October 1, 2025 • 43 mins
After nearly three weeks of testimony, a jury takes just three hours to find 75-year-old Donna Adelson guilty of all three charges levied against her.
Adelson is convicted of conspiracy to commit murder, solicitation to commit killing, and first-degree murder in the hit on her former son-in-law Dan Markel.
Now, Adelson has filed a motion for a new trial, claiming multiple instances of jury misconduct, bias from the judge, and a lack of evidence to support the verdict.
The 18-page motion comes just two weeks after Adelson’s conviction and includes a request to interview two of the jurors who decided her fate.
Adelson accuses the jury foreperson, juror number seven, of failing to follow the judge’s instructions on speaking about the case.
Adelson claims Jacey Maxen Walker posted a TikTok about her selection to the jury on the third day of trial, then deleted the post. Adelson writes that Maxen Walker then went viral for her posts discussing details of the case immediately after the verdict.
Joining Nancy Grace today:
- Philip Dubé- Former Court-Appointed Counsel, Los Angeles County Public Defenders: Criminal & Constitutional Law, Forensics & Mental Health Advocacy: X: PhilipCDube, IG: PhilipDube, YouTube: PhilipDube3922
- Dr. Judy Ho - Clinical and Forensic Neuropsychologist, Author of 'The New Rules of Attachment'; and 'Stop Self-Sabatoge;' IG & X: @drjudyho; FB: doctorjudyho
- Robert Crispin - Private Investigator with “Crispin Special Investigations," Former Federal Task Force Officer for the United States Department of Justice, DEA and Miami Field Division and Former Homicide and Crimes Against Children Investigator; Facebook: Crispin Special Investigations Inc.
- Dr. Kendall Crowns - Chief Medical Examiner Tarrant County (Ft Worth), Host of NEW Podcast "Mayhem in the Morgue”, Lecturer: Burnett School of Medicine at TCU (Texas Christian University)
- Evan Higginbotham - Juror #6 in the Donna Adelson trial
- Gigi McKelvey - Journalist, Host of the Podcast “Pretty Lies and Alibis;" Facebook, IG, TikTok: @PrettyLiesAndAlibis/ X: @PrettiesLiesAlibi
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Crime Stories with Nancy Grace.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Arranging mother in law orders a hit on her law
professor's son in law and she's convicted now to walk
free because she alleges youror misconduct and oh yes, TikTok
is involved. Good evening, I'm Nancy Grace. This is Crime Stories.
(00:28):
I want to thank you for being with us.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
So you're saying his head is bloody, now, yes, some bloody.
Speaker 4 (00:33):
I mean it's window shattered. I don't know if he's
tried to shoot himself. I don't know what the situation.
He's not responding to that, but his head's kind of
rolling around him.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
Okay, is she conscious?
Speaker 4 (00:44):
Well, I can't tell.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
I'm talking about the killer mother in law, Donna Adelson,
who is so incensed that her son in law refuses
to let his children move seven hours away from his
home where he teaches law school to be closer to
(01:06):
her the grandma that she orders a hint and has
him executed.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
Really, okay, listen to this.
Speaker 3 (01:14):
One wants see address of your emergency. Okay, tell exactly
what happened.
Speaker 4 (01:20):
We heard looked in the garage, goal was up and
I thought the gentleman was backing out, and I went
back to my house, but he never backed out, and
I came back over and his wind his driver's side
window is shattered, and he's moving his head around, but
he's not responding. I've called his name, asked what's going on?
And I call his name, asking what's happening. He's not
(01:43):
responding to that, but his head's kind of rolling around.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
Okay, is he conscious?
Speaker 4 (01:48):
Well, I can't tell.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
Okay, is he breathing?
Speaker 4 (01:52):
I can't tell that. I'm assuming he's breathing if he's
moving his head around.
Speaker 3 (01:56):
Did you ever hear him talk or anything? Okay, he said,
he's sitting in the car right correct the driver's seat.
