OF ELECTRIFIED CRAZY PERSON. >> HER TESTIMONY LASTS FOUR DAYS. SHE RECOUNTS HOW SHE WAS DRIVEN TO SUICIDE OVER THE STATE OF HER MARRIAGE AND HER HUSBAND'S REPEATED LIES ABOUT HIS AFFAIR. >> I SLIT MY WRISTS AND SWALLOWED EVERY PILL I COULD FIND IN THE HOUSE. >> BUT THE PROSECUTION PAINTS HER AS FAR FROM HELPLESS. SHE INTRODUCE TAPES OF HER FOUL MOUTH ANSWERING MACHINE MESSAGES AND PLAY A RECORDED CONVERSATION OF BETTY TALKING TO A YOUNG DANNY. >> THE DEFENSE IS FURTHER HINDERED BY THE RELUCTANT TESTIMONY OF LEIGH BRODERICK, THEIR OTHER DAUGHTER. >> SHE WAS HITTING HIM ON THE HEAD WITH HER KEYS, HER OTHER KEY RING WITH THE BIG BRASS KEY RING AND HE KIND OF WAS TRYING TO GET ME OUT OF THE WAY AND PUSHED ME ASIDE AND PUNCHED HER IN THE CHEST. >> THE DEFENSE SUMMONS AN EXPERT WHO SAYS HE BELIEVES BETTY HAS BEEN ABUSED NOT ONLY EMOTIONALLY BUT PHYSICALLY AND SEXUALLY. >> HE WOULD PHYSICALLY ABUSE HER. >> SHE ALWAYS EXCUSED HIM BY SAYING HE DIDN'T DO IT ON PURPOSE AND WHILE HE WAS FLAILING HIS ARMS HE HIT HER IN THE EYES. >> I WANTED TO KILL MYSELF IN FRONT OF HIM AND SPLASH MY BRAINS ALL OVER HIS HOUSE. >> FINALLY, AFTER 3 1/2 WEEKS, THE TRIAL COMES TO AN END. >> I WANTED TO DIE. AND I HAD NO PLAN. I JUST WANTED TO DIE. THAT'S IT. THAT'S THE END OF TH STORY. >> THE JURY DELIBERATION LASTS FOUR DAYS AND THE RESULT IS A DEADLOCK, 10 FOR MURDER, TWO FOR MANSLAUGHTER. >> AT THIS TIME LADIES AND GENTLEMEN I WILL DECLARE A MISTRIAL. SUPPORTERS OF DAN AND LINDA ARE FURIOUS THE JURY CAN'T REACH A DECISION. >> IT WAS EVIDENT THAT THE JURY IN SOME WAY FELT THAT DAN AND LINDA DESERVED TO BE KILLED. >> BETTY GOES BACK TO JAIL, SEEMINGLY CONTENT AT THE THOUGHT OF ANOTHER YEAR IN WHICH TO COLLECT HER THOUGHTS. >> ANYTHING AT ALL TO SAY WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT THE VERDICT? >> SHORTLY BEFORE THE SECRETARY TRIAL COMMENCES VIDEO OF HER BEING DRAGGED KICKING AND SCREAMING OUT OF HER CELL IS BROADCAST ALL OVER SAN DIEGO. EARLY IS OUTRAGED AND SAYS IT IS A SETUP STAGED TO MAKE HER LOOK BAD AND UNNERVE HER THE DAY BEFORE A JAILHOUSE INTERVIEW WITH "20/20." HER SECOND TRIAL BEGINS ON OCTOBER 15, 191. IF THE FIRST TRIAL WAS A MEDIA EVENT, THIS ONE IS A MEDIA CIRCUS WITH GAVEL TO GAVEL COVERAGE ON COURT TV. >> NO,■ I REMEMBER THE THE GUN. >> IT WAS AMAZING WHEN THE THEY WATCHED THE CASE ON TV HOW MANY WITNESSES CAME OUT OF THE WOODWORK THAT KNEW THINGS ABOUT THE CASE THAT HAD BEEN SILENT. >> ONE OF THE IMPORTANT WITNESSES THAT COMPLEMENTS FORWARD CLAIMS THAT DAN WAS THINKING OF KILLING BETTY. >> MR. BRODERICK SOLICITED THE MURDER OF BETTY. >> THAT IS NOT CORRECT, MR. EARLY. YOU ARE POSTURING FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PRESS IN THE COURTROOM. >> THE WITNESS NEVER TAKES THE STAND. >> THAT IS NOT FAIR, JUDGE. DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. >> THE