With over 11 million page views & well over 7 million visitors since 2012 — December 16th 2025 marks the 13th anniversary of our Jodi Arias Is Innocent .com website launch.

So with Christmas just a few days away – I’d like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your support over the past 13 years – and thank you in advance for your continued support moving forward through 2026 and beyond.

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Here is Jodi’s Christmas Message:

“It’s Christmas!”

Hi All!

I’m feeling very grateful for all I’ve been given. Thank you. once again. for filling my 2025 with your generosity and love. May you have an amazing Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Much Love,
<3 — Jodi Arias

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To finish off this festive update, here’s Jodi’s evergreenly awesome rendition of “O Holy Night.”:

Enjoy!

And Remember folks… as I always say – each day that passes takes us one day closer to Jodi’s release date.

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I wish you a Merry Christmas, and a peaceful & prosperous 2026.

SJ
Team Jodi #WINNING <<<

Click the banner below to read Jade’s post – “Justice Denied: Why The Jurors Got It Wrong & How The Facts Decimate The State’s Case Against Jodi Arias.”:

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ArtByJodiArias.com – UPDATE

Jodi’s personal efforts to raise money for her appeals continue through the production of her art, which is sold at ArtbyJodiArias.com. Her art admin supports her efforts by running this “side hustle” of sorts on her behalf and taking none of the funds. The time and effort he devotes to this process (filing the taxes, trips to the post office every week to ship art) are an invaluable contribution.

If you are interested in another way to contribute to the cause, any purchase at ArtbyJodiArias.com is a legitimate way to support Jodi. You can also check out Jodi’s art on Instagram @ArtbyJodiArias.

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Disbarred prosecutor Juan Martinez valued fame and showmanship over ethics, and shamelessly sought the limelight. In August 2011, he told Judge Sherry Stephens in open court, on the record, “If I could, I’d make myself on their show every day,” referring to cable TV show In Session, which broadcasted court cases in a skewed, pro-State narrative.

It was not just his quest for fame that led to so many bad decisions, however. It was also his general lack of moral fiber. He cheated on his live-in girlfriend, Trina Kay, with Katie Wick, Jen Woods (married), and one of Jodi’s jurors. He signed autographs on the courthouse steps. He had a ghostwriter spin out a book about Jodi’s case. He tampered with and destroyed evidence. He suborned perjury from witnesses.

Bad actors like Martinez erode public trust in the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office. He remains a stain on the history and integrity of state prosecutions in Arizona. Thankfully, his bar license was revoked and his dishonest practices cannot harm due process and justice in future cases. However, the best way to right the wrongs Martinez perpetrated in Jodi’s case would be to throw out her wrongful conviction completely.

Jodi’s Subreddit page: https://www.reddit.com/r/FreeJodiArias

Jodi’s Substack page: https://JodiArias.Substack.com

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And Remember folks… as I always say – each day that passes takes us one day closer to Jodi’s release date.

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SJ
Team Jodi #WINNING <<<


Click the banner below to read Jade’s post – “Justice Denied: Why The Jurors Got It Wrong & How The Facts Decimate The State’s Case Against Jodi Arias.”:

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ArtByJodiArias.com – UPDATE

Jodi’s personal efforts to raise money for her appeals continue through the production of her art, which is sold at ArtbyJodiArias.com. Her art admin supports her efforts by running this “side hustle” of sorts on her behalf and taking none of the funds. The time and effort he devotes to this process (filing the taxes, trips to the post office every week to ship art) are an invaluable contribution.

If you are interested in another way to contribute to the cause, any purchase at ArtbyJodiArias.com is a legitimate way to support Jodi. You can also check out Jodi’s art on Instagram @ArtbyJodiArias.

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This post is from Jodi’s newsletter, “Just Jodi”, which you can find at https://JodiArias.Substack.com

When I arrived at Perryville, Warden Judy Frigo, now retired, was present to see me through the process. Staff didn’t know what to expect. The media had grossly over-sexualized me and the local ABC affiliate had even reported (falsely, of course) that I was going to try to become pregnant.

In a dramatic response to this fake news, Frigo decreed that no male officers were allowed to be around me for the first several weeks while female staff monitored my behavior to see if I left actual snail trails in my wake. (Don’t let any sperm get near her! She might be laying an egg!)

