CA - Dr. Felix Polk, 70, stabbed to death, Orinda, 14 Oct 2002

[Bobbisangel]

Boy, the apple sure didn't fall far from the tree as far as Eli goes. It sounds like he is just as screwy as his mother. It sounds like they are both delusional.

That letter that Eli wrote to his mother really bothers me. I can't imagine my son ever writing a letter like that to me. If he did it would give me the creeps.
That's a letter that a guy might write to his lover that he thinks he is going to lose. I'll bet it gave the jury the chills.

I wonder if Susan really thinks that she is making positive points during the trial? She must or she would shape it up. I'll bet the judge and jury just dread each day and can't wait until the whole thing is over. If I were on the jury it might take me 15 minutes to deliberate and come to a decision. I believe that she murdered her husband. I'll bet she just went whacko when she found out that Felix was cutting back on her spousal support and she wasn't going to get to keep the house or the youngest boy.

 

[joe jones]

Even Susans own expert witnesses are now running scared,


if this was a professional atty, he/she would have been in big trouble for these kind of antics, but the judge just gives Susan so many chances,

she really needs to start to own her own courtroom and stop allowing it to be the Susan Polk Show,

 

[Bobbisangel]

Sounds sort of like Sante and Kenneth Kimes...

I'm surprised that Jackie and Lee Peterson didn't stand up in court and say something like that about Scott!!! They are so PROUD that he is their son!

 

[Bobbisangel]

Even Susans own expert witnesses are now running scared,


if this was a professional atty, he/she would have been in big trouble for these kind of antics, but the judge just gives Susan so many chances,

she really needs to start to own her own courtroom and stop allowing it to be the Susan Polk Show,

I couldn't agree with you more. Maybe the judge is just hoping that the trial is over soon. Eli was on the stand for 8 days??!! That is longer then a lead detective stays on the stand. I would think the judge could limit the length of questioning. What would they have to go over for 8 long days?

I guess that expert witness was contacted and told to get his butt back to the trial. He said he would come back but he named the date! He is ticked off at Brian Peterson the ME and at someone else. So he will probably raise holy heck on the stand. Wonder if him and Susan happen to be related!

She will be taking the stand soon and CC said that Susan plans to get up there and just tell the jury what happened. Wonder how many days she will have herself on the stand.

I don't think it should be legal for people to represent themselves in a trial. If the person was a attorney it might be alright but otherwise they just end up hanging themselves. I don't think that it is fair to the others involved in the trial. Look what the Pros and Judge are having to put up with and the poor jury. I can just picture Susan and Eli whining to the judge "he looked at me"
"he's smirking at me" "she smiled at me" "make them stop judge." Like two grade school kids.

 

[izzyB]

i have not had a chance to watch CC in the last week. did the expert from Texas ever show back up with all of his notes that had mysteriously vanished whent he judge asked for them the first time? didn't he have to go back to texas to get them?

 

[Bobbisangel]

i have not had a chance to watch CC in the last week. did the expert from Texas ever show back up with all of his notes that had mysteriously vanished whent he judge asked for them the first time? didn't he have to go back to texas to get them?

He is coming back but I can't remember when....sometime this month though and he was told to bring his notes with him. From what was said the judge asked Susan if she wants him to come back or to forget it and Susan said that she wants him to come back so the judge contacted him.

 

[LinasK]

By Bruce Gerstman

CONTRA COSTA TIMES

Posted on Wed, May. 10, 2006

MARTINEZ - The caretaker of Susan Polk's son testified for a second day Wednesday that the defendant was verbally abusive to her, despite sending cordial letters from jail.

"Is that an example of verbal abuse?" Polk asked her witness, Marjorie Briner, focusing on a thank-you note written in pencil and decorated with a sketch of a rabbit.

Briner replied that Polk would scream on the phone, "and then follow up with a very nice letter."

