TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (Court TV) — A fellow inmate who became close to convicted murderer Donna Adelson has revealed intimate details about the 75-year-old’s life behind bars and her concerns about family members left behind.
Drina Bernhardt testifies against Donna Adelson on Aug. 29, 2025. (Court TV)
Drina Bernhardt, who refers to herself as Donna’s “jailhouse daughter,” shared insights into Adelson’s daily struggles and worries during a recent interview on Joel Waldman’s “Surviving the Survivor” podcast, offering a rare glimpse into how the mastermind of the Dan Markel murder plot is coping behind bars.
Adelson was sentenced to life in prison for her role in the murder-for-hire that killed her former son-in-law, an FSU professor.
According to Bernhardt, Adelson is deeply concerned about her husband’s deteriorating physical and mental health. She described how Donna worries that Harvey Adelson has lost significant weight and fallen into depression since her incarceration.
Bernhardt said Donna fears for Harvey’s ability to manage basic daily tasks after more than 50 years of depending on her, including paying bills, doing laundry, and cooking meals.
MORE | Donna Adelson’s motion for new trial blaming judge, jurors is denied
Donna Adelson reacts to a jury finding her guilty for the murder of Dan Markel on Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025.
The inmate also revealed the strain between Donna and her daughter, Wendi Adelson, Markel’s ex-wife. According to Bernhardt, Donna believes Wendi holds her responsible for the family’s downfall and feels that her vocal opposition to Markel contributed to the tragic chain of events.
Markel’s murder occurred amid a bitter custody battle with Wendi. Prosecutors argued that Donna orchestrated the killing because she wanted her daughter and grandchildren to move closer to the family in South Florida, something Markel opposed.
During her trial, jailhouse informants testified that Donna not only confessed to orchestrating the murder but also attempted to buy false testimony from behind bars. Patricia Byrd, who spent six to seven months in custody with Donna, told jurors that Donna admitted her involvement during their daily conversations. At trial, Bernhardt testified that Donna gave her a handwritten script with false testimony to memorize about Katherine Magbanua, who acted as a middleman in the murder plot.
Donna was sentenced to life in prison in October, despite her repeated claims of innocence. At her sentencing hearing, Harvey joined her in decrying what he saw as a failure in justice, arguing to the judge that the outcome represented vengeance rather than justice.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