The juicy lie that I flirt with “prison guards” (they’re called officers, by the way) still persists in tabloid trash rags, but it long ago dried up at Perryville because it’s the antithesis of my real-life conduct. However, I had to work harder than most women to build my credibility here because I lacked the advantage of anonymity and was saddled with a salacious reputation manufactured by legacy media using disinformation.

How is this lie harmful? Let me count the ways. Flirting with an officer can trigger a cascade of problems for that officer. It can also cause major fallout for the woman who got mixed up with him or her. The officer may go under investigation and even be terminated. The woman is reviled by her peers for getting caught and by staff for getting their coworker fired.

I’ve seen it happen. An officer makes the mistake of treating Perryville like a harem of horny femcels who are eager for the chance to be with a man. Guys who come on board with these delusions crash and burn, sometimes landing in jail.

Despite the risks, there are men with a predatory mindset who pass the application process and gain entry into Perryville. They know they are walking into a population with a high percentage of women who suffer low self-esteem and have lost everything. Maybe they want to feel like rock stars, maybe they’re drawn to the thrill of illicit sex. Whatever motivates them, they use their positions of power, privilege, and authority to prey on desperate women.

A byproduct of the once-pervasive rumor that I flirt with officers is that sometimes a new officer, or a seasoned one new to Perryville, will try to flirt with me. Most are male and many are attractive. Some of them even look like they’re in their twenties and all I want to say to these young bucks who try is, “Bro, can you go somewhere? I’m old enough to be your mom.”

The last time a female cop flirted with me, I was so thrown, not just by her tone and her “So what’s up?” but by the way she looked me up and down. The vibe of undressing me with her eyes, I’ll put it like that. I laughed it off while rooting around in my social toolkit for the words to politely exit stage left.

This might be hard for some people to imagine, but I have other priorities than useless flirting. I can think of few things that are more time-wasting, low-leverage, and irrelevant to my goals.

At this point in my life, my priorities are PCR (post-conviction relief), my art, and my writing, including some manuscripts I may or may not ever publish. My creative projects amount to a lot of irons in the fire, and not a single one of these irons is “flirt with a cop,” or flirt with anybody, for that matter. I stay busy, time is short, and this type of banter simply doesn’t interest me.

That said, I am nice to officers, both male and female. I’m respectful and good to them, not only because this is wise and it serves me, but because it makes their thankless jobs a little easier.

I have moments I’m not proud of, however. Recently, I was woken up by an officer on graveyard shift because the air-conditioning stopped working. But it had stopped over nine hours earlier. I went to bed knowing this, so I prepared: I stripped down to my bra and underwear, covered myself in a thin sheet, and blasted some fans. I was sleeping quite well this way in my too-warm room until an officer opened the door and loudly announced that she had to temp the room.

She stood there with the door wide open, letting waves of hot, outside air roll in. Understandably, I was not my jovial self. I was annoyed to be jolted awake while she stood in the doorway letting the room grow even hotter, and I let it be known.

Despite rare moments of grouchy half-consciousness, I treat each officer the way I want to be treated: like a person. I’m friendly, not flirty. It would be a mistake to confuse my friendliness with flirtation. And yet: I’ve been misunderstood most of my adult life. Nothing new.

This post is from Jodi’s newsletter, “Just Jodi”, which you can find at https://JodiArias.Substack.com

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And Remember folks… as I always say – each day that passes takes us one day closer to Jodi’s release date.

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SJ
Team Jodi #WINNING <<<


Click the banner below to read Jade’s post – “Justice Denied: Why The Jurors Got It Wrong & How The Facts Decimate The State’s Case Against Jodi Arias.”:

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ArtByJodiArias.com – UPDATE

Jodi’s personal efforts to raise money for her appeals continue through the production of her art, which is sold at ArtbyJodiArias.com. Her art admin supports her efforts by running this “side hustle” of sorts on her behalf and taking none of the funds. The time and effort he devotes to this process (filing the taxes, trips to the post office every week to ship art) are an invaluable contribution.

If you are interested in another way to contribute to the cause, any purchase at ArtbyJodiArias.com is a legitimate way to support Jodi. You can also check out Jodi’s art on Instagram @ArtbyJodiArias.

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This post is from Jodi’s newsletter, “Just Jodi”, which you can find at https://JodiArias.Substack.com

At the time I’m writing this, I have several hundred bucks in my commissary account — a staggering three figures — but I’m rumored to be worth millions. How I supposedly became a millionaire is anyone’s guess, but this zombie rumor has persisted for years online and even infiltrated Perryville.

