I expected more, didn’t you? Jodi Arias is supposed to have an IQ that rivals Einstein’s. She, or her defense team, made us wait for days to hear her statement to the jury and what we got was 19 minutes of nothing. Pleading for your life, even on the heels of telling a local TV reporter that you prefer to die, is a big deal. It’s the moment you have to show the twelve most important people in your world that you are a human being who deserves to live out your days in a prison cell. Jodi Arias missed that opportunity in what can only be called an epic fail.
She had a speech or statement prepared and a set of pictures that we saw in a slide show. We saw photos of her as a child, with her parents and her brother and sister. What we didn’t see was any kind of real emotion or feelings for her family, never mind the family of Travis Alexander. Experts call that the “flat affect”. As cops, we called it “dead eyes”. Those are the descriptions we give people who have no ability to connect or bond or experience empathy for the rest of the world. Everything that happens is all about them, they’re the center of the universe, and Jodi painted a perfect picture of someone who just doesn’t “get it”. She probably doesn’t get it. I don’t think she’s faking that. She may be a consummate liar, but she’s not as smart as she thinks she is, and malingering takes a great deal of effort and real intelligence. She may be clever and conniving, even manipulative, but she’s not really all that smart.
I believe her when she says that she didn’t understand what her murderous act did to the Alexander family. To think otherwise, we’d have to believe that she has struggled with remorse for five years, that she can and does know empathy and sympathy, and that she understands that there are people who truly suffer as a result of the actions of someone else. I just don’t see any of that in Jodi Arias. If she was as smart as she purports to be she would have, at the very least, been able to feign sadness and remorse but she didn’t – or couldn’t. This is way out of my experience or expertise but maybe you can’t fake something you don’t recognize in others. Her tearless crying while on the witness stand looked like an act, a bad one at that, and convinced no one, especially the jury.
When she wasn’t showing the jury her slide show, she told them about her artwork. If you haven’t seen her “artwork”, I’ll describe it for you. It’s a series of tracings, mostly taken from advertisements and photographs of other people’s work, which she then transfers to paper and colors in. If you’re so inclined, you can see some of her pieces at jodiarias.com. Oh, and you can buy them if you want. Jodi also showed the jury her tee-shirts which are emblazoned with the word “Survivor” across the front. These, also for sale, were designed and produced, as she told the jurors, to raise money for domestic violence victims – just like she says she is. Now, this is where she did something really stupid, you see, because these very same jurors didn’t buy her claims of abuse at the hands of Travis Alexander, so I don’t think this passive-aggressive display did much to win over their hearts and minds. If that wasn’t enough, she went on to actually tell them that she knows that “some people” don’t believe her but that they’re entitled to their own opinions. Why yes they are and they’re sitting right in front of you and they hold your life in their hands. See what I mean – no Einstein there.
Jodi went on to tell the jury how much she could contribute to her fellow inmates if her life was spared. She could teach them to read, to learn sign language and how to recycle. She wants to start a reading group – a prison book club, if you will, where she’ll “stimulate conversations of a higher nature” and keep donating her hair, as she claims she’s done before, to cancer survivors who have lost theirs from the ravages of chemotherapy. All I could hear from all of that was that she’s better than all those other convicted criminals and that she will improve their lives oh so much. I hate to tell her, but that air of superiority isn’t going to make her any friends in prison. A slice of humble pie would go a lot farther behind bars.
When she finally asked them to spare her life, she couched it in terms of her parents and siblings. It was along the lines of “you, jury, would be punishing them by killing me”. That was really rich, considering that she’s already done her own damage on that front. She pulled the “abuse excuse”, a la Casey Anthony, so it seemed more than a wee bit disingenuous to hear her talk about sparing them any further pain. I don’t doubt that they’re in pain and will be for the rest of their lives. Whatever happened in the Arias family may never be known, but I’m hard pressed to believe that they set out to raise a daughter who would end up being a brutal and sadistic killer.
