3rd. article in our series on Hollywood & Mental Health.
On June 4, 2008, Jodi Arias brutally murdered her ex-boyfriend Travis Alexander. His body was discovered by a few freinds almost a week later on June 9, 2008. I am currently reading the book by Jane Velez Mitchell titled Exposed: The Secret Life Of Jodi Arias. She later was found guilty of murder but the jury could not reach a verdict on whether to give her a life or death sentence.
The murder and trial received widespread media attention, the level of which has been considered a media circus. On September 16, the penalty phase of her trial will begin again. However, if this jury cannot reach a decision the judge must choose natural life or life with the possibility of parole in 25 years.
After reading most of the book, I have come to the conclusion that Jodi Arias is not mentally stable. Her boyfriend before she met Travis, Darryl Brewster, was married and had a child with his former wife. Jodi attempted to become a clone of his ex-wife by dying her hair blond, purchasing the same make and model of her vehicle and also working at her former place of employment.
She also stalked another boyfriend before she met Travis. Although signs were there, Jodi never received any mental health assistance or evaluation.
Do you think Jodi should be in a mental health society or a federal prison?
What role, if any, do you think the media has played in her trial?
Also see: LIH Top 5 Mental Illnesses Portrayed in Hollywood Films
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Paris,
I’m not a lawyer yet seeing as though she left the scene of the crime and did not report the murder; I think many would suppose she was guilty of premeditated murder. Do you agree or do you think there may have been other aspects of the trial audiences should be considering?
Not that court cases are decided in the media, but these spectacles must have an influence. When I think of all the times I seen the Jane Velez Mitchells, Nancy Graces and Geraldo’s cover serial killers (and other massacres) I tend to almost assume guilt.
Do you think these influences make it difficult for the public to ask more questions regarding mental health or seek those solutions versus prison terms?
CR,
I did hear about the man who wanted to kill JVM and NG. I do think though that televising these cases does help to shed some light on various issues.
From what I have heard on the news Jodi is on medication although what for is not stated. Although I do think that Travis had a hand in bringing about his death, he did not deserve to die in the manner in which he did.
“I do think though that televising these cases does help to shed some light on various issues.”
How do u think they help inform people?
How do u think Travis contributed to his death?
Paris,
Sorry for not showing up earlier, but as your recent portfolio suggests, you’ve been talking about a lot of bad relationships lately.
o Travis And Jodi: A Love To Die For
o Paparazzi: To Blame Or Not To Blame?
o Hollywood Meltdown: Is The Industry Imploding On Itself?
o I Had A Dream This Afternoon: Will People Riot Because Of The Zimmerman Trial?
o I Subconciously Love You: How The Media Creates Parasocial Relationships
If you are suggesting that Arias was mentally (not in her best health), I’m equally curious how did Travis “bring about his own death?” Do you think he provoked her? Do you think he and she had really bad chemistry? Or do you think he had it coming?
Travis did not have a great upbringing and was not popular in school. He was overweight and did not have the same luck with girls as his friends did. Once he lost weight and started becoming a motivational speaker he started to get noticed by women.
Prior to Jodi, he had two other relationships. One with Deanna, she wanted to marry him but he didn’t want to marry her. Another with Linda, who he wanted to marry her but she didn’t want to marry him. Then he met Jodi, who was his “dream girl” tall, thin, blond. He approached her when they met at a conference. He came onto her twice and both times she turned him down. Finally, they started talking.
They both stayed at one of his friends house and the next morning he bragged to his friends wife how he had left Jodi “wanting the T-dogg”
To make a long story short,IMO, Travis Alexander, had two faces. One he showed to friends and co-workers and the other he showed to Jodi. She had to bring something animalistic out in him if he was taking nude photos of her and she of him the day before she murdered him.
In Jodi’s case, she needed help a long time ago. Her parents tried to help her but they didn’t how to properly and she shut them out. Everyone else from her exes to Travis friends saw her issues. Unfortunately Travis never did.
Wow! I’m speechless. It sounds like Travis also was way too open/intimate with someone he barely even knew. Not to blame the victim here but he sounds like he was very inexperienced in terms of dating and setting boundaries etc… How long did they date before she was joining his church?
He gave her the Book of Mormon pretty much right away. Mormons can only date other Mormons. He pushed her into it so they could date. Although I don’t think that he thought that what he said about marriage to Jodi. That she would take it so literally but she did. She wanted to get married and have kids.
That’s why she broke up with Darryl. He didn’t want to get married or have anymore children but they purchased a home together. Their goals in life were different. They should have talked about it before purchasing a home together.
However Travis did tell her that she.could see other men. Basically he wanted an open relationship. He was pursuing other women and still had an “emotional” relationship with Deanna.
