Is anyone watching Dirty John tonight? Betty Broderick's story

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She was a victim of narcissistic abuse.

1. Idealize -- When she and Dan first met and he found out where she went to college and said "perfect" he was just looking at her outward attributes and how they could help him.

2. Devalue -- Putting her through all of those years of poverty and getting her pregnant 5 times while she was forced to work 2 jobs so he could get ahead even more.

3. Discard -- Not listening when she told him to get rid of Linda, idealizing Linda ("she's so beautiful!" right in front of Betty...). Then, the tormenting with flaunting Linda and taking the house, not paying etc.

So she took revenge!

I had no idea about this story, didn’t grown up in the U.S; if even half of what is portrayed in the series is true Dan is a POS! First flag for me is him dismissing housekeeping, I think this was on their honeymoon, and saying she would make the bed when she asked. Seems he targeted her to support his ambitions, take care of his house and to be a breeder.

Murder is never the answer but he drove this woman to insanity and paid with his life. Her insanity was probably his intention anyway but he miscalculated the outcome.

Obviously mental illness was at play, but she was so singularly focused and obsessed with him and Linda. She ignored her own kids, dragged them into it, basically had them spy on them, and used them to let Dan know she had a gun she wasn't afraid to use it for protection. I'm the one who said my husband was team Dan and I was team Betty, I'm almost done with the series (mid ep 7) and its getting harder to see Betty's side. Betty made a lot of bad choices that many other people wouldn't make even in the worst of circumstances. It's too bad Betty's parents weren't more supportive that might have made a big difference.

Dan having a recording device on the kids phone line to record Betty’s calls and allegedly call his ex names and laughing at her with his AP is just as bad...both of them put their kids in bad situations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She was a victim of narcissistic abuse.

1. Idealize -- When she and Dan first met and he found out where she went to college and said "perfect" he was just looking at her outward attributes and how they could help him.

2. Devalue -- Putting her through all of those years of poverty and getting her pregnant 5 times while she was forced to work 2 jobs so he could get ahead even more.

3. Discard -- Not listening when she told him to get rid of Linda, idealizing Linda ("she's so beautiful!" right in front of Betty...). Then, the tormenting with flaunting Linda and taking the house, not paying etc.

So she took revenge!

I had no idea about this story, didn’t grown up in the U.S; if even half of what is portrayed in the series is true Dan is a POS! First flag for me is him dismissing housekeeping, I think this was on their honeymoon, and saying she would make the bed when she asked. Seems he targeted her to support his ambitions, take care of his house and to be a breeder.

Murder is never the answer but he drove this woman to insanity and paid with his life. Her insanity was probably his intention anyway but he miscalculated the outcome.

Obviously mental illness was at play, but she was so singularly focused and obsessed with him and Linda. She ignored her own kids, dragged them into it, basically had them spy on them, and used them to let Dan know she had a gun she wasn't afraid to use it for protection. I'm the one who said my husband was team Dan and I was team Betty, I'm almost done with the series (mid ep 7) and its getting harder to see Betty's side. Betty made a lot of bad choices that many other people wouldn't make even in the worst of circumstances. It's too bad Betty's parents weren't more supportive that might have made a big difference.

Dan having a recording device on the kids phone line to record Betty’s calls and allegedly call his ex names and laughing at her with his AP is just as bad...both of them put their kids in bad situations.

When Betty went into the house to steal the wedding guest list I was cringing so hard for her. Damn, Betty, just stop doing stupid things!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She was a victim of narcissistic abuse.

1. Idealize -- When she and Dan first met and he found out where she went to college and said "perfect" he was just looking at her outward attributes and how they could help him.

2. Devalue -- Putting her through all of those years of poverty and getting her pregnant 5 times while she was forced to work 2 jobs so he could get ahead even more.

3. Discard -- Not listening when she told him to get rid of Linda, idealizing Linda ("she's so beautiful!" right in front of Betty...). Then, the tormenting with flaunting Linda and taking the house, not paying etc.

So she took revenge!

I had no idea about this story, didn’t grown up in the U.S; if even half of what is portrayed in the series is true Dan is a POS! First flag for me is him dismissing housekeeping, I think this was on their honeymoon, and saying she would make the bed when she asked. Seems he targeted her to support his ambitions, take care of his house and to be a breeder.

Murder is never the answer but he drove this woman to insanity and paid with his life. Her insanity was probably his intention anyway but he miscalculated the outcome.

