L. Kirk NurmiTrapped with Ms. Arias: Part 1 of 3 From Getting the File to Being Ready for Trial

I wasn't even aware that Nurms had published a book, did you?? I knew that Juan Martinez had a book in the works, but Nurmi's book was a surprise. And, as expected, Amazon's book rating is a measly 3 stars. With 160 reviews, 30% are 5 star reviews, 30% are 1 star reviews...and the remaining 40 percent: 18% 4 stars, 12% 3 stars and 10% 2 stars. It is my habit to read the top rated positive review, then read a sampling of the 1 star reviews, and finally to download the "sample" before I purchase a digital edition. The only paper editions I own anymore are reference books or books that I KNOW I will read again many times. (I'm no tree-killer!) As expected, the 1 Star reviews were pretty harsh...some comments were TRUE, for example, he typed 2103 instead of 2013, and used "Visa-vers" instead of vice-versa...but, that's getting pretty damned picky IMHO, and something so minor that it is nothing that REALLY undermines the books content (like SOME books that I've attempted to read!) Perhaps because I'm married to an attorney or perhaps because I'm so interested in the judicial process, I understand a LOT of what Nurmi did during the trial. This book helped me to better understand JUST HOW DIFFICULT it was to defend Arias!The book, "Trapped with Ms Arias-part 1 of 3", has a set of golden handcuffs on the cover. In the first chapter of the book, he not only addresses some of his own personal history, but also explains the imagery on the cover. In all candor, what I saw of Nurmi in (especially) the first phase of the trial, truly disgusted me. He was fat, slovenly, unkempt and, most disgusting...had a tendency to pick his nose. (UGH!!). But, within the covers of this book is a thoughtful, perceptive and compassionate man who, bottom line, was just doing his JOB..a VERY DIFFICULT job with a VERY DIFFICULT client whose self-destructive tendencies came close to tanking her own defense many times. But, within the pages of his book, you will find an entirely different man. He is intelligent, observant, a keen analyst and, of course, a man with enough experience in a court room to know when he should and shouldn't call "bulls***"! He reveals some of the issues he had with Our Mistress of Malevolent Murder. At one point in the trial, he said "9 days out of 10, I dont like JA"...here, we discover the the poor man could only tolerate her on Day 10, because he somehow managed to wipe her from his mind on that one peaceful day! He reveals a lot of "what he truly thought" and, considering that he he is not only an attorney, but HER attorney, he was very candid, and the pages are full of honest emotions and candor. Generally, attorneys are VERY tight-lipped, a ours EVERYTHING, it seems, but ESPECIALLY their pesky clients. It is very rare for an attorney to "act out". The only aberration that I'm able to remember is Cheney "Middle Finger" Mason, who let his emotions overrule not just his successful 45 year career but also his common sense! If you Google his name, you will find 5 photos populate the screen. The photo front and center, is the image of Mason flipping off the world, proving that a fat bank account doesn't necessarily mean you have class!). I found Nurmi's open honesty refreshing! Because of client confidentially, he cannot give us every answer to every question...but he answers quite a few questions that WE were asking each other during the trial like "WHY IS SANDY ARIAS NOT TESTIFYING FOR THE DEFENSE?" And "WHAT KIND OF MOTHER DOESN'T HELP HER CHILD!" As well as a wealth of other questions...and, no, I'm NOT going to "spoil" it for you!I have read EVERY book that Amazon has available where Arias is the topic, and by FAR, in my opinion, THIS IS THE BEST. (And VERY SURPRISING, because I was SURE I disliked NumbNums as much (or more) than he disliked the Inmate!)I found in every chapter an even handed assessment. No, he never thought the Inmate was "not guilty"...his one and only focus was to "keep her off death row"...and that's what he did! As far as he is concerned, he had a "win", because he DID keep her off of Death Row...we've ALL heard "the defense needs only one juror" (#17 was that juror, and like him or not, NURMI was Lead Attorney!). To those who criticize that "he took all the credit for the win" ...ok, so what? It happens all the time. The sous-chef doesn't get credit for a great meal, the Chef does...the equipment manager doesn't get credit for winning the big game, and the typist who spent all night typing the contract doesn't get credit for the big sale...yet, each did their part, each was a part of The Team.I have a few more things to say...but, I will finish reading the book and then recap all of it. In the meantime, if you are open to a book to escape into over Christmas holidays, or something to occupy a long airline flight, or just something to keep you from whacking your mother...I recommend this one highly. (You just may find out how defense attorneys think, why they make certain decisions, and you just may decide that "Nurmi Isnt a bad lawyer!" In fact...(not that I would ever expect to do so, BUT) if I found myself staying in Sheriff Arpai's Bed & Breakfast, for something as insane as a CAPITAL OFFENSE...I would not only BEG Nurmi to take my case, but, I would "pinky swear" that I would follow EVERY SINGLE instruction and admonition he dictated!! He managed to "win" (as in "keep her off death row", not the Arias version of "win" where she is home free by Christmas with no consequences) what we all saw as an "unsinkable" case. We all know that The Inmate is devoid of empathy or gratitude..lbut, if she did....she SHOULD be thanking Nurmi every day for his work to save her miserable, self-absorbed hide!A note to Kurt..before you publish book 2 or 3...I volunteer to read the next book and correct the minor typos, punctuation and awkward syntax in exchange for the pleasure and honor of proofreading your next book. (Isn't being an author better than being the Inmate's attorney?). Wishing you the best of success in the future, Kurt!. I sincerely hope these volumes are part the healing, the catharsis, the vehicle you need to accomplish your life goals. (Popular or not, to make our democracy work, we need defense attorneys to litigate The Boston Masacre and the Travis Alexander Murder. Thank you for doing your part in preserving the constitutional rights of the accused.

