With Jodi Arias' defense team now firmly on the offensive for the first time since the trial began, her lawyers are desperate to capitalize on the momentum and finally convince the jury that she is the true victim in the case.
A 32-year-old photographer from California, Arias is charged with the the grisly first-degree murder of her ex-boyfriend, Travis Alexander, in June 2008, when she stabbed the 30-year-old man 27 times, shot him in the face, slit his throat from ear to ear and left his bloodied corpse crumpled over in the bathroom shower of his home. Arias' guilt is not up for debate - but her mental state at the time of the killing is. Arias' fate depends on whether the jury believes she killed Alexander in self-defense, as she contends, or was actually a jilted lover exacting jealous revenge, as the prosecution argues.
Now that psychologist and self-advertised "expert witness" on post traumatic stress disorder, Richard Samuels, is off the stand after six days of progressively deflating testimony, the defense is focusing on establishing a history of domestic abuse throughout Arias' life to prove she has always been a victim. Psychotherapist Alyce LaViolette - an expert on domestic abuse who has authored books on the topic - is the core to the defense's new strategy.
The defense broke its back for LaViolette's first few days on the stand merely trying to prove her professional credentials after prosecutor Juan Martinez destroyed the credibility of its last "expert witness," hammering time and again that for someone claiming to be an expert, Samuels made a surprising amount of admitted errors in his diagnosis of Arias.
Arias' lawyers closed out the week delving into her childhood to show she had been abused in one way or another since day one.
LaViolette testified that she had read "collateral data" from members of Arias' family and had learned that there was discipline in her family that she believed "went over the line."
"They were hit with spoons ... Jodi's father was controlling and manipulative and made derogatory statements," LaViolette said, according to The Huffington Post.
According to LaViolette's research, she said that Arias' father made "sexually inappropriate comments" to Arias while she lived at home.
"He would talk about Jodi's body and her boob's being too small," LaViolette said.
LaViolette added that Arias also would have altercations with her mother, saying they had an often contentious relationship.
"She does have issues with her mother," LaViolette claimed.
"She's angry at her mother because her mother did not protect her from her father," she said.
The defense then focussed on how Arias and Alexander met in its continued attempt to portray Alexander as the devil in disguise, quaint and moral on the surface, but cold and heartless underneath, someone only interested in using others to get what they want.
LaViolette said that when the couple met Arias had recently gotten out of a long-term relationship and was "vulnerable." She said Arias became smitten by Alexander's persistence and his wholesomeness.
"He pursued her ... and she was very impressed with the family values of the Mormon faith," LaViolette said.
LaViolette testified that Arias and Alexander had sex early on in their relationship, and that Arias felt things moved too fast and that she was rushed into things.
"She said she was uncomfortable because it was too fast, too soon," LaViolette said of Arias' perceptions of her first sexual experience with Alexander.
"When people are vulnerable their boundaries tend to be not as good," LaViolette explained.
"Within a two week period they had oral sex right?"asked Arias' attorney Jennifer Willmott.
"Yes," LaViolette replied.
Arias' lawyers have painted her as a naive, devout Mormon who was sexually exploited by an often sadistic and violent Alexander. Arias has testified throughout the trial about the couple's equally violent and volatile relationship, claiming Alexander was often verbally abusive and controlling, and physically abused her on multiple occasions, breaking her finger, and slamming her to the ground. The defense has repeatedly read passages from Arias' diary attempting to show that she has suffered from low self-image, depression, and thoughts of suicide for years, and has poured through countless raunchy emails, texts, voicemails, and recorded phone conversations, hoping to portray Arias as an innocent girl who got caught up with a twisted man with a "nearly-predatory sex drive." Much of the defense's case rests on these characterizations.
However, none of Arias' accusations have been corroborated by evidence or testimony from anyone other than her. Some of Alexander's friends have claimed that Arias was stalking him and was "possessive and jealous." The prosecution has alleged that the pair had become distant in the weeks before the killing, and Alexander was trying to get Arias to leave him alone.
LaViolette described Arias and Alexander's second sexual encounter at a hotel where the two met for a weekend Arias said she believed would be romantic, but that Alexander turned into nothing more than a booty call.
"It was somewhat impersonal and Mr. Alexander was distant," LaViolette said.
"He doesn't call her for a few days and she starts to wonder if she's been used," LaViolette said of Arias feelings on the experience.
Prosecuting attorney Martinez objected to the majority of LaViollete's testimony. When Martinez begins cross examination next week, he's likely to note that none of these stories have been corroborated by evidence or testimony from anyone other than Arias.
The trial resumes with more testimony from LaViolette Tuesday, April 2 at 12:30 p.m. EST.