00:00:01
this special two-part edition of 48 Hours continues [Music] multi-millionaire Darren Mack is facing
00:00:27
life in prison for the murder of his beautiful sexy wife Charla there is a mountain of incriminating
00:00:39
evidence against Aaron is this the end of the story not by a long shot when a sniper opened fire on the morning
00:00:57
of June 12th at 1105 in downtown Reno thank you the judge was rushed to the hospital in
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critical condition no one could have imagined the horror that had taken place only a few miles away two hours earlier
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[Music] in an upscale condominium complex a woman had been brutally stabbed to death
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in a garage nobody knew what was going on and nobody had put the two events together
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nobody disputes that Charlie was there that morning in Darren's garage to drop off her daughter
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[Music] was so afraid of Darren so most people think he must have made some sort of
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promise that he was going to end the fight over their divorce if she would just come in and talk to him that is the
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only reason most people think she would have gone into that garage when I first heard that Charla had been
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killed it was like somebody punched me in the chest and you're thinking it just happened and maybe
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maybe somehow if you can get to her and and turn back time real fast it can save her
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at one point I think the max were happily married couple they did enjoy an alternative sort of
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Lifestyle they were swingers they went to sex clubs and sex parties they enjoyed swapping Partners they let
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a wild life and by most accounts they both enjoyed it but there's absolutely no love in that
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garage that morning there was bitter bitter hate she obviously died a very slow painful
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and tortured death it was absolutely premeditated and we know that from the note that was left
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well ending the problem was eliminating her was killing her we've heard the official version about what happened
00:03:26
that morning now we're going to hear Darren's story it's time to take a stand with we're not going to take this
00:03:33
anymore where where do we draw the line Darren's defense attorneys say that Charla was the aggressor Charla attacked
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Aaron he was very scared of her I was with him a couple of times when she called and threatened him the Charlie
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and Darren Mack story is far from over [Music] just one day before Charlie Mack was
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murdered and judge Chuck Weller was shot by a sniper Alicia bidison was out Target practicing
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with her new boyfriend and so we all loaded up in the cars and drove out to a place where people routinely go shooting
00:04:25
and and did a little Target practicing she noticed he was a pretty good shot how good of a marksman is he
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excellent excellent his name Darren Mack they met online though not on a dating website but on a Blog filled with
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scathing complaints about family court judge Chuck Weller we both had unique experiences in the Family Court Alicia
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had her own run-ins with judge Weller I received an email from Darren as well as
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many other people and we began corresponding that way what was it about Darren that that attracted you
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probably first and foremost that he was respectful of me because he valued my opinion and then
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probably a close second to that was the fact that he was a he's a family man especially being a single mom you want
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to make sure that the person that you're dating is someone who has strong family
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values did you fall in love with him I've I've I love him and I do they knew each other just three months
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before the family man was accused of murdering his wife Charla you're the person that was closest to him in the
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days leading up to the murder of Charlie Mac what was going through his mind what was
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his mental state I can't begin to assess what Darren Max mental state was I can tell you that
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my experience with him was was that of um a normal relationship yes he was frustrated
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[Music] Alicia says that warning it never occurred to her that Darren could have
00:06:22
been involved nothing about anything about Darren conveyed that there was anything being planned
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a first responder told us a shot hit judge Chuck Weller in the upper chest what came into my mind was I've got to
