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| Betty Marries Dan Broderick |
Before the wedding, Betty had her own money from teaching third graders and she lived comfortably with her parents who were quite well to do. After the wedding Dan took charge of everything. Betty later stated this in a negative tone and many women's libers pointed to this as Dan's cruelty, but Betty wanted a man who would take charge, and the dominant male traits that Dan was beginning to show in their relationship where what led Betty to believe that Dan was the man for her.
She and Dan had an elaborate wedding ceremony, but within two weeks of the marriage she was stating that she wanted a divorce. One of Dan's close friends, Brian Monaghan, told newspapers after Dan's murder that less than one month after their wedding, Dan had emotionally told him that he felt he had made a terrible and tragic mistake. Dan stated that when he was only 24 years old Betty would walk around in a huff. When he asked her what was wrong, she would state, "If you don't know what I'm upset about, then you've got a areal problem. I don't want to talk about it. I want to be divorced."
Betty was pregnant within one month of their wedding ceremony. Since Dan was only on his fourth year of Medical school, Betty worked every day up until the day her daughter Kim's birth. Dan and Betty relied entirely on Betty's earnings as a teacher, and from her part time job as a sales girl, for support.
In order to keep money coming in and raise young Kim at the same time, Betty began babysitting full time. She watched other young couples babies while they attended school during the day, and even had a night crew of kids to look after when those who were attending night school needed a sitter. To make use of the weekends and holidays, Betty also sold Avon and Tupperware in the dorm.
Dan spent 90% of his time studying. He did some part time work as a taxi driver and as a lab tech whenever the Brodericks needed spending money.
Dan was almost finished with med school, but of course there were more years of training ahead of him such as internship, residency, and specialization. But after four straight years of medical school right after college, Dan was getting other ideas about what to do with his future.
Dan applied for law school. Medical malpractice was a fast growing speciality with multi-million-dollar settlements, and Broderick realized that someone with degrees in both medicine and law would have an advantage. Dan was accepted at Harvard Law School, which was at that time considered the very best law school in the country.
At this time Betty thought that Dan should attend law classes at night and work during the day, but Dan wanted to stay focused on his education.
The three Brodericks, Dan, Betty, and Kim moved to Massachusetts where Betty had to take a bus to the laundromat to wash Kim's diapers.
In 1971 Betty had to drive herself to the hospital to deliver their second child because Dan was busy with a law school paper. Betty did not complain at the time because she believed that each partner was doing their part in achieving common goals together. Betty was the dutiful wife, happy and contented with her babies during the day, yet frustrated by her husbands lack of time to spend with the family. Dan studied hard, and attended classes, yet he managed to find time to go out drinking with friends after class. He would come home drunk and playful while Betty was literally worn out.
Before Dan graduated from Harvard, Betty had a third child who was still born.
Sad times for Betty, but then came the great day that Dan earned his law degree and could actually start working.
Dan was quickly earning a handsome income working as an associate with a prestigious law firm. Betty was anxious to buy a home of their own and the Broderick family packed up and moved to San Diego California.
They bought their first home in the Coral Reef section of La Jolla, one of the most expensive areas in the state, Where highly educated doctors, lawyers, and business owners tend to be much more conservative than the government workers of southern San Diego.
In 1976 the Brodericks moved into their five bedroom home on the southwest side of Mt. Soledad, the mountain that overshadows La Jolla. Betty finally had her own washer and dryer, and a huge upscale home that would take several years to furnish. Betty had a few miscarriages, but the same year they moved into their new home, Daniel T. Broderick IV was born, and Betty returned to work as a night hostess and cashier at a Black Angus restaurant.
Things were not rosy by a long shot, but life for Dan and Betty Broderick was getting easier. They could afford to add a swimming pool to their Coral Reef home. But, Dan wanted more success and assured Betty that when he finally achieved his ultimate goal of a large home, sports cars and trips to Europe, it would be all worth it. He now took out huge loans to start his own law practice. This would not only mean more debt after struggling to pay off his school loans, but it would mean longer hours for him, as any self employed person experiences.