She described what she did to Travis Alexander as a mistake. To me, a mistake is wearing mismatched socks or buying 2% milk instead of fat-free. She says she’s sorry for a mistake she made and that she’s horrified by what she did. I contend that she’s only sorry that she was caught and will be made to pay, in one way or another, for her crime. Sorry, as most of us understand it, doesn’t mean the same thing to Jodi Arias. It just doesn’t because she has no way of comprehending how the rest of us feel. Call it whatever you want – sociopathy, borderline personality disorder – it doesn’t matter. She’s operating from a place none of us want to visit and none of us can understand.
The jury is deliberating on her punishment now. I don’t envy them because I’m a coward. I can only imagine the anguish they’re experiencing right now. They hold the power normally reserved for a much higher being than we mere mortals. Travis’ brother, Steven, said that he doesn’t want to see the face of his brother’s killer anymore, but if the sentence is death, then he’ll be seeing a lot of Jodi in the future – during the lengthy appeals process and more. I’ve made my case about how I feel about the death penalty and there’s no need for me to go into it here. Arizona hasn’t executed a woman since 1930 and Jodi Arias is looking at a minimum of 20 years on death row before her execution, should that be the jury’s decision, even comes close to being a reality – if it ever does. All I know is that twelve people aren’t sleeping well tonight, despite what you may believe. I hope, for their sake, that whatever choice they make, they’ll be able to find a way to move on from this five month nightmare. For the Alexander family there will never be peace or normalcy. My heart goes out to them. Someone they loved was ripped from their lives, too soon and too suddenly, and no one ever gets over that. You put one foot in front of the other and pray that time softens the jagged edges of pain, but that’s about all you can hope for. Jodi Arias’ sentence, whatever it may be, can’t fix their broken hearts or fill the void in their family. It just can’t. I’d say Jodi be damned but, then again, she probably already is.
Empress
realhousewifeofaiken 
I must say that as I was reading through your recap of the day’s events here, Empress, You could have told us this all happened on Bravo. It sounds to me like this Jodi character believes she’s on some reality show. I kept expecting to read about her appearance with Fanny Andy on WWHL after she’d been shown on one of the shows pushing her wares. I read also (in comments) that she’s granting Interviews with the press. How the hell does she even have that choice? I remember your first post on this topic, The Jodi Arias Show.. I think you nailed it then with that title and this woman is never going to go away. She’ll be put away but I don’t think she’ll ever Go away.
You know where I stand on the DP… eye for an eye though, I do understand your aversion to it. I still haven’t watched any of this show but only read along as my blog friends have posted about it and you and Lisa Renee have blogged about it. I can’t bring myself to put aside my feelings about the DP here but again, I do understand it’s a double edged sword.
Hey mth, She’s got a very brief window of opportunity to give interviews before she’s sentenced, so she’s making the most of her 15 minutes, if you will – hair and makeup included. Once she’s sentenced, the prison system in Arizona doesn’t allow for TV cameras.
As for the Jodi Arias show – I think she’ll eventually fade away, People will lose interest in her once she stops being the topic of every news story, or at least I hope they do. The obsession with JA is as bad as it is with any of the HWs and I find that almost as disturbing as her crime. A number of the trial watchers have treated this as if they were watching the Super Bowl and their team won – cheering and high-fiving each other at the announcement of the verdict. That mentality really worries me. I don’t know if some of them can separate “reality” from reality. The craziest thing I saw from the people outside the courtroom was an interview with a woman who had her husband cancel a vacation in Hawaii so that they could drive to Arizona and stand around on the sidewalk. To me that’s just BSC.
We’ll always agree to disagree about the DP. I get it and I can see both POVs.
The craziest thing I saw from the people outside the courtroom was an interview with a woman who had her husband cancel a vacation in Hawaii so that they could drive to Arizona and stand around on the sidewalk. To me that’s just BSC.
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Same here.. Especially when you can watch the whole thing on the TV.