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call Darren and tell him this this is unbelievable I mean we knew lots of people didn't like judge Weller and
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rightly so there was a lot of people out there who really didn't like this judge
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so you're you're at work and you hear that judge Weller had been shot and what was what was your reaction what did you
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do picked up the phone call Darren and what did he say he just said he was really busy at the time and he'd call me
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back that was the last time I spoke with when Garrett Idol spoke to Darren that morning he had no clue that within hours
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there would be a massive Manhunt on for his friend the prime suspect Darren Mack
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did you notice anything in his voice any kind of Panic or when I didn't reach him
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I immediately text messaged him saying you know judge Weller's been shot call me Alicia never heard back from Darren
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that day and by 4 30 that afternoon she knew why for the shooting of Judge Chuck Weller
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we are now seeking Darren Mack this individual was a sniper foreign at that time did you also fear for your
00:07:48
own safety no no her only fear at that point was whether she too was Under Suspicion
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since they've been together just the day before at the shooting range so there was a decision made to call a friend of
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mine who is a sheriff a local sheriff and asked him well what do I do am I a suspect do I go home it was only then
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she heard the most shocking news of all homicide invest Charlie Mack was found murdered on the
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floor of Darren's garage and I said what what are you talking about and I I said I I don't know you know I
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just I couldn't believe any of it this can't be happening the next time Darren and Alicia saw each
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other was for a jailhouse visit several weeks after his return from Mexico it was a very emotional
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uh kind of reunion I guess you would call it having you know seeing him again for the first
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time and and realizing the full gravity of what what had happened and how life was never going to be the same
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again Darren Mack plans to testify at his trial about what drove him to kill Charla I loved her as deeply as a man
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can love a woman and when it wasn't that way it was as painful as anything I've ever
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experienced Mr Mack I'll remind you that you're still on the road okay you will tell a jury as he told TruTV I went to
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even The Battered Women's thing to get a temporary straining order that he lived
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in fear of his own wife even at one point called my friend I went and got his bulletproof vest and started wearing
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that anytime I was forced to meet with Charles alone and alone with Charla in that garage
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it was she Darren says who attacked him [Music] since June of 2006 the murder of Charlie
00:10:07
Mac and the shooting of Judge Chuck Weller have been the talk of Reno and we have another major story to get to now
00:10:13
the Darren Mack murder trial finally got started today so when it came time for darumax trial more than a year later
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the show went on the road to Las Vegas as this trial begins we're going to hear two versions of a terrible story a
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terrible murder writer Amanda Robb followed the case for 48 hours we're going to hear Darren's story and we're
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going to hear the prosecutor's story there goes going to be brutal and they're both going to be ugly
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there's nothing that unusual unfortunately about a domestic violence homicide prosecutor Robert daskus opened
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for the state like a lot of couples they grew apart and 10 years after the marriage Charla
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and the defendant decided to get divorce what made this case somewhat unusual was
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that Darren Mack also tried to kill a judge [Music] this became fairly contentious very
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early in the divorce proceedings before judge Charles Weller a big part of the state's case would be these recordings
00:11:16
from Judge Weller's courtroom showing the bitterness of the max divorce over and over they lie lie lie this courtroom
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battle went on for over a year and a half mostly about money Charlie needs some money immediately I don't have any
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money what do you want me to do at one point judge Weller even threatened to throw
