Profile of Jodi Arias and the Murder of Travis Alexander

Jodi Arias was arrested on July 15, 2008, charged with shooting and stabbing to death her 30-year-old ex-boyfriend, Travis Alexander, in his home in Mesa, Arizona. Arias pleaded not guilty, first claiming that she wasnt there, then that intruders had murdered him and she escaped, and finally that she had killed Alexander in self-defense following abuse. She was convicted and sentenced to life in prison. Background Jodi Ann Arias was born in Salinas, California, on July 9, 1980, to William Angelo and Sandy D. Arias. She has an older half-sister, two younger brothers, and a sister. Beginning at age 10, Arias showed an interest in photography, which continued throughout her adult life. Her childhood years were unremarkable, although she has said that her parents abused her, hitting her with wooden spoons and a belt. The abuse allegedly began when she was 7. Arias dropped out of Yreka High School in Yreka, California, in the 11th grade. She continued to pursue her interest in professional photography while working at part-time jobs. Darryl Brewer In fall 2001, Arias began working as a server at a restaurant at the Ventana Inn and Spa in Carmel, California. Darryl Brewer, the food and beverage manager, was in charge of hiring and training the restaurants employees. Arias and Brewer lived in staff housing and in January 2003, they began dating; Arias was 21 and Brewer was 40. They had sex before they began to officially date. Brewer said that initially, Arias was a responsible, caring, loving person. In May 2005, Arias and Brewer purchased a home together in Palm Desert, California. They agreed each would pay half the monthly mortgage payment of $2008. In February 2006, Jodi began working for Prepaid Legal Services while keeping her servers job at Ventana. She also got involved with the Mormon Church. She started having Mormon visitors for Bible studies and group prayer sessions. In May, Jodi told Brewer that she no longer wanted a physical relationship. She wanted to practice what she was learning at church and save herself for her future husband. Around the same time she decided to have breast implants. According to Brewer, during the summer of 2006 Jodi began to change as her involvement with Prepaid Legal increased. She became financially irresponsible and defaulted on her financial responsibilities, including living expenses. As the relationship deteriorated, Brewer planned to move to Monterrey to be closer to his son. Jodi did not plan to move with him. They agreed that she would remain in the house until it was sold. Their relationship ended in December 2006, though they remained friends and occasionally called each other. The following year the house went into foreclosure. Travis Alexander Arias and Travis Alexander met in September 2006 in Las Vegas, Nevada, at a Prepaid Legal conference. Alexander, 30, was a motivational speaker and sales representative for Prepaid Legal. Arias was 28 and living in Yreka, working in sales for Prepaid Legal and trying to develop her photography business. There was an immediate attraction between Arias and Alexander. According to Arias, the relationship became sexual a week after they met. At the time, Alexander was living in Arizona. They began traveling together to other states and when apart they exchanged emails (eventually over 82,000) and talking daily on the phone. On November 26, 2006, Arias was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in her words to get closer to Alexander, a devout Mormon. Three months later Alexander and Arias began dating exclusively and she moved to Mesa, Arizona, to be closer to him. The relationship lasted four months, ending in June 2007, although they continued to have sex periodically. According to Arias, the relationship ended because she did not trust Alexander. She later alleged that he was a sexual deviant who physically and sexually abused her and wanted her to be his personal slave. After the relationship ended, Alexander began dating other women and allegedly complained to friends that Arias was jealous. He suspected that she had slashed his tires twice and sent threatening anonymous emails to him and to the woman he was dating. He also told friends that Arias had sneaked into his home through a dog door while he was sleeping. Secret Relationship Despite the claims of being stalked, Alexander and Arias continued to travel together in March 2008 and maintained their sexual relationship. According to Arias, she grew tired of being Alexanders secret girlfriend. When she had to find another place to live after her roommate married, she returned to California. Evidence shows that after Arias left Arizona, they continued to exchange sexually explicit Internet messages and pictures. According to Alexanders friends, in June 2008 he had had enough of Arias after suspecting her of hacking into his Facebook and bank accounts. He allegedly told her he wanted her out of his life. Alexander Murdered According to police records, on June 2, 2008, Arias rented a car in Redding, California, and drove to Alexanders home in Mesa, where they took pictures of themselves in various nude poses and having sex. On June 4, Arias drove back to California and returned the car. Alexanders friends became concerned when he missed an important meeting and didnt