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| '''Susan Polk''' (born '''Susan Mae Bolling''' in ]) is an ] woman convicted in June 2006 of ] in connection with the 2002 death of her husband, Dr. Frank "Felix" Polk.<ref name="Conviction">McKinley, Jesse. (] ]) . '']''. Retrieved 30-01-08.</ref><ref name="CBS5">CBS 5, San Francisco. (] ]) cbs5.com. Retrieved 30-01-08.</ref> Polk's trial, described by one ] correspondent as "circus-like", drew extensive media attention with its sensationalist elements.<ref name="Circus">AP. (] ]) CBS News. Retrieved 30-01-08.</ref><ref name="Lee">Lee, Henry K. (] ]). . '']''. Retrieved 31-01-08.</ref> | |||
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| '''Susan Polk''' (born '''Susan Mae Bolling''' in ]) was a housewife and mother of three who was convicted of murdering her husband, Dr. Frank "Felix" Polk. Dr. Polk was a prominent ] psychologist. He was found with numerous stab wounds in the pool house at the couple's upscale ] home on Oct. 13, 2002. The murder trial of Susan Polk drew wide-spread media attention because the testimony in the case pitted brother against brother and sons against mother. The media interest also centered around the 26-year age difference between the couple and the fact that Dr.Polk had been Susan's therapist during her adolescence, before becoming her lover and later husband. Susan's claims that she was a psychic, who was being used by her husband (who she alleged was a ] agent) to elicit predictions of world events, including the attacks on the ], added to the sensationalism surrounding the case. | |||
| ==Background== | ==Background== | ||
| Polk met Dr. Polk, a psychotherapist, in 1972 when administrators at her high school recommended she see him to treat her panic attacks.<ref name="Circus"/><ref name="Pogash">Pogash, Carol. (] ]) '']''. Retrieved 30-01-08.</ref> Polk later claimed that Dr. Polk first had sex with her when she was 16 and still under his treatment, a taboo relationship between therapist and patient that is now illegal in California.<ref name="Pogash"/><ref name="Pogash2">Pogash, Carol. (] ]) . Originally published in ''] Sunday Magazine''. Hosted at pogash.com. Retrieved 31-01-08.</ref> At the time, Dr. Polk had a wife and two children,<ref name="Pogash"/> though the couple subsequently divorced in 1982.<ref name="Pogash2"/> | |||
| In 1972, Susan Bolling was a troubled student growing up in suburbs of ]. Her parents were divorcing and her mother wondered if Susan was trying to shut out the emotional turmoil of the divorce. Later, a school counselor at ] in ], recommended therapy for Susan after she refused to attend classes, and began making preposterous claims regarding her parents. He suggested an expert in adolescent behavior, Felix Polk. | |||
| ==Life with Felix Polk== | |||
| Felix Polk began treating Susan in 1972, when she was 15 years old. Within a year, however, the doctor-patient relationship changed. After murdering Felix (by then her husband) some 30 years later, Susan would claim that Felix had drugged and raped her, a part of her campaign to denigrate Felix to bolster her bizarre defense. Felix was, at that time he was her therapist, a married father of two. | |||
| Susan went to ], an all-women's school nestled in the Oakland hills, before moving to ], from which she graduated. She stopped seeing Felix as a therapist, but the personal relationship continued. Unfortunately, however, Susan's mental problems had not resolved. | |||
| In 1982, Polk divorced his wife, prominent concert pianist Sharon Mann, and married Susan. They have 3 sons: Adam, Eli(1985), and Gabriel(1987). | |||
| After murdering her husband, Susan would claim that he was a domineering and manipulative husband, obsessed with controlling her life. During her trial, however, no evidence nor eyewitness accounts supported Susan's allegations. However, 2 of Susan's children (Adam and Gabriel) and police reports filed during the marriage showed that Susan was an abusive spouse and batterer. Adam and Gabriel testified that Susan was mentally unstable and habitually spoke of murdering their father. | |||
