Jodi Arias lawyers file motion alleging prosecutorial misconduct

On March 28, 2013, the judge in the Jodi Arias murder trial examined a motion filed by the accused murderer’s attorneys claiming prosecutorial misconduct in the case, according to CBS News.

Arias, 32, is charged with the brutal 2008 murder of her former lover, Arizona man Travis Alexander, 30. He was stabbed over two dozen times, was shot in the head, and his throat was slashed. She claims she killed him in self-defense, but during the trial Arias has testified she does not remember much about the deadly confrontation.

View slideshow: Photos of Jodi Arias and Travis Alexander, the Former Boyfriend She Admits Killing, Saying She Was Forced to Do So

The motion was reviewed by Judge Sherrie Stephens after testimony concluded for the day, which included domestic violence expert, Alyce LaViolette, telling the jury about Arias’ vulnerability when she met Alexander and her difficulty in saying “No” to him when it came to sex.

Additionally, a number of emails were alluded to by defense attorney Jennifer Willmott while questioning LaViolette about domestic abuse. According to USA Today, the jury did not see the emails, which were between Alexander and his friends in California, Chris and Sky Hughes. LaViolette was not allowed to read them, but was allowed to speak about their content, despite prosecutor Juan Martinez’s objections.

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USA Today indicates the emails were a bone of contention in the case, as Arias’ attorneys had attempted to obtain the correspondence in 2011, but were told by the prosecution that “there were no available text messages sent or received by Alexander.” The prosecution was subsequently ordered to turn over several hundred messages. The report notes that this was not mentioned during court proceedings.

In one email, Chris Hughes wrote that he believed Arias might become Alexander’s “next victim” and that she was just another female his friend was “playing,” according to court documents.

In another, Sky Hughes wrote that Alexander was “abusive” to Arias by “beating her emotionally.”

Also among the messages was an email from a woman Alexander was dating at the time who wrote she felt “used and dirty” due to the manner in which he behaved.

According to CBS, later in the day Arias’ attorneys questioned the actions of Martinez, saying he engaged in misconduct by posing and taking photos with fans and signing autographs outside the courthouse.

View slideshow: Graphic Crime Scene Photos in Jodi Arias Case

According to USA Today, defense attorney Kirk Nurmi alleged that Martinez’s desire for publicity is tantamount to misconduct on the prosecution’s part.

Before jurors were excused for the day, they were asked to enter the courtroom individually to be questioned about Martinez and whether any of them saw him posing for cameras or giving out his autograph.

If convicted of Alexander’s murder, Arias could be sentenced to death.

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