The Jodi Arias sentencing retrial went into overtime on Thursday as the defense team portrayed the convicted murderer as a victim of emotional and physical abuse.

According to a News 12 report, day 20 of the high profile retrial started early and ended late, before releasing the jury for a two week Christmas break.

Psychologist and defense witness Dr. Robert Geffner was called to the stand for the fourth day in a row to testify about the abuse that Arias endured in past relationships. Arias' legal team strategically kept the doctor on the stand to prevent him from being cross-examined by prosecutors so the jury will think about his testimony during their holiday break.

While on the stand, Dr. Geffner discussed Arias' journal entries and email and text message exchanges she had with Alexander.

"I'm very sorry for all the pain we've caused each other. Most of it is my fault. I never meant to hurt you," one text message Arias wrote to Alexander says reports CBS 5.

The Arias defense team is also hoping to convince the jury that the 34-year-old former California waitress was a victim of abuse who suffered from a personality disorder.

"They are trying to get compassion for Jodi," Jen Wood said. "They do want the jurors to be sympathetic to her because she was in an abusive relationship. What they are trying to do is translate this to the jury, that Jodi is a victim of Travis Alexander."

Although Arias was found guilty of first-degree murder in Alexander's death back in May, jurors in her first trial failed to reach a unanimous decision on her sentencing. As a result, the retrial will determine whether she should be sentenced to death, life in prison or life with a chance of release after serving 25 years.

According to medical examiners, Arias stabbed Alexander 27 times, primarily in the back, torso and heart in his Phoenix home. She also slit Alexander's throat from ear to ear, nearly decapitating him and shot him in the face before she dragged his bloodied corpse to the shower and took pictures of him.

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