Jodi's Tears - Real or Fake?

Jodi Arias' body language during the trial on

Tuesday, March 26, 2013
As expert witness on domestic abuse was on the stand

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzspDZUMnHY&feature=youtu.be

When the witness about domestic violence was asked if she'd been a witness for a man in a domestic violence case, Jodi Arias leaned on her head and did an arm hand block on her neck. She is doing a lot of eyeglass adjustment where she lifts her eyeglasses up and puts them back down as she did last week. This eye glass adjustment is only done when there is something going on that she really does not like seeing. Remember the timing is the tell. Also notice how full her cheeks are and how her lips are pressed indicating she's trying to keep emotions in. Notice the timing of this tell is during the expert witness on domestic abuse discussing isolating the victim. Also for the first time I'm seeing extreme fatigue. (The day following this testimony court is canceled as Jodi has a migraine so I think I was seeing the pain buildup here.)

Jodi did a pretend head rest a lot today where she pretended to rest but did not fully rest head on her upraised fist symbolizing her wish to be fighting.

When the expert witness said, “and sometimes it can be sexual abuse it does not have to be forceful,” Jodi brought her hand as if she was going to brush back her hair and scratched her ear and spent quite a long time scratching around the ear which indicates that the idea that she was sexually abused even this conversation coming up was disturbing to her and she didn't like hearing it again.  First she looked as the word sexual abuse was stated then she brought her right hand and arm across her body to scratch her left ear.

When expert witness said, “abuse can be forceful, sexual abuse can more physically forceful and violent “Jodi did a significant eyeglass adjustment holding her hand to the glasses to partially block our view of her.

This is interesting the expert witness is talking about “insidious sexual abuse” and Jodi Arias is resting her head on her upraised hand and she looks tired and rather bored on one side of her face is showing asymmetry. She has a bizarre vacant unfocused eye and a face that that is like melted wax (what I call a face with no affect or facial tension and the other side of Jodi’s face is totally different.) In fact the other side is angry with a glare at the eyes with the tightening and pulled in around the lips on that side. This means there is conflict between her neocortex and her limbic brain. She feels anger but feels she must dissociate from it.

When expert witness is talking about sexual humiliation and degradation from the abuser, Jodi shows mouth cues of sadness and distaste. Look at her mouth at 3:43 PM again very asymmetrical.  See anger on one side of the face of a real anger and Apsley disconnection on the other.

Patti Wood, MA, Certified Speaking Professional - The Body Language Expert. For more body language insights go to her website at www.PattiWood.net. Check out Patti's website for her new book "SNAP, Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language and Charisma" at www.snapfirstimpressions.com. Also check out Patti's YouTube channel at http://youtube.com/user/bodylanguageexpert.