FL - FSU Law Professor Dan Markel Murdered by Hitmen-Donna Adelson Upcoming Trial - *5 Guilty* #27

[rescuemom]

Wendi grew up in Coral Springs which was 100% suburban, perhaps to a fault. Like many other western Broward cities, Coral Springs was a planned ("fake") community from the early 1960s, built on drained swamp land, containing mostly houses, a few golf courses, and ugly strip malls ad-nauseam.

Agree! South Florida is full of planned communities where now those communities are deteriorating. Full of people who try to wear, live and drive their wealth. People with true, real wealth do not have to flaunt it.

 

[rescuemom]

Can someone clarify if there is some kind of policy in US law where a witness will not be shipped interstate to court at great expense if they simply aim to plead the 5th? i.e what is CA there for, just as a rebuttal witness?

He'll probably make things worse for DA's defence especially if he tries to maintain the double extortion did actually happen. It was a farcical suggestion before the drug dealer text exchange surfaced, now it would be ludicrous of him to suggest he was actually extorted.

So if Fluford gets him on the stand to state that, it will just make DA look more complicit.

I wonder if CA has had time to think over his life and any manipulation by his parents? Will he continue to defend his family of try to save himself? Of course he was a man who supposedly could or should think for himself but unfortunately he didn't. In reality loyalty only goes so far. I can't even imagine.

 

[opt]

Save himself? How? If Charlie somehow got a new trial, he could flip on Wendi and Harvey, but would his testimony have any value after he lied endlessly in his first trial?

 

[LAborn]

Admit, not tracking this case closely, but I was under the impression that Wendi was not implicated in this murder plot? Yet didn't Jeffrey Lacasse testimony do just that?

“Can I tell you something confidentially?” he recalled Wendi asking.

“Last summer, my brother looked into all options possible to take care of the Danny Markel problem, including hiring a hit man and it would cost about $15,000,” he recalled.

‘Chilling’ conversation takes center stage as Wendi’s ex testifies in Donna Adelson murder trial

 

[Knitpicker]

Agree! South Florida is full of planned communities where now those communities are deteriorating. Full of people who try to wear, live and drive their wealth. People with true, real wealth do not have to flaunt it.

Thats a generalization.

 

[rescuemom]

Save himself? How? If Charlie somehow got a new trial, he could flip on Wendi and Harvey, but would his testimony have any value after he lied endlessly in his first trial?

Depends on if there is info we don't know that doesn't quite make sense to the state that after he testifies again will make sense. We don't know what we don't know. He might not save himself but will no longer be loyal to the family and take the others with him. This was a group effort, IMO.

 

[STAGNUM]

Admit, not tracking this case closely, but I was under the impression that Wendi was not implicated in this murder plot? Yet didn't Jeffrey Lacasse testimony do just that?

“Can I tell you something confidentially?” he recalled Wendi asking.

“Last summer, my brother looked into all options possible to take care of the Danny Markel problem, including hiring a hit man and it would cost about $15,000,” he recalled.

‘Chilling’ conversation takes center stage as Wendi’s ex testifies in Donna Adelson murder trial

It is pretty hard to imagine a world where Wendi was not at the origin of the conspiracy. She had all the motivation. She hated Dan Merkel, SHE HATED Tallahassee and she hated that her kids father had custody of THEM in Tallahassee. She even wrote some book about such "persecution". It seems they are working back slowly from the actual shooter and following the money trail. I really hope the prosecution has plans to reign her in. Very bad for the children who are likely brainwashed by now or have put two and two together.

This is very unsettling. I lived and worked not far from DM's home.

 

[Tapeartree]

They raised her. IMO, those kids were 'projects.' Look see what we have done???? CA surrounded himself with a lower class of people to make himself look better. WA found herself inferior to DM and needed the comfort of her world as she knew it.

Yes, WA is the product of an overly doting parent. All her life, she was more likely coddled and pampered. IMO, DM married a spoiled child. This case is so sad on many levels.

 

[STAGNUM]

Thats a generalization.

I live in Fl and have lived in three very different areas and had parents in Naples Florida as well. The developers have indeed constructed communities, many of them gated that are marketed to various demographics. It is no coincidence that many of them include Golf Courses and country clubs. A lot of that has aged badly as really nobody plays golf or can afford such amenities. Properties that fall below the level of a Jeff Bezos lifestyle have attracted either foreign investment or Wall Street investors. If it is a middle class gated community with HOA, the percentage of rentals has gone way up and Wall Street REIT's own a lot of it. It is not all 1950's glamour any longer.

 

[Tapeartree]

It is pretty hard to imagine a world where Wendi was not at the origin of the conspiracy. She had all the motivation. She hated Dan Merkel, SHE HATED Tallahassee and she hated that her kids father had custody of THEM in Tallahassee. She even wrote some book about such "persecution". It seems they are working back slowly from the actual shooter and following the money trail. I really hope the prosecution has plans to reign her in. Very bad for the children who are likely brainwashed by now or have put two and two together.

This is very unsettling. I lived and worked not far from DM's home.

