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Nancy Grace
Jodi Arias Found Guilty
Aired May 08, 2013 - 20:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: State of Arizona versus Jodi Ann Arias, verdict, count one. We the jury, duly empanelled and sworn in the above-entitled action upon our oath do find the defendant as to count, one first degree murder, guilty. Five jurors find premeditated. Zero find felony murder. Seven find both premeditated and felony, signed, foreperson.
Is this your true verdict, so say you one and all?
Juror number one, is this your true verdict?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Juror number 2, is this your true verdict?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Juror number three, is this your true verdict?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Juror number four, is this your true verdict?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Juror number six, is this your true verdict?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Juror number seven, is this your true verdict?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Juror number nine, is this your true verdict?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Juror number 12, is this your true verdict?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Juror number 13, is this your true verdict?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Juror number 14, is this your true verdict?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Juror number 16, is this your true verdict?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Juror number 18, is this your true verdict?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
JODI ARIAS, CONVICTED OF MURDER: No jury is going to convict me.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why not?
ARIAS: Because I`m innocent. And you can mark my words on that one, no jury will convict me.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: State of Arizona versus Jodi Ann Arias, verdict, count one. We the jury, duly empanelled and sworn in the above-entitled action upon our oath do find the defendant as to count one, first degree murder, guilty.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NANCY GRACE, HOST: Good evening. I`m Nancy Grace. I want to thank you for being with us.
Bombshell tonight. After months of testimony, days of deliberation, the jury hands down a verdict in the Jodi Arias murder one trial, Arias guilty, murder one. Five jurors say premeditation. Seven jurors say premeditation plus felony murder.
You`re seeing a shot of Arias in court. It was quite the dichotomy. In the last hour, overhead, multiple choppers over the courthouse behind us, literally thousands of people thronging the courthouse, every entrance and exit protected by armed guards. There were three armed guards surrounding Arias herself for the jury to render that verdict.
With everyone outside the courthouse rocking the courthouse, loud cheering, chanting, there was complete quiet in the courtroom. As the courtroom was flanked by armed sheriffs, the jury came in. Everyone sat down, and then the verdict was rendered, Arias at first seeming as if they were talking about somebody else, and finally, her nose got red, her eyes got red. And she looked at each juror seemingly imploringly, seemingly beseeching each one of them as they were polled, which means an individual question to each juror.
Is this your verdict? Was it your verdict in the jury room? Is it now your verdict? Each one said, Yes, it is my verdict.
At that point, everyone in the courtroom reacted. They were hugging. They were smiling. They were crying. One person cried out in anguish when the verdict was read out loud.
At this hour, we understand Arias on suicide protocol in the Maricopa County jail.
Straight out to Jean Casarez. Jean, describe what went down in the courtroom.
JEAN CASAREZ, "IN SESSION" (via telephone): We are here at the jail right now, and Jodi is back. She`s on suicide watch. But in that courtroom, Nancy, there was complete silence before the jury walked in. It was a stilling (ph) stoic silence, like time just stopped.
The jury walked in. They looked the same as they had always done when they walked into that courtroom. They sat down. Jodi`s grandmother, Jodi`s mother, they were seated along with two rows of friends and family. And then the Alexander family and their close friends -- they were there waiting, waiting to hear if justice would be served.
And then the verdict is read by the court. And when that happened, there was a shriek. And it was the front row. I think it was one of Jodi`s -- of Travis`s sisters that just couldn`t contain herself.
And then the two sides were vastly (ph) different, the hugs on the side of the Alexander family, and the stillness and the shock, it seemed, on the side of the Jodi Arias family. But Jodi`s mother was breaking down. She was crying because she saw what the verdict was for her daughter.
GRACE: Everyone, right now, Arias has just been transported back to the jail. There was a very long delay. We don`t know what happened, but we do know that sources are saying there was a heated exchange between Arias and her lawyers, apparently.
Now she`s lashing out at them. It seems throughout her whole life, it`s always somebody else`s fault, and now, seemingly, she`s lashing out at her own lawyers.
We are live literally on the courthouse steps and taking your calls. Right now, Jodi Arias on suicide protocol. What does that mean? She may be in a padded cell. Often, inmates are stripped of shoelaces, belts, bras, socks, anything that they could use to harm themselves.
Before we get carried away with suicide protocol for Jodi Arias, out to you, Matt Zarrell. How long has Jodi Arias been threatening to commit suicide?
