Irmo Branch Library - Booked for Murder discussion

Hello everyone! I have a limited number of copies of the next book available first come, first served at the reference desk for checkout. The book is also available in eBook and eAudio format on Hoopla.

Online discussions for the book will begin next month on Monday April 17th.

Hope you enjoy. FYI: this is one of those books we know the outcome of the trial at the beginning, this one isn't a mystery. Please don't be upset about "spoilers" in the book's description. If you want to know nothing about the book, read no further. For those of you who would like to know something about the book beforehand, here is the description of the book:

"Juan Martinez, the fiery prosecutor who convicted notorious murderess Jodi Arias for the disturbing killing of Travis Alexander, speaks for the first time about the shocking investigation and sensational trial that captivated the nation.

Through two trials, America watched with baited breath as Juan Martinez fought relentlessly to convict Jodi Arias of Murder One for viciously stabbing her ex-boyfriend Travis Alexander to death. What emerged was a story wrought with sex, manipulation, and deceit that stunned the public at every turn. Arias, always playing the wronged and innocent woman, changed her story continually as her bizarre behavior surrounding the crime and its aftermath came to light. Unwavering, Arias and her defense team continued to play off the salacious details of the case, until she was finally found guilty and—controversially—sentenced to life behind bars.

Now, speaking openly for the first time, prosecutor Juan Martinez will unearth new details from the investigation that were never revealed at trial, exploring key facts from the case and the pieces of evidence he chose to keep close to the vest. Throughout the trials, his bullish and unfaltering prosecution strategy was both commended and criticized, and in his book, Martinez will illuminate the unique tactics he utilized in this case and how they lead to a successful conviction, and-for the first time-discuss how he felt losing the death penalty sentence he’d pursued for years.

Going beyond the news reports, Martinez will explore the truth behind the multiple facades of Jodi Arias. Sparring with her from across the stand, Martinez came to know Arias like no one else could, dissecting what it took for a seemingly normal girl to become a deluded, cunning, and unrepentant murderer.

With new stories from behind the scenes of the trial and Martinez’s own take on his defendant, the book takes you inside the mind of Jodi Arias like never before. Complete with 16 pages of photos from the case and trial, this book is the definitive account of the case that shocked America."

I know we are waiting till April 17, 2021 to discuss 'the book' but I thought I'd leave these links if you would like to see all 156 of the Crime Scene photos. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/jodi-a... and
a link to the infamous 'phone sex call with Travis' - (it's too long for me to listen to the entire thing - boring even - but - it was all the rage as the time of the trial -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANNFS...

Thank you for sharing Jodie, I love supplemental audio/visual components when we are reading a book :)

Looks like I got the date wrong in the original post, sorry for any confusion. Monday April 19th (not 17th) is what I meant to say.

How did y'all like the book? Sometimes we read a book and we don't know the outcome at the beginning, and other times, like with this book, we know right away.

What is your impression of Jodi Arias? Does she seem like a sympathetic victim or a manipulative killer as the author and prosecutor suggest?

Do you think Jodi would have been convicted without the gas can evidence that Martinez discovered in the Airwalk shoebox?

Do you like true crime novels that detail the trial of an accused criminal?

Let us know what you think here!

Not really a comment about the book - but - I've become pretty jaded about jury trials over the years - before retirement, I worked 40 years as a clinical laboratory scientist - I would gather and evaluate data to deliver a report to doctors regarding patients and their medical condition so that the MD's could treat the illness. I'd like to think I can evaluate the worthiness of data - toss the junk data - and form a valid conclusion with the rest of the relevant information - all for a proper course of treatment - I hate it that juries are told 'just listen to the testimony presented during the trial' and don't worry about anything that is not 'admitted into evidence' - if someone's life (or freedom) hangs on my verdict, I want access to ALL the information and I want to be the one to decide if the information is junk or important - the way I see it, right now we have a system where two (or more) opposing lawyers scramble to reveal or conceal information to the jury and a judge decides what the jury can hear or see - and - I disagree that this is a fair system - I've said as much when I've been called for jury duty and no one wants me on the jury - if you are still reading so far - look up 'jury nullification' - it's a well kept secret.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on jury trials, Jodie. The more I read about them and watch them I see the same things you mentioned and it is indeed infuriating to know there are things the jury may never know that you may think are pertinent. I wonder how often juries find out about the information after making a decision and have regrets. Probably so!