I do not for a minute believe that her family didn't consult her. There are just TOO many coincidental events that it's difficult to just keeping saying "there is no evidence of involvement".

 

[IQuestion]

Save himself? How? If Charlie somehow got a new trial, he could flip on Wendi and Harvey, but would his testimony have any value after he lied endlessly in his first trial?

OPT....that is a really good question!
"Yes, I lied to protect my mother and sister. But, I now realize they were setting me up to take the fall if everything went South. My mother forced me to use her handpicked attorney! My sister even tried to set up JeffL, too....just ask him! I was a conduct disordered kid who would do anything to try and get my parent's love and approval. I struggled all my life, trying twice as hard to prove I was half as good as my siblings."
(I could almost feel sorry for him, except I have listened to his convos....he's nasty.)
edited to add: I have a lot more "sympathy excuses" for CA's new trial, if he gets one.
I have a low self-esteem and a big paycheck....so I buy fancy cars to get girls to notice me, etc.
I wanted a go-kart racetrack in my back yard...but there wasn't any room after the tennis court was built....sob, sob.

 

[Ferpo]

I’m talking about Donna And Harvey.

Yes, let's look at HA and DA. Both from metropolitan NYC but have chosen to start a family in upper middle-class Coral Springs. They have a true suburban lifestyle: it's a 10 minute drive to their dental office on University in neighboring Tamarac and the kids' schools are all close by. They are nowhere close to high-rise condos on South Beach, the hip Galleria in Fort Lauderdale, or anything resembling an urban environment. My point here is that HA and DA should have viewed WA's situation on Trescott Drive as similar to their earlier years in Coral Springs: happily raising kids in suburbia. The hate for Tallahassee started not because it wasn't trendy like South Beach or didn't have a Whole Foods* until 2013 but because (a) DM actually liked it there and was disturbingly settling in for a tenured longer haul than HA/DA had hoped for, and (b) the judge ordered that the kids must stay there.

This also begs the interesting question: If FSU was indeed just a stepping stone for DM, how would the grandparents feel if DM accepted a Harvard or NYU or *gasp* Stanford position in the early years of the marriage? I still think they would have helicoptered and maneuvered them for a return to South Florida .
___
It doesn't have WF's brand awareness has but Tallahassee has had a Fresh Market for a long time.

 

[opt]

Wendi almost certainly knew in advance, and she definitely was a primary motivator. We all know people who will complain incessantly until they get what they want.

Prosecutors will have more difficulty convicting Wendi than the others. Let alone Harvey.

We know that Wendi got the money from Dan's life insurance. She is supposed to use if for the benefit of the boys. As a practical matter, how is Wendi prevented from using that money to pay her attorneys?

 

[Knitpicker]

Yes, let's look at HA and DA. Both from metropolitan NYC but have chosen to start a family in upper middle-class Coral Springs. They have a true suburban lifestyle: it's a 10 minute drive to their dental office on University in neighboring Tamarac and the kids' schools are all close by. They are nowhere close to high-rise condos on South Beach, the hip Galleria in Fort Lauderdale, or anything resembling an urban environment. My point here is that HA and DA should have viewed WA's situation on Trescott Drive as similar to their earlier years in Coral Springs: happily raising kids in suburbia. The hate for Tallahassee started not because it wasn't trendy like South Beach or didn't have a Whole Foods* until 2013 but because (a) DM actually liked it there and was disturbingly settling in for a tenured longer haul than HA/DA had hoped for, and (b) the judge ordered that the kids must stay there.

This also begs the interesting question: If FSU was indeed just a stepping stone for DM, how would the grandparents feel if DM accepted a Harvard or NYU or *gasp* Stanford position in the early years of the marriage? I still think they would have helicoptered and maneuvered them for a return to South Florida .
___
It doesn't have WF's brand awareness has but Tallahassee has had a Fresh Market for a long time.

OK First of all I never claimed that a lack of Whole Foods would be a reason not to like Tallahassee. Tallahasse is in no way like any area in S Florida even in the 70’s, especially since the beach is a 25 minute drive away and there have always been tourists. Remember the beach party movies with Annette Funicello? So you can never compare Tallahassee with S Florida at any time.
I don’t agree that H and D would view Tallahassee as early days in Coral Springs. So we can agree to disagree.
DM got a position in Tx while he was at FSU and he was able to negotiate a higher salary bc FSU wanted to keep him.
I Don’t think AA would have worked int he long run bc neither would give
up their positions.

Yes you do wonder what may have happened if DM wanted to move to another location but if you remember Phil Markel said that DM’s goal was to have FSU law school be one of the top 10 in the country so my guess-he wasn’t going anywhere.
——
I do not shop in Fresh market. They are overpriced for produce and I much prefer WF’s for a lot of reason. As my mother used to say “To each his own”!

 

[Zedzded]

Save himself? How? If Charlie somehow got a new trial, he could flip on Wendi and Harvey, but would his testimony have any value after he lied endlessly in his first trial?

