Jodi Arias Trial: Could Photo Reflection Prove Innocence? (VIDEO)
Jodi Arias' defense team worked hard yesterday to prove that a reflection seen in the eye of Travis Alexander showed that Arias was unarmed and should be shown to the jury as evidence of her innocence. Judge Sherry Stephens is expected to rule on whether the photo will be entered into evidence when court resumes today.
Yesterday, during a special closed session in which the jury was not present, Judge Stephens heard testimony from an expert who worked on the photo allegedly taken by Arias. The photo showed Travis Alexander in the shower, and an expert testified that after he enlarged the photo, he was able to see the outline of a person in Alexander's left eye.
The defense's expert outlined an image that he was able to make out in the reflection, which the defense then argued was the image of Arias holding a camera, completely unarmed. The defense has maintained that Arias killed Alexander in self-defense, and the photo could offer evidence that she was unarmed, if it is allowed to be shown to the jury.
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If the jury hears arguments about the photo, they could decide that Arias was unarmed and side with the defense, meaning that Arias could be acquitted of the murder charge and set free.
Prosecutor Juan Martinez was adamant that he saw no such image in the photo and that it was a subjective photo to show to the jury.
"If you ask 10 different people what they see, you'll get 10 different answers. I saw some ears and then I saw a snout, forming a dog," Martinez stated.
At the end of the presentation, Judge Stephens allowed the jury back into the courtroom and had a photo of the disputed image on-screen when they returned. All of the attorneys were locked out of the courtroom, so as not to influence the jury's interpretation of the photo.
"Ms. Arias was not holding a knife or gun in her hands when exhibit 159 was taken … That photograph was taken on June 4, 2008 at 5:29:20," Stephens told the jury. She added that the defense and prosecution had reached an agreement on that basic fact.
Court was dismissed immediately following that bit of business and is expected to resume Tuesday, April 16, at 12:30 p.m. ET.
Watch video of the presentation here:
