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

[BillyGoatGruff]

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

Well, she was there in person for the first few days and has interviewed Polk, so I would say her insights into the case are probably more informed than anyone else watching from afar. I also noticed a distinct change in her attitude toward the case. At first she was leaning towards believing Polk and championing her as an abused woman, but now she views her as manipulative & largely unsympathetic, although obvivously ,mentally unbalanced. CC's attitude has shifted from concern/support to bemusement. Which is pretty much how my opinion of the case has shifted as well. It's a train wreck. I'm glad I'm not riding the train, and couldn't care less about the engineer, but it's still hard to look away.

 

[OneLostGrl]

The eldest son of murder defendant Susan Polk told jurors Friday that his mother is a "very sick" woman who will say anything to further her own interests.

"Isn't it true, Adam, that you have rewritten history and reshaped the past?" Polk asked her 23-year-old son, Adam Polk.

"No," Adam replied.

More at link
http://www.courttv.com/trials/polk/051906_ctv.html

 

[izzyB]

The eldest son of murder defendant Susan Polk told jurors Friday that his mother is a "very sick" woman who will say anything to further her own interests.

"Isn't it true, Adam, that you have rewritten history and reshaped the past?" Polk asked her 23-year-old son, Adam Polk.

"No," Adam replied.

More at link
http://www.courttv.com/trials/polk/051906_ctv.html

does the jury know that Adam is the son in law school? this should go miles for his credibility. however, by this time i think most jurors have seen that when he says his mother is very sick that he is only observing and commenting on the obvious.

 

[GrannyEdith]

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/05/21/POLK.TMP

An interesting article about us "Trial Groupies"

Granny <------- Holding up hand, "Guilty as Charged" ... hehehe

 

[yadler]

Somebody on another "Polk" board made an incisive comment: her defense is that she was a cowering, abused wife. All that the jury has to do is to parse her actions on the day of the murder. Abused women take the temperature of their husbands' mood in order to know what to expect. They look into his eyes to see danger coming. And yet, with that defense mechanizm in place, Susan Polk derided a court order, moved back into her former house, moved her husband's personal items out into the pool house and had the locks changed. That's a pretty aggressive message, not something a cowering, abused wife would ever dream of doing unless, of course, she wanted to be killed by her abuser! I sincerely hope that the jury looks at her actions that day so as to put the lie to her "abused wife" syndrome.

 

[izzyB]

Somebody on another "Polk" board made an incisive comment: her defense is that she was a cowering, abused wife. All that the jury has to do is to parse her actions on the day of the murder. Abused women take the temperature of their husbands' mood in order to know what to expect. They look into his eyes to see danger coming. And yet, with that defense mechanizm in place, Susan Polk derided a court order, moved back into her former house, moved her husband's personal items out into the pool house and had the locks changed. That's a pretty aggressive message, not something a cowering, abused wife would ever dream of doing unless, of course, she wanted to be killed by her abuser! I sincerely hope that the jury looks at her actions that day so as to put the lie to her "abused wife" syndrome.

i also believe that her demeanor during the trial will speak to that fact as well. the gal that reports to CTV....lisa sweeningham (sp) she is in the courtroom....said last week that 2 male jurors don't even look at susan anymore, so the inference is that she (susan) has lost them entirely.

i do want to be sensitive to the fact that her late husband did seduce her when she was a teenager and his patient....and that horrible violation of trust is always wrong....felix was wrong to do that! but they had a lot of years and 3 sons to work through that and it is my personal belief that during that time susan became the woman is she today. felix's fault??? maybe. deserving of murder? NO.

 

[yadler]

Do we really know that Felix did that? Are we all to "see" Felix through Susan's fevered imagination? Her whole defense is trying the dead Felix, comparing him to Hannibel Lector, seducer, unethical practitioner, hypnotist, Mossad agent, etc? I don't believe a word that comes out of her mouth, including "and," "but" and "the."
Yes, jurors are giving signals, but what we all have to concentrate on is Adam's dtermination that she be locked up in a secure environment for the rest of her days: whether she is determined to be convicted of 1st or 2nd degree murder, not to even mentioning "manslaughter."

 

[BillyGoatGruff]

Do we really know that Felix did that? Are we all to "see" Felix through Susan's fevered imagination? Her whole defense is trying the dead Felix, comparing him to Hannibel Lector, seducer, unethical practitioner, hypnotist, Mossad agent, etc? I don't believe a word that comes out of her mouth, including "and," "but" and "the."
Yes, jurors are giving signals, but what we all have to concentrate on is Adam's dtermination that she be locked up in a secure environment for the rest of her days: whether she is determined to be convicted of 1st or 2nd degree murder, not to even mentioning "manslaughter."