JUDGE DECLARES THE TESTIMONY IS NOT PERTINENT. HE ALSO LIMITS THE USE OF THE DEFENSE'S MAIN EXPERT ON BATTERED WOMEN, RULING HE CAN'T TESTIFY TO HER SEXUAL ABUSE BECAUSE BETTY TESTIFIED THAT THERE WAS NONE. EARLY FEELS THE JUDGE KEEPS ELIMINATING HIS EVIDENCE. AND TO MAKE IT WORSE, THIS TIME AROUND HE STILL CAN'T MINIMIZE THE NEGATIVE IMPACT OF KIM BRODERICK'S TESTIMONY. >> SHE SAID SHE WAS GOING TO SHOOT HIM IN THE HEAD. >> PERHAPS THE MOST INCRIMINATING EVIDENCE IS THAT ABOUT THE MURDERS GIVEN BY BETTY HERSELF. >> SOMEBODY SCREAMED CALL THE POLICE. I SAID NO, AND I JUST FIRED THE GUN AND THE BIG NOISE WENT OFF. BUT IN THE FIRST TRIAL HER TESTIMONY IS DIFFERENT. SHE SPECIFICALLY REMEMBERS FIVE SHOTS. >> I REMEMBER THE REAL LOUD NOISE FIVE TIMES. >> SHE HAS EMBELLISHED HER STORY. SHE HAS TRIED TO MAKE IT SOUND BETTER BECAUSE IT WASN'T QUITE GOOD ENOUGH LAST TIME. >> IN HER CLOSING STATEMENT WELLS TELLS THE JURY THAT IN EVERY WAY THIS IS A PREMEDITATED CRIME. >> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, IF THAT IS NOT MURDER, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS. >> JACK RESORT TO PROPS. USING A METRO NO, MA'AM TO DEMONSTRATE THE SLOW TICK, TICK OF EMOTIONAL ABUSE THAT BETTY SUFFERED. >> SOMEBODY WHO WAS POUNDED AND POUNDED AND POUNDED. >> FOUR DAYS LATER THE JURORS IN THE SECOND TRIAL OF CALIFORNIA VERSUS ELIZABETH ANN BRODERICK HAVE COME TO A UNANIMOUS DECISION. >> WE THE JURY FIND THE DEFENDANT ELIZABETH ANN BRODERICK GUILTY OF THE CRIME OF MURDER. >> BET JI CONVICTED OF TWO COUNTS OF SECOND DEGREE MURDER. ON FEBRUARY 7, 1992, SHE IS SENTENCED TO THE MAXIMUM, TWO CONSECUTIVE TERMS TOTALING 32 YEARS TO LIFE IN PRISON. COMING UP, HER STORY IS M >> MORE THAN TWO YEARS AFTER SHE MURDERS DAN AND LINDA BRODERICKIC, THE FATE OF ELIZABETH ANN BRODERICK HAS BEEN DECIDED. SHE BEGINS HER 32 YEAR TO LIFE SENTENCE AS PRISONER NUMBER W 42477. SHE WILL NOT HAVE THE POSSIBILITY OF PAROLE FOR AT LEAST 19 YEARS. SHE SEEMS UNPHASED. EVEN INTERESTED IN HER NEW PRISON LIFE. WRITING HER FRIENDS LETTERS WITH THE DETAILS. >> AFTER ALL OF THIS WAS OVER SHE STARTED CALLING HERSELF A NORMAL PERSON. IT HAD BEEN SO LONG AND DRAGGED OUT SHE DIDN'T REMEMBER WHAT A NORMAL LIFE WAS. >> HE TOLD YOU THAT YOU WERE FORTH AND OLD AND BORING AND STUPID. >> AND HE DIDN'T LIKE OUR HOME AND DIDN'T LIKE OUR CHILDREN. >> BUT FOR THE MEDIA NONE OF THIS IS NORMAL AND THE SENSATION CONTINUES. A MONTH AFTER HER SENTENCE BEGINS SHE APPEARS ON THE OPRAH WINFREY SHOW AND CBS BROADCASTS "A WOMAN SCORNED" ON HER LIFE. >> HELLO DARLING. IT PURPORTS TO PORTRAY HER FROM THE TIME THEY ARE WELL ESTABLISHED IN SAN DIEGO THROUGH THE MURDERS THEMSELVES. IT IS SO POPULAR THAT IT IS QUICKLY FOLLOWED BY PART TWO, HER FINAL FURY, WHICH STARTS WITH THE MURDERS AND FINISHES