😀 Even better – a TV in Honolulu.
Jeff, being forced to listen to Jane Velez did pay off just now. She used the HW analogy that you posted about this morning. Almost word for word about what you wrote about JA thinking she is in a reality show. The last original thought she had, she flushed. She’s a lurker, I’m convinced. Never heard her use any HW verbage before. I think you have a new fan. My best to you and the hound and Congrats on the newest addition to your family. I bet you are the cool favorite Uncle 🙂 Lisa
Another reason to dislike Jane – now she’s stealing Jeff’s comments. A pox upon her house!!!
The idea was inspired by your blog title… A collaborative effort here at the farm.
Thank you Lisa 😀
She just loved giving her little speech-her moment in the spotlight. She was All About Jodi and so smug and indifferent as to what a horrific crime she committed. To stand up there and be so self absorbed was the craziest allocution I think I will ever see (was it even an allocution? She didn’t really admit fault and I thought that’s what an allocution was? But I’m probably wrong-I get all my legal advice from Jack McCoy via Law and Order) . I don’t know if she convinced the jury to spare her life or not but she didn’t give me much reason to save her. I think Locks of Love will be just fine without her as well as her fellow prisoners-who she seems to feel superior to because she know sign language.
My view on the DP changes all the time-Jodi Arias in my opinion does not deserve to live-perhaps if she was remorseful or at least self aware my view would be different. I don’t envy the jury who has to decide her fate b/c I’m all talk!!! I don’t know that I could handle making the decision anywhere but on a blog.
Jeff-I bet Andy put in for an interview with Jodi-He can call it “One on One in the Clubhouse…or One on One in the Big house” and the drink word can be “me” b/c she is all about ME ME ME!!!
Hey Jill, Jack McCoy’s advice is pretty good. An allocution is any statement by the defendant to the court designed to lessen the severity of the sentence – what we’d call throwing yourself on the mercy of the court. It can be an apology or show of remorse, or, as in Jodi’s case, a chance to sell some artwork and tee-shirts.
“One on One in the Big house” – I bet Andy would love that. 😉
I haven’t been following her exploits on TV. I have read blogs and some comments. While channel surfing this am I did catch a bit of her. My thoughts, that woman is too full of herself, my TV was on mute.
“my TV was on mute” – LOL Donna. You really didn’t miss anything.
She sounded so high school to me. But she didn’t sound remorseful, or genuine. I just read that in one of her interviews she said she was mad at the jury for not understanding. I oppose the death penalty, and it’s hard to stand by my convictions when you see this case, but I do. I’d say I wish she gains some compassion for others in her life in prison, but I truly believe she is mentally ill and that ship sailed long long ago.
Great post, Empress.
Sorry, she said betrayed, not mad .. Which is more egregious somehow.
Empress~ Great Blog and I agree. However, I’m all for the DP. If you do the crime you pay the price. An accident is one thing, but plotting and planning a slaughter is reprehensible. She killed him 3 times within 2 minutes.
If it was my daughter I’d still be for DP. Being a child of someone is no excuse for murder.
I hope the jury comes back this morning and ends her interviews once and for all!
Hey dnd. I know that people have very strong feelings about the DP and all of us have had to search our hearts and minds before deciding where we fall on the issue. I respect your feelings and those of everyone else who supports a sentence of death. It’s a tough call either way.
I can agree with you about putting an end to her TV appearances and really hope that the jury comes back with their decision sooner rather than later.
She’s so narcissistic and loves this attention. She had her own mother help make fake letters from Travis talking about pedophilia. That pissed me off because she was trying to control more lies.
I put this into a higher powers hands because its not my decision to make. One day that might be me sitting and listening to make a life or death decision.
Thank you for agreeing to disagree and keep this all civil.
Happy Hump Day!!
