Jodi Arias trial update today hln:  Travis Alexander's brother took to Facebook to announce that the next hearing date at the Jodi Arias retrial is scheduled for January 3, while the trial is set to start in mid-February.

Jodi Arias will be sentenced for the 2008 murder of her former boyfriend Travis Alexander in February 2014.

Steven Alexander posted on the Facebook page "Justice for Travis Alexander, "Letting everybody know, the trial isn't due to start until mid-February. We believe this is a tactic to try and get us to throw in the towel. We will not! I say again it won't happen. Our family will come together and see it through until it is finished. There is a monster that haunts us, but once the correct sentence is given, it's her who will be haunted until the most the most humane punishment comes to her. Nothing compared to the sentence she gave to a good man. Anyhow, the entire Alexander family thanks all of you. Thank you for having our backs."

Judge Sherry Stephens ruled that the the sentencing phase of the retrial will remain in Phoenix. This is the second time the Jodi Arias a judge denied a defense motion to move the case because of intense publicity. Judge Sherry Stephens said Arias failed to meet the burden showing media coverage of her case will inhibit her ability to get an impartial jury and a fair trial.

The judge also rule that there will be no live television coverage of Jodi Arias' penalty phase retrial. In spite of defense arguments that intense publicity will make it difficult to find impartial jurors.

In May, Jodi Arias was convicted of the grisly 2008 murder of her ex-boyfriend, Travis Alexander. The former waitress and budding photographer stabbed him 27 times, shot him in the face and cut his throat from ear to ear with such force she almost took his head off. Jodi Arias said she did it in self-defense. She claimed Travis Alexander had a violent outburst while they were shooting a nude video and she dropped his camera. The jury found her guilty but couldn't decide whether to sentence her to life in prison or give her the death penalty

In her ruling Friday, Judge Stephens wrote "The court expects there will be significantly less media coverage of the case during the retrial of the penalty phase." Stephen also banned the use of all electronic devices inside the courtroom. Reporters covering the Jodi Arias trial won't be able to use Twitter.

Arias' lawyers wanted the retrial moved out of the Phoenix metropolitan area because of excessive publicity, but Stephens ruled the move wasn't necessary as she plans to summon 400 prospective jurors, saying "Jurors with preconceived notions about the appropriate sentence will be excused."

Under Arizona law, Jodi Arias' murder conviction stands, but prosecutors can pursue a death sentence in the penalty phase with a new jury. If the second jury fails to reach a verdict, the death penalty would be removed as an option. Judge Stephens would then sentence Jodi Arias to either spend her entire life behind bars or be eligible for release after 25 years.

Jodi Arias alleged that Alexander had a history of domestic abuse and was particularly sadistic with her. The jury rejected her allegations but couldn't decide whether the she should get the death penalty or be sentenced to life in prison. Arias made public statements that she preferred death to life in a cage, but balked when she realized what that would do to her family. Her guilty verdict still stands as the defense and prosecution prepare for the new phase in the trial that will determine whether prosecutors will still go after the death penalty for Arias.

Jodi Arias, who was convicted of murdering her ex-boyfriend, Travis Alexander, says her former cellmate was lying when she said Arias threatened to have the prosecutor's throat cut.

Jodi Arias' cellmate claims that the convicted murderer said she wanted to give the prosecutor a "Mafia Bowtie," slang for cutting his throat. Jodi Arias was convicted of cutting the throat of Travis Alexander. Jodi Arias says her former cellmate's claims are lies.

Jodi Arias regularly posts to Twitter even though she is locked up in the Estrella jail in Maricopa County. Jodi Arias responded to her cellmate Cassandra Collins's claims that she made during her interview with Troy Hayden at FOX 10.

Arias tweeted "Really, @troyhaydenfox10 ??? A woman who was found by the court to be incompetent to stand trial?"

In the interview Collins claimed that Arias threatened Juan Martinez before she was convicted of first-degree murder. Talking about Arias, Collins said "She said that if she was given the death sentence ... she wanted to get her revenge... she knows inmates on the outs to do a mafia bow tie.. yeah. Cut his throat."

Arias responded "You conveniently failed to mention that - way to mislead your viewers."

Collins also said Arias was deluded about the prosecutor. She said "She asked me questions like why doesn't Juan Martinez love me? And I'm like, love you? He's your prosecutor.. he's there to prosecute you for a crime.. and I'm like why doesn't he love you?"

Collins asserted that she wasn't joking and that she was concerned with Martinez' safety. She said "Yeah.. she was serious.. why doesn't Juan Martinez love me? She's out of her freakin' mind. He need to get good security staff around him to make sure she can't get anybody on the outs to solicit something.. to harm him or to hurt him... She's very dangerous.. very dangerous."

Collins went on to say that Arias tried to "manipulate" other inmates into believing her side of the story. Collins said all the cellmates had signs reading, "Jodi is innocent" and "Free Jodi" when she visited her jail area in January.

The Maricopa County Attorney's Office told said it was looking into Arias' cellmate's claims.