Jurors allowed to ask questions at Jodi Arias trial

Well, this is unusual: today jurors were allowed to ask questions to a defendant, Jodi Arias, at her trial. Jodi Arias is facing the death penalty for the first-degree murder of her ex-boyfriend, Travis Alexander. Radar Online reports that Judge Sherry Stevens “will allow the jury to ask questions directly to Arias, a result of a jury reform act from several years ago. The jurors’ questions first will be reviewed by the judge, prosecution and defense. Jurors have submitted nearly 100 questions for Arias and the judge will rule on objections from the defense and prosecution, deciding which ones will be asked.” This policy of jury reform is legal in Arizona, where the trial is taking place; Arizona is one of only three states that allow the jury to ask questions of witnesses on the stand.

According to ABC News, the jury is made up of 18 people (four of whom are alternates): seven members of the jury are women who are in their thirties and forties, and 11 men, nine of whom are over the age of 40. The jurors submitted over 100 questions after Jodi finished testifying.

In the video below, Jodi answers questions about why she never documented the alleged abuse at the hands of her ex-boyfriend, why she chose to call the police about a previous ex-boyfriend, but never called the police on Travis, why she would continue to date Travis if she knew he was a pedophile and more. She is also asked detailed questions about the day of Travis’ murder, such as how she was able to access the gun if the closet was locked.

Jodi is claiming self-defense, and alleges she killed Travis after he flew into a rage and threatened to kill her during an argument. She earlier denied any involvement in the crime, but said she saw two individuals attack him, and later said she killed in self-defense after suffering years of abuse. She claims Travis attacked her because she dropped his new camera. She later tried to dispose of the evidence by putting the camera in a washing machine, but images were able to be retrieved that show Travis in the shower seconds before he was killed and Jodi dragging Travis’ dead body.

The questions are to continue tomorrow, Thursday, March 7. Today is the 16th day of Jodi’s trial. If convicted of first-degree murder, Jodi will become the fourth woman on Arizona’s death row.

(Photo via ABC News)