Felony Justice
Estranged son of Donna Adelson, charged with legislation prof’s homicide, referred to as as a authorities witness
Authorities exhibit from the homicide trial of Donna Adelson. (Photograph by the Tallahassee Democrat through the Related Press)
New York doctor Robert Adelson, the estranged son of homicide defendant Donna Adelson, testified about an uncommon cellphone name throughout his mom’s trial this week in Tallahassee, Florida, for the homicide of a legislation professor who was her former son-in-law.
It was the primary time Robert Adelson testified in any prosecutions within the case, one in all which led to the November 2023 conviction of one other of Donna Adelson’s sons, dentist Charlie Adelson.
Donna Adelson is accused of searching for the homicide of Florida State College School of Legislation professor Dan Markel to permit her daughter Wendi Adelson, a lawyer who was Markel’s ex-wife, to relocate with the couple’s two youngsters from Tallahassee to be close to the household in Miami.
Robert Adelson testified Monday that his mom referred to as on his wedding ceremony anniversary, which was two days after the arrests of two alleged hit males, the primary arrests within the case. Publications protecting the testimony embrace the Tallahassee Democrat (here and here) and WCTV.
Robert Adelson mentioned he thought of the arrests “huge information” however his mom didn’t convey it up in the course of the cellphone name. He lastly broached the subject, in response to the Tallahassee Democrat’s protection. “I mentioned it a minimum of two or thrice—that they made an arrest, they bought the man who killed Danny,” Robert Adelson testified. “And her response was, ‘I’ve bought to go.’ ”
“That was the final time I spoke together with her,” he mentioned.
Robert Adelson additionally testified concerning the household dynamic, in response to a information evaluation by the Tallahassee Democrat that labeled him “probably the most credible witness on the stand.”
“He testified Donna is controlling and inflexible with mounted concepts relating to her youngsters and their lives,” the newspaper reviews. “He described his sister Wendi as performing like a ‘damsel in misery’ in the course of the divorce.”
Donna Adelson accepted of Markel till Wendi Adelson left him, Robert Adelson testified. Donna Adelson helped her daughter and the youngsters go away whereas Markel was away for a talking engagement and was gleeful when her daughter instructed Markel she had left simply earlier than he went on stage.
Wendi Adelson, who has not been charged, denied any involvement within the homicide, the Tallahassee Democrat reviews in a separate story. In testimony on Monday, she described the authorized custody battle with Markel and her incapability to get a choose to agree that she must be allowed to relocate with the youngsters. She additionally mentioned her brother Charlie Adelson had joked about hiring a success man to kill Markel.
Earlier within the day, an investigator testified that Markel had filed a March 2014 movement to forestall Donna Adelson from having unsupervised visits with the youngsters after they reportedly instructed Markel that “Grandma says she hates you.”
A listening to on the movement by no means occurred as a result of Markel was killed beforehand.
Donna Adelson is the fifth particular person prosecuted within the case. The final particular person convicted was her son, Charlie Adelson. The alleged triggerman, Sigfredo Garcia, was convicted, and his alleged confederate, Luis Rivera, pleaded responsible to second-degree homicide. An alleged go-between accused of hiring the hit males for Charlie Adelson, Katherine Magbanua, was additionally convicted.
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