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Darren in jail when he violated a court order my inclination now is to require you sir to give her ten thousand dollars
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by Friday at five o'clock or if you don't do that to report to 911 Park Boulevard at that time for incarceration
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Darren Mack is essentially a you know he's a spoiled brat I mean the kid was raised with a lot of money he got
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everything he ever wanted and now he found himself in Family Court things weren't going his way he wasn't getting
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what he wanted and he took matters into his own hands prosecutors believed the idea to kill
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Charla may have been planted a couple of weeks earlier when Darren sat for this cable access interview with the father's
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rights Advocate Mac railed against Weller that is the the family court system my experience of
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it under judge Weller is it's it's it's it reminds me much more about what I've studied in school about Nazi Germany and
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then there was this chilling remark from host William Wagner to Darren you're actually you know better off to murder
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your your spouse and then plead insanity and you'll be out in seven years you'll
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have your kids what was Darren Mack's reaction when that comment was made he didn't say anything but you could see
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his uh his facial reaction it was almost like he absorbed it and uh and realized
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it might be a good idea kind of almost as though a light went off at some point following this interview prosecutors say
00:13:05
Darren took this advice a step further and actually wrote a to-do list for his crime spree it's not every day that you
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have a script basically laying out what's going to happen in a murder case friends and Christine say that morning
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began like so many others when she got in her car with Erica that morning and the dog
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her intention was to drive Erica and do the exchange and never in a million years did she leave her house that day
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and think I should be worried about this Charlie was murdered in a very brutal way she clearly suffered defensive
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wounds on her arms and on her legs she was clearly drugged from one area to another we see blood spatter on the
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walls of the garage and on the floor of the garage although we don't know exactly what happened we know she put up
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quite a fight ultimately she lost that fight Charlotte Mack was five four 120 pounds
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Darren Mack was close to Six Feet 200 pounds charlamak didn't stand a chance less than two hours later Darren Mack
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could check one more thing off that to-do list as judge Chuck Weller laid bleeding on
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the floor of his Chambers the next question was who fired the bullet well if there's a common denominator
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between Charlo Mack and judge Weller it's the defendant Darren Mack certainly that doesn't prove he fired
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the shot several other things will ladies and gentlemen you've heard from the state now it was Darren's turn as
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defense attorney Scott Freeman opened with scenes of a very troubled marriage he thought he'd hit the lottery with
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this woman funny smart beautiful physically fit Darren was not aware of the dark side of
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Charla prior to marriage she also was not aware of her ability to be physically violent and physically
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abusive towards Darren the defense spared the jury no detail in describing the max marriage Charla had an unusual
00:15:13
sexual appetite she liked women she liked swing with men and women Charla do some poses she could be kind and giving
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in public she could be violent and abusive at home it was too much for Darren to take
00:15:28
Darren told friends he started carrying a knife and a gun for protection yet in their last court appearance together it
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was Charla who said she was afraid but he gets so angry and so whipped up that I just don't feel comfortable right now
00:15:44
knowing personally where I live and it's not about Erica it's really about me and
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I just would like to wait until the whole thing is resolved Charlotte did want protection Darren did want
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protection they both asked for it and they didn't get it and one person is still alive
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yes that that I'm not denying that and one person defended his own life and now for the first time defense
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attorneys revealed Darren's version of events the morning Charlie and Darren were face to face in that garage