WITH BETTY GOING TO PRISON AFTER TWO TRIALS. >> WHAT HAPPENED SO FAST. IT WAS SO FAST. >> OBVIOUSLY IT WASN'T. IT TOOK FIVE SHOTS FOR YOU TO SHOOT THESE PEOPLE. >> PROSECUTOR KERRY WELLS IS CONSULTED AND EVEN MAKES A CAMEO APPEARANCES. BETTY RECENTS THE MOVIES AND IS ANGRY THAT SOMEONE PORTRAYED HER WITHOUT CONTACTING HER. >> THEY WANTED HER TO THINK THAT I WAS THIS STUCK UP RICH YOU KNOW WHAT SOCIALITE AND DROVE A FANCY CAR AND WAR FANCY CLOTHES AROUND THE WHOLE CASE HAPPENED BECAUSE MY HUSBAND LEFT ME FOR A YOUNGER WOMAN AND I SHOT TWO SLEEPING PEOPLE IN BED. THAT IS ALL WRONG. TOTALLY WRONG. I THINK IT WAS FUNNY, TOO IF I WASN'T SITTING IN PRISON. >> AND IT IS IN PRISON AS A MEMBER OF THE GROUP CONVICTED WOMEN AGAINST ABUSE THAT SHE MEETS INMATES WHO SHARE SIMILAR CRIMES AND SHE FEELS SIMILAR MOTIVES. >> WHEN I WAS ON TRIAL AND THE EXPERT CAME AND WAS TELLING ME I WAS A BATTERED WOMAN I WAS ARGUING WITH HIM. I SAID, NO, I WASN'T. HE DIDN'T HIT ME. HE DIDN'T HIT ME BECAUSE LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, THAT IS ALL I THOUGHT BATTERING CONSISTED OF WAS WHAT IS ON THE END OF YOUR ARM AND HITTING SOMEONE. >> WITHOUT THAT DEFENSE YOU HAVE NO DEFENSE. >> BETTY IS NOW AN ADVOCATE FOR THESE ISSUES SENDING LETTERS TO THE GOVERNOR AND FINDING RESEARCH TO SUPPORT THE BATTERED WOMAN'S DEFENSE. >> EMOTIONAL DEFENSE IS PUTTING YOU DOWN, CALLING YOU NAMES, MAKING YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE CRACE ASSESSMENT >> ON THE OUTSIDE SHE HAS SUPPORTERS, TOO. SHE HAS A FOLLOWING AND GETS FAN MAIL. THE STORY SEEMS TO STRIKE A CHORD WITH PEOPLE. WILMA REMEMBERS MEETING AN ACQUAINTANCE WHO HAD A HUSBAND WHO LEFT HER FOR ANOTHER WOMAN. >> SHE SAID WILMA I HAVE TO TELL YOU SOMETHING FROM MY HEART. BETTY ONLY DID WHAT OVERRY OTHER WOMAN IN HER POSITION WOULD LIKE TO DO BUT NEVER HAS THE GUTS OR COURAGE TO DO. >> SHARON, NOW A DIVORCE ATTORNEY, RECENTS HOW BETTY'S ACTIONS HAVE BEEN INTERPRETED. >> IT IS A WOMAN WHO WAS ENA RAGED AND MURDERED TWO PEOPLE IN THEIR BED AND THAT IS WHAT THE STORY IS ABOUT. IT DOESN'T DESERVE TO BE GLORIFIED. >> NONETHELESS SHE SEES CLIENTS WHO FEEL BETTY IS A MARTYR. >> I HAVE WOMAN WHO SAY THAT THEY HAVE NOT GOTTEN A FAIR DEAL AND THEY SAY YOU KNOW, I'M JUST LIKE BETTY BRODERICK. >> IN 1994 A CALIFORNIA STATE APPEALS COURT UPHOLDS HER CONVICTION AND THE CALIFORNIA SUPREME COURT DENIES A FURTHER APPEAL. THOUGH DISAPPOINTED, BETTY IS RESIGNED. >> ONE OF MY DAUGHTERS SENT ME A WATER COLOR AFTER MAGNIFICENT VIEW ON THE DECK OF THE HOME AND SAID DON'T YOU MISS IT, MOM. AND I SAID, WELL, NO, IF YOU COULD TURN THE CLOCK BACK AND PUT ME ON THAT DECK AND I WAS AS MISERABLE AND UNHAPPY AND SCARED AND AFRAID AND DESPERATE AS I WAS, NO. I WOULD RATHER BE HERE. I'M SAFE HERE. >> AFTER MORE THAN A DECADE BEHIND BARS, BETTY HAS