MATT ZARRELL, NANCY GRACE PRODUCER: Nancy, it goes as far back as when she was a teenager. I`ve seen journal entries going as far back as 15 years ago, where Arias references suicide. We saw a number of journals entries, after Samuels testified about Arias talking about suicide.
But as we`ve noted, Nancy, she has never been put on suicide watch before, and the jail will evaluate past suicide attempts, and she hasn`t made any that we know of.
GRACE: Take a listen to what Arias had to say on this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ARIAS: No jury is going to convict me.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why not?
ARIAS: Because I`m innocent. And you can mark my words on that one, no jury will convict me.
At the time, I had plans to commit suicide. So I was extremely confident that no jury would convict me because I didn`t expect any of you to be here.
I didn`t know what to think. I just wanted to die.
I wasn`t formulating plans to commit suicide on my return trip, but I did after that. I wasn`t -- no, I wasn`t thinking of it. I just wanted to die.
I was on the fence about suicide. I wanted to kill myself.
I did actually make -- decide I was going to definitely kill myself. I wanted to be dead before Travis`s birthday.
The suicide kept getting put on hold, but my plan was to not be around by the time it aired (ph).
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: "Why did you wait for so long to tell the truth?"
ARIAS: It took a long time for me to get to this point. I never wanted to admit to this. And I had written out all my suicide letters.
I just wish I could die. I wish that suicide was a way out.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: "Whether you had plans to commit suicide or not, why even mention, No jury will ever convict me, mark my words, because I am innocent?"
ARIAS: I was very confident that no jury would convict me because I was going to be dead.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: We are here, camped outside the courthouse. The jury in the last hour has delivered a verdict, a verdict of murder one, guilt. Five of those jurors say premeditated murder. Seven of them say premeditated murder and felony murder.
Immediately, we move into the aggravation phase. Remember, this is a three-part phase (ph) jury. First of all, guilt/innocence. That has been completed in the last hour.
Second, aggravation phase. This jury will deliberate one question and one question only. Was this murder the slaughter of Travis Alexander done in a cruel way? We anticipate Martinez bringing on one to two witnesses, most likely the medical examiner, Dr. Kevin Horne (ph), who will describe what Travis Alexander went through.
And let me warn you, the photos you are about to see are very graphic and disturbing. I`m referring to the crime scene photos of Travis`s death. This jury will be forced to consider what he went through as he died, that he went to his own bathroom mirror and sink and saw himself dying as the blood was coming out of his mouth and his nose, as his life`s blood was pouring out of him, dripping on that counter.
They will be forced to look at photos of the hall, where his back was bleeding profusely as he tried to get away from Jodi Arias, but she couldn`t let him leave. No. He was slashed from ear to ear, then dragged back into the shower for the cleanup scene.
The jury will be asked to determine this was a cruel mode of death. The defense must put up something in mitigation, something to suggest it wasn`t cruel.
Unleash the lawyers. Joining me tonight, Peter Odom, felony defense attorney. Also with me, Dwane Cates, defense attorney who has tried cases here in the courthouse, joining me here in Phoenix. With us also, death penalty-qualified prosecutor Eleanor Odom.
Out to you, Peter. What could the defense possibly say tomorrow? This is in less than 24 hours. They`ve got to tell this jury that this was not a cruel mode of death. Help me out. Mitigation, Peter!
PETER ODOM, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Going to be hard. The only thing I can think of, Nancy, is that they might be able to put up medical evidence to suggest that he would have died very shortly after the first blow was struck across his throat and would not have been aware of the pain and suffering from all of the 27 stab wounds.
GRACE: There were 29 stab wounds, number one, then a shot to the head.
All right, Dwane Cates. Give me your best shot, mitigation.
DWANE CATES, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Here`s your best shot, Nancy. Now, if he were stabbed in the heart, he was going to die pretty quickly. If he was shot in the head, the medical examiner said he was incapacitated. So if he`s incapacitated, at that point, he can`t suffer. I believe that`s what they`re going to go for. They`re going to go back to the shot in the head.
GRACE: I don`t agree with you that that`s what happened. but I do agree with you that that`s what the defense is going to argue. Dwane and Peter, you`re both right. You are both absolutely right about what`s going to happen tomorrow.
But Eleanor Odom, I think the state`s going to prevail on this issue because nobody in their right mind could say that this was not a cruel mode of death because Travis Alexander -- I don`t care how quickly the defense claims it happened -- had time to stumble out of that shower, trying to fight her off.
