Caught In The Crossfire

A Wife And Judge Get Caught In The Crossfire Of An Explosive Divorce

(CBS)  When it was Darren's turn, defense attorney Scott Freeman opened with scenes of a very troubled marriage. "He thought he hit the lottery with this woman. Funny, smart, beautiful, physically fit," Freeman says. "Darren was not aware of the dark side of Charla prior to marriage. He was not aware of her ability to be physically violent and physically abusive towards Darren."

The defense spared the jury no detail in describing the Mack's marriage. "Charla had an unusual sexual appetite. She liked women. She liked to swing with men and women," Freeman says. "She could be kind and giving in public. She could be violent and abusive at home. It was too much for Darren to take."

Darren told friends he started carrying a knife and a gun for protection, yet in their last court appearance it was Charla who said she was afraid. "He gets so angry and so whipped up that I don't feel comfortable right now knowing personally where I live," she said.

Darren's defense reveals his version of what happened on the morning he and Charla were face to face in the garage. "Charla arrived about 9:15," Freeman says. "Charla begins to threaten. And the rubber band starts to pull. The name calling from Charla began. The terrorist split personality reared its evil head. She transferred into pure hatred."

According to Darren, the fight escalated and when he turned his back on her. He says Charla knocked him to the ground and says that's when the gun he was carrying fell out of his pocket.

"She was going to punch him on the left side of his face. But Darren gets up and pushes back," Freeman says.

Darren says as Charla stumbled backwards she stepped on the gun. He claims she picked it up and aimed it right at him. "'Charla give me the gun,' Darren says. 'It’s loaded.' Charla looks at the gun. Pulls the hammer back, smiles and fires. Just like that, the rubber band breaks," Freeman explains.

Watch excerpts of Darren Mack on the stand

Darren claims the gun had misfired, which may or may not explain why there was no evidence of gun play. And this is the first time that prosecutors heard anything about a gun in the garage

According to Darren, Charla tried to pull the trigger again, but this time he was ready for her with his knife. "They're both struggling on the ground. Darren plunges the knife into her neck once. Charla's violence has stopped," Freeman says.

Defense attorney David Chesnoff picks up Darren's story from that morning's crime spree. "He's like a soldier. He's a soldier for a just cause. That's how he sees it," Chesnoff says. "Everything is happening basically on automatic pilot. Which is consistent with somebody suffering from the delusions that Darren Mack was suffering at the time that he went and shot Judge Weller."

The defense says Darren went into that delusional state of mind after Charla allegedly put the gun in his face. "Darren thought that Charla slept with Judge Weller. It's a delusion I hope! We'll ask Judge Weller when he's here," Chesnoff says.

Chesnoff says they will prove Darren was still delusional when he managed to hit Weller in a single shot from 170 yards away. "It's a symptom of the disease. He thinks he's onto something that the rest of us don't get."

Darren's attorneys were trying a unique defense strategy: self defense in the murder of Charla, and insanity for the attempted murder of Judge Chuck Weller.

Despite the horrible details revealed at trial, Darren still has supporters, like Garret Idle, who met Darren through a divorce support group.

Asked how he was treated by Judge Weller, Garret says, "Like a piece of garbage. He told me if I couldn't pay my child support, you know, doing my career line of work now, that I should go flip burgers. 'Go flip burgers.' Excuse me?" he says.

And Alecia claims Weller crossed the line with her too when she was before him for that custody dispute. "He was unprofessional. He was rude. And he made highly inappropriate comments," she claims.

At the time, Alecia was a captain in the Army and says Weller accused her of being upset because her child's father moved on. "I took offense to the statement that I was chasing a lieutenant colonel and I was just bitter about not getting myself a lieutenant colonel and I needed to get over that. And I needed to get on with my life."

But prosecutor Daskas says Weller is an easy target. "Family court judges by the nature of their work are always gonna make one side unhappy."

As his friends see it, Darren's own frustrations led him to that parking garage to send Weller a message. "I think he just wanted to injure him and to expose his courtroom, his corruption," Garret says.

"What do you make of Darren Mack's claim that he didn't intend on killing Judge Weller? Do you believe that?" Roberts asks.

"No," Daskas says. "I think that's Darren Mack's ego because he didn't kill him."

[BiCoastal]

I'm an attorney. First saw this on Oct. 17 or 18. Unaware of it before that. One thing which blew me away was the huge state of denial displayed by Mack's girlfriend, who kept saying Mack killed his wife in "self - defense". Also, Mack's mention of a phantom gun and a phantom dumpster---mentioned not in in his first conversations with his lawyers, but later. I've represented numerous injured persons in civil litigation arising from battery (committed by security guards, body guards, bouncers, etc.) Never has the affirmative defense of self-defense (almost always pleaded routinely) been proven in my own professional experiences. The tell-tale signs of a doomed self-defense argument are that only one of the parties (the victim) has any injuries. Add to this a size disparity in favor of the alleged and uninjured self-defender (the de facto aggressor)AND a weapon (knife, in Mack's case), and you have all the earmarks known to experienced attorneys of an out and out attack/battery (here, murder)--no self defense. By the way, I don't practice family law or criminal defense. (Oh yeah, the fact that he pleaded guilty is a good indication that it wasn't self-defense, too.)

