South Florida matriarch convicted in murder-for-hire killing of her ex-son-in-law seeks a new trial
Tallahassee, Florida – The matriarch of a family in southern Florida who faces the life prison for the murder hired of her former son -in -law asked a new trial.
The lawyers of Donna Adelson argued that an alleged fault and the courts of the juror by the court should justify another hearing of her case.
Earlier this month, the jurors rendered guilt verdicts during the Adelson trial on a trial on a murder, conspiracy and request to the first degree during the murder in 2014 of the law professor of Florida State, Daniel Markel in Tallahassee, where he taught.
In a request for a new trial filed on Tuesday, lawyers Joshua Zelman and Jackie Fulford declared that Adelson should obtain a new trial after two jurors made their stories public after the trial, including one who published a video on Tiktok on his jury service and another who appeared on a real criminal podcast called “Surviving The Survivor”.
Lawyers also argued that the verdicts were contrary to the law or the weight of the evidence, that the prosecutors relied on speculation and the inference to build their case and alleged that the circuit judge Stephen Everett had shown a favoritism in prosecution throughout the trial.
“Where is proof that Ms. Adelson accepted; conspired; combined; or Confederate with someone other than Mr. Markel is killed? There is none,” the lawyers wrote.
The case riveted the capital of Florida for more than a decade in the middle of the sordid details of a disorderly divorce, tensions with parents-in-law and police fighting leading to the murder.
Markel had been locked in a bitter guard battle with his ex-wife and the daughter of Adelson, Wendi Adelson, with whom he had two children.
The prosecutors argued during the trial that Adena has helped orchestrate the murder of Markel after maintaining the way to let her daughter and two young grandsons move from Tallahassee to the south of Florida to get closer to the rest of the family.
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Kate Payne is a member of the body for the Associated Press / Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a non-profit national services program that places journalists from local editorial rooms to account for undercurrent issues.
