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(soft music)

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(door slams shut)

(car engine starts)

(lock clicking)

(ominous music)

(lock clicks open)

(gun clicks)

(gunshots fired)

(dog barking)

- I did it.

I finally shot the son of a bitch.

- Betty.

Betty, where are you right now?

(sobbing)

- I don't know.

- Betty, are you all right?

- What are you saying, mom?

I can barely understand.

Mom, mom, just...

No, no, come over here.

Just get over here as soon as...

We'll talk.

I don't know.

Can you come here, mom?

(phone ringing)

- Hello.

No, it's Tommy.

Yeah, hold on.

Jerry, it's Ms. George.

- [Jerry] Tell her your mom is out.

- She wants to speak to you.

- Hey Caren.

(ominous music)

Brendan Cross lived down the street.

I'll go get him, we'll go see

if it's true.

(ominous music)

(banging on door) (doorbell dings)

(banging on the door) - Dan.

(ominous music)

(phone ringing)

- Hello.

Katie.

What time is it out there?

(car engine starts)

Maybe she'd just...

Have you called your father to find out if-

(car engine rumbles) Okay, honey, take it easy.

Let me call Kevin McDonald, see what he can find out.

Where's your mother now?

Kate, be careful.

I know she's your mother, but if this is true,

just be careful.

(wind gushing) - Hi.

Dead.

(sighs) I know it has.

Too long.

Yeah.

Oh, I don't know.

Just time goes by, you know.

Anyway, is mother there.

Oh,

the kids are fine.

Look, I just want-

Yeah, I'm fine.

No, I'm not.

Dan's been driving me crazy.

Things are worse than ever.

I feel like committing suicide.

I just feel so awful. I just...

I don't think I can talk anymore right now.

Tell mother

I called.

Yeah.

(sniffling)

(indistinct clamoring) (sirens wailing)

- We've got this.

Get our samples over here all right.

(phone ringing)

- Hello.

- My name is Larry Broderick.

I'm calling from Colorado, trying to reach my brother, Dan,

who am I speaking with?

- This detective John Sorrell.

Can I help you?

- My niece just phoned me to tell me that her mother claims

to have shot Dan and Linda Broderick, is this true?

- Well, am afraid I can't tell you about that.

- Look, please just tell me if they were alive or not,

please.

- Well, I can't.

I have no way of knowing if you really are

who you say you are.

- Okay.

Okay, look.

What phone are you on? What room?

- Front of the hall.

- All right, look on the table behind the phone.

There's a ceramic plate, read the inscription.

If you're lucky enough to be Irish, you're lucky enough.

Love Larry.

I'm Larry, please tell me.

- (sighs) I'm sorry, Mr. Broderick.

They are both dead.

(ominous music)

(car door bangs shut)

(ominous music)

- I don't know what to do next.

What do I do?

I don't know how this happened, I really don't know.

- Here, that's tea.

Drink some.

- Thank you, girls.

I'm really sorry if I ruined your day.

I hope you didn't have anything special planned, did you?

- Mom.

You have to turn yourself in.

Mom.

Will you listen to me?

- Brighten up, okay?

Mom.

I'll go with you.

You'll not have to be alone, I promise.

(ominous music)

(crying)

Okay, mom.

All this is gonna go away, I promise.

(ominous music)

(sobbing)

- Yeah, we'll be there.

Okay, bye bye.

Well, my lawyer is out of town,

but his partner will meet us at 4:00 o'clock.

He'll take you to the police station.

- Okay.

Okay, Debbie,

can you go back to my house and get my drawer box?

- Sure.

- Okay, and Karen, can you witness that?

- Sure, what is it?

- It's a makeshift will, but it's legal.

I just wanna make sure that if anything happens,

these kids will get what's mine.

Kate, here's a check for $10,000.

I want you to cash it

and divide it equally among all of your children.

They're gonna take this from me anyway.

But just hold on to them, okay.

(car doors open)

(car doors close)

(indistinct operator voice) (phone ringing)

- (clears throat) Officer, my name is Carey Steinberg.

This is my client, Elizabeth Broderick.

We have reason to believe she's a suspect

in a case you have opened.

She's turning herself in on those grounds.

And we have nothing further to say at this time.

(ominous music)

- It'll be your right.

(cell door closes)

(ominous music)

- Mom, I can't find my flip flops.

Todd took my flip flops.

- I did not.

I did not.

- They're under your bed.

You can't wear them to school.

Now I put your Ninja Turtle socks and your high tops

next to your closet.

- What would I want with your stupid flip flops anyway?

- Dad, are my flip flops stupid?

- Absolutely not.

- Todd, where's your sweatshirt?

I laid it out for you.

- I don't need a sweatshirt, mom.

- No. It's supposed to get chilly later.

- [Todd] I can't find my shirt.

- They're by your closet.

- Hey, guess who just turned herself in

for fatally shooting her ex husband and his new wife.

- [Todd] Where?

- They're by the skateboard.

- Can I wear my jacket instead?

- Yes.

Who?

- [Radio Presenter] The highly publicized divorce saga

came to a tragic end Alli yesterday when both Broderick

and his new wife were killed.

Many women and women's groups have rallied

around Elizabeth Broderick in her lengthy struggle

against the former San Diego bar president.

Mrs. Broderick has continually claimed

that her ex-husband's influence made it impossible for her

to gain a fair settlement.

(distant siren wailing)

- Good morning.

- Good morning.

- Have you heard about what happened to Dan Broderick?

- It's all over the radio.

- Exactly.

She's very good at getting public attention.

You want it?

- Thank you.

Have you seen the police report yet?

- Just came from there.

- She snuck into the bedroom at 5:00 AM

and pumped three shots into them while they slept.

- Sounds like a murder to me.

- Me too.

Now all you have to do

is prove it.

- Is it 16 years together that never existed?

To simply walk away

and leave any sense of human communication to your lawyer?

To your lawyer?

It's like he's saying to me

that I'm hardly even worth talking to.

Like I was less than human.

- Did you feel less than human?

- I felt alone.

Terribly, terribly alone.

He took our kids, our friends, our life,

and nobody helped me fight to get them back.

I was forced to stand up for myself and you know,

in the final analysis,

the only person my kids and I could ever count on was me.

(jet engine running)

- Where are the boys?

- They're staying with Brandon and Leslie.

Ann took them all over the aquarium.

- I don't know, give him something.

