Jodi Arias’ Defense Team Wants Yet Another Witness
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ABC News(PHOENIX) — Jodi Arias’ defense team has filed a motion asking the judge to allow an expert witness to rebut the prosecution’s expert witness, a psychologist who diagnosed the accused killer with borderline personality disorder.
The defense filed the motion with the court on Monday, even though they rested their 38-day case a week ago. Arias’ team of lawyers would like to call San Diego psychologist Dr. Robert Geffner.
This motion comes after the prosecution called Arizona psychologist Dr. Janeen DeMarte last week. DeMarte diagnosed Arias with borderline personality disorder and also rejected testimony by defense witnesses who claimed she suffered from post traumatic stress disorder and domestic abuse.
The personality disorder, she said, was characterized by a history of unstable personal relationships, inappropriate anger, feelings of emptiness, suicidal thoughts and transient stress related paranoid ideation.
Arias’ defense team says the personality disorder is new information introduced to the trial and it gives them the right to call another witness to rebut it.
Arias, 32, is accused of killing Travis Alexander, 30, in his Mesa, Ariz., home in June 2008 with 27 stab wounds, a slit throat and a bullet to the head. She initially denied killing Alexander, but claimed two years later that she killed him in self defense. She could face the death penalty if convicted of first degree murder.
It’s not clear whether the judge will allow the defense to reopen the case four months into the marathon trial, but it’s possible because this is a death penalty case.
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