Faced with an expert's claims that Jodi Arias is not a victim of domestic abuse, and does not suffer from post traumatic stress disorder, the defense scrambled to portray the psychologist as inexperienced during increasingly heated questioning Wednesday.
A 32-year-old photographer from California, Arias is charged with the grisly first-degree murder of her ex-boyfriend Travis Alexander in June 2008, when she stabbed the 30-year-old man 27 times, primarily in the back, shot him in the face, slit his throat from ear to ear with so much force it almost decapitated him, and left his bloodied corpse crumpled over in the bathroom shower of his home - all in the course of 106 seconds. Arias' guilt is not up for debate - but her mental state at the time of the killing is. Arias' future depends on whether the jury believes she killed Alexander in self-defense, or was actually a jilted lover exacting jealous revenge.
With the defense having finally rested its case after roughly 12 weeks of testimony, prosecutor Juan Martinez has entered the state's rebuttal phase with its first expert witness, Arizona clinical psychologist Janeen DeMarte. Intent to prove the defense's experts were inaccurate in their claims and could not be trusted, Martinez has set up DeMarte as a consummate professional, and an objective contrast to the defense's numerous lapses of ethics and judgement.
On her first day on the stand DeMarte wasted no time in poking holes in credibility of the defense's experts, psychotherapist Alyce LaViolette, and psychologist Richard Samuels. Based on her review of the psychotherapist's notes, DeMarte said she did not believe LaViolette had conducted a thorough evaluation. DeMarte said that in her professional opinion Arias was afflicted with borderline personality disorder, not PTSD and memory problems as the defense has repeatedly argued. She explained in graphic detail exactly how Arias did not meet traits of the disorder related to avoiding anything concerning a trauma or re-experience of trauma, like ceasing to engage with the world, detachment from others, or trouble sleeping.
Attempting to wrestle back some semblance of control, Arias' attorney Jennifer Willmott prodded DeMarte on her level of experience in relation to the experts for the defense, but the psychologist held her own. DeMarte didn't stumble once as Willmott scrutinized her professional credentials and suggested she was simply too young to handle the case. Wilmott first tried to prove DeMarte couldn't accurately assess domestic abuse by comparing her to the defense's expert LaViolette, asking her what she knew of the psychotherapist. Wilmott pointed out to the court that DeMarte hadn't even been born yet when LaViolette graduated with a Masters Degree in 1980.
As Willmott continually hammered DeMarte on her qualifications for diagnosing domestic abuse, the defense attorney's questioning led to some particularly intense verbal sparring:
"You don't consider yourself an expert in domestic violence, do you?" Willmott asked DeMarte.
"I'm an expert as a clinical psychologist," said DeMarte.
"Well, clinical psychology is kind of a big general area, isn't it?" Willmott asked.
"Correct," DeMarte replied.
"Okay, so you're an expert in clinical psychology?" asked Willmott.
"Yes," DeMarte replied.
"But you don't consider yourself an expert in domestic violence, do you?" Willmott repeated.
"I've had a lot of experience in domestic violence ... It depends on how you define expert," DeMarte said.
"Do you define yourself as an expert of domestic violence?" Willmott asked.
"I would not call myself an expert in domestic violence specifically ... I have a lot of experience with it but I wouldn't put that term on it because I think it's an important term -- very specific," said DeMarte.
Following the hostile exchange, court was unexpectedly cut short for Wednesday. According to Headline News, Arias claimed she could not continue for the day because of a migraine, making this the second time yet in the trial that court has been delayed over the defendant's headaches.
Arias faces the death penalty if convicted. The trial resumes Thursday at 12:30 p.m. EST when Willmott is expected to continue questioning DeMarte.
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