Anything else to think about.

We'll take them over to my house.

- I appreciate your taking them in Cameron.

- Okay.

- Dan would have done anything for me, he's the greatest.

He's the greatest friend you could ever have.

- She killed her children's father.

Her own children's father.

- Look, Tommy and Grant need their stuff.

Their clothes and things.

They're all over at Dan and Linda's

(brakes squeal)

(car door slams shut)

You're all right?

We've got to discuss a funeral arrangement.

- Six months ago, we were discussing their wedding.

- Yeah.

- Whoa, hold on fellas.

Back behind the line.

(orchestral music plays)

(phone rings)

- Hello?

- [Female Voice Through Phone] There's a Larry Broderick

on line three for you.

- I'll take it in here.

Hello, Mr. Broderick.

Actually, I was going to call you today.

I'm very sorry about your brother.

- Thank you.

I need to ask you a favor.

- Okay.

- [Larry] Well, I'm here at San Diego and the boys,

Tommy and Grant, Dan's sons.

- I know.

- Right.

Well, they're staying with family friends

and they don't have any of their things.

Their personal stuff.

Anyway, I just went over to Dan's

to try to get him some things.

And the cops have the place sealed off.

- [Carrie] It's still a crime scene.

- Yeah, I know.

I was wondering if you wouldn't mind

going over there yourself.

- I can do that for you.

- [Larry] Thanks, I'll call you back later.

Goodbye.

- Goodbye.

(soft music)

- Guys.

This is Ms. Wells.

She brought you some things.

- Thanks.

- Carrie, do you know Kevin MacDonald?

- Oh.

- Hi, Kevin.

- Carrie Wells.

- I wanted my Chargers T-shirt.

- No, I think I packed it.

Oh, here.

- Wow, thanks.

My dad and I went to see them last year.

- Do you guys mind if I talk to you a few minutes?

- Uh-uh. - Uh-uh, no.

- Why don't we leave you all alone for a while?

Is that okay with you?

- Yeah.

- I'm the district attorney.

- You'll be trying the case against mom, right?

- Right.

I know this is real hard for both of you.

Real hard.

But I have to try and find out the truth.

Can you help?

- Yeah.

- Okay.

So were you surprised with what happened?

I mean the shooting?

- No.

- How come?

- She's always telling us she's gonna.

- She said some pretty bad stuff about him and Linda,

they're some bad words.

- Like what?

- They're kind of embarrassing to say.

- And Ms Wells,

Will my mom be out in time to see my soccer game?

- Those kids mean everything to me.

Do you understand?

Those kids mean everything to me,

everything.

And they've been away from me for so long now.

They've got to grant me some kind of bail.

The kids need me.

I need them.

- I do understand, and I'll make the judge understand.

I promise.

- I'm sorry, but it's hard for me to trust lawyers.

Dan could manipulate the system so well.

He was best.

I've already had to fire one incompetent lawyer.

- My name is Maggie Cole Kinasits,

and Linda Broderick was my sister.

Linda was loved by so many people

for so many different reasons.

She was funny,

she was thoughtful,

she was compassionate

and she celebrated life.

I would like you all to close your eyes for a moment.

And think about the last time you saw Linda.

I bet she was smiling.

- Kids, your father was devoted to you.

He persevered with you and for you

under unimaginable circumstances.

And because of these bizarre circumstances,

which were not his doing,

it may be years before you're old enough

to fully understand the depth of your father's feeling

for you.

And that he truly loved you.

From beginning to end.

- Your honor, we're not talking about a flight risk here.

All she wants to do is care for her children.

- Your honor,

Mrs. Broderick has violated every restraining order

and every injunction that has ever been put into effect.

She has demonstrated on each one of those occasions

that she has absolutely no respect for the law.

The public has a right to be protected from her.

- I can think of no reason why she would flee

or harm anyone else.

- I can.

She killed two people.

- Enough.

Mr. Byrd, you are not defending a traffic violator here.

Ms. Wells,

the people will get their chance to try Mrs. Broderick

at a later date.

This is a bail hearing.

Anything else?

After considering everything each of you have said

this morning,

I could not in any kind of conscience

release Mrs. Broderick on bail.

The crimes, whatever they turn out to be, are heinous.

I'm afraid she's going to have to remain in custody.

Thank you all.

- Rather have her be my lawyer.

I need your help.

I'm all alone in here.

Dan's gone, but his influence isn't, that's for sure.

Yeah, I get these kids out of law school

and the state gets Carrie Wells,

I mean that girl's sharp as hell.

So I need to find a way to get my story.

The real story out to the press,

and consequently for the public at large.

Mrs Broderick.

- Betty, please.

- Betty,

your case is very compelling to me, very.

- Thank you.

I realize that public relations can be a very powerful tool,

especially when it's handled by a firm

as respected as yours.

So maybe you can finally be the weapon that I've never had.

- Good, maybe we can change your luck.

- Great.

I have been stepped on so many times,

I should have "Welcome" print across my forehead.

(elevator door chimes)

- I put the divorce records you wanted on your desk.

- Oh, thanks Jim.

- Mrs. Broderick's a real piece of work.

- Tell me about it.

- Seen today's paper?

- I still haven't had a minute to.

- Get outta here.

A public relations firm.

A PR firm?

What is she? A movie star?

- Maybe we should put in for a change of venue.

- To where?

- Hollywood.

- He always denied he was sleeping with her

while we were still married.

I think that's what hurts so much.

He couldn't be honest enough to admit it,

even years later when everybody knew,

he always insisted it was my imagination,

that I was crazy.

- When did you last see your children?

- Just before I checked in her.

This used to always be my favorite time of year.

Right about now, we would just be getting back

from the USC game at Notre Dame.

Then a major Thanksgiving feast at our house.

It's a real big to do.

I loved it.

All the activity and the excitement.

Dan took Linda with him the last couple of years,

to the game.

She just

stepped into my life.

- [Man On Phone] So while you were pregnant

for the first time, you continued working?

- Yeah, but in those days you had to cover it up.

I was teaching third grade.

I was the source of the family income.

I worked right up to the day Kate was born.

We needed the money.

That way Dan could be the full time student he needed to be.

- [Man On Phone] And you told me you lost the baby, right?

- Yeah, it would have been our third child.

It was a very, very bad pregnancy.

I bled a lot and I was sick the whole time,

but I kept working.