After reading many books on this trial and following it intently, I am very happy that I kept an open mind when reading Mr. Nurmi's side of the story. It was well worth it. I found that Mr. Nurmi truly is a fine litigator and strategist. It also gave me some insights and validation as to what I had suspected all along, i.e., Jodi Arias calling the shots and manipulating a lot of things behind the scenes. Given this added struggle in managing this defense case, I do give Mr. Nurmi much credit for making it through in one piece.I did appreciate Mr. Nurmi's perspective in that trial watchers do tend to vilify the defense teams on sensationalized trials like this one. His points were well taken in many respects.He is also correct in pointing out that defense attorneys are not often applauded for their legal accomplishments in light of their clients being despised by a public, which often overlooks the tenants of our constitution, such as the right of the defendant to a fair trial and a rigorous defense. He rightly asserts that this does not automatically imply that defense teams are taking the 'side' of their defendant but they are giving them the representation that they are guaranteed in this country.Additionally, Nurmi voices valid concerns pertaining to our mental health system and the stigmatization of those, whom suffer serious mental illnesses. I liked his appeal to the public to help uncover these problems earlier on in the life of a child, a loved one, or a friend, in an effort to provide them with resources that may lead them down the path toward a more quality life. To his point, it certainly could avert tragedies like this one from happening.That being said, I don't agree with his take pertaining to the right of others to judge the domestic violence experts, unless you are a PhD. I think as a domestic violence survivor, I did have some pretty good insights into the process, having gone through the cycle of violence, the shelter experience, support groups and much counseling. As part of the healing journey, you hear many stories, you are educated on the dynamics of domestic violence, you do a self-examination as to the root causes of being vulnerable toward these relationships, etc. Hence, I would argue in fact that afterwards you can more easily pinpoint abusive behaviors and see red flags much earlier when you've experienced them personally. You don't necessarily need a PhD.Lundy Bancroft is one of the best and highly respected experts in the field of domestic violence but to my knowledge he doesn't have a PhD, either. It's not solely the credentials that make the difference here but rather the ability to see both sides, which was to Ms. LaViolette's detriment. She would absolutely not allow for the fact that there is always room for other possibilities or error and bias in one's perspective. That to me was her downfall...not that she wasn't qualified but that she was inflexible in her opinion. She would not even allow for the possibility that relying 100% on just Jodi's account wasn't very prudent, given Ms. Arias' history of lying or misconstruing the facts.In that regard, I also feel that while the relationship between Jodi Arias and Travis Alexander was most definitely toxic and abusive in some aspects, she seemed to be the primary aggressor. Her possessiveness, emotional blackmail, and some of the intrusive behaviors that violated Travis' privacy were absolutely not OK. I was deeply offended by her double-entendre of using the "survivor" shirt in her allocution, too. That was of poor taste and it showed the same immaturity and lack of empathy that her mother depicted in the courtroom by laughing and having a good time, while the Alexanders sat close by and suffered terribly.Throughout Nurmi's telling of his exposure to Ms. Arias, I do most definitely see the behaviors of the primary aggressor or abuser, such as the attitude of entitlement, the bullying, blackmail, persistence in getting their way at any cost, manipulation tactics, etc. that Travis was exposed to, as well. Contrary to Nurmi's lamentations pertaining to Dr. DeMarte, this does most certainly speak in support of her diagnosis of borderline personality disorder, as it oftentimes has its origin in childhood trauma (inclusive of sexual abuse) and problems with attachment to primary caregivers, all of which is evident in Ms. Arias' history and for that matter in Mr. Alexander's, as well.Of course, this doesn't absolve Mr. Alexander of his own commitment issues, his verbal abusiveness, or his living a hypocritical life that was not in alignment with his professed faith. It tells of the perfect storm of two people, whom both had very dysfunctional backgrounds but failed to seek the proper help to heal and learn better coping strategies. Given that Mr. Alexander probably was a traumatized, parentified child, whom had attachment issues of his own, it does render some insights into this odd back and forth behavior with Jodi. It's based on the concept of intermittent reinforcement. While Travis knew that the relationship was toxic and wasn't meant for marriage, he nonetheless probably acknowledged that Jodi had positive traits too. This resulted in him waiting for her good side to resurface after arguments and he felt that he cared enough about her that he didn't want to hurt her or have her hurt herself by pursuing legal means to protect himself. He was hoping that she would come to her senses and see that the relationship wasn't healthy for either one of them. At least, that's what held me back personally in a situation that was very similar to this one. It's a tough inner conflict to resolve and you do need outside intervention.Otherwise, I do concur with Mr. Nurmi in that the only other explanation is that the allure of the illicit, forbidden sex may have led Travis Alexander to keep it secret from his friends and the public, while outwardly pursuing the 'proper' wife long-term. It was ultimately detrimental. However, it is equally true that Jodi used that as her primary manipulative tool to keep him involved with her.In closing, I only wish that Mr. Nurmi had had some better editors for his book, as well as for his motions in court, because I had to force myself to focus on the content, not on the punctuation, grammar, or spelling errors. As a matter of fact, Mr. Nurmi is actually very eloquent and funny in his writing, which makes his personality and wit shine through. I just think it would add more to his professional image to improve this aspect of his career.