:laugh: By 9:30 a.m., Polk had moved twice for a mistrial, citing judicial misconduct. She moved for another just before lunch.

She turned toward the audience twice, asking the judge to admonish onlookers to stop making sighs and other noise.

If any noises had emanated from the gallery, they were barely audible.

The bailiff warned Polk at one point that he would remove her from the courtroom if she refused to stop talking moments before the jury entered.

"And I object to (the bailiff) shushing me," she said. more at link:http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/news/breaking_news/14547044.htm

 

[nanandjim]

Man, who would want to live with this woman?? She sounds like a raving lunatic!!

 

[Mira]

i think thats the point of all her histrionics. she comes across as a lunatic.

crazy like a fox...

 

[BillyGoatGruff]

She is going to get shanked if she acts this way in prison--which is exactly where she;s going, of course.

 

[LinasK]

POSTED: 9:09 pm PDT May 11, 2006


MARTINEZ -- Accusations were flung about Contra Costa County Superior Court Judge Laurel Brady's courtroom Thursday afternoon in Martinez, but little progress was made in moving Susan Polk's murder trial forward.

Polk, 48, of Orinda, stands accused of murdering her 70-year-old husband Felix Polk in 2002. Susan Polk, who is serving as her own attorney, claims she killed him in self-defense.

After Brady terminated Polk's direct examination of her youngest son's caretaker Marjorie Briner, an irate Polk recalled her middle son Eli Polk, 20, to the stand. According to Brady, prior to his testimony today, Eli Polk had been on the witness stand for almost 19 hours.

While waiting for Eli Polk to arrive, Polk accused Brady of judicial misconduct because she had cut Briner's testimony short. She accused Deputy District Attorney Paul Sequeira of a number of things, including conspiring with the judge and drawing out the trial. She also accused the court reporter of fabricating the record. She has made similar accusations almost daily since the trial began.

The judge asked Polk several times if she wanted to wait outside the courtroom for Eli Polk to arrive while Polk continued to interrupt her by reading case law aloud from a book and calling for a mistrial.

Shortly after his mother began questioning him, Eli Polk testified that Briner, a middle-school teacher, was "controlling and a liar." He went on to say, "But that doesn't seem to be much of a problem, people coming up here and lying." He then accused Brady and Sequeira of lying as well.

A few minutes later, Eli Polk looked at Sequeira and said, "I can't believe this is funny to you." He said that the trial was being turned into a spectacle.

A little later on, Eli Polk turned to the audience and accused them of smiling and laughing. more at link:http://www.ktvu.com/news/9203688/detail.html

 

[kato]

POSTED: 9:09 pm PDT May 11, 2006


MARTINEZ -- Accusations were flung about Contra Costa County Superior Court Judge Laurel Brady's courtroom Thursday afternoon in Martinez, but little progress was made in moving Susan Polk's murder trial forward.

Polk, 48, of Orinda, stands accused of murdering her 70-year-old husband Felix Polk in 2002. Susan Polk, who is serving as her own attorney, claims she killed him in self-defense.

After Brady terminated Polk's direct examination of her youngest son's caretaker Marjorie Briner, an irate Polk recalled her middle son Eli Polk, 20, to the stand. According to Brady, prior to his testimony today, Eli Polk had been on the witness stand for almost 19 hours.

While waiting for Eli Polk to arrive, Polk accused Brady of judicial misconduct because she had cut Briner's testimony short. She accused Deputy District Attorney Paul Sequeira of a number of things, including conspiring with the judge and drawing out the trial. She also accused the court reporter of fabricating the record. She has made similar accusations almost daily since the trial began.

The judge asked Polk several times if she wanted to wait outside the courtroom for Eli Polk to arrive while Polk continued to interrupt her by reading case law aloud from a book and calling for a mistrial.

Shortly after his mother began questioning him, Eli Polk testified that Briner, a middle-school teacher, was "controlling and a liar." He went on to say, "But that doesn't seem to be much of a problem, people coming up here and lying." He then accused Brady and Sequeira of lying as well.

