Jurors find Jodi Arias eligible for death penalty

PHOENIX (AP) — The same jury that convicted Jodi Arias of murder one week ago took less than three hours Wednesday to determine that the former waitress is eligible for the death penalty in the stabbing death of her one-time lover.

The swift verdict sets the stage for the final phase of the trial to determine whether the 32-year-old Arias should be sentenced to life in prison or the death penalty for the 2008 murder of Travis Alexander in a Phoenix suburb.

Prosecutors will call Alexander's family and other witnesses in an effort to convince the panel Arias should face the ultimate punishment. Her defense lawyers will call family members in an attempt to gain sympathy from jurors to save her life. It's not yet known if Arias will testify.

Arias showed no emotion Wednesday after the jury returned a decision that was widely expected given the violent nature of the killing. Investigators say she slashed the victim's throat, stabbed him in the heart and shot him in the face in what they say was a jealous rage after Alexander wanted to date other women and take a trip to Mexico with his latest love interest.

The jury simply had to determine the killing was committed in an especially cruel and heinous manner to complete the "aggravation phase" of the trial and move on to the penalty portion. The jury got the case around noon, took a lunch break and returned the verdict around 3 p.m.

Family members of Alexander sobbed in the front row as prosecutor Juan Martinez took the jury through the killing one more time earlier in the day. He described how blood gushed from Alexander's chest, hands and neck as the 30-year-old motivational speaker and businessman stood at the sink in his master bathroom and looked into the mirror with Arias behind him.

"The last thing he saw before he lapsed into unconsciousness ... was that blade coming to his throat," Martinez said. "And the last thing he felt before he left this earth was pain."

Wednesday's proceedings played out quickly, with only one prosecution witness and none for the defense. The most dramatic moments occurred when Martinez displayed photos of the bloody crime scene for the jury and paused in silence for two minutes to describe how long he said it took for Alexander to die at Arias' hands.

Arias, wearing a silky, cream-colored blouse, appeared to fight back tears most of the morning, but didn't seem fazed by the verdict. Afterward she chatted with her attorneys. Arias spent the weekend on suicide watch before being transferred back to an all-female jail where she will remain until sentencing.

Arias' attorneys didn't put on much of a case during the aggravation phase, offering no witnesses and giving brief opening statements and closing arguments. They said Alexander would have had so much adrenaline rushing through his body that he might not have felt much pain.

The only witness was the medical examiner who performed the autopsy and explained to jurors how Alexander did not die calmly and fought for his life as evidenced by the numerous defensive wounds on his body.

Minutes after her first-degree murder conviction last Wednesday, Arias granted an interview to Fox affiliate KSAZ, only adding to the circus-like environment surrounding the trial that has become a cable TV sensation with its graphic tales of sex, lies and violence.

"Longevity runs in my family, and I don't want to spend the rest of my natural life in one place," a tearful Arias said. "I believe death is the ultimate freedom, and I'd rather have my freedom as soon as I can get it."

However, Arias cannot choose the death penalty. It's up to the jury to recommend a sentence.

Arias acknowledged killing Alexander, saying it was self-defense. She initially denied any involvement in the killing, even proclaiming to a detective after her arrest in 2008: "I'm not guilty. I didn't hurt Travis. If I hurt Travis, I would beg for the death penalty."

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Jurors end 1st day in Texas horse ranch case

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Prosecutors told a federal jury on Wednesday that a man they say is the brother of leaders of Mexico's most blood-soaked criminal organization used the proceeds from their brothers' ill-gotten gains to bankroll his horse-racing stable.

Defense attorneys, however, say the federal government is trying to squeeze Jose Trevino Morales to get to two brothers reputed to be leaders of Los Zetas in Mexico.

The jury deliberated for about two hours Wednesday afternoon before recessing for the night. Deliberations are to resume Thursday morning.

Trevino is the central figure of five men charged in a Texas federal court with using a race horse breeding operation to launder millions of dollars in drug cartel money.

The prosecution's case rises or falls on the testimony of admitted criminals, including a hit man who has admitted involvement in multiple homicides, said defense attorney David Finn of Dallas.

Defense attorneys for Trevino have argued throughout that prosecutors wrongly targeted their client due to the alleged illegal actions of his brothers — Miguel Angel Trevino Morales and Oscar Omar Trevino Morales. Each time Jose Trevino Morales, a U.S. citizen, enters the United States, he is handcuffed and interrogated in the hope of extracting information about his brothers, Finn said.