Like many I have been fascinated, in a creepy sort of way by this tragic case, I have read the account by prosecuting counsel and thought the point of view of the defence might be intriguing. Up to a point it is , the point or rather points, where it stops being interesting are the constant roadblocks of diabolical grammar and the incessant repetition of this lawyer's favourite phrase. One of these phrases is the didactic, ' You see' with which he commences many a sentence usually this phrase is entirely redundant if not there are many ways it could be replaced for example 'Let me explain' the writing is lazy.I don't know what sort of a lawyer this man is, but he ought to take a few elementary grammar lessons before taking to self publishing this work screams for an editor. He loves to write stuff like 'Myself and my team..' Myself?Instead of saying,' I couldn't care less about' something he says, often, 'I could care less". Think about it Nouri.Then there are the strange chapters interspersed here and there telling us what the next chapters are going to be about this must be some relic of his law training it is very odd in a book.As others have commented he is annoying in that he keeps mentioning what is going to happen in further books, have these been written? If so I hope he got a proof reader.It is not all bad, if you can brace yourself against the appalling writing, it is interesting to finds out what it was like dealing with Jodi Arias. Incidentally he, as a point of pride ,refers her as Ms Arias all the time this is tedious if he can't call her Jodi for a change he could call her the defendant, the accused, or even Arias.I am a law graduate so I did not mind the acres of legal terminolgy and practice others mind find all the 'motions' and so on get on their nerves.As I said I can't rate this guy as a lawyer but his oppo Juan Martinez is a much much better writer

I suppose, like many others, I was fascinated by the Arias case, not so much because of the salacious details or the violent nature of the crime, but because of the strongly diametrically opposed views held about the accused, and the media circus that both fed and fed off these opinions. Having watched some of the trial footage, I was struck by the courtroom theatrics engaged in by the lawyers on both sides, and decided I wanted to find out more. Having read prosecutor Juan Martinez’s book, I thought I’d read Kirk Nurmi’s take on events.This book (advertised continually throughout the text as being the first in a trilogy) is ultimately a frustrating read, and seems to be acting largely as a teaser for subsequent volumes. Nurmi took a great deal of flack for defending Arias, and he goes to great pains - at considerable length - to justify and defend his role. He admits that he did not like his client, but he was rightly adamant that she should get a fair hearing. However Nurmi seems with the benefit of hindsight to be setting the scene for the defence’s inadequacies as though he had been aware of them at the time. Perhaps he was, but there seems to be a sense that the reader is being set up to understand where the blame lies when eventually we get to discover the inside story of the trial. Of course, it’s a moot point, since the subsequent promised volumes have not appeared. I know Nurmi has been ill, so perhaps that explains the delay; or perhaps he is legally unable to proceed as Arias issued a civil lawsuit against him following this first volume. Whatever the case, as it stands, this is a frustrating book.Not having a legal background myself, I cannot comment on Nurmi as a lawyer; however as a writer, he leaves much to be desired. His style is inconsistent and, as his command of grammar is often vague, it can be difficult to make sense of some of his sentences. Words are used incorrectly - and no, this is not a British/US English issue - and the informal style ( I can imagine some parts being dictated whilst negotiating a tricky traffic junction) makes this book a somewhat clunky read.That said, should the subsequent promised volumes appear, I will probably buy them, but in the hope that his style has settled down (perhaps through the benefits of an editor) and that he has concentrated on the facts rather than on self-justification.

I really don't like the way this is written. It just seems constantly repetitive, very badly written and a somewhat self ego rub from the Author. I didn't think much of him through the trial and now i know why. As any more books are unlikely there is little point reading this, and it's content is just tiring to be honest

An excellent portrayal of the case from the perspective of the defense lawyer and team. I have to admit that, before reading this book, I could never understand why...number 1, anyone would want to be a defense lawyer....number 2, how a defense lawyer could live with themselves! Ok, I still feel the same about number 1!! As for number 2, although ultimately I still feel the same way, I now have a totally different perspective and can certainly see it from another angle...which I could not bring myself to do previously! As compelling as Juan Martinez is....Mr Nurmi is just as compelling here! Cannot wait to read parts 2 and 3!

Would have given a 5 star rating but was a little to repetitive for my liking. Putting that aside it’s a very interesting read.