Morning Empress, a whole lot of nothing is right. You captured those bizarre 19 minutes beautifully. She did look like she was enjoying having everyone’s attention. She spoke like she was presenting a class project and excited to use the big girl remote for her slide show. I know you & MTH have agreed to disagree but I go back & forth. This BSC broad may just be the one who finally gets me to pick a position. Wilmont kept speaking about moral choice. I understood that moral’s have no role, just the law and if that person qualifies. I guess I was wrong. I also agree with you that the jurors got no sleep last night. I suspect they have already decided and want to be sure they can live with their decision. The survivor t-shirts……I became unglued. I thought the dog was going to call 911. I had a full blown spazz attack. At that moment I went from undecided to fry the bitch. I can’t imagine how the jurors took it, I would love to hear from them when this is over. Like you wrote the ability to malinger takes more intelligence than she has shown. The arrogance and total lack of awareness makes her evil not Einstein. Everything she wants to do if given Life was tailored to the jurors. She wants to teach sign language, hitting home for the juror who is hard of hearing. She promoted literacy to speak to the juror who is a teacher and so on. The face full of makeup interviews, I just can’t. The people who interviewed her are all reporting the same thing this morning, she was in total control & calling all the shots. My heart breaks for the Alexander family. I want JA to get whatever Travis’ family wants. Whatever they need to try to keep living their life, I hope they get it. The thought of her having any quality of life in jail, luxuries like human contact she should not be afforded, makes my blood boil. She spoke about her future, the same future she took from Travis who will be forever 30 is enough for me to comfortably say that she earned the DP. Even if it is abolished before it can be administered, she will be in solitary confinement. No programs, no locks of love, no teaching classes, all meals alone and no phucking tweeting. Her favorite past time, admiring her own reflection will be taken from her. That would be her version of hell on earth, the same hell she sentenced the Alexander family to. Thanks for a great blog. I am dreading the next circus, Lisa
OMG Lisa – you scared poor Maverick!
I watched a couple of the interviews this morning and I didn’t see anything unique in her pathology – just another smug, clueless murderer who blames everyone but themselves for their crimes. I did laugh a little when she called one reporter a “hater” because he asked the wrong question.
As mth said, she’s not all that different from some of the HW’s.
The next circus should be in your neck of the woods and that one’s going to be a doozy.
I just read over on FB that the jury sent a note that they cannot reach a unanimous decision.
Yep, that’s what’s going on. The judge sent them back in after giving them an Allen charge. If they don’t come back with a unanimous decision, then another jury will be empaneled for the penalty phase and a new circus begins. The prosecutor could take death off the table and ask for LWOP, but who knows. This thing seems like it’s never going to end.
Do they already have an alternate jury ready to go or will they have to go through the whole jury selection process again?
They’ll have to find a whole new jury. I wish them luck with finding one that hasn’t heard anything about this trial.
I guess that’s one of those sword edges with the DP… Even when people say they could be for it, when it gets to the nuts and bolts of it, they can’t vote for it. I’m sure everyone knew this was a capital (?) crime and the decision they would be asked to make should a first degree verdict been reached. This is going to drag on and on and on if they can’t decide one way or the other. No way will they find an impartial jury especially with the circus this has been.
Hi Guys, This morning the Judge had to read a jury instruction that was inadvertently left out yesterday. It spoke about what Life actually means vs the death penalty. Each att’y was allowed a brief statement to give their view of the instruction. Wilmont claimed she will never be eligable for parole and Juan claimed she will be given the right to parole under certain circumstances and stressed the decision would no longer be the juries or what they intended. Without Jean & Beth I can’t speak intelligently as to the two interpretations and the law. But whatever it is, it phucked up whatever mojo the jury had going in, Lisa
I have no idea why Jean and Beth are on HLN cuz they actually make sense and don’t foam at the mouth. Same goes for Mark Eiglarsh – I just love it when he smacks Dr. Drew up side of his head with his knowledge of the law, some common sense and real life experience. 😀
Phucked up their mojo – could be.