- [Man On Phone] Well, how soon after the birth

did the baby die?

- Two days.

Unfortunately Dan wasn't there,

he was off skiing with a bunch of his friends.

I was all alone.

I'll tell you, a woman alone is a woman without a prayer.

- You want to see this.

From Betty Broderick to me.

She feels she's getting inadequate representation.

Can't get a fair trial.

So she's considering representing herself.

- Well, she knows the legal system, I'll give her that.

- Might even get her a little sympathy from a jury too.

- Woman alone against all odds.

- And proof positive, she can't get a lawyer in this town.

- Come on, there's gotta be someone in San Diego,

she can live with.

Doesn't there?

- And I promise you that Betty Broderick

will finally have her day in court.

Now, after my review of just some of the documentation

in this case, I'm convinced that she will be vindicated.

(indistinct clamoring) - Mr Alli, what do you think

her defense will be, specifically?

- It's too Alli to tell you that,

but I will tell you this.

We're dealing with a woman here who has suffered abuse

of the most violent kind at the hands, her ex-husband.

For well over 20 years.

I've got to go, thank you.

(indistinct clamoring)

- According to a marriage encounter,

run by the Catholic church in 1979,

to talk about what we want in life and out of our marriage.

Dan apologized profusely.

Said he knew he wasn't the kind of father and husband

that he wanted to be,

and that I deserved.

He knew it was a problem, but he had these goals in life.

See, he wanted to be a very important man.

(scoffs)

He wanted a big house,

he'd be very prominent, very rich.

He wrote about it all in the marriage encounter journal.

He said that when he accomplished that,

then he can attend to being a better father and husband.

- Did it ever happen?

- Oh yeah,

not with me,

with her.

They were even planning a family.

It's like he turned in me for a younger model,

then make sure I never recovered.

It's almost like he forced me to do what I did.

- Betty.

Do you see the implications?

- Of what?

- Your actions.

- My kids and I suffered a lot,

for a very, very long time.

And we didn't want it.

We didn't ask for it.

I really don't think we deserved it.

But we suffered just the same.

(speaking foreign language)

- Hotter.

- Get out.

- I'm telling you.

I can't attend an affair

without someone bringing your name up.

And I'm talking about the hairdressers,

the tennis club,

Betty, I was in line in the supermarket.

- Well, you got to be kidding.

- On the checkout line, two women arguing your case.

They didn't know me.

They didn't know we were friends,

it's just on everyone's mind.

You've altered some female consciousness.

I'll tell you that.

Everybody's saying, just be nice to your ex-wife.

(giggling)

How are you?

I mean, in here.

- It's the most humiliating experience of my life.

- I'm sorry.

Listen,

do you need anything?

- Sleep.

I don't think I've had a good night's sleep

for five years.

- Booze in graveside ceremony,

emotional terrorism,

victim of this and victim of that.

My God, my friend and his wife are dead,

and she pulled the trigger.

But she's being portrayed

as some kind of feminist folk heroine when it's ludicrous.

- I can't control the media.

- You're controlling us.

What about our story? We were there.

We saw the way she harassed my brother and her own kids

for the past five years.

Maggie could tell the press a few stories

and make a stone weep.

When does our site get to be heard?

- In court.

- Great.

In the meantime she'll be canonized.

- Look, it's my responsibility to convict her

in a court of law.

That's 12 jurors, we have to convince, not the press.

Do you understand?

- Look at this one,

New Zealand, Philippines,

this is New Jersey, all over the place.

- [Prison Guard] Broderick.

- We were gonna come out of the woodwork to say,

go for it.

- Hey, Broderick, let's go.

- Do you mind,

federal law says I'm allowed my time in the sun.

- Your lawyer's on the phone.

- You should have said so to begin with.

I'll take that one.

Chatting away.

- Where's your wristband?

- I don't have one.

- You were issued one. Where is it?

- You're the only deputy that asks for it.

- Where is it.

- Ripped.

- I'll get you a new one.

- I don't need one.

Every deputy in this hell hole knows who I am,

I get more than 200 letters a week.

I don't need to wristband, I need a secretary.

- I'll get you a new wristband.

- Hey Jack.

- And you will wear it.

- So, when do we start?

- Well, Mr. Alli has finally been forced

to agree on a judge.

So jury selection begins in two weeks.

- When will you need the boys?

- I don't know yet.

Listen, I want to speak to them one at a time.

- Okay.

Come on.

- We liked Linda a lot,

that's why we wanted to live there.

But I thought if Grant and I went over to mom's,

she won't be mad all the time and everything would be fine.

Seemed like towards the end,

she just wanted money more than anything.

Towards last year or so.

(ominous music) It's my fault.

I knew she had a gun.

She said she was gonna kill Dad and Linda.

She always kept it in her pocket when he came to get us.

One time, he was on his way over,

and she says she was gonna shoot him when he got there.

I begged her not to, but she wouldn't listen.

And then dad honked the horn,

and I just like ran out and we drove away

and I looked back, I saw mom standing on the porch.

She was smiling at me waving.

- The gun?

- I should have stolen it or thrown it away or something.

I should have.

- Tommy,

believe me, there's no way you could have done anything

to stop your mom from doing what she did.

(indistinct)

(ominous music)

- Welcome back.

- I'm not going to put the boys on the stand.

They know things,

saw things that could help us out a lot,

but they are too devastated.

And if their mother is true to form

and causes some kind of a scene at the trial with them,

they may never recover from all of this as it is.

But at least maybe they've got a chance.

I'm just afraid to subject them to any more torment

over this.

You know.

- Your call

and your instincts.

- And my butt, right?

- So what did you bring me?

- Well, I think you just start out with that black suit.

- No black.

It's too depressing, and it's too tight.

- Okay. Well, that's what I thought.

So I brought the navy dress,

it has that awful low cut,

and also that top with a pleated skirt.

- The navy has a pleated skirt.

- No, the navy is straight.

- Have I been in this hole so long,

I don't remember my own wardrobe?

(chuckles)

(sighs)

Thank you. Karen.

Maybe dressing like a human being again

will make me feel like one.

- Everything's just been pressed

and I told them to handle it with kid gloves.

- Well with these jokers

it's like trying to tell a puppy not to pee on the rug.

- I got to go. - [Karen] Okay,

see you in court.

- Get a ringside seat.

(soft music)

(indistinct murmuring)

- This case, to put it in the simplest terms possible,

is about hate, revenge and murder.

