TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Scripps News Group) — Charlie Adelson’s attorneys will push for a new trial on Tuesday at the First District Court of Appeal. Adelson was convicted in 2023 for first-degree murder, solicitation, and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder in the 2014 killing of former FSU Professor Dan Markel.
Charlie Adelson looks over his shoulder at the courtroom gallery before his sentencing Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023. (Alicia Devine/Tallahassee Democrat/Pool)
Charlie Adelson was convicted as one of the co-conspirators in Markel’s murder. In January 2025, the First District Court of Appeal denied a motion by Adelson’s team seeking to relinquish jurisdiction to the trial court.
Now, on Tuesday, oral arguments will be heard by three appeal judges: Judges Rowe, Winokur, and MK. Thomas. The docket does say this is subject to change.
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According to the docket and paperwork submitted to the courts, Michael Robert Ufferman and Laurel Cornell Niles, Adelson’s attorneys, are appealing based on the trial court “erring” when:
- They denied a change of venue for the trial
- “Excluding defense-proffered text messages that would have shown Appellant Adelson and other alleged co-conspirators communicating “normally” during the time leading up to Dan Markel’s murder
- “It excluded evidence that was highly probative to the theory of defense” – this was related to the defense’s theory that Adelson was being extorted.
Their arguments conclude with: “the errors, cumulatively, in this case denied Appellant Adelson his constitutional right to a fair trial.”
The State and the Defense will each be allotted 20 minutes to present their case.
Oral arguments are set to begin at 10:00 a.m. ET.
This story was originally published by Scripps News Group of Tallahassee