A few minutes later, Eli Polk looked at Sequeira and said, "I can't believe this is funny to you." He said that the trial was being turned into a spectacle.

A little later on, Eli Polk turned to the audience and accused them of smiling and laughing. more at link:http://www.ktvu.com/news/9203688/detail.html

Eli is beginning to sound like a paranoid chip off the old block.

 

[Bobbisangel]

Eli is beginning to sound like a paranoid chip off the old block.

Can you imagine sitting in that courtroom every day? He is just as sick as his mother. They are both seeing and hearing things. I can just imagine what the jury is thinking. Boy, it sure would be tough to go home and not discuss this trial with a spouse! If someone that attended the trial writes a book when it is over I will have to read it. I wonder how near to being done Susan it? Oh that's right...she has to take the stand yet :razz:

 

[Moe]

Could be wrong, but I think I've heard that Catherine Crier is writing a book. She made a comment on her show about the trial I found very interesting. She thinks the jury will definitely think Polk is bonkers, and she'll end up with a manslaughter conviction. Just food for thought, who knows this trial really is a circus.

 

[BillyGoatGruff]

Judging from the results--his wife/patient of 30 years--i'd say the late Dr. Polk sucked big time at his profession.

 

[chicoliving]

Judging from the results--his wife/patient of 30 years--i'd say the late Dr. Polk sucked big time at his profession.

LOL Excellent observation!! :dance:

 

[izzyB]

Could be wrong, but I think I've heard that Catherine Crier is writing a book. She made a comment on her show about the trial I found very interesting. She thinks the jury will definitely think Polk is bonkers, and she'll end up with a manslaughter conviction. Just food for thought, who knows this trial really is a circus.

yes, CC has mentioned on her show several times that she is writing a book on this case. there were some minor errors in the book she wrote on scott peterson, but she still had a lot of good info, and i for one am hoping the book on the polk case will be another best-seller. i will buy it for sure.

 

[LinasK]

Henry K. Lee, Chronicle Staff Writer

Wednesday, May 17, 2006

Susan Polk got down on the floor of the courtroom during her murder trial Tuesday to demonstrate how she overcame an alleged attack by her husband and stabbed him.


On Tuesday, some spectators craned their necks as Polk lay on the floor, recounting how she disarmed her husband of a knife and used the weapon on him. She also drew stick figures on an easel and alluded to the game of chess as she elicited testimony from her witness, retired pathologist Dr. John Cooper, showing it was plausible that a smaller woman could successfully defend herself against a larger man, much as someone with fewer pieces on a chess board could eventually catch up to the opponent. more at link:
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/05/17/BAG6EIT4Q81.DTL

 

[Bobbisangel]

Could be wrong, but I think I've heard that Catherine Crier is writing a book. She made a comment on her show about the trial I found very interesting. She thinks the jury will definitely think Polk is bonkers, and she'll end up with a manslaughter conviction. Just food for thought, who knows this trial really is a circus.

I respect CC but she hasn't attended the trial. Anything that she might write would be things she has been told by others. I want to read a book written by someone who was there everyday. I wouldn't even care if it was someone from here or over on the CTV board!! I just want the real scoop

 

[Bobbisangel]

Now Susan has her middle son Adam back on the stand. Why? I just have no idea. He has told her several times today that he believes she is insane and needs to go to prison. She will start out speaking decently but as soon as Adam disagrees with her she is on him like a pitbull.

She must be finished with her story or Adam wouldn't be on the stand. Did the Pros question her or did he just let it go....anyone know? I would imagine the fireworks flew if he questioned her.

I wonder how much more she has to go. I will be surprised if the jury gives her manslaughter. She may be crazy but she knew exactly what she was doing. Her story might have been more believable if she had left out everything that Felix was supposed to be involved in. Some of it was just to bizarre. That household must have been something else to grow up in.