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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"/> 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"/>


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"/> 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"/>


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"/> 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"/>

Revision as of 17:18, 31 January 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 wealthy psychotherapist, as an adolescent, when in 1972 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, wedding 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 sough 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

References

  1. ^ McKinley, Jesse. (June 17 2006) Conviction concludes bizarre trial for murder. The New York Times. Retrieved 30-01-08.
  2. CBS 5, San Francisco. (June 16 2006) Jurors find Susan Polk guilty Of 2nd Degree Murder cbs5.com. Retrieved 30-01-08.
  3. ^ AP. (June 16 2006) Woman guilty of slaying husband-shrink CBS News. Retrieved 30-01-08.
  4. Lee, Henry K. (February 23 2007). Murderer Susan Polk loses bid for new trial. San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 31-01-08.
  5. ^ Pogash, Carol. (September 18 2005) A California murder case raises troubling issues The New York Times. Retrieved 30-01-08.
  6. ^ Pogash, Carol. (June 15 2003) No ordinary murder. Originally published in Los Angeles Times Sunday Magazine. Hosted at pogash.com. Retrieved 31-01-08.
  7. ^ Sweetingham, Lisa. (February 23 2007) Susan Polk, defiant at sentencing, gets maximum term for fatally stabbing her husband Court TV. Retrieved 31-01-08.
  8. ^ Tatko-Peterson, Ann. (March 9 2007) New Crier book dissects Polk murder case. Oakland Tribune. Hosted at bnet.com. Retrieved 31-01-08.
  9. ^ Sweetingham, Lisa. (June 16 2006) Polk guilty of killing therapist husband. CNN. Retrieved 31-01-08.
  10. ^ 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.
  11. Associated Press. (June 16 2006). Jury finds Polk guilty of 2nd-degree murder. MSNBC. Retrieved 31-01-08.
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