The legend that I paid for the multi-million-dollar installation of air-conditioning in 2016 for one yard on Lumley Unit is whispered among some women here. I’m all for investing in my community, but damn. Nine years later, I’m still asked if it’s true.

Less credulous women often respond to this rumor by saying, “Think about it. If Jodi paid for the air-conditioning, then why doesn’t she live on that yard?” I appreciate the assist, but this is a logical fallacy. In prison, one doesn’t get to choose where one lives. (As of 2024, all Perryville residents are housed with air-conditioning, but before that, I spent many desert summers and sleepless nights in a cell that temped 90+ degrees Fahrenheit.)

When a woman asks me, “Is it true you paid for the air-conditioning?” I gently direct her back to my harsh reality by saying, “If I had that kind of money, I’d pay for lawyers, not air-conditioning.”

A tabloid rag recently cited a fake source, a made-up woman purported to have done time with me, who doesn’t actually exist in Arizona’s database of inmates. This imaginary person was quoted as saying of me, “She’s got more money than anyone else.” I don’t know how deep go the pockets of most women at Perryville, but I happen to know that someone I’ve worked with in years past has eight thousand dollars on her books, which is literally more than ten times my own balance.

When I worked at the commissary store, I could see other women’s account balances printed on their receipts, but I didn’t tend to look; it wasn’t my business. Once, my coworker handed me someone’s receipt and pointed to the balance, which showed over ten thousand dollars.

I later moved in with this same person and, one day, she showed me her account balance with a big grin. Despite her spending each week, the number had crept upwards to over thirteen thousand dollars. I’d never seen so much money in a commissary account.

Before I had three figures on my books, I had two figures, and sometimes a single figure, or less than ten bucks. Near-constant hunger added to my misery during my first several years in a Maricopa County jail. My family, not one of means, agreed that every other week my grandma would put $25 in my commissary account, and my mom would cover the alternating weeks with $25. My grandma was faithful about her contributions, but my mom, bless her busy, stressed-out heart, sometimes forgot.

The jail was feeding us two meals a day. There was no breakfast or lunch, as breakfast and lunch are defined. In the late morning, we were given a wheat hoagie roll (gluten, carbs) with peanut butter (sugar), a sickly-sweet oatmeal cream pie (gluten, sugar), and a few oranges (more sugar). You can imagine the havoc this diet wreaked upon one’s insulin and glucose, and the adverse long-term effects that years of this diet could have on one’s health. (Dinner, by the way, was cold, old, and revolting.)

This was also before I understood the connection between wheat and migraines. I was, essentially, compelled by hunger to poison myself with food that exacerbated a chronic health condition.

After a few years, in 2010, I pitched my brother on selling my art through his eBay account. I don’t know why I hadn’t thought of this sooner, but I’m sure it had something to do with the fact that 2010 was also the year my dark ideations of a nonfuture began to shift, then lift, and I started to consider that there might just be a life for me beyond the pit into which I had fallen. I also began to make art for the women I lived with, and from this small, honest hustle, I earned a few extra commissary items each week to quell the hunger pangs or simply enjoy a snack without the conflicting feelings about whether I should be rationing it.

In those early years, another thing that kept me in the poorhouse was that I didn’t know how to ask for what I needed: money on my books. I had a few pen pals, but they were acquaintances by mail only, and the thought of asking these nonrelatives for money was unimaginable. Going hungry was less uncomfortable.

Yet need compels, and I began to imply that grocery money would be helpful. At first, I used awkward, indirect language and vague euphemisms, contorting my words into anything other than, “Can you put some money on my books?” I was relieved each time someone caught my drift and made the leap across the communication chasm I had created.

Back then, I worried that directly asking others for the help I needed would come off as greedy or materialistic, but I was wrong. It’s OK to ask for help when destitute. I discovered that if someone wanted to help me, they received my request with warmth, even if they were not in a position to help.

Being direct draws the right people and repels the wrong ones. If someone were put off by my asking for help, that would be OK, too. They are simply not who I need deep in my corner, and it’s better to know where we each stand than nurture false expectations.

Of course, my art sells at JodiArias.com. This revenue, along with the contributions of others, is used for Knapp counsel, which is a kind of assistant lawyer in addition to my court-appointed lawyer, to tackle my ginormous case file.

Many years ago, I did have several thousand dollars on my books (four figures, not five), but that money is gone. I spent it on commissary and used it to help my family. The bulk of it, however, went to my brilliant lawyer Karen Clark, who helped successfully prosecute Juan Martinez’s bar license because he was profoundly unworthy of licensure.

