Jodi Arias has racked up $2,150,536.42 in legal fees since beginning the trial on the murder of her boyfriend in 2008, the Associated Press reported.
Maricopa County spokeswoman Cari Gerchick told the AP Arias' legal fees for her court-appointed attorneys, expert witnesses and other costs associated with her case is costing Arizona residents tax money.
After being convicted of murder this past May, Arias, who is now 33-years-old will begin a new trial on March 17 as prosecutors pursue a second penalty phase with a new jury after the initial jury could not reach a verdict on her sentence, according to the AP.
According to Arizona law, Arias' conviction will stand unless prosecutors the second jury fails to reach a decision on her life sentence, the AP reported. If a decision cannot be reached, the death penalty will be replaced with life behind bars in a federal prison system.
Arias' admitted to killing her boyfriend as self defense. Evidence shows he was stabbed 30 times, his throat was slit and he had been shot in the forehead, the AP reported. Prosecutors argued she committed premeditated murder after he tried to end their affair.
With the second penalty phase set to begin, Bill Montgomery, an attorney for Maricopa County, did not give a "tally of how much it has cost to prosecute the case," and cited a court order prohibiting attorneys from discussing the case, according to the AP.
The new trial will also ban electronic devices so reporters will no longer be able to give live updates on the trial and there will be no live video coverage like there was during the initial trial which garnered media attention, the AP reported.