| In 2001, Susan Polk filed for divorce. Susan had abandoned her children, her husband, and her home, and she was looking for a place to live in ]. Felix Polk went to court and was awarded custody of their youngest son and retained exclusive control of the house. Upon hearing of the court judgment, Susan Polk returned, illegally broke into Felix Polk's Orinda home, and threatened Felix and her son. Incredibly, Susan moved Felix's possessions to the cottage and took up residence in the home. Felix would tell police and friends that he was afraid of his wife and that she had threatened to kill him. A few weeks later, Felix was murdered by his wife, who left the body for her youngest son to find. | |||
| == Conviction == | |||
| Susan Polk has been convicted of second-degree murder for the ], ], death of her husband in a cottage on the couple's $2 million estate in ]. She faces 16 years to life in prison. | |||
| Prosecutors argued that the killing of Felix Polk was a cold, calculated attempt by his wife to gain control of his multimillion dollar estate. When Susan Polk permitted others to represent her, the defense attorneys argued that Susan Polk had long been controlled, abused and battered by her husband (although these claims have never been substantiated, and were contradicted by the couple's children and acquaintances), and she acted in self-defense when he flew into a rage and attacked her. While representing herself, Susan Polk made outrageous unsubstantiated claims, endless recriminations, tales of conspiracy, psychics, fairy tales and secret government agents. | |||
| Susan's former defense attorney, ], claimed that she had long been a battered wife under the physical and emotional control of her husband. | |||
| ==Trial== | |||
| Susan Polk was originally released on bail, however it was subsequently revoked when she violated the terms of her bail by contacting and threatening one of her sons. Polk has remained in custody since that time. | |||
| The trial began on ], ], but was declared a mistrial, because of the slaying of ], the wife of her lead attorney, ]. | |||
| On ], ], a judge removed her lawyer Daniel Horowitz after he said he had a conflict of interest. On ], ], after a two-hour hearing, Judge Laurel Brady set Polk's trial date for ], ]. Polk began to demonstrate her instability when she fired a succession of attorneys, and demanded that she be permitted to represent herself. Polk was later allowed to serve as her own attorney. | |||
| On ], ], jury selection began in a jury assembly room where 300 prospective jurors arrived. Judge Laurel Brady has said the trial may last as long as 2 1/2 months. | |||
| On March 7, 2006, prosecutor Paul Sequeira gave his opening statement in what would prove to be a high-profile trial, with spectators, TV legal analysts and reporters showing up at a Martinez, Calif. courtroom to watch the spectacle of Polk representing herself and repeatedly bickering with the judge and prosecutor. Polk's delusional and confrontational behavior was on full display with daily recriminations leveled at the judge, the prosecutor, and anyone else who would contradict her. Polk maintained her contention that there was a vast web of conspiracy seeking her conviction, that the crime scene had been tampered with, and that her husband was a vile man and she was justified in murdering him. Susan Polk also claimed that she was a psychic who predicted the September 11, 2001 attacks; that her husband was a secret Israeli spy; that fairy tales are true; and other equally sensational claims. Those who couldn't attend the trial in person would follow the case daily on various Internet Web sites and legal talk shows on TV. Adding to the drama was testimony against Polk by two of her sons, Adam and Gabriel, and testimony on her behalf by her second son, Eli. Adam and Gabriel (the son whom Susan let find his father's mutilated body) described Susan as an angry, delusional and violent person. The testimony by Eli bordered on the bizarre, and provided a window for people to observe the unnaturally close relationship between Susan Polk and her son, leading many to speculate about an incestuous relationship between the two. | |||
| On May 17, 2006, Polk began testifying in a narrative format. | |||
