Hate and disgust
Lee Goldsmith, a respected 67-year-old Boca Raton socialite, hated her son-in-law so much she hired someone to kill him. Eager to find a suitable husband for her daughter, Arleen, a Delray Beach nurse, Goldsmith took out an article in the local paper: “Nice Jewish Girl Wants to Meet Nice Jewish Boy.” David Brownstein is the man who responded to the ad and the two became inseparable. However, Mrs. Goldsmith could not bear the idea of her daughter marrying Brownstein because she was not a professional. An air conditioner repairman wouldn’t have been impressive enough to Goldsmith’s socialite friends, so she hatched a plan to ruin her life. According to state testimony, Goldsmith tried everything in the book, from forging letters and threatening to cut Arleen out of her will, to accusations of beatings and extortion from Brownstein. But nothing would fuel her hatred more than not being able to attend her own daughter’s wedding, or see her grandson. So she decided it was time to get David Brownstein out of her life forever.
the plot
The carpet cleaner seemed like the perfect guy to ask where to find a hit man. He was hired to clean the carpet at Goldsmith’s house when Lee asked if he would help her find someone to kill her son-in-law. The man said he would see what he could do to help her, and instead he informed police of the plot and received a $750 cash reward. The police then came up with a plan to catch Goldsmith so that she would pay an undercover cop for the job. The plan was to meet near a restaurant where Lee Goldsmith would give explicit instructions on how the murder was to be carried out. The intended victim would be shot in the head and drugs placed on their body to make it look like a drug-related murder. She paid Thomas Brennen $1,000 up front, and then, once the death was confirmed, she would pay the remaining $9,000.
On February 8, 1989, David Brownstein kissed his wife Arleen before going to work, unaware that his life was about to change forever. The police notified him of his mother-in-law’s plans to kill him and he agreed to play along. The county morgue was also involved in the plot. They were told to confirm David Brownstein’s death when Goldsmith called. On February 15, 1989, Brennen told Goldsmith that his son-in-law had died. He then paid the balance, thanked the officer, and chuckled as he commented on how happy everyone “except the one in the morgue” would be. Undercover police officers videotaped Lee paying them to kill David as they gathered at Lee’s CADILLAC. She told the undercover cop that she would have another job for him in six months. She wanted acid thrown in David Brownstein’s mother’s face. She laughed and laughed as she described exactly how she wanted it done. The police intervened and arrested Lee Goldsmith and charged her with solicitation of first degree murder.
The proof
During the February 1990 trial, neighbors and friends described Lee Goldsmith as a gentle soul who would do no harm. She was described as a civic leader who participated in fundraising activities and taught exercise classes to retirees. Milton Goldsmith backed up his wife’s story about the beatings and the letters they received. He said they were terrified of Brownstein. Arleen was torn when asked if she loved her mother. “To say that she didn’t love her would be untrue,” Arleen said. Meanwhile, it seemed like Lee Goldsmith was falling apart for most of the trial. She cried after describing the beating she endured. David Browstein spent two hours on the stand denying any involvement in any beatings, or any behavior exhibited toward his mother-in-law. Lee Goldsmith was found guilty and sentenced to five and a half years in prison. “Please, God, no,” Lee said, breaking down after hearing the verdict. Ella Milton’s husband was distraught.
In June 1995, Lee Goldsmith was released on parole at the age of 73.
to update
The case became a sensation. After his release from prison, Lee and Milton Goldsmith appeared on A Current Affair and The Oprah Winfrey Show. The movie Mother Knows Best aired in April 1997.
On Easter Sunday, April 13, 2009, I spoke with Lee Goldsmith. She informed me that her husband Milton had fallen, broken her neck and never recovered. He passed away a few months ago. She said that these days she feels lonely and despondent. She is 86 years old. She no longer participates in any fundraisers. She spends most of her time at home. Goldsmith and her adopted daughter Arleen have never spoken to each other again. Lee Goldsmith and I never talk about the crime, and she refers to it only as ‘the incident’. She never knew a movie had been made about her. She is not familiar with many cable stations, stating that “my husband took care of those things.” However, she said that she would like to see him. She would like me to let her know when the movie is showing again.