First Jodi Arias said she wanted the death penalty; then, she made a long case against it. Now, it seems, the jury can't make up its mind either: It split 8-4 in favor of the death penalty. That left the judge to declare a mistrial, with another effort set for July 18 before a new jury. The decision—or lack thereof—left Arias looking surprised, with a "half-smile," according to the Arizona Republic. The family of victim Travis Alexander, meanwhile, appeared devastated; his sisters were in tears.
"The Court has set a status conference for June 20 and we will proceed with the intent to retry the penalty phase" of the trial, said the county attorney's office in a statement. The conviction will remain. It was a bizarre, quiet ending for a trial that held the country's eyes and ears and drew crowds to the courthouse, the Republic notes. Now, "finding 12 honest jurors—by which I mean they have not got a hidden agenda and they want to get on the jury to set things right—is going to be hard. Even my 8-year-old had an opinion," notes a lawyer formerly involved in the case. (More Jodi Arias stories.)
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