Face-to-face with Mack the knife

This guy needs to be locked up in a deep dark hole and fed bread & water. And made to suffer just like his victims did.

What happen Jean? Was the Jensen trial starting to bore you? Or did you need to "escape from Wisconsin"? I know the weather is brutal, but we need you at this trial! Hurry back!

Watching this man right now on In Session is hard to do. He is constantly smiling with an arrogant look as if to say he could care less about what he has done. This is a very hanious crime–he has no reason to smile. I hope to see the judicial process hammer this guy and let the world know that money does not always get people off. He should never see the light of day again!!!

I'm thinking 'plant food,' not 'minimum sentence.'

I think that in some cases a guilty plea may be revoked. But, in this case Mr. Mack was explained not only by his former attorneys but also from Judge Herndon EXACTLY what it was he was plea bargaining.

And he stated he understood his bargain.

I find it so annoying that Darren talks throughout with that sneer on his
face. Does a judge ever call a defendant down for being disrepectful?

My family has done business with the pawn shop owned by the Mack family for many years.
When the divorce of this man and his wife was going on we had heard Judge Weller was known for being biased against husbands/male partners during divorce proceedings. The level of seeming rancor this judge generated from the bench was as our aquaintances put it, the most injustice they had ever seen in a family court.
I'm not saying Judge Weller deserved to be shot. I am saying the decisions he handed down during proceedings were by and large very favorable to the females that came before him. He did in fact meet with some of his petitioners outside of the court room which I found to be not only bad form but in my mind a conflict in these cases.
Darren Mack got a super plea deal because of the fact he killed his estranged wife, and premeditated trying to kill the Judge.
He could have gotten life without if he had let the case go to the Jury. He needs to rethink his postion about getting a new trial because if he succeeds in getting one, the plea deal will be off the table. I would rather have the chance of getting out of prision before I died rather than no hope at all.
Darren, don't look a gift horse in the mouth.

Currently watching the sentencing hearing of Darren Mack on the Jack Ford program. CANNOT believe this man is smiling and smirking under these circumstances.

I don't believe Darren Mack should be given any extra exceptions to his punishment. He deserves the worse possible time the court can allow. He's a cold blooded murder, such a brute to kill such a tiny little woman, and leave his child motherless. He was certainly strong enough to overcome anything that poor little woman could possibly do to him no matter how strong she was. And who's word did they take to say she had a weapon first? That was his word only and she was not here to defend herself. HE"S GUILTY! And the Judge had no possible chance. He was ambushed.

The man is a cold blooded murdering creep. I hope the judge sees through all these stories about how wonderful he is. What a crock.

the arrogance on this guy is sickening. His family and friends are in total denial. I cannot understand why they allow family and friends to put him in a cloud and the victim cannot express the hell she experienced with this absurd excuse for a man. He is smiling throughout the statements as if he was important. He will be taken care in the prison and will taste his own medicine. He should be put to death.

At his core, he is a Werner Erhard arrogant hollowman, Jean. Just listen to the lingo when he related what he said to his daughter about EXPERIENCE of her mother and her father. Erhard Seminars Training, EST, changed its name after a bunch of bad publicity. Then they were called Landmark, etc. This group attracts and creates egomaniacs. I've known some in my day. He probably thinks his wife "created her experience of her death, " so what could he do about it? That's how these people think.

They think you are responsible for what happens to you, aka your experience. The 20-plus year old joke is one of these folks saying, "Create that!" as they slap you across your face. I think that says it all. It gives a new meaning to "taking responsibility."

This man has been punished enough by the biased court system and herndon the one sided judge. I know he will be given the max, but next time the system is charning out decisions effecting you maybe you will understand what drove to this.

Some people smile no matter what. If he were sobbing would that make everyone believe he is remorseful? He has admitted his guilt. No matter what the judge sentences, God will be his final judge!!

omg!!!!!!!!! i truely can't believe darren mack...... for charla's family to have to sit there why this man smile's... how sick he is.

The mother said this is not the son I knew, no, he's a grown man that killed his wife. He should never see the light of day.

Evelyn, you wrote "He’s a cold blooded murder, such a brute to kill such a tiny little woman, and leave his child motherless. He was certainly strong enough to overcome anything that poor little woman could possibly do to him no matter how strong she was. And who’s word did they take to say she had a weapon first? "

I am curious, what do you think of Mary Winkler? She shot her SLEEPING husband in the back, pulled the phone cord out of the wall so he couldnt call for help, fled and was sentenced to what.. 6 days in jail?
not excusing what Mack did at all, but what happened to "equality"... or is it equality only when it is happens to be convienent?

I recall hearing Darren Mack agree to plead guilty with a stipulation of some sort.

I wonder if anyone else remembers that.

Not that I think he deserves another trial as he does admit killing her to "protect himself" from the gun she took out of his pocket.

I wonder how she got close enouogh to get that gun and he wasn't able to stop her, and just happened to have a knife available and open with which to slash her throat.

I only wish he was younger so he could suffer more in jail. How dare he play the victom. The more he puts down his poor, dead beautiful wife, the more I hate him. He truly is a monster!

