event, it alters the manner in which they interpret the information they re receiving. reporter: in any of this sounds particular, it s because hysterical amnesia was a key topic in the jodi arias trial. she stabled her boyfriend by stabbing him 30 times and shooting him in the face. yet she says she doesn t remember doing any of that. do you have any memories of slashing mr. alexander s throat? no. reporter: the jury didn t buy it, and found her guilty of murder. james holmes, accused of shooting up a movie theater last year, may also have experienced amnesia. he says he doesn t remember killing 12 and wounding 58 and asked his jailers why he was behind bars. last month, he pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. and remember staff sergeant robert bails the u.s. soldier accused of killing 16 afghan civilians last year? he claimed at first he didn t remember the rampage. then later admitted to it. it s really a defense mechanism so that the person doesn t experience firstha
call amnesia, witness root testified about this. because of the high stress event, it alters the manner in which they interpret the information they re receiving. reporter: in any of this sounds particular, it s because hysterical amnesia was a key topic in the jodi arias trial. she stabled her boyfriend by stabbing him 30 times and shooting him in the face. yet she says she doesn t remember doing any of that. do you have any memories of slashing mr. alexander s throat? no. reporter: the jury didn t buy it, and found her guilty of murder. james holmes, accused of shooting up a movie theater last year, may also have experienced amnesia. he says he doesn t remember killing 12 and wounding 58 and asked his jailers why he was behind bars. last month, he pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.
she couldn t kill the american justice system. reporter: after the verdict, arias gave this exclusive interview to ksav from jail and has been placed on suicide watch. the worst outcome for me would be natural life. i would much rather die sooner than later. longevity runs in my family, and i don t want to spend the rest of my natural life in one place. reporter: 38 witnesses testified during the four-month trial, including arias, who spent an unbelievable 18 days on the stand. i don t remember. reporter: she tried convincing the jury she killed alexander in self-defense, stabbing him 27 times and shooting him in the head. but arias told police three different versions of what happened back in 2008. i can t really explain why my mind did what it did. reporter: arias claims she was abused by alexander. she simply snapped. reporter: but the jury didn t buy it, and neither did the victim s family. we d rather have travis back, but we can t have travis back. with that