IMO, the only reason Travis dated Jodi is because Jodi complained to a friend of his that he respected immensely by saying that she felt used by Travis. So the friend sent him an email that was basically “how can u use her? Date her or let her go.”
Will finish telling all later.
IDK it sounds like Travis had low-self esteem. I mean he barely knew her before getting intimate with her. Trust takes work and has to be earned IMO. It sounds like they both did not have, respect or set any boundaries and just started having sex. Plus the relationship (if u could call it that) happened so fast. How can u know anyone that quickly? And what I can’t believe is that the friend encouraged him to date her after he moved on from Jodi. I bet that friend feels horrible now.
Also, the fact that he could so easily convince her to become a Mormon should have sent up red flags regarding her sincerity & authenticity. I mean if she’s just going to become a Mormon so they could date and have sex is someone who obviously did not take his faith or him seriously. So how long did he know her before he pushed her becoming a Mormon? was it 2 days or 2 years?
Hi Everyone!
Hi everyone!
I’m here!
Hi!
Sorry, I’m here I was watching the 48 hour video on her. Have u seen it?
I haven’t seen it yet. Is it new?
I don’t know but here it is.
What role, if any, do you think the media has played in her trial?
Quite honestly, I think its disgusting how the media continues to make killers into entertainment.
Paris,
Do u think its right for the news media to diagnose a person as having mental illness before its been established? I haven’t been paying attention to this trial but I did hear a little bit about it. Given u are reading the book. Do u think she’s mentally ill and should be in a mental institution rather than in prison?
Paris,
How can Hollywood inform the public about Arias mental illness without making Jodi Arias into a celebrity?
Jodi arias made herself into a celebrity. She’s very narcissistic. She’s the one who arranged for all the interviews after her guilty verdict.
“She’s very narcissistic. She’s the one who arranged for all the interviews after her guilty verdict.”
Are u serious? But should I really be surprised? The more she talks the more u can see how mentally unbalanced she is.
Yes I’m serious. I was actually surprised that the judge allowed it to happen.
Yeah! What she says and does don’t match up. For example, she claimed in the 48 hour interview to not like attention or being in front of the camera and prefer to work “behind the scenes.” However, all of her actions of taking nude photos, making a sex video and doing these interviews suggest different. Anyway, the more she talks the more she convicts herself.
Also, in the 48 hour interview she’s constantly smiling. Come on! She’s being accused of murder supposedly a friend and she’s constantly smiling like she’s on a award show.
Hi Ozzie,
We miss u!
From what I’ve read so far…….Travis didn’t know what he wanted….either that or he just wanted to be accepted. Also, the women that he wanted to be with just wanted to be friends. They didn’t want to be with him in any type of sexual manner.
Plus he was still texting an emailing Jodi. He sent her one text that said “you are the ultimate slut in bed. You’ll rejoice in being a whore whose sole purpose in life is to please me in any way I desire.”
He also sold her his car after he got a new one. She agreed to pay him 100.00 a month for it. So that kept them tied to her as well. He also felt compelled to help her.
Although, and this is strictly my opinion, they had a Dom/sub thing going on. Where one was dominate sexually over the other at various different times.
So yes, IMO, Travis brought his death upon himself. He couldn’t/ wouldn’t say no.
Hi Paris,
Sorry! I just saw your comment it got stuck and needed to be approved.
Gosh! What’s sad about all this is to see how he compromised his faith and ignored all the red flags because of his ego. One red flag was how quickly she wanted to get married, two her lack of integrity, identity and direction and three how quick she caved regarding the Mormon chastity until marriage thingy. IMO I think the reason he could not and would not let her go because he needed her to boost his ego. To him she was probably the most attractive girl he’d ever been with, which made him look like a stud in front of friends but internally he knew she was a hot mess, which he aggressively ignored. Come on, the fact he needed to brag about her desire for him in an effort to create the illusion he was a player shows he had low self-esteem and a poor self-image. U stated he was trying to be a motivational speaker too? How ironic! Anyway, it’s sad because it seemed like he was a very ambitious young guy who allowed his ego to impair his judgment.
U Said: “Travis didn’t know what he wanted….either that or he just wanted to be accepted. Also, the women that he wanted to be with just wanted to be friends. They didn’t want to be with him in any type of sexual manner. ”
ITA it sounds like he didn’t know what he wanted and he didn’t have much faith in himself and wanted to be accepted. What’s sad or unfair between men & women. Society expects men to be more experienced sexually than women and look down on men if they don’t present themselves as players etc..
Plus, I don’t know why men take being friends as rejection from women? I mean if u can’t stand being friends with a guy chances are there won’t be any spiritual connection etc.