PHOENIX — Jurors who spent five months determining Jodi Arias’ fate couldn’t decide whether she should get life in prison or die for murdering her boyfriend, sending prosecutors back to the drawing board to rehash the shocking case of sex, lies and violence to another 12 people.
Judge Sherry Stephens gave a heavy sigh as she announced a mistrial in the penalty phase of the case yesterday and scheduled a July 18 retrial.
“This was not your typical trial,” she told jurors. “You were asked to perform some very difficult duties.”
None of the jurors commented as they left court.
The mistrial set the stage for a whole new proceeding to determine whether the 32-year-old former waitress should get the death penalty for murdering Travis Alexander five years ago.
A new jury will be seated to try again to reach a decision on Arias’ sentence — unless the prosecutor takes execution off the table and agrees to a life term. Jury selection for the next phase could take weeks.