Defense Delays Start of Broderick Murder Trial

The start of Elisabeth Anne (Betty) Broderick’s murder trial was pushed back Thursday by three weeks, to late September.

Superior Court Judge Thomas Whelan granted a request by Broderick’s defense lawyer to begin the case Sept. 27, rather than Sept. 6. Attorney Jack Earley said he needed the extra time to interview potential witnesses.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Kerry Wells said she was interested in seeing the case tried as soon as possible. But she added that she had “no strong objections” to the delay.

Broderick, 42, is accused of slaying her ex-husband, Daniel T. Broderick, 44, a prominent medical malpractice lawyer, and his new wife, Linda Kolkena Broderick, last Nov. 5. She has pleaded not guilty and is being held without bail at the County Jail at Las Colinas.

Earley also said Thursday that he needed time to arrange more jail visits with Broderick.

Originally, the trial had been set to begin in July--but that was before a series of defense challenges to San Diego judges. Earley contended that, because Daniel Broderick was a prominent lawyer--he was a former president of the county bar association--Betty Broderick could not get a fair trial before a San Diego judge.

The case was then assigned to Judge Franklin Mitchell, who hears cases in Vista. He pushed the start date back to Sept. 6.

Mitchell also proved unacceptable to Earley, and, in June, the case was given to Whelan, who was deemed acceptable by both sides.

Betty Broderick confessed to the killings in a March interview with The Times. She said they were a “desperate act of self-defense” against a man who wanted to control her.

Daniel and Betty Broderick divorced in 1986, after 16 years of marriage. During and after the bitter divorce, Betty accused Daniel of using his legal influence to cheat her out of her fair share of his seven-figure income.