As you read this, adults and children all over the country are being subjected to mental and physical violence in a place that should be the most safe—their homes. Their personal traumas regularly become bigger problems for our schools, our workplaces, and the criminal justice system. We must better address this reality to save not only these tragic souls, but our larger family—the human race.
PHOTOGRAPHIC INSERT
Susan and her brother, David Bolling.
Susan at age 15. Around the time this photo was taken, she began seeing Felix Polk for therapy.
Susan and Felix on their wedding day. Though she had reservations about the wedding, she went through with the ceremony. Not long after, tensions between them began to grow.
Felix and Susan in a happy moment with their children.
Felix enjoying the company of his son. Although he and Susan disagreed over parenting techniques, Adam and Gabe felt that he was a good father.
Susan in a calm moment with her son. Though situations with Felix were tense during the boys’ youth, it was not until they were older that the tempers began to escalate.
Felix takes over the feeding duties.
Susan and Eli during their ill-fated trip to Paris. Eli’s decision to leave Paris early and return home would later be used against him at the trial when the prosecutor attempted to portray his parental loyalties as fickle.
Susan and Adam before their relationship soured. Until his father’s death, Adam was close to his mother, but all that changed on October 13, 2002.
Together the boys of the Polk family would prove difficult for their parents to handle, as each one struggled with authority in his own way.
The main house of the Polk’s Miner Road estate. The sprawling property would be the site of numerous police visits, as the Polk sons and their parents found themselves in trouble with the law.
The Miner Road pool house where Felix was living when Susan killed him. Due to his fear of Susan, Felix claimed to have “barricaded” himself inside the pool house in the days before his death.
Eli relaxing on the deck during happier times.
Susan’s dogs were of particular importance to her and the subject of contention between her and Felix.
Though Susan’s relationship with Felix could at times seem normal, the years of conflict eventually became too much.
One of the controversial bloody footprints found at the crime scene.
While at first she would claim that her injuries were the result of her dog’s overaggressive behavior, Susan later revealed that the bruising around her eye and the small cuts to her fingers stemmed from her struggle with Felix.
A police department sketch of the Polk’s Miner Road estate.
My 2005 interview with Susan on Catherine Crier Live. It was during this discussion that she revealed Felix’s naval records and told her side of that fateful evening.
Taken in the Polk’s pool house, this sequence of photos shows Susan’s attorneys, Dan Horowitz (with glasses) and Ivan Golde, reenacting the struggle between Felix and Susan on the night of Felix’s death.
Helen Bolling speaking with reporters outside the courthouse.
Prosecutor Paul Sequeira preparing to address the media.
Valerie Harris making a statement to reporters in front of the courthouse. While her professional relationship with Susan was strained by Susan’s erratic behavior, ultimately Valerie’s presence was a big help to Susan as she maneuvered through one legal minefield after another.
Adam and Gabriel on the set of Catherine Crier Live.
Eli after learning of his mother’s verdict.
After the verdict: (From left to right) Prosecutor Sequeira, Gabriel Polk, Majorie Briner, Adam Polk, Dan Briner.
APPENDIX
A copy of Felix’s naval records, which Susan used during the trial.
The letter written by naval doctors that details their diagnosis of Felix’s suicide attempt as a schizophrenic reaction.
Felix’s 1955 suicide letter.
Susan, younger, at one of the Polk’s earlier houses.
Susan and Felix on a trip to Europe.
Susan and her children on a trip to a California vineyard
A page from the legal case of Polk v. Polk.
Always an avid outdoorsman, Felix loved hiking with his boys.
The police report from Felix’s death scene.
Dr. Peterson’s wound chart from Felix’s autopsy. This diagrams each of the places where Susan’s knife hit Felix.
The knife that Susan claimed she used when she killed her husband.
A bloody footprint on the floor of the Miner Road pool house taken by Costa County Police Department. The footprints would prove a subject of great controversy during the trial as Susan used them to demonstrate procedural errors on behalf of the police department.
A police photo of the Polk’s Miner Road estate
The coroner’s report from Felix’s autopsy.
Felix Polk’s death certificate.
Taken by the police, this photo shows the edge of the pool house and the pool.
The interior of the main house kitchen photographed by police during their sweep of the premises on October 15.
An alternate police sketch of the Miner Road estate.
