Jodi Arias Guilty, Wants Death Penalty: 'Death is the Ultimate Freedom'
Jodi Arias has been found guilty of first-degree murder by a jury of her peers. Immediately after the verdict was read, Arias was allowed to give an interview in which she said she would actually prefer the death penalty instead of spending her life in jail.
"I think I just went blank," Arias told KSAZ anchor Troy Haden when asked what she felt when she heard the guilty verdict. "Just – I don't know. I just feel overwhelmed. I think I just need to take it a day at a time."
The verdict "was unexpected for me, yes, because there was no premeditation on my part. I can see how things look that way, but I didn't expect the premeditation. I could see maybe the felony murder because of how the law is written, but I didn't – the whole time, I was fairly confident I wouldn't get premeditation because there was no premeditation," Arias explained.
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"The worst outcome for me would be natural life [in prison]. I would much rather die sooner than later. Longevity runs in my family, and I don't want to spend the rest of my natural life in one place," Arias said. "You know, I'm pretty healthy. I don't smoke. And I probably would live a long time, so that's not something I'm looking forward to. I said years ago that I'd rather get death than life, and that still is true today. I believe death is the ultimate freedom, so I'd rather just have my freedom as soon as I can get it."
Arias could receive life in prison with the possibility of parole; life in prison without the possibility of parole or the death penalty. The same jury that convicted her of murder will begin deliberation today to determine their recommendation for punishment.
Arias, who has been very vocal throughout the trial, had one final message for Travis Alexander's family before being taken back into custody.
"I hope that, now that a verdict has been rendered, that they're able to find peace, some sense of peace. I don't think they'll ever find the peace that they would like, but maybe they – maybe they'll be able to have greater peace now, or some semblance of it and be able to move on with their lives and remember their brother the way they want to."
