San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 4/2/6 | Henry K. Lee
Posted on 04/02/2006 6:42:10 PM PDT by SmithL
In a trial made for eye-rolling, Brady's supervision praised -
If the trial of Susan Polk has become a circus -- and by most any measure, it has -- then Contra Costa Superior Court Judge Laurel Brady is the ringmaster. Three weeks into a murder trial that has almost become satire -- what with Polk's constant objections and requests for a mistrial bringing exasperated outbursts from the prosecutor and occasional rolled eyes from Brady -- the seasoned jurist from El Sobrante has kept things moving about as smoothly as could be expected.
It's been no easy task. Polk, who has no legal training, is defending herself against charges that she killed her husband in 2002 during an acrimonious divorce.
She got off to a decent start but seemed to derail quickly. Prosecutor Paul Sequeira has twice asked Brady to revoke Polk's right to defend herself, calling the defendant a "pathological liar" whose behavior is "becoming absurd" and making the trial "something of a farce."
Presiding over it all is Brady, 47, who is favorably regarded among prosecutors and defense attorneys and who is earning top marks in the Polk case.
"It does sound like she is bending over backward so that if Polk is convicted the record will stand up on appeal," said Jim Sepulveda, a Contra Costa prosecutor and friend. "She is in a very, very difficult position here and I believe is doing about all she can do."
One might expect a prosecutor to say that, but Sepulveda's comments were echoed by Valerie Harris, who was Polk's assistant until the defendant abruptly fired her Thursday.
"The judge is doing the best she can to be patient," ...