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Reply to "Is anyone watching Dirty John tonight? Betty Broderick's story"
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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Interestingly, if it wasn't for the murders the trial would have never taken place and thus, none of us would have heard of her and she would have continued to suffer in silence. Half of her legal problems were due to her own actions and if she would have just accepted the facts, she would have had a fair outcome in the divorce. Unfortunately, she wanted more than what she was legally entitled to, was too stubborn to listen, and annoying enough to push her friends away when she needed them the most.[/quote] We was due more than she received. Most of all a home and full custody of her children. They were cared for by housekeepers because Dan was vindictive.[/quote] Dan didn’t take away the kids. Betty kept leaving the kids at his house thinking she would punish him. She chose to keep the kids away to play sick games. When they didn’t work she then cried and complained that he kept them from her. [/quote] +1. If Betty really wanted lots of custody of her kids, she made horrible choices. I suspect she was playing the game just like Dan was; what sucked for her was that Dan was better at it. It came down to the point that the only way she could “win” was to kill him. [/quote] THIS.[/quote] Dan was notorious for being cold and shark-like in court, why he was so successful. He seemed to see Betty as just another opponent to be crushed, and crush her he did. Given his decision to cheat, gaslight, and end the marriage that formed the core of her identity, he should have been more generous and compassionate toward her. I truly believe he'd be alive today if he had done that. A tragedy, above all for those poor children. All four wept through their family impact statements in her last parole hearing.[/quote] I think Betty also saw Dan as an opponent to be crushed. That’s why she murdered him. Agree that it’s above all a tragedy for the kids. If she could have just pulled herself together and tried to carry on, those children wouldn’t have lost both their parents. [/quote] The financial and emotional abuse triggered her latent mental illness (I find the suggestion she has borderline personality disorder very persuasive, unstable ego and immense anger and grief during separation). I believe she was mentally ill and completely irrational by the time she committed the murders, even with the evidence of premeditation. But yes, I agree both were at war and both wanted to win as well. As PP astutely noted, Dan was a far better strategist and won every battle until the last one. Once she was awarded the 16k, even if it was not entirely fair given the value of the joint assets he kept and money he had hidden, she should have let it go for the sake of her children. I'm just not sure she could have done that without very significant professional therapeutic support. In other words, I see untreated mental illness as being fundamental to this case.[/quote] +1. Yes, I agree with a lot of this. One thing though: If the murders were largely due to Betty’s mental illness, I would have thought that at some point down the road she would have shown real remorse. (Unless her mental illness has just continued unabated this whole time?)[/quote] My understanding is that she's never received treatment just a NPD diagnosis, but borderline personality disorder with narcissistic traits seems more likely. BPD was not well understood in the 1980s but how does this not fit her to a tee? Fear of abandonment. People with BPD are often terrified of being abandoned or left alone. ... Unstable relationships. ... Unclear or shifting self-image. ... Impulsive, self-destructive behaviors. ... Self-harm. ... Extreme emotional swings. ... Chronic feelings of emptiness. ... Explosive anger. She was also clearly depressed--not sleeping and overeating. The remorse question is really a critical one. As the victim of abuse (now understood to include psychological, financial, and legal abuse not just physical) she may struggle with this. But I understand why the parole board won't release her since she should, decades later, be able to concede that murder is wrong NO MATTER HOW AWFULLY THEY TREATED HER.[/quote] One interesting thing about BPD is it's the rare personality disorder that normally gets better with age. So it didn't surprise me to read that she's passed whatever prison-administered psych tests she was given recently. Also agree the remorse issue is critical. In the last parole hearing she did express remorse for the first time but it did not read as sincere since it followed a diatribe about the abuse and mental distress she experienced. Lack of remorse is why two of her kids think she shouldn't get out. As much as I sympathize with what she went through, I agree. [/quote]
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