04-19-2013, 08:21 PM
(04-19-2013, 03:52 PM)username Wrote: I don't think the defense got anywhere with the psychologist. I'm not sure how it will play if the jury believes that Jodi has borderline personality disorder. One talking head said something to the effect that BPD isn't treatable etc. so they'd be more inclined towards the death penalty.
Really? Is BPD not considered a mental health disease? Not treatable? If you google medications for BPD, there are some which seems to dispute that.
Borderline Personality Disorder is indeed recognized by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.
It's very very difficult to treat, from all that I've read. Intense long-term psychotherapy is really all there is, with mixed results.
The meds you saw listed are probably those for depression, anger, and some of the symptoms associated with BPD, but they don't treat/cure the disorder itself.
A 2010 review by the Cochrane collaboration found that no medications show promise for "the core BPD symptoms of chronic feelings of emptiness, identity disturbance and abandonment." However, the authors found that some medications may impact isolated symptoms associated with BPD.
In terms of Arias's chances of avoiding the death penalty, IMO:
- If the jury believes that Jodi was a battered woman (with or without believing self defense), she's in good shape to avoid the needle.
-If they also believe she is now suffering from PTSD (even if they don't believe the trauma was born of self defense), she's in even better shape.
- If they don't believe either of those defense claims and instead believe that Jodi has BPD, she's probably in a weaker position, but the BPD diagnosis will still give Jodi a kind of excuse for her actions in the minds of some jurors (even though it shouldn't; she's not claiming mental defect and BPD doesn't mean someone can't control their actions anyway).
I think that Jodi will get the death penalty only if the jury agrees to disregard LaViolette, Samuels, and Demarte altogether and just figure she was a crazy jealous bitch who felt justified in making and executing a plan to kill the perceived source of her anger/rejection, without trying to determine why she felt that way.