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arrived about 9 15. Charlie begins to threaten and the rubber band starts to pull
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the name calling from Charla began the terrorists split personality reared its evil head
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she transferred into pure hatred the rubber band is pulling according to Darren the fight escalated
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and when he turned his back on her charland knocked him to the ground Darren says that's when the gun he was
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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
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her back Darren says as Charles stumbled backwards she stepped on the gun he claimed she picked it up and aimed it
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right at him Charla give me the gun Darren says with his left hand it's loaded Charlie looks the gun pulls the
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hammer back smiles and fires just like that the rubber band breaks Darren claimed the gun had misfired
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which may or may not explain why there was no evidence of gun play and this is the first time by the way
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that prosecutors heard anything about a gun in the garage Darren's worst fears were realized at
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that moment Charlie was really going to kill him according to Darren Charlie tried to
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pull the trigger again but this time he was ready for her with his knife they are both struggling on the ground Darren
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plunges the knife into her neck once Charles balance has stopped defense attorney David chesnov picks up
00:18:05
Darren's story from that morning's crime spray he's like a soldier he's a soldier for a just cause
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that's how he sees this everything is happening basically on automatic pilot which is consistent
00:18:22
with somebody suffering from the delusions that Darren Mack was suffering from at the time that he went and shot
00:18:30
judge Weller the defense says Darren went into that delusional state of mind after Charla allegedly put the gun in
00:18:38
his face Darren thought that Sharla had slept with judge Weller a delusion I hope we'll ask judge Weller
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when he comes here chesnel says they will prove Darren was still delusional when he managed to hit judge Weller in a
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single shot from 170 yards away did Judge Weller fuel Darren's delusions you bet he did
00:19:06
Darren's attorneys were trying a unique defense strategy self-defense in the murder of Charlie
00:19:12
Mack an insanity for the attempted murder of Judge Chuck Weller is Darren mackinson no
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no [Music] I think judge Waller has a lot to do with what happened to Darren that day
00:19:45
I think judge Weller should be up on the stand right next to Darren despite the horrible details revealed at
00:19:54
trial I mean if it wasn't for judge Weller none of this would have happened Darren Mack still has supporters like
00:20:01
Garrett Idol help me understand that line of thinking if it wasn't for judge Weller
00:20:07
Charlotte Mack would be alive today if judge Weller handled his courtroom with a little more human touch a little more
00:20:16
compassion I think that a lot of people wouldn't be so destroyed Garrett met Darren through a divorce support group
00:20:24
how were you treated by judge Weller like a piece of garbage he told me if uh you know I couldn't pay my child support
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you know doing my career line of work now that I should go flip Burgers go flip Burgers excuse me Alicia bidison
00:20:40
claims judge Weller crossed the line with her too when she was before him for that custody dispute how did Judge
00:20:47
Weller conduct himself he was unprofessional he was rude and he made highly inappropriate
00:20:54
comments Alicia was then a captain in the Army and she says Weller accused her of being
00:21:02
upset because her child's father moved on I took offense to the statement that I was chasing a lieutenant colonel
00:21:14
and I was just bitter about not getting myself a lieutenant colonel and I needed to get over that and I
00:21:20
needed to get on with my life as his friends see it Darren's own frustrations led him to that parking
00:21:28
garage to send judge Weller a message and I think he just wanted to injure him and to expose his courtroom his
00:21:38
corruption you believe her if Darren wanted to kill judge Weller he could have done so
00:21:48
what do you make of Darren Mack's claim that he didn't intend on killing judge Weller
00:21:55
do you believe that no I just wanted to scare him no I wanted to send a message I think that's Darren Mack's ego because
00:22:02
he didn't kill him statement called an ex-witness thank you judge Charles Weller and a rare turn of
00:22:08
events judge Chuck Weller found himself on the witness stand in the couple of months before I was shot
00:22:15
there were blogs on a couple of websites and there were some just horrible attacks on me calling me Hitler saying
00:22:25
that I was unfair that I was biased that I was corrupt I I knew some people from nevadans for
00:22:32
equal parenting I had some sympathy for some of their views concerned judge Weller approached the head of the group
00:22:38
