After Felix Polk's death, two of Susan's three boys distanced themselves from her,
and agreed to testify against her at her murder trial.

Adam, now 23, and Gabriel, 19, became star witnesses for the prosecution and recently settled a civil
wrongful death suit against their mother. Eli, 20, has chosen his mother's side and was a star witness
in his mother's defense case.

Polk's mother Helen Bolling reunited with her daughter after she was arrested. Bolling stays
at the Orinda home from time to time, where she organizes the mail and other documents
in the hopes that her daughter will be released from prison and can return to the
business of her life.

When Gabriel testified, he told jurors that his father was not abusive, but that his mother's
delusions led to the demise of the family. "I do have good memories," Gabriel told Susan
Polk on the stand. "I do love you. But there's terrible memories with the good memories."

After four days, Susan Polk was forced to finish her cross-examination of Gabriel after the
judge warned her it was "bordering on the abusive." Gabriel told his mother that his life
has turned around since being taken in by Dan and Marjorie Briner, the parents of a
friend, who have given him structure and discipline.
"I consider them my parents," Gabriel said.

Susan Polk's son Adam, a 23-year-old student at UCLA, testified that his mother was
"bonkers" and confirmed his brother Gabriel's testimony that their mother willfully killed
their father. Adam was away at school when Gabriel called him from a police
interrogation room to break the news. In a police videotape in evidence,
Gabriel can be heard wishing the death penalty on his mother.

Susan Polk's middle child, Eli, 20, lived at home taking care of Dusty while his mother was in
custody. But when Eli was arrested in March for an alleged probation violation stemming
from a domestic violence charge, he pleaded with the judge to give him bail, noting,
"I also have a yellow Labrador at my house that I need to care for." Bail was denied.
Dusty has since been in the care of friends, family and strangers.

Eli faced trial in May for six counts including misdemeanor battery, violation of probation, and violation
of a restraining order filed against him by a former girlfriend. He denied the charges at trial, and
claimed she attacked him in his own home when she visited him against her own restraining order.
He was found guilty of three of the six counts and sentenced to nine months in prison.

Helen Bolling shed light on Polk's gentle side when she took the stand as her daughter's
first witness on April 24. In this letter Bolling shared with Courttv.com, a young Susan
writes about how much she misses her mother during a stay with her father. Bolling
believes her own divorce led Susan to search for a father figure in Felix Polk.

Susan Polk is at a major disadvantage as a pro per defendant, representing herself in court against the
seasoned Assistant District Attorney Paul Sequeira. But her confidence appeared to be gaining as the
trial continued: She now easily cites evidence code, and rarely shies away from argument — even
pushing Judge Laurel Brady's patience. Brady has threatened to revoke Polk's pro per status if
she does not follow court rules.

Gabriel choked up on the stand on his last day of testimony when he spoke of his fractured relationship
with his father. "I've made mistakes. I have to live with that," he said. "It's not easy that he's dead, that
I can't say I'm sorry." Susan Polk faces 25 years to life in prison if convicted of Felix Polk's murder.

Courttv.com