| After graduating high school, Polk attended ] and ] before, in 1982, marrying Dr. Polk, who was then an instructor at the ] and an occasional consultant as well as a private practitioner.<ref name="Pogash2"/> At the time of their wedding, Polk was 24 and her husband 40.<ref name="court">Sweetingham, Lisa. (] ]) Court TV. Retrieved 31-01-08.</ref> During their marriage, the couple had three sons.<ref name="Crier">Tatko-Peterson, Ann. (] ]) . '']''. Hosted at bnet.com. Retrieved 31-01-08.</ref> In 2001, Polk filed for divorce, a complicated and contentious proceeding during which each contacted police with allegations of domestic violence.<ref name="Sweet">Sweetingham, Lisa. (] ]) . CNN. Retrieved 31-01-08.</ref><ref name="Conviction"/><ref name="Pogash2"/> In 2002, the courts granted Dr. Polk custody of the couple's minor son, Gabriel Polk, granted the family home to Dr. Polk and reduced Polk's alimony.<ref name="Dateline">Morrison, Keith. (] ]) '']'' transcript. Hosted by msnbc.com. Retrieved 30-01-08.</ref> Police records indicate that Dr. Polk reported threats from his wife.<ref name="Pogash"/><ref name="Dateline"/> | |||
| On May 24, 2006, Eli Polk was convicted by a jury of misdemeanor battery against an ex-girlfriend, violating a restraining order and violating probation in connection with two arrests in March at the home where his father died. | |||
| On October 13, Polk went to the home to retrieve her belongings; the following day, Dr. Polk, then 70, was found dead.<ref name="Dateline"/> Dr. Polk had 27 wounds on his body, including 15 stab wounds and evidence of blunt force trauma.<ref name="Dateline"/> Polk, too, was cut and scratched and had "red discoloration around her eyes, bite marks on the hand and a red welt on her shoulder".<ref name="Dateline"/><ref name="Sweet"/> | |||
| On May 25, 2006, the prosecutor began cross-examining Polk. | |||
| ==The trial== | |||
| On June 12, 2006, both sides gave their closing arguments to the jury. | |||
| At trial, prosecutors contended that Polk planned the murder of her multimillionaire husband for money and sought a conviction of ].<ref name="Circus"/> Polk, who had first denied knowledge of or involvement in Dr. Polk's death, claimed self-defense, asserting that, after years of having beaten and sexually abused her, Dr. Polk brandished a kitchen knife against her.<ref name="Pogash2"/><ref name="Circus"/> She indicated that she had taken control of the weapon and stabbed him instead.<ref name="Pogash"/> Prosecuting attorneys dismissed Polk's claim, arguing that she had no defensive wounds from her husband's alleged attack.<ref name="Circus"/> | |||
| Polk, whose first trial ended in a mistrial when her then counsel's wife was murdered in an unrelated incident, fired her attorneys to represent herself.<ref name="Dateline"/><ref name="Sweet"/> She supported her defense with allegations of a history of marital and professional misconduct, including claims that Dr. Polk had drugged and raped her when she was a teenager, brainwashed the couple's children and threatened to kill her if she tried to leave.<ref name="Sweet"/> She also claimed to be a psychic with foreknowledge of the ] that could have been used to thwart the attacks if "her husband hadn't prevented her from alerting authorities", asserting that her husband was an ] ] who was passing her psychic prediction to ].<ref name="Circus"/><ref name="Crier"/> Polk repeatedly requested a second mistrial, lodging accusations of conspiracy against the prosecutor and judge.<ref name="Dateline"/> During her closing statements, Polk, who had refused to pursue a line of defense based on mental illness, questioned whether public perception that she was delusional was coloring opinions of her guilt.<ref name="Circus"/><ref name="Crier"/> | |||
| On June 16, 2006, Susan Polk was found guilty of second-degree murder. The jury would later comment that neither Susan Polk nor her son Eli were credible witnesses and they completely dismissed her unsubstantiated attacks on her husband's character. | |||
| Each of Polk's children testified at the trial. Polk's youngest son, who had found the body, testified that his mother had speculated means of killing her husband in the weeks before Dr. Polk's death.<ref name="Pogash"/> The oldest son, Adam Polk, also testified against his mother, receiving widespread media coverage when he referred to her on the stand as "cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs".<ref name="MSNBCAP">Associated Press. (] ]). . MSNBC. Retrieved 31-01-08.</ref> The couple's middle son, Eli Polk, testified on Polk's behalf that Dr. Polk was the unstable parent.<ref name="Sweet"/> | |||
| Following her conviction, numerous attorneys declined to represent Polk before her sentencing, citing their unavailability. Point Richmond attorney Linda Fullerton has tentatively agreed to represent her pre-sentencing. | |||
