Travis Alexander's ex-girlfriend, Deanna Reid, was put through pointed and embarrassing questions Tuesday by lawyers for the woman accused of killing him, Jodi Arias.
Defense Attorney Kirk Nurmi wasted little time during his cross-examination of Reid –- a rebuttal witness called by the prosecution -– in turning the attention of the court to her relationship with Alexander, 30, who was slain in 2008. The state contends that Arias, 32, killed her ex-boyfriend in a jealous rage.
Reid, a teacher and active member of the Mormon Church, testified that she began dating Alexander in 2000 -- years before Alexander and Arias met. Soon afterward, Reid said she went on a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints mission to Costa Rica and the two split up, but reconciled in 2002. Reid said they dated exclusively from 2002 to 2005, when Reid broke up with Alexander because she was interested in marriage and he was not yet ready. She said they remained friends after the split.
Nurmi pressed Reid about intimate details of her relationship with Alexander, forcing her to admit she had sex with him several times. She said both later confessed their indiscretions to church bishops.
"That was our private business," Reid said when Nurmi asked if she had discussed the sexual relationship with other people.
Nurmi then asked Reid a series of further embarrassing questions about Alexander.
"Did he ever use phrases with you like, 'You're the ultimate slut in bed?'" Nurmi asked.
"No," Reid replied.
"Did he talk to you about blowing enormous loads every time?" Nurmi asked.
"No," Reid replied.
Alexander had once sent a text message to Arias that said, "U puts me on another planet. You are the ultimate slut in bed. No wonder I blow enormous loads every time."
Nurmi continued asking questions that made Reid noticeably uncomfortable on the witness stand, evoking raunchy exchanges between Alexander and Arias that have already been described to the jury.
"Did he ever ejaculate on your face?" Nurmi asked.
"No," Reid replied.
"Did he ever call you a whore ... a slut ... a three-hole wonder?" asked Nurmi.
"No," she replied.
Nurmi then referred to a recorded sex talk session between Alexander and Arias, previously played in court. On the recording, Alexander tells Arias he wants to tie her to a tree and have sex with her.
"Did he ever tell you how he wanted to tie you to a tree and quote, 'put it in your ass?'" Nurmi asked.
"No," Reid said.
You two "must have had a different relationship than he did with Ms. Arias, correct?" Nurmi asked.
Reid never got a chance to answer. Prosecutor Juan Martinez objected, citing a "lack of foundation," and Judge Sherry Stephens sustained it.
Nurmi plunged ahead with more sexually explicit questions.
"Did he ever tell you that the way you moan is like a 12-year-old girl having her first orgasm?" asked Nurmi.
"No," Reid replied.
"Did he ever tell you about wanting to cork the pot of a little girl?" Nurmi asked.
"No," Reid repeated.
Arias' attorneys contend that she was physically and emotionally battered by Alexander and feared for her life when she killed him. Alexander was shot, stabbed nearly 30 times, and his throat was slashed from ear to ear. Arias, in her testimony, portrayed Alexander as an abusive womanizer.
Martinez focused his questions on whether Alexander ever abused Reid.
"Would he ever call you names?" Martinez asked.
"No, he did not," Reid replied.
"Did he ever strike you or physically advance on you or inflict any physical violence on you?" Martinez asked.
"No, never," said Reid.
Martinez is expected to call his next rebuttal witness on Wednesday.
TUESDAY'S LIVE BLOG:
Related
Before You Go