He had time to pause over his bathroom sink and look at himself, Eleanor, see himself in the mirror as he died, with the blood coming out of his mouth and nose. He had time to stagger down the hall trying to get away from her, his blood smearing against the side of the wall. He knew he was dying. That`s cruel!
ELEANOR ODOM, PROSECUTOR: Yes, Nancy. I mean, you almost don`t have to say it because it`s so obviously cruel. And remember this. The jury has already found her not only guilty but with premeditation. So that`s a done deal. There`s no argument over that issue anymore.
So now we can look at the cruel and unusual way that he was killed, from the slashing of the throat to every single stab wound. And Nancy, this murder took time. It wasn`t over in an instant, if you know what I mean. This was over and over and over again.
GRACE: Joining me right now, also at the courthouse, Brian Skoloff, the author of "Killed (sic) Girlfriend: The Jodi Arias Story." Brian, are you surprised at the verdict, number one? Are you surprised at Jodi Arias`s reaction, where she was looking almost imploringly, almost accusingly at the jury as they were each being polled, and then apparently having words with her lawyers, immediately giving a statement to the press that she would rather die than be sent to jail?
BRIAN SKOLOFF, "KILLER GIRLFRIEND" AUTHOR: Yes, Nancy, not surprised at all. I mean, the prosecution had a pretty solid case here, as you know, clear first degree murder, whether you believe it`s felony murder or premeditated. So not very surprising at all.
I mean, their case was damning from the start, enormous obstacles for the defense to overcome, starting with the abuse. I mean, their whole case was based on the fact that Travis was abusive to her, violently abusive. Therefore, on this final day, she had to fight for her life. We heard zero testimony, zero evidence to back that up. That was just completely insurmountable.
GRACE: Well, what you`re bringing up, Brian Skoloff, author of "Killed (sic) Girlfriend: The Jodi Arias Story," is actually very, very significant. And this is why throughout this trial, Arias has lied about what happened, almost challenging a jury to convict her.
She has lied through her teeth to the jury, talking about self-defense and all the mistreatment she suffered at Travis`s hands. And now you really think she`s going to change her story and she`s going to go in front of a jury and say, I`m sorry. That`s not going to happen.
But the headline today is Lady Justice has prevailed, at least this time, the jury convicting Jodi Arias, murder one.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ARIAS: (INAUDIBLE) 10 Commandments, thou shalt not kill.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Guilty, guilty, guilty.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We represent the Travis Alexander surviving siblings...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And unfortunately, you`re going to have to face the consequences.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My firm will be filing a wrongful -- a civil wrongful death suit against the defendant.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My job is to speak for Travis right now, and everything Travis is telling me is that, Jodi did this to me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: The jury renders a verdict. For those of you just joining us, in the last hour, the jury hands down a verdict of guilty on murder one. And we should never go into a trial thinking that a guilty conviction is a foregone conclusion. Absolutely not. Let me just say these three names -- O.J. Simpson, tot mom Casey Anthony, Robert Blake. Everybody thought those were shoo-ins, too. They weren`t.
With me right now, joining me from the jail, Estrella jail here in Maricopa County, Jean Casarez. Jean, what are you doing at Estrella?
CASAREZ: Well, Nancy, we came here and we actually have put in a request to talk to Jodi Arias. What we found out when we got here, as you said, she is on suicide facilitation (ph) because shortly after her conviction, she said, I would rather die than live. And because of that, that triggered the suicide -- suicide watch, essentially.
Now, Nancy, what`s ironic about this is that during the trial, she testified that she gave an interview saying that, No jury will find me guilty, because she didn`t -- because she didn`t believe she`d be there, but she didn`t want to say she was going to kill herself because she knew she`d be put in a padded room.
Now, I also want to tell you that we understand that her family is going to be paying visitation with her today as we proceed now into the evening. Dinnertime is around 4:30. And I have been told that her family will be visiting her.
GRACE: What does suicide protocol entail at Estrella jail, Jean?
CASAREZ: It is around the clock, watching, watching her because they believe she may be a danger to herself. And so the issue is just constant (ph). I remember her testifying, too, that she had to strip, and that was something that she said that she didn`t want to do.
GRACE: Everyone, Jean Casarez joining me from Estrella jail here in Maricopa County. In the last hour, the jury hands down a verdict -- as part of what -- Arias is now speaking to the press behind bars. She says, I pray constantly for every member of the jury.
