Jury Begins Deliberations in Donna Adelson Murder Case

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A jury of 12 members has begun deliberations in the murder trial of Donna Adelson. The jury entered the deliberation room at 4:18 p.m. Thursday after closing arguments concluded. Adelson faces charges of murder, conspiracy, and solicitation in the death of Dan Markel, who was shot in his Tallahassee driveway in July 2014.

Attorney Jackie Fulford, defending Adelson, argued fervently for the acquittal of her client. She claimed the prosecution’s case is weak and that they are manipulating evidence to portray Adelson negatively. “They like to spin evidence a certain way to make her look bad…that is not proof,” Fulford said.

Fulford emphasized that the evidence, particularly emails and texts shared between Adelson and her daughter Wendi, failed to show that Adelson wanted Markel dead. The defense suggested that the divorce between Adelson’s children was relatively amicable. “She’s just being a parent, not a killer. She’s a meddler, not a murderer,” Fulford stated.

Prosecutors contend that a contentious custody battle led the Adelsons to hire a hitman to kill Markel. Charlie, Adelson’s son, has already been convicted in the case, while Wendi has not faced charges. Fulford stressed the need for the jury to consider whether Adelson intended for Markel to be killed, pointing out that the prosecution must prove this intent.

She criticized the prosecution’s evidence, particularly the 44 checks written from Adelson to Katherine Magbanua, Charlie’s ex-girlfriend who is serving life in prison for her involvement in the murder. Fulford reasoned that the payments were made under duress, as Charlie claimed he was being extorted. “She believed it was the truth, so she did what he told her to do,” Fulford remarked.

In her closing statement, Fulford asserted the state has failed to meet the burden of proof and urged the jury to find Adelson not guilty on all counts. “You have to find her not guilty because they have failed to do their job on all three counts,” she declared.

WCTV will continue to provide live updates on the trial as deliberations proceed and a verdict is reached.