William Zervakos, Arias Jury Foreman, Says '18 Days Of Testimony Hurt Her'
I feel for the jury. These poor people put their lives on hold from January until now. They have had to view gruesome autopsy photos and listen to lurid testimony. The defendant is batshit crazy and her crime is heinous, but the prosecutor wasted their time on the wrong things. (Hours spent on whether Snow White was a battered woman. Really?) Now, after doing their civic duty to the best of their ability, they're taking pipe.
I realize that the death penalty is, in most cases, a state issue. But the fact still remains that it's not applied fairly in this country. While I believe Jodi Arias is a terrible person and a danger to society, I could not sentence her to death. Not while William Balfour here in Illinois, convicted of killing Jennifer Hudson's family got life without parole (3 life sentences, actually), and California's Betty Broderick killed two people and actually comes up for parole. And while the public is out for Jodi's scalp, Betty still amazingly has supporters out there who think that, after remorselessly committing a double homicide, she should be let out to walk among us.
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| Travis Alexander |
Then there's my faith. I don't believe God wants us to stop killing by killing.
While I feel bad for the jury, most of all, I feel terrible for the family of Travis Alexander. They have to go through this again. The centerpiece of this soap opera, Jodi herself, is the least sympathetic one of all.
I don't believe that the death sentence is the appropriate way to punish anybody. But I am not sure, if my level of detachment allows me to have that view, and should I be on the other side. Maybe I wouldn't be so forgiving.
ReplyDeleteIt has been a heinous spectacle and sad beyond words. Great article, Gal.
ReplyDeleteI've been able to largely avoid all the coverage. Which is probably good, because I'm at war with myself on the issue of capital punishment. I feel for the jurors and the families.
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