I would start praying for other things, like being saved from the death penalty, like forgiveness for what happened, for what you did to Travis Alexander.
To all of you mothers out there who have raised your children, poured all of your heart, all of your love, all of your soul into them, to have their lives cut short -- just as Travis is becoming a young man in his own right, growing up, getting a job, going out in the world. Now he`ll never be married. He`ll never have children. His life is over, all those hopes and dreams gone.
So if you are praying for anything, Jodi Arias, pray for Travis Alexander tonight. Don`t pray for this jury.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ARIAS: If a conviction happens, I know that I won`t be the first person to be wrongly convicted and possibly wrongly sentenced for either life in prison or the death penalty. And personally, if I had my choice, I would take the death penalty because I don`t want to spend the rest of my life in prison.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: That was from CBS "48 Hours," once again, Jodi Arias talking about her suicide wish. So far, the only thing that`s been proven is that she murdered Travis Alexander.
For those of you just joining us, a murder conviction has just been handed down by the Arias jury, murder one.
Out to you, Beth Karas. What more can you tell me about her statements? She`s already talking to the press this soon after her murder conviction?
BETH KARAS, "IN SESSION": Yes, indeed. In the courthouse, about 20 minutes after the verdict, not in the presence of her attorneys, and she spoke to one member of the media. And she said her mind went blank. She was stunned. She didn`t expect first degree murder, premeditation at least. She understood felony murder just because of the way the law is written, she says.
And you know, she says that -- she said there`s longevity in her family. She doesn`t expect to live -- she does expect, rather, to live a long time and that she prefers death over life. So...
GRACE: Well, one thing...
(CROSSTALK)
GRACE: ... very disturbing -- one thing, Beth, that was very, very disturbing is the message she sent -- in the last hours -- this is after a jury convicted her of slaughtering Travis Alexander, she says, I hope Travis`s family remembers their brother the way they want to. In other words, that what their memories are, are all lies, that he is not what they remember him to be.
You know what, Dr. Drew? What is that? What is -- why is she lashing out at Travis`s family?
DREW PINSKY, HOST, "DR. DREW ON CALL": That is disgusting, Nancy. And it is something terribly unsatisfying about talking to Jodi Arias after this conviction. She starts talking about how she wishes she could die now. She`s still preoccupied with suicide. She really is not learning from this experience. She`s still blaming other people. She is still thinking in ways that are bizarre. It is still extremely unsatisfying to hear from her.
GRACE: You know what, Dr. Drew? I love the way you phrase things, Learning from this experience. She slaughtered Travis Alexander, and a jury finally, finally were the first ones to ever hold this woman accountable! And now, after the light has been shined on what she did to an innocent unarmed man, she is saying that the family, Travis`s family, has false memories of Travis, that he`s not all that he`s cracked up to be.
You know what? I want to send her to jail just for that alone.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: State of Arizona versus Jodi Ann Arias, verdict count one. We the jury, duly impaneled and sworn, in the above entitled action, upon our oath, do find the defendant as to count one, first-degree murder, guilty.
Five jurors find premeditated. Zero find felony murder. Seven find both premeditated and felony.
Signed, foreperson.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: As to the verdict, so say you one and all?
Juror No. 1, is this your true verdict?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Juror No. 2, is this your true verdict?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Juror No. 3, is this your true verdict?
Juror No. 4, is this your true verdict?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Juror number six, is this your true verdict?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Juror number 7, is this your true verdict?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Juror number 9, is this your true verdict?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Juror number 12, is this your true verdict?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Juror number 13, is your true verdict? Juror number 14, is this your true verdict?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Juror number 16, is this your true verdict?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Juror number 18, is this your true verdict?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
ARIAS: No jury is going to convict me.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why not?
ARIAS: Because I`m innocent and you can mark my words on that one. No jury will convict me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: Lady justice spoke. In the last hour, a jury hands down a murder one verdict, guilty, on Jodi Arias. But she didn`t waste one minute. Let me tell you. She gets a murder one conviction, she goes straight into a TV interview. Take a listen. This is Troy Hayden with KSAZ. This is just moments after a jury convicts her on murder one in the slashing death, the brutal massacre of her lover, Travis Alexander.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TROY HAYDEN, KSAZ: Just a couple of minutes ago, you heard the verdict from the jury. What are your thoughts?
