Throughout my careers, I have interacted with victims of Domestic Violence; from helping a friend get away from an abusive Grandfather to hearing stories of court cases involving ex-husbands that just will not leave their ex-wives alone. Hence, when I heard about the newest legal media sensation Jodi Arias claiming self defense, I was disgusted.
Jodi Arias, an aspiring photographer, is currently fighting for her freedom after stabbing her ex-boyfriend Travis Alexander 29 times, shooting him in the face and slitting his throat; leaving him in his bathtub to die. In defense of their client, “Travis’s continual abuse” was one of the highlight phrases Arias’ attorney used in their opening statements.
However, the evidence does not yell resistance…but revenge.
Putting the physical evidence aside for a moment, let us look at not only the breakup but the physical separation of the murderer and the victim. She was not only able to release herself both personally from her supposed abusive ex-boyfriend, but also physically. In fact, Travis Alexander’s friends stated he was even planning on going away to Cancun without her but with another female whom he dated but found no romantic connection with. Speaking as someone who has heard many stories of attempted escape, there is no way any “abused” individual would do any of above, let alone return to the home after escaping in the first place. When a man is abusively continuing a connection to an ex-girlfriend, he does not look outside of the relationship for anything romantic nor does he tell others it is over, as Alexander had done before his death.
Touching a bit on the evidence, Arias first stages a burglary at her grandparents’ house to obtain the gun that was later used to shoot Alexander. She then, just before the tragedy, goes two hours away from her home to rent a car that was used to take her to Alexander’s in order to attempt to cover up her tracks, even attempting to hide herself by having a different shade of hair. After getting the car, she attempted to alter the license plates and drove for two days to Alexander’s home.
Further, as said before, not only was there an incredible distance between the two but even Arias herself was supposedly working toward a new life event preparing during the timeline to encounter a romantic friend.
Now reaching the tragedy, much of the stab wounds were not only in the back but many of them had him literally sitting down in the bathtub alone. Further the stabs wounds slash wound and bullet hole that riddled Alexander’s body screams everything but self defense. When one attempts to get away from another individual, they quickly make an injury then run. But for the 29 stab wounds, cut throat and bullet to occur, there was a longer length of time than any abused woman would ever want to be near their abuser.
Finally, the changing stories of Jodi Arias. This is no longer the time where Domestic Violence is spoken in hushed tones. Granted, it is not as strong as it should be but it is evolving. Therefore, there was absolutely no reason why self defense did not have to be her first story. The reason why it wasn’t until the evidence left her no choice but to admit her guilt, is that it was not self defense.
Rejection: This is the real reason why the family of Travis Alexander had to begin 2013 missing him. Alexander openly ended the relationship and told Arias she was not what he was looking for in a long term mate and while he began a new life, she began a plan of revenge.
Personally, I believe Jodi Arias should be ashamed of herself. There are women murdered daily as well as ones actually defending themselves from actual abusers. To say the obvious murder of Alexander was self defense is spitting in the real victim’s faces. I just pray the jury agrees with me and makes sure Travis receives the justice he and all actual victims deserve.
