Convicted murderer Jodi Arias announced on Wednesday that she's started accepting donations for her appeal.
The 33-year-old who admitted to stabbing, shooting and slitting the throat of her ex-boyfriend Travis Alexander in 2008 will return to court on Thursday for review of the penalty phase of her trial, Extra reported. It appears the trial has cost Arias a substantial amount of money - and now, she'll take whatever the public will give.
"Donations are now being accepted for my appeals at https://www.Justice4Jodi.com," Arias tweeted on Wednesday.
"This trust is for payment of the beneficiary's legal expenses related to the appeals of her pending criminal case," the website, hosted by the JAA Apellate Fund, explains. "Including without limitation; attorney fees, investigator fees, expert-witness fees, transcript and filing fees. Please note: any donations made are not tax-deductible."
Arias will appear in court on October 24 to revisit her death penalty sentencing. If the settlement goes through, Arias could receive either life or natural life in prison. A natural life sentencing means Arias would spend the rest of her existence behind bars, while a life sentencing would allow the convicted killer to be eligible for parole after 25 years served.
Arizona news site AZCentral.com stated that if Arias got the death penalty, the appeals process would, in fact, become more streamlined.
"Death sentences go directly to the Arizona Supreme Court for review, and from there, can be taken directly to the U.S. Supreme Court, before it bounces back to Superior Court and works its way back to federal court," AZ Central reported. "If Arias is sentenced to life in prison, her appeals would go instead to the Arizona Court of Appeals, then to the Arizona Supreme Court and then back to Superior Court for what is referred to as 'post-conviction relief.'"
Arias recently tweeted that she intended to file for bankruptcy.
I'm filing for bankruptcy (if I can ever afford to do so).
— Jodi Arias (@JodiAnnArias) October 10, 2013
