Jada E. Williams
@JadaEWilliams
·
3h
WE'RE BACK IN COURT: 5 witnesses today. 4 before lunch and Luis Rivera this afternoon. Dan Markel's ex wife Wendi Adelson is in the courtroom awaiting the her testimony. Her attorney is asking to quash the defense's subpoena to testimony. @abc27
Adelson will testify under the state and be subject to cross-examination by the defense. WITNESS 1: Marcia Rodriguez. She worked for TPD during the crime.
Wendi Adelson now testifying.
Questioning begins with Adelson's immunity. "In the future, a prosecutor couldn't use what I say here today against me." She could be prosecuted, but nothing said on the witness stand would be used against her.
Adelson says she met Markel in 2004 and got married in 2006. She discusses living in both Tallahassee and Miami. She moved out of the home in 2012. That's when they were separated before the official divorce.
One issue within the marriage and raising the kids was keeping kosher according to Adelson. Both are Jewish, but Markel was more devout in his faith.
Adelson says she rented a house about 15-20 minutes away from the home with Dan she moved out of. That's the house Dan was killed in.
She's now reviewing the divorce documents. "It looks to be about 800 pages." Adelson jokes.
"I think it was made much more difficult by Danny who didn't want to get divorce, but sure, you can call it contentious."- Adelson. She says overall divorce proceedings focused on her desire to take the kids to South Florida. "A place stable and permanent for the kids and me."
She said Tallahassee was never the goal for Dan Markel. He had goals of either New York with his girlfriend or Harvard. Adelson said she wanted to go back to a place she knew she would never leave. She says relocation wasn't the most important to her but was to her mother.
Divorce proceedings says Markel created a hostile work environment for Adelson by disparaging her to her colleagues.
"She was definitely over-involved." Adelson speaking to her mother's role in her divorce. Adelson now lives about 15 minutes away from her parents in South Florida.
She says previous to this case and social media, her family's practice did well. They owned Adelson Institute, a dental office. She says the divorce impacted her financially but not her family.
"I think she was very disappointed by the way he treated me. I can't speak to if she despised him but she was very disappointed." Wendi speaking about her mother's opinion of Dan.
"It was probably for me to be safe and be in a stable situation with the boys." the state is still focusing on Donna Adelson's opinion of the divorce. Emails suggest she cared most about relocation.
Now we're getting into the names Donna Adelson called Dan Markel. One of the less vulgar words include religious zealot. Wendi says she called Dan "Jibbers" when "he was terrorizing her"
Donna suggested changing the kids religion to get back at Danny. She also suggested bribing Dan Markel to let the children leave. The family said they would go as high as $1 million. $333,000 split between her mom, dad, and brother Charlie.
The court ultimately denied her motion to relocate to South Florida, making Donna "very upset". Adelson said she stayed in Tallahassee for a few days after Markel was killed.
ASA Cappleman says the filings are venomous. "Not on my part." Adelson responds.
Wendi Adelson said her brother never stapled his money. This is a big part of the trial. Luis Rivera says he stapled his money and was paid for the murder in stapled money.
"He told one bad off color joke. He bought me a tv when I got divorced and said it was cheaper than hiring a hitman." Wendi Adelson said her brother Charlie made the joke multiple times. She says she never suspected her family was behind the murder.
A picture of Charlie Adelson and Katherine Magbanua is on the screen now. Definitely looking like a couple in the picture. Wendi says she's not aware of any gifts he gave the Magbanua. Adelson says she knows KM worked at the dentist office but not sure to what capacity.
Adelson says Geek Squad was called to fix her tv the day of Markel's murder. There was an appointment in her phone saying tv repair. She deleted that calendar invite from her phone. Adelson says she uses her calendar as a to do list and deletes as she goes.
She also texted her brother Charlie "That's so sweet" around the same time. It was also deleted. Adelson says she always deletes her texts but can't remember what she was talking about.
WA says she had lunch with friends the day of the murder. She did pass the roadblock but figured it was an electrical storm. She says she was on the phone catching up with an old friend. "I may have been a little distracted." She says she didn't call Markel or the daycare
Says she used WhatsApp but moreso to talk to her international friends. She says she doesn't know if she had it or if she communicated with CA, KM, her parents, etc. through the encrypted messaging app.
She left the roadblock to pick up Bullet Bourbon (I feel like I spelled that wrong) for a party. It was still in the car when law enforcement searched her car.
There was a $1 million life insurance policy per child for Dan Markel. She says she does not have access to that money. Adelson is the custodian of Markel's 401K for his sons. She says she pays taxes with that money. Her children also receive $4800 a month in social security.
link:
More coming....
floridapolitics.com
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