It is about Elizabeth Broderick.

A woman who for the past few years has systematically,

continually and vengefully tormented and harassed

her ex husband, Dan and his wife, Linda.

Her hatred knew no bounds.

Sometime near the end of October, 1989.

She said to Dan's housekeeper

that she wanted to make Dan and Linda's lives as miserable

as she possibly could.

Referring to Dan, she said,

I'll either make his life a living hell,

or I'm going to kill him.

- When Elizabeth Beseglia married Dan Brodrick back in 1969,

she believed in the concept of family,

of teamwork.

Now when they started out together,

they literally had nothing.

Dan was a student and Betty worked.

And over the next 10 or 12 years,

through nine difficult pregnancies and four births,

Betty continued to work

to support her husband's pursuits.

All in the name of teamwork.

But by doing that,

Betty Broderick made a mistake.

Because not only was she sacrificing her own comfort,

but she was losing a sense of herself.

She became totally defined by,

she totally identified with the marriage.

Lo and behold,

one day Dan Broderick,

who by this time was a wealthy, powerful attorney,

decided to abandon his wife.

Why?

He had an affair.

So he left.

Oh, and when he left,

he took a few things with him.

He took their dreams.

He took their children.

Their money.

He took their life.

And by doing that, Dan turned Betty Broderick,

his loyal wife for 16 years,

he turned her from this,

into this.

- [Carrie] There were occasions

where he would hire security?

- Yes

He used to ask me and my sister, how mom was doing?

Was she okay?

And we'd be the only ones to let him know

if he should get an armed guard in from the house

when we thought mom was in a bad mood.

- What did they call her?

- (sighs) Fat,

disgusting.

The beast.

The monster on a warpath.

- And this was in front of your little brothers

that they would do this.

- Yes, it was.

- Would you say that you and Elizabeth Broderick were close?

- Yes.

Betty and I saw a lot of each other,

spent a lot of time together until

shortly before the tragedy.

- What was the defendant's attitude about money?

- I'd say she worshiped it.

- Worshiped it?

- Betty is a very materialistic person.

She always has been.

- She did a lot of buying, spending?

- Yes.

Whenever anything went wrong, she'd spend.

She had catalogs from back East

that she could call Alli in the morning

and order stuff on her credit cards.

- Was this during the same time

she would complain to you she had no money?

- Sometimes.

She complained that she could hardly make ends meet,

and then the next week she showed me something she bought.

- That's a lie. - It seemed inconsistent, but

(sighs) that was Betty.

- How would you describe the defendant? What type of person?

- Tremendously energetic (chuckles)

Just about the perfect mother.

- Was she someone who appeared

to be only interested in spending lots of money on clothes

and such?

- No.

No, not at all that way.

- Did you have an opportunity to visit the house

that she moved into in La Jolla,

after her separation from Dan?

- Yes.

- Can you describe for us how that house was furnished.

- At first, almost like a newly married person would do it.

No real furniture,

certainly not What I saw at the Coral Reef house

when she and Dan were married.

- Do you know how she was sleeping?

- Oh, just on a mattress in a box spring,

not even a bed frame.

- [Laura Schlesinger] Hi, we're back.

I'm Laura Schlesinger.

And we're talking about Betty Broderick.

Now, she killed her ex husband and his new wife

because she said she was battered and abandoned,

but there are many with a different opinion.

And I want to hear yours. What do you think?

Okay, we've got Peter on the line from Coronado.

Go ahead please.

- [Peter] Hi, Laura.

- [Laura Schlesinger] Hi Peter,

you're on. - [Peter] Sorry,

let me turn the radio down.

You know, about this Broderick thing,

something like that happened to me last year.

- [Laura Schlesinger] Your ex-wife shot you?

- [Peter] No we went through a really bad divorce

and everything.

I think that Betty Broderick has had bad deal.

- [Laura Schlesinger] How do you say that?

- [Peter] Well, I mean she worked hard,

she put her husband through school,

and he dumped her for his bimbo secretary-

- [Laura Schlesinger] wait a minute, wait a minute-

- [Peter] He makes a lot of money,

and he doesn't want to pay any child support-

- [Laura Schlesinger] He owed her the rest of his life?

- [Peter] Well, she's got to stand up for herself.

These are extenuating circumstances.

- Do you recognize these keys?

- They're mine.

- And how did you lose them?

- My mom was dropping me off at my apartment

after work one day and I walked up to my door

and my keys were gone.

I asked her if she'd seen them, and she said no.

We even searched her car for them.

- She helped you look for them?

- Uh-huh.

And then we went back to her house and looked.

- [Carrie] Did you find them?

- No.

- Did you ever after that, come to know where they were?

- No.

Well, yeah,

after it was too late.

- So then not before November 5th?

- [Kate] No.

- You ever lose them before?

- No, they were kind of a big deal to my dad.

We were supposed to guard our keys to his house,

like with our lives.

He didn't want mom to have them.

- A classic situation,

the husband's denial of the affair only compounds the damage

and trauma he's already caused the wife.

- [Alli] And how would that make her feel, the wife?

- She'd feel a tremendous amount of resentment, hurt,

and of course, anger.

- Doctor, in your opinion,

do you think that the legal war that Dan Broderick waged

against his wife in divorce court-

- Objection, your honor,

the witness has no firsthand knowledge.

He never even met Dan Broderick.

- Sustained.

- In your opinion,

as a family counselor of, how many years did you say?

- 15.

- Right.

Looking at Mrs. Broderick and the supporting data,

Would you say that Dan Broderick was a wife batterer?

- Well, my expertise is domestic violence

and based on what Mrs. Broderick has told me,

she was physically, sexually and psychologically abused

by Mr. Broderick.

(projector whirring)

- Is this a check Dan wrote for your leased car for $398?

- It was really his car that he allowed me to use.

- Is this a check for $2,000 cash made out to you

on March 15th from Dan?

- Yes.

- And do we have here $445 to I Magnin's,

$550 to Saks,

Neiman Marcus,

do you shop at all those stores?

- I shop everywhere.

- What about $3,000 to American Express?

- That's when the kids were living with me,

that was for the kids.

- So Dan was paying the children's expenses then?

- He was paying the bills, yes.

- Could you identify this?

- The check made out to me.

- From?

- Dan.

- For how much?

- $3,000.

- Did you write this little note at the bottom?