In 1979 Betty's fourth and final child was born. He was named after Dan's favorite movie hero, Rhett Butler.
Dan was immediately highly successful as a self employed attorney. He kept his overhead light, and did not even hire his own secretary. Instead, he shared one with other lawyers and made his own appointments.
It was the early 80s and Dan & Betty were members of two country clubs, and invested in property near the Del Mar Racetrack that Bing Crosby and other Hollywood greats built during the Glory Days of Hollywood.
Dan loved to ski, and bought a vacation condo in Colorado. He bought a ski boat and began taking Betty to Europe and on cruises. The Brodericks were now entertaining regularly and living large.
Dan and Betty were at odds with each other emotionally, but were at least more comfortable in life financially. During a formal gathering Betty recalled over hearing Dan enthusiastically saying, "isn't she beautiful?" to one of his colleagues. It got Betty's attention because she had never heard Dan speak so enthusiastically and naturally about any other women. She later asked Dan who he was talking about and he told her it was a receptionist named Linda Kolkena, who worked for some of the lawyers.
Dan was growing more and more moody with Betty and did not attend a month long camping trip she took with the kids. When they attempted to call Dan, he was almost never there to answer the phone. When the family returned home from vacation Betty could see that Dan was not at all happy to see them.
Dan soon announced that he had hired an assistant to help him with things. Betty was glad to hear about that until she discovered that his assistant was Linda Kolkena.
Linda was similar in appearance to Betty although most would agree that she was cuter, smaller and more feminine in personality and attire. Betty's friends began telling Betty that they had seen her husband out with a tacky young blond for lunch, drinks and dinners.
Linda had a happy childhood, and after high school she became a flight attendant for Delta Air Lines, however, left the business under shameful circumstances. Betty Broderick supporters were smug to learn from Betty's defense team that Linda had been fired from the airline after using foul language and engaging in a sexual encounter with a male passenger after getting quite drunk on the flight. When reprimanded by her superiors, Linda again cursed and acted like anything but a lady. When warned against using vulgar language Linda stated that this is the way she always talks and that she saw nothing wrong with it.
It was also discovered that Linda had moved to southern California in 1982 in pursuit of a man who had traveled there. After Linda took the receptionist job that introduced her to Dan, that pursuit ended immediately.
Another man Linda was dating named Steve Kelley, stated that Linda talked about her boss all the time. She said he was an "incredible guy". Steve, feeling stirred up by the statements, asked straight out if they were having an affair. Linda denied any involvement with Dan, but Kelley was still suspicious. When Linda showed him her spacious office and he discovered that she was earning $30,000 as his assistant in a one-man law firm, even though she had no training what so ever, things were looking mighty strange.
Betty hired a housekeeper who had reported finding strange swim suits around the pool when she and the family were away. Betty confronted Dan in what she considered to be a nice way. She told Dan to get rid of Linda in one month or else. Dan responded by lying to Betty about any involvement with Linda. He bought a red corvette and stated that he wanted the family to live a more glamorous lifestyle.
When Betty's thirty sixth birthday came around, Dan did not come home. Betty tried to pretend it was okay and she celebrated with the four kids.
One of Betty's biggest mistakes was that she stayed out of Dan's way.
She dressed herself up for Dan's birthday, grabbed a bottle of bubbly, and went to Dan's office. There she found a bottle of wine and two wineglasses from her own wedding crystal and a chocolate moose cake in the refrigerator. Betty did not have a clue that Dan even had a refrigerator at his office. She was such an infrequent guest at his place of business. Dan and Linda were no where to be found, and the receptionist who was sitting in Linda's former job told her that Linda and Dan had left before lunch and hadn't returned. Betty decided to sit in Dan's office and wait.
She walked around, noticing the brass nameplate on Linda's door and the view from the full sized windows. Betty then saw a photo of Dan at age 22. It appeared to be a gift from Dan to Linda. Years later at the trial, Steve Kelly also remarked on the photo of Dan who was sitting on horseback and looking like a dashing hero from a classic movie. An unusual thing for an assistant to have of her boss.