Speaker 1 (02:06):
You know what that means.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
And shortly I'm going to go to a renowned medical
examiner on this, Professor Dan Markel, was actually alive? Was
he seeing his life flash before him?
Speaker 1 (02:16):
In his own garage?
Speaker 2 (02:18):
There he is with his ex wife, Wendy Adelson, practically
the only one left in the family that hasn't been
charged with the murder. And now, just so you know,
when you don't know a horse, look at her track record.
This killer mother in law has already tried to get
out of jail, claiming she had earwax and because the
food sucks. Their words, not mine. Really get used to it, woman,
(02:44):
get used to it.
Speaker 1 (02:46):
We're going straight to the scene.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
Joining us now in Miami, renowned private investigator Robert Crispin
of CRISP Special Investigations, former Federal Task Force officer for USDJ.
Joining us, Robert, Robert, can we just clarify the problem
the so called killer mother in law Donna Adelson had
(03:11):
her her son in law, Professor Dan Markel, comes home
and by the way, I had heard of him in
legal circles as being brilliant all right when he was.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
Alive, So she the wife, no, let me start with him.
Speaker 2 (03:29):
Markel comes home from work to find the furniture gone,
his wife gone, and most important, his little boy's gone.
Then Wendy Adelson's family aggressively hides his children from him,
and Wendy Adelson's a lawyer. How she allowed this to happen,
(03:52):
I don't know, But then wanted to move the children
from where he was guests around Tallahassee all the way
to Miami.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
How far of a drive would that be, Crispin, every
bit of eight hours.
Speaker 5 (04:08):
It's a long trek from Tallahassee all the way down
here to Miami.
Speaker 1 (04:12):
At least where are you? What is that behind you, Crispin?
Speaker 5 (04:16):
So I'm coming to you, live, Nancy, right outside where
Donna Adelson's multimillion dollar condo sits, perched on keep a skain,
overlooking the city of Miami skyline, all the cruise ships
and the entrance of the Rickenbacker Causeway out to keep
a skain.
Speaker 1 (04:35):
Her view is insane.
Speaker 5 (04:37):
In her multimillion dollar condo, she has traded for a
jail cell.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
Well, that is quite a change in circumstances, is it not,
Because now she's sitting in a jail cell, Crispin, with
a cot and three hots that we're paying for, and
whining about TikTok of all things and demanding a new trial.
You know what, sometimes when money talks, justice walks, and
(05:04):
I don't want to see that happening.
Speaker 1 (05:06):
These people are loaded loaded.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
Did you hear about the wedding that Wendy Adelson had
with Markel?
Speaker 1 (05:15):
I mean over the top.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
I'm talking ice sculptures, five star venue, the works.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
They are loaded And now hold on, you got to
hear this.
Speaker 2 (05:27):
You've got to hear this, Crispin again, When you don't
know a horse.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
Look at her track record.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
Now she's whining she needs a new trial because of TikTok. Okay,
she probably never even heard of TikTok she was sitting
in her jail cell. But this is her track record.
Listen to this complaint.
Speaker 6 (05:44):
So I have a hearing issue.
Speaker 7 (05:47):
I have a problem. I evidently have very narrow ear canals,
and so doing getting the West builds up in my
ears to the point that I mean, I have officers
and say to me, are you jeff atels? And when
(06:09):
I don't respond to them, it's because I don't hear them.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
I mean, really, she wanted out from behind bars because
of her ear wax, And I'm supposed to take her
seriously because she claims your arm misconduct and TikTok. Really
have you ever in your life and you've probably dealt
with as many felons as I have heard anyone complain
they should be set free because of ear wax.
Speaker 5 (06:35):
Well, that's probably the first one I've heard about, is
that one? But if you think about it, Nancy, according
to the law enforcement, perched up there on the sixteenth
floor of per condo with this beautiful view is where
she orchestrated this entire mastermind of having him killed.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
So it's pretty quiet up there, you know, isn't it true?
Speaker 2 (06:55):
Straight out to Jji Mkelvey joining us investigative journalists and hosts.