Obviously mental illness was at play, but she was so singularly focused and obsessed with him and Linda. She ignored her own kids, dragged them into it, basically had them spy on them, and used them to let Dan know she had a gun she wasn't afraid to use it for protection. I'm the one who said my husband was team Dan and I was team Betty, I'm almost done with the series (mid ep 7) and its getting harder to see Betty's side. Betty made a lot of bad choices that many other people wouldn't make even in the worst of circumstances. It's too bad Betty's parents weren't more supportive that might have made a big difference.

Dan having a recording device on the kids phone line to record Betty’s calls and allegedly call his ex names and laughing at her with his AP is just as bad...both of them put their kids in bad situations.

DP. Yes they both did, but Betty clearly screwed their kids over worse. She effectively orphaned them. I haven’t seen any evidence that she really appreciates the permanent damage she did to them through her selfish violence.

[Anonymous]

Betty doesn’t owe you any evidence. All four kids have a relationship with her, including their spouses and grandkids.

Lee, the second daughter seems to have struggled the most, but not with her mother. I think, from what I’ve read, she had more issues with her dad. Same with Rhett the youngest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Betty doesn’t owe you any evidence. All four kids have a relationship with her, including their spouses and grandkids.

Lee, the second daughter seems to have struggled the most, but not with her mother. I think, from what I’ve read, she had more issues with her dad. Same with Rhett the youngest.

I wouldn’t downplay the profound damage Betty did to those kids. I’m glad they’re doing okay, but it was an absolutely despicable thing for a mother to do to her children.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In watching this with my husband, he seems to be more on Dan's side while I'm on Betty's. Up until the murder, that is. There is no justification for that. But I see more of the abuse, gaslighting, lying, and manipulation pushing Betty's buttons where as my husband focuses on her reactions and just says she's crazy and doesn't see the actions of Dan as provocative.

My husband can't believe Dan either. He thinks he's scum.

I'd be concerned your husband thinks what Dan and his cronies did are okay. Those other lawyers and judge were just as awful.

There was a lot left out about Dan and Linda in the series. I couldn't confirm it but a couple posters stated that Linda use to write on Betty's alimony checks "maintenance for cow".

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Is it on Netflix?

Yes. Hard to watch though. I could only get through about half then skipped to the end. Amanda Peet gives a great performance but watching someone unravel so completely was painful.

I would be so pissed if anyone drove a car into my house. Cannot believe the support for BB.

Am I misremembering, but wasn’t it her house, too? Like Dan tricked her into moving out of their joint marital home into a temporary house while their primary house was being renovated or something, filed, and then moved into the house that was theirs with his new wife? Or was it that he tricked her into moving out, sold their old home, and bought a new one? And then he had her committed.

It was only Dan’s house, after she moved into the fixer upper in La Jolla.

But I read she had to leave the La Jolla house and move into a condo rental because of all the financial disputes. She signed the condo over to her FWB when she was arrested. I think the "murder house" was the property he bought for Linda to live in while he was tricking Betty into leaving the family house, which he then sold against her wishes. he had it all planned out.

I think that’s right. I mean, I wouldn’t actually drive my car into the house, but I’d certainly want to if my former spouse and coparent whom I’d supported all through the lean years did that to me. What a complete evil d***. Just give her the house and half the money and move out with your side piece if you’re really just trying to get out. But he wasn’t. He wanted to destroy her. He probably thought he’d get her to kill herself. Bet that was his endgame. He figured wrong.

It's absurd given how extraordinarily wealthy the man was. Her request for 1/5 of his income for 10 years plus one million really was not unreasonable (the million would have allowed her to purchase a house and maintain it). She'd likely have gotten much more today with a truly 50-50 division of assets. Man was a sociopath, who did indeed seem to feel like she didn't have the right to exist once he was done with her. If it weren't for the damage to the children, I can absolutely see wanting to destroy people who treated me that way. But I'd like to think I'd cool my heels once the judge awarded 16k/month despite Dan's machinations.

Was he "extraordinarily wealthy"? Or did he just live a lifestyle like he was? Apparently when he died he left like $60K and it was estimated he had only $1.6 million in other assets. That's pretty tiny for the lifestyle he was portraying.

$16K a month is $192K. Was he actually make income of even double that at the time of his death? It sounds like he had a lot of money tied up investments and very little liquid and possibly debt that was not revealed.