This is where they landed after the dismantling of InSession. Dam Shame. I’m grateful they are still on full time. Other amazing women squeezed out, Sunni Hostein former federal prosector, shes at CNN, Midwyn Charles, haven’t found her yet. Please bring back Jamie Floyd. I dig Mark Eiglarsh also, he was always on InSession. I think Daniel Horowitz on NG smacks her down the best. I dont even get why she has defense atty’s on only to try to speak over them. The good ones on both sides speak so smartly from a teaching POV, makes it interesting to understand how the law works. Drew Finkstinky trying to argue the law with the atty’s always ends with him going “Oh, I didn’t know that” I miss Mike Brooks. I will never spend a day not missing the hottest man on TV, Fred Graham. He was my supreme court homeboy and made my heart flutter lol 🙂
Somebody smacked Drew in the head? And I Missed it? Damn!!!!
Someone help me understand what happened yesterday.. 8 for DP vs 4 for Life (which from what I understand means she will serve max 25 years).. I’m reading in comments, Mistrial? WTF?
Nope. Not a mistrial. The verdict sticks. They will have to get 12 NEW jurors and do the penalty phase all over again. And I think Life in this case is Life without Parole.
Hi Jeff, In AZ in this scenario, the third (IMO so stupid) option of “no unanimous agreement” means a “mistrial” for the sentencing phase ONLY. The murder conviction and the cruelty aggravator being met will stand. She is a convicted murderer with especially cruel circumstances. They will impanel a new jury for the sentancing phase only. It will be a cliff note version of the first trial but JA will be able to speak and Juan Martinez can use the new interviews she just gave plus whatever else he wants to. This new jury will decide between life and death only for the murderer. I hope that helps. I still am not sure how the hell this happened. Empress, did I get this right? Lisa
Hey Lisa, You’ve got it covered. The only thing I’m not certain about is whether the Alexander family gives their victims’ impact statements for a 2nd time. I’m under the impression that they do because a new jury wouldn’t have heard them.
Now I’m going to stick my neck way out and suggest that Juan Martinez, together with the Alexander family, rethink the death penalty for JA. There’s no guarantee that a 2nd jury is going to deliver the DP or even a unanimous decision as to life. If they can’t agree, the judge will render a sentence. This could go on for another 6, 8, 12 months. The family is being tortured at this point and I’m not sure how much more they can take. IMHO, it should just stop. This has nothing to do with my thoughts on the DP – this has everything to do with giving a family some peace.
Oh Empress, I have to agree, the Alexander family certainly look like they are being tortured. The decision to re-do the penalty phase is decided by Martinez’s boss. To do this all over again to get the same result only for the Judge to finally take over sentencing and not even be able to give her the DP could be a colossal waste of time, again. I’m guessing that the victim impact statements will be heard again too. I will also stick out my neck because I predict that no matter how the family feels, it will be a fiscal hardship for the state. That is going to be a huge factor unfortunately. Here in FL we had to dip into the upcoming years budget to finish paying for Casey Anthony’s defense. They also have to factor in the cost of the appeals on her murder one conviction. IMO the state may offer natural life IF she waives her right to any appellate relief. No way this kicks off in July, no clue if her atty’s will bail, no way new atty’s can be up to speed in 2 months. I still hope how ever it plays out it will satisfy the family, as you wrote closure is a fantasy. I am still shaking my head in disbelief, not from the jury but at the horror for the family.
I’m not saying it would have gone any differently, but I don’t think these trials should be televised. I don’t think these people should be allowed to twitter, internet, or give interviews either. What a phuckin circus.