What a smug s.o.b. this person is. Does he think his smiling will get him a lighter sentence? 14 defense witnesses – absolutely absurd. Who cares how "wonderful" he was. He is a cold-blooded murderer. I don't care how he helped his cousin, etc. He certainly didn't help Charla. I hope the judge sees through all of this junk and locks him away for at least 40 years – if not more.

Do any of you think your opinions of what type of person he is will have an effect on the decision of the judge? You people really need to find something better to do with your time. The guy admitted his guilt. End of story. All who sit and say what his sentence SHOULD be should mind your business. He will get exactly what he deserves you can count on that. No more. No less. The fact that he's smiling could mean a lot of things. Maybe he's optimistic. Maybe not. Irrelevent. Illadvised but still irrelevant. That's exactly why we have a court system. So closeminded people can not be in a position to determine one's outcome based on emotion. It's based on the agreed upon punishment that is stated in the LAW. Not what's in your mind. It makes me sick to my stomach to listen to some of you. Focus your energy on how to help prevent this from happening in your community by embracing humanity regardless of it's imperfections. There's no excuse for his actions AT ALL but it makes me wonder what excuse you all have for your actions.

I am trying to be impartial here. If she had a gun and was going to shoot him, that is self defense. With the treatment he received from the judge, he could very easily been temporarily insane

Today, at the sentencing hearing, watching and listening to Darren Mack up on the stand being all full of himself was more than I could bear. All three hours of it.

I never once heard from the horses mouth that he was sorry for killing Charla. Oh, he stated he loved her but that had to be on his list of lies. His self-serving lies. And yes, he stated he wished he could take back that day or something to that effect. Well, it's not going to happen. What will happen is a march of appeals by Darren Mack (the cold blooded killer) to further tie up the court system.

What boggles my mind is that and intelligent man with a successful business who was one of the leaders in his community/state with a so called spotless background has committed a horrible deed. And another thing, too bad his bed was hard in prison. I am sure Charla's finally resting place (her coffin) is hard too. He couldn't eat, neither can she. He couldn't sleep, Charla will forever be in her sleep state.

Today, his new attorney should have suggested he plea permanent insanity. Or at least try and get it in before the judge because he is/was being looked at as a crazy man by many in the courtroom and I am sure some if not most of the public who watched that circus-show of Darren Macks'.

Locked up in a mental institution or prison cell will be what he deserves. End of story.......

This really ticks me off that DM can sit there pretending his life is so wonderful when all the freinds and family for him are talking like he didn't do anything wrong. How his mother sat there and stated that he wanted a trial by his peers. I want to let you know speaking from experience Mr Chessoff was my attorney and believe me he made sure I understood everything about my case. Darren Mack knew exactly what he was doing when he pleaded. You see he wants control and he can't have it. Just like he told his new attorney that their will be two more statements to be made.

I think Mr. Mack should have gotten life without parole for his crimes. I do not believe for one second he killed his wife in 'self defense'. I saw the pictures of this man – he is a body-builder and he was being tormented by this tiny woman – what a crock of crap. He murdered his wife, premeditated in my opinion, then he deliberately tried to murder a judge. The arrogance displayed and smug smiles throughout his trial told me everything I need to know. Whether of not this particular judge is biased is beside the point, the point is you cannot just decide to try to kill them because you did not like the way things turned out. Sometimes life just is not fair – oh my god the horror of it all!
PS. Judge Judy – you need to get off the crack pipe and put down the fifth of whatever liquor you are indulging in if you think this man has been 'punished enough'. By your standard I suppose no one should be in jail for murder and attempted murder just because life just was not fair to them. Wake up and dry out.

Mack the Knife is REALLY scary! He needs psychological help – fast. He is clearly a very controlling person and full of anger. He has no problem transferring his anger from person to person. Let him keep talking on the stand. If he ever gets a new trial or is up for parole, he has dug his own grave – again. He is truly a danger to society. The judge should sentence him to the max without parole and far away from his kids for their sake. What a sicko!

I know men that have been in Mack's situation with the courts and support. I can sympathize with him… NOT for what he did, but how he felt. He does deserve to go to jail, but not for life. Losing everything to an ex-wife OR, in my case, husband, is enough to make anyone CRAZY!

Darren Mack is his own worst enemy. The more he babbles, the more crazy he appears. He needs to sit in a cell obsessing over this case and drive himself crazy for the remainder of his pathetic life.

well just because his wife was a tiny woman dont think a gun could not make her larger than life. I do not think he set out that day to murder his wife and i do beleive the judge sent him over the edge. The judge lets not forget has a bad reputaion as far as the man in divorce case's. The judge to me like a man who has many dark secerts. and to listen to the court people protray him as anything else is baffling to me.

Hey JJ, yes and of course we all know that when YOUR (daughter/sister/mother) is viciously brutally slit from ear to ear you'll 'embrace humanity's imperfections.' God help us if we as a society have stopped being outraged by the epidemic of violence, against women in particular. And when we condone people like Mack, with such open disdain for the authority of the law and courts, who justify their heinous contemptable acts and vigilante justice. It isn't murdering narcissists like Darren Macks to whose defence you need rush but their victims: I suggest you waste less time and energy empathizing with this consumate performer and skillful manipulator–and give more thought to his child eg, or mother-in-law, or innocent clerk, or the judge's family... the list goes on, and on..........

