Court TV Host: We're beginning our chat with Courttv.com's Lisa Sweetingham..she was just on Catherine Crier, and she's now joining us.

Question from Terry: Oh, there's a bunny in the room

Court TV Host: Watch out for the bunny!

Court TV Host: Welcome, Lisa.

Lisa Sweetingham: Thanks for having me. Although I am not in court this week, I have been keeping tabs on the Susan Polk trial, and I'm looking forward to taking your questions.

Question from Harriet: Now, a lot of people are saying Susan stabbed him 27 times. How that be self-defense? Explain to us what was going on through her mind?

Lisa Sweetingham: Hi, Harriet. Yes, we've heard the 27 times part mentioned in a lot of reports. You need to understand that many of the wounds were shallow, more like cuts. There were major wounds in his abdomen, but from what I understand from the prosecutor, they could never quite determine the exact weapon or its length because there were no bruise marks around the wounds that would occur when the knife is plunged as far as it can go and the handle leaves a mark on the skin. Susan is expected to contest that the stabbings were the cause of her husband's death and that actually he had a heart condition that contributed to his death. She won't even call it a killing, let alone a murder or homicide.

Question from cheri: How is Susan Polk doing as her own attorney?

Lisa Sweetingham: She's definitely gained confidence in her own skills just in the past few days of court. She handily cites evidence code as she makes her objections. She has gotten good at the rapid fire style of criminal defense attorney when she cross examines police witnesses. However, many of her salient points appear to get lost in the courtroom because of her often bizarre questions. For example: asking a detective if he knew what a "frame job" was. Holding her fingers up in the shape of a frame as she asked him, and accusing him of trying to make her husband look like a dog lover, when in fact she believes Felix poisoned her dog Tuffy to death. As you can imagine, the jurors have become accustomed to her strange questions yet quite a few bring their hands up to their mouths to hide their smiles or other looks of amusement.

Question from JERRY: Lisa, the fact that a 40-year-old man, a doctor, would seduce a 15 year girl under his care, lends credibility to the claim he was an abusive man?

Lisa Sweetingham: That's a good question, Jerry. And I think that Susan is hoping that's the case. She has talked quite a bit about the fact that she was molested by him, and that it was not a romantic relationship, even though she eventually married him and had three kids with him. And when I met Helen Polk this weekend, she expressed some guilt about not doing more to keep her daughter from Felix once she learned about the relationship. But the issue for the prosecutor is to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the killing was willful and premeditated. And another unfortunate point for the defense is that Susan initially denied any knowledge or involvement in her husband's death. The self defense claims came much later. And of course, that doesn't help any.

Question from cheri: Does/did Susan Polk seem more like an attorney or mother when she was questioning her sons under oath?

Lisa Sweetingham: That's a really good question, Cheri. Because it gets into the dual role she had. And while she was defending her life, she was also talking to her son for the first time in almost three years. There were many opportunities where she could have been softer with him, where she could have showed jurors that she was still a loving mother, pained to have to cross examine her own son. But quite often she chose instead to needle Gabriel over very seemingly inconsequential details, in an attempt to paint herself as the victim and him, Gabriel, as someone who's allegedly been brainwashed by his father. So while she broke down and cried, quite often there were times when it was hard to tell when she was crying for herself more so than for Gabriel. Obviously, she still cares for him deeply. But even the judge eventually ended the cross-examination after determining that it was bordering on abusive.

Question from njsuz: Does Susan ever give any reason for firing every one of her lawyers?

Lisa Sweetingham: Susan has many reasons for firing attorneys, and her most recent firing of her case manager, Valerie Harris. But they typically seem to revolve around issues of control. For instance, with Valerie, she wanted things done a certain way. She wanted someone who could anticipate her needs in the courtroom and outside of the courtroom. And Valerie, like many before her, did not measure up to Susan's expectations. She has worked really hard to get to this place, in her place where she calls the shots in her own self defense and she's not going to give it up if she can help it. She's at the point now where she doesn't even have anyone who can select clothes for her in the morning. On a side note, I spoke with Valerie today. She's still very supportive of Susan, and said she was bringing her documents and photos to court to today, during this so called transition period. Valerie said that Susan called her from jail and was friendly with her.

Question from Debbie: Is there any way that Susan might reconsider and hire Valerie back?

Lisa Sweetingham: Well, Debbie, although Susan sometimes wavers in her decision-making, once she finalizes her decision to cut someone out of her case, she sticks with it. I know that Valerie would go back, if asked.

Question from Bunny: Does Susan speak to the reporter pool?

Lisa Sweetingham: Oh, Bunny, you're in the room! No, during court she does not communicate with anyone in the gallery. However, before Eli was taken into custody, I know that he would regularly speak with his mother and relay news reports to her. And she has been known to call a reporter or two from time to time from jail. Obviously, she's also been doing jail house interviews. But during trial, in the courtroom, she does not speak to reporters.

Question from njsuz: What is happening with the son that is in custody?

Lisa Sweetingham: Eli, her middle child, is in jail for an alleged domestic violence incident and alleged probation violation. He has been denied bail twice, and at last check had a public defender. His grandmother is hoping to testify to Eli's judge that he's a good boy, and he's still trying to get bail. In any case, whether he's in custody or not, by the time his mother begins her case, he will be her star witness. Bye everyone! Thanks for joining me today.