show up for a planned trip to Cancun, Mexico. On June 9, two of his friends went to his home and woke up one of his roommates, who insisted Alexander was out of town. He then checked Alexanders locked room and found him dead on the shower stall floor. An autopsy determined that Alexander had been shot in the head, stabbed 27 times, and his throat was slashed. Evidence Detectives investigating Alexanders murder collected a wealth of forensic evidence at the murder scene, including a camera that was found in the washing machine. Friends knew that Alexander had grown annoyed with Arias stalking. The first suggestion that Arias could be involved in his death came during the 911 call made after Alexanders body was found. Friends and family members interviewed by detectives suggested that the police interview Arias. Arias began calling Esteban Flores, the detective in charge of the case. She asked for details of the murder and offered to help in the investigation. She claimed to know nothing of the crime and had last seen Alexander in April 2008. On June 17, Arias agreed to be fingerprinted and swabbed for DNA, as did many of Alexanders friends. Two days after being fingerprinted, she was questioned about photos on the camera left in the washing machine. The photos, which were time-stamped June 4, 2008, showed images of Alexander in the shower, likely minutes before he was killed. There were also images of him lying on the floor bleeding. Other pictures, which had been deleted but were recovered, were of Jodi, nude and posed in provocative positions, time-stamped on the same day. Arias continued to insist that she had not seen Alexander since April. A week later lab tests showed that DNA found in a bloody print at the murder scene matched Arias and Alexander. Hair found at the scene also held a DNA match to her. Happy Birthday Over the following weeks, Arias attended a memorial service for Alexander, wrote a lengthy sympathy letter to his grandmother, arranged for flowers to be sent to his family, and posted loving messages about Alexander on her MySpace page. On July 9, 2008—Arias birthday—a grand jury indicted her for first-degree murder. Six days later she was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and in September she was extradited to Arizona to face trial. Story Changes Days after being incarcerated in Arizona, Arias granted an interview to the Arizona Republic, during which she insisted that she had nothing to do with Alexanders murder. She gave no explanation for why her DNA was found at the scene. On September 24, the television show Inside Edition interviewed Arias. This time she admitted that she was with Alexander when he was murdered but that two intruders did it. In an interview with 48 Hours on June 23, 2009, she said that she had been miraculously spared during a home invasion. According to her story, Alexander had been playing with his new camera and suddenly she found herself lying on the bathroom floor after hearing a loud pop. When she looked up, she saw a man and a woman, both dressed in black, approaching. They were carrying a knife and a gun. The man pointed the gun at her and pulled the trigger, she said, but nothing happened. She then ran from the house and did not look back. She didnt call police, she claimed, because she was afraid for her life and was pretending that none of it had happened. She drove back to California in fear. Death Penalty The Maricopa County Attorneys Office, describing Arias crimes as especially cruel, heinous, and depraved, sought the death penalty. Months before the trial was to begin, Arias told the judge that she wanted to represent herself. The judge allowed it, as long as a public defender was present during the trial. A few weeks later, Arias attempted to get letters into evidence that she alleged were written by Alexander. In the letters, Alexander admitted to being a pedophile. The letters were found to be forged. Within days of the forgery discovery, Arias told the judge that she was over her head, and legal counsel was reinstated. Trial Arias trial began on January 2, 2013, in Maricopa County Superior Court with Sherry K. Stephens presiding. Arias court-appointed lawyers,  L. Kirk Nurmi and Jennifer Willmott,  argued that Arias killed Alexander in self-defense after suffering domestic violence. The trial was live-streamed and gained worldwide attention. Arias spent 18 days on the witness stand, talking about being abused by her parents, sharing intimate details about her sex life with Alexander, and describing how the relationship became verbally and physically abusive.   After deliberating for 15 hours, the jury found Arias guilty of first-degree murder. On May 23, during the sentencing phase, the jury was unable to reach a unanimous decision. A second jury convened on October 20, 2014, but they too deadlocked 11-1 in favor of the death penalty. That left the sentencing decision up to Stephens, although the death penalty was now off the table. On April 13, 2015, Arias was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.   As of October 2019, Arias was in the Arizona State Prison Complex in Perryville, Arizona, classified as a high-risk prisoner. Sources Minutaglio, Rose. Jodi Arias: A Look Back at Her Gruesome Crime and Bizarre Trial. Good Housekeeping.Inmate Datasearch. Arizona Department of Corrections.

