One-time San Diego socialite and convicted killer Elizabeth "Betty" Broderick will ask for parole for the second time since her double murder conviction in the shooting deaths of her ex-husband and his bride.
Broderick, 69, will petition the board at the California Institution for Women in Corona Wednesday after spending decades in prison for the crimes.
Broderick was convicted in 1991 of second-degree murder and sentenced to 32 years to life in prison for shooting and killing ex-husband Daniel Broderick, 44, and Linda Kolkena Broderick, 28.
At the time, she used a key she took from her daughter prior to the crime and sneaked onto the stairs and up to their bedroom, using a five-shot revolver to shoot into the bed where they slept.
Though the victims dived for cover, three fatal shots hit them, according to the DA. The remaining two narrowly missed.
When her ex-husband attempted to reach for the telephone to call for help, Broderick walked to the bed, grabbed the phone, pulled it from the wall and dumped it in the hallway, out of reach, according to the DA's office.
The socialite has maintained she was driven to kill by a bitter divorce and custody battle.
Her story gained national attention and became the subject of a book and two TV movies.
On Wednesday, the San Diego County District Attorney's office plans to oppose Broderick's potential release.
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"Elizabeth Broderick remains an unreasonable risk of danger to society," DA Bonnie Dumanis said in a statement. "She still has not developed appropriate insight or remorse for these gruesome murders, which she committed with a callous disregard for human suffering."
At her first parole hearing in Jan. 2010, the board decided that then-62-year-old Broderick was unrepentant, had no insight into what she had done and would be a danger to society if she were released. She was denied parole.
“She has not shown any remorse over the years and really, it’s all about her and not about the victims and the families,” District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis said at the time.
Deputy District Attorney Richard Sachs will appear on behalf of the State of California at the Wednesday hearing to argue she remains a risk to society.
The Board has two options Thursday: they will either find her suitable for parole and set a date or will deny parole and set a next possible parole suitability hearing for three, five, seven, 10 or 15 years in the future.