ARIAS: I think I just went blank. Just -- I don`t know. I just feel overwhelmed. I think I just need to take it a day at a time.
HAYDEN: Was it unexpected, you think, this verdict?
ARIAS: It was unexpected for me, yes, because there was no premeditation on my part. I can see how things looked that way, but I didn`t expect the premeditation. I can see maybe the felony murder because of how the law was written, but I didn`t -- the whole time I was fairly confident I wouldn`t get premeditation, because there was no premeditation.
HAYDEN: It seems -- you got a lot of questions from the jury. It seemed that some of the jurors didn`t believe that you were telling (inaudible) your story. What are your thoughts on that?
ARIAS: I can understand that, I think, because of the lies I told in the beginning, to try to cover up this, cover up that, hide things that I didn`t want to be known, made public.
HAYDEN: Are you focusing on the court (ph) or are you focusing on what could be the worst outcome for you?
ARIAS: Well, the worst outcome for me would be natural life. I would much rather die sooner than later. Longevity runs in my family, and I don`t want to spend the rest --
You know, I`m pretty healthy. I don`t smoke, and I would probably live a long time. So that is not something I am looking forward to. I said years ago that I would rather get death than life, and that still is true today. I believe death is the ultimate freedom. So I would rather just have my freedom as soon as I can get it.
HAYDEN: So you are saying you actually prefer getting the death penalty than being in prison for life?
ARIAS: Yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: That is from KSAZ. Caryn Stark, in a nutshell, you`re the shrink, honey, she didn`t waste a minute. She walked straight out of that court room and hops up in front of a TV camera and starts talking about how everything went blank and she is telling them she doesn`t remember what happened an hour ago in the courtroom. Everything went blank.
STARK: Nancy, are you surprised? I don`t think anyone is surprised. She is not capable of sincere emotions. She is going to say whatever pops into her head. She has the grandiosity. She is deceptive. She can`t really feel, and so of course she is not going to show any remorse or look as though this really has upset her.
GRACE: Actually I am surprised, not because I think she has got any remorse, but because I thought that she would think strategically, that this could come into evidence. This can come into evidence at the death penalty phase. Take a listen to what Jodi Arias said just moments -- she walked out the door of the courtroom right behind me and immediately plopped down in front of a TV camera. This is what she said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HAYDEN: The Alexander family, especially the two sisters and the younger brother, if you could say something to them, what would you have to say to them?
ARIAS: I hope that now that a verdict has been rendered, that they are able to find peace, some sense of peace. I don`t think they will ever find the peace that they would like, but maybe they will be able to have greater peace now or some semblance of it, and be able to move on with their lives, and remember their brother the way that they want to.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: That is from KSAZ. Out to you, Jane Velez-Mitchell. Remember him the way they want to? What?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: You know, Nancy, she is what you call a contrarian indicator. Whatever she says, go the exact opposite. So she is essentially saying kill me. Go ahead, kill me. That is part of her strategy. She really wants the exact opposite. She wants to live. So again, you see the manipulation. I think the best argument to save her life, Nancy, is that she is mentally ill, that she`s coocoo in the head. That is really what the defense should be saying, and in fact, the prosecution said it when they said she had borderline personality disorder.
GRACE: Well, Jane, borderline personality disorder does not equal as you so eloquently said, coocoo in the head. That is not insanity under the legal sense.
And unleash the lawyers. This is really a very, very critical move that she just made right behind me in the last 30 minutes. Out to you. With me, felony defense lawyer Peter Odom, Atlanta. Dwayne Cates, defense lawyer in this courthouse, Phoenix, Arizona. Also with me, death penalty qualified prosecutor, Eleanor Odom.
Eleanor, keep the camera rolling, because everything she is saying I don`t see one reason why it cannot come in at sentencing phase.
ELEANOR ODOM, PROSECUTOR: Of course, it can come in, Nancy. It just gives the prosecutor a way to say, hey, she wants it, she deserves it. This is cruel. This is a horrible way that she killed Travis Alexander. It`s an easy decision then for the jurors to make.
GRACE: Now, what about it? Peter Odom, the reality is this can be used against her, but that didn`t stop her. She wanted to get in front of the camera so badly and say what she said. And she is still, I don`t care what you say about this, Peter Odom, she is still trying to play the victim. That is what she is doing. And how dare she say, well, his family can remember him however they want to, the way they want to, as if I know the monster and they can remember him as the angel. I just want to chew a nail in half.
