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

[Knitpicker]

I’m quite worried that the State is losing the jury with all this phone call evidence. Never thought I’d look forward to commercials. Even the judge recommended the jury get coffee on one of the breaks. I understand publishing the phone calls relative to Donna but I don’t understand the logic of playing the phone calls between people who have already been convicted.

There's more evidence/witnesses to come.

 

[LinasK]

JL to me sounds like a jilted lover. Not to say things didn't make sense to him in hindsight but he strikes me as having an agenda also. Also when renting a car can you request a certain color, make and model?? These thugs don't seem that organized.

Rented one last April. Yes you can request a certain make and model if they have them, and then you get to pick the color from what selection they have available. For example, I wanted a Nissan Rogue for our trip. Enterprise Rent-A-Car advertised that they had them, but our location didn't, so we chose a Mazda CX5. We then got to pick between the blue one and the grey one they had.

 

[Tapeartree]

I’m quite worried that the State is losing the jury with all this phone call evidence. Never thought I’d look forward to commercials. Even the judge recommended the jury get coffee on one of the breaks. I understand publishing the phone calls relative to Donna but I don’t understand the logic of playing the phone calls between people who have already been convicted.

I am wondering how many jurors are thinking about what they are going to have for dinner.

 

[BUF]

She doesn’t have her earphones on again!

 

[BearWatcher]

I was thinking about how significant Jeff Lacasse's testimony is that Wendi confided in him that her brother had actually investigated what it would cost to hire a hitman to kill her husband and that she was serious and not joking. Did he mention this to the police when he was interviewed? I think it was an earlier trial that he testified he told a friend about this specific comment and that the police had interviewed his friend to confirm that fact. Is my memory of this correct?

Yes, he did talk about this in either his initial interview- pretty sure it was the first one. He came back in later at his initiation- with a list of notes / recollections that also pointed to Adelsons, but were more subtle data points.

 

[Teche]

The Adelsons loved talking on the phone. They’re like teenagers who can’t pit the dang phone down.

 

[Teche]

@cathyrusson


The fact that Charlie walked around free for 6 years after these wiretaps is crazy.


2:57 PM · Aug 28, 2025




Here's an example of the toll all those years took on Charlie Adelson from before the murder to his arrest.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1961141977740980589

I guess the prison/jail doesn't trust him with an electric razor and clippers.

 

[opt]

The Adelsons loved talking on the phone. They’re like teenagers who can’t pit the dang phone down.

This lengthy demonstration of their chattiness will make it difficult for the defense to argue that Donna didn't have any idea what Charlie was doing.

 

[Snoop Sister]

This lengthy demonstration of their chattiness will make it difficult for the defense to argue that Donna didn't have any idea what Charlie was doing.

True but it is a bit much imo

 

[Luna20]

This lengthy demonstration of their chattiness will make it difficult for the defense to argue that Donna didn't have any idea what Charlie was doing.

She’s neurotic and he was her counselor all the way through. He does love to talk but she required his constant reassurance and attention. What a twisted and dysfunctional family they are.

 

[BUF]

If you thought today went on and on….hang on, defense’s cross may we worse!

 

[arielilane]

WATCH: Donna did not have her headphones on during this call. The judge once again says something to her about being able to hear all the evidence. Donna then put on the smaller headphones from earlier today. I'll continue to monitor headphone-gate.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1961161989889405042

If Donna had nothing to do with any of this, why is she speaking in code to Charlie about a "patient" she spoke to when it was just the undercover agent? Rhetorical question.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1961161690042806366

 

[nhmemorymaker]

Dear Websleuths Members

We have been approached by a reputable production company asking us to help them find a member of Websleuths who is an excellent sleuth for a new show about cold cases.

Please understand that you are giving out your personal information. If you are worried about people finding out who you are, this is not for you.

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If you are chosen, you will be on camera, and you must be able to travel. It is a considerable time commitment.

If you feel you have the sleuthing skills and are interested, please email me at [email protected] the following,

*A picture of yourself

*Your real name and your Websleuths user name

*Your phone number

*Your state.

*Brief description of your cold case or web sleuthing experience, along with any collaborations you have done.

Remember you will be working as a team.

If you have any questions please post them HERE and not on this thread.

Thank you.

Tricia

Well...whatever this is...it does sound so cool, doesn't it. We all can fantasize a bit!

 

[vislaw]

I’m quite worried that the State is losing the jury with all this phone call evidence. Never thought I’d look forward to commercials. Even the judge recommended the jury get coffee on one of the breaks. I understand publishing the phone calls relative to Donna but I don’t understand the logic of playing the phone calls between people who have already been convicted.