Here’s why it’s harmful to spread the lie that I’m loaded: If this lie were believed by the few who do help me, then what help I receive by way of commissary deposits could evaporate, leaving me with even less than I get by on now. It’s one of the slickest ways to harm me, which may be why those who wish me harm will claim that I’m a mega millionaire. Would you pitch in for a millionaire’s groceries?

This post is from Jodi’s newsletter, “Just Jodi”, which you can find at https://JodiArias.Substack.com

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And Remember folks… as I always say – each day that passes takes us one day closer to Jodi’s release date.

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SJ
Team Jodi #WINNING <<<


Click the banner below to read Jade’s post – “Justice Denied: Why The Jurors Got It Wrong & How The Facts Decimate The State’s Case Against Jodi Arias.”:

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ArtByJodiArias.com – UPDATE

Jodi’s personal efforts to raise money for her appeals continue through the production of her art, which is sold at ArtbyJodiArias.com. Her art admin supports her efforts by running this “side hustle” of sorts on her behalf and taking none of the funds. The time and effort he devotes to this process (filing the taxes, trips to the post office every week to ship art) are an invaluable contribution.

If you are interested in another way to contribute to the cause, any purchase at ArtbyJodiArias.com is a legitimate way to support Jodi. You can also check out Jodi’s art on Instagram @ArtbyJodiArias.

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Ten years ago, Jodi Arias was sentenced to natural life in prison (known in most states as life without parole, or LWOP). After she was wrongly convicted of first-degree murder in an overly publicized trial with an unsequestered jury who voted 4-8 against the death penalty, the state of Arizona failed to understand that its sentiments about killing Jodi were not unanimously shared.

Now-disbarred prosecutor Juan Martinez and his elected boss Bill Montgomery wasted the public’s time, money, and resources when they tried again to kill Jodi in a second trial. Arizona’s repulsive and arcane “laws” permit these multiple murder attempts of a citizen.

In spite of the state’s second attempt, one juror held out and voted to spare Jodi’s life. This juror’s bravery stunned the public and people clamored to know the reason for her decision.

Her family’s statements to the media gave clarity. This juror had been in an abusive relationship, which she disclosed prior to being empaneled, and she recognized abuse when she saw it. When she was presented with evidence of how Travis abused Jodi, this juror knew the death penalty was unwarranted, and she voted for Jodi to live.

Now, the judge had to decide whether to sentence Jodi to natural life, or life with the possibility of release after 25 years. The judge had already betrayed her bias against Jodi by refusing to sequester both juries in what remains the most publicized case in Arizona’s history, publicity which the judge herself enabled by allowing the media to transform her courtroom into a studio set wired with their cameras and microphones, and allowing the media to livestream every moment. 

The judge also betrayed her bias during the trial through her many rulings against Jodi in favor of the judge’s former colleague, Juan Martinez (the now-disbarred prosecutor).

Prior to sentencing, Jodi and her lawyers were prepared. In light of her obvious bias, Judge Sherry Stephens would likely impose the harshest sentence she legally could: natural life.

Today, Jodi fights her wrongful conviction with your help. You can support her fight for freedom at Justice4Jodi.com. 

As a lifelong artist, she has continued making art at Perryville, the women’s prison in Arizona. Her art is available at ArtByJodiArias.com.

Her case is now in the PCR (post-conviction relief) stage of getting her conviction overturned. This is a long, detailed, arduous process, so let’s stay by Jodi’s side and see her all the way through to her long-overdue freedom!

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And Remember folks… as I always say – each day that passes takes us one day closer to Jodi’s release date.

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SJ
Team Jodi #WINNING <<<


Click the banner below to read Jade’s post – “Justice Denied: Why The Jurors Got It Wrong & How The Facts Decimate The State’s Case Against Jodi Arias.”:

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ArtByJodiArias.com – UPDATE

Jodi’s personal efforts to raise money for her appeals continue through the production of her art, which is sold at ArtbyJodiArias.com. Her art admin supports her efforts by running this “side hustle” of sorts on her behalf and taking none of the funds. The time and effort he devotes to this process (filing the taxes, trips to the post office every week to ship art) are an invaluable contribution.

If you are interested in another way to contribute to the cause, any purchase at ArtbyJodiArias.com is a legitimate way to support Jodi. You can also check out Jodi’s art on Instagram @ArtbyJodiArias.

