The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are simply that.

Opinions.

All are presumed innocent until proven otherwise in a court of law.

Sensitive topics are discussed.

Discretion is advised. I'm Betty Palantan, the subject of my investigation, the upcoming trial of Lori Daybell, who has made the controversial decision to represent herself.

Now this is not the first murder defendant to make that choice.

Ronnie O'Neill, a man charged with an unspeakable crime,

also represented himself and cross-examined his own eight-year-old son.

It was a trial you saw on court TV. Here's the story.

Ronnie O'Neill III was convicted of a brutal double murder in Riverview, Florida on March 18,

2018. The violence was horrific. That night, he attacked his girlfriend, Kenyatta Barron, shooting her before beating her to death with a shotgun.

He then turned on their nine-year-old daughter, who was nonverbal and autistic, stabbing her multiple times before setting her body on fire.

O'Neill also stabbed his eight-year-old son, Ronnie O'Neill IV. But the boy miraculously survived and later testified against his father.

During that trial, O'Neill chose to represent himself, delivering erratic courtroom speeches and accusing law enforcement of tampering with evidence.

His behavior gained national attention, but the jury found him guilty.

He was sentenced to life in prison without parole. His surviving son was later adopted by a detective who worked on the case.

This was such a memorable case, but for really horrific reasons, the horrific nature of the of what happened to that little

girl and to Ronnie O'Neill's girlfriend.

That was a brutal, brutal murder.

But then there was the trial.

And what happened inside that courtroom was was shocking.

Ronnie O'Neill chose to represent himself, but then when he was himself,

...