Jodi Arias Ordered To Pay $30,000 To Victim’s Family: Why It Probably Won’t Happen [Video]
An Arizona judge has ruled that Jodi Arias must pay $30,000 in restitution to the family of her victim, former lover Travis Alexander. The decision was made by Judge Sherry Stephens on Monday. The 34-year-old was convicted of killing Alexander in 2013, but she wasn’t sentenced for the crime until April of this year. Although the death penalty was on the table, it was determined that Arias would spend the rest of her life in prison.
Although $30,000 is the amount of money that Jodi is responsible for paying, the family of Travis had initially asked the court for $100,000. Unfortunately, a few technicalities kept the larger amount off the table. According to Arias’ attorney Jennifer Willmott, the victim’s relatives failed to supply the necessary receipts. Judge Stephens agreed.
The defense attorney also stated that although Jodi Arias was ordered to pay restitution, she was highly skeptical that they would receive even a single dollar from the convicted killer.
“In the past, my experience has been that victims are unlikely to get the money when somebody has been sent to prison for so long because they don’t have the ability to make it.
Eventually, [Jodi Arias] be able to get a job making 10, 20 cents an hour so they can take money from that, but it’s very small.”
The relatives had demanded payment from Jodi Arias to cover the thousands of dollars in expenses that accrued over the course of multiple trials. The bills are said to include lodging fees and travel expenses. However, as a prisoner for the rest of her life, there doesn’t seem to be any point at which Arias will be able to meet even a fraction of the demands.
#JodiArias ordered to pay $32k to Alexanders. They will get 20% of her jail funds til debt is paid, if ever. pic.twitter.com/U2rTKU2gwS
— Troy Hayden (@troyhaydenfox10) June 22, 2015
Jodi Arias was previously convicted of shooting Travis Alexander and then stabbing him 30 times. The sentencing phase was extended as not one, but different hung juries. The jurors failed to come to a unanimous decision as to whether the convicted killer deserved the death penalty, ultimately sparing her life.
Arias’ fate was left up to Stephens. When forced to decide whether the defendant could be paroled in 25 years or if she would remain for the rest of her natural life, the judge sentenced Arias to life behind bars without the possibility of parole.
BREAKING: Judge sentences Jodi Arias to life in prison for 2008 murder of her ex-boyfriend Travis Alexander – @cnn pic.twitter.com/7JH1nmcPWq
— NewsBreaker (@NewsBreaker) April 13, 2015
What do you think about the Jodi Arias case? Is the judge correct to assume no restitution will be paid? Please share your thoughts below!
[Image Credit: eonblue3]