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With over 11 million page views & well over 7 million visitors since 2012 — December 16th 2024 marks the 12th anniversary of our Jodi Arias Is Innocent .com website launch.

So with Christmas just a few days away – I’d like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your support over the past 12 years – and thank you in advance for your continued support moving forward through 2025 and beyond.

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Here is Jodi’s Christmas Message:

“It’s Christmas!”

Hi All!

I’m feeling very grateful for all I’ve been given. Thank you for filling my 2024 with your generosity and love. May you have an amazing Christmas and a happy New Year!

Much Love,
<3 — Jodi Arias

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To finish off this festive update, here’s Jodi’s evergreenly awesome rendition of “O Holy Night.”:

Enjoy!

And Remember folks… as I always say – each day that passes takes us one day closer to Jodi’s release date.

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I wish you a very Trump-tastic Christmas, and a safe, peaceful, prosperous & awesome-filled 2025.

SJ
Team Jodi #WINNING <<<

Click the banner below to read Jade’s post – “Justice Denied: Why The Jurors Got It Wrong & How The Facts Decimate The State’s Case Against Jodi Arias.”:

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ArtByJodiArias.com – UPDATE

Jodi’s personal efforts to raise money for her appeals continue through the production of her art, which is sold at ArtbyJodiArias.com. Her art admin supports her efforts by running this “side hustle” of sorts on her behalf and taking none of the funds. The time and effort he devotes to this process (filing the taxes, trips to the post office every week to ship art) are an invaluable contribution.

If you are interested in another way to contribute to the cause, any purchase at ArtbyJodiArias.com is a legitimate way to support Jodi. You can also check out Jodi’s art on Instagram @ArtbyJodiArias.

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From Jodi:

Hello, hello, hello!

It’s the most wonderful time of the year again and there’s a Black Friday sale at ArtbyJodiArias.com that goes from today, November 28th, through December 15th!

Get 25% off EVERYTHING listed — prints, postcards, and original art — by entering the code save25 at checkout. (This equates to $475 off my original drawing Nothing to Fear, by the way.)

Sales are kind of rare on my site so take advantage while you can. If I controlled the business, which I don’t, I’d have all kinds of sales.

I hope you enjoy a peaceful Thanksgiving Thursday!

If you’re reading this from outside the U.S. and don’t celebrate this holiday, take a few moments anyway to appreciate what you have while you have it. And know that I’ll be here, feeling grateful for YOU!

Jodi

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ArtByJodiArias.com – UPDATE

Jodi’s personal efforts to raise money for her appeals continue through the production of her art, which is sold at ArtbyJodiArias.com. Her art admin supports her efforts by running this “side hustle” of sorts on her behalf and taking none of the funds. The time and effort he devotes to this process (filing the taxes, trips to the post office every week to ship art) are an invaluable contribution.

If you are interested in another way to contribute to the cause, any purchase at ArtbyJodiArias.com is a legitimate way to support Jodi. You can also check out Jodi’s art on Instagram @ArtbyJodiArias.

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And Remember folks… as I always say – each day that passes takes us one day closer to Jodi’s release date.

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SJ
Team Jodi #WINNING <<<

Click the banner below to read Jade’s post – “Justice Denied: Why The Jurors Got It Wrong & How The Facts Decimate The State’s Case Against Jodi Arias.”:

From Jodi:

My drawing Cat Nap  has a colorful back story.

The original was stolen from my art admin Quinn’s home office by his ex-girlfriend, whom he had invited back into his life.

He bumped into her while he was out one night. By then, hard feelings from the breakup had softened, as hard feelings tend to do, and the two briefly rekindled the flame.

It didn’t take long for Quinn to be reminded of the myriad reasons they broke up in the first place. Most glaring was her drug addiction. The deal breaker, however, was me.

She learned that he now supported me and helped me get my art out to the world, which he began doing after their breakup. I imagine her drug-addled mind could only conjure the fictional Jodi Arias put forth by fake news media: vixen, seductress, temptress. Her on-again boyfriend could not be friends with this Jodi.

So she gave him an ultimatum: me or her. This was a mistake.

Quinn is a fiercely independent guy. Never impose on his sense of sovereignty. When she told him Jodi or me, he told her goodbye, not because I’m super special, but to show her that giving him an ultimatum is a losing game. I hate to think this made her feel very unspecial.

