Jodi Arias trial: Judge delays death penalty retrial until Nov. 12

Jodi Arias Video Screenshot

The sentencing retrial of Jodi Arias is facing another delay after the judge decided to postpone the courtroom proceedings for a week.

The judge decided to halt the witness testimony until November 12 after hearing the appeals of the press and to reconsider the surprising decision of Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Sherry Stephens last Thursday to let an unidentified defense witness to testify behind closed doors.

The legal teams from both sides are still talking with Stephens to find out the next steps for the case after the three-member appeals court decision ruled in favor of the media organizations, including three Arizona TV stations as well as The Arizona Republic.

Judge Stephens made the decision to bar the media and the public in her courtroom Thursday to allow an unidentified witness who does not want to broadcast the testimony, yet she allowed the family of Arias' victim Travis Alexander to remain inside the courtroom since it is stipulated in the Arizona law.

Meanwhile, Aria's parents broke their silence about the case by posting a video online, pleading for their supporters to donate money for funding the legal expenses of their daughter.

The video titled "A Message from Bill and Sandy Arias" was posted on Justice4Jodi.com and appeals to all those who believe that their daughter is innocent, saying that all the collected donations on the website will be use to "to obtain the best legal representation possible for [Arias'] appeals."

The couple also said that Justice4Jodi.com is the only website that their family and their legal team actually endorse. They also said that the site is being run by their family.

However, the video had been removed in the website two days after it was downloaded without any explanation. 

Jodi's parents also warned against giving donations on other websites. "We don't know whether...these donations will ever reach Jodi," Arias' father Bill said while her mother Sandy said "personally guarantee that all funds raised will be for Jodi's defense and no other purchase."

Jodi Arias was convicted on May 8, 2013 for killing Alexander, her boyfriend at the time. The retrial is meant to decide the penalty that she has to face after the first set of jury failed to make a decision.

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