Sherry Stephens

Jodi Arias Jury Done -- No Decision on Death Penalty; Mistrial of Penalty Phase Declared; State Wants to Retry

Jury members in the Jodi Arias case wrapped up nearly five months of work today, causing a mistrial due to their failure to reach a unanimous decision on the death penalty. Some women jurors were crying and one even said "sorry" to the family of slaying victim Travis Alexander, according to a tweet ... More >>

Jodi Arias Jury Can't Reach Decision on Death Penalty, Sent Back by Judge for More Deliberation

The jury in the Jodi Arias case announced just before noon today that they can't reach a unanimous decision on whether Arias should be executed. Maricopa County Judge Sherry Stephens sent the jury back to try again. Under Arizona law, the jury will be dismissed and a new jury convened if the stale ... More >>

Jodi Arias Asks Jury to Spare Her Life So Her Family Isn't Hurt; No Apology to Victim's Family, No Tears

Jodi Arias asked the jury in her long-running murder trial to spare her life, contradicting previous statements that she preferred the death penalty to life in prison. She failed to apologize for killing ex-boyfriend Travis Alexander in her highly anticipated statement to the jury today. See bel ... More >>

Jodi Arias Jury Nears Final Decision on Death Penalty; Court Resumes Today for Penalty Phase of Trial

The jury in the sensational trial of boyfriend-slayer Jodi Arias is expected to hear testimony today from Arias' defense attorneys, who'll try to argue that Arias doesn't deserve execution. Arias has said she prefers life in prison. As we reported last week, state officials say Arias could be execu ... More >>

Judge Bans Sheriff's Office From Setting Up Media Interviews With Jodi Arias

It looks like the local Fox affiliate's weak interview with Jodi Arias is the only interview with her anyone's going to get in the immediate future.The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office sent a brief to the news media this afternoon saying that the agency received an order from Judge Sherry Stephens t ... More >>

Jodi Arias Could be Executed in Just Four Years -- If Her Wish for Death Isn't Another Lie

In an exclusive post-conviction interview, boyfriend-killer Jodi Arias insisted that she didn't plan to kill 30-year-old Travis Alexander in 2008. But now that she's been convicted of premeditated murder, she'd "prefer to die sooner than later." Arias went on to say to Channel 10's Troy Hayden, "L ... More >>

Jodi Arias Trial: Judge Requests Defense Request to Sequester Jury; Damning Video of Arias' Parents; Booted Juror Watches Trial From Courtroom

The most interesting developments in the sensational trial of man-killer Jodi Arias this week had nothing to do with the boring, skepticism-inducing testimony by a domestic-violence expert. Two other key events had the public's attention: The booting of Juror #5 from the jury panel and her subseque ... More >>

Richard Samuels, A.K.A. Doctor Fog, Hammered by Juan Martinez Over Jodi Arias' Alleged Memory Loss

Prosecutor Juan Martinez hammered a local psychologist over his evaluation of murder defendant Jodi Arias today, at one point asking him if he had memory problems. Richard Samuels, who has an office in Scottsdale, evaluated Arias while she was in jail following her 2008 slaying of ex-boyfriend Trav ... More >>

Psycho Killer: Jodi Arias' Kinky Death-Penalty Trial

Jodi Arias Vs. Gavin Macfarlane: Tale of Two Death Penalty Cases

Something's wrong with Jodi Arias, that much anyone can tell. Her lack of emotion combined with the brutality of her crime -- stabbing, slashing and shooting her victim -- have led some to call her a sociopath, or psychopath. Not that most people could give a medical definition of the terms. But by ... More >>

Jodi Arias Trial: Prosecutor Juan Martinez's "Meltdown" With Murder Suspect; Plus, KY or Baby Oil?

The Jodi Arias trial took another turn for the nutty today with a "meltdown" by prosecutor Juan Martinez and, to some extent, the justice system. Arias, who claims she shot, stabbed and nearly decapitated her ex-boyfriend in self-defense, said in her third day of being cross-examined that Martinez ... More >>

Jodi Arias Live Blog: Cross-Examination Continues Into Arias' Admitted Lies and Alleged Truths

Juan Martinez begins the day by asking Jodi Arias if she lies to her benefit. Seems like as good a way as any to start. Martinez tries to play an excerpt from Arias' police interview, when she was still sticking to the story that two masked intruders came in and attacked her ex-boyfriend, Travis Al ... More >>

Dominic Chagolla Will Spend His Life in Prison for Stabbing His Mom to Death

Dominic Chagolla will be spending the rest of his life in prison for murdering his mother in December 2010.A jury convicted Chagolla of first-degree murder in late April for stabbing Maria Chagolla to death, and Judge Sherry Stephens sentenced him this morning to natural life in prison.Maria Chagoll ... More >>

Luis Mejia Ortiz Claimed Head Injury Caused Him to Molest 9-Year-Old. Now He's Going to Prison

MCSOLuis Mejia Ortiz​Admitted pederast Luis Mejia Ortiz was in Maricopa County Superior Court today, where he was sentenced to 17 years in prison after pleading guilty to charges that he molested his girlfriend's 9-year-old daughter on several occasions.In all, Ortiz pleaded guilty to one count ... More >>

Cuban Military Vet Pleads Guilty to Charges He Fatally Snapped Girlfriend's Neck During Fight

Hermenegildo Cardenes Morffah​A Phoenix man who claims he learned to kill while a member of the Cuban military was in a Maricopa County Superior Court this morning where he pleaded guilty to charges that he fatally snapped his girlfriend's neck during an argument. Hermenegildo Cardenes Morff ... More >>

Barrister Behind Bars

Former "King of Probate" faces long prison term for ripping off elderly

Poverty, Phoenician-Style

A resident of the exclusive community claims indigence, is awarded taxpayer-funded defender

A Lawyer onTrial

Wayne Legg, a prominent attorney charged with stealing from elderly clients, faces his accusers

Death of a Defendant

21 months after being charged with looting the estates of elderly Arizonans, one defendant dies. The other awaits trial.

PROBAYE'S REPROBATES

SOME PLUNDERED ESTATES WIN COMPENSATION, BUT CRIMINAL CASE FACES DELAYS

LEFT WITH ONLY A PRAYER

ELDERLY CHURCHGOERS IN THE EAST VALLEY TRUSTED THE YOUNG COMPUTER NERD WITH THEIR LIFE SAVINGS. NOW THEY'RE BROKE.