[Vic-H]

After watching the program, a question immediately came to my mind. If Darren Mack pre-planned the murder as it was claimed by the prosecutors, why on earth would he kill his wife in his own garage and leave the body there totally incriminating himself? It is not that I like the guy, nor what he did. But wouldn't anyone who plans something as serious as murder ahead of time, whould also think about getting rid of the body as part of the plan? I do believe he committed the crimes he is accused of, but that he acted in a state of rage and passion.

[csi-lover]

This Mack guy should have been fried in the electric chair. This type of mentality is so evil that he will meet his fate in jail or hell, which in my mind, are both the same. He kills his wife and almost kills Judge Weller, and then blames them for his actions? Wow! Psychopath or what? The person I feel sorry for the most, besides the family and Judge Weller, is the criminal judge who had to hear Mack rant after his sentencing. But this judge did the right thing by sentencing him to life in prison, noting that Mack showed no remorse, nor did he apologize for what he did to his wife and Judge Weller.

This Mack guy is something else.

[soupperG]

summarux,

You are exactly right. The media holds a lot on their shoulders for the direction of this country.

There is a most definate slanted media view perputrated by the government to make it seem as though the court's follow the laws and the Constitution and nothing is further from the truth.

The ones sworn to uphold them are the biggest violaters, and yes, they will censer me, I am sure.

Thanks
Greg

www.dadsaredisplaced.ws

[get_down]

After watching the TV and reading this article, it appeared that Mr. Darren Mack is a controller and manipulator - he likes to have control of the world around him and he also likes to manipulate
events and folks around him. I'm glad finally the legal system finds what's wrong with him - if he couldn't get his way - he's going to do something - including premeditated murder of both his
ex-wife Charla and attempted murder of family court judge Chuck Weller. Justice finally is served by putting him behind bars where he belongs!

[soupperG]

While I certainally don't condone what Mact did to his wife, I wish the shot at the judge would have been better. The judiciary is extremely corrupt and they pretty much do whatever it is they want without recourse. They do this because they have given themselves total immunity from the law.

I have delt with many judges and attorneys in family court matters and I must say, they should all be shot. They are very corrupt.

[summarex]

Your are right of course. Judicial criminality and the police-welfare complex we have created are choking this country. Delivering tough justice to them will be the great fight of our time.

But be careful with what you write.

CBS is banning posters for making remarks that fall outside the CBS ideological umbrella.

Naturally the goal is to present a skewed consensus.

IT WON'T WORK.

END POLICE WELFARE NOW

[nickatnoon]

soupper, you hit the nail on the head! The bar, which originates in the "City of London" has occult/satanic roots, and it's agenda is to keep the masses under their thumb, by protecting the CONtrollers. Then we have the media which portrays the court system as "fair" by airing schlock TV "programs" like Law and Order, etc. Anyone who hasn't been screwed by the court system has been living in a cave all their lives!

[hercule1122]

The people surrounding Mack in this horrible tale were all like flotsam and jetsam. He is a complete idiot, spoiled, and I hope he will rot in jail. Crying about losing his wife when he murdered her...bizarre! And the new girl friend reminds me of the tin man- she needs a brain. I have great sympathy for Judge Weller and Charla's family, and wish them peace and a good life. Evil always exists in our world, but we can make a difference. Shalom.

[celestialsmo]

I was very disturbed while watching this show. I dont understand why in the world someone would go to such lengths to kill someone just because they have to have there own way! I see that Daryn was a VERY manipulative man that plotted this musrder because he wasnt getting what he wanted! In my opinion Daryn got wind of his wife wanting to leave him so he fabricated stories of her abuse towards him to make himself look better and to play the victim. To me Daryn is a spoiled little brat that acts like a 2 year old when he doesnt get what he wants in life! If he was the victim and killing her was self defense then why would he throw away the gun if it at all had her finger prints on it again all set up by Daryn himself to look like a victim that hes not, and to manipulate his son into thinking his story was true WAKE up and face reality!What is really scary is the new girlfriend standing by his side. why would you be that dumb and not protect yourself and your own children, bot she must have some issues with herself to believe that man! and of course his creepy best friend hes just as crazy and maybe we should start making sure he doesnt do the same to his ex-wife as Daryn did to his wife because he surely believes that Daryns crazy actions were justifid. At least we can say that justice has been served and hopefully he will never get out of his cell!!!

[Ty2011]

If he'd played if off as his patriotic duty to free us from tyranny instead of trying to save his own skin he'd probably have been called insane and at the same time held up as a hero to anarchists!

[djwelsh2]

All Darren had to do was pay alimony and split the marital assets which is what you are supposed to do in a divorce. He would rather ruin his daughter''s life than give Charla was was rightfully hers. That was a selfish act from a sociopath and narcicist, obsessed with *** and money who only loves himself.
So now he will rot in jail for cold blooded murder.
Nobody wins here including tax payers.