| Jurors disagreed that the crime was premeditated, but did find Polk guilty of second degree murder in relation to her husband's death.<ref name="Circus"/> Sentenced to prison for a term of 16 years to life, Polk's conviction is on appeal.<ref name="Dateline">Morrison, Keith. (] ]) '']'' transcript. Hosted by msnbc.com. Retrieved 30-01-08.</ref> She will be eligible for parole in 2017.<ref name="court"/> | |||
| On January 30, 2007, a MOTION FOR A NEW TRIAL; MOTION TO MODIFY VERDICT was filed in the Contra Costa Superior Court. The motion claims that Judge Laurel Brady allowed prosecutor Paul Sequeira to illegally dismiss prospective jurors because they were women; that members of the jury were prejudiced against Polk because of the extensive media coverage of the case, much of it critical of Polk; that there is evidence that the jurors were exposed to media coverage of the trial, and in fact, one juror told reporters immediately after the verdict was read, "Sometimes the media was making stuff up;" that Brady improperly reprimanded Polk in front of jurors and appeared to favor the prosecution; that Judge Brady failed to instruct the jury on heat-of-passion voluntary manslaughter; and that Polk's right to represent herself was hampered by her treatment at the jail and by the claim that on several occasions she was prevented from consulting with an attorney and her legal assistant. | |||
| ==Further reading== | |||
| On February 23, 2007, the MOTION FOR A NEW TRIAL; MOTION TO MODIFY VERDICT was argued by both the defense and prosecution. The motion was denied, and Mrs. Polk was immediately sentenced to 16 years to life. | |||
| *{{cite book | last = Crier | first = Catherine | title = Final Analysis: The Untold Story of the Susan Polk Murder Case | publisher = William Morrow | date = February 20, 2007 | url = http://www.harpercollins.com/authors/28857/Catherine_Crier/index.aspx | isbn = 006113452X}} | |||
| *{{cite book | last = Pogash | first = Carol | title = Seduced by Madness: The True Story of the Susan Polk Murder Case | publisher = William Morrow | date = May 29, 2007 | url = http://www.pogash.com/sPolk/landing.htm | isbn = 0061147702}} | |||
| == |
==References== | ||
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| *http://www.pogash.com/magazine.html | |||
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| {{DEFAULTSORT:Polk, Susan}} | |||
| '''Catherine Crier's book on the Polk case: "Final Analysis: The Untold Story of the Susan Polk Murder Case''' | |||
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Revision as of 20:51, 5 February 2008
Susan Polk (born Susan Mae Bolling in 1957) is an American woman convicted in June 2006 of second degree murder in connection with the 2002 death of her husband, Dr. Frank "Felix" Polk. Polk's trial, described by one Associated Press correspondent as "circus-like", drew extensive media attention with its sensationalist elements.
Background
Polk met Dr. Polk, a psychotherapist, in 1972 when administrators at her high school recommended she see him to treat her panic attacks. Polk later claimed that Dr. Polk first had sex with her when she was 16 and still under his treatment, a taboo relationship between therapist and patient that is now illegal in California. At the time, Dr. Polk had a wife and two children, though the couple subsequently divorced in 1982.
After graduating high school, Polk attended Mills College and San Francisco State University before, in 1982, marrying Dr. Polk, who was then an instructor at the American Schools of Professional Psychology and an occasional consultant as well as a private practitioner. At the time of their wedding, Polk was 24 and her husband 40. During their marriage, the couple had three sons. In 2001, Polk filed for divorce, a complicated and contentious proceeding during which each contacted police with allegations of domestic violence. In 2002, the courts granted Dr. Polk custody of the couple's minor son, Gabriel Polk, granted the family home to Dr. Polk and reduced Polk's alimony. Police records indicate that Dr. Polk reported threats from his wife.
On October 13, Polk went to the home to retrieve her belongings; the following day, Dr. Polk, then 70, was found dead. Dr. Polk had 27 wounds on his body, including 15 stab wounds and evidence of blunt force trauma. Polk, too, was cut and scratched and had "red discoloration around her eyes, bite marks on the hand and a red welt on her shoulder".