I also wonder how Betty's upbringing played into the situation and the fear of her parents judgement and general Catholic guilt that can be drummed into people over a lifetime that they are easily consumed with guilt for not maintaining the right lifestyle. It was clear that Betty's mom was very concerned about appearances. I mean getting upset because "morning dress" wasn't worn to a wedding? I mean they are English royalty and there was not etiquette that demanded they must do that.

Good point. Wasn’t he a plaintiff’s lawyer for medical malpractice cases? Don’t those lawyers usually take their fees on a contingency basis? That kind of work can have lots of peaks and valleys in terms of financial payoffs. Dan obviously made good money, but he didn’t necessarily have a steady and endless stream of $$$ rolling in.

He had been earning 100K+/month at the time of the divorce judgment (1.4 million the year before) so yeah pretty damn wealthy but good point the income wasn't necessarily guaranteed. I don't know that they ever determined what happened to the 200K that "disappeared" before the legal separation or if the estate ever regained the 450K "loaned" to the brother, whom I read was later accused of stealing money from it. I don't think forensic accountings were really a thing in divorce cases at that time. It was pretty easy for the breadwinner to manipulate things in his favor, happened all the time. It's clear Dan did that.

But was he actually himself taking home an income of $100K or was that income to the firm itself. I am sorry but I just don't think he was as wealthy as Betty wanted him to be at the time of his death. I think if he would have lived, then yes, he could have reached a point where he was actually that wealthy.

He was making a great income, but both of them had spending problems. Good psychology nor common sense was something Dan had. If he wanted to be free of Betty and move on he should have given her the Coral Reef home. Made sure she and the kids had a decent home. Kept Linda away or at least when the kids were there, and if he had treated Betty better he would be alive today. If I recall from the transcripts the kids were suppose to have a separate line so Betty could reach them at Dans. Linda MADE sure that line had her voice recording, and finally I think the judge made Linda take it off. Anyone else recall that?

Team Betty!!!!

+1

Dan and Linda completely antagonized. Linda seemed like an immature little tw&atwaffle.

Link to transcripts?

I haven't had time to look at these, but you might want to ck out:

https://www.courttv.com/trials/california-v-elisabeth-betty-broderick-1991/

[Anonymous]

Dan’s brother sounds pretty awful too. Keeping the life insurance, trying to cut out Linda’s family, “losing money”, sending the boys to live with his ex wife.

[Anonymous]

The scene with Dan and his colleagues at dinner talking about how to hide money before filing for divorce was disgusting.

[Anonymous]

I would take Dan’s money and live a good life. Forget all that crazy shit she did. He was not that great and he was not worth all that crazy shit. Take the money and enjoy life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would take Dan’s money and live a good life. Forget all that crazy shit she did. He was not that great and he was not worth all that crazy shit. Take the money and enjoy life.

Great theory if he were giving her enough money. He stalled and fined and did everything he could to give her nothing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would take Dan’s money and live a good life. Forget all that crazy shit she did. He was not that great and he was not worth all that crazy shit. Take the money and enjoy life.

Great theory if he were giving her enough money. He stalled and fined and did everything he could to give her nothing.

DP. I’m a feminist and a mother. Anytime you can’t exist without someone else’s money (especially if it is a man’s), things are probably not going to go well for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would take Dan’s money and live a good life. Forget all that crazy shit she did. He was not that great and he was not worth all that crazy shit. Take the money and enjoy life.

Great theory if he were giving her enough money. He stalled and fined and did everything he could to give her nothing.

The Court awarded her $16,000 a month. That would be the equivalent of $400,000 a year now. That’s not “nothing.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would take Dan’s money and live a good life. Forget all that crazy shit she did. He was not that great and he was not worth all that crazy shit. Take the money and enjoy life.

Great theory if he were giving her enough money. He stalled and fined and did everything he could to give her nothing.

DP. I’m a feminist and a mother. Anytime you can’t exist without someone else’s money (especially if it is a man’s), things are probably not going to go well for you.

Yeah this is true. But Dan the narcissist would have to pay alimony and he would pay a lot based on his income.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would take Dan’s money and live a good life. Forget all that crazy shit she did. He was not that great and he was not worth all that crazy shit. Take the money and enjoy life.

Great theory if he were giving her enough money. He stalled and fined and did everything he could to give her nothing.

DP. I’m a feminist and a mother. Anytime you can’t exist without someone else’s money (especially if it is a man’s), things are probably not going to go well for you.

I don't disagree but they got married in 1969. It was a different time.