The Effects of Television Violence on Children Essay

Violence on television has been progressing since televisions invention in early 1927. Now that its the 21st century, violence in the media is considered one of the most critical issues in the mass media. Whether or not the media is responsible for the effects television violence has on young children is heavily debated. Should the media be more conservative when it comes to violence for the sake of better upbringing? Should the parents be responsible for allowing the child to be affected by the violence thats available to them on the screen? Does violence on television even make an impact to the physical and mental growth process of a child? In addition to others, all of these answers could potentially lead to solving this critical†¦show more content†¦Also, children exposed to violent programming at a young age have a higher tendency for violent and aggressive behavior later in life than those who are not so exposed. (The Associated Press) The 2003 March issue of Developme ntal Psychology, released by the American Psychological Association, had a different focus on the violence/children relation. They pin-pointed the major issue is that children view the violent television shows, and easily identify themselves with same-sex television characters. The young childrens perception allows them to feel that television violence is realistic and acceptable. Violent scenes that children are most often to replicate are the ones when the perpetrator of the violence is rewarded for the violence. (The Associated Press) A study done during 1977 surveyed 557 children, ages 6-10, on which violent shows they viewed most, whether or not they identified themselves with the violent characters, and whether they thought the violent situations were realistic. A current study re-surveyed 329 of the original boys and girls from the 1977 study. They were asked about their favorite television programs now as adults and also about their aggressive behaviors. The participants spo uses or friends were also interviewed and asked to rate the participants aggressive behavior. Researchers also obtained the participants criminal conviction records and moving traffic violations. Their results showed that men who were highShow MoreRelatedThe Effects of Television Violence on Children1315 Words   |  6 Pages Shortly after a Boston television station showed a movie depicting teenagers dousing a derelict with gasoline and setting him afire, six youths attacked a woman and set her on fire in an identical manner. Several months later, NBC televised Born Innocent, a made-for-television- movie, which showed the sexual violation of a young girl with a broom handle. Three days after this program aired, a group of girls committed a similar attack on another 9-year-old girl (â€Å"Wild† A20). 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Listening to music is also a time consuming pastime among children. With all of that exposure, one might pose the question, How can seeing so much violence on television and video games and hearing about violence in in music affect a childs behaviorRead MoreThe Effects Of Television Violence On Children915 Words   |  4 PagesIntroduction Today violence is the gold of television. Violence has become a high demand by the viewers. The more violence equals more views which equals more demand. According to Hamilton (2002), â€Å"Children are not the target of advertisers on most violent programs. But their exposure to violent images can lead to social damages not factored into decisions about when to air programs and where to draw the line on content† (p. 18). The controversial debate that television violence influence children is nothingRead MoreEffects Of Television Violence On Children Essay1722 Words   |  7 PagesEffect of Television Violence Program on Children Now more and more violence television shows appear on the screen. A lot of television shows will remind that is available for certain range of audience. Of course, elementary school student, mostly watch cartoon. However, the television production people will add violence into the show. This study aimed to demonstrate the gender-specific impact of violence-oriented television cartoons for children, and to identify the behaviors demonstrating thisRead MoreThe Effects Of Television Violence On Children1552 Words   |  7 Pagesleisure 2.8 hours of television a day. There is the constant outcry from parents and teachers that children are growing to be television-obsessed zombies, or that the exposure to violence from their favorite shows are going to cause aggressive actions. But if that is true, then how is it that we as adults are able to stop ourselves from murdering everyone we see, especially if we have so many television programs with violence as a feature? The effect that television violence has on us does not comeRead MoreThe Effects Of Television Violence On Children Essay1246 Words   |  5 PagesThis guest teaches your children to resolve