"He's honest. He's ethical. He's frugal. He's not in the dope business," Finn said of his client.

"The government wants you to engage in what I call 'funky math.' That's zero plus zero plus zero plus zero equals something other than zero," he said.

But federal prosecutor Douglas Gardner said the government case was strong enough for conviction without the testimony of informants and cooperating witnesses.

"I want you to forget about the cooperators," Gardner told jurors. Speaking of Trevino and his co-defendants, he said, "They hang themselves by their actions."

As for motive: "It's about ego. It's about pride. It's about winning the horse race at all costs," Gardner said. "It's not built on sweat, ladies and gentlemen. It's built on the money from his brothers."

The defendants are charged with money laundering conspiracy related to operations of a horse ranch near Lexington, Okla. Prosecutors say ranch operators went through $16 million in horse-related expenses in 30 months. Several other defendants remain at large, including Trevino's brothers. His wife and daughter have pleaded guilty to lesser charges.

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Ohio jurors shown key video of dying man's blinks

CINCINNATI (AP) — Captivated jurors in a Cincinnati murder trial watched video Tuesday that prosecutors say shows a dying, paralyzed shooting victim who couldn't speak identifying a photo of his killer by blinking his eyes.

Over the unsuccessful and repeated objections of defense attorneys, prosecutors showed the jury a 17-minute video of shooting victim David Chandler, 35, in which he answers detectives' questions by blinking twice to say "no" and three times for "yes."

Ricardo Woods, 35, is charged with Chandler's October 2010 murder and has pleaded not guilty.

Prosecutors say that in the video, Chandler clearly identifies Woods as his attacker, while Woods' attorneys argue that his blinks were inconsistent and unreliable. The video is considered the key piece of evidence in the trial. Jurors will have to determine whether Chandler appears alert and knew what he was doing when he said "yes" to Woods' photo.

In the video, police have to repeat some questions when Chandler fails to respond or when the number of times he blinks is unclear.

But when police show Chandler a picture of Woods and ask him if he was the man who shot him, Chandler looks at it for a couple seconds before blinking his eyes hard three times, opening them wide in between each blink. When police ask him whether he's sure that's the person who shot him, he again blinks three times.

All the jurors watched the video closely, some silently moving their lips as they appeared to count the blinks and some taking notes. One woman appeared upset by the video, which shows a clearly struggling Chandler lying in a hospital bed, his face and body connected to tubes and machines, his vital signs on display in the background.

Woods, dressed in a brown suit, sat quietly watching the video.

Cincinnati police Detective Howard Grant testified earlier in the day that he had "no concern at all" that Chandler understood what he was being asked and pointed out that he'd answered many questions by blinking before being asked to identify the shooter.

Also Tuesday, a jailhouse informant testified that Woods told him that he killed Chandler because he caught him buying drugs from someone else while still owing Woods money.

The informant, Jermaine Beard, is facing four counts of armed robbery that could carry a prison term of up to 56 years.

Defense attorneys questioned Beard's motives, pointing out that he testified in two other murder cases and getting him to acknowledge that he was trying to get a light sentence for himself by helping prosecutors.

In opening statements last week, defense attorney Wendy Calaway told jurors that Woods did not shoot Chandler, calling him "an innocent man who found himself in a perfect storm of misinformation and misidentification."

She said that Chandler had stolen drugs from dealers, was considered a police "snitch" and had many enemies.

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Follow Amanda Lee Myers on Twitter at https://twitter.com/AmandaLeeAP

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Jurors deliberate Arias fate amid spectacle

PHOENIX (AP) — It has become a real-life soap opera for people around the world and dozens of fanatics who camp out on a Phoenix sidewalk early in the morning to get into the show. One seat even sold for $200.

A cable network has set up a stage nearby for broadcasts, and the spectacle is routinely among the most heavily trending topics on Twitter. Fans have traveled from all over the U.S. to be close to the action.

The star is none other than a small-town waitress and aspiring photographer from Northern California who killed fatally stabbed and shot her lover in 2008. Jodi Arias has been on trial for first-degree murder since January, and her case has developed an enormous following with its tales of sex, violence and betrayal.

Jurors resume deliberations Monday.

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Jurors start deliberating in Arias murder trial

PHOENIX (AP) — The murder case against Jodi Arias in the death of her onetime boyfriend has gone to the jury, which is weighing weeks of evidence and the defendant's ever-changing version of events.

