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Lori Vallow Trial: Jodi Arias' ex-defense attorney weighs in on trial proceedings
Jurors in the trial of the so-called 'Doomsday Mom' took a day off on April 21, after days of testimony from 26 people, including members of law enforcement. FOX 10 Investigator Justin Lum spoke with a lawyer who once defended Jodi Arias, who weighed in on the trial so far.
PHOENIX - On April 21, members of the jury in the Lori Vallow trial got a day off to recharge, after 13 days of trial proceedings.
Vallow, also known as the so-called "Doomsday Mom," is accused of killing two of her children, after she moved them from Arizona to Idaho. Her trial is taking place four hours away from Fremont County, where the bodies of 7-year-old JJ Vallow and 16-year-old Tylee Ryan were found in 2020. The judge on the case decided in order to find a fair and impartial jury, the trial venue should be moved to Boise in Ada County, the largest county in Idaho with about 25% of the state’s population living there.
So far, prosecutors have called on 26 witnesses, many of whom have been law enforcement, and it appears testimonies have been moving along swiftly.
Prosecutors with the State of Idaho are trying to convince a jury that Vallow not only killed JJ and Tylee, but conspired to murder them and Tammy Daybell, who was the wife of Chad Daybell at the time of her death. Chad and Vallow got married in November of 2019, after Tammy's death.
Vallow and Chad's trials are separate. Investigators say the thwe used their religious beliefs to justify the murders, and money was motive for them: specifically, life insurance payouts and Social Security benefits.
During Vallow’s trial, not much cross examination from defense attorneys took place.
Jodi Arias' ex-attorney weighs in
Kirk Nurmi, the former defense attorney for Jodi Arias, said from a media perspective, there are similarities between Vallow and Arias, in regards to how long it took for them to stand trial since their initial arrests.
With Arias, her case started with a gruesome murder, as she was accused of, and then convicted of, killing her ex-boyfriend Travis Alexander in 2008. Arias is spending life in prison for the murder. For Vallow, her case stemmed from the disappearance of JJ and Tylee.
Nurmi said he believes the defense will try to pin the murders on Vallow’s alleged co-conspirators, Chad and her late brother, Alex Cox.
"You can't change the cards you’re dealt, right? You have to do the best you can. I think what they're doing, in terms of what a cross-examination they're going to do, is related to extracting Lori from this, as opposed to attacking every bit of evidence," said Nurmi.
The Vallow trial is back in session on Monday, April 24.
For all previous and extensive coverage on this case, visit https://fox10phoenix.com/vallow + watch the in-depth special here.