Jodi Arias Trial; Deadlocked Jury, No Death Penalty, For Now (REPORT)
A judge declared a mistrial in the sentencing phase of Jodi Arias murder trial today in Ariz., after the jury could not agree on whether to sentence Arias to death or to life in prison for murdering her ex-boyfriend, Travis Alexander, in 2008, according to ABC News.
In a capital case, according to state law, if the jury cannot reach a unanimous decision, the Maricopa County District Attorney's Office must determine whether to spend time and resources to find a new jury or schedule new court dates and re-present its evidence to try to reach a death sentence, which could take months, according to Jerry Cobb, spokesman for the prosecutor's office.
Arias, 32, was convicted of first-degree murder after she killed her ex-boyfriend, Travis Alexander. Alexander had 27 stab wounds, a slit throat, and a gunshot wound to his head.
Prosecutor Juan Martinez argued that because Alexander's murder was particularly cruel, Arias deserved the death penalty.
The jury has not yet returned a verdict on whether they agree.
The jury halted deliberations on Wednesday and sent Judge Sherry Stephens a note indicating their indecision. Stephens responded by sending them back to the jury room to continue deliberating. She gave them instructions on how to ask questions of her or attorneys if they felt they could not come to an agreement.
"Each juror has a duty to consult with one another, (and) to try to reach agreement without violence to individual judgment. You may want to identify areas of agreement and disagreement. If you still disagree, you may wish to tell the attorneys and me what issues, questions or law or facts on which we can possibly help," Stephens said to the jurors.
A hung jury will be declared if the jury cannot agree. Martinez and the Maricopa County Prosecutor Office must then decide whether to find a new jury and present the death penalty phase of the trial to them, Cobb said.
If the decision is made not to redo the death penalty phase, Arias will be sentenced to life in prison, either with or without the possibility of parole, depending on the judge's ruling. Cobb said if the state retried the case with a new jury, it is left with one more chance to impose the death penalty on Arias.
The present jury has sat through nearly five months of testimony in the case.
Watch a report on Arias verdict here:
