Jodi Arias Trial Update: No date yet for new sentencing phase in case of Arizona woman convicted of killing one-time boyfriend
(CBS) PHOENIX - A judge has delayed a pre-trial hearing in the case of Jodi Arias, the Arizona woman convicted of killing her one-time boyfriend, reports CBS affiliate KPHO. Arias appeared in court wearing shackles and prison stripes, reports HLN.
PICTURES: Jodi Arias guilty of first-degree murder
The delay will allow for the prosecution to review motions filed by the defense that would bar live television coverage of the trial's second sentencing phase, for which a date hasn't yet been set. The defense is also asking to be able to monitor the Twitter accounts of a new panel of jurors, once seated.
A jury found Arias guilty of first-degree murder May 8 in the stabbing and shooting death of Travis Alexander in his suburban Phoenix home. About two weeks later, the same jury failed to reach a unanimous decision on whether to sentence Arias to life in prison or death.
Prosecutors had the option of taking the death penalty off the table, under which Arias would have either spent the rest of her life behind bars or be eligible for release after 25 years. That decision would have been up to the judge. Instead, prosecutors decided to pursue another penalty phase with a new jury.
The new jury will be tasked with deciding whether Arias should be sentenced to death or life in prison.
If the second panel fails to reach a unanimous decision, the death penalty would automatically be removed from consideration, and the judge would sentence Arias to spend her entire life behind bars or be eligible for release after 25 years.
A judge set a hearing for Sept. 16 to hear the new motions.
Complete coverage of the Jodi Arias case on Crimesider