A police sketch of the bloodstained chair in the living room of the pool house.
A police sketch of the crime scene from overhead.
ACKNOWLEGMENTS
A nonfiction book is always the work of many dedicated individuals; those who research, compile, review, and of course, those who give their time and recollection to help develop a meaningful narrative. Cole Thompson again took the lead in uncovering and gathering critical information, while Lisa Pulitzer spent countless hours organizing and structuring material that covered several generations. Dr. Keith Ablow generously reviewed the relevant histories of the Polk family members and shared his psychiatric insights. Lisa Sweetingham was often my eyes and ears in the courtroom during Susan Polk’s trial and offered her own invaluable reflections on the proceeding. Without the generous time offered by many of the people integrally involved in these events, it would have been impossible to examine the very personal details necessary to fully present this story.
Jan Miller, my friend and agent for many years, shepherded the project. Judith Regan and my editors Cal Morgan and Matt Harper had faith, once again, in the relevance and fascination of a true crime story that seeks to go beyond the “who” and delve into the complex “why” behind family violence. I want to acknowledge my wonderful staff at Court TV for their support. Very special thanks to my assistant, Barbara Stansell for being there twenty-four/seven and D. J. Haverkamp for keeping the trains running on time. Finally, love and gratitude to Scott Carney, who kept me focused and grounded throughout this project.
SEARCHABLE TERMS
Andersen, Eloise
Argosy University
Barnard, Linda
Berg, Paul
Bodfish, Margaret
Bolling, David (Susan’s brother)
Bolling, Helen Avanzato (Susan’s mother)
childhood/adolescence
co-owned property with the Polks
in court
at bail hearingat
the trial
as witness
described
Eli’s future, planning for
Felix’s dislike for, and banning from home
life-and-death encounter
marriage/divorce
murder investigation and
reaction to Felix’s murder
and Susan as adolescent
and Susan as adult
Bolling, Rita
Bolling, Theodore (Susan’s father)
Borkenhagen, Bob
Bradley, Edwin
Bradley, Elizabeth
Brady, Larry
Brady, Laurel
indirect connection to incident
jury selection/opening statements of prosecution
; mistrial
prosecution’s case
Susan’s testimony
Susan’s witnesses
verdict
Briner, Andy
Briner, Dan
Briner, Marjorie
Burns, Sheila
Byron Boys’ Ranch
Carin, Deputy
Castro-Shelly, Laura
Catherine Crier Live
Chamblee, Melvin
Chertkow, Nancy
Clark, Roger
Coleridge, Peter
Contra Costa Times
Cooper, John
Costa, Kirsten
Costa, Mike
investigating murder
at crime scene
finding Susan’s diary/written materials
Kobrin interview
Kuntz interview
opinion of Susan’s guilt
Pyne interview
search of Felix’s office
Susan Polk interview
as witness at trial
Cristwell, Lisa
Croen, Robin
Deakins, Roger
De La Salle High School
Del Oro High School, Orinda
Disneyland trip
Dyleski, Denika
Dyleski, Scott
Eaton, Merle
Erhard, Werner
Fullerton, Linda
Funk, Jack
Golde, Ivan W.
Golde, Stanley P.
Good Morning America
Grace, Nancy
Grossman, Elizabeth
Gruenheid, Roxanne
Hansen, Kenneth (interview with Susan)
Harbison, Officer
Harris, Chris
Harris, Valerie
fired by Susan
as Horowitz’s assistant
at jury’s announcement of verdict
sitting at lawyer’s table
as Susan’s case assistant
after trial
Hebel, Jeffrey
Henderson, Ricky
Hoehn, Charles
Holocaust/Nazis
Horowitz, Daniel
Susan dismissing
as Susan’s lawyer, first trial
wife’s murder
Johnson, Mark
Johnson, Randee
Jones, Jim
Kaiser Mental Facility
Kelly, Shannon
Kobrin, Neil
Kochly, Robert J.
Kolin, William
Kuntz, Janna
Laing, R. D.