I think Felix did seduce her as a teenager because, to be blunt, he ended up marrying her when she was barely out of her teens. A psychiatrist marrying his patient is a big warning sign. Especially one young enough to be your daughter. And he did a lousy job making her not-crazy, if her behavior is anything to go by, which suggests that he had some kind of interest in keeping her isolated & screwed up. I think he created the instrument of his own destruction. She killed him, without a doubt, but I also think she's seriously mentally unbalanced as well.

 

[yadler]

I think Felix did seduce her as a teenager because, to be blunt, he ended up marrying her when she was barely out of her teens. A psychiatrist marrying his patient is a big warning sign. Especially one young enough to be your daughter. And he did a lousy job making her not-crazy, if her behavior is anything to go by, which suggests that he had some kind of interest in keeping her isolated & screwed up. I think he created the instrument of his own destruction. She killed him, without a doubt, but I also think she's seriously mentally unbalanced as well.

Susan was 25 when she married Felix, not "barely out of her teens." Furthermore, generally speaking, a 15 year old that needs psychological counselling, is a red flag for me. But, hearing her mother and reading about her testimony, I have to say that the apple didn't fall far from the tree.
But yes, a therapist who "sees" his patents, is problematical. But he is the ultimate here and not the perp, up for trial for his murder of his wife.

I also do not believe that Susan was isolated. Nice "fit," but it doesn't match the facts. She had her hands full (raising 3 boys) and constantly meddling in her children's lives, according to testimony. One of the sons mentioned that she had issues in each and every encounter she had that was not in her control.
She planned this murder, came back from Montana following her lawyer's call, came prepared (knife) when she entered the pool house where her poor, 70 year old, and extrememly tired husband (driving from Los Angeles) was resting, if not alseep. Those are the facts, together, of course, with 27 stab wounds onto his body.
I agree wholeheartedly with Adam's testimony re his mother. He loves her but thinks that she has to be locked up in a secure environment for the rest of her life. Who knows, if acquitted, she won't manufacture another scenario with her sons winding up dead.

 

[BillyGoatGruff]

Susan was 25 when she married Felix, not "barely out of her teens." Furthermore, generally speaking, a 15 year old that needs psychological counselling, is a red flag for me. But, hearing her mother and reading about her testimony, I have to say that the apple didn't fall far from the tree.
But yes, a therapist who "sees" his patents, is problematical. But he is the ultimate here and not the perp, up for trial for his murder of his wife.

I also do not believe that Susan was isolated. Nice "fit," but it doesn't match the facts. She had her hands full (raising 3 boys) and constantly meddling in her children's lives, according to testimony. One of the sons mentioned that she had issues in each and every encounter she had that was not in her control.
She planned this murder, came back from Montana following her lawyer's call, came prepared (knife) when she entered the pool house where her poor, 70 year old, and extrememly tired husband (driving from Los Angeles) was resting, if not alseep. Those are the facts, together, of course, with 27 stab wounds onto his body.
I agree wholeheartedly with Adam's testimony re his mother. He loves her but thinks that she has to be locked up in a secure environment for the rest of her life. Who knows, if acquitted, she won't manufacture another scenario with her sons winding up dead.

None of what you state changes the fact that Felix Polk
1) married a patient he had to know was out of her gourd if he's supposed to have been such great shakes in the headshrinking department
2) seriously failed at making her un-crazy over the course of several decades
3) married a woman young enough to be his child
4) apparently manufactured ritual sexual abuse scenarios for his sons to recite as children at lectures, etc.

As for Susan Polk's mother, she sounds like she has Alzheimers and is overwhelmed by the drama of it all more than anything else.

 

[yadler]

None of what you state changes the fact that Felix Polk
1) married a patient he had to know was out of her gourd if he's supposed to have been such great shakes in the headshrinking department
2) seriously failed at making her un-crazy over the course of several decades
3) married a woman young enough to be his child
4) apparently manufactured ritual sexual abuse scenarios for his sons to recite as children at lectures, etc.

As for Susan Polk's mother, she sounds like she has Alzheimers and is overwhelmed by the drama of it all more than anything else.

You're so right. It's the victim's fault. SP was only trying to defend herself, her sons and the nation from the Devil incarnate. She shouldn't even be on trial for murder I but, rather, bowed down to. Prayed to. Saviour Susan.

