Live blog: Was Jodi Arias cruel?By Graham Winch
updated 4:27 PM EDT, Thu May 09, 2013
Even though Jodi Arias was convicted of first-degree murder Wednesday, her trial is far from over: The jury will now have to decide if she murdered Travis Alexander in a cruel manner. This phase will determine if Arias will face the death penalty.
The aggravation phase of Arias' trial begins
Thursday at 4 p.m. ET.Here is peek at HLN's Beth Karas' reporters notebook. She details what to expect from the aggravation phase:
- Prosecutor Juan Martinez’s opening statement
- Defense’s opening statement (if they choose)
- Martinez puts on evidence: Dr. Kevin Horn (medical examiner)
- Defense puts on evidence, if they choose. (This is not expected.)
- Instruction on the law by Judge Sherry Stephens
- Martinez’s closing argument
- Defense’s closing argument
- Martinez’s rebuttal closing
- Jury deliberates. They must decide if the aggravator of cruelty was proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
- Jury's decision is a verdict.
The jurors' verdict form includes this language:
____ Proven
____ Not proven
If their verdict is “proven,” the case moves to the final phase: the penalty phase. At this juncture, the jury will deliberate a third time on whether Arias will receive the death penalty.
If their verdict is “not proven,” the case is over. Jurors will be excused. The judge will set a sentencing date within 30-60 days. Stephens will then decide if Arias gets life without parole or life with parole eligibility after 25 years.
HLN is live-blogging the Jodi Arias trial. Click here to read HLN's live blog of the moment Arias was convicted. Read below for minute-by-minute updates from the trial (Best read from the bottom up):
4:25 p.m. ET: Court was canceled today, and no reason was provided. Court will resume Wednesday, May 15 at 1:00 p.m. ET....more at linkhttp://www.hlntv.com/article/2013/05/09 ... rias-cruel