Jeff, I would usually be so against not televising these trials and ready to debate. Gearing up for this next circus I have to concede, TV in the courtroom may not be such a good idea. With both sides posting discovery on line and both sides posturing for the cameras, it is going to be a phucking nightmare. It could also inflame the public and end up inciting violence. IMO the atty for Trayvon’s family (Benjamin Crump) is working overtime to fan the already simmering flames to explode. Alls I know is without InSession I will not come an inch closer to understanding the law, which is my agenda. Mark O’Mara just asked for a delay to examine the phone call to determine who was screaming for help even though they had the tape for a year. The state hasn’t exactly behaved above reproach. The Drew Peterson trial was not televised and the Judge put a gag order on both sides. Beth and Jean reported almost word for word and it was as if I was in the courtroom, it can be done and done well. I did not miss the side bars at all and I got clarity on the new laws that made it possible to prosecute him. But we are in Florida now, people think our state motto is “WTF?” Lisa
Lisa took the words right off of my keyboard. ITA. It’s not the television cameras in the courtroom – it’s the microphones in the hands of Nancy/Jane/Drew.
The last trial I paid any attention to, was the OJ trial. That one was on network tv if I remember correctly and it was nothing but a circus. It was enough for me. Look at what it gave us… By name association, KimmyK Pornogate and years of being subjected to that hideous family. The double murderer who walked (dumbass, all he had to do was stay clean). Almost as bad as all of it, Kato Kailin (sp)…
The Nancy/Drew/ and other talking head types are exactly what I’m referring to by the circus. Don’t know who Jane is but if she is in the company of the other two, I would not like her either.
I have no doubt that in Florida, both sides will be playing to public emotion. Forget about who was really where, when, and what they were doing. Zimmerman doesn’t stand a chance in hell of getting an impartial jury. People already have him convicted. By the way.. I am all for stand your ground, when there is ground to stand. That doesn’t mean I support chasing someone down the street with a loaded weapon. Nancy and Drew and whoever else looking for increased tv time are going to have a field day with that one. I will be relying on the case watchers around these parts to keep me posted.
mth – Jane is the rabid badger, Jane Velez-Mitchell. If I could offer HLN any advice it would be to cut back their budget for Red Bull and see to it that Jane and Nancy go into rehab.
The Zimmerman Case – oh my. What a disaster in the making. Rest assured, though, that Lisa or I will probably jump right in with both feet at some point. I’m checking the budget at The Farm and upping our supply of Kevlar vests, helmets and tin foil hats in the meantime. It might mean that I’ll have to order extra fire extinguishers, too. 😉
Rest assured, I won’t be getting into any flame wars but if I see anyone bashing either of you, It’s On…. 😉
Jeff, don’t forget the morally corrupt Faye Resnick, like herpes the gift that keeps giving. I have spent time with OJ et al for Heissman week at the DAC, until that whole double murder thing. I have his autograph to Lisa with love OJ on the back of one of my tickets. We always exchanged pleasantries, my stepdad was on the board of Governors for years. Anyhow, my stepdad use to drunk dial me all the time in the evening because I was on central time and he always made the most random people speak to me. One night it was phucking Kato Kailen. He was staying in the hotel attached to my parents favorite watering hole Marmalade Park. It was years after the murder and I cursed him out and hung up. My step dad said he was shocked lol, but it felt soooooo good. I got into it with Spike Lee one year because it was my turn to take family pic with Andre Ware (first blackQB winner) and Spike was desperate to get him away from all the white people, it was beyond obvious, never saw him there before. I called him on it & said if I told you I had a bi-racial child will you cut me some slack and you can stop trying to drag him outta here so we can at least finish pictures?? My parents just died. It was a miracle I got to go to the Al Smith dinner every year lol!