Speaker 1 (06:59):
Are pre elies and alibis.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
Gigi didn't she make another bid at freedom, claiming the
food behind bars was making her fat.
Speaker 8 (07:08):
She did because commissary food is not healthy. It is
just junk food. And she complained that she had gained
a lot of weight since her incarceration, as a lot
of inmates do because they don't like the prison food
and they do have that option to buy a lot
of foods that are high and fast and salt. That
was another reason she thought she needed to be let out.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
Salt and high fat content. Okay, you know what that
that leaves me at a loss. But I'm trying to
judge her complaint. She says, TikTok has destroyed her life
and one's youror in specific. Well, you know what, can
I remind everybody it's not about her ear wax, or
(07:50):
her starchy food or tick tight It's about this.
Speaker 4 (07:55):
Bloody now, yes, some bloody. I mean it's the windows shattered.
I don't know if he's tried to shoot himself. I
don't know what the situation is.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
It's the driver's side window, correct, that's correct.
Speaker 4 (08:07):
He's still moving around, So who's alive?
Speaker 3 (08:10):
Okay, looks like I should have an officer coming up
the roadway. Okay, well we need the MP. The officer's
going to be there first. They're not going to come
until we figure out what's going on. But they're on
the way as well.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
Okay, we'd better be if this guy's got to shut
a Philip Debey, joining US veteran trial lawyer out of
the California jurisdiction, tried a ton of cases. A Phillip debay,
How can I take anything this woman says seriously when
she's been complaining about the starchy food behind bars.
Speaker 1 (08:40):
Hey, she gets donuts, she gets breads.
Speaker 2 (08:44):
She also gets high protein like eggs, meat, vegetables. But
she's whining about Italian night really and the ear wax
in her ears, And now she wants me to believe
she should walk free. Walk free on a murder charge,
not just a murder charge, not I'm mad at you bang,
(09:06):
a long thought out and planned execution style murder because
Markel would not go along with moving his children eight
hours away from him, and now I'm supposed to pay
attention to her TikTok compliant.
Speaker 9 (09:22):
What can I tell you? She was a tin pot
dictator within the family. And the days of her horsh
glinses in vodka are over and she's going to be
living on what we call the high fives, meaning the
high fat, the high cholesterol, the high sodium, the high
fruitose corn syrup, and the high cholesterol. And she needs
to get used to it and make sure she has
(09:43):
a doctor behind bars to keep her on statins and
heart medication because that is going to be her life. Unfortunately,
now having said that, it doesn't mean she doesn't have
a post trial motion regarding jurreami'sconduct, and it remains to
be seeing what the evidence is to show during this conduct.
(10:03):
If it is a viable claim, then the court can
actually grant the relief and order a hearing. And that's
the endgame here, is to get the hearing. So before
you even get to a new trial, the court has
to find that there wasn't fact misconduct, much of it
hinges on a credibility pall. If the court actually believes
the testimony of these kicktoker jurors. Then she doesn't get
(10:25):
a new trial, she stands convicted, and off she goes
to prison to ensure her five highs.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
Straight out to doctor Judy hoe joining us clinical friends
at neuropsychologist, author of the New Rules of Attachment and
Stop Self Sabotage. You can find her doctor judyhoeho dot com.
Doctor Judy, thank you for being with us. Could you
just help me out? Because all on her from debate?
Speaker 10 (10:51):
Then then.
Speaker 1 (10:53):
Help me out.
Speaker 2 (10:54):
How can anybody take Donna Adelson anything?
Speaker 1 (10:57):
She says, seriously, Nancy, we can't.
Speaker 11 (11:01):
I mean, you even see her demeanor as she's trying
to communicate her struggles and it's as if she has
no self awareness that this would sound ridiculous to pretty
much everyone listening her whole diatribe about the ear wax
and how much it's bothering her and how people are
accusing her of being deaf, that that's one of her
(11:23):
biggest problems. Can we please focus on the core of
the problem. Why are you there in the first place?