After closing arguments, the panel deliberated for just about an hour Friday before concluding for the day. Deliberations resume Monday.

Arias says she killed Travis Alexander in self-defense, but prosecutors say it was an act of premeditated first-degree murder that could carry a death sentence or life in prison.

The eight men and four women on the jury have the option of finding Arias guilty of second-degree murder, too, if they don't believe she planned the attack but think it occurred in the heat of the moment. If convicted on that charge, she could face up to 25 years in prison. A manslaughter conviction carries a sentence of seven to 21 years.

The final statements wrapped up with Arias' lawyer imploring jurors to take an impartial view of his client, even if they don't like her, and prosecutors describing the defendant as a manipulative liar who meticulously planned the attack and is still lying.

"It's not about whether or not you like Jodi Arias. Nine days out of 10, I don't like Jodi Arias. ... But that doesn't matter," defense attorney Kirk Nurmi told jurors. Arias smiled as he made the remark, then returned to an unemotional gaze.

Nurmi told jurors the entire case was about "fear, love, sex, lies and dirty little secrets" and repeated over and over that the prosecution's theory of a planned attack "doesn't make any sense."

The trial has become a tabloid and cable TV sensation and has attracted spectators from around the country who line up as early as 2 a.m. for a chance to score a few open seats in the courtroom.

Authorities say Arias, 32, planned the attack on Alexander in June 2008 at his suburban Phoenix home. They say she was enraged because he wanted to end their affair and was preparing for a trip to Mexico with another woman.

Arias initially denied any involvement and later blamed it on masked intruders. Two years after her arrest, she said she killed Alexander in self-defense when he attacked her after a day of sex.

"Fear, love, sex, lies and dirty little secrets," Nurmi repeated several times Friday. "Each one of these aspects of the human condition plays a prominent role in the relationship that Jodi Arias shared with Travis Alexander."

On Thursday, prosecutor Juan Martinez delivered the state's closing arguments, displaying autopsy photos of Alexander's body covered in stab wounds and bruises, a bullet wound to his forehead.

He described Arias as a liar who planned the savage attack. Martinez said Arias lied from the start and is still lying.

The images displayed Thursday, one after another, of Alexander's decomposed body and the bloody scene of the killing were too much for Alexander's friends and family members. They sobbed and buried their faces in their hands.

Alexander suffered nearly 30 knife wounds, was shot in the head, and had his throat slit. Arias' palm print was found in blood at the scene.

Arias said Alexander grew physically abusive in the months before she killed him, but there was no evidence or testimony during the trial to corroborate her allegations.

The defense has portrayed Alexander as a womanizer who used Arias for sex and abused her physically and emotionally. Prosecutors depicted Arias as an obsessed ex-girlfriend.

Arias' grandparents had reported a .25 caliber handgun stolen from their Northern California home about a week before Alexander's death — the same caliber used to shoot him. Arias was staying with them at the time, and the burglary occurred two days after the two exchanged text messages that indicated Alexander no longer wanted anything to do with her. Arias denies taking the gun, but prosecutors say she staged the burglary to get the murder weapon.

Martinez told jurors that Arias had been stalking Alexander and arrived armed and unannounced on the day she killed him, sneaking into his home at about 4 a.m. The two went to sleep together, then awoke and had sex.

At some point, Martinez said, Arias decided it was time to carry out her plan.

Nurmi told jurors on Friday that the state's theory is "nonsensical."

He pondered out loud: If Arias had planned the attack in advance, why not kill him right when she arrived at Alexander's home? Why leave a paper trail, starting with the police report from the burglary? Why rent a car instead of borrowing one from friends or family? Why use her debit card for gas and other purchases instead of cash?

"It doesn't make sense if you're on a covert mission," Nurmi said, adding Arias had numerous other opportunities to kill Alexander.

"But she didn't," he said.

Nurmi acknowledged his client is a liar. But he explained she isn't on trial for lying.

"Nowhere, nowhere in your jury instructions are you asked to convict Jodi Arias of lying," he said.

Arizona criminal defense lawyer Benjamin Taylor, who sat in on closing arguments, said the defense did a good job at raising reasonable doubt about premeditation.

"Nurmi showed she had plenty of time if she really wanted to kill him," Taylor said. "After today, it's going to be hard to get 12 jurors to agree unanimously on premeditation."

