This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Pyronite (talk | contribs) at 06:46, 28 January 2008 (MAJOR EDIT; obvious vandalism by IP in question. REVISION NEEDED. Undid revision 180699025 by 72.199.137.205 (talk)). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
Revision as of 06:46, 28 January 2008 by Pyronite (talk | contribs) (MAJOR EDIT; obvious vandalism by IP in question. REVISION NEEDED. Undid revision 180699025 by 72.199.137.205 (talk))(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Susan Polk (born Susan Mae Bolling in 1957) was a housewife and mother of three who was convicted of murdering her husband, Dr. Frank "Felix" Polk. Dr. Polk was a prominent Berkeley psychologist. He was found with numerous stab wounds in the pool house at the couple's upscale Orinda, California 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 Mossad agent) to elicit predictions of world events, including the attacks on the World Trade Center, added to the sensationalism surrounding the case.
Background
In 1972, Susan Bolling was living in Clayton Valley. A school counselor at Clayton Valley High School in Concord, California, recommended that Susan see Felix Polk because she was cutting class.
Life with Felix Polk
Felix Polk began seeing Susan in 1972, when she was 14 years old. Within a year Felix Polk violated the doctor-patient relationship and entered into a sexual relationship with Susan. Susan claimed that Felix had drugged and raped her.
Susan went to Mills College, an all-women's school nestled in the Oakland hills, before moving to San Francisco State University, from which she graduated. She stopped seeing Felix as a therapist, but the personal relationship continued.
In 1982, Polk divorced his wife, prominent concert pianist Sharon Mann, and married Susan. They have 3 sons: Adam (1983), Eli(1985), and Gabriel(1987).
Susan claimed that he was a domineering and manipulative husband, obsessed with controlling her life and the lives of her children. Felix Polk would see his wife and sons in his home office regularly for therapy sessions which he led himself. He would use hypnosis, guided visualizations, execute IQ tests, etc. Adam and Gabriel testified that Susan was mentally unstable and habitually spoke of murdering their father. However this was after Adam and Gabe accepted a $300,000 insurance payoff. Prior to that payoff, Adam had been a supporter of Susan and stated on several occasion, including a statement to Judge Mary Anne O'Malley in court, that he believed Susan had acted in self defense.
In 2001, Susan Polk filed for divorce.
Conviction
Susan Polk has been convicted of second-degree murder for the October 13, 2002, death of her husband in a cottage on the couple's $3 million estate in Orinda, California. 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 multi-million 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, and she acted in self-defense when he flew into a rage and attacked her. Susan's former defense attorney, Daniel Horowitz, 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. Polk has remained in custody since that time.
The trial began on October 17, 2005, but was declared a mistrial, because of the slaying of Pamela Vitale, the wife of her lead attorney, Daniel Horowitz.
On January 20, 2006, a judge removed her lawyer Daniel Horowitz after he said he had a conflict of interest. On January 31, 2006, after a two-hour hearing, Judge Laurel Brady set Polk's trial date for February 27, 2006.
On February 27, 2006, 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 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 May 25, 2006, the prosecutor began cross-examining Polk.
On June 12, 2006, both sides gave their closing arguments to the jury.
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.
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.
External links
- "Final Analysis: The Untold Story of the Susan Polk Murder Case by Catherine Crier
- "Susan Polk case: murder or self-defense?" Dateline NBC
- "Susan Polk Fires Her Defense Attorney Daniel Horowitz
- Seduced By Madness - Book on Polk Muder by Carol Pogash which was excerpted and sited by Dateline NBC
- Susan Polk Murder Trial
- http://www.pogash.com/magazine.html
- San Francisco Chronicle articles
- Complete case coverage of Polk trial from Court TV
- Complete case coverage of Polk's case and trial by her case manager, Valerie Harris on courtroomblog.com
Catherine Crier's book on the Polk case: "Final Analysis: The Untold Story of the Susan Polk Murder Caselink title
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