Jodi Arias had such a violent relationship with her mother that she struck the woman for no reason, a defense witness admitted Monday under questioning by an Arizona prosecutor.
"When [Arias] was a teenager, isn't it true that the defendant had such anger toward her mother Sandy, that she treated her like crap?" attorney Juan Martinez asked the accused murderer's psychologist.
"Yes," forensic psychologist Richard Samuels replied.
Samuels has testified Arias suffered from acute stress disorder, which developed into post-traumatic stress disorder after the 2008 killing of her ex-boyfriend, Travis Alexander.
"Isn't it true that they argued all the time?" asked Martinez.
"Yes," said Samuels.
"And isn’t it true that during that time, the defendant hit Sandy for no reason?" asked Martinez.