MARTINEZ, Calif. — Murder victim Felix Polk had a history of violence, and a habit of accusing his wives of being delusional, his son Eli Polk testified Thursday at his mother Susan Polk's murder trial.

"He admitted to striking Andy, his son, and said that's just the way he was raised," Eli told jurors as his mother beamed from the defense table.

Andy Polk is the victim's son from his first marriage.

Susan Polk, 48, is representing herself against accusations that she stabbed her psychologist husband, Felix Polk, 27 times after learning she was on the losing end of their divorce battle. He was 70 years old.

Polk claims she was acting in self-defense when she wrestled the blade away from him in October 2002 to save her own life.

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Polk also claims that Felix, whom she married at the age of 25, was abusive and controlling and that he raped her when she was his 14-year-old patient.

Eli, 20, has spent four days on the witness stand affirming his mother's account of Felix Polk's allegedly violent and controlling behavior.

"He told me his first wife was crazy and delusional, and that's why they got a divorce," Eli said. He did not recall his father ever mentioning violence toward his first wife.

Eli's brothers Adam Polk, 23, and Gabriel Polk, 19, have distanced themselves from their mother since the killing and testified during the prosecution's case that Susan Polk was delusional, controlling and openly discussed killing their father.

"I'm not a violent person, but I express myself fully I take strong positions," Felix once told a judge during an April 2002 juvenile court hearing.

Susan had her son read portions of the transcript from that hearing out loud in court Thursday — excerpts in which she spoke of her husband's threats of violence toward her and her belief that he had power over the courts because of his previous position as chief psychologist of Alameda County.

"This is you speaking," Eli would preface each time he read from his mother's words at the hearing, which took place six months before her husband's death. "Quite frankly, I'm afraid of him. He's got me scared."

Felix Polk, at that hearing, called Eli a good son with a "great head on his shoulders." He also said his wife was a good mother, but doubted she was competent to take custody of Eli.

Polk noted that her husband did not deny making threats to her.

The prosecutor expects to cross-examine Eli on potentially damaging portions of the transcript, which Polk objected to because she found them irrelevant.

Eli was sent to juvenile hall in Oct 3, and was serving a nine-month sentence when he was informed by sheriff's investigators that his father was dead and his mother was the prime suspect.

He is currently in custody and awaiting trial on a misdemeanor battery charge involving a girlfriend. He denies the charges.

Eli's testimony continues after the lunch recess.