The judge previously instructed jurors that if they couldn't unanimously agree on premeditation but believed the killing was carried out with malice and not in self-defense, they could settle on a second-degree murder conviction.

Arias said she recalls Alexander attacking her in a fury on the day he died. She said she ran into his closet to retrieve a gun he kept on a shelf and fired in self-defense but has no memory of stabbing him.

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Follow Brian Skoloff at https://twitter.com/bskoloff

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Pa. jurors turn to murder charges in abortion case

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A Philadelphia abortion provider will spend another weekend in custody after a jury failed to reach a verdict in his murder case.

Dr. Kermit Gosnell is accused of killing four babies born alive. He's also charged in the 2009 overdose of a patient.

Jurors deliberated for more than three days before leaving Friday without a verdict. They are to return Monday.

They must weigh hundreds of counts against the 72-year-old Gosnell, many of them allegations he performed illegal, third-trimester abortions.

Jurors asked questions Friday about the murder, racketeering and conspiracy charges.

Gosnell's lawyer insists there were no live births at the clinic.

His former employee and unlicensed doctor Eileen O'Neill of Phoenixville is also on trial, charged with fraudulently billing as a doctor. Eight other former employees have pleaded guilty.

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Jurors get case in Jodi Arias murder trial

PHOENIX (AP) — Jury deliberations have begun in the trial of Jodi Arias, who is charged in the stabbing and shooting death of her one-time boyfriend in Arizona.

Jurors got the case Friday after hearing closing arguments from both sides.

Arias is accused of premeditated, first-degree murder in the June 2008 killing of Travis Alexander in his suburban Phoenix home.

Arias initially denied involvement, then blamed the attack on masked intruders. Two years after her arrest, she said it was self-defense.

Testimony began in early January and has been ongoing for nearly four months.

The trial has been a made-for-the-tabloids drama, garnering daily coverage by the cable news networks, with tales of lurid sex, lies and death, nude photos and accounts of a salacious relationship that ended in a bloody killing.

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Jurors set to get roadmap of Jackson civil trial

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The most complete account of Michael Jackson's final months is about to unfold in a cramped Los Angeles courtroom nearly four years after the pop superstar's death.

Lawyers for Jackson's mother will attempt to convince a jury that the company promoting the pop superstar's 2009 comeback concerts is responsible for his untimely death. The attorneys will try to prove that AEG Live hired and controlled the doctor convicted of involuntary manslaughter over Jackson's demise.

AEG Live denies any wrongdoing and contests that they hired the physician who for months was giving Jackson doses of a powerful anesthetic in the singer's bedroom to help him sleep.

Opening statements on Monday will provide a roadmap for a case that will delve into Jackson's addiction struggles and issues previously unexplored in court. Many of those in the singer's orbit — family, famous friends, doctors and his teenage children — may testify during the months-long trial.

Some of the stars listed on the witness list include Quincy Jones, Diana Ross, Lou Ferrigno and Spike Lee. Both of Jackson's ex-wives, Lisa Marie Presley and Debbie Rowe, are also listed as potential witnesses.

Katherine Jackson sued in September 2010, claiming AEG failed to properly investigate her son's doctor, Conrad Murray. All but one of her claims has been dismissed, but millions and possibly billions of dollars are at stake. The trial pits the family of a global superstar against AEG Live, a private company that as part of the Anschutz Entertainment Group has helped spark the revitalization of downtown Los Angeles with its venue, the Staples Center.

Unlike the 2011 trial that ended with Murray's conviction, the civil trial will explore the troubled finances of both men — a situation that Katherine Jackson's attorneys say created a conflict of interest for Murray that AEG should have been aware of.

The Houston-based cardiologist was deeply in debt when he agreed to serve as Jackson's personal doctor for a series of 50 concerts in London dubbed "This Is It." The doctor had liens and owed back child support when he began working with Jackson, expecting a $150,000 a month salary. Jackson died of acute propofol intoxication before the contract was fully signed.

The trial is expected to include detailed testimony about other doctors' treatment of Jackson, a subject that was largely off-limits in the criminal case. Unlike Murray's trial, which was broadcast live, the civil case will play out without cameras in a courtroom with only 45 public seats.

AEG denies they hired Murray, and have contended he should be considered an independent contractor, a designation many hospitals deem surgeons and other physicians.