PETER ODOM, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: I think she is playing -- trying to play the prosecution like a guitar. She is trying to engage in reverse psychology. She wants the -- she knows this can be used in evidence. She is no fool. She wants the prosecution to take this and play it for the jury so that they will not be willing to give her what she says she wants. That is what I believe is going on.
GRACE: I don`t think that her trying to be a camera hog is going to convince Martinez not to seek the death penalty. What about it, Dwayne Cates?
DWAYNE CATES, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Nancy, Jodi Arias is the poster child for why you don`t let your client talk on camera. And I am guessing that is what the big fight was right after court, that she said I am going to do this interview, and I am guaranteeing you her attorneys were begging her not to do this. Don`t do this. She just gave the jury permission to put her to death. And what do you do? How do you defend that?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: 911 emergency.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A friend of mine is (inaudible).
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Arizona versus Jodi Ann Arias. Count one, first degree murder, premeditated murder. We the jury duly impaneled and sworn, in the above entitled action, upon our oath, do find the defendant as to count one, first-degree murder, guilty.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Juror No. 1, is this your true verdict?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Juror No. 2, is this your true verdict?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Juror No. 3, is this your true verdict?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Juror No. 4, is this your true verdict?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Juror number six, is this your true verdict?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Juror number 7, is this your true verdict?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Juror number 9, is this your true verdict?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Juror number 12, is this your true verdict?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Juror number 13, is your true verdict?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Juror number 14, is this your true verdict?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Juror number 16, is this your true verdict?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Juror number 18, is this your true verdict?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: We are live here at the courthouse as justice unfolds behind us. In the last hour a jury handing down a murder one conviction on Jodi Arias. And she doesn`t waste one minute. She walks out that door of the courtroom and plops down on the chair and starts talking in front of the camera, talking about how she respected Martinez, the prosecutor, for part of the trial, but now she doesn`t because he hid evidence and acted -- did shady maneuvers during the trial.
She is attacking the prosecution. She is attacking her lawyers, everybody but herself. She does not want to look back on the day she slaughtered Travis Alexander.
Joining me right now, Dan Freeman, very dear friend of Travis Alexander. Arias staying at his home for the memorial. He testified at trial for the defense. Dan Freeman, thank you for being with us.
DAN FREEMAN, ARIAS STAYED AT HIS FAMILY`S HOUSE FOR MEMORIAL: Thank you, Nancy.
GRACE: I would like to hear your reaction to the verdict.
FREEMAN: I haven`t watched a lot of the trial, but I did go watch the verdict as they read it. And I can`t say that I`m surprised at the verdict, seeing everything that happened and seeing how she reacted to it. Justice was served today, and I hope that his family can find some measure of healing in that and move forward in their lives.
GRACE: Also with us, Chad Perkins, childhood best friend of Travis Alexander. Chad, I would like to hear your reaction.
CHAD PERKINS, CHILDHOOD FRIEND OF TRAVIS ALEXANDER: Frankly, I was ecstatic. I was a little surprised just because juries have been tending to let people go a lot lately. And I was ecstatic not just because justice was served, and not just (inaudible) to get closure, but because it is almost like Travis` legacy has been vindicated. It is been etched in stone in the annals of history that Travis was a decent guy and that Jodi is a villain. It was fantastic.
GRACE: Dave Hall, very dear friend of Travis Alexander, saw Arias the day after the murder. Dave, what is your reaction?
DAVE HALL, FRIEND OF TRAVIS ALEXANDER: Complete jubilation and relief. It has been five very long years, Nancy, as we waited and watched patiently as Jodi has dragged Travis` name through the mud, and his family has had to watch this horrific scene unfold. And today Travis` family will get a good night`s sleep knowing that justice worked.
GRACE: Joining me right now, special guest out of San Francisco, Mike Belmessieri, Scott Peterson juror and co-author of "We the Jury: Deciding the Fate of Scott Peterson." Mike, it`s great to see you. A couple of pointed questions. We observed one of the jurors looking very defiant, almost angry. Defiant was how Jean Casarez described her. And then just as they went back into the jury room for deliberations, another female juror pushed her hair back, wiped her face and went back in there. She was later seen, the first one, wiping her eyes as she went back in just before the verdict was announced. At any time in guilt innocence phase, do you believe the jury talks about the death penalty?
MIKE BELMESSIERI, SCOTT PETERSON JUROR: No. No. You know, what they are doing is -- well, they are way too busy focusing on the question at hand, the innocence of guilt of the accused.