[franchize44]

I agree that family courts are wrong- but the fact of the matter is that Darren Mack murdered his wife, and then tried to murder the judge. The self defense things doesn''t add up because of the attempted killing of the judge. It''s WRONG and there''s something evil about a man who can do that. He''s right where he should be.

[aldicicco]

All Family Courts must be abolished and replaced by mediation centers that will uphold our rights of equal protection under the law and assist in reducing animosity between parets divorcing. I spent over a decade in Nevada trying to help reform the system and failed. Several Nevada Family Court judges lobbied against a bill that would have given all parents equal rights to their children. The governement wants control over all of us. Listen to Alex Jones www.infowars.com

[nickatnoon]

Thanx aldiicco, you stole my thunder! Family court(and ALL courts) are one BIG fraudulent SCAM that lines the pockets of the lawyers and judges while they help destroy more families! Anyone who has studied Admiralty Law, which is the law that is carried out in our courts, knows the citizens have NO RIGHTS, and are treated accordingly. The gold fringe around the U.S. flag in the courtroom bears that out.

[Ty2011]

LoLCatz r in ur usc makin nu akronyms

[roma52]

How can anyone have a happy relationship when you are swinging with others?

After the baby was born, Charla was then Mrs. Mom, and Darren wasn''t getting all the attention.

It would have been interesting to know if the first Mrs. Mack went through the same thing with Darren.

Mrs. Mack #1 was obviously the wiser of the two, she is still here.

Money was the factor here.

Darren Mack typifies the modern culture, of the shallow, vain, rich, Hollywood lifestyle even now, he still doesn''t get it?

Once again, you can''t judge a book by its cover.

[cacomistle]

sheril911,
I''m not sure of the name of the song, but the singer was Charla Mack. Her mother had the song played at Mack''s sentencing hearing, saying that it was a song Charla wanted Darren to hear - it was literally her voice from the grave. ::goosebumps::

[grosventres]

Darren''''s other friends/hangers-on seemed very sketchy, as well. I wondered what they thought they were going to "get" from standing up for him.

You got that right. I''ve known Michael Small for years and he is a con man extraordinaire. He took several of my friends and relatives to the cleaners in an "acting school" scam in Binghamton, NY back in 1996. At that time he was married to an acquaintence of mine, Darlanne Fleugle, an up and coming acress who co-starred in several major movies with Sly Stallone and William Peterson, among others. He ruined her career and took her for all she was worth. The custody battle referred to in this story was apparently with her.

I''m sure the reason that Mack was Michael''s "best friend" was because Mack had millions and Michael wanted some of it. It wasn''t surprising to see him turn up in the midle of this sordid tale.

[winnywinny1]

I''m just amazed that the "replacement" trophy girlfriend (Alicia) can be so dumb. She seems to be attracted to trouble. Hope for the sake of her own child she gets wise and makes the child her only priority.

Darren''s other friends/hangers-on seemed very sketchy, as well. I wondered what they thought they were going to "get" from standing up for him.

[winnywinny1]

I''m just amazed that the "replacement" trophy girlfriend (Alicia) can be so dumb. She seems to be attracted to trouble. Hope for the sake of her own child she gets wise and makes the child her only priority.

Darren''s other friends/hangers-on seemed very sketchy, as well. I wondered what they thought they were going to "get" from standing up for him.

[drdavedmd]

Although there is guilt beyond a reasonable doubt that Darren deliberately killed Charla, and that afterwards he went out to take out the judge, Darren should have nevertheless been granted a new trial because his rights as an American citizen was violated. He testified that he was coerced into pleading guilty. No matter what, even if it is going to be a waste of taxpayers'' money, every individual has a right to a fair trial. He did NOT. The judge was so biased it was not funny.

In the event of a new trial, Darren will be convicted and sent to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The argument against his belief that he acted in self-defense is the fact that he went out to go after the judge.... how in the worl and for what reason would a person who acted in self-defense all of a sudden go after the judge? There is NONE. Case dissmissed. Darren Mack is a brutal killer. He needs to pay for his heinous crime for the rest of his life. However, I believe that the justice system needs to give him a new trial.

[kar791]

I totally agree with roscoezzz. Darren Mack is a disgusting human being who should never have the possibility of parole. His girlfriend is a total idiot to stand beside this lying murderer. The story about Charla threatening him with a gun is so rediculous. He obviously thought of that twist when he was on the run in Mexico. The thought of a petite woman overpowering this muscular man in a "fight for their lives" on the floor of the garage is obsurd. No matter how unfair a family court judge is, it does not give Darren a free pass to go around killing people and attempting to kill the judge. That''s life. Sometimes it isn''t fair. His acts were not justified. He is an evil person who should rot in jail. He took away so much from so many people. This is a very sad and disturbing story.

[crazywoman]

Landmark Education was mentioned but I did not get the connection. Would you please let me know?

[namesnames]

He knew what he was doing when he killed her and attempted to kill the judge. He should not get parole no matter how old he is. I do believe, from personal experience, that there are judges in the family court system that automatically side with the mother unless the mother has been deemed unfit. That''s gender discrimination.