conflicts through violence. The guest baby sits your kids and teaches them principles you don’t agree with. Does watching violence in TV is harmful for your children? Is it Ok to let the 2 year olds watch TV unsupervised? No says the American replacing baby sitters? Hypothesis: Extensive viewing of television violence causes children to behave in aggressive or harmful ways to others. Children model behavior they see in the media, she wrote in 1993. IfRead MoreEffects of Television Violence and Children3538 Words   |  15 PagesEffects of Television violence and Children Outline: I.THESIS STAEMENT: Although the television serves as a form of entertainment, when you abuse its use, and make it a habit to watch, it gives negative effects on the behavior of children especially in their brain’s development. II. PORPUSE OF THE RESEARCH III. INTRODUCTION IV. HIPOTHESIS amp; METHOD A. CHILDREN QUESTIONNAIRE 1. HOW IT CAN AFFECT VIEWER’S BEHAVIOUR 2. CHILDREN RESPONSES B. EFFECTS amp; RESULTS 1. NEGATIVE EFFECTS a. Behavior ofRead MoreThe Effects Of Television Violence On Children978 Words   |  4 PagesTelevision has become one of the most, if not the most, used form of entertainment for all ages. Every TV show has some kind of age limit whether it’s rated G or R, it’s not always easy for parents to moderate what their children are watching. Young children are very moldable, not only by the people around them, but what is on TV. I have conducted an experiment to see how much violence and aggression are in everyday television shows that children are likely to watch. I have watched three differentRead MoreThe Effects of Television Violence on Children Essay1338 Words   |  6 Pages Thesis Statement: Unsupervised children who watch violence on television exhibit violence in their everyday lives and develop into aggressive adults. â€Å"Research shows that television violence increases levels of aggression, fear, and desensitization among some who consume it† (Hamilton). This quotation by James Hamilton briefly summarizes the potentially negative effects of television on young minds. A child’s favorite television show can keep a child occupied while the mother prepares

Somehow, changes took place Free Essays

For quite some time the effects of drugs and alcohol to the individual and the society were clandestine. They were enjoyed and well-loved. They were a part of life to many people not so long ago. We will write a custom essay sample on Somehow, changes took place or any similar topic only for you Order Now Somehow, changes took place and the humble and interesting results of these substances have gradually become unpopular. Experiences as shared by many families with members who have succumbed themselves to drug addiction and alcoholism were quite destructive and harsh. In fact, when the harmful effects could no longer be hidden, a huge number has already been destroyed. Those who were saved are lucky but still its rampant attractiveness to emotionally-weak persons leads them to greater danger. To begin with, there are accounts as to the constructive beginnings of alcohol around the world. In the 17th and 18th century, alcohol was a common part of life, involved in almost all aspects of life from everyday activities to special occasions (Levine, 2007). First, alcohol during this period, even today, brings life to social gatherings like parties. Alcohol was at the center of every celebration or any social gathering big or small (Heron, 2003). When it fact it has some truth, if not true at all, alcohol is a relaxing and pleasurable drink which makes a drunk person really â€Å"feel good.† In addition, occasions were said to be more â€Å"alive† when there’s alcohol around. Moreover, it is also used in religion and worship across time aside from its nutritional value and therapeutic purposes. The people during the colonial era though of drunkenness as â€Å"normal,† not really something to worry about, however, it was not appreciated as well. Different societies have their own culture of alcohol and drinking. Come 19th century, diversity in the image of drinking and alcoholism shed light. It was during this period that â€Å"drinking† was seen as an addiction and a disease. People who craved for alcohol were acts not seen for pastimes or for amusements anymore but as a compulsion wherein the alcoholic drinkers were said to be â€Å"trapped† in a â€Å"hole† which they cannot escape from. In other words, the existence of â€Å"alcohol addiction† came into being. At this time, many anti-alcohol movements were created denouncing alcohol intake and since then alcohol and other fermented drinks have lesser popularity. The advent of the 20th century gave more prohibitions as to the use of alcohol. Restrictions to alcohol as codified in laws and regulations are prominent anywhere in the world today because of the numerous alcohol-related mishaps which have taken place. Accidents are proven to be of increasing possibility if they involve liquor consumption. In the United States