TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Court TV) — Attorneys for a septuagenarian convicted of plotting the murder of her former son-in-law say they need more time to file an appeal in her case because the defendant suffered a medical emergency.
Donna Adelson cries during her sentencing hearing on Oct. 13, 2025. (Court TV)
Donna Adelson, 76, was the fifth person convicted in the death of FSU professor Dan Markel, who was gunned down at his home in 2014. Donna Adelson, who maintained her innocence throughout her trial, was convicted of conspiring with her son, Charlie Adelson, to hire members of the Latin Kings gang to carry out the killing. Charlie Adelson was also convicted in the case, as well as his girlfriend, Katherine Magbanua, and hit men Luis Rivera and Sigfredo Garcia.
Donna Adelson filed a notice of appeal shortly after her 2025 conviction, but has not yet filed the brief outlining the reasons she believes her conviction should be overturned. That brief is due on Friday, but her attorneys have filed a motion requesting an extension, stating that the defendant suffered a “medical emergency” while in custody.
Court TV obtained a copy of the sealed motion, which says that Donna Adelson called her attorney on Aug. 4 to report that she had been seen by medical staff “because she was in excruciating pain due to an abscess on her arm that was the size of a tennis ball.” Donna Adelson reported that the medical staff told her they suspected it was MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) and gave her only an antibiotic and a recommendation to apply a hot compress to her arm.
On Aug. 7, Donna Adelson, reporting an emergency, again asked to be seen by medical staff and was admitted for treatment and given an IV. The motion filed by her attorneys states that they have not been able to speak with the defendant since then, despite scheduled calls during the week. The plan, her attorney said, was to go over the brief with the defendant before filing it on the due date of Aug. 14. Because they have been unable to speak with Donna Adelson, and “counsel does not know how long she will stay in medical or the seriousness of her condition if it turns out to be a case of MRSA, it is unclear when she will be able to discuss the brief.”
Prosecutors filed no reply to the motion, and the First District Court of Appeal did not issue a ruling granting or denying the request on Thursday.
Donna Adelson is currently serving her life sentence at the Homestead Correctional Institution, according to prison records.
