Jodi Arias, the Arizona woman convicted of the 2008 killing of her boyfriend, asked a judge Wednesday to delay the penalty phase of her trial and promised to reverse her decision to represent herself if she's allowed to fire one of the two attorneys who was assigned to advise her.
In the first hearing where she represented herself, Arias said in Maricopa County Superior Court that she was finding it difficult to interview potential witnesses at the penalty trial, which is scheduled for Sept. 8, because she's in jail. Prosecutors objected that the trial has already been delayed too long and said Arias agreed to the timetable when she successfully sought to represent herself.
Arias also said she'd be willing to stand down and let her other lawyer/adviser resume representing her if the judge grants Kirk Nurmi's motion to withdraw after her repeated attempts to fire him, NBC station KPNX of Phoenix reported. Arias, 34, was convicted of first-degree murder last year in the 2008 killing of Travis Alexander, but jurors couldn't reach a decision on sentencing, making it necessary to hold a second trial to determine whether she should face the death penalty.
IN-DEPTH
- Jodi Arias to Represent Herself at Death Penalty Trial
- Jodi Arias Fails in New Try at Avoiding Death Penalty
SOCIAL
— M. Alex Johnson
