Newbie here. Came to discuss Jodi Arias trial? No threads?

[Laura PourMeADrink]

19. Wow...thanks for all you wrote !

Defense Strategy
I think you are very right about the "self-defense" strategy being the wrong one. " With self-defense "just enough force is used to stop the attack." If someone broke in your house and started attacking you, you would do whatever you could to stop them (like throw something at them or shoot them) and then you would scream and run like hell to get out. That is normal reaction - almost involuntary. And many people, despite the attacker being a bad guy, would still not want them to die - and would call an ambulance. So, because she didn't try to get out (jury question) and because she didn't stop at one cut one shot the jury had to think "Ok, why did she do this?"

The choices from there are
(1) She was super pissed at him for being spurned and all her rage came out with the repeated stabbings.
This might have worked if there was no evidence that she planned it (Murder 1). But, there was. I found
this video you might like. Although Jodi had an excuse for each of the factors that point to premeditation,
the probability that all of them could have happened is astronomical.

(2) She went temporarily crazy
Same problem - her premeditation activities. Plus, no doctors said she was crazy, right? And, no real evidence that Travis did anything horrific other than to tell her she wasn't marriage material.

Based on this, I think her best choice would probably have been to actually tell the truth. To focus completely on how he had sex with her - wanted her sometimes - but didn't want her as a wife/girlfriend. And, it infuriated her so much, she was going to confront him and if he didn't change his mind, kill him. This is definitely a Murder 1 admission - but perhaps she could have garnered an ounce of sympathy for a lesser charge. Doubtful, but her absolute only shot.