A death sentence remains an option for convicted murderer Jodi Arias after a judge denied a defense motion to set aside the jury’s determination that Arias killed her one-time lover in an “especially cruel” manner, a finding that made her eligible for capital punishment, The Associated Press reports.
Arias was convicted of first-degree murder May 8 in the death of Travis Alexander in his suburban Phoenix home. The same jury failed to reach a unanimous decision on her sentence. Her case is now in limbo as prosecutors decide whether to put on another penalty phase with a new jury in pursuit of the death penalty or settle for life in prison.
Arias’ attorneys had sought to have set aside the jury’s determination that Arias killed Alexander in an “especially cruel” manner, one element of so-called aggravating factors that allows the panel to then consider the death penalty.