for example, American minors or those below 18 years old are not allowed to drink and buy alcohol from business establishments. During the present times, alcoholism is considered a deviant behavior, often discouraged and tabooed by majority of society. To the more lenient ones, alcoholism is allowed but to a minimal and controlled extent provided that it does not harm oneself and others. This is common among Asian countries which are quite loose in their alcohol mandates. Habitual drinkers who are determined to reform are placed in rehabilitation programs and organizations like the Alcoholics Anonymous. If alcoholics are almost criticized by the civil society, drug addicts are instantaneously condemned by the general public. But despite our knowledge of the destructive effects of prohibited drugs, it is still a wonder why more and more people are locked in this vice. Many lives have failed because of too much drug intake. Some common addictive drugs include major stimulants as cocaine and amphetamines, opium, heroin and morphine. How to cite Somehow, changes took place, Papers

Somehow, changes took place Free Essays

For quite some time the effects of drugs and alcohol to the individual and the society were clandestine. They were enjoyed and well-loved. They were a part of life to many people not so long ago. We will write a custom essay sample on Somehow, changes took place or any similar topic only for you Order Now Somehow, changes took place and the humble and interesting results of these substances have gradually become unpopular. Experiences as shared by many families with members who have succumbed themselves to drug addiction and alcoholism were quite destructive and harsh. In fact, when the harmful effects could no longer be hidden, a huge number has already been destroyed. Those who were saved are lucky but still its rampant attractiveness to emotionally-weak persons leads them to greater danger. To begin with, there are accounts as to the constructive beginnings of alcohol around the world. In the 17th and 18th century, alcohol was a common part of life, involved in almost all aspects of life from everyday activities to special occasions (Levine, 2007). First, alcohol during this period, even today, brings life to social gatherings like parties. Alcohol was at the center of every celebration or any social gathering big or small (Heron, 2003). When it fact it has some truth, if not true at all, alcohol is a relaxing and pleasurable drink which makes a drunk person really â€Å"feel good.† In addition, occasions were said to be more â€Å"alive† when there’s alcohol around. Moreover, it is also used in religion and worship across time aside from its nutritional value and therapeutic purposes. The people during the colonial era though of drunkenness as â€Å"normal,† not really something to worry about, however, it was not appreciated as well. Different societies have their own culture of alcohol and drinking. Come 19th century, diversity in the image of drinking and alcoholism shed light. It was during this period that â€Å"drinking† was seen as an addiction and a disease. People who craved for alcohol were acts not seen for pastimes or for amusements anymore but as a compulsion wherein the alcoholic drinkers were said to be â€Å"trapped† in a â€Å"hole† which they cannot escape from. In other words, the existence of â€Å"alcohol addiction† came into being. At this time, many anti-alcohol movements were created denouncing alcohol intake and since then alcohol and other fermented drinks have lesser popularity. The advent of the 20th century gave more prohibitions as to the use of alcohol. Restrictions to alcohol as codified in laws and regulations are prominent anywhere in the world today because of the numerous alcohol-related mishaps which have taken place. Accidents are proven to be of increasing possibility if they involve liquor consumption. In the United States for example, American minors or those below 18 years old are not allowed to drink and buy alcohol from business establishments. During the present times, alcoholism is considered a deviant behavior, often discouraged and tabooed by majority of society. To the more lenient ones, alcoholism is allowed but to a minimal and controlled extent provided that it does not harm oneself and others. This is common among Asian countries which are quite loose in their alcohol mandates. Habitual drinkers who are determined to reform are placed in rehabilitation programs and organizations like the Alcoholics Anonymous. If alcoholics are almost criticized by the civil society, drug addicts are instantaneously condemned by the general public. But despite our knowledge of the destructive effects of prohibited drugs, it is still a wonder why more and more people are locked in this vice. Many lives have failed because of too much drug intake. Some common addictive drugs include major stimulants as cocaine and amphetamines, opium, heroin and morphine. How to cite Somehow, changes took place, Papers