The trial
At trial, prosecutors contended that Polk planned the murder of her multimillionaire husband for money and sought a conviction of murder in the first degree. Polk, who had first denied knowledge of or involvement in Dr. Polk's death, claimed self-defense, asserting that, after years of having beaten and sexually abused her, Dr. Polk brandished a kitchen knife against her. She indicated that she had taken control of the weapon and stabbed him instead. Prosecuting attorneys dismissed Polk's claim, arguing that she had no defensive wounds from her husband's alleged attack.
Polk, whose first trial ended in a mistrial when her then counsel's wife was murdered in an unrelated incident, fired her attorneys to represent herself. She supported her defense with allegations of a history of marital and professional misconduct, including claims that Dr. Polk had drugged and raped her when she was a teenager, brainwashed the couple's children and threatened to kill her if she tried to leave. She also claimed to be a psychic with foreknowledge of the September 11, 2001 attacks that could have been used to thwart the attacks if "her husband hadn't prevented her from alerting authorities", asserting that her husband was an Israeli spy who was passing her psychic prediction to Mossad. Polk repeatedly requested a second mistrial, lodging accusations of conspiracy against the prosecutor and judge. During her closing statements, Polk, who had refused to pursue a line of defense based on mental illness, questioned whether public perception that she was delusional was coloring opinions of her guilt.
Each of Polk's children testified at the trial. Polk's youngest son, who had found the body, testified that his mother had speculated means of killing her husband in the weeks before Dr. Polk's death. The oldest son, Adam Polk, also testified against his mother, receiving widespread media coverage when he referred to her on the stand as "cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs". The couple's middle son, Eli Polk, testified on Polk's behalf that Dr. Polk was the unstable parent.
Jurors disagreed that the crime was premeditated, but did find Polk guilty of second degree murder in relation to her husband's death. Sentenced to prison for a term of 16 years to life, Polk's conviction is on appeal. She will be eligible for parole in 2017.
Further reading
- Crier, Catherine (February 20, 2007). Final Analysis: The Untold Story of the Susan Polk Murder Case. William Morrow. ISBN 006113452X.
- Pogash, Carol (May 29, 2007). Seduced by Madness: The True Story of the Susan Polk Murder Case. William Morrow. ISBN 0061147702.
References
- ^ McKinley, Jesse. (June 17 2006) Conviction concludes bizarre trial for murder. The New York Times. Retrieved 30-01-08.
- CBS 5, San Francisco. (June 16 2006) Jurors find Susan Polk guilty Of 2nd Degree Murder cbs5.com. Retrieved 30-01-08.
- ^ AP. (June 16 2006) Woman guilty of slaying husband-shrink CBS News. Retrieved 30-01-08.
- Lee, Henry K. (February 23 2007). Murderer Susan Polk loses bid for new trial. San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 31-01-08.
- ^ Pogash, Carol. (September 18 2005) A California murder case raises troubling issues The New York Times. Retrieved 30-01-08.
- ^ Pogash, Carol. (June 15 2003) No ordinary murder. Originally published in Los Angeles Times Sunday Magazine. Hosted at pogash.com. Retrieved 31-01-08.
- ^ Sweetingham, Lisa. (February 23 2007) Susan Polk, defiant at sentencing, gets maximum term for fatally stabbing her husband Court TV. Retrieved 31-01-08.
- ^ Tatko-Peterson, Ann. (March 9 2007) New Crier book dissects Polk murder case. Oakland Tribune. Hosted at bnet.com. Retrieved 31-01-08.
- ^ Sweetingham, Lisa. (June 16 2006) Polk guilty of killing therapist husband. CNN. Retrieved 31-01-08.
- ^ Morrison, Keith. (May 19 2007) A murder trial that grew more bizarre with every turn Dateline NBC transcript. Hosted by msnbc.com. Retrieved 30-01-08.
- Associated Press. (June 16 2006). Jury finds Polk guilty of 2nd-degree murder. MSNBC. Retrieved 31-01-08.