Convicted murderer Jodi Arias is still awaiting the announcement of the start date of her sentencing retrial may be prepared to start a whole new court case; the 33-year-old is planning to file for bankruptcy, according to HLN.
Arias was convicted of murdering her ex-boyfriend Travis Alexander in May. A jury was able to determine that the way in which he was murdered - Alexander was stabbed multiple times, shot in the head and had his throat slit from ear to ear - was sufficiently brutal to warrant the death penalty although they were unable to come to a verdict in the penalty trial.
According to Arizona law the state is allowed to attempt to retry the penalty phase of the trial in order to receive the death penalty or they can choose to have the judge sentence the convicted to life in prison.
Recently Judge Sherry Stephens has held hearings to determine the role of media and other issues brought up by the defense prior to the upcoming retrial; a start date for the retrial has yet to be determined.
While in prison Arias has been maintaining an online presence through third parties; she sells some of her artwork online, has a virtual book club and a Twitter account. It was on the Twitter account that Arias announced her financial issues with two tweets.
The first of which addressed the idea that the media exposure Arias as received since her arrest has led to a payday for her and her family. Arizona has a law that prevents criminals from benefiting economically from selling their story for books and films, according to Extra.
That rumor that somehow my family profited from my trial? Absurd.
— Jodi Arias (@JodiAnnArias) October 10, 2013
In the second tweet Arias announced her intentions to file for bankruptcy.
I'm filing for bankruptcy (if I can ever afford to do so). — Jodi Arias (@JodiAnnArias) October 10, 2013
In all likelihood Arias will never be leaving prison - if she isn't sent to death row in the sentencing retrial she will be given life in prison - so filing for bankruptcy might not be completely necessary for her.
Arias will return to court on Oct. 24 for a scheduled settlement deal. It is possible that her defense will be willing to strike a deal to avoid a sentencing retrial that could be lengthy, costly and potentially emotionally scarring for Alexander's family.
