Arias Guilty

A jury has found Jodi Arias' guilty of first degree-murder. Thoughts? Do you agree with the verdict? What should be her sentence?

Myself I'm surprised it took them more then an hour to come back with a guilty verdict. Best I can figure is they must have really been getting some fantastic take out meals. I can't remember a case where the defendant openly admitted to so many lies. I mean sure I've heard of people changing their stories but not to this degree, least not that I remember. As for sentence I'd be fine if she receives life without parole. Not a death penalty fan. I will say if they give people in her state the death penalty she probably deserves it as much as anyone. One of the reasons I don't care for the death penalty is it not applied evenly. Wealthy white people rarely receive a death sentence while poor minorities seem to get it regularly. My guess is since she's white, female and not physically ugly she'll slide through with something less then the needle but we'll see.

 

Based on news accounts of the evidence, I'd have been amazed I'd she'd be acquitted. As for the sentence, that could be interesting.
As it is, I'm sure the TV networks already have movie scripts in progress.

 

Didn't follow the case on any level, but there must have been some compelling evidence for this verdict.
She was convicted of killing her boyfriend? if I remember correctly.

 

Yes, after several stories she and her legal team settle on a self defense defense. But she first told them she wasn't there then she was there and two other guys attacked them both and I believe she had several other stories before she decided on her final version.

 

I personally don't believe it is acceptable to hang women (or however else they execute people in America)

It may be that I think that because I am paternalistic and sexist, but in my gut it's just how I feel.

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I think however self serving some of her lies have been, she seems to me to be somebody half lost in a fantasy world. Whether she is capable of telling right from wrong might be the legal question, but whatever the answer I still would believe that she is somebody who is severely mentally ill. I am not sure she is ever going to be "safe" to be free, but I don't believe she should be killed either

 

I don't think they should kill her either but that has nothing to do with her gender. If anything I think they should treat her exactly like they would any male convicted of the same crime. The US justice system has a long history of unequal treatment. The darker your skin color and the fewer digits displayed on your bank statement the worse treatment you're likely to receive. And males receive longer sentences then females often for the exact same crime. I don't know the exact number of times I witnessed it personally but I've sat in court many times and watched sentencing hearings where couples who committed the same crime(s) together received completely different sentences. I remember one case where a couple killed a fisherman for his truck and 28 bucks. Wasn't even a nice truck, POS Dodge. She lured him into the brush with the promise of a blow job and then shot him in the face... with her gun. Her boyfriend removed his keys from the body and pushed him into the river. When the sheriffs deputies caught up with them he was driving the guys truck and she was in the passenger seat. They found the murder weapon, which was reg. to her, in her purse. Witnesses say she was the shooter. None of this was disrupted by her attorney. At sentencing she got 7 to 10 years and he got 25 to life. Yet another glass ceiling in need of shattering I guess.

 

I kind of agree. There are defences open to women that are not (in practical terms) open to men - like marital coercion, that realistically a husband would have no chance to plead. Women may not be able to "plead their belly" these days, but the effect of imprisonment on a person's children is also taken into account far more often with regards to female criminals.

But I do feel differently about capital crimes.

Like I said, I am aware it is hypocritical and I cannot justify it intellectually, but I could never support the hanging of a woman, and in some cases I think the hanging of the "worst" murderers is the lesser evil.

 

You should never kill anybody. Even killers. It's one of the things Jesus and I agree on.

 

Honestly, I didn't follow the trial. However, I don't believe that tax payers should be forced to support violent criminals into old age, paying for their education, food, rent, air conditioning, clothing, etc. When crimes are particularly heinous or its a "life sentence" without potential for parole, why would we keep them going unless they're earning their keep? I pretty much don't care with this one.