Dismissed Arias juror speaks to media
Apr 4, 2013, 6:45 PM
The juror dismissed from the Jodi Arias trial spoke with media for the first time since her dismissal on Thursday.
According to KPHO, Juror 5 returned to the trial as a spectator on Thursday.
“It was a different experience definitely, but I was glad that I came back, that I was able to come back, and you know, be part of it again, so I’m looking forward to giving my interview and say my side of the story and go out there and say what really happened, but I need to get home first and talk to my legal advisers and go from there,” juror No. 5 said in an interview with CBS 5 News.
In an interview with News/Talk 92.3 KTAR’s Mac & Gaydos, the reporter who interviewed Juror 5, Elizabeth Erwin, said the juror’s appearance on the public side of the courtroom should not cause a mistrial.
“It won’t,” Erwin said. “The judge was really specific with the jurors and said ‘look we know you know her, you need to stay away from her until after the trial.'”
Erwin said the juror’s appearance caused a major disturbance in the trial and Judge Sherry Stephens made a point that other jurors should not speak to her.
“They’re making it a point to keep the current jurors from Juror No. 5, and there’s no gag order, she’s allowed to talk to whoever she wants so she has free rein to do what she wants and it really doesn’t affect the trial at this point,” Erwin said.
Juror 5 was dismissed from the trial after she was accused of possibly influencing other juror’s thought processes.