Prosecutor Juan Martinez has spent the better part of the last two trial days going after key witness, Richard Samuels who is the psychologist who diagnosed the defendant, Jodi Arias with post-traumatic stress disorder, the Huffington Post reported. Samuels, however, also said he failed to re-administer his test after Arias admitted she lied during her first examination.
Arias, 32, is on trial for the brutal 2008 slaying of her lover, Travis Alexander. Her lover shot in the head, stabbed nearly 30 times, and his throat was slit. Then his body was folded into a shower stall in the shower stall. She claims self-defense. Arias, thus far, has said that she only recalls pointing a gun at Alexander after he slammed her to the floor in rage because she had dropped his camera.
On Monday, Martinez questioned the psychologist's credibility, accusing him of blurring the line between objective observer and therapist when he bought Arias a self-help book, the AP reported.
"One should not be a therapist and an evaluator at the same time, but in the course of doing your evaluation, there's a certain degree of leeway," Samuels said later Tuesday under questioning by Arias' defense attorney.
He said his initial hypothesis that Arias suffered from PTSD remained unchanged, despite her lies during his evaluation.
"There was still enough evidence," Samuels said.
Arias spent 18 days on the witness stand during which she described her abusive childhood, and maniacal boyfriends, some were even vampires. Her dangerous relationship Alexander was traumatic and violent.
Separately, the Jodi Arias murder trial has has reportedly cost Arizona tax payers hundreds of thousands of dollars, the Huffington Post reported. The high costs does not factor in jail or court costs and, as the trial continues, expenses continue to climb, reports said.
If convicted, Arias could face the death penalty.
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