a few moments when she finally voiced exactly what I was thinking. She said "I know they are going through hell." Yet nothing drove that point home for me more than when I heard them speak last week. I never meant to cause them so much pain. When Stephen said he read on Travis` 3 x 5 card that it said to "Call Stephen" and he never got that call, I know that`s because of me. When Samantha showed us the last picture that she took with Travis, I know it`s because of me that that will always be the last picture that she will ever take with Travis.

This is the worst mistake of my life. It`s the worst thing I have ever done. To this day, I can hardly believe I was capable of such violence but I know that I was. For that, I will be sorry for the rest of my life, probably longer. I was horrified with what I had done and I`m horrified still.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: As we are debating, the family of Travis Alexander leaving court right now. They are walking out as they walk out, you can see there`s Stephen, Travis Alexander`s brother in the olive suit and he spoke on behalf of his brother. His victim impact statement moved many, many people.

As a matter of fact, I had passed him earlier and I just said do you think today. He looked like he said -- like that. You know, he`s probably coached or not coached but informed by the prosecutor that these things take time. They are not instantaneous processes, that there`s long jury instructions and that they take a while, these jurors do, to just get set up to establish the process whereby they come to this decision.

So, the jury has left for the day.

I want to go to Michael Hughes, a dear friend of Travis Alexander. We have been debating and I think it would be appropriate for you to weigh in before we get going with our legal analyst. Do you think, as a friend of the victim, as a close friend of the victim, that Jodi Arias apologized today?

MICHAEL HUGHES, FRIEND OF TRAVIS ALEXANDER: No, I don`t. I think that -- I think she was going through the coached maneuvers by the defense team. But it doesn`t change the fact that she`s an habitual liar and a sociopath and a convicted murderer. And I think she`s gone -- (inaudible) she`s going to get the death penalty. I think somehow she still thinks she`s going to get out of this. And she`s going through the maneuvers right now.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right. Let`s debate it. Did she apologize? Wendy Murphy?

WENDY MURPHY, FORMER PROSECUTOR: No, no, no, no, no. Her saying "I`ll be sorry for the rest of my life," was such a vague passive reference. No. And you know, she mentioned the grandmother. She said "Oh my goodness, I just learned the other that Travis` grandmother died in part because her health was related to her sadness about what I did. I`m destroyed for life."

I`m sure the jury was thinking were you thinking that when you sent her flowers right after you killed him in fake sympathy? I mean she is such a sociopath, everything she did, the jury has something it can latch on to, to say you are not telling us the truth. You are not really apologizing for all the horrible things you did. You are just trying to manipulate us and you`ve done that for months now and we`re not buying it and we`re not going to spare your life. The jury is angry.

(CROSSTALK)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Dwane Cates, briefly, for the defense. Dwane.

DWANE CATES, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Jane, there`s nothing she could have said. She could have got up there and stood on her head, nobody would have cared. No matter what she said, if she said "I`m sorry", everybody would have said --

VELEZ-MITCHELL: She`s already done that.

CATES: -- oh gee, she was insincere. No matter what she said, she was going to be wrong. There`s absolutely y was nothing she could do. She did what she needed to do. She said that she did it and that it was wrong and she`s the one that caused their pain. She took responsibility for her actions. That`s going to save her life.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: You are saying there`s nothing she could have done. But she could have looked at the family and said "I`m sorry, I`m sorry, I`m sorry." She did not do that.

On the other side, more. And breaking news -- I mean it`s unbelievable that Jodi Arias is about to start doing a whole slew of media interviews. It`s like a press tour. Is this outrageous? More on the other side.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARIAS: I didn`t want to drag out Travis` skeletons or mine and explain my experiences with him. I didn`t want to unveil all those ugly text messages and e-mails and that awful tape; all these things which now stand as public, incriminating testimony of the darker aspects of our relationship.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: As the Jodi Arias trial reaches a dramatic conclusion, we are gearing up for another unbelievable murder trial. This woman, Karen Kelly, is accused of murdering her boyfriend at her Florida home.

KAREN KELLY, ACCUSED OF MURDERING BOYFRIEND: Get somebody here quick. He was shot in the head with a gun.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Will this accused murderess blame the victim like Jodi blames Travis Alexander?

KELLY: I didn`t shoot him. He took the gun and shot himself.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: We`ll be all over it. You don`t want to miss it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARIAS: I designed a T-shirt -- of which 100 percent of the proceeds go to support non-profit organizations which also assist other victims of domestic violence. Some of you may not believe that I am a survivor of domestic violence. They are entitled to their opinion. I`m supporting this cause because it`s very, very important to me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: We are very honored to have our very own Nancy Grace on our show tonight. Nancy, what did you think of Jodi Arias` T-shirt demonstration?

NANCY GRACE, HLN HOST: You know what? I think that the reaction of Travis` reaction on the front row said it all. They just looked the other way. But there`s more to it, Jane. By her insisting over and over that she`s a domestic violence victim she`s basically saying "Ah" to the jury that they have already rejected her claim that he had attacked her. They have rejected that.