Why are you incarcerated because you have been charged with
first degree murder the loss of another human life, a
family member. You stripped your grandchildren of their father, and
(11:43):
you're talking about your ear wax. Nancy, it was hard
for me to have some compassion as she was talking
about that. And you know, I am someone who was
supposed to have built my career on compassion, and it
was still a struggle for me, Nancy.
Speaker 1 (11:55):
So maybe you have to help.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
Me today, you know, just you never hear any from
her about the death of her son in law and
what this has meant to her grandchildren.
Speaker 1 (12:07):
There was a point, isn't this true?
Speaker 2 (12:10):
Sidney Sunray joining US Crime Stories investigative reporter that she
offered or suggested offering to Professor Markel a million dollars
to let go of the children and let them move
to be closer to her than the grandmother. And when
that didn't work, she said, let's tell them, let's tell
him that we have converted them to Catholicism and baptized
(12:34):
them because they're devout Jews.
Speaker 1 (12:37):
I mean, what is wrong with her?
Speaker 2 (12:39):
Could you fill me in on those two attempts by
Donna Adelson?
Speaker 12 (12:44):
I cannot believe how much this woman hated Dan Markel
just for wanting to be close to his children. This
family had such a work sense, a work perception of
what Markel was doing by just wanting to keep his
children actively in his life every day.
Speaker 1 (13:05):
I do not.
Speaker 12 (13:07):
Understand how someone can be pushed to murder someone because
they wanted to be an active.
Speaker 1 (13:15):
Father in their children's life. It's ridiculous.
Speaker 2 (13:18):
Here are the claims exactly that Donna Adelson, who was
sitting behind bars, not in her aluxe condo where you
say Crispin standing in front of it, but in jail
where she belongs. According to a juror who is joining
us shortly, this is the crux of her claims.
Speaker 13 (13:37):
Edelson filed a motion for a new trial claiming jury misconduct,
bias from the judge, and a lack of evidence, just
two weeks after in conviction, and includes a request to
interview two of the.
Speaker 1 (13:49):
Jurors Adelson accuses.
Speaker 14 (13:50):
During number seven JC Maxen Walker posted a TikTok about
her selection to the jury on the third day of
the trial, then deleted the post. Adelson says they can
provide a copy of the video on Adolsen writes that
Max and Walker then went viral for hosts discussing details
of the case immediately after the verdict.
Speaker 1 (14:12):
Crime Stores with Nancy Grace.
Speaker 15 (14:18):
Overall, it took us about just over three hours to deliberate.
Speaker 16 (14:22):
And reach our final verdicts.
Speaker 15 (14:23):
Right, but within the first hour hour and a half,
I want to say, everyone was agreeing that she is guilty.
Speaker 3 (14:31):
Everyone it was unanus.
Speaker 1 (14:32):
Within the first hour hour and a half.
Speaker 15 (14:34):
Donna Nielson was found guilty on all three charges for
killing her ex son in law. I'm here to say
that I was on the jury and I got to
be the four person. If you have questions, let me
know because.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
I can finally talk that drom at Lacey with aj
on TikTok. I mean, come on, Robert Crispin, You've tried
handled so many felony cases. Crispin is joining us right
now outside across the water, that beautiful.
Speaker 1 (15:02):
View mother in law from Hale had.
Speaker 2 (15:07):
I'd love to have a gr like that. She's proud
she was on the jury. She's proud she was for
a person. What's wrong with that?
Speaker 1 (15:14):
Not a thing?
Speaker 5 (15:15):
And with the new gen zs in TikTok and social
media and all these platforms that are out there now,
all these people are going to their own social media
and posting and Nancy, they have a microphone. They're not
being censored, They're not being edited. They're not ending up
on the floor of the editing room. They're telling what
(15:36):
they want when they want, when they can. I love
it and get ready. There's a lot more of that
coming out on cases to come.
Speaker 1 (15:44):
You're not kidding, do Maybe what's wrong with what she said?
Speaker 2 (15:47):
I don't see anything wrong with what Lacey with aj
on TikTok had to say.
Speaker 1 (15:51):
She was a four person. She's proud.
