Juan Martínez, the prosecutor that tried Jodi Arias for murder was dealing with another hung jury on Tuesday September 17. This time Arizona's star prosecutor was trying the case of Richard Chrisman, a cop who was accused of killing an unarmed man and his dog. The former cop was brought up on charges of aggravated assault, murder and animal cruelty. In 2010, Chrisman fatally shot and killed a suspect by the name of Daniel Rodríguez and his pitbull. When the incident first happened, Chrisman said he believed the suspect was reaching for his gun and killed Chrisman and the dog in self-defense.
Chrisman's partner at the time of the shooting said he did not believe the man or the dog posed a threat to Chrisman or himself. At 3:15 in the afternoon on Tuesday September 17, the jury found Chrisman guilty of aggravated assault. The jury could not make a decision on the other charges Chrisman faced. Throughout the investigation and trial Chrisman maintained he was innocent of all charges. ABC 15 reports that the officer left in tears when being escorted out of the court room. Richard Chrisman faces a maximum of 15 years in prison.
During the trial prosecutor Martinez told the jury that the evidence did not support Chrisman's claims of self-defense. Martínez said that Chrisman was the one who initiated the aggressive situation and shot and killed a "friendly" dog. During his closing arguments Martinez told the jury, "A person cannot take out a gun, point it at someone and then when that person steps back, shoot them." No doubt the hung jury is weighing heavy on Martinez's mind and reminding him of the battle he is fighting in the Jodi Arias case.
On May 8 2013, an Arizona jury found Jodi Arias guilty of the first degree murder of her on and off again boyfriend Travis Alexander. Arias attempted to plead the murder was committed in self-defense after a web of lies she pieced together began to fall apart. Travis Alexander was found murdered in his home in 2008. The victim was found with a bullet to the head, over 20 stab wounds and a slashed throat. The jury had a difficult time believing these acts were done in self-defense.
After finding Jodi Arias guilty of murder the jury was then asked to decide if she deserved to die for her crime. After deliberating, the jury came back hung and a new jury will be sworn in to make the decision as to whether or not Arias will die in jail or receive the death penalty. Martínez is known for his aggressive tactics in the courtroom. He was not taking it easy on Arias and called her out on a number of the lies she told during the investigation. Arias frequently broke down on the stand under Martínez's cross examination.
Jodi Arias is not the first woman Martínez has sought the death penalty for. In 2004, a jury found Wendi Andriano guilty of murdering her terminally ill husband in 2000. The defense said Andriano was a beaten wife looking for attention. Martinez said she was a calculating, cheating wife who murdered a cancer patient. The jury believed Martínez, found Wendi Andriano guilty and sentenced her to death. Jodi Arias is still waiting to see if she will also receive a death sentence. The judge overseeing the trial postponed the next phase of her death penalty case until October 4.
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