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U.S. NEWS Monday 23 october 2017

Transcript errors, omissions prolong Jodi Arias appeal

both appointed for Arias’ sions with lawyers out of
appeal - said in an Aug. earshot of jurors and the
10 court filing that the tran- public. The court reporters
scripts were particularly im- documented those talks,
portant in Arias’ convolut- but the large amount of
ed case because they had material involved “bogs
difficulty sorting out what down the process of re-
happened when. viewing the record,” the
Some possible appeal is- defense lawyers said.
sues spanned five or six Court rules normally require
years of wrangling before that a defendant’s open-
and during the 125-day, ing brief be filed within 40
televised trial, the defense days of the completion of
lawyers wrote.” The pattern the record, but Arias’ law-
of this case reveals recur- yers requested and got
ring issues. Hearings were extra time. Arias acknowl-
often held in a piecemeal edged killing Alexander
fashion over the course of but claimed it was self-
weeks, months and some- defense. Prosecutors said
times years.” Arias killed Alexander in a
For example, one issue sur- jealous rage because he
faced in 2009 and lingered wanted to end their taw-
until at least Feb. 5, 2015, dry relationship. The guilt
In this Aug. 13, 2014 photo, Jodi Arias talks to her defense the lawyers wrote. phase of Arias’ trial ended
attorney during a hearing in Maricopa County Superior Court in Another complication is in 2013 with jurors convict-
Phoenix, Ariz. Consideration of Arias’ appeal of her first-degree that Arias’ trial judge held ing her but deadlocking on
murder conviction for the 2008 killing of on-again off-again
boyfriend Travis Alexander has been delayed by about a year frequent, lengthy discus- punishment. q
by problems with assembling trial transcripts.
(Tom Tingle /The Arizona Republic/AP)

PAUL DAVENPORT started, that the Court of
Associated Press Appeals declared the re-
PHOENIX (AP) — Jodi Arias’ cord complete, with nearly
case remains a headache 25,000 pages of transcripts,
for Arizona’s court system over 950 exhibits and 21
long after her murder trial written motions for dismissal
had spectators lining up for or mistrial.
seats, attorneys squabbling More than three months
in court and two differ- later, the court finally set
ent juries deadlocking on deadlines in 2018 for the
whether she deserved the defense and prosecution
death penalty. to file legal briefs. A three-
Problems compiling trial judge panel then will con-
transcripts have delayed sider the appeal, perhaps
Arias’ appeal of her first- after hearing oral argu-
degree murder conviction ments.
by about a year. Court of Appeals Presiding
Lawyers use trial transcripts Judge Samuel Thumma re-
to identify and document ferred questions to Court
grounds for appeals. In Clerk Amy Wood. She said
Arias’ case, the state Court the delays in Arias’ appel-
of Appeals had to repeat- late case were unusual
edly prod some of the tri- and a concern.
al’s 22 court reporters to fin- “Any time we don’t have
ish transcripts, and at one a complete record, it is a
point even ordered that concern to us because it
dozens of transcripts be keeps us from continuing to
destroyed and redone be- process the case,” Wood
cause of errors and omis- said.
sions. Arias is confined at the
The reporter responsible for Perryville state prison near
most of the transcripts told Phoenix for killing of on-
the court his production again, off-again boyfriend
was hindered by a com- Travis Alexander in 2008.
puter malfunction, his own Lead defense attorney Peg
cancer treatment and the Green didn’t respond to
amount of work involved emailed and telephoned
in Arias’ case and others. requests for comment on
Other reporters cited work- the status of Arias’ appeal
load issues. and the effect of the de-
It wasn’t until April 24, lays.
nearly two years after the However, Green and an-
appeals process formally other defense lawyer -