As for FL vs Zimmerman, SYG is no longer an issue, they are going with self defense instead. I was looking forward to learning about it because the language is so ambiguous. I think SYG was gonna be tough, for the reason you stated. Self defense is going to be a hard sell too. As for an impartial jury, I wonder if that is even possible anymore. I still haven’t reconciled how they avoid media no matter how hard they try. Now people straight up lie to get on a jury for a book deal. ITA he has already been tried and convicted in the public eye. I am one of those people who are fearful of any defendant not getting a fair trial, even for Casey Anthony. It is why I want to hear about the law & its application. Without some minimal understanding, it hard to know if the lawyers and Judge seem to not be impartial for a legal reason I don’t know about. The people openly bawling from yesterday couldn’t get to the cameras fast enough. I don’t get it. This is race relations in Florida, hard to maintain civility on a good day. Jane will be on the courthouse steps working both sides into a lather, on purpose for ratings. Some fool is going to want their 15 minutes, the lengths they may go to get it scares me. I won’t decide if I am watching or not until I see how it is going to be reported on. I will keep you as posted as I can 🙂
“This is race relations in Florida, hard to maintain civility on a good day.” I don’t think it stops at Florida’s borders.
Lisa versus Spike Lee – that should have been on PPV. My money would have been on you. Spike really goes out of his way to stir the pot, doesn’t he.
As for OJ’s trial – I really wish there were blogs back then. That case was such a mess – Kato was a big fat liar, Mark Fuhrman should have owned his words and not taken the fifth, the choice of jury by Johnny Cochran was a brilliant defense strategy, Judge Ito became the biggest media whore, and Chris Darden and Marcia Clark got buried by their own witnesses and the celebrity factor. You mentioned jury nullification in this instance and I couldn’t agree more.
Chris Darden.. That’s the guy I was thinking of.. “Trial Of The Century,,,,” I knew then what a circus that was going to be. Mark Furman, I agree, he should have just fessed up and said yeah, I use the word.
That was the most spot on succinct breakdown of all the players, Brava! I read MC book and she fought tooth & nail with CD to not have the gloves tried on. Read CD book, he copped to his ego & the Uncle Tom slurs blurred his strategy and allowed the defendant take conrol of the evidence. As for me and Spike Lee, I had no problem stepping to that midget, can’t stand him. Being a brilliant director does not excuse deplorable behavior & attitude & POV & & & everything lol
How could I forget that fugly bitch. I guess I should be thankful that I can. I’ve spent the better part of 30 years working off and on in Detroit.. I’m well aware of race relation problems. Usually, people get along until something comes along to divide them. Some don’t want to get along (on all sides) and therefore, will always find something to hate each other for. Personally I’ve never understood the point of hating someone for the way they are born but hey, that’s just me. I can find all kinds of other reasons to hate somebody if I want to waste the time with it.
Lisa vs Spike Lee… I agree with Empress. That would be PPV worth paying for. Sounds like you’ve met some interesting characters.
I don’t know the circumstances of the shooting but if Zimmerman shot that guy while he was running away, he’s going to have a tough time proving anything remotely related to self defense, or even SYG. Both imply a threat to one’s own life. Last time I registered a pistol, I asked the cop about shooting an intruder. She told me that likely I would be spending some time in a cell until they decided whether to press charges. Further, if I shot him in the back (indicating he was trying to flee), I would definitely be charged and need a good lawyer.
What the cop told you is what I naively thought SYG would eliminate. I have never seen it used successfully as an affirmative defense. The law is so confusing, like a game of twister. I researched MI gun laws because DD wanted a gun for when she moved. I got her a doorman instead, those laws are no joke. I appreciate the support 🙂 I am not looking to convince anyone of anything. I will be treading very lightly. Empress stocking up on supplies is good thinking, like prepping for hurricane season. I am so hard on Florida I am myopic in my thinking that race relations are unique to this part of the country. I gotta check myself. It is a pure he said/he said case and who you are going to belive after the facts are in. Yes, I have met alot of interesting people. I’m not saying they would remember my name but probably would recall I either made them laugh or was pointing my finger in their face lol
Actual gun laws here vary by city. That exchange of mine was something like 15 years ago when I bought my last one.
I FINALLY got around to reading this…and so glad I did. You are a gifted writer! I hae the topic, but love this blog.
Hey Lainey!!! Thank you so much. You’re more than welcome to stop by any time. 😀
Hate the topic*