The Lies of Jodi Arias

After earning his law degree from the University of Wyoming, L. Kirk Nurmi moved to Maricopa County and began working as a Public Defender. It was in this capacity that the infamous Jodi Arias came into his life and changed his entire world. You can check out his book, Trapped with Ms. Arias, here.

By her own admission Jodi Arias is a liar.  She admitted as much when she got on the witness stand during her infamous trial and confessed to a worldwide audience that she had lied about her whereabouts on the day Mr. Alexander was killed. Likewise, during those 18 days of testimony, she further conceded her tendency to disconnect from the truth when she admitted that her now universally mocked “ninja story” was also a lie.

Many who followed the trial believe that these admissions of untruthfulness are incomplete. They seemingly believe that Ms. Arias lied on numerous other occasions during her trial. As her appeal is currently pending and because she has taken legal action against me, I will presently stand moot on the completeness of her case related admissions of untruthfulness. Choosing instead focus on a few of the more prominent lies she has directed towards me.  Of course, I understand that limiting this article in such as fashion will be a disappointing choice to some. In so doing, it is my hope you that will understand that the line I presently have to walk is a fine one and that, for now, the only person’s character I can hope to rehabilitate is my own.

Of the lies Ms. Arias has told about me the most damaging of all was her televised statement that it was I, not her, that wanted to proffer the story/defense that Mr. Alexander was an abusive pedophile. This lie was most damaging because, from my perspective, many people believed it. As I see it, people believed it not because the source was credible, but, because they wanted to believe it.  As I see it, people wanted to believe it because they were so angry about the telling of this story that in their anger they allowed the sins of the client to transfer to the attorney.  As I see it, people wanted to believe that I was some sort of sleazy defense attorney trying to win at all cost so as to somehow bolster my career. As I see it, people wanted to believe this so badly that they never paused to contemplate the nonsensical nature of that theory.  As I see it, people wanted to believe this so bad that they were willing to forget that, generally speaking, the 6^th Amendment to the United States Constitution allows a defendant to testify on his or her own behalf and tell whatever story THEY want to tell regardless of what their attorney, who in this case advised a different strategy, advises them to do.  

Power was added to this lie because it was delivered at a time when I could not respond.  If you recall, Ms. Arias offered this particular lie during a televised interview conducted while the jury was deliberating on her sentence. Meaning, at the time, I was still her lawyer and the prospect of a death sentence was still looming.  Furthermore, as that jury hung as to sentencingand I remained her lawyer, I was still unable to impose truth upon this lie for about two more years.  Thus, for approximately two years, this lie stood without retort at a time when the vitriol against me was at its peak.  Thus, this particular lie, provided me with added reasons to be concerned about the safety of myself and my loved ones. 

Another lie that I take strong issue with, because it implies a level of personal support that extends beyond the duties I owed to her as her court appointed counsel, a level of support that just does not exist, is Ms. Arias’ choice to claim that all of her defense team supported one of her so called appellate funds.  True, this lie came out of the mouth of her parent’s Bill and Sandy Arias in the form of a YouTube video.  But do you harbor any doubts that this was done at Jodi Arias’ direction?  Likewise, do you harbor any doubts as to why this video was posted at the beginning of her retrial, at a time when publicinterest in her case was renewed and at a time when her lead counsel could not ethically offer public response?  I sure don’t.  

Now to be clear, I want to make sure it is well understood that the response I offer to this lie is mine and mine alone.  I do not speak for anyone else on the defense team.  With that disclaimer in mind, I want to be clear that I have never, nor will I ever, support an appellate fund for Ms. Arias. The main reason for this being that, I just don’t see the need. Ms. Arias has appellate counsel that has been provided to her at tax payers expense. Thus, as I see it, she does not need money to pay for appellate counsel. A fact that in my opinion elicits questions about whom is receiving the benefit of whatever monetary donations are received into this so called “appellate fund.” Questions that make the untruthful assertion of my support all the more troubling.

Finally, I think I would be remiss if I did not touch on one of Ms. Arias more scandalous lies about me.  Her claim that I had the nude photos of her, those that were evidence in the case, enlarged and hung on my office wall.  Remiss because this laughable lie demonstrates that she has a tendency to attack men, those who she perceives to have wronged her, with lies related to their sexual behaviors and/or interests.  Remiss because it further shows her tendency to lie in ways that place those who desire to impose the truth upon her lies, into a position wherein they are seeking to disprove a negative.  Meaning how do you prove that something that did not happen, did not happen.  A tough proposition.  Yet, all I can tell you is that it did not happen.  All I can tell you is that nobody who worked at the Office of the Public Defender would ever truthfully claim that these photos were hung on the wall.  I mean seriously, does anyone think that would fly in a government office?   Of course, the same is true for my private office as well. Nobody could truthfully claim that nude pictures of Ms. Arias adorned those office walls either. And likewise, does anyone seriously think that I would meet with either potential or actual clients with images of that nature on my wall?  Perhaps Jodi Arias’ supporters would, yet common sense dictates otherwise. 

In sharing this with you, I realize that many of you might believe that I am miscasting myself as her victim, a designation that is best reserved for others.  I certainly understand such thoughts.  When a magazine feature came out about me and the title “her other victim” was printed prominently on the cover it made me feel a tad uncomfortable. I felt this way, in part, because I never like to think of myself as a victim, but more prominently because I felt that others were more entitled to that designation.  However, now, a few years later, while I still, generally, feel the same way, I have come to believe that an air of truth stands behind the proclamation that I was “her other victim.” I have come to believe this because, these lies, as well as several others she has hurled my way, what my court ordered association with her has brought into my life, up to and including the cancer that almost ended it, certainly make a compelling argument to that effect.  Wouldn’t you agree?