After watching the sunset, Betty drove back to La Jolla in a fury.
When Betty arrived home she grabbed all of Dan's tailor made suits and threw them in the backyard in a heap and set fire to them.
Dan finally arrived home to find a distraught Betty asking for a divorce. Dan had an explanation for everything. He said that he and Linda went out to lunch and then had to go to work taking depositions. When Betty accused Dan of an affair repeatedly, Dan suggested that Betty get some mental help.
Those in the legal profession believe that Dan was trying to get Betty to seek therapy so that when the S*** hit the fan, he could site that she was admitting to her emotional troubles by seeking therapy.
Dan was raised in a religious family with a strong moral code but now that he was in liberal California, he was no longer feeling responsible for his actions and was becoming at ease with telling lies, changing the rules and being selfish. Betty still believed marriage was forever. When things were tough, they would work through their troubles, and when times were good, they would rejoice.
Shortly after the holidays in 1985 Dan announced that he needed more space, when in reality he was receiving a lot of pressure from Linda to get a divorce.
In a desperate attempt to get her husband back Betty dropped her four kids on Dan's doorstep, reminding him that he was the father of four, and more importantly letting Linda see that life with her husband would mean more than just a brand new car, and all the luxuries that money could buy.
Now Dan was living with all four children in the house while Betty was alone in a rented house that she claimed was overrun with rats.
At first Dan did not like the children cramping his style but then he used their presence as a weapon against Betty.
Dan hired housekeepers and a governess to help him out. He began taking his work home with him more often and staying out late less.
Betty lived in La Jolla Shores, and made regular visits to the Coral Reef house to spend time with the kids. Then when Betty saw signs of Linda being present in the home with her children she began vandalizing the home and destroying Dan's belongings. Dan's maid testified that Betty found a Boston Cream pie that Linda Kolkena had made for the family and smeared it all over Dan's bedroom. When Dan tried to get a court order to keep Betty out he discovered that he could not do anything since Betty's name was on the deed.
Dan filed for divorce and the nightmare was on.
Dan agreed to give Betty $9,000 per month for her needs. He also agreed to continue paying her insurance, taxes, and fees for her social outlets, including country clubs and social hobbies.
Suddenly, Dan's relationship with Linda was no longer a secret. Linda accompanied Dan to Colorado for his brother Larry's annual Oktoberfest party. When Betty found out that Linda had been part of a Broderick family party, she again insisted on seeing Dan.
He admitted that she had been right all along about the affair. When Betty expressed outrage at his immoral attitude and lack of integrity, he suggested she go to a mental institution.
Betty was so enraged that she called Dan and Linda names often.
Betty has become notorious for the vulgar names that she called her husband and his mistress, but Lee Broderick says that her mother was not the only one calling names. Linda and Dan both referred to Betty as "fat, disgusting, beastly and the monster."
Dan did not wish to talk to Betty any further, and it has been said that Dan was cold because he did not make more of an effort to be kind towards Betty, and did all he could to hurt her. Just why would he do this? There are very few people who can add any insight into why Dan was deliberately being cruel towards Betty, and the number one theory is that Linda Kolkena was putting tremendous pressure on her lover to dump his wife cold and give her the royal life that she wanted.
Dan moved out of the Coral Reef house and into a home on 1041 Cypress Avenue. Linda openly lived with Dan and the entire Broderick family, except Betty.
By 1985 Betty was desperately depressed. Everything that was once hers was now Linda's. Her family lived together on Cypress Avenue with Linda Kolkena, the woman who had caused her so much grief.
Dan sold Betty's Coral Reef home out from under her, and now Betty was really losing it. She hopped into her Suburban and rammed Dan Broderick's front door down while her daughter Kim was standing in the kitchen fixing dinner with her father.
