Alleged murderer Jodi Arias spent her 16th day on the witness stand today (Wednesday) answering questions proposed by jurors in an Arizona courtroom. She is accused of shooting, stabbing and slashing the throat of victim Travis Alexander in June of 2008, according to HLN.
The jurors have reportedly come up with approximately 150 questions for Arias to answer in connection with her alleged murder of the Mormon.
Arizona is one of the few states in the U.S. which allows jurors to submit questions to a defendant as well as other witnesses. The questions are actually submitted to Judge Sherry Stephens who has read them aloud to the defendant.
Arias said Alexander picked her up with enough force to lift her feet off the ground and slammed her onto the bathroom floor. She grabbed his gun and pointed it at Alexander. She said he lunged at her and the gun went off. She didn't intend for the gun to go off.
When asked why she didn't remember the critical events of the day of the killing of Alexander she said that it was the most tense, traumatic time of her life which caused her memory to go blank after the gun went off in the apartment.
One juror question asked a key question as follows: "Why it was so easy for her to get a gun from the victim's closet as they fought on the day of the killing?"
She replied that she grabbed the firearm from his closet as he chased her. She wasn't sure he was behind her, because she didn't see him. She sensed he was right behind her.
Other jury questions were why she didn't run from the house if she felt in fear. Another jury question asked her why she didn't call 911.
The jurors also wanted to know why Arias took photos of his bloody body and then put the camera in the washing machine.
She replied she didn't know why she did that.
Wood was stabbed 27 times during that tragic day.
California attorney Mark Geragos said he didn't like the system allowing jurors to ask questions because he believes it caused jurors to become advocates and not objective in the process.
She faces the death penalty if convicted of first degree murder in Arizona.
She and her attorneys are claiming it was self-defense. She has already been residing in jail for three years so she will receive credit for the time already served if she is sentenced to prison rather than receiving death.
Arias knew the questions in advance. She was allowed to review them with her attorneys in the morning before answering them on the stand.
Jurors were seen writing more questions today as she was testifying on the stand.
There are currently 18 jurors which will be whittled down to 12 by the end of the trial.
The Arizona system is very unique in regard to allowing jury questions and the manner in which the final 12 jurors are selected.
She was asked what the word "skank" meant by a juror. She said it was a perjorative term for a woman.
One Arizona defense attorney said this system of allowing jury questions changed the outcome of one of his jury trials.
With approximately 150 questions thus far submitted, it is very difficult to estimate the length of this trial which began on Jan. 2.
Stephens and attorneys had worked together Wednesday morning to whittle down the number of jury questions allowed.
While some states leave it up to the judge's discretion to allow juror questions, Arizona makes it mandatory.
This is one of the few states where the jurors appear to have control over the length of a trial. Thursday will begin with more questions from the jurors for Arias.
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