For the second time, an Arizona jury was unable to reach a unanimous decision on whether Jodi Arias should be executed for the 2008 murder of her ex-boyfriend Travis Alexander, Judge Sherry Stephens announced on Thursday.
Because this was the second jury that was deadlocked in the penalty phase of the case, the death penalty will no longer be persued for Arias, a former Palm Desert resident. Judge Stephens will now determine on April 13 whether Arias will be sentenced to life in prison or life with the possibility of release after 25 years.
Jurors who spoke with the media said that 11 of the 12 were in favor of the death penalty. “The 11 of us strived for justice, but to no avail,” a juror, who was not identified, said. “We absolutely feel the penalty should have been death.”