"Thanks sweetie."

- Yes.

- Okay.

This is a $9,000 check made payable to you.

Is this part of the system of monthly payments

that Dan set up for you?

- I guess so.

- Lights, please.

Now it was during this period of time

you started vandalizing his home, didn't you?

- Yes.

- Okay.

So in addition to paying all the clothing

and car leasing bills,

in addition to paying a $9,000 a month,

and in addition to purchasing for you

a $650,000 Ocean View estate in La Jolla,

Dan was also paying home insurance taxes, medical insurance,

car insurance, and income taxes,

while you continued to vandalize his home, is that correct?

- Right.

- Right.

- Mrs. Broderick,

can you remember the first year that there was money

from Dan's business?

Where money was no longer a problem?

- The first year we could actually meet our bills

and go on trips was 1982.

And he started buying me fur jackets and jewelry and stuff.

- How did that feel?

- Oh, we were celebrating,

both of us literally celebrating.

- And did you end up going to Europe at any time?

- Yes.

Another lawyer had referred a case to Dan

that turned out to make us a lot of money.

So to say, thank you,

Dan thought we should take the lawyer and his wife with us

to Europe for three weeks.

So we did.

Five star hotels and restaurants,

everything all on Dan.

- During that period of time,

did Dan's demeanor,

his attitude change in any way?

- Dan was always under a lot of pressure,

mostly self-imposed.

So when we went to Europe and he was unusually quiet,

not mirth filled, as he was on vacations.

I attributed it to pressure.

Though I did think it was a bit odd.

- Now, when you all got back home,

did Dan's demeanor, the way he talked about you,

the way he talked to you, did that change at all?

- We were in a car on the way to a very important wedding.

And all of a sudden he started telling me

that he just wasn't happy with anything.

Not the children,

or the cars, or the house.

Our social life, our friends,

me.

- You?

What did he tell you about yourself?

- He said it was my fault

because I was old,

fat,

boring, ugly, and stupid.

He just wasn't having any fun anymore.

- What were you like back then?

- I was 35.

I wore a size eight,

which for someone my height can hardly be called fat.

- [Alli] So what did you do?

- If your husband is telling you

that you don't please him anymore,

then you try to do whatever it is better.

So I tried to be better.

I lost weight.

I let my hair grow long the way it was

when I was in college,

I tried to get rid of wrinkles that weren't even there.

There was a tiny little millimeter of a crack in a tooth,

I fixed that.

I tried to be perfect,

absolutely flawlessly perfect for Dan Broderick.

(ominous music)

Well, they've been deliberating for six days

for God's sakes.

What could they possibly be arguing about?

Jerry, if I have to spend one more day in this dungeon,

I'm just going to...

Oh, I mean this place makes me sick.

The other day one of my goon deputies ransacked my room

when I was in court, threw everything all over the place.

What was she looking for?

I asked to talk to the Captain, the Lieutenant,

the Sergeant, I was refused.

It's not right.

It's just not right.

(soft music)

- Have you ladies and gentlemen reached a verdict?

- We have not, your honor.

We are unable to come to a unanimous decision at this time.

(judge hammering)

- Have you discussed every possible option?

- We have your honor,

I'm very sorry.

- So am I.

Has there been a consensus

as to whether further deliberation might break the deadlock?

- There has, your honor

and we unanimously feel that it would not help.

(sighs)

- This is good.

- Then I have no choice, but to declare a mistrial.

(yelps)

Quiet please, I thank you for your efforts.

I know you worked very hard.

Meantime counselors,

I'll set a new arraignment for two weeks.

Hence at which time we will schedule another trial.

Court's adjourned.

- Thank you Jerry.

(ominous music)

- [Reporter] Mr Strong, is it true sir

that the vote was 10 to two,

but you were the hold up on the jury?

- Sure it is and I'm proud of it.

- [Reporter] Can you say the overriding thing

in Mrs. Brodeick's favor as far as you're concerned.

- [Strong] There was no one thing in particular.

- [Reporter] Well, can you tell us

if you think she was justified

in shooting Dan and Linda Broderick?

- No.

I can't tell you this much.

I don't know what took her so long.

(indistinct clamoring)

- I just don't know if I want to disrupt my life

for another whole year.

The last time really consumed me.

My kids are a year older.

I feel 10 years older.

I can't recall ever getting so personally involved,

and I know that can't be good.

- Well, you put on a fine case.

Who could ever predict a jury?

- You're going to communion services today?

- It's Sunday, isn't it?

- Take your religious materials.

- I don't need them.

- Hands on waistband, Broderick.

Broderick, I said hands on waistband.

- Lest you've forgotten,

I've not been found guilty of anything.

I had a jury eating out of my hand.

- As you know prisoners required to walk

with their hands on their waistband.

Halt.

- What do you want from me?

- I want you to follow the procedures

like everybody else in this place does.

- You really get off on this authority bull, don't you?

I want to talk to the Captain.

These guys would not let me go to church.

You hear me?

- I haven't interviewed Betty myself yet,

just gathering opinions and such at this point.

- Well, I think what Betty did was courageous.

- Care to elaborate?

- She had to do it to get attention.

No one would listen otherwise.

Betty has done something real important for scores of women

in this country.

And now that 2020 and People Magazine have contacted her

about future interviews,

and with your magazine publishing her story,

that's national exposure.

Which means that maybe the next Dan Brodrick

would think twice.

- I imagine he will.

- Look, I know it was extreme,

but sometimes you need a little "prairie justice".

- Steve.

- What?

- I've decided to take a second trial.

- I think that's great.

- You don't.

You think it will be another year of hell.

- What do you mean, it won't?

- Of course it will.

If I don't take it, it's like she's won.

I keep thinking of all the time I've spent

trying to protect real battered and abused women.

The ones whose husbands won't leave.

The women who have no choices.

And then I think about Betty Broderick.

There is not one shred of evidence

that he ever laid a finger on her.

She's a fraud.

And I can't just walk away.

- Natalie Parker.

- Hi, Betty.

- Hi.

I didn't know you were coming, I'd have fixed my hair.

- Oh, well it's okay, really.

Hi.

- Hi.

So where do we start?

- Well,

I'd like to ask you

what you think about the fact

that some people are applauding your courage and bravery?

- Some people think I'm a feminist, but I'm no feminist.

I had my house and my sandbox and my swing set.

