GUILTY FL - Dan Markel, 41, FSU Law Professor, Tallahassee, 18 July 2014 - #7 *arrests*

[Marysmith]

Then they should be disbarred. SG possibly could get 20-25 yrs and KM far less. We know one thing for sure...The 3 of them didn't pay themselves $100,000.

I agree -this is unethical - IMO if they are funding the defense.

 

[Gardenista]

Exactly. There’s a team of them from Miami. Hotels and meals besides the fees have got to be very, very pricey. Doubt they’re staying at the Budget Inn.

The one guy with the awful voice must be local because he said something about the judge seeing him in court all of the time.

 

[Weki]

Especially, when they have nothing to worry about if they remain telling the truth. Rivera wasn't a cool cucumber when he was in isolation at the Tallahassee County Jail facing the death penalty with the evidence they had on him. Isn't it ironic that the most illiterate one of the bunch of them was smart enough to take a deal. Where do I sign.

It’s all snitches get stitches until your life is on the line. This guy is a top dog and here he is singing like a canary against his BEST FRIEND. No honor among thieves. Lol

If he had told Garcia no, maybe Markel may still be alive. He was all game to kill so recklessly for money bc “his best friend asked him to” and now he’s more than happy to throw his best friend under the bus.

 

[fred&edna]

Do y’all think that the defense attorneys are being paid by the Adelsons? They have no choice but to go for the Adelsons at this point and it just seems like they would not be willing to go for that... but I can’t see how they could afford these attorneys on their own.
and on another note I don’t know why but I’m shocked that this family is that wealthy. I guess dentists in Florida do better than I thought!

GordonX provided the following link (as well as another) in post #1207 when I previously asked who could be footing the defendants legal bills.

The Dan Markel Case: A Helping Hand For Katherine Magbanua — From A Relative Accused Of Embezzlement?

 

[dotr]

The Dan Markel Case: Katherine Magbanua Turns Down A Deal
By David Lat
Jul 24, 2017
"On Friday, a scheduled four-hour hearing in which state prosecutors sought to unravel the money trail was whittled down to 30 minutes as Magbanua’s attorneys volunteered to tell Leon Circuit Judge James Hankinson in private who was footing the bills for her first-degree murder defense.

The 32-year-old is one of three people charged in the July 2014 shooting of Florida State law professor Dan Markel in what investigators say was a murder-for-hire plot….

Hankinson said he was satisfied Magbanua’s Miami attorneys Tara Kawass and Christopher DeCoste weren’t being paid by the family of Markel’s ex-wife Wendi Adelson and declined to disclose to prosecutors who was.

“The court is comfortable that the payments for the attorney fees are being paid by a third party unrelated to the Adelson family,” Hankinson said after the 15-minute session behind closed doors. “I don’t believe any further inquiry is needed or appropriate.”

 

[TTF14]

Maybe the attorneys were told they'd only get paid if they saw the trial through to conclusion? Full disclosure: I think the Adelsons are paying the attorney fees for ******* #1 and ******* #2. I know the judge said he couldn't find any evidence of it, but who else has the kind of money to pay for these high priced attorneys?

Oh, absolutely. I don't know how they are doing it, but they are definitely doing it.

 

[clearskies1]

Does anyone know when these defense attorneys came onto the case?

This article indicates that Tara Kawass was representing KM the day after KM was arrested. New Suspect Arrested in 2014 Murder of Florida Professor Dan Markel

 

[Weki]

It sounds like Garcia kinda abandoned Rivera after he was arrested. And Rivera quickly realized he needed to look out for No. 1.

 

[wildebeest]

KM is betting her life that CA will save her. No deals for her. Good luck with that!

IMHO

 

[clearskies1]

It sounds like Garcia kinda abandoned Rivera after he was arrested. And Rivera quickly realized he needed to look out for No. 1.

Also, if Rivera's story is true -- that he only did the crime to help his "brother" Garcia -- I can see why Rivera would cop a plea to avoid the DP.

 

[TTF14]

KM and SG share children. Maybe they've been promised a cushy life for their children.

 

[clearskies1]

KM is betting her life that CA will save her. No deals for her. Good luck with that!

IMHO

How will CA save her in this trial?

 

[wildebeest]

When you look up the word, narcissist, in the Dictionary, you will see the name, CA.

