Jodi Arias sentencing: Convicted murderer Jodi Arias told a jury during her sentencing hearing on Tuesday that she wants life in prison rather than the death penalty.
“Life in prison is most appealing outcome I could think of,” she said, according to Fox News. “I can’t in good conscious ask you to sentence me to death.”
Her pleas to the jury in Phoenix contradict earlier statements made that she would rather get the death penalty.
Arias was convicted of killing her boyfriend, Travis Alexander, in 2008. His body was found in the shower of his home in Arizona and was found stabbed more than two dozen times and shot in the face.
“This is the worst mistake of my life. It’s the worst thing I’ve ever done,” Arias said, reported NBC News. “To this day, I can hardly believe I was capable of such violence.”
Arias told the jurors that she “lost perspective” when she said she would rather face the death penalty. However, Arias said her death would cause pain for her family.
“I’m asking you, please, please don’t do that to them,” she said. “I’ve already hurt them so badly, along with so many other people. I want everyone’s healing to begin, and I want everyone’s pain to stop.”
If she got life in prison, Arias said she would try to make positive contributions to society.
“I didn’t know then that if I got life instead of death, I could become employed and self-reliant,” Arias added.
While in prison, Arias said that she has already been asked to teach Spanish and sign language, adding that she would like to start a prison book club, reported Fox News.
Arias said she would also prefer to sell clothing made in prison and donate the proceeds to victims of domestic violence.
