Plan remains to seat new jurors for Jodi Arias penalty phase

PHOENIX — Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery said he doesn’t foresee any trouble finding impartial jurors for the penalty-phase retrial of convicted killer Jodi Arias.

Arias, who was found guilty of the murder of ex-boyfriend Travis Alexander, will face life in prison or execution. The original jury reached a stalemate last month and was dismissed. A new jury could be seated by late July. Montgomery is leaving the door open to input from Alexander’s family. That could scrap the new trial in favor of a life sentence for Arias.

“It’s a Constitutional right that victims have in Arizona to confer with the prosecutor and this office always endeavors to protect the rights of victims of crime,” Montgomery said.

Montgomery reiterated that Arias was found competent to stand trial originally and at this point nothing has changed his mind.

The trial has cost county taxpayers almost $2 million. Seating a new jury will add hundreds of thousands of dollars.