The ex girlfriend said he didn’t take her to clubs very often, almost never. The guy was sleeping with half the women in south FL, and he didn’t want them to see him with another woman. He’s not even good looking, but I guess money is the attraction.

IMHO

 

[wildebeest]

How will CA save her in this trial?

I think he has promised her, he will somehow get her off, or if she is convicted, he will help her get out. She is very afraid of double crossing him. Remember these folks are not the brightest bulbs in the pack.

Why do you think she wouldn’t take a deal?

IMHO

 

[Mariposa]

I honestly don't care about the defense attorney payment arrangements. At the prosecution's request the judge looked into it and didn't note anything improper.

If as the theory goes the A family were paying off KM and SG and LR after the murders --they were kind of cheap about it. It was a lot of money to KM and SG and LR but did it all make a dent in a rich family's pocketbook? I don't think so. So I don't buy a conspiracy theory that hundreds of thousands to millions are going to these defendants or their lawyers. The cats already out of the bag with them.

These 2 defendants even if they couldn't fund one dime from anyone would have defense attorneys. And maybe not public defenders even as due to being a case with multiple defendants that office might conflict out and private attorneys would be used. I don't see Zangeneh, the Kawasses, DeCoste as major criminal defense superstars that are leagues better than a seasoned public defender. They have good moments and bad moments. But if someone is a money bags masterminding the funding of this defense I think they could have done better!

But part of what they the lawyers are getting from this case is EXPOSURE - publicity, getting their names out there across FL and even the country. This case has already been covered on 20/20 and Dateline, been the top Apple podcast, and is one of the biggest trials in FL for awhile. There will be books and movies. This is real valuable to these attorneys! Maybe they aren't getting paid their standard rate. But in this serious drawn out matter they can't quite quit the case because of that either-- the judge would never allow them to withdraw now.

I wouldn't minimize how valuable being part of this trial is to the defense teams. It's the old saying, some things money can't buy.

 

[clearskies1]

I think he has promised her, he will somehow get her off, or if she is convicted, he will help her get out. She is very afraid of double crossing him. Remember these folks are not the brightest bulbs in the pack.

Why do you think she wouldn’t take a deal?

IMHO

I really don't know...one thing is that if she takes a deal she will have to give evidence against SG, who is the father of her children. That's not easy to face your children and say, yeah, I (allegedly) hired your father to commit a murder and then turned state's evidence on him....The only way I see a deal is if they both (SG and KM) do it together. JMO.

 

[Mariposa]

I really don't know...one thing is that if she takes a deal she will have to give evidence against SG, who is the father of her children. That's not easy to face your children and say, yeah, I (allegedly) hired your father to commit a murder and then turned state's evidence on him....The only way I see a deal is if they both (SG and KM) do it together. JMO.

It would be hard to really link their deals together because although if guilty both have significant criminal responsibility, Garcia will always be the one who walked up to the car and shot a man twice in the face. His criminal liability is significantly higher.

Watching the testimony of KM's friend, T Kawass asked her why KM and SG broke up and KM kicked him out sometime in 2013. As the friend began to answer, Zangeneh immediate objected vigorously and the judge sustained it so we never heard why. I find that kinda interesting.

 

[clearskies1]

It would be hard to really link their deals together because although if guilty both have significant criminal responsibility, Garcia will always be the one who walked up to the car and shot a man twice in the face. His criminal liability is significantly higher.

Watching the testimony of KM's friend, T Kawass asked her why KM and SG broke up and KM kicked him out sometime in 2013. As the friend began to answer, Zangeneh immediate objected vigorously and the judge sustained it so we never heard why. I find that kinda interesting.

Yes, I don't know if it's feasible to link the two, but I'm sure the DA would accept a plea from Garcia for life in prison.... but maybe Garcia would rather the DP than a life sentence?? Strange, but if I accept the State's theory (and LR's theory that SG was just trying to win KM back) I hold KM more responsible than I do SG. JMO.

 

[Marysmith]

KM is betting her life that CA will save her. No deals for her. Good luck with that!

IMHO

Like the ADA Cappleman said at one point - not exact wording - I don’t know why she’s not talking but it has to be something very heavy. Fear? Money?

 

[Marysmith]

Also, if Rivera's story is true -- that he only did the crime to help his "brother" Garcia -- I can see why Rivera would cop a plea to avoid the DP.

For some reason, and maybe it’s because I want to believe it, I think LR has a conscience and it did bother him... but maybe it was just to save himself. He does have children and talked about them...