(CNN) -- Jodi Arias and her legal team began fighting for her life Tuesday when a new jury heard opening arguments on whether she should receive a life or death sentence for her murder conviction. 

It's been a long legal journey for Arias, 34, whom a jury found guilty last year of first-degree murder in the gruesome killing of ex-boyfriend Travis Alexander, 30. 

This week's court proceeding in Arizona is a retrial of the penalty phase. In 2013, the same jury that convicted her became deadlocked later on whether she should be executed for the 2008 murder of Alexander, who was stabbed 29 times, shot in the face and had his neck slit from ear to ear. 

The impasse came when the jury voted 8-4 in favor of the death penalty for Arias, a source with knowledge of the jury's vote said at the time. 

"The tale of this relationship is one of infinite sadness," Arias's lawyer, Kirk Nurmi, told the jury onTuesday. "The story of this relationship is one of tragedy, friendship, spirituality, lust, passion, forbidden sex, abuse and violence." 

Nurmi said Arias went through an abusive childhood and developed a personality disorder early in life but had never committed a crime before the killing. She also suffered emotional abuse at the hands of Alexander, he said. 

She is very remorseful and is punishing herself, he said. The only appropriate sentence is life in prison, Nurmi concluded. 

The prosecutor in the case, Juan Martinez, cast doubt on Arias's feelings toward Alexander, saying "she loved him so much that after she slaughtered him she showed up at his memorial service." 
Has it been a short legal process?
t's been a long legal journey for Arias, 34, w