Jodi Arias Trial Update 2013: Lawyers Request New Venue, Cite 'Impossibility' of Receiving Fair Trial
Jodi Arias' lawyers want a change in venue for their client and have stated that they don't believe she can have a fair trial if she stays in Maricopa County, Ariz.
The sentencing pahse of Arias' trial is starting to take shape, but her lawyers are doing all they can to postpone and delay the hearing, as well as keep their client out of the limelight.
"Both the nature and extent of the publicity surrounding Ms. Arias' case render it impossible that the accused will receive a fair trail in this capital case if it is tried in Maricopa County," Arias' attorney Kirk Nurmi said in the motion filed in court. He added that his client had received "widespread, unfair, and prejudicial coverage" from the local press.
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Judge Sherry Stephens has been in charge of the case the entire time and met with lawyers, and Arias, last week to try and schedule a new trial date. Unfortunately, with all of the motions filed by the defense attorneys, a date was not set and Stephens instead set a date to hear oral arguments on the preceding matters.
Arias' lawyers also want television to be banned from filming the new trial and provide a list of social media usernames to them so that Arias herself can monitor their action online and make sure that no inappropriate conversations are taking place.
Judge Stephens told the court that she would hear oral arguments from the attorneys on Sept. 16, and Arias will be present for that hearing, as she was for the one last week.
Arias' case dominated news networks when it went to trial and was one of the most memorable court proceedings since the Casey Anthony trial. Arias was found guilty of murdering her boyfriend, Travis Alexander, but the jury could not agree on a sentence. A new jury will be convened only to sentence Arias, as the guilty verdict will stand. The jury has three options: life with possibility of parole; life without possibility of parole or the death penalty.
