Given what she did say in her short testimony AND the reaction from the media and public that she was the secret witness, I am not the least surprised that she did not get back up on the stand to continue.
The outrage that ensued from every corner, especially when the transcripts of her testimony were released, made Arias realize that if she continued to testify, she would be mincemeat under cross from Martinez.
This whole issue backfired on what she felt was a foolproof plan to con the jury.
She proved once again that she is not as smart as she thinks she is.
I did find it interesting that Nurmi used "mental illness" for his argument in this issue.
I believe that is what tipped the scales in the defense's favour.
He said that because of her mental illness, Arias felt that she could not testify and do so in the manner that she wanted to get her points across as long as the media and public were there. In fact, it wasn't that they were there listening to her but rather the knowledge of what she was saying that bothered Arias so much. She believed that what she had to say was so profound that her life would be threatened even when she is transferred to Perryville.
If she refused to testify because of her feelings, Nurmi said that she would not be able to put on any kind of a mitigation case. This would not be by her own choosing, but by the fact that she is suffering from mental illness and it was out of her control. She would be punished for having a mental illness and this would end up being a good case on appeal.
Of course all of this is ludicrous and almost laughable because Arias knows exactly what she is trying to do and is in full command of her sense of right and wrong.
JSS has been doing everything in her power to have no room for future appeals in this case and I think that the reasoning that Nurmi presented, although she didn't like it and most likely agreed with Martinez's argument, she followed what she has been doing all along and closed the courtroom. I believe she knew full well that her order would be overturned and she was willing to go through the flack to assist in her strategy.
Will Arias take advantage of allocution?
I believe so.
Unfortunately for her it will be too little too late. The jury is waiting for her to take the stand and unaware that she has no plans to do so. They want to hear remorse and admission of guilt from her. This is not happening.
Waiting to convince the jury during her allocution is for Arias having the last word. They will hear from her when all threats of exposing her as a liar and a danger to society for her crime(s) are no longer there.
Giving a speech to the jury and even maybe another power point presentation expressing her gifts to society are far different from taking the stand, under oath, and accepting questioning by her own lawyers and the prosecutor. If in fact she was not a menace, was remorseful and wanted to tell her side of things, she would have taken the stand.
By not getting back on the stand, Aria is sending a clear message to the jury.
She is not remorseful.
She supports everything her defense has done on her behalf even to the admission of a lying affidavit and unethical experts.
Not only will no one come forward to try to save her life, she doesn't even take the stand in her own defense.
They will hear from her only during her allocution where she is in complete control of what they hear.
A precise example of her manipulative tactics.
A very clear message is what she is sending to this jury.
The outrage that ensued from every corner, especially when the transcripts of her testimony were released, made Arias realize that if she continued to testify, she would be mincemeat under cross from Martinez.
This whole issue backfired on what she felt was a foolproof plan to con the jury.
She proved once again that she is not as smart as she thinks she is.
I did find it interesting that Nurmi used "mental illness" for his argument in this issue.
I believe that is what tipped the scales in the defense's favour.
He said that because of her mental illness, Arias felt that she could not testify and do so in the manner that she wanted to get her points across as long as the media and public were there. In fact, it wasn't that they were there listening to her but rather the knowledge of what she was saying that bothered Arias so much. She believed that what she had to say was so profound that her life would be threatened even when she is transferred to Perryville.
If she refused to testify because of her feelings, Nurmi said that she would not be able to put on any kind of a mitigation case. This would not be by her own choosing, but by the fact that she is suffering from mental illness and it was out of her control. She would be punished for having a mental illness and this would end up being a good case on appeal.
Of course all of this is ludicrous and almost laughable because Arias knows exactly what she is trying to do and is in full command of her sense of right and wrong.
JSS has been doing everything in her power to have no room for future appeals in this case and I think that the reasoning that Nurmi presented, although she didn't like it and most likely agreed with Martinez's argument, she followed what she has been doing all along and closed the courtroom. I believe she knew full well that her order would be overturned and she was willing to go through the flack to assist in her strategy.
Will Arias take advantage of allocution?
I believe so.
Unfortunately for her it will be too little too late. The jury is waiting for her to take the stand and unaware that she has no plans to do so. They want to hear remorse and admission of guilt from her. This is not happening.
Waiting to convince the jury during her allocution is for Arias having the last word. They will hear from her when all threats of exposing her as a liar and a danger to society for her crime(s) are no longer there.
Giving a speech to the jury and even maybe another power point presentation expressing her gifts to society are far different from taking the stand, under oath, and accepting questioning by her own lawyers and the prosecutor. If in fact she was not a menace, was remorseful and wanted to tell her side of things, she would have taken the stand.
By not getting back on the stand, Aria is sending a clear message to the jury.
She is not remorseful.
She supports everything her defense has done on her behalf even to the admission of a lying affidavit and unethical experts.
Not only will no one come forward to try to save her life, she doesn't even take the stand in her own defense.
They will hear from her only during her allocution where she is in complete control of what they hear.
A precise example of her manipulative tactics.
A very clear message is what she is sending to this jury.