Watch The Jodi Arias Trial Live Here – Jodi Takes The Stand

•Jodi Arias is accused of shooting her ex-boyfriend in the face, stabbing him 29 times and slitting his throat from ear to ear
•Catch yourself up with the key events from court this week

After the State of Arizona rested their case, Jodi Arias’ defense team took center stage this week as they presented their case to the jury for the first time. Arias claims she stabbed her ex-boyfriend, Travis Alexander, 29 times, shot him in the face, and slit his throat from ear to ear in self-defense. If convicted, she faces a possible death sentence.

Former lover defends Arias

Gus Searcy, a Prepaid Legal Executive Director, was the first defense witness called to testify Tuesday.

Searcy testified that he served as a mentor to Arias while she was looking to become more successful in the business of selling legal insurance.

During an overnight stay at his house, Searcy said Arias was crying and shaking after she talked to Alexander on the phone.

Darryl Brewer, Arias’ 52-year-old ex-boyfriend, testified Arias was never jealous or violent during their relationship, and the two remained friends when they split after four years.

In the summer of 2006, a few months after Arias joined Prepaid Legal, she “had become a different person that I’d known previously,” Brewer said.

“We stopped being intimate” after Arias adopted the Mormon faith and became more religious, Brewer testified. “She said she was saving herself for her husband.”

Brewer’s testimony also revealed that Arias stopped by his house the day before Alexander was killed and she asked if she could borrow two 5-gallon gas cans for a long road trip. Brewer said Arias never returned the cans.

During cross-examination, prosecutor Juan Martinez suggested Arias was sexually aggressive when he asked Brewer if he and Arias ever had anal sex. Brewer responded by saying they were equally aggressive and had anal sex on one occasion.

On re-direct, defense attorney Kirk Nurmi asked Brewer if he ever called Arias sexually explicit names like “whore” and “slut.” Brewer denied ever calling Arias those names.

Ex-girlfriend calls victim a cheater

Testimony from the victim’s ex-girlfriend Wednesday painted an unflattering picture of Alexander as a cheater, liar and hypocrite who pursued marriage with one woman while having sex with another.

Lisa Daidone, formerly known as Lisa Andrews, said she had an on-again-off-again relationship with Alexander for almost eight months from July 2007 to February 2008.

Daidone said Alexander was interested in marriage soon after they started dating, but they broke up when she learned Alexander cheated on her with Arias. The witness said that while she was with Alexander, they never had sex, and she was shocked to find out after his death that Alexander wasn’t a virgin.

In a dramatic moment, prosecutor Martinez, without any warning, flashed a photo of Alexander’s dead body on the court’s projector. The witness was taken aback and Alexander’s sisters began to cry. One of them stormed out of the courtroom while Arias broke down and wept.

Martinez asked Daidone if any of Alexander’s behaviors warranted him having his throat slit. The defense objected and Daidone never answered the question. Siblings Desiree and Daniel Freeman testified Wednesday that Alexander and Arias had accompanied them on two overnight trips, one to Sedona and the Grand Canyon and another to Havasupai in September 2007.

The witnesses said Alexander appeared to be different with Arias, acting more affectionate with her when they were alone and distant when they were in large groups.
***SOURCE: ARTICLE BY HLN TV NEWS FEBRUARY 1, 2013

WATCH TRIAL LIVE HERE:

http://www.azcentral.com/video/1724204566001