'Dirty John: The Betty Broderick Story': Where is Betty Broderick in 2020?
USA Network is dramatizing Betty and Dan Broderick's story, touted as one of the most infamous divorce cases in America, in 'Dirty John: The Betty Broderick Story'. Starring Amanda Peet as the titular character and Tiera Skovbye of 'Nurses' playing the younger version, Christian Slater as Dan Broderick and Chris Mason playing the younger role, it tells the story of the downfall of the Brodericks' long and seemingly perfect marriage and the aftermath of a messy divorce. Created by Alexandra Cunningham, the series looks deep inside the marriage of Betty and Dan Broderick. After 17 years together, Dan told Betty he wanted a divorce and mere months later, married his young 20-something secretary, Linda Kolkena (Rachel Keller). Many had pointed out that Linda actually looked like the younger version of Betty.
Betty had bought a revolver a month before Dan and Linda's marriage on April 22, 1989. A series of unfortunate events spanning eight months later, two days before her 42nd birthday, Betty shot both Dan and Linda in the early morning of November 5, 1989. She was sentenced to two consecutive terms of 15 years to life, plus to years for illegal use of a firearm. Today, Betty is 72 years old and is still serving her sentence at the California Institution for Women (CIW), in Corona, California.
In 2017, she was denied parole due to lack of remorse, and won't be eligible for parole again until 2032, when she is 84 years old. At the time, she had written in a four-page handwritten letter, "I have no one to speak for me. This was a case of domestic abuse: a pattern of coercive control that lasted throughout our marriage until the day I killed them. I have met all criteria for parole and my release date was 2010. Now I am a political prisoner. They have no reason to deny my parole." According to a CNN report, Broderick told the parole board. "I allowed the voices in my head to completely take over. I took the lives of two wonderful people who were loved by many."
At the time of the court hearings, Betty and Dan's oldest daughter Kim Broderick testified at the murder trails about her mother's "erratic behavior". After Dan filed for divorce, Betty "went to the garage and grabbed a can of gasoline and poured it all over [his clothes]". She then "went and got black paint and poured it over all the ashes". Over the thirty years since, although Kim has visited her mother behind bars, she had denied writing a letter supporting Betty's release.
At Betty's 2010 parole hearing, she was told, "Your heart is still bitter, and you are still angry." And the Brodericks' first son and third child, Daniel Jr agreed. He noted that his mother is still "hung up on justifying what she did." However, Betty's second daughter Lee and youngest son Rhett advocated for her release. "She should be able to live her later life outside prison walls," Lee told the board in 2010. Owing to an alleged drug problem, Lee had a troubled relationship with Dan, who had amended his will shortly before his death to exclude Lee from inheritance. Lee had also suggested that Betty move in with her. For now, Betty remains locked up and eligible for parole again in January 2032.
Following a two-episodic premiere, 'Dirty John: The Betty Broderick Story' will air in the show's usual time slot at 10 pm ET on USA Network.