TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Court TV) — Donna Adelson is the fifth person charged in the murder-for-hire of her former son-in-law, FSU law professor Dan Markel, but her trial has featured new witnesses and bombshell moments as the prosecution builds its case.
Prosecutors say Donna financed and plotted the murder-for-hire to help her daughter, Wendi Adelson, who was battling Markel for custody of their two young sons. Donna’s son, Charlie Adelson, was previously convicted of the exact charges his mother now faces. Charlie’s ex-girlfriend, Katherine Magbanua, and the two hitmen have also been convicted.
Wendi Adelson takes the stand
Wendi, who sits at the center of this case as Markel’s ex-wife, has not been charged in connection with his death; rather, she has testified against her brother at his trial and now her mother at hers under a deal with prosecutors that provides her immunity for anything she says in court.
Wendi spent hours testifying on Monday, describing her mother as “very angry” at Markel. She said that Donna “micromanaged my life” and was “really upset” that a judge refused to let her relocate with their children to South Florida.
Harvey Adelson implicated in phone records
New evidence introduced in Donna’s trial revealed that it wasn’t just her cell phone communicating with others previously convicted in the murder-for-hire plot. Testimony from Tallahassee Police Sgt. Chris Corbitt showed that a phone belonging to Harvey Adelson, Donna’s husband, had also been in contact with one of the hitmen who killed Markel.
Donna’s estranged son testifies
Robert Adelson, Donna’s eldest son, testified on Monday, marking the first time he’d been seen in court in connection with the case. While Robert had previously been on witness lists in his brother’s trial, he was never called to the stand. Robert said his mother told him not to talk to the police and conceded his mother hated Markel.
Chilling hitman comment
Jeffrey Lacasse, who briefly dated Wendi Adelson after her divorce, testified to her odd behavior around Markel’s murder. He said that he found a comment Wendi made about her brother exhausting all options to deal with the “Markel problem,” including hiring a hitman, both disturbing and chilling.
Markel’s own words
The jury had a chance to hear Markel’s voice in the courtroom, as the prosecution played one of the last voicemails he left. The message concerned an invitation to Harvey’s 70th birthday party.
Donna shakes while listening to jailhouse call
Donna could be seen shaking while jailhouse calls were played in court Friday morning. The call, between her and Charlie, included her referencing a possible suicide plot and plans to go overseas to Vietnam.
Jailhouse informants say Donna confessed, tried to buy testimony
Patricia Byrd and Drina Bernhardt testified that Donna admitted to her role in Markel’s murder and tried to have them lie under oath to say that Magbanua had blackmailed Charlie.
Donna’s murder trial continues on Tuesday, Sept. 2.