The evidence today was certainly tedious, and it is possible (maybe even likely) that some members of the jury tuned out due to boredom. However, you shouldn't confuse this with "losing the jury" in the sense that the jury would be less likely to convict Donna. The public often view trials through the lens of the film and television productions that are neat, well scripted, easy to follow and even entertaining. However, there are a myriad of reasons the prosecution feels compelled to admit evidence like this because they have both the burden of proof and the responsibility of making sure the record is complete. This often results in bored juries, but such boredom generally does not meaningfully affect the jury's ultimate opinion on the case.

My criminal law professor was a masterful trial lawyer, and he taught us that we should open strong, put on an understandable prima facie case with our first witnesses and then not worry about putting the jury to sleep while getting in all the tedious evidence that was important for the record. His theory was that you then close your case strong with some powerful evidence and be prepared with a very compelling closing argument. Certainly, some attorneys would argue that Georgia didn't need to put in all the evidence today, but I don't think many experienced attorneys would feel anything today has increased the likelihood of acquittal even if it has put some jurors to sleep. In fact, I'd argue the opposite. The cumulative weight of the communications between Donna and Charlie was quite devastating and convincing with regard to her involvement in the ongoing conspiracy.

In any event, I expect the prosecution's presentation of the "script" Donna attempted to foist on a fellow inmate so she could lie under oath as well as the attempt to flee to a non-extraditable country will soundly put the final nails in her coffin if there is any doubt now.

 

[Luna20]

WATCH: Donna did not have her headphones on during this call. The judge once again says something to her about being able to hear all the evidence. Donna then put on the smaller headphones from earlier today. I'll continue to monitor headphone-gate.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1961161989889405042

If Donna had nothing to do with any of this, why is she speaking in code to Charlie about a "patient" she spoke to when it was just the undercover agent? Rhetorical question.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1961161690042806366

He is smart to tell her to put them on. For some reason I think he is on to her games. He shut down the crying face with no tears quickly. She probably took some online classes on how to be persuasive in a trial. ‘How to fake crying’.

 

[loreet]

I may be in the minority but I am finding the many phone calls fascinating. There are so many that I hadn’t heard. And so often CA says ‘don’t talk about this on the line’ and then divulges more information than anyone else.

Is the defense and Charlie really going to pursue the ‘I was extorted!’ defense after all this back and forth between DA and CA to KM to SG and then back up? Because it seems unlikely to be believed. To me.

As always just MOO.

 

[Teche]

I’m waiting for Harvey to be charged.

 

[apeXperience]

The prosecutors have not finished presenting their case. Here are already some adjectives of the salient happenings in Donna Adelson’s first degree murder trial thus far

The vomitous moment

• Seeing Donna “Domestic Coordinator” Adelson cry when the autopsy report of murdered Dan Markel were discussed

The annoying patterns

• Hearing Wendi “Sun Shine” Adelson repeating ad nauseam “I don’t remember …”
• Hearing Katherine “one boob bargain” Magbanua saying “Yes M’am”

The saddest facial expressions

• Seeing Dr. Robert Adelson’s face during his testimony such as when he revealed that his mother Donna Adelson did not cry while reporting that his ex-brother in law got shot to death

The most boring voice

• How did Charles “Maestro” Adelson manage to keep people conversing with him accounting for his tiresome and dull voice that incites boredom?

The most ridiculous behaviors

• The way Harvey “The Director” Adelson is taking note furiously as if he is collecting a lot of bright thoughts for when he will review the audio video recordings to prepare for his own first degree murder trial
• The contemptuous manners of the defense attorneys such as the disdainful attitude of Josh Zelman while speaking to Detective Isom and the malicious insinuation of lack of education treatment applied by Jackie Fulford toward Luis Rivera

The defense lawyers are busy preparing to present their defensive ideas. Perhaps some of the Jurors have already made up their mind after hearing some of the flawed arguments of the defense against the volume of damning evidence.

 

[opt]

RSBM

The cumulative weight of the communications between Donna and Charlie was quite devastating and convincing with regard to her involvement in the ongoing conspiracy.

Exactly. It's impossible to believe that Donna was isolated from the crime.

 

[Knitpicker]

I recall that June was a home-owner even before she started dating CA! This year, she testified that she had her own place but stayed at CA's place while they dated.

When Sanford and Bennett. interviewed her she was sharing a rental apartment and had a roommate. Where did you learn she was a homeowner?