Martinez uses expert's own words against herBy Graham Winch
updated 7:27 PM EDT, Mon April 08, 2013
Prosecutor Juan Martinez flipped the script on domestic violence expert Alyce LaViolette Monday, when he used her own words against her.
LaViolette has testifed that Alexander's physical and sexual abuse culminated in a fight forcing Arias to kill him in self-defense.
During direct examination, LaViolette said in the clinical world 90% of communication is nonverbal. Martinez showed the jury the portion of the court's transcript where LaViolette discussed the importance of nonverbal communication.
Martinez then asked LaViolette how could she then render an accurate opinion in the Arias case if she didn't conduct interviews and mostly relied on text messages, emails, and journals in her evaluation.
Martinez said, "The question is asked why is that important to you, Ms. LaViolette. Do you see that?"
"Yes," said LaViolette.
Martinez asked, "And the answer is, 'It’s important to me because there is a saying, I don’t know if all of the world, but in the clinical world, 90% of all communication is nonverbal,' Did you say that? Yes or no?"
"Yes I did," said LaViolette.
Martinez asked, "And then there is a sentence that says, 'And that’s one of the things that we are looking at is apparently the communication between Mr. Alexander and although he says it’s okay for her to date.' And then it goes on, right?"
"Yes and it is in the context that also personal communication, face-to-face communication between Mr. Alexander and Ms. Arias," said LaViolette.
Martinez asked, "I know that is what you want to tell us but in terms of 598 [a piece of evidence], it does say, 'I don’t know if all of the world, but in the clinical world, 90% of all communication is nonverbal.' That’s what it says, right?"
"Yes," said LaViolette.
Martinez asked, "And if we are applying that to the conversation involving [another woman] and to Mr. Alexander that you told us about last Thursday, that would mean that you were 90% wrong because there was no, you were not able to look at the nonverbal communication, were you?"
"That’s quite an extrapolation Mr. Martinez," said LaViolette.
....more at linkhttp://www.hlntv.com/article/2013/04/08 ... prosecutor
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