I was the ultimate suburban housewife, I loved it.

I had exactly what I wanted,

until the nightmare began

- The legal battle?

- The battle.

It was a massacre.

I didn't stand a chance.

I was an opponent.

He buried me in legal papers.

- Filled an entire room in my house

fighting this legal mumble jumble,

most of which is Chinese to me,

Like his famous bifurcation order.

- Meaning?

- A bifurcation order is a way of obtaining a legal divorce

without having to settle the property and custody

and alimony issues.

I call it a by fornication order.

It's a way of legally screwing your wife and your girlfriend

at the same time.

- Karen George says,

there are times when women need to take the law

into their own hands.

What do you think?

- You know I can't answer that.

You know what the answer is.

(door bangs in the background)

Thank you Natalie.

(indistinct chatter on radio)

- All set.

Reservation's for 12:30.

What's up?

- I just got a call from Jack Alli.

He wants to make a deal.

He's willing to bargain a 20 year prison term for Betty.

- In exchange for what?

- [Carrie] We drop the murder charge.

- What do we call what she did to the deceased?

Criminal mischief?

- They'll accept voluntary manslaughter.

- Look, I think we've got to ask ourselves

what we're after in the long run.

If it's to get her off the street,

then we have to consider his offer.

- I want to put her away.

And if I don't convince a jury this time around

and end up dead locked again, she could walk.

Which would be a real tragedy.

- Well, 20 years with good conduct.

(scoffs)

For argument's sake.

We're looking at a scenario where she's out in 10.

- Still, my problem is the message.

We are saying to the world, it's okay.

It isn't murder.

And that scares me a lot.

- More than if she walks?

(intercom buzzes)

- [Barbara] Carrie, Jack Alli is returning your call.

- Okay, Barbara, put him through.

(intercom buzzes)

Yeah, Jack I'm here.

- [Alli] So we're bargaining this thing or not?

- I'm afraid not, Jack.

We'll see you in court.

- Okay, so you'll come back right?

- Can you shove down, I'm falling off the bench.

- Lose some weight.

- Shove down.

- Shove this.

- You'll let her get away with that?

- Yep, she is.

Ain't no TV round here now.

Today, you're just another sad ass locked up bitch like us.

- I am nothing like you.

- Okay, you two, that's enough.

- You two?

Are you blind or just stupid?

- Relax, Broderick.

- Relax.

How am I supposed to relax?

You wouldn't chain a dog like this.

- Bus boarding.

Lets go.

- Don't help me up.

- I'm gonna write you up for that, Broderick.

Maybe a couple of days in lockdown

reminds you where you are.

- How could I forget?

- You best start behaving your butt in here.

Could become home sweet home for permanent.

I heard that hang jury had 10 against you.

Almost too close for comfort, ain't it?

(door buzzes)

- We got her psychiatric records.

- Oh, nice work.

And what are you hoping to find?

- I'm not sure.

Just that she must have said some things

to those psychiatrist that she's twisted around since.

If I know what they are, I can impeach her testimony.

- How soon can you have access?

- I'm on my way to Jack Alli's office now.

- Hey guys, we're going to move Betty.

Okay, time to move out.

- Move out where?

- Your little tantrum yesterday earned you two days

in lockdown starting now.

Come on.

- Nobody told me.

- We give you verbal unwritten notice.

Now get off the bunk and let's hustle it up.

- I'm not going anywhere.

No, get your hands off me.

- Okay, we're going to do this the hard way.

- [Officer] Grab her hands.

(indistinct clamoring)

- [Reporter] The turmoil in Elizabeth Broderick's life

continues as she struggles here with deputies

at Las Colinas Women's Detection Center

outside San Diego, California.

She had a story book marriage, money, mansions,

a beautiful family.

Dan Broderick was a powerful lawyer.

Betty Broderick was a supermom and country club socialite.

Then it went tragically wrong.

A vicious divorce.

Dad married his beautiful young assistant

and Betty got a gun.

Did she murder in cold blood?

Did he drive her to it?

Don Huddle has the exclusive interview.

Watch "America Reports" Friday at 10:00.

- I'm just so confused.

I know my mom's a criminal,

a murderer.

And there are times I lie there

and I still can't believe my dad's gone.

But then sometimes I think

what the hell am I doing?

Testifying against my own mother?

My sister's barely speaking to me.

- Sorry about that.

- And my mom-

- Thinks you're a traitor.

- Worse.

After the first trial,

she told me that I was a marked woman.

What am I now, in her hit list?

- Kate, look,

your mom's not well.

She's not insane under the legal definition,

but she definitely has been out of control for a long time.

If we could get a conviction,

and some professional help for her while she's in prison,

maybe she'd finally come to some kind of terms

with what she's done.

Meantime, you have to move on with your own life

and not worry about being on anyone's hit list.

- Yeah, I know.

I know.

I heard that court TV is gonna be there this time.

I don't want to testify in front of them.

It's too much.

It's like the whole world, all your friends, strangers,

they're all watching you when you're the most vulnerable.

I mean it's everywhere.

Prime time, magazines,

it just keeps growing.

- I'll talk to Judge Whelan.

See if I can get the cameras barred.

- You have to.

- And if I can't?

- I'll do what I have to do.

- Elizabeth Broderick wants very badly

to be viewed in this case, not as the killer,

but as the victim.

Unfortunately for her,

the evidence will show that she distorted

and exaggerated the events to such a degree

that even her own children recognize it.

So before even one witness takes the stand,

I want to take every pertinent detail of this case

and give you a Elizabeth Broderick's version,

then contrast it with facts.

- So what he really did when he left that day,

when he walked out on this woman,

who held his marriage together all those years,

what Dan Broderick really did to his family

was to smash it.

(picture frame smashes)

And shatter their dreams.

- Would have worked the first time.

"There is no better reason for someone to kill

"than to protect their home, possessions and family

"from attack and destruction.

"You have attacked and destroyed me, my home,

"my possessions and my family.

"A law degree does not give you immunity from punishment.

"No one will mourn you.

Your mother wrote that in her diary, is that correct?

- Yes.

- Was your father attacking and destroying you

and your possessions and your family?

- No.

- Was he attacking and destroying your mother's possessions

or person?

- No.

- How did he treat all of you?

You kids.

- Very well.

He wasn't too good at the fathering stuff at first,

but then he got better. He tried real hard.

He was very interested in our school.