STILL NEVER TRULY EXPRESSED REMORSE OF ANY KIND. >> I'M NEVER FOR A SECOND INTENDED OR MEANT OR THOUGHT ABOUT SHOOTING ANYONE MUCH LESS KILLING ANYONE. IT WAS JUST NEVER, IT WAS NOT A THOUGHT PROCESS. SO I NEVER MADE A DECISION THAT I'M SO HORRIBLY SORRY WAS THE WRONG DECISION. I NEVER MADE■ A DECISION. >> I THINK SHE'S AFRAID TO LET GO THAT THE WORD REMORSE AND REGRET TAKES AWAY HOW SHE GOT TO WHERE SHE IS AN PLACES 100% RESPONSIBILITY ON HER. >> SHE'S NEVER SAID IN A SENTENCE I REGRET WAY DID OR I'M SORRY FOR KILLING YOUR DAD. >> ALL FOUR BRODERICKIC CHILDREN HAVE THEIR OWN INDIVIDUAL FEELINGS ON THE SITUATION. BUT THEY ALL TALK TO THEIR MOM ON PHONE AND VISIT HER ON INDICATION. RHETT SAYS SHE STILL GIVES HIM MOTHERLY ADVICE BUT EVENTUALLY THE SUBJECT OF DAD COMES UP. >> EVERY TIME I HAVE TO READ HER LETTERS WHERE IT GOES INTO RANTING AND RAVING, I JUST WANT TO SAY TO HER, YOU HAVE KILLED THEM. ISN'T THAT ENOUGH. CAN YOU STOP BASHING THEM IN THEIR GRAVES. >> NONETHELESS, RHETT DOESN'T BELIEVE HIS MOTHER IS A THREAT TO ANYONE. I LOVE MY MOM. I WANT HER BACK. IT TIME TO HAVE HER COME HOME. >> AND BED BETTY HAS HOPE. IN OCTOBER OF 2000 THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA'S BOARD OF PRISON TERMS ANNOUNCES THEY WILL REVIEW THE CASES OF ALL PRISONERS WHO CLAIM TO BE VICTIMS OF BATTERED WOMEN SYNDROME OR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. BUT HER CLAIMS OF ABUSE ARE STILL THE SUBJECT OF DEBATE. >> BETTY'S EMOTIONAL ABUSE WAS HER OWN MAKING SO I DO NOT BELIEVE SHE SHOULD BE GIVEN ANY LEAVE. >> BETTY WAS A BATTERED WOMAN AND IT WAS NOT NECESSARILY IN THE TRADITIONAL SENSE THAT PEOPLE THINK ABOUT IT. BUT BETTY WAS A BATTERED WOMAN. >> AS PART OF THE REVIEW OF HER CASE BETTY COMPLETES THE FIRST STEP OF THE PROCESS OF A FACE-TO-FACE INTERVIEW WITH THE OFFICIAL. THE MEETING REINFORCES HER FEELING THAT SHE WILL NEVER ESCAPE THE INFLUENCE ON HER LIFE OF THE DEVELOP VISION. >> THE INVESTIGATOR ADMITTED THAT SHE SAW THE MOVIE AND SHE SAID I SAW THE MOVIES SO I DIDN'T GET A FAIR HEARING. >> SO SHE WAITS AND REFLECTS. >> I COULD LOOK BACK ALL THE TIME AND CRY ALL THE TIME OVER SO MUCH LOSS TO ALL OF US BUT WHAT GOOD WOULD IT DO? AND I WAS NOT THE ONE THAT BROKE UP THE MARRIAGE AND HAD THE AFFAIR AND DESTROYED THE FAMILY. I DIDN'T DO THAT AND I DIDN'T KEEP THIS ALL GOING. I NEVER FILED THE PAPER, I REACTED AND I DEFENDED MYSELF. THAT WAS MY ROLE IN THIS. I WASN'T THE ACTOR. I WAS THE REACTOR. AND IN A SENSE I WAS THE VICTIM, HELLO. >> BETTY BRODERICK WON'T BE ELIGIBLE FOR PAROLE UNTIL 2010. CLOSE OBSERVERS FEEL SHE WON'T GET IT UNLESS SHE CAN SHOW REMORSE FOR THE CRIME. SHE HAS SERVED MORE THAN 12 YEARS BEHIND BARS. THAT WOULD BE LONG ENOUGH FOR HER TO BE RELEASED IF SHE WAS CONVICTED OF MANSLAUGHTER. I'M LESTER HOLT. THANKS FOR WATCHING, EVERYONE.
