Jodi Arias Trial: Woman charged in ex-boyfriend's murder suffers from dissociative amnesia, expert testifies

By: Crimesider Staff
Topics: Daily Blotter

Jodi Arias testifying in Maricopa County Superior Court on March 5, 2013 in downtown Phoenix.

/ AP Photo/The Arizona Republic,Tom Tingle, Pool

(AP) PHOENIX - A defense witness says Jodi Arias suffers from dissociative amnesia and that explains why she can't remember much from the day she says she killed her lover in self-defense.

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Psychologist Richard Samuels testified Monday at Arias' Arizona murder trial that such amnesia is caused with a person suffers a traumatic event, such as a killing.

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

Authorities say she planned the attack. Arias initially told investigators she had nothing to do with it then blamed it on masked intruders. Two years after her arrest, she said it was self-defense.

Samuels explained last week how Arias suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and memory loss.

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by JoeScrotum March 21, 2013 12:46 AM EDT: If death sentence was appropriate for Scott Peterson it most certainly should have been applied to the tot killer and this psycho, but "little girls" are accustomed to special treatment and lawyers only have to befuddle one braid dead juror.; Reply to this comment

by NunoFelt March 20, 2013 9:49 PM EDT

I hope during cross or in the jury questions someone brings up the fact that she took evidence and tried to clean the crime scene, this "expert" witness is full of crap and should be removed from the stand. They are paying him $250.00 an hour for this load of hooey!

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by JoeScrotum March 21, 2013 12:44 AM EDT: Professional LIARS for hire. I could get one to say my cat has a multiple personality disorder if I stuffed his pockets with cash.

The most disturbing element of these 3-ring circuses is the unpredictable nature of the jury system, which has a level of integrity somewhere between a Ouija Board and Magic 8 Ball.


by cannondax March 20, 2013 8:35 PM EDT: Jodi tells us that the ONLY lies she told pertained to the events of the murder. Well you little stinky, lying sack of feces......how about the lie you told to the car rental guy? You know the one where you told him you were using the car locally? You returned the car 3 days later with nearly 3,000 miles on it. That tells me right there you were planning on killing Alexander, also the gun you stole, your freak show stalking etc... You also said that "if I hurt Travis I would beg for the Death Penalty" Start begging you useless, lying, NASTY excuse for a human.; Reply to this comment


by polisigh March 20, 2013 6:56 PM EDT: Cry "abuse" and the defense attorneys have an excuse for any lie, any crime, any action that is criminal or anti-social. This psychologist based his diagnosis based on Arias' lies. The prosecution will rebut his testimony with a more qualified psychiatrist.; Reply to this comment


by ST56 March 20, 2013 6:50 PM EDT: As the Church Lady says -- How conveeeeeeeeenient! The defense team is basically trying to keep Jodie from getting the death penalty by concocting a bogus mental illness. She IS mentally ill, I'll give you that, but that should never excuse murderer from getting his/her proper sentence.; Reply to this comment


by carolo43 March 20, 2013 6:40 PM EDT: I've been talking to my insurance agent for the last hour and that was more exciting than listening to this "doctor" testifying. How can "an opinion" be used as evidence? Seems to me I should be able to testify if that's the case. This judge needs to get on the stick on tell these lawyers enough is enough of this.; Reply to this comment


by 2ndchancelord March 20, 2013 6:36 PM EDT: guilty she is, guess lifetime needs another movie made as the rest are getting old; Reply to this comment


by dottiehp March 20, 2013 5:02 PM EDT: She had 2 yrs before arrested to make up all her lies and research those she would go for. A true masochistic, cold blooded killer. I believe she took the rope because it showed she tied him up during sex. How else could she get this big guy into the shower after killing him. She did it before she killed him, by ordering him into the shower with a gun to his head; after slicing and dicing him all the way. The last slice, his neck while he was in the shower.; Reply to this comment


by carolo43 March 20, 2013 3:45 PM EDT: This doctor is testifying to HIS opinion. Nothing more. Personal opinions are not fact. When a jury is deciding the fate of someone, they deserve ALL the evidence, not what is picked and chosen for them to see. All those video's of how Travis was in real life are not used but Jodi can sit and lie for 18 days and that is allowed? Bunk!; Reply to this comment

by carolo43 March 20, 2013 3:41 PM EDT

Jodi Arias was abused by Travis????

That's why she did everything to hang onto him. Played out sexual fantasies, dressed to fantasize and had raunchy phone sex. Talked about him constantly in her journals. Hid in his closet so she could "catch him" when he brought home a new date. Cut the tires on his car. Smashed up his car. Peeked in his windows when he had a new date over. Constantly took photos of him. Had anal and oral sex with him. And then drove 1000 miles to be with him?

Ya Right!!!!!!!!

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