Following nearly a year of delays and three days of jury selection, opening statements will begin in the Donna Adelson trial.
Adelson is accused of orchestrating the shooting death of her former son-in-law, Dan Markel, in July 2014. She was arrested in November 2023 at the Miami International Airport. Investigators believe Adelson had Markel killed following the 2013 divorce from her daughter, Wendi, after Wendi wanted to move herself and their children to South Florida, and Markel didn’t.
Four others, including Adelson’s son Charlie, are serving time for Markel’s death. Charlie and Wendi are listed as witnesses for the state.
WATCH OPENING STATEMENTS LIVE BELOW:
LIVE BLOG:
9:16am: The State begins their opening statements. Sarah Kathryn Dugan is beginning the statement. The State is using a presentation to show photos.
The prosecution is giving a recap of the events that led to the killing of Dan Markel. Some jurors appear to be taking notes, most are looking at Dugan.
The prosecution is sharing details with email evidence about Donna Adelson’s involvement in her daugther, Wendi’s life during the divorce case between her and Dan Markel. Wendi wanted to relocate their children from Tallahassee to Miami. The court ruled against this request.
“Markel has not beaten the Adelson family yet” The prosecution sharing how Donna Adelson reacted to that decision. The prosecution is sharing communication between Donna, Wendi, and her son, Charlie.
“You’ll hear throughout this trial that the Adelson family is a tight-knit family” The prosecution is sharing some of the family history of the Adelson family, including how they worked with each other at a dental practice down in South Florida.
9:04am: 14 jurors file into the jury box where we are expecting opening statements and first witnesses in the Donna Adelson trial. Judge Stephen Everett is explaining how the trial will play out.
Harvey Adelson is also in the courtroom, similar to Thursday. He is sitting in the first row of the pews behind the Defense.
This morning, Judge Everett has also “granted in part” a motion in limine for the defense. The court records also show the Judge granted the defense’s motion to suppress. Most of the records are sealed but we believe this to be in relation to evidence from a “jailhouse snitch”.
WTXL is in the courtroom and will provide updates throughout the day.
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