Always helping us with our homework,

talking to our teachers.

- Were you or Tommy or Grant or Debbie

ever afraid of your father?

- No.

- How do you think he felt about you overall?

- He loved us.

I know that.

We all know that.

- Kate, I'm going to play a tape.

It is your mother having a conversation

with your brother Grant.

You've listened to this tape, correct?

- [Kate] Yes.

- And did you recognize it as a taped conversation

on your father's answering machine?

- Yes.

- [Betty's Voice Recording] Why a child whore, Dan?

And what is it about the bitch that turns you on?

It's certainly not her intellect, she has a moron.

She's an all for sex simplistic piece of poor white trash.

You're with the slut now, Dan.

Probably, huh.

- [Grant's Voice Recording] Mom, it's me, Grant.

- [Betty's Voice Recording] Hi, Grant.

Hi sweetheart.

How's my baby boy? Are they treating you all right?

- [Grant's Voice Recording] Yeah, mom.

- [Betty's Voice Recording] 'Cause if they're not,

you can come live with me.

Would that be fine?

- [Grant's Voice Recording] Yeah, mom.

But you've got to stop leaving messages

like this all the time.

It makes me feel (indistinct) talking about Linda and Daddy.

like to hear certain stuff.

- [Betty's Voice Recording] Sweetheart,

there's worse things in life than being embarrassed.

I didn't cause this, your daddy did.

- [Grant's Voice Recording] But mom,

all you care about is just stupid money

and getting in at Linda.

You are always mad at everything.

You never say anything nice anymore.

- [Betty's Voice Recording] Nice?

Who's not nice?

Your father, that's who.

Your father dumped your mommy for a 12 year old.

That's nice?

You little traitor.

Who put you up to this? The slut or the pervert?

Who? Tell me Grant.

Tell your mommy.

Grant, talk to me.

Please talk to me.

(sighs)

- Do you remember testifying at the first trial

that you thought your mother was crazy

when she told you your dad was having an affair with Linda?

- I don't think I said that mom was crazy,

but I didn't believe that there was one.

- You talked about it with your father though, didn't you?

- About him having an affair with Linda?

- Yes.

Before your parents separated.

- No, I did not.

- Really?

- Well, do you remember my asking you

if Linda's name was brought up?

- No, I don't remember.

- Would you please read pages 339 through 340,

line 26 through one.

Does it not say,

and I quote "You and I had an earlier conversation

"in which you indicated to me

"that you thought your mother was a little bit crazy

"because she talked about an affair with Linda.

- Yes, that's what it says.

- So, now do you remember?

- Well, I see it now, but I don't remember it.

- You don't remember?

- I don't remember being asked that in particular but-

- You do remember testifying at the first trial, don't you?

Don't you?

- Yes, Mr. Alli.

I've done a lot of things in between then and now.

And I don't remember exactly everything that I said.

- Well, I assume that at that time,

you were being as truthful as you could.

Weren't you?

- I'm trying to be truthful now, Mr. Alli.

I'm trying.

I'm trying.

- Dr. Kurtz.

Could you tell us what you found

with regard to the defendant's mental state?

- I found a great deal of evidence

consistent with opinions that others had reached

that Mrs. Broderick is not mentally ill.

But rather she suffers from a personality disorder.

Specifically a narcissistic personality disorder.

- Can you tell us how a psychiatrist would determine

whether somebody has such a disorder?

- Actually, there are nine characteristics,

but we diagnose people as narcissistic

if they have five of those nine.

- What did you find regarding Mrs. Broderick?

- I found evidence of all nine.

- [Carrie] For instance.

- Well, the first criterion is narcissistic rage

in response to criticism.

Examples in Mrs. Broderick's past,

include throwing things at Dan,

locking him out of the house,

burning his clothes,

bashing her truck into his front door,

her repeated homicidal threats.

All of this reflects a narcissistic rage

of someone who perceives severe criticism of herself.

- What is the second criterion?

- That would come under the heading

of interpersonal exploitation.

That means, for example,

the way she manipulated her children

in her quest for revenge.

She used them as pawns against Dan,

without thinking about how this

would affect the children themselves.

All this is corroborated in statements

the children gave to therapists and the telephone tapes.

Mrs. Broderick is an intelligent woman,

who even acknowledged reading books on divorce

about the effects of this kind of behavior on children.

But it was more important to her to hurt Dan and Linda

than to prevent the possibility of harm to her children.

- Does your review of all the materials

in the defendant's case file, show her to be suicidal?

- It does not.

In many ways, Mrs. Broderick is too narcissistic

to kill herself.

Narcissists have difficulty harming themselves

because they hold themselves in such high regard.

All her repeated threats were threats of homocide,

not suicide.

- Not suicide, homicide.

Thank you.

(soft banging)

- Paramedic

- What?

- Take me to the infirmary.

(keys jingling)

- You're sick?

- No, I'm not sick.

I got to testify tomorrow.

I got to do my root.

- No. Sorry, infirmary's for illness,

it's not a beauty parlor.

- Hey.

Hey, captain knows about this.

Hey.

Hey, come back here nazi.

Come on.

- Let's talk about custody.

- I never got any.

- Right.

Didn't you tell your psychiatrist, Dr. Farrellson,

that you did not want your children

until you were assured of your social standing.

- Exactly.

Right, I had no security.

I was too nervous to take them on with nothing.

And I had nothing.

Nothing at all.

- You had been living in a $650,000 house for 16 months,

correct?

- Yes.

- You had three cars.

- Maybe.

- But you wouldn't seriously discuss custody, would you?

- Dan wouldn't let me.

He held out to the end.

- Right.

The famous letter.

- Objection, your honor.

Argumentative.

- Sustained.

- You testified that the last letter Dan sent you,

on November 3rd was the one that drove you over the edge,

and led to the events on November 5th, correct?

- Absolutely.

Was another threat.

Another insult, another reference to my mental illness.

- Your honor,

I would submit this enlargement of that letter

as people's exhibit 278.

- [Judge] Submitted.

- In fact, the letter is not from Dan to you,

but from his lawyer to your lawyer.

- Same thing.

- Not really.

In fact, Dan had offered you custody of the boys

just the week before.

This letter was simply a response

to the latest barrage of obscene phone messages, was it not?

- I was very upset, defeated.

The only weapon I had was my mouth.

- All this letter actually is, as you can see,

is an admonition,

a plea, really, to your lawyer

to get you to stop the obscenities

and to get on with the custody deal.

