A judge on Tuesday ordered jurors in the Jodi Arias case to keep deliberating after her lawyers said the panel had reached an impasse on whether to sentence her to death or life in prison for killing her lover in 2008. Arias, now 34, was convicted of first-degree murder in 2013 after a lengthy trial that became a sensation with its tawdry revelations about her relationship with victim Travis Alexander. That jury deadlocked on her punishment. Authorities said Alexander, 30, was found dead in the shower of his Mesa home after Arias shot him in the forehead and slit his throat so deeply that he was nearly decapitated.Jury reached an impasse after 17 hours deliberation over four daysJudge Sherry Stephens told the panel to keep going on TuesdayIf there is no unanimous decision, judge will sentence Arias to life in prison and will decide if she has the possibility of parole in 25 yearsArias' attorney pleaded for her life during closing argumentsThey said she was emotionally abused and sexually used by former boyfriend Travis AlexanderProsecutor called Arias a liar who was trying to trick jury into believing she was the real victimShe was convicted of murdering Alexander, who was stabbed 30 times, slit in the throat, and shot in the forehead , in 2008
_ told them that she didn't intend to force a verdict and said in her instructions that jurors shouldn't weigh evidence based on the views of other jurors.