and asked him about the negative blogs why is this happening and he said I thought Daryl but perhaps he said
00:22:47
Darren Mack he told me that Darren Mack was behind it Weller remembered this conversation and
00:22:55
gave police the details from his hospital bed and what was the name he told the detective Daryl Mack when you provided
00:23:03
the name Daryl Mack who were you thinking of that man right there now is the defense's turn to
00:23:16
cross-examine the judge and they begin by questioning his knowledge of the divorce case you would agree that you've
00:23:22
become a lot more familiar with this particular divorce than you actually did when the divorce was occurring isn't
00:23:30
that fair judge Weller no well you didn't know Mr Mack's first name and he's been in front of you for over a
00:23:35
year sir because I didn't know his name doesn't mean that I was unfamiliar with the divorce I was very familiar with the
00:23:41
divorce I'm diligent about my job sir I review the file before I go to court well I think the defense recognized uh
00:23:48
what they had to do to push his buttons you treated Mr Mack differently than you
00:23:53
did other people who appeared before you didn't you judge me no and then the defense tried to show just how
00:23:59
delusional Darren was with this question I do apologize but I have an obligation
00:24:05
to Mr Mack to ask it you hadn't been sleeping with Charlotte Mack had you no sir okay that would be crazy
00:24:14
right objection there's no evidence to suggest there was any relationship between judge Weller and Charlie Mac no
00:24:21
I've never had my reputation attacked the way that you're attacking it sir it's unfair and it's unwarranted well
00:24:28
hold on now your honor I'm going to make a motion I'm going to make a motion I'm
00:24:32
going to strike it ladies and gentlemen you'll disregard that statement judge well you know better than that this
00:24:36
isn't a forum for that I'm sorry ask another question this case shouldn't have turned into
00:24:41
Family Court proceedings involving Judge Weller in other cases this was about Judge Weller being shot as he stood
00:24:47
defenseless in his Chambers did you think Chuck Weller was fair yes sir Darren Mack without question and I don't
00:24:54
think you just have to take our word for it I mean if you watch the videos yourself particularly the the last time
00:25:00
those two are in court Mr and Mrs Mack I'm sorry that I am going to have to rule in this case I've said over and
00:25:06
over today and I mean it that this is a terrible thing I can only pick one side or the other
00:25:12
and one of you has to lose but Garrett Idol says the tapes don't tell the whole story and unless you've been through it
00:25:19
you cannot truly appreciate how it can drive someone to the edge looking at the whole system from you know outside in it
00:25:28
almost makes sense almost how well why should one person have to just completely be bankrupt by a court
00:25:38
decision and you know have to spend all their assets on their EX it just it doesn't seem right so it
00:25:48
makes more sense to kill your spouse no I I'm not saying that but if you're looking for it almost makes sense it
00:25:57
almost makes sense I mean looking from the outside in it almost makes sense good
00:26:02
I'm not advocating murder no I'm not but you're telling me this that that almost
00:26:07
makes sense to you if you look at the system sure but even his number one supporter
00:26:14
concedes Darren's approach was probably not the best way to bring attention to their cause what do you think this case
00:26:22
has done to your efforts for judicial reform well it did create a huge speed bump
00:26:31
Alicia says that won't stop her fight to try and improve the family court system
00:26:38
and it definitely won't stop her from fighting for the man she loves why are you still standing by his side
00:26:46
after learning everything that's been put out there during the course of that trial you know about the
00:26:53
details of how charland Mack was slaughtered and you're still there you're still by his side Charlie
00:27:01
Mac was not slaughtered I'm sorry there is a difference between a stab wound and it wasn't just a stab wound
00:27:09
well I've seen the medical examiners I've seen the pictures as well you're still there I am because what I believe
00:27:18
in is truth and justice for all [Music] none of that changes the fact that this man brutally killed the mother
00:27:29
of his child he defended his life foreign [Music] [Music] it's been 16 months since Darren Mack
00:27:54
killed his wife Charla all I can see in my mind is how my daughter was slaughtered like an animal
00:28:01
and she was the mother of his children 16 long months that Darren says he spent anxiously waiting to tell his side of
00:28:10
the story I did everything I could so that that day wouldn't happen now the fun begins in our minds now we
00:28:18
get to hear Darren Mack hit the stand and try to sell his story state of Nevada versus Darren Mack record reflect
00:28:24
the presence of Mr Mac his family and friends gathered for the first day of the defense's case we were going to get
00:28:30
to hug Darren and encourage him because he was going to be testifying but over the weekend there had been a
00:28:38
change of plans so instead of taking the stand as to count one murder of the first
00:28:44
degree how do you plead Darren took a deal so I'm accepting the guilty plea it was what we were all just shocked
00:28:55
before I accept your plea I need to be satisfied that it's freely and voluntarily made is it yes he would
00:29:01
admit to murdering Charla and in return he would have a better shot of parole you willfully flown easily and without
00:29:07
authority of law stabbed add into the body of charlemak causing her death is that correct that's correct and that
00:29:14