She didn’t leave without a parting gift to herself. That’s when she catnapped the Cat Nap. She would never admit to theft, but she was the only person in Quinn’s house other than his own cat, whom I doubt ate it then barfed it up on the hardwood floor.

Her motives may have been multifaceted. She took it to support her drug habit. She took it because I made it and screw Jodi Arias. She took it because Quinn wanted to sell it for me and how dare he choose me over her.

I’ll always wonder what she did with the original. Did she destroy it in spite? Did she have any clue of its value and try to pawn it?

It’s more exciting to think that somewhere out there, someone possesses a stolen piece of my art, as if I were on par with those elite artists whose work was central to a heist. But then I come back to reality and accept the likelier scenario that an angry woman, calculated enough to steal it but not crafty enough to sell it for quick cash, ripped it up while high or hungover.

Thankfully, Quinn already had a high-resolution scan of it, which is why you can see it above, and why we get to offer prints at ArtByJodiArias.com.

Today is National Cat Day, by the way!

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ArtByJodiArias.com – UPDATE

Jodi’s personal efforts to raise money for her appeals continue through the production of her art, which is sold at ArtbyJodiArias.com. Her art admin supports her efforts by running this “side hustle” of sorts on her behalf and taking none of the funds. The time and effort he devotes to this process (filing the taxes, trips to the post office every week to ship art) are an invaluable contribution.

If you are interested in another way to contribute to the cause, any purchase at ArtbyJodiArias.com is a legitimate way to support Jodi. You can also check out Jodi’s art on Instagram @ArtbyJodiArias.

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And Remember folks… as I always say – each day that passes takes us one day closer to Jodi’s release date.

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SJ
Team Jodi #WINNING <<<

Click the banner below to read Jade’s post – “Justice Denied: Why The Jurors Got It Wrong & How The Facts Decimate The State’s Case Against Jodi Arias.”:

From Jodi:

Hey All!

I drew this cute, spooky zombie girl with Halloween in mind.

Under the bright full moon and bare branches, she might be in a graveyard or in the wilderness on a chilly October night.

I named this Nothing to Fear  because I imagine that’s what she might whisper after putting her finger to her lips and saying, shhh….

If you’d like to acquire this original drawing click here or click on the pic below…

Have a fun October and a Happy Halloween!

Jodi Arias

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ArtByJodiArias.com – UPDATE

Jodi’s personal efforts to raise money for her appeals continue through the production of her art, which is sold at ArtbyJodiArias.com. Her art admin supports her efforts by running this “side hustle” of sorts on her behalf and taking none of the funds. The time and effort he devotes to this process (filing the taxes, trips to the post office every week to ship art) are an invaluable contribution.

If you are interested in another way to contribute to the cause, any purchase at ArtbyJodiArias.com is a legitimate way to support Jodi. You can also check out Jodi’s art on Instagram @ArtbyJodiArias.

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And Remember folks… as I always say – each day that passes takes us one day closer to Jodi’s release date.

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SJ
Team Jodi #WINNING <<<

Click the banner below to read Jade’s post – “Justice Denied: Why The Jurors Got It Wrong & How The Facts Decimate The State’s Case Against Jodi Arias.”:

Fine Feral Felines (Foreword by Jodi Arias)

Recently, I read what was probably the most adorable article the Associated Press has ever published and I wanted to share it with you.

Have you ever been asked, “Are you a dog person or a cat person?” as though you were expected to draw a line and pick a side? I always answer “Both” to that silly question. I love animals. Yet I always had cats growing up and therefore have a special affinity for them.

I found this article on my tablet’s news app, which I rarely open because I’m intentional about consuming very little news. I loved it, and was also delighted that the Mexican presidential palace’s official veterinarian’s name is Jesús Arias. (Hey, cousin!)

By the way, the nonprofit Alley Cat Rescue has a TNR program (trap-neuter-release) for feral cats which helps humanely control their populations. Feral-cat communities can thrive and be healthy absent an overabundance of hungry kittens to feed. Consider donating to saveacat.org to help this organization continue its work on behalf of the world’s fine feral felines.

I hope you enjoy this article as much as I did.

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A new declaration in Mexico gives 19 cats roaming the presidential palace food and care fur-ever

Coco nibbles on a blade of grass in a National Palace courtyard, in Mexico City, Thursday, March 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)

BY MEGAN JANETSKY

MEXICO CITY (AP) — They prowl through palace gardens stalking pigeons and make cameos on televised press briefings. Some greet tourists at the doors, while others take a sneaky lick of ice cream from staff.

