Trapped with Ms. Arias
Chapter 16
The Letters
(that Ta "suppositly" wrote to the murderer)
State kept them out of evidence (after a hearing)
received "The Letters" April, 2010 by email from " a person named 'Bob White' "
subject of email: "you might be interested in these"- contained attachment which contained 10 letters in PDF form (appeared to be scanned copies of original or scans of a copy)
after verdict and before sentencing murderer released letters on her fan page
letters contained admissions by TA "about his sexual interest in children and in particular his sexual interest in the son of his friends Chris and Sky Hughes...and apologies from 'Mr. Alexander' for breaking Ms Arias' finger" (pg 87)
discussed with his team
and the murderer: "Why would Mr. Alexander hand write letters and mail them to you when you corresponded so much via computer?"- can't divulge her answer- client confidentiality
"Who is Bob White and how did this person get these letters? I didn't realize it at the time but my efforts to answer the latter question through my own investigation was the moment in time that served as a beginning of the end of the relatively harmonious relationship I had with Ms. Arias." (pg. 88)
couldn't ignore letters- investigate, if real, would use them in court- "duty-bound" as her atty to
needed to know who Bob White was and get original copies for handwriting expert to authenticate- needed originals
L had questions for the murderer: where did the murderer last see the originals? where stored? who could have found them?
knew the answers- they are privilege info
analysis of letters were not privileged tho'- the murderer allowed him to tell Shy Hughes of results and gave report to State
his expert said it "was highly probable", highest level of proof in handwriting analysis, that TA wrote them , but really needed the originals to confirm authenticity
if they were confirmed as fake by his expert, they "never would have seen the light of day"
"With the 'highly probable' analysis in hand I decided to disclose the letters to the State because at the time it was my intent to use them at trial as the content supported
Ms. Arias' claim of physical abuse and her claim that Mr. Alexander has a sexual interest in young children" (pg. 88)
L felt that Chris/Sky Hughes should see 1 letter before "the world" did because of the sexual interest in their son- to learn in the privacy of home
Sky is claiming that L claimed he had absolute proof that letters were genuine
Sky claiming "I disclosed this letter to her so that she and her husband would testify for the defense. Let me clear that neither of these claims reflect my true motivations for sending the letter to her" (pg. 89)
because Shy was "understandably emotional" when she saw letter- L does not blame her "for recalling that I claimed to have absolute proof" that TA wrote them
what L "actually said was that the analysis performed was as close to absolute proof as the field of handwriting analysis can offer"
L states that he doesn't understand the claim that he wanted to "trick her or induce her into testifying for the defense. I am not sure why she feels as if she can read my mind and thus know my intentions"
L's intentions: that the Hughes wouldn't hear/see the letters for the 1st time at the trial
Sky sent a follow-up email to him in response where she "expressed the fact that she knew Mr. Alexander had problems but not to this extent"
L didn't reply to her email to find out TA's problems
what the Hughes have said publicly: "I have yet to hear Ms. Hughes discuss how grateful she was at the time that i sent the letter to her and how that at no time did I ask her to testify for the defense" (pg, 90)
L explained to Sky , to calm her, that this didn't mean that TA actually "touched her son" and "perhaps" they should talk to her son/seek counseling
L said that Sky sent him email stating that she knew TA had problems "but she was unaware that he was dealing with this issue"
L said if he wanted Sky as a witness he could have call her as one- did not need her permission
"At the time I spoke to Ms. Hughes, I had no reason to believe that Mr. Alexander did not write the letters....expert had said that it was 'highly probable' that Mr. Alexander was the author"
later L became suspicious about letters when he received more info ( the murderer's cell was searched- pens were found- against rules- 3x5 cards were found with handwriting on them)
State said handwriting "was an attempt to stimulate the hand writing of" TA- L didn't understand conclusion "sounds more like mind reading than handwriting analysis but... it would have been his testimony and the link would be obvious" that the murderer wrote the letters
L wondered hwo she write them, get them out of jail, and have emailed to him (everything she sent out was inspected/phone calls were all recorded) - reviewed TA's journals? "still tuff"
once cards were found, L believed that murderer wrote the letters
wouldn't be hard for the State to convince the jury that she did- as a way to "defame" TA
"Once [the jury] convinced that Ms. Arias wrote these letters to defame Mr. Alexander the jury would then have yet another reason to detest Ms. Arias and the more they detested Ms. Arias the more motivated they would be to sentence her to death" (pg. 92)
L wonders if the State could prove that letters were forgery? concluded- "they could not"- States expert could not because the letters were copies- just could give opinion- State wanted them "excluded"
L thinks this was mistake- State could have convinced jury that they were forged- " I believe if they had Ms. Arias would be on death row as you read this"
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Chapter 17
The Phone Sex Tapes
the murderer lost her Helio phone- stolen from her grandfather's car in Yreka, Spring 2008
(Gus Searcy gave her new one)
2010- phone found by family member- not stolen, but lost in car
L had phone sent to his investigator and to computer expert- recover evidence from phone
no nude pics on phone
"What I got was unbelievable"
"This was a recording of a conversation Mr. Alexander had with Ms. Arias, the woman who would wind up killing him within a month of having this conversation with him"
L thought would provide "insight into the relationship.. just before the killing took place"
L also received notes on phone conversations
talk was about "mundane things" in beginning (traveling, business, etc)- TA said he had intentions to visit the murderer in Yreka ("Does one visit their crazy ex-girlfriend who is stalking them?")
their conversation-talked about Abe -"someone who likely dated" the murderer and kissed her- TA not happy- Ta wanted to "whip Abe's 'A'" because kissed "his girlfriend"
"The fact that Ms. Arias was not Mr. Alexander's girlfriend at the time of the kiss didn't seem to matter to Mr. Alexander"
this part of "the sex tape" was very important to L
"..because it told me that Mr. Alexander seemingly had a violent streak because he had expressed a desire to be violent with Abe."
L thought- " He was either a jealous person when it came to Ms. Arias or he viewed her as a possession, perhaps both were true."
conversation went to sex- went from "mild argument about Abe to talking about sex in graphic terms." (pg. 96)- L was shocked
L talking about "howling"- "*advertiser censored**fest"- reminded him 1982 movie "Porky's"
TA said something in tape unbelievable to L- "He said that Ms. Arias' orgasm sounded like a 12 year old girl having her first orgasm...Ms. Arias was shocked as well"- then "Mr. Alexander repeated himself" and then said "something to the effect of 'it was like corking the pot of a 12 year old' "
L said, before trial, before everyone hated the murderer, "What would you think if you heard Mr. Alexander saying this on tape before he had been killed?... about anyone who said this? Would you think they were a pedophile?"
L talks about Jared Foggle - woman reported that he made similar commenst to her
"If someone made these comments to you would you let them be alone with your daughter?"
"facts are stubborn things"
"It is a fact that Mr. Alexander said these things on tape."
L had voice on tape verified that it TA and the murderer talking
L said he had the tape (evidence) "that supported Ms. Arias' contention that Mr. Alexander had a sexual interest in children...exhibited some violent tendencies." (pg. 97)
evidence that "had to be used, regardless of who it upset."
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Next:
Chapter 18
Learning more about Mr. Alexander
Chapter 19
Ms. Arias' Jail Calls
Chapter 20
Ms. Arias' "Ninja Story"
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