Jury reaches verdict in Jodi Arias trial - CNN

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• A verdict has been reached in the high-profile Jodi Arias trial
• Defense attorney: Arias stabbed and shot ex-boyfriend Travis Alexander to death in self-defense
• Prosecutor: "She slit his throat as a reward for being a good man"
• If jury convicts Arias of first-degree murder, they'll decide whether to impose the death penalty

(CNN) -- After months of twists and turns in a dramatic trial rife with sex, lies and digital images, jurors in Arizona have decided the fate of Jodi Arias.
A verdict was reached Wednesday in the case that has drawn worldwide attention and followers lining up daily for courtroom seats. The verdict is expected to be announced at 4:30 p.m. ET.
Since Friday, jurors have been deliberating evidence surrounding this key question: Did Arias kill ex-boyfriendTravis Alexander in self-defense? Or did she commit murder?
Alexander was stabbed repeatedly, shot and nearly decapitated five years ago. Arias says she killed him in self-defense after he attacked her, but the grisly slaying has caused even some anti-domestic violence advocates to doubt her case.

Jodi Arias and Travis Alexander met in 2006 at a business convention in Las Vegas. Alexander's bloodied body was found in his Mesa, Arizona, home in June 2008, and Arias was arrested in his stabbing death. The trial that has ensued has taken many turns and revealed a story of sex and violence.

Soon after their first meeting, Alexander baptized Arias into the Mormon faith, a ceremony that was followed by anal sex, according to Arias' testimony.

Arias says that the pair broke up in 2007 and Alexander began seeing other women though they continued to hang out on occasion.

Alexander's body was found with 27 stab wounds in the back and torso, a shot in the head and his throat slit from ear to ear. Arias was charged with murder, at first denying the claims and later admitting she killed him in self-defense.

Defense attorney Jennifer Willmott said that Arias dropped Alexander's new camera on the day of his death, and he became violent. Willmott claims that it would be Arias' body found dead had she not acted in self-defense.

Arias' defense team says that she was the victim of a controlling, psychologically abusive relationship and was considered by Alexander as a "dirty little secret."

Arias faces the possibility of being convicted of first-degree murder, which could lead to at least 25 years in prison or the death penalty, or second-degree murder, with a 10- to 22-year jail sentence. Arias could be found not guilty because she acted in self-defense, deeming her actions reasonable.

Photos: The Jodi Arias trial

2008: What Jodi Arias said after arrest

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The jury, which has been in court since January 2, heard closing arguments on Friday.
If they convict Arias of first-degree murder, they then will have to decide whether she lives or dies.
Catch up quickly on the Arias trial
The trial began as both sides dramatically presented their arguments with details about Arias' love affair with Alexander.
"She rewarded that love from Travis Alexander by sticking a knife in his chest," prosecutor Juan Martinez said in his opening statement. "And you know he was a good man, according to her. And with regard to being a good man, well, she slit his throat as a reward for being a good man. And in terms of these blessings, well, she knocked the blessings out of him by putting a bullet in his head."
Photos: Alexander and his girlfriend
But defense attorney Jennifer Willmott countered: "Jodi Arias killed Travis Alexander. There is no question about it. The million-dollar question is what would have forced her to do it?"
Martinez has accused Arias of playing the victim. He alleges she staged the crime scene to make it look like self-defense.
He also has accused her of actively seeking to profit from her media attention.
Willmott has said Arias was the victim of a controlling, psychologically abusive relationship, and Alexander considered Arias "his dirty little secret."
Quiz: Test your legal knowledge
The prosecution has been pushing for a first-degree murder conviction. If convicted on this charge, Arias would face a mini-trial of sorts to determine whether she killed Alexander cruelly and knew he would suffer.
A first-degree murder conviction also could result in Arias' execution unless a jury grants her leniency, in which case she would get life in prison and may not be eligible for parole for at least 25 years.
If the prosecution can't prove premeditation, as is required for a first-degree murder charge, Arias could still be convicted of second-degree murder, commanding 10 to 22 years in prison. The jury can also decide that Arias killed Alexander recklessly or that he attacked her. She'd then be convicted of manslaughter.
Lastly, the jury could find her not guilty or determine that she acted in self-defense and that her actions were reasonable.
Followers of the trial have driven for hours to watch the courtroom drama in person. Spectators began lining up at 1 a.m. Friday -- more than six hours before the courthouse opened -- to get a seat, according to CNN affiliate KPHO.
Until April 25, the public was given access on a first-come, first-served basis, but the judge changed it to a lottery system for closing arguments, the station reported.
CNN's Eliott C. McLaughlin and HLN's Graham Winch contributed to this report.