Nineteen feral cats have free rein of Mexico’s National Palace, long roaming the lush gardens and historic colonial halls of the most iconic buildings in the country.

“They have access to every part of the palace, so they walk in on meetings, interviews and wander onto camera,” said Jesús Arias, the palace veterinarian, as a handful of feline friends brush against his ankles.

Veterinarian Jesus Arias greets Ollin in one a National Palace courtyard, in Mexico City, Thursday, March 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)

Now, the palace cats have made hiss-tory after the government of Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador declared them to be “living fixed assets,” the first animals in Mexico to receive the title.

The investment term “fixed assets” usually applies to buildings and furniture, but by applying it to cats, López Obrador’s government has obligated the country’s Treasury to give them food and care for them for the rest of their lives, even after the leader leaves office in October.

“The cats are now a symbol of the National Palace. Just as we understand this world, I wouldn’t understand the National Palace without the presence of these cats,” said Adriana Castillo Román, general director of the National Palace and Cultural Heritage Conservancy. “We have to make sure the cats are taken care of.”

Nestled in the heart of Mexico City, the presidential palace has long been the seat of Mexico’s executive branch. Now the residence of López Obrador, it is built upon the former palace of Indigenous Emperor Moctezuma. Ironically, Moctezuma’s ancient Aztec culture honored not cats, but hairless dogs known as Xoloitzcuintle, who were even buried with their masters.

But these days, López Obrador is accompanied by Bowie, Bellof, Nube, Coco, Yema, Ollin, Balam and more, who seem to have found a purr-fect home in the building. López Obrador himself has said the cats “dominate” the palace and often walk in front of him during official ceremonies.

Some are named after artists, like an orange tabby “Bowie” named after the rockstar David Bowie, who visited the palace 1997 to see the famous mural by Mexican painter Diego Rivera. Others are named after native rocks or words in the region’s ancient Aztec language, like Ollin, which means “movement.”

Staff say they remember the feral cats living among the cacti and dense brush of the gardens as far back as 50 years ago.

But it’s unclear when they first appeared or how they even got into the building. While 19 live in the building full time, many more come and go, and staff suspect they slip under a small crack in the palace gate by night.

One cat named Zeus, who has since passed away, even became famous in July when he meandered into the president’s morning press briefing. The gray cat stood in front of cameras and wandered among reporters until palace staff had to carry him off.

A feral cat living on National Palace grounds takes a lick of ice cream, in Mexico City, Thursday, March 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)

To avoid a cat-astrophe, Castillo said the government had to ask reporters to stop feeding Zeus because he would spend his days accepting treats from different people around the palace and was “getting really fat”.

When López Obrador first took office in 2018, Castillo said the palace pets were being fed quietly by employees.

“Some employees that like cats would bring them leftovers from home and, every once in a while, canned food or rice and soup,” Castillo said.

Palace staff worked with vets from the National Autonomous University of Mexico to vaccinate, sterilize and chip the cats, and build them little cat homes and feeding stations around the garden. They also hired Arias to take care of them on a permanent basis and give them a good life.

Neither Bowie, Coco or Ollin commented when asked how they feel about being “living fixed assets.” Coco swished his tail, while Ollin stretched out below a palace pillar and fell asleep.

“Meow,” responded Nube, a gray cat named after the Spanish word for “cloud” who enjoys greeting visitors at the door of the palace.

Cats rest in a National Palace garden in Mexico City, Thursday, March 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)

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ArtByJodiArias.com – UPDATE

Jodi’s personal efforts to raise money for her appeals continue through the production of her art, which is sold at ArtbyJodiArias.com. Her art admin supports her efforts by running this “side hustle” of sorts on her behalf and taking none of the funds. The time and effort he devotes to this process (filing the taxes, trips to the post office every week to ship art) are an invaluable contribution.

If you are interested in another way to contribute to the cause, any purchase at ArtbyJodiArias.com is a legitimate way to support Jodi. You can also check out Jodi’s art on Instagram @ArtbyJodiArias.

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And Remember folks… as I always say – each day that passes takes us one day closer to Jodi’s release date.

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SJ
Team Jodi #WINNING <<<

Click the banner below to read Jade’s post – “Justice Denied: Why The Jurors Got It Wrong & How The Facts Decimate The State’s Case Against Jodi Arias.”: