County Attorney preparing to retry Arias penalty phase
PHOENIX -- Maricopa Country Attorney Bill Montgomery walked into his crowded media room at 10 a.m. Thursday morning.
He's on "a tight schedule," he tells reporters, and we have exactly "20 minutes."
Most of those minutes were then filled with questions about the cliff-hanging courtroom saga of Jodi Arias.
"Yes," Montgomery says, his office is "preparing" to retry the penalty phase of Arias' trial.
Montgomery then adds that he is "ethically bond" to consider a deal if Arias and her attorney ask for one.
"No," he tells reporters, when asked to comment on whether any such deal has been offered or discussed.
Montgomery says the ultimate decision to retry the penalty phase will be made by him.
Although he also makes it clear that his office was on-track to go back to court and fight the death penalty.
Input from the family of Travis Alexander will carry significant weight in his decision, Montgomery says.
Montgomery also says despite all the media coverage, he believes a jury can be found in Maricopa County to hear what will probably be Arias' mini-trial.
Montgomery then says, with a slight laugh, that he wished all the coverage would stop.
The County Attorney did field a few other questions and promptly at 10:20 a.m., he was out the door.