Katherine Jackson's attorneys, Brian Panish and Kevin Boyle, have repeatedly cited emails sent by top AEG executives referencing Murray's pay and his obligations to get Jackson to perform.

Marvin S. Putnam, an attorney for AEG who was not available to comment, has said the company could not have foreseen the circumstances that led to Murray's administration of propofol to Jackson as a sleep aide.

AEG has said in court filings that Jackson's family is seeking $40 billion in damages, but Panish denies that's the figure he's seeking.

"We've never asked for $40 billion," he said. "The jury is going to decide what the loss is."

The high figure, Panish said, is the company's attempt to "prejudice everybody against the Jacksons." He says the case isn't about money.

"It's about getting the truth," he said. "We'd like to get out all the evidence. The evidence is going to speak for itself that AEG had a lot of involvement and they completely deny responsibility."

Jackson's three children, Prince, Paris and Blanket are also listed as plaintiffs on the case.

Asked whether he and the Jacksons are concerned about the image of the "Thriller" singer that will emerge in court, Panish said the trial will show a different side of the superstar. "Mrs. Jackson and her grandchildren suffered a tremendous loss and AEG has never recognized that and continues to deny responsibility," he said. "The other side of the story hasn't been told."

A jury of six men and six women has been selected to decide the case.

Monday's remarks by Panish and Putnam will provide the jurors' their first true insight into the evidence they will likely hear, and once again pull back the veil of Michael Jackson's private life.

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Anthony McCartney can be reached at http://twitter.com/mccartneyAP

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Alternate jurors selected in Michael Jackson case

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Six alternate jurors have been selected for a civil trial over Michael Jackson's death, setting the stage for opening statements next week.

The entire panel was sent home after the alternates were chosen on Tuesday.

The four men and two women alternates were selected after attorneys for Jackson's mother and concert giant AEG Live questioned them for several hours.

On Monday, the jury of six men and six women was chosen.

Jackson's mother filed the wrongful death suit against AEG, claiming it was responsible for hiring the doctor convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the singer's June 2009 death.

The case may last for more than three months.

Dozens of people who weren't chosen to hear the case cheered after being dismissed.

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Jurors get case of Wis. dad who killed girls

Apr 15 (Reuters) - Leading money winners on the 2013 PGATour on Monday (U.S. unless stated): 1. Tiger Woods $4,139,600 2. Brandt Snedeker $3,137,920 3. Matt Kuchar $2,442,389 4. Adam Scott (Australia) $2,100,469 5. Steve Stricker $1,935,340 6. Phil Mickelson $1,764,680 7. Dustin Johnson $1,748,907 8. Jason Day $1,659,565 9. Hunter Mahan $1,553,965 10. Keegan Bradley $1,430,347 11. Charles Howell III $1,393,806 12. John Merrick $1,375,757 13. Russell Henley $1,331,434 14. Michael Thompson $1,310,709 15. Kevin Streelman $1,310,343 16. Bill Haas $1,271,553 17. Billy Horschel $1,254,224 18. ...

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Judge: No more excuses for would-be Jackson jurors

Apr 15 (Reuters) - Leading money winners on the 2013 PGATour on Monday (U.S. unless stated): 1. Tiger Woods $4,139,600 2. Brandt Snedeker $3,137,920 3. Matt Kuchar $2,442,389 4. Adam Scott (Australia) $2,100,469 5. Steve Stricker $1,935,340 6. Phil Mickelson $1,764,680 7. Dustin Johnson $1,748,907 8. Jason Day $1,659,565 9. Hunter Mahan $1,553,965 10. Keegan Bradley $1,430,347 11. Charles Howell III $1,393,806 12. John Merrick $1,375,757 13. Russell Henley $1,331,434 14. Michael Thompson $1,310,709 15. Kevin Streelman $1,310,343 16. Bill Haas $1,271,553 17. Billy Horschel $1,254,224 18. ...

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Arias judge denies motion to sequester jurors

PHOENIX (AP) — The judge in Jodi Arias' murder case on Thursday denied a defense motion to order jurors sequestered for the remainder of the trial during a bizarre week when one panelist was removed and videos emerged of Arias' parents telling authorities she has mental problems.

Defense attorney Kirk Nurmi sought the sequestration after noting the release of the footage and parts of Arias' journal to the media, explaining it could bias the jury.

"This case must be tried in the courtroom not in the media," Nurmi told the judge.