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The Murder
At approximately 5 AM Betty Broderick walked to the front of her ex husbands home and attempted to unlock the door with a set of keys she had with her. The keys did not work so she walked to the back door and entered quietly.
She wandered through the darkened home like a burglar and up the stairs to the bedroom that Dan Broderick, and his new bride of seven months who was now trying to conceive slept. According to Betty's testimony she heard a loud gun shot noise and someone yell, "call the police" and then she ran out of the house, calling an old friend of hers to say that she had "shot the bastard" and then to call her daughter Lee to ask for help.
Nobody knew where Lee lived except Betty. Dan had become estranged from his rebel daughter who was now living with her boyfriend. Dan was so much at odds with his daughter that she was not allowed to have his private phone number. Betty now feared that Dan had sent the cops to her home while she was in the bedroom about to shoot them.
When Betty arrived at her daughter's place she said that she thought she shot Dan but was not sure because it was dark. Lee was not sure if she should believe her mother because her mom had been irrational and emotional for quite some time. Lee asked if there was blood and if anyone was hurt, and Betty replied that she did not thing she really shot Dan because he sat up and said 'Okay, you shot me. I'm dead." Lee's boyfriend, Jason Prantil also recalled that Betty was truly distraught.
"She wasn't making a lot of sense," he told the jury. "She looked like she had been up for a couple of days. She looked like she was sick, like she was panic-stricken."
Betty insisted that Dan had called the police and that they would be looking for her car. She wanted Lee and Jason to drive her to the police station so she could surrender. Trying to calm her nearly frantic mother, Lee made a cup of tea for Betty, who took one sip and ran retching to the bathroom.
The police were just arriving at the house on Cypress Avenue. Soon after Betty had spoken to Dian, a chain of friends and lawyers were called. Until finally someone tried calling the Broderick home, and after no answer, an ambulance and the police were called.
Linda and Dan were found dead with some of Dan's friends feeling for a pulse. A puddle of vomit was found that resembled cookies-and-ice cream.
On the landing, telephone wires that Betty had ripped from the wall were lying in a hasty heap.
As the attorney's walked down stairs to call police a patrol car pulled up.
Lee called her older sister Kim who was living in Tucson attending college. Kim was not alienated from her father as Lee was.
Kim talked to her sister briefly and then to her mom, She later said that Betty told her that she had shot both of them, but was not sure if she had hit anyone. Betty then told her daughter, "you know I had to do it, I could not let him live. It was one or the other."
After talking to her eldest daughter, Betty asked Lee and Jason to check on the younger boys. She also wanted her telephone book and keys, and told Lee where to look for them in her house in La Jolla.'
When Lee arrived, her brother Rhett was riding his bike on the empty street. She went inside to look in the cup on the mantel for the keys and in the kitchen for the phone book, but could find neither in the locations Betty suggested. When she went back outside to take to her little brother, Lee became aware that "the police were hiding in the bushes of the next-door neighbor's house."
The came out and asked if she had seem her mother. Lee answered, "no". They asked what she was doing there. and Lee responded that she was going to get her laundry. Lee then went inside and got her laundry and quickly left.
When Lee returned home, she discovered that her mom had been calling friends and telling them what she had done.
It appeared that Betty was being meek and possibly attempting to appear that she had a moment of insanity. When speaking with her daughter Lee, she was quick to say that she was not sure if she had actually shot anyone, and at the trial she stuck with her story that she heard the gun go off only once and then ran, but one of her close friends whom she had called while hanging around her daughter's apartment immediately told her boyfriend who was right beside her after she received the message from Betty.
Betty had called a woman named Patti and had given her the gruesome details. Patti Monahan, however, when questioned on the witness stand had forgotten the details, but her boyfriend Jerry Thatcher, remembered clearly what Patti had told him Betty told her. Betty said that she shot him five times. He was gurgling in his own blood, and it's true what they say. "they really do shit in their pants."
Betty also called her parents who recalled that she was sobbing hysterically, and saying that Dan is driving her crazy. She never mentioned shooting anyone.
Dan & Betty Broderick, And Linda
