| Hatred and Disgust | | | | to kill him, and he agreed to play along. The |
| Lee Goldsmith, a well respected, Boca Raton, | | | | county morgue was also in on the plot. They |
| socialite of 67 years, hated her son in law so | | | | were told to confirm the death of David |
| much that she hired someone to kill him. | | | | Brownstein when Goldsmith called. On February |
| Goldsmith, anxious to find a suitable husband for | | | | 15, 1989, Brennen told Goldsmith that her son in |
| her daughter, Arleen, a Delray Beach nurse, took | | | | law was dead. She then paid the balance, thanked |
| out an in the local paper: "Nice Jewish Girl Wants | | | | the officer, and chuckled as she remarked how |
| to Meet Nice Jewish Boy." David Brownstein is the | | | | happy everyone would be "except the one in the |
| man who answered the ad, and the two became | | | | morgue." Undercover Police Officers videotaped |
| inseparable. However, Mrs. Goldsmith could not | | | | Lee paying them to kill David while meeting in |
| bear the thought of her daughter marrying | | | | Lee's CADILLAC. She told the undercover cop |
| Brownstein because he was not professional. An | | | | that she would have another job for him in six |
| air conditioning auto repairman would not have | | | | months. She wanted the mother of David |
| been impressive enough for Goldsmith's socialite | | | | Brownstein to have acid poured onto her face. |
| friends, so she concocted a plan to ruin his life. | | | | She laughed and laughed as she described exactly |
| According to state testimony, Goldsmith, tried | | | | how she wanted it done. Police moved in and |
| everything in the book, from falsifying letters and | | | | arrested Lee Goldsmith and charged her with |
| threatening to cut Arleen out of her will, to | | | | solicitation of first degree murder. |
| accusations of beatings and extortion from | | | | The Trial |
| Brownstein. But nothing would fuel her hatred | | | | During the February 1990 trial, neighbors and |
| more than not being able to attend her own | | | | friends described Lee Goldsmith as a gentle soul |
| daughter's wedding, nor see her grandson. So she | | | | who would not harm anyone. She was described |
| decided that it was time to have David | | | | as a civic leader who engaged in fund raising |
| Brownstein out of their lives for good. | | | | activities and teaching exercise classes to retirees. |
| The Plot | | | | Milton Goldsmith backed up his wife's story about |
| The carpet cleaner seemed like the perfect guy | | | | the beatings and letters they received. He stated |
| to ask about where to find a contract murderer. | | | | that they became terrified of Brownstein. Arleen |
| He was hired to clean the carpet in the | | | | was torn as she was asked if she loved her |
| Goldsmith's home when Lee asked him about | | | | mother. "To say I didn't love her would be a |
| helping her find someone to kill her son in law. The | | | | falsehood," said Arleen. Meanwhile, Lee Goldsmith |
| man said he would see what he could do to help | | | | looked as though she was falling apart during |
| her out, and instead he informed the police of the | | | | most of the trial. She wept after she described |
| plot and received a $750 cash reward. The police | | | | the beating she endured. David Browstein spent |
| then devised a plan to trap Goldsmith into paying | | | | two hours on the stand denying taking any part in |
| an undercover cop for the job. The plan was to | | | | any beating, nor any behavior exhibited toward his |
| meet near a restaurant where Lee Goldsmith | | | | mother in law. Lee Goldsmith was found guilty and |
| would give explicit instructions on how the murder | | | | sentenced to 5 1/2 years in prison. "Please, God, |
| should be carried out. The intended victim would | | | | no," said Lee, collapsing after hearing the verdict. |
| be shot in the head and have drugs planted on his | | | | Her husband Milton was distraught. |
| body to make it look like a drug related murder. | | | | In June 1995, Lee Goldsmith was released on |
| She paid Thomas Brennen $1,000 up front, and | | | | probation at the age of 73. |
| then once the death was confirmed she would | | | | Update |
| pay the remaining $9,000. | | | | The case became a sensation. After her release |
| On February 8, 1989, David Brownstein kissed his | | | | from prison Lee and Milton Goldsmith appeared on |
| wife Arleen before entering work without | | | | A Current Affair and the Oprah Winfrey show. |
| knowing that his life was about to change forever. | | | | The movie Mother Knows Best aired in April 1997. |
| The police notified him of his mother in law's plans | | | | |