As the trial of Jodi Arias trudges onward, Arizona's taxpayers are left footing the bill for her steadily mounting legal tab, which has already cost the state over $1.4 million - and that's a conservative estimate.
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.
Death penalty cases have a tendency of running longer and costing much more than your average murder trial, and Arias' case has been no exception. Arias' trial has been a carnival of the absurd, full of lurid, lengthy tales of raunchy sex, and endless discussions about her countless uncorroborated allegations - Alexander's constant physical and mental abuse, her memory loss the day of his death - and there's no end in sight; no wonder Lifetime bought the rights to turn the whole circus into a movie. The trial's been going on so long that Arizona's taxpayers are already on the hook for more than $1.4 million, the most recent figure released, and that's from the trial's third month, back on Jan. 2. The total doesn't even include the state's prosecution.
Unable to afford her own defense team, Arias is being represented by court-appointed lawyers Kirk Nurmi and Jennifer Willmott who are receiving $250 an hour. Her lawyers are currently trying to establish Arias' need for self-defense against Alexander by focussing on her backstory of memory loss and past relationship abuse through a series of paid "expert witnesses" on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, amnesia, and domestic abuse. Alyce LaViolette, who's currently testifying about Arias' history as a victim of relationship abuse, was paid $250 an hour for interviewing Arias for 44 hours in jail, and is now receiving $300 an hour to testify in court.
LaViolette never met with Alexander, but you wouldn't gather that from hearing her testimony. She's read through numerous text messages, emails and listened to phone conversations Arias recorded between the two.
Based on the evidence that LaViollete collected - including "collateral data" from members of Arias' family - and the word of Arias, the psychotherapist said she was certain Arias was a victim of domestic abuse.
Last week, LaViollete discussed a previously undisclosed series email exchanges between Arias, Alexander, and his "longtime friends," Chris and Sky Hughes as evidence of Alexander's allegedly abusive behavior.
"They have basically advised Ms. Arias to move on from the relationship ... that Mr. Alexander has been abusive to women," said LaViolette of the emails, according to The Huffington Post.
"They [the Hugheses] thought he needed counseling, they also indicated that they thought he was greatly affected by his childhood and he was afraid to look at it because he was afraid it would make him look weak," LaViolette testified.
LaViolette was prohibited from quoting from the emails, and was only allowed to paraphrase and give her personal opinion of the content. The email exchanges were not shown to the jury.
Prosecuting attorney Martinez has objected to the majority of LaViollete's testimony so far, arguing her claims were nothing more than hearsay, but it made little difference; the judge overruled most of his objections.
Arias has also claimed she's been a victim of abuse since she was a child, which LaViollette attempted to establish as well.
"Jodi's mother didn't protect her from her father," LaViolette told the court.
"They were hit with spoons ... Jodi's father was controlling and manipulative and made derogatory statements," LaViolette said.
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.
Arias faces the death penalty if convicted. The trial resumes with more testimony from LaViolette Tuesday, April 2 at 12:30 p.m. EST.