He has little credibility and is of little use. I believe the State have enough now for WA and probably HA without CA's aid. In regards to him cooperating - that ship has well and truly sailed.

 

[Knitpicker]

Wendi almost certainly knew in advance, and she definitely was a primary motivator. We all know people who will complain incessantly until they get what they want.

Prosecutors will have more difficulty convicting Wendi than the others. Let alone Harvey.

We know that Wendi got the money from Dan's life insurance. She is supposed to use if for the benefit of the boys. As a practical matter, how is Wendi prevented from using that money to pay her attorneys?

Shelly has to disperse it for the boys. Shelly is an attorney. I am sure nothing will get by her.
I’d think she uses it for rent, although George probably pays that (or splits it) since hes living with her.
She also gets 5K a month in Social Security directly paid to her. She can probably use that if she wants to, right? I was thinking the same about using the boys money to her advantage.

 

[alexwood]

Are we absolutely certain that Dan Markel's life insurance policy was put into a trust? If Shelley allegedly has oversight as to how the proceeds are used, is she the guardian-ad-litem? WA would then have to file reports with the court, I would think. I'm unclear on how this works.

 

[Seattle1]

Shelly has to disperse it for the boys. Shelly is an attorney. I am sure nothing will get by her.
I’d think she uses it for rent, although George probably pays that (or splits it) since hes living with her.
She also gets 5K a month in Social Security directly paid to her. She can probably use that if she wants to, right? I was thinking the same about using the boys money to her advantage.

IMO, this seems a generous assumption considering Dan's age and occupation at a State University where employees are covered by the Florida Retirement System --i.e., exempt from FICA, and only Medicare contributions are withheld from their paychecks.

For example, to qualify for $5,108, the maximum Social Security benefit in 2025, you must have earned the maximum taxable income for 35 years and delayed claiming your retirement benefits until you reached age 70.

Survivors Benefits:

There is a total limit on the amount a family can receive in benefits from one deceased worker's earnings history. This limit is set by a complex formula and typically ranges from 150% to 188% of the deceased's Primary Insurance Amount (PIA). The PIA is the amount the parent was entitled to receive at their full retirement age. An eligible child can receive up to 75% of their deceased parent's primary insurance amount (PIA).
Example:

• A deceased parent had a PIA of $2,000.
  
  
• Two children are eligible for survivor benefits.
• Each child's individual benefit would be $1,500 (75% of $2,000).
  
  
• The family maximum for this parent's record is $3,200 (160% of $2,000, for example).
  
  
• Because $1,500 + $1,500 = $3,000, which is less than the $3,200 family maximum, each child would receive $1,500.
  
  
• If the family maximum was $2,600 instead, and two children were eligible for $1,500 each, then the total would be $3,000. To meet the $2,600 family maximum, the Social Security Administration would reduce each child's benefit by an equal amount until the total payout reached $2,600.

https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10085.pdf

Social Security benefits for the child of a deceased parent

The loss of a breadwinning parent can put a great deal of emotional and financial stress on a child. If the deceased parent had enough work credits, however, the child may qualify for Social Security survivor benefits until adulthood—or longer if they are disabled.

www.thrivent.com

 

[Synergizer Bunny]

I live in Fl and have lived in three very different areas and had parents in Naples Florida as well. The developers have indeed constructed communities, many of them gated that are marketed to various demographics. It is no coincidence that many of them include Golf Courses and country clubs. A lot of that has aged badly as really nobody plays golf or can afford such amenities. Properties that fall below the level of a Jeff Bezos lifestyle have attracted either foreign investment or Wall Street investors. If it is a middle class gated community with HOA, the percentage of rentals has gone way up and Wall Street REIT's own a lot of it. It is not all 1950's glamour any longer.

From an outsider's POV, it seems like this family does have money. I think that Florida has all income levels. We recently moved to a planned retirement community in Florida. The golf membership fee is pretty high. There are so many golfers wanting to play golf that they have a lottery system for the tee times. We are "frogs" because we have come here to croak. So far, we love our home, our view of the golf course and our pool. Stay tuned.

To me, it is obvious that Wendi had the motive to eliminate her ex-husband and got the ball rolling on his demise. For goodness' sake, she rode by Dan's house the day of the murder; didn't she? She knew what was happening. She also was trying to set up that former boyfriend of hers. I believe everything that he says. I find Wendi to be conniving and an experienced liar. I sure hope that the prosecution is building a case against her, one brick at a time.

I feel sorry for Dan's family and for his sons. Have they totally eliminated the memory of their father from their lives (besides his last name)? Will the boys ever realize that they had a father that loved them dearly so much so that his life was taken? The kids need to know what true love and caring is.

JMO.

 

[ch_13]

We know that Wendi got the money from Dan's life insurance. She is supposed to use if for the benefit of the boys. As a practical matter, how is Wendi prevented from using that money to pay her attorneys?

I think it almost doesn't matter. In the end, money is fungible. Every dollar from the insurance proceeds that is spent on the boys is a dollar that Wendi doesn't have to pay out from her own funds.