Jodi Arias Trial Update: Prosecution shows police interview to prove Arias, who killed ex-boyfriend, is a liar
(CBS) PHOENIX - A damaging police interview video and photos of Jodi Arias and Travis Alexander were shown in court Monday to illustrate that Arias was lying early on in the investigation about being present at Alexander's home the day he was brutally stabbed and killed.
The prosecution says that the 30-year-old Alexander was killed in a fit of jealous rage by Arias at his Mesa, Arizona home on June 4, 2008 because Arias did not like Alexander dating other woman.
In the police interview video, taken early in the homicide investigation in2008, Arias first denied being in the state of Arizona on her road trip through California and Utah. But, the Mesa Police lead homicide detective, Esteban Flores, tells Arias that her cell phone was last turned off deep in the state of Arizona, showing that she had to have been there. Flores explained that the 18 hours that she goes unaccounted for on her road trip is too suspicious considering Alexander was killed during those 18 hours.
Then, Flores shocks Arias in the recorded interview with evidence that he had photos to prove that she was present at Alexander's home with a time and date stamp on the photos. The camera, also shown in court Monday, was found in Alexander's washing machine. Police had to use special technology to extract deleted photos off the camera. Those photos were allegedly taken by accident of a nude Alexander in the shower after his attack and as he was dying. When Flores asks Arias if she wants to see the photos to prove she was there at the time of the murder, she challenged it was the same date.
Arias, then realizing that Flores was going to show her the photos said, "I am not a murderer, but if I was, I would wear gloves or try to wash him off or something." She also said in that same interview, "I would never hurt him. He has done so much for me. If I killed Travis, I would beg for the death penalty."
Arias is now facing the death penalty after her attorneys have already admitted she committed the crime in self-defense. They say she killed Alexander because he was abusive, controlling and a sexual deviant in his relationship with Arias.
The defense tried to show in cross examination when the camera was entered into evidence it was not physically broken or did not appear to be kicked as an attempt to ruin the photos inside deliberately. They are trying to show that perhaps the camera ended up in the washer by accident.
Prosecution testimony resumes today.
Written by Cindy Cesare