bklynboy59
Bio: Welcome to Smallthoughtsinasportsworld. We keep it fun and we keep interesting and informative. On Tuesdays we go back in time with Old School Tuesdays, on Thursdays we keep it fun by Smallthoughts Trivia Thursday and on Fridays ...it is Smallthoughts: Rant of the Week and Smallthoughts:Rave of the Week and we also post the answer from Smallthoughts:Trivia Thursday. I am a lifelong New York Mets, Knicks and Jets and Giants fan. I root hard for my teams and have rooted for them even when it wasn't and in some cases still isn't easy. I enjoy talking sports, and on here I get to write about it as well. I have my thoughts hence Small thoughts, we will not always agree, but respectfully speak about what we feel. I invite your comments and feedback as well. You can also follow me on twitter @bklynboy59 and facebook Jerry bklynboy Small
One Man's Opinion 
The Jodi Arias trial is headed for a conclusion, probably by this Fall. At this point, a key question is: what are the options and what are the outcomes that are likely from these options? The first option is that the second jury finds for life imprisonment. The second option is that they find for death. The third is that the prosecutor agrees to natural life in exchange for death. The fourth is that the second jury deadlocks and the judge sentences to life in prison. It is instructive to explore each of these and their implications for the various parties.
If the second jury finds for life in prison, then so it will be. The chances of any successful legal challenges at that point are vanishingly low. The winners in this situation are the Jury members and Jodi’s family. Jodi sort of likes this outcome, but as the years drag on, the restrictive life she will live will close in on her and it will be a living hell. In the out years, she get fewer and fewer visitors, and her life will empty except for the taunts of the other, shorter term prisoners. With a bit of luck she will get to do some of the training of others work she wants to do, but this will less than really a fulfilling life. The Alexander family will be sad at first since they are seeking pure vengeance at this point in time. But over the years, Jodi will fade into obscurity, and the angst will dissipate. The prosecutor will not get the notch on his political gun, but that will soon be forgotten as well. The judge will be done with this agony and move on to, hopefully, more morally just proceedings. Basically, there are no long term losers except Jodi and the prosecutor.
In the second option, the second jury finds for death. This is a situation has only one winner, the prosecutor. All others, in the long run, are losers. The prosecutor gets a notch in his political gun, but that is about all. The judge is faced with ten years or so of appeals and having her record questioned in excruciating detail. Jodi will continue to live with a sword over her head and in extra tight condition for some 10 years or so. The Alexander family with have a moment of happiness in their vengeance, when the sentence is announced, but then they too will be plagued by a decade of appeals. If the appeals are unsuccessful, as happens in 1/3 of cases nationwide, Jodi will be out of her misery and many years of grief will be the outcome for all but a very few participants. The most of the jurors will suffer guilt and try to rationalize it away. There will be extra grief for the Arias family, and the joy experienced by the Alexander will fade rapidly. Whether Jodi is in prison or dead, Travis will not come home. This outcome is not satisfying to anyone. The result would be contrary to outcomes in many other cases: OJ got off Scott free, the doctor that killed babies, and Jeffry Dahmler got life imprisonments, as did the Manson clan. Jodi will be one of very small percent of prisoners actually put to death. The trail will live on as a miscarriage of true justice – all legal, but a miscarriage of moral justice none the less. More and more states are getting rid of the death penalty. It is expensive and no one wins. Nelson Mandela said, “a person seeking vengeance is going to drink poison in the hope that it will kill his enemies”. They may dance on her grave, but it will not bring back Travis and the poison will not kill the enemies, it will bother them for years to come. The only real winner here is the prosecutor. Even the citizens of Arizona will lose as they will pay a very large fee to go ahead with this plan.
If the prosecutor allows natural life for Jodi in exchange for death, there are no winners. The Alexander family might be a bit miffed at first, but that will soon wear off as they get on with their lives. The Arias family will lose as their family member suffers an interminably miserable life. Jodi is the big loser in this situation. She will exist as a non-entity till she dies a natural death in prison. She will have nothing to live for and have no way to end it all that she can control. If she is successful in being able to do some teaching in prison, her students will be winners. The people of Arizona will save millions of tax dollars.
In the fourth case, the second jury deadlocks as the first did. This is the best alternative of all. Jodi will in for a very long time in prison, but she can hope for a release after 25 years, or so. This may or may not occur, but at least she will have that to hope for. The Alexander family will be a bit miffed at first, but they will soon get over that as they get on with their lives. Whether Jodi is dead or locked away in pain has really no long term effect on them. It will hurt the Arias family more. Students that Jodi might help in prison will benefit from a teacher who has reason to help them beyond charity. The judge is free of this whole mess, and the prosecutor will not have a trophy to hang on his wall. But it is very sure that he will find another.
So in conclusion the best outcome for the most people with hearts is that the second jury deadlocks. The worst is that they find for death.
There are some people who think that life in prison is not a terrible thing. They are decidedly wrong. The prisoner has virtually no privacy. There are no chances to walk in a park, ride in a car, go to a store, or any other of the things that those of us who are free take for granted. Most of the time, when she is taken out of her cell, she will be put in chains and taken along like a dog on a short leash. In most situations she will have hardly any friends. Remember that prisoners from gangs, verbally and physically abuse each other. Most of the people in prisons are not people you want to meet, nor befriend. She will have very limited ability to know what is happening in the world at large. She will have many years to fret alone about the bad and silly things she did. As the years go by fewer and fewer people will come to visit her as they age, or die. Loneliness and regret will be her constant companions. She will have virtually no free will.
Excellent explanation of what most likely will happen.The one thing that you said that is so true that no matter what happens Travis Alexander isn’t coming back. That is the biggest loss of all.I don’t see Jodi Arias teaching anyone, she should be learning how to say I am sorry. The fact that she was so irrogant and couldn’t bring herself to say I am sorry and bego for her life says alot about her.
Hey…You’ve been quiet and we’ve missed you @rinsebeforeuse. Hope the wedding went well and you are now well into your happily ever after with your sweetheart. Love to hear your thoughts on my latest piece, you’ll see I am finally coming around to your way of thinking: https://rinsebeforeuse.wordpress.com/2015/06/11/hating-on-dating/