Is this what you were telling us drove you over the edge?

- It was another warning.

It was all in his hands.

- Okay.

He drove you over the edge.

So you decided to drive yourself over to his house.

- I decided to drive to the beach, I needed some air.

- But you didn't drive to the beach.

You drove to Dan's house in order to, you testified earlier,

kill yourself in front of him.

- Yes.

- [Carrie] You had your gun.

- [Betty] It was in my purse.

- [Carrie] You had Kate's keys.

- [Betty] I didn't know they were Kate's.

- [Carrie] So you picked up the keys,

took the gun out of the purse and snuck into his house.

In order, you have said, to confront him.

- To talk to him.

- Your word was confront,

and you didn't want him to hear you come in, right?

- I didn't want him calling the police

before I got to talk to him.

- Why the gun?

- To make him listen.

- A show of force, correct?

- Yes.

- So this had nothing to do then with killing yourself.

- What?

- You stated you wanted to kill yourself,

that's a very different thing.

- No, the reason I wanted the gun...

I wanted to make him hear me out.

And if he didn't, I was gonna kill myself.

- [Carrie] So you went into the house,

snuck up the stairs, very quietly,

and went into the bedroom.

And then what happened?

- I don't really remember.

Someone moved, I heard a voice and it was over,

just like that.

I couldn't see anything, it was dark.

- Well, this time you testified

that Linda said call the police.

But last time you testified

that you don't remember anybody saying anything.

Which is it?

- I don't really...

It was just an impression I had the...

It happened too fast to remember.

- You did see Dan and Linda on the bed, correct?

- I have no recollection of having seen them at all.

- Well, how do you know if Linda or Dan moved,

if you couldn't see them?

- That was an impression I had at the time.

- Well, you can't have an impression of something

unless you saw it.

You testified that Linda moved towards Dan,

and Dan moved towards the phone.

Did you see that or not?

- That was my impression.

- [Carrie] Did it happen?

- It was a blur.

- Okay.

Why did you start shooting?

- I panicked.

- [Carrie] You brought the gun as a show of force,

to- - [Betty] To talk.

To make him talk

to me. - To make him listen.

And yet you didn't use it to show force.

You didn't use the gun to say, hold it buster,

I want to talk to you.

You're just shot.

- I never had a chance.

- What do you mean, you didn't have a chance?

- Well, it happened so fast.

It was all so fast.

- Obviously it wasn't.

It took five shots for you to shoot these people.

It could not have happened just like that

as you have indicated.

- It did.

- It does not take that to shoot Linda in the chest,

(gunshot fired)

then shoot Dan in the back,

(gunshot fired)

then re-aim and shoot Linda in the back of her head.

(gunshot fired)

It could not.

- I didn't aim.

My finger tensed once.

- Did you voluntarily pull the trigger?

- I don't remember pulling it.

- Did you tell Dr. Groza another psychiatrist of yours

that you remember pulling the trigger?

- I don't remember telling her,

because I don't remember pulling it.

- Would it refresh your memory to take a look at her notes?

- It says I remember pulling it once.

But I didn't see them, it was dark.

- You testified that after you shot Dan and Linda,

you pulled the phone out of the wall

because you were afraid that he might be alive

and that he might call the police.

Is that a fair and accurate portrayal?

- [Betty] Yes, he scared me,

I was afraid- - Did you tell Dr. Farrellson

that after you shot Dan,

and as he was reaching for the phone,

you took the gun and deliberately smashed his hand

on the night table?

- I don't remember saying that.

- Did you smash his hand with the gun?

- No.

- Then why did you tell your psychiatrist that you did?

- Object, highly argumentative.

- Overruled.

This is cross, she may answer.

- [Carrie] Why did you tell Dr. Farrellson

that after you shot them three times,

you smashed Dan's hand with the gun

as he reached for the phone?

- I don't remember.

- Do you remember telling Amy Wallace, from the LA Times,

that there was no pain?

There was no blood.

It was simple.

- I had been told that.

I had heard it here in this courtroom

during the first trial.

- Really?

You made that statement back in March of 1990.

The first trial began the following October.

Do you remember saying in the same interview,

"I had only one choice, his funeral or mine.

- I said that, but I didn't-

- Did you say that?

Did you make that statement?

"I had only one choice, his funeral or mine?

- Yes.

- And that is exactly what you did.

You chose to make real sure that it was his funeral,

correct?

- I didn't choose.

I went there to kill myself.

- Why didn't you?

- There weren't any bullets left.

- No, there weren't, were there?

They had all been fired into the sleeping bodies

of Dan and Linda Broderick.

No pain and no blood.

Not exactly true Mrs. Broderick.

Although how would you know,

you didn't stick around long enough

to see the blood drain from their corpses?

Did you?

(ominous music)

- [Judge] I understand the jury has reached a verdict.

Will the foreman pass the forms to my bailiff, please.

The clerk will read the verdicts.

- In the superior court of the state of California,

in here before the County of San Diego.

We, the jury find the defendant,

Elizabeth Ann Broderick,

guilty of the crime of murder in the second degree,

victim Daniel Broderick,

we further find the defendant guilty

of the crime of murder in the second degree,

victim, Linda Broderick.

- Sentence will be imposed at a later date.

This court is adjourned.

(ominous music)

- Your honor, this is called an impact statement.

So I will try to describe to you the impact Linda's murder

has had on her family.

We are all very close.

My father does not even have the emotional fortitude

to be here.

He simply could not bear to be in the same room

with the murderer of his youngest child.

Our families have been compelled to talk to the media

because the defense strategy

has been to paint Dan and Linda as villains.

We are put in the position of defending them.

They are the ones who were murdered

and they have been put on trial.

I'm baffled by it.

I wanted to grow old with my sister.

I wanted to be an aunt to her children.

I wanted to spend a lot more time with her,

but she's dead.

No sentence could ever be proportionate

with what was taken from Linda,

and what we have lost.

Thank you.

- As it is within my discretion to do so.

I'm imposing consecutive rather than concurrent terms.

The maximum sentence of 15 years to life imprisonment

for each crime of second degree murder.

- Jack, what are they doing?

(ominous music)

- [Narrator] Elizabeth Broderick is currently incarcerated

at the Central California Women's Facility at Chowchilla.

She will not be eligible for parole until March, 2011.

(soft music)