He said that despite daily admonitions from the judge to the jury not to follow media coverage of the trial, some on the panel are likely doing it anyway, calling it an "absolute fiction" to believe they are not.

Judge Sherry Stephens denied the motion then admonished the jury again on Thursday to avoid all media coverage of the trial.

The move comes during a week when one juror was removed from the panel for making statements the defense claimed called into question her impartiality.

In a statement to the media after her removal, the juror said she would not comment on the case until a verdict is reached. Her removal came just a few days after defense attorneys accused prosecutor Juan Martinez of misconduct by posing for photographs and signing autographs for fans outside court. The judge has not yet ruled in that matter.

Thursday's motion was just another twist in the murder trial that has captivated the nation with tales of lurid sex, lies and a bloody killing, playing out for the pubic via an unedited web feed from inside the courtroom.

Arias faces a possible death sentence if convicted of first-degree murder in the June 2008 killing of Travis Alexander in his suburban Phoenix home.

Authorities say she planned the attack on her lover in a jealous rage. Arias initially denied involvement then blamed it on two masked intruders. Two years after her arrest, she said it was self-defense.

Testimony has been ongoing for three months.

Later Thursday, psychotherapist Alyce LaViolette continued her testimony discussing Arias' relationship with the victim after spending several days explaining to jurors the traits of victims and abusers in generalities.

The defense witness, who spent more than 40 hours interviewing Arias, said the defendant and the victim appeared to be in a comfortable relationship and that Arias wasn't stalking him as some of Alexander's friends have indicated.

"It looks like a comfortable relationship where there's a lot of back and forth," LaViolette said.

She also explained again how battered women tend to minimize the abuse by their partners "or not talk about it at all."

Arias says Alexander was physically abusive and attacked her on the day of the killing, forcing her to fight for her life, yet no other evidence at trial has shown the victim was ever violent in the past. Arias says she was too ashamed to tell anyone.

In developments outside court, authorities released to the media videos of investigators questioning Arias' parents after her arrest in 2008.

Both of her parents told police they believed Arias has mental problems.

"Jodi has mental problems, Jodi would freak out all the time," Sandra Arias says on the tape. "I had quite a few of her friends call and tell me I needed to get her some help."

On the tape, William Arias says he had suggested that she might be bipolar.

The videos have not been admitted into evidence at the trial, and Arias' parents have not been called as witnesses.

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Jurors question expert witness in Arias trial

PHOENIX (AP) — Jurors in Jodi Arias' murder trial paid close attention to an expert witness who diagnosed her with post-traumatic stress disorder and amnesia as many of the panel's questions Thursday focused on specific details of his evaluation and how he could come to any conclusions relying on Arias' repeated lies.

Psychologist Richard Samuels, a defense witness, testified for a fifth day Thursday after telling jurors his diagnosis explains why Arias can't remember much from the day she killed her lover.

Arizona is one of a few states where jurors have a legal right to query witnesses through written questions read aloud by the judge. In most other states, it's up to the judge to determine whether to allow it.

Samuels answered more than 100 questions Thursday, and then was questioned by attorneys on both sides about his answers. He resumes testimony on Monday.

Many of the juror questions Thursday focused on Arias' lies, how Samuels could be sure she is telling the truth now, whether her memory loss could be fabricated and his opinions on premeditation.

"How can we be certain that your assessment of Ms. Arias is not based on her lies?" one juror question read.

"The diagnosis of PTSD is a function of an evaluation based upon my 35 years of experience in working with individuals with PTSD," Samuels replied, noting he can say with "all reasonable psychological probability" that she meets the criteria.

Arias faces a possible death sentence if convicted of first-degree murder in the June 2008 killing of Travis Alexander in his suburban Phoenix home. Authorities say she planned the attack on her lover in a jealous rage. Arias initially told authorities she had nothing to do with it then blamed it on masked intruders. Two years after her arrest, she said it was self-defense.

When Samuels initially began his evaluation, Arias was sticking to the intruder story.

Jurors asked if Samuels could be certain that Arias wasn't still lying about the day of the killing.

"Not with 100 percent certainty," he said. "Psychology is the science of behavior so we're seldom 100 percent sure."

Samuels testified previously that Arias was likely suffering from acute stress at the time of the killing, sending her body into a "fight or flight" mode to defend herself, which caused her brain to stop retaining memory.

The jury asked Thursday whether this scenario could occur even if this was a premeditated murder, as the prosecution contends.

