PHOENIX (AP) - The judge in Jodi Arias' murder case on Thursday denied a defense motion to order jurors sequestered for the remainder of the trial during a bizarre week when one panelist was removed and videos emerged of Arias' parents telling authorities she has mental problems.
Defense attorney Kirk Nurmi sought the sequestration after noting the release of the footage and parts of Arias' journal to the media, explaining it could bias the jury.
"This case must be tried in the courtroom not in the media," Nurmi told the judge.
He said that despite daily admonitions from the judge to the jury not to follow media coverage of the trial, some on the panel are likely doing it anyway, calling it an "absolute fiction" to believe they are not.
Judge Sherry Stephens denied the motion then admonished the jury again on Thursday to avoid all media coverage of the trial.
The move comes during a week when one juror was removed from the panel for making statements the defense claimed called into question her impartiality.