And the Oscar for the worst defendant statement at a sentencing hearing goes to
DARREN MACK Have youever seen such bad acting in your life? Oh how much he loved her let him count the ways, How many times did he stab her? Not once did he say he was sorry. If you want to get a reduced sentence you must show remorse idiot. Your showed your true colors MR.MACK! I hope you get the maxium the law allows for your sentence. Meaning I hope you never ever get out. Money can't get you got now.

Does anybody know if there is a way to get the song played in Mack's sentencing hearing sung by Charla??? It's beautiful!

It is so awful to think that this guy in a matter of minutes has changed so many lives and taken a mother from a child and yet shows no remorse. He should sit in prison for the rest of his life for what he has done – but I fear even then he still won't believe what he did was wrong. This is so sad.

After listening to the sentencing hearing today, I think Mr. Mack is a control freak. The tape of the divorce hearing shows the judge as a fair and impartial judge. He told Mrs. Mack that Mr. Mack had the right to know where his daughter was at all times. That she needed to get permission from the court to keep her address from him for her own safety. No where in that tape was the judge beligerent or discourtious to Mr. Mack. If things don't go his way the other person is off the beam. His story of being abused by the court system doesn't fly. And for him and his family not helping Carla's mother take care of his daughter is unbelievable! Who does he thing he's hurting? The guy's a jerk.

Darren is a true narcisistic socio-path who truly cares for no one but himself. He makes Scott peterson look like a choir boy. That's why he is able to sit there and smile because he believes that he has done nothing wrong and all he needs is a chance to prove it to the world that he is innocent . Socio-paths do not feel guilt or remorse, he will go to his death feeling everybody has wronged him, so sad.

anyone hear that song? i feel a cd being sold next week

This man is a fool.

I think that Soorya Townley should have the song played in court today by Charla recorded and produced professionally. Surely there are recording artists that would jump on this one. All of the proceeds could be set up in a trust fund for her grandaughter.

Listening to that song during court was the most moved I've ever felt during any court proceeding.

I loved the song Charla sang to Darren also. They should record it with the proceeds going to Charla's mother to support the daughter , since Darren is not paying child support.

Tuned in for Mack sentencing; thought I had wrong channel and got My Counsin Vinny by mistake. Mack's new "attorney" is exactly what he deserves. If this whole situation wasn't so sad, his "attorney" was good for some laughs!

Thank you Gail!!!!! I couldn't have said it better myself to JJ's ignorant comments!!!!!
Those statements insult Chala's family!!!!!! Sounds like JJ may perhaps be related to the "knife" or for some strange reason seems compelled to side with the defense...:(

I think its terrible that just when the Mack verdict was about to be delivered by the Judge, In Session does not continue broadcasting until the verdict is delivered, but continues on with regular programming. I do not usually write to TV shows, but I think it was the wrong thing to do. After watching all the witnesses both for and against Mr. Mack, at the last moment because it was 3pm, you cut the broadcast off and we are told, "we will bring the verdict to you on Monday." Shame on you!
While I am writing I will let you know I would prefer if you continued broadcasting the trials the way you did when Nancy Grace was your 3-5pm anchor. I am sure you could find a sharp, reliable anchor to do the job; try Jane Velez Mitchell, or Diane Diamond. I am only one person but you have a good show, but damaged it when you stop the trials at 3pm and PS, I think Ashley is the greatest.

Cindy,

No matter what the judge in his divorce case did or didn't do, no matter how unfair his situation, no matter how unfortunate his life, he did not and does not have the right to stab his wife to death and to take a shot at the judge through a window.

I understand being disappointed and even angry at the judge's decisions. Hell, I'm disappointed that my daughter's protection from her father expires when she turns nineteen. But that doesn't mean I'm going to hunt him down and try to kill him.

one only people who are sociopaths themselves are sympathetic to this lying killer. thats the only reason to explain why they are defending him. for the record i just read that mack earn 44 grand a month, the judge ordered 900 for child support (state maximum!this is a a travesty) and 10 grand for spousal support. This is by no means like someone commented earlier poor man, the judge gave all of his money away to his wife. He should have eagerly paid this amount to take care of his daugher and he had 34 grand a month to use for his own self absorbed needs. I have no sympathy for this man, he should have gotten the death penaly.

Regarding Darren Mack...During Jean Casarez's interview with him in prison, she mentioned Charla's family had lost a daughter and their kids lost a mother...he actually said what about me "I lost a wife" as if we, the public, should feel sorry for him after he had brutally murdered her !!!! I sincerely could not believe he actually said that! Watching him during the trial and the sentencing I could not believe there would be anyone on the face of the planet that did not believe he should spend the rest of his natural life in prison. You can bet that even if he were to be parolled after 40 years the first words out of his mouth will be his complaining about how victimized he was by Judge Weller! How on earth does a person end up that way? with people like Darren Mack walking among us, It's sometimes a very scary world out there!