"Is it possible? Yes. Is it probable? No," Samuels said.

"Can acute stress occur if someone plans to kill versus defending themselves from danger?" the panel asked.

"Um, homicide is of a different nature," Samuels said before being cut off by an objection from the prosecutor.

"Possible but not probable," he continued.

The jury later asked if it is possible for a defendant to trick a psychologist into thinking they have PTSD.

Samuels said it was possible but unlikely, noting when a person is telling the truth their stories tend to change slightly as they are questioned repeatedly. He said Arias' intruder story remained exactly the same until she eventually said it was self-defense.

"It is my feeling that once the story changed (from intruders) she was essentially telling actually what happened," he said.

Defense attorney Jennifer Willmott later questioned Samuels.

"Is it rational for a person who was at a crime scene to leave evidence behind that they were at the crime scene?" Willmott asked.

"No," Samuels said.

"Well thought out?" she prodded.

"No," Samuels replied.

Prosecutor Juan Martinez seized on Samuel's credibility, accusing him of forming a relationship with Arias and being biased.

Samuels previously testified he had compassion for Arias.

In his typical dramatic fashion, Martinez displayed a page from the dictionary defining the word "compassion."

"A desire to alleviate someone's distress is an indication of sympathy isn't it?" Martinez yelled.

"According to Webster's," Samuels replied calmly.

"So you felt sorry for her," Martinez snapped back.

"No, I didn't, a sense of compassion," Samuels said.

Alexander suffered nearly 30 knife wounds, was shot in the head and had his throat slit. Arias' palm print was found in blood at the scene, along with her hair and nude photos of her and the victim from the day of the killing.

Arias said she recalls Alexander attacking her in a fury. She said she ran into his closet to retrieve a gun he kept on a shelf and fired in self-defense but has no memory of stabbing him.

She acknowledged trying to clean the scene, dumping the gun in the desert and working on an alibi to avoid suspicion.

None of Arias' allegations of Alexander's previous abuse, that he owned a gun and had sexual desires for boys has been corroborated.

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Jurors reach verdict in Mich. grandma's trial

PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) — Jurors in suburban Detroit have reached a verdict in the trial of a 75-year-old woman who shot and killed her teenage grandson.

The jury must decide whether to convict Sandra Layne of first-degree murder or a lesser charge, or to acquit her on the basis of self-defense.

Attorneys were notified of a verdict Tuesday afternoon. The Oakland County jury began deliberating the case Monday afternoon.

Prosecutor Paul Walton says there was nothing defensive about Layne's treatment of 17-year-old Jonathan Hoffman. He was shot six times last spring at their home in West Bloomfield Township, even while pleading for help during a 911 call.

Layne's attorney says she feared her grandson and felt overwhelmed by his drug use and choice of friends.

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12 jurors seated for Philly abortion doc's trial

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Twelve jurors have now been selected for the capital murder trial of a Philadelphia abortion provider.

Dr. Kermit Gosnell is charged with eight counts of murder in the deaths of a female patient and seven babies who prosecutors say were killed after late-stage abortions.

Gosnell has pleaded not guilty.

After more than a week of jury selection, a Philadelphia man became the last regular juror chosen Tuesday. But lawyers are still searching for six alternates since the trial could last two months.

Prosecutors say the 72-year-old Gosnell ran a rogue clinic that flouted health and safety laws governing abortions, anesthesia and the distribution of painkillers.

A 2011 grand jury report alleges that untrained staff performed complex medical duties before Gosnell came to the clinic each day.

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Arias grilled by jurors over lies, memory lapses

PHOENIX (AP) — Jurors in Jodi Arias' murder trial made it clear Thursday they aren't satisfied with her stories about why she killed her lover, then methodically covered her tracks and couldn't recall much of anything from the day.

Arias answered about 220 questions over the past two days under an uncommon Arizona law that allows juries to quiz defendants through written questions read aloud by the judge — and the bulk of the queries indicated that at least some jurors don't believe her.

The questions largely focused on Arias' contention that she has memory lapses during times of stress and cannot recall crucial details from the day of the killing, along with queries about why she never tried to help save the victim's life and repeatedly lied about her involvement.

Many questions were pointed in tone, and seemed to portray a jury struggling to come to grips with Arias' ever-changing version of events.

Arias is set to resume testimony Wednesday.