But she`s hanging on to it. She`s basically telling the jury, "I don`t respect your verdict, I don`t care what you said, I`m sticking to my story."

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes. There was legal analyst after legal analyst who said do not re-litigate this case and do not argue the facts of the case. That`s exactly what she did when she pulled up the T-shirt that said "survivor" and said, "Well, you may not believe it. Some people don`t believe it. But I`m a survivor of domestic violence." Just absolutely a self-destructive move, Nancy.

GRACE: You know what? You know what I think would have been the only thing that would have worked, Jane? I didn`t hear her say anything about Mormonism or Christianity or a higher power -- whatever. Everybody had a different name for God, all right, if they believe in him at all. But, that was such an integral part of her life and the presentation that she put up for 18 days on direct and cross-examination.

So at no point did I ever hear her refer to that. I think the only thing that would have really worked is to say, you know what? I don`t deserve life. I don`t. I don`t deserve it. I didn`t give it to Travis. I don`t deserve it, but I`m here telling you that I`m sorry and asking you to spare my life if not for me, for my family. I`m asking you to because I don`t deserve it.

Instead of putting on a dog and pony show about all the things she wants to achieve behind bars. Come on, recycling? I know that`s the wrong thing to say to you Jane Velez but come on. I`m not impressed by the whole recycling thing.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Nancy, I said don`t give recycling a bad name. You know, Travis Alexander was very into environmentalism, he has a Prius and he was very into juicing.

GRACE: I can`t hear you. I can`t hear you.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: I understand you have a big guest tonight, Nancy.

GRACE: I do, I do, Jane. This is someone that has remained silent throughout the entire drama. Enrique Cortez, Travis`s roommate who was there at the home when the body was discovered. He had been in and out of the home and can explain why they had no suspicion that Travis was dead upstairs in the shower. It`s a pretty amazing story.

But Jane, I have to hand it to you on the way you are describing the events that are happening is very, very gripping. And I don`t think until you have been a victim yourself that you really get what this family is going through and why what Arias said today was like spitting in their face.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: I know you have gone through trauma of surviving a horror and my heart goes out to you and every survivor of violence. So many have come up here and said I relate to Travis and his family because I have lost a brother, I have lost a son. I hear it all the time here at the courthouse. That`s one of the reasons this case is resonating.

Nancy, as we go to break, I want to show you, look at this. There`s a huge movement. "Juan Martinez for governor"; all these folks wearing a "Juan Martinez for governor" buttons and they`re starting a movement. Absolutely extraordinary. It gives you an idea of how they feel about he`s handled this case.

Thanks again, Nancy. Look forward to your big guest at the top of the hour. More on the other side.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Ok. Time for Pet of the Day -- Pet of the Day. And tonight`s Pet of the Day is dedicated to Travis Alexander, who love animals. You heard from Clancy Talbot, his dear friend, that some of the Alexander funds will go to help animals and all creatures in need.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Breaking news: we`ve heard the judge is lifting the ban on Jodi Arias talking. She`s lining up TV interviews. It`s surreal. Meanwhile, Beth Karas, you have been doing some fact checking on her statements. What have you found?

BETH KARAS, HLN LEGAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, she said that 100 percent of the proceeds for the sales of her "Survivor" T-shirts go to victims of domestic violence and other organizations. But I`m on the Jodi Arias is Innocent Website, and it says only a portion of the proceeds.

Now, it`s a little point but it does cast doubt on some of the things she says. I mean she was proven to be a liar on the stand. Did she lie to the jury? Yes, about this little point -- maybe something else.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Absolutely fascinating. You know what strikes me is that we thought, oh, she had said she didn`t want to live. She wanted to die. We figured all the delays this morning were about that. Well, she had this whole sophisticated Power Point presentation. You don`t put that together in five seconds. So obviously that wasn`t what was the holdup; she had planned to plea for her life perhaps all along.

More on the other side. Travis`s good friend has a message.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: We have been talking about this "Prosecutor Juan Martinez for governor" movement that`s starting here outside the courthouse. Michael Hughes, dear friend of Travis Alexander, you wanted to say something about prosecutor Martinez.

HUGHES: Yes, everybody`s talking about what a pathetic attempt Jodi did to save her life today but Juan Martinez always brings it back to what the jury should be focusing on right now. And that`s Jodi Arias brutally murdered my friend, Travis Alexander.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Clancy Talbot, last 20 seconds.

TALBOT: I just want to talk about it`s Travis`s legacy. We should be remembering Travis. This should be more about Travis than Jodi and justice for Travis. TravisAlexanderfund.com.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right. Well, very, very, very passionate feelings today. It`s been an emotional roller coaster for everyone here including myself. The anxiety, the tension and the waiting game continues tomorrow.

Come right back here for the latest.

Nancy next.

END