Arias jury to judge: What if we can’t reach a decision?

Arias jury to judge: What if we can’t reach a decision?

Jodi Arias sits down with Diana Alvear after her day in court, in which she attempted to persuade a jury for a life sentence rather than the death penalty. In this extended interview, she talks about her comments in court and her thoughts of suicide.

By Jeff Black, Staff Writer, NBC News

The Arizona jury deliberating on whether Jodi Arias deserves the death penalty for the brutal murder of her former boyfriend questioned the judge in the case on Wednesday about what to do if they can’t reach a decision.

Judge Sherry Stephens gave the jury further instructions and sent them back into the jury room to resume deliberations. 

The jury later adjourned for the day and will start deliberating again on Thursday. 

In announcing the apparent early deadlock, Stephens said she could offer some suggestions to help deliberations but was “merely trying to be responsive to your apparent need for help” and would not try to force a verdict.

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If the jury is unable reach a unanimous decision, a new jury would be impaneled to determine whether the death penalty should be imposed.

Since she was convicted of killing Travis Alexander earlier this month, Arias has been pleading for her life to be spared, even though she initially said she preferred to die.

“What I receive will be what I deserve, I believe,’’ she told NBC’s Diana Alvear in an interview hours after she begged the jury to spare her life on Tuesday.

Immediately after her trial Arias told a local radio station: “I said years ago that I’d rather get death than life, and that is still true today.”

But in an interview broadcast on TODAY Wednesday, Arias said she deserves life in prison instead of the death penalty because she still has a lot to contribute to society. She also said she feels betrayed by the jury’s verdict, which her attorneys plan to appeal.

Arias’ lawyers argued that she was abused by Alexander and that she killed him in self-defense.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Related:

Jodi Arias: Death penalty would be ‘revenge,’ not justice

Take a peek inside Jodi Arias’ jail cell

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