Throughout Arias' nearly three weeks of testimony, she has described her abusive childhood, cheating boyfriends, dead-end jobs, a raunchy sexual relationship with the victim and her contention that Travis Alexander had grown physically abusive in the months leading up to his death, once even choking her into unconsciousness.

Alexander's two sisters have sat in the gallery's front row each day, often shaking their heads in disbelief, rolling their eyes and crying softly, a box of tissues in front of them on a rail. Arias' family has shown little emotion, sitting largely stone-faced across the room.

Arias is charged with first-degree murder and faces the death penalty if convicted in Alexander's June 2008 killing in his suburban Phoenix home. Authorities say she planned the attack in a jealous rage, but Arias says it was self-defense when Alexander attacked her after a day of sex.

Arizona is one of just a few states where jurors in criminal trials can ask questions of witnesses. In many other states, it's up to individual judges to decide whether it's permissible.

"Why were you afraid of the consequences if you killed Travis in self-defense?" asked one juror in a question read by the judge.

"I believed it was not OK ... to take someone's life even if you were defending yourself," Arias replied softly.

"Would you decide to tell the truth if you never got arrested?" another juror asked.

Arias paused briefly, thinking.

"I honestly don't know the answer to that question," she said.

Experts say the sheer number of juror questions and their context don't bode well for the defense.

Phoenix criminal defense attorney Julio Laboy is convinced the jury isn't sold.

"I think the message here is, 'I think you're lying and I want to have you answer my questions directly,'" Laboy said.

"They're asking very specific questions, like when do you lie and when do you tell the truth," he added. "Obviously, at least one juror doesn't believe a word she is saying."

None of her allegations of Alexander's violence and her claims that he had sexual desires for young boys have been corroborated by witnesses or evidence during the trial, and she has acknowledged lying repeatedly but insists she is telling the truth now.

At the conclusion of juror questions Thursday afternoon, Arias' defense attorney began to query her again over her responses. Both sides have the opportunity to question her but only on specific points raised by jurors.

"Why should anybody believe you now?" defense attorney Kirk Nurmi asked Arias.

"I understand that there will always be questions, but all I can do at this point is say what happened to the best of my recollection. If I'm convicted than that's because of my own ..." she said, before prosecutor Juan Martinez objected and cut her off.

Martinez then began his own grilling, which will continue Wednesday.

Laboy said Arias has been on the witness stand long enough.

"Let Jodi's voice just end," he said. "Jurors may not be happy if they don't have the last word."

Alexander suffered nearly 30 knife wounds, had been shot in the head and had his throat slit before Arias dragged his body into his shower, where it was found by friends about five days later.

Arias has acknowledged that she then dumped the gun in the desert, got rid of her bloody clothes, and left the victim a voicemail on his mobile phone within hours of killing him in an attempt to avoid suspicion. She says she was too scared and ashamed to tell the truth.

She initially told authorities she had nothing to do with the killing then blamed it on masked intruders. Two years after her arrest, she settled on self-defense.

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Arias grilled by jurors over lies; court day ends

PHOENIX (AP) — Jodi Arias has concluded her 17th day of testimony in her Arizona death penalty trial after being grilled with questions from jurors who don't seem satisfied with her stories in the murder case.

Arias is charged in the 2008 killing of her lover in his suburban Phoenix home. She says it was self-defense. Authorities say she planned the attack on Travis Alexander in a jealous rage.

Arizona is one of a few states where jurors in criminal trials can ask questions of witnesses. In other states, it's up to the discretion of the judge.

The panel had about 220 questions for Arias over two days focused on her memory lapses, why she never tried to save Alexander's life and lies about her involvement.

She is set to resume testimony Wednesday.

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Jurors sought for Pa. abortion doc's murder trial

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jury selection is under way in the murder trial of a Philadelphia abortion provider and could prove difficult since both abortion and the death penalty are involved.

Dr. Kermit Gosnell is charged with third-degree murder in a woman's 2009 death during a botched abortion. And he faces the death penalty if convicted of the first-degree murder of seven viable babies allegedly killed after they were born alive.

The 72-year-old Gosnell has pleaded not guilty. He says he helped many vulnerable women and teens get medical care.

Former clinic employee Eileen O'Neill is also on trial, charged with practicing medicine without a license. Eight others have pleaded guilty to murder or lesser charges.

Large groups of prospective jurors have been dismissed Monday based on hardship, their opposition to the death penalty or other conflicts.

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