that was done with premeditation and deliberation correct correct what we were being fed
00:29:21
is this is what's happening this is wide and we're trying to save Darren's life so we gotta take this we've given him
00:29:28
hope we've given him an opportunity for his family and his kids to feel that uh he's not going to be
00:29:34
locked away in a Max prison forever I have before me the written plea agreement as part of the plea deal
00:29:41
Darren also admitted there was enough evidence to find him guilty of the attempted murder of Judge Weller
00:29:47
shooting at the Judiciary is not the proper form of political redress but in the same breath and also I want
00:29:56
one other thing I'd like to tell you he also managed to take a parting shot at judge Weller by praising judge Herndon
00:30:02
and I really appreciate your honors Integrity I have much at stake it's been a pleasure to have somebody who really
00:30:08
takes their job seriously and in a private meeting he also thanked The Men Who were trying to convict him
00:30:16
Robert daskus and Christopher Lolly and Darren Mack shook our hands and thanked us for being professional for acting
00:30:24
like gentlemen what was that meeting like it's a little unusual it doesn't happen every day a bit surreal but
00:30:32
things were about to get even more surreal this is breaking news just three weeks later a strange turn of events in
00:30:39
the Darren Mack murder case Darren Mack announced he had fired his attorneys and
00:30:44
wanted to withdraw his guilty plea Darren Mack had buyers remorse that's the bottom line buyer's remorse buyers
00:30:50
remorse whenever you have somebody who basically signs up for spending just about the rest of their life in prison
00:30:57
it's not unusual for them just to start having second thoughts about that Darren
00:31:02
alleges his attorneys were just in it for the money it was money until they got the money and then it was take the
00:31:07
deal because you have no hope the high profile attorneys were out and local Reno attorney William roussis was
00:31:15
in his first order of business was to try and get Darren a whole new trial I think it's been one of the greatest
00:31:22
injustices that I have ever seen in the criminal justice system and I've been doing it for 17 years Russo's claims as
00:31:29
old attorneys chesnov and Freeman had coerced Darren into pleading guilty and that Darren had agreed because he
00:31:36
was confused sleep deprived and dehydrated it's time set for hearing on the motion
00:31:46
to withdraw please so two months later judge Herndon hauled everyone back into a Reno courtroom to hear Arguments for a
00:31:53
new trial and this time the star Witnesses were Darren's former attorneys they took the
00:32:00
stand to defend themselves and the Dual strategy of self-defense and Insanity you could bring in any competent expert
00:32:07
Darren Mack is not insane it's an absolute joke what they did you're not competent to argue self-defense if
00:32:14
you're insane but David chesnov explains that it was Darren who insisted on the split defense am I correct that Darren
00:32:20
Mack is the one that said I'm not going with an insanity defense on Charlotte this was self-defense yeah there's no
00:32:25
question about that and that you did not think that was a smart thing to do no because he came to the garage with a
00:32:32
knife and a gun in his pocket by calling his former lawyers to the stand Darren waved his right to attorney-client
00:32:39
privilege so what he had told them could now be used against him he had expressed
00:32:44
to you all that he previously thought about having Charla killed yes and I also had discovery that he had solicited
00:32:53
somebody to kill her there were actually police reports where Darren had solicited an individual in
00:33:00
Clark County to kill charlemak and a family court judge murder For Hire yes this was a incredibly difficult case to
00:33:10
defend the damning revelations from chesnov kept on coming Darren had told us that after he stabbed her he put his
00:33:19
knee on her head and she was gurgling when he told that to us in preparing for his testimony I got physically ill
00:33:29
Darren's case continued to unravel as his other former attorney reluctantly takes the stand this is horribly
00:33:36
disturbing situation I'm in right now when I learned something from my client I'm not telling anybody but under oath
00:33:44
Scott Freeman is forced to reveal that Darren never mentioned a gun in their initial conversation about what happened
00:33:51
in the garage so the second conversation he had indicated to me that he had meditated on what we had talked about
00:33:57
and described to me in Fairly significant detail what had occurred in the garage that included this gun
00:34:06
Darren told Freeman that he had thrown the gun into a dumpster but when Freeman went to look there was
00:34:12
no dumpster and therefore no gun I had two concerns the first concern was that perhaps Mr Mack was being less than
00:34:24
candid with me or alternatively the dumpster had been moved so I decided to go with the dumpster had
00:34:31
been moved as opposed to him being less encounted with me your honor the defense
00:34:34
will call Darren Matthew to the standard effect Darren Mack finally gets his chance on the witness stand
00:34:41
you have this very first meeting with Mr Freeman and Mr chesnov and you never mention a gun
00:34:48
correct that is correct you never mentioned a dumpster correct that is correct is there any evidence to support
00:34:54
his claim that she pointed a gun at him no no not at all nothing other than his word
00:35:02
Darren insists he acted in self-defense and was coerced and confused when he took the murder rap did I've been that
00:35:10
manipulated and got into a place where I actually they got me to say what I said
00:35:15