 

[oceanblueeyes]

You're so right. It's the victim's fault. SP was only trying to defend herself, her sons and the nation from the Devil incarnate. She shouldn't even be on trial for murder I but, rather, bowed down to. Prayed to. Saviour Susan.

 

[oceanblueeyes]

Do we really know that Felix did that? Are we all to "see" Felix through Susan's fevered imagination? Her whole defense is trying the dead Felix, comparing him to Hannibel Lector, seducer, unethical practitioner, hypnotist, Mossad agent, etc? I don't believe a word that comes out of her mouth, including "and," "but" and "the."
Yes, jurors are giving signals, but what we all have to concentrate on is Adam's determination that she be locked up in a secure environment for the rest of her days: whether she is determined to be convicted of 1st or 2nd degree murder, not to even mentioning "manslaughter."

That is what I too want to know. Susan's mom said Felix was furious when she accused him of that and denied it vehemently.

I am sorry, I wouldnt take Susan Polk's words as truth even if I saw her tongue being notarized. This woman embellishes, flat out lies so many times she cant even keep it straight herself.

But one thing about it she was away from him doing what she wanted to......going on trips......going to college.....he sure didn't hogtie her to become his wife when she was 25.

IMO

Ocean

 

[concernedperson]

Does anyone have a clue when this trial will be over? I know I am over her. She reminds me so much of someone close to me and they never get better. They get more outrageous.

 

[chicoliving]

Shouldn't be too much longer......there's closing arguments to look forward to :innocent:

 

[BillyGoatGruff]

You're so right. It's the victim's fault. SP was only trying to defend herself, her sons and the nation from the Devil incarnate. She shouldn't even be on trial for murder I but, rather, bowed down to. Prayed to. Saviour Susan.

Jesus Christ on a sea beach woman, can't you tell by everything I've written that I think Susan Polk is a narcissisitc sociopath? But I also think her husband, who was supposed to be trained to, you know, recognize these things, given his profession, was one too. Just because someone is the victim of a murder/crime doesn't make them a friggin' nice person/martyr/innocent. I think the only innocents in this case wee the sons and probably Susan's parents, who were apparently danced around for decades by both a mentally distrubed daughter and her husband/therapist.

 

[yadler]

Jesus Christ on a sea beach woman, can't you tell by everything I've written that I think Susan Polk is a narcissisitc sociopath? But I also think her husband, who was supposed to be trained to, you know, recognize these things, given his profession, was one too. Just because someone is the victim of a murder/crime doesn't make them a friggin' nice person/martyr/innocent. I think the only innocents in this case wee the sons and probably Susan's parents, who were apparently danced around for decades by both a mentally distrubed daughter and her husband/therapist.

Pont accepted. However, what Dr. Polk's personality, moral suasion or activities were are entirely irrelevant. He was the victim of his sick wife's delusions. That's the point. It is all about Susan Polk now, not her husband. The prosecuter is in the process of visually displaying to the jury all those who have lied about Susa. Up until Thurday, it had one of her son's and the LE officers who first interviwed her. Felix will come next.

 

[Hbgchick]

Pont accepted. However, what Dr. Polk's personality, moral suasion or activities were are entirely irrelevant. He was the victim of his sick wife's delusions. That's the point. It is all about Susan Polk now, not her husband. The prosecuter is in the process of visually displaying to the jury all those who have lied about Susa. Up until Thurday, it had one of her son's and the LE officers who first interviwed her. Felix will come next.

Sorry - but have to disagree here. He was the sick wife's therapist.

 

[yadler]

And her "stories" are therefor suspect. You could not convince me that one iota out of her mouth has any truth attached to it. Poor Felix. He made a really poor decision when he crossed the line and married one of his patients.

 

[LinasK]

POSTED: 8:18 am PDT May 31, 2006
UPDATED: 8:52 am PDT May 31, 2006


MARTINEZ -- There's a big decision coming Wednesday in the often bizarre murder trial of Susan Polk. Will Polk risk going with an 'all or nothing" verdict or not?

Polk -- who is defending herself on charges she killed her husband -- wants the jury to only have the option of deciding between convicting her of premeditated murder or acquitting her on grounds of self-defense.During a hearing Tuesday without the jury present, Polk told Contra Costa County Superior Court Judge Laurel Brady that she did not want her to instruct the jury about a possible second-degree murder conviction or a manslaughter conviction.

Brady warned Polk that without the option of a lesser charge of manslaughter or second-degree murder, the jury might convict her of murder.

She gave Polk to night to think about it however the final decision still rests with Brady. more at link:http://www.ktvu.com/news/9297995/detail.html