Landes, Steve
Lawrence, Dan
Lemmon, Nancy
Leslie, Heidi
Lucia, Kathy
Lynch, Joseph William
Mackenzie, Bud
Maddock, Thomas
Mann, Sharon (Felix’s first wife)
apology from Helen (1981)
apology from Susan (2001 letter)
children
See also Polk, Andrew; Polk, Jennifer
doctoral studies
interview requests denied
keeping books for Felix
marriage to Felix
reaction to Felix’s death
remarriage
separation/divorce from Felix
Martin, Annette
Mills, Bruce
Miramonte School
mistrial
Montana
Mooney, K.
Morris, Barry
Mossad/Israeli intelligence (Susan’s suspicions)
Moule, Jeff
Nelson, John
9/11 prediction claim
O’Connor, Tom
O’Malley, Mary Ann
Orinda, other murder cases in
Osterhoudt, William
Otterstadt, Mr.
Paris trip
Peters, Alan
Peterson, Brian
Peterson, Scott (murder case)
Piedmont
Pizarello, Pat
Polk, Adam
birth
Briners and
day care abuse allegations
family turmoil/conflict and
at Felix’s funeral
future plans
misconduct
after murder
before murder
police interview
relationship with Felix
relationship with Susan
nd Susan’s bail
at Susan’s trial
UCLA
view of parents’ relationship
view of Susan
wrongful death civil suit
Polk, Andrew
Polk, Eli
birth
custody issues
family incidents
at Felix’s funeral
future plans
interview at Byron Boys’ Ranch
letters written by
misconduct/arrests
at Byron Boys’ Ranch for parole violation
drugs/marijuana
high-speed car chase
misdemeanor battery of girlfriend
racist and homophobic remarks
shooting passing motorist with pellet gun
Susan’s jail sentence for contempt of court over
Paris trip
psychological issues
siblings and
on Susan’s innocence
at Susan’s trial, testifying
Thailand trip
view of parents’ relationship
view of/relatonship with Felix
view of/relationship with Susan
Vitale investigation interview
wrongful death civil suit
Polk, Eric Ernst (Felix’s father)
Polk, Evelyn (Felix’s sister)
Polk, Gabriel
birth
Briners and
custody issues
at Felix’s funeral
future plans
on “liars” list
misconduct/troubles with law
after murder
in Adam’s custody
discovering body
police interview/communication
and Susan
before murder
relationship with Felix
relationship with Susan
schools
at Susan’s trial
at verdict
as witness
Thailand vacation
view of parents’ relationship
view of Susan
view of Susan’s guilt
Vitale investigation interview
wrongful death civil suit
Polk, Jennifer
Polk, Johanna Hahn (Felix’s mother)
Polk, John (Felix’s brother)
Polk family
confidential report
dogs
financial issues
prenuptial agreement
reduced spousal support
Polk family (continued)
Susan’s management of
trust fund
neighbors
Orinda residence
court order
description
photos/diagrams
squeeze play/legal maneuvering
police incidents
turmoil/conflict
Polk murder
crime scene
day after
discovery of body
forensic evidence
footprints
hair
jeans
knives
pepper spray
shoes
Susan’s injuries
heart attack theory
media attention surrounding
night of
police report
roots of
Polk murder mistrial
Polk murder trial
closing arguments
death penalty not sought
defense of battered woman syndrome refused
defense of insanity refused
judge. See Bra
dy, Laurel
jury selection
opening remarks, defense
opening remarks, prosecution
prosecutor. See Sequeira, Paul
self representation (Faretta motion)
Susan’s direct testimony/self-defense story
Susan’s requesting to move trial
testimony of defense witnesses
testimony of prosecution witnesses
verdict
Power of Attorney
Presidio Child Development Center
Price, Sergeant
Protti, Bernadetti
Pyne, Thomas
Rivera, Maria
Roland, Pat
Russo, Dan
Ryan, Dan
Saeger, Karen
San Francisco Chronicle
Schneider, Doug
Schraeder, Jeffrey
Sequeira, Paul
cross-examination and objections
final arguments/rebuttal
jury selection
opening remarks
presenting prosecution’s case
statement to media
at verdict
Simon, Justin
Somesse, Kathy
Sweetingham, Lisa
Taflya, Alex
Thailand vacation
Thompson, Cole
Townsend, David
UCLA
Vaulfer, Ernst
Vitale, Pamela
Warne, Steve
Weiss, Peter
Wesley, Gary
Wicks, Song
Wills, Max
Final Analysis Page 36