was so upsetting and horrifying it was like a psychological rape I mean I have a whole new compassion for women who are
00:35:24
raped it's not just the sex that's taken from them it's their will and that is like one of the most horrifying things
00:35:30
to have your will taken from you Gary Mack is always the victim in Family Court he believes he's the victim in the
00:35:37
criminal proceeding he thinks he was the victim you know Darren Mack is not always the victim he doesn't get what he
00:35:43
wants and then he tries to get himself out of the situation he finds himself if you two of your lawyers you were asleep
00:35:49
the prime did you yes I did you did yeah I didn't say in those words but I said I
00:35:54
wasn't getting much sleep you never told your lawyers you were heat exhausted did
00:35:58
you I did not you never told your lawyers you were dehydrated I told him I was very thirsty
00:36:04
after three days of testimony closing arguments I think what is abundantly clear from the testimony of Mr chesnov
00:36:13
and Mr Freeman is that they cared about this defendant they zealously represented him from the very very
00:36:22
beginning and defense attorney William rutzas makes a final plea to get Darren Mack another chance the truth will set
00:36:31
you free not the fear of the truth and that's what happened here judge they were afraid of their own case they tried
00:36:37
to tailor this man to an insanity defense and he is not insane [Music] Darren is a spoiled brat Darren is the
00:36:52
most selfish person I think I have ever come across in my years of reporting even from behind bars Darren Mack is
00:36:58
still trying to get his way there was his guilty plea his attempt to withdraw the guilty plea and the firings
00:37:06
of his own attorneys is the circus over the circus is closing down now it's out of Darren's hands and up to
00:37:17
the judge to decide if he gets a new trial the defendant wants a do-over I don't
00:37:23
think that's fair I don't think that's that's just and I don't think that's right the motion to withdraw The Plea is
00:37:28
going to be denied it's over for Darren Mack he now has to face the consequences for his crimes
00:37:41
one month later at his sentencing both families have a chance to speak nobody here has any clue how it feels to know
00:37:49
that your father is Innocent but have to look at through through glass and talk to him on the phone
00:37:54
Darren's son from his previous marriage begs the judge for leniency [Music] I love him with all my art and he loves
00:38:02
me and I cannot imagine going the rest of my life without my dad my mentor and my best buddy
00:38:12
I love you Dad then Charla's family has their turn Charlotte Mac was my sister I thank the court for the opportunity to
00:38:23
offer a statement as a victim of the murder of Charla Marie samsel I use her birth name
00:38:30
because she should no longer be associated with the name Mack let him never again breathe the air of a
00:38:39
free man let him forever remain caged until the day he dies may he die in prison I was
00:38:48
one of those lucky mothers to be best friends with my daughter when the phone rings I realize it will
00:38:56
never again be Charla now an indulgent cowardly man has interrupted our path of growth this man who thought he knew a
00:39:06
better plan so he decided to play God Darren is also given one last opportunity to speak and he does for
00:39:19
three hours still insisting he acted in self-defense what happened was is after she was
00:39:26
trying to kill me we both went to the ground she then got stabbed and you gotta understand the state of mind
00:39:35
that she's just trying to pull the trigger on me once we're in a fight for our life she's trying to pull the
00:39:40
trigger again I just stabbed her and it was an instinct I came up she still had the gun
00:39:45
in her hand I put my knee on her head that's the truth I didn't want to never choreographed the whole damn day
00:39:53
and at one point he even has the audacity to suggest that he is the one suffering
00:40:02
a lot of people don't recognize I lost a wife too and even though this has happened
00:40:10
I still love Charla I just couldn't live with her and I was afraid of her I don't I don't even know that there's
00:40:17
no words okay I just wish that that day you had never occurred [Music] throughout the course of the entire
00:40:28
trial Darren Mack never uttered the words so many had hoped to hear there was never a I am sorry charlemak
00:40:39
is dead [Music] I'm sorry I shot the judge and and saying you're sorry is not a magic word
00:40:49
you don't automatically get a certain sentence by expressing sorrow to the court for what you've done which leads
00:40:55
me to the conclusion Mr Mack that you're not sorry judge Herndon sentenced Darren Mack to
00:41:04
life in prison and Mr Mack your sentence needs to speak to you for your actions and leave no room for error
00:41:12
to the people of this community in this state the judge then offers advice to the
00:41:17
grandmothers who are left to raise the Lone Survivor of this terrible ordeal Erica Mack now 10 years old hopefully
00:41:27
you don't raise an angry and spiteful child who doesn't know who in her family to trust she needs to be raised with
00:41:35
hugs and kisses and not talking bad about each of those people a child without her mother and now
00:41:42
without her father for a great many years is going to need a whole lot from from both sides of the aisle and before
00:41:48
Darren is taken away there is one more voice and there was a song that she wanted to sing to Darren Charlie Max
00:41:55
this is a song she recorded after they split it's played for the entire courtroom
00:42:03
so you think you've got it [Music] ring the bank account it's Christmas morning [Music]
00:42:41
[Music] oh Darren Mack will be 83 years old before he is eligible for parole [Music]
00:43:13
[Music] thank you