Jodi Arias Retrial: Phase 3 - Sentencing: Day 1. Written by: Paul Sanders

Jodi Arias Retrial: Phase 3 - Sentencing: Day 1

I arrived at the courthouse at about 6:15 in the morning expecting a crowd of people. Fortunately, the line for the Sentencing phase was relatively short. One trial watcher die hard got there at five in the morning. The air was cool and the skies clear as I watched the sun rise behind the courthouse where the trial would happen. I took a picture thinking that maybe this would be the sun rising for Justice for Travis.

I had been to some of the preliminary hearings in the South Tower where the trial would be held in downtown Phoenix. I made my way to the fifth floor along with a handful of trial watchers. The moment the elevator doors opened, we were immediately admonished by a court employee in a suit and bow tie that public seating folks were to wait downstairs in the "overflow" room.

We made our way to a private room on the first floor. Jen Wood of Trial Talk Live warned me that Janet, a court assistant, was a bit brash and would be in charge of Public Seating. She was not kidding. Janet spoke to us and I felt as if I was back in high school as she explained the rules of those who wanted to see the trial in the gallery. We were to treat our overflow room the same as a court room. All phones must be put away. No pictures were allowed. No drinks are allowed except bottled water with a cap. No tweeting was allowed (which they changed later). 

I acted like I had during the Marissa DeVault Trial when I was a Juror for almost four months. Be seen and not heard. Be respectful of the court and those around you. And, turn your cell phone off. Janet had made it clear we could be escorted out at any time. I was not about to mess with her.

I saw the family of Travis Alexander as they sat and felt only a fraction of the pain that they must be going through as this trial continues. They were all dressed very well and all were very polite keeping among themselves. At one point, I watched as Juan Martinez spoke to them. He seemed warm and caring ready to take this task on in an effort to see Justice for Travis.

It was strange not sitting in the Jury box and even stranger sitting in the gallery on the side of family of Jodi Arias.

Jodi was escorted in with three uniformed guards. She was dressed in street clothes wearing a loose fitting tan top with tan vertical striped pants that had large pocket flaps in back. At one point, I saw her search the gallery for those she knew. She acted as if she were a pleasant girl.

I was most interested in the jury and what they must feel. The first day in a jury box is intriguing for a Juror. As a Juror, you want to do a good job and you feel a great responsibility on your shoulders. Although the jury remained stoic for the most part, I knew they were thinking about the great task ahead of them.

There are eighteen Jurors seated, a slightly higher number than the normal 16 with 4 alternates. A Juror was lost first thing in the morning so it appears that 19 were selected with 7 alternates. 

The jury is surprisingly young for the most part with most Jurors aged between 30 -40 with a few who may be younger and one gentleman whom I guess to be in his 60's. There are six men and twelve women. All the Jurors appear to be white, Caucasian and I guess three to be Hispanic. Most of the Jurors were casually dressed.

I watched the Jury throughout the day and the one thing that I noticed that was different than the trial I was juror for was that the majority did not take notes even beyond opening statements. I found this to be curious as our Jury was fanatical about note taking. We knew that court transcripts were not to be given to us during deliberations so we felt it was incumbent upon us to take good notes. We used them significantly when we did deliberate so I hope the jury is not making a mistake. This being just phase three may be part of the reason.

Jodi has been convicted of First Degree Murder. She is also Death Penalty qualified due to the heinous nature of the crime. The Jury is aware of this. The Jury is only to decide life or death as noted by Judge Stevens.

I have to commend the Jury on something minor but may show that they are a thought out and organized group. During the DeVault Trial, it took us, as the Jury, a couple days to decide our seating order. This Jury sat in the same positions every time they came out to the Jury box. It means they organize themselves before they come into the Jury box.

That's a good sign.

I will be back in Court in the morning and will give an afternoon update from my unique perspective as The 13th Juror. I will also drop some Tweets at The 13th Juror MD @ The 13th Juror MD.