In this jury`s case here, I lost the pool. I had Friday. But they took their time, and it`s obvious they gave great thought to their decision and took it very, very responsible.
The talk about a death penalty at this point in time by any juror is probably just a little bit premature, and I`m sure the jury foreman would probably say no.
GRACE: I think you are right. With me is Mike Belmessieri of the Scott Peterson jury. Very quickly, Matt Zarrell, she is still talking. What is she saying about Juan Martinez?
ZARRELL: Well, she is accusing Juan Martinez of hiding evidence. I wonder, Nancy, if she is referring to the letters that were not allowed in at trial. Now, the state alleged that these letters were fabricated by Jodi Arias. In addition, she talks about the negative public attention she has been getting.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GRACE: We are live here at the courthouse. In the last hour, the jury hands down a verdict. Justice triumphs this time at least, but it ain`t over yet. Tomorrow, because we go straight into aggravation phase. The state has one thing and one thing only to prove, was this murder committed in a cruel manner? We anticipate Martinez calling one to two witnesses, but whoa. Right now, Arias goes straight out of the courtroom and starts talking on camera. Yes. Take a listen to what else Jodi Arias had to say just moments after she was found guilty of murder one.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ARIAS: Well, prior to trial, I respected Juan as a very capable attorney. Even though he`s done some very shady things in my case, as far as hiding evidence and failing to disclose certain things, hoping it would just go away. But in the end what does it matter, it didn`t help my case.
HAYDEN: So if you had to do this all over again, you`re in the desert, you notice you have got blood on your hands, how do you handle it?
ARIAS: I would turn around and drive to the Mesa Police Department.
HAYDEN: What do you think would have happened to you there?
ARIAS: I don`t know, but it would have been the right thing.
HAYDEN: Do you have a sense of where the public feeling is about you, whether you`re liked or not liked?
ARIAS: I get the sense that there is great division on both sides. But I believe the majority is against me.
HAYDEN: What are your thoughts on that?
ARIAS: A psychologist once explained to me that society has this need to persecute people. They get some sort of gratification from it. So there might be something going on there.
HAYDEN: Did you have any knowledge of the interest in your case, any idea how many people are interested?
ARIAS: I hear things, but I have no access to the news, the Internet, that sort of thing, no direct access.
HAYDEN: What kinds of things do you hear?
ARIAS: I do get the newspaper, so that`s been one portal where I`ve learned things. They want to come up and shake my hand, they want to give me a hug, they want my autograph. I`m not going to sign anything.
HAYDEN: Let`s go forward and say you do get a long sentence, how are you going to spend your life?
ARIAS: I haven`t decided yet.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: That we want to persecute someone, that we have a need to persecute someone. That`s not what this is about. And she still doesn`t get it! This is about a verdict that speaks the truth. That`s what this is all about, Jodi Arias. You just heard her speaking to KSAZ immediately after she was found guilty in the slaughter of her unarmed fiance, her unarmed lover, Travis Alexander.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GRACE: We remember American hero, Marine Corporal John bishop, 25, Columbus, Indiana, Purple Heart, Navy Unit Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal. Parents Gene and Sarah. Five brothers, two sisters. Widow, Crystal (ph), children, Kason (ph) and Ella (ph). John Bishop, American hero.
And now, back to the Jodi Arias trial. The jury hands down a verdict in the courtroom. Travis Alexander`s family breaks down in tears, hugging each other, but Caryn Stark, there`s no such thing as closure for them. This story doesn`t end today.
STARK: There is no such thing as closure. Nancy, they will mourn forever, and Jodi Arias will never have remorse. So we should forget about that and just be happy that justice prevailed and that the family gets to see that. But they will always mourn the loss of their family member.
GRACE: Jean Casarez, we dig back in tomorrow with aggravation. The jury reporting back to the courthouse, and so are we. What do you expect, Jean?
CASAREZ: I expect a full day. And it is extreme cruelty that the prosecution must prove beyond a reasonable doubt, that Travis, that he was stabbed, that he (inaudible) that he fought, and his hands show the fighting he was capable of, and it was cruelty.
GRACE: Jean Casarez, standing by at (inaudible). Everyone, Dr. Drew up next. The jury has rendered the verdict. Everyone, I`ll see you tomorrow night, 8:00 sharp Eastern. God bless Travis`s family tonight. Until tomorrow night, good night, friend.
END