Speaker 2 (15:53):
Aielsen asked for it, she did it, she deserved it,
she was convicted.
Speaker 1 (15:58):
Why what's the problem?
Speaker 3 (15:59):
Yeah, resons in.
Speaker 9 (16:00):
This condo, particularly if it's going on during the trial.
If she's going online commenting, looking at social media in
direct violation of court orders not to follow the case,
not to discuss the case until all jurors are sent
to the jury room to deliberate. That is a contemptive court.
And the remedy for that is the tinpot dictator gets
(16:22):
a new trial.
Speaker 1 (16:24):
WHA WHA.
Speaker 2 (16:25):
When I think for a miss Trump be granted, you
have to show that the error was so grievous that
it would have warranted a new trial, that it impacted
the jury so much that a new trial would be
warranted because there would have been a different outcome.
Speaker 1 (16:43):
Hold on, let's hear more from Lacey.
Speaker 6 (16:45):
With aj A lot of people are saying that I'm
the reason that a Kyla is going to happen, which
is just crazy because if you actually.
Speaker 1 (16:52):
Watched and really listened to.
Speaker 6 (16:54):
Anything I said, it's just no words. Yeah, I said
absolutely nothing that could hurt the verdict that we came
up with. Okay, Like I'm not as far as of
people's concerns as to me being on social media and
person by TikTok's in the last week or two, there
(17:16):
was no rule of stating that we cannot be on Thorcian.
Speaker 1 (17:18):
Media, the rule of provided by Judge Everett in this case.
Speaker 6 (17:21):
Okay, we cannot seek out information.
Speaker 17 (17:23):
About this case.
Speaker 6 (17:24):
We cannot talk about the case with anyone, We cannot
listen to others talk.
Speaker 1 (17:27):
About the case.
Speaker 6 (17:28):
We cannot do anything in regard to the case during
the trial. But now that I'm released as a juror,
I have the freedom to say and do.
Speaker 2 (17:39):
Whatever that Again, from at least you with aj On TikTok,
can I do Bay.
Speaker 1 (17:43):
I know you went to law school and you tried
a lot of cases, but I think she's got you
over the barrel.
Speaker 2 (17:49):
Guys joining me right now, Special guest Evan Higginbotham is
with us aka your R number six.
Speaker 1 (17:57):
Can you believe it was just a few.
Speaker 2 (17:58):
Short days ago that you voted guilty? You did vote guilty,
right on Donna Adelson? Correct, Yes, that's right, Okay, that
was just a few days ago. And already she has
hatched a motion for a new trial and to have
her case completely reversed. And part of her claim is
(18:22):
YOURR misconduct. How does that make you feel you're a
gr R? Did you see any conduct?
Speaker 18 (18:28):
I didn't know that.
Speaker 17 (18:29):
This doesn't surprise me at all. It would only make
sense for he look for something like this after the
verdict was served.
Speaker 2 (18:35):
Sounds like Donna Adelson didn't make a very good impression
on the jury. And more now here is Mitchelle McKenzie
Ailsen's your number five.
Speaker 19 (18:44):
There were certain witnesses that when they brought in, I
was focused kind of on her reaction and body language.
I really just wanted to see how she reacted to
certain things. I wanted to see how she reacted to
the information that was coming out. Uh, not that that
I could use that against her during deliberations, but you know,
it kind of gave me a sense of where her
(19:05):
head was at I think during certain testimony.
Speaker 2 (19:07):
Now that is a gurr appearing on Surviving the Survivor,
so GJ. McKelvey joining US investigative journalist. The other claim
is that that juror judged her Adelson on her reactions
in court. What's wrong with that? You know, they're asking
these jurors not to be human. Of course they're gonna
(19:29):
look at the defendant. And I've been in so many courtrooms, Nancy,
where it's like a tennis match. The jury watches the witness,
and they watched the defendant. And what I find funny too,
is that they had her dressed like a granny, so
they wanted the jury to look at her at certain times,
but not when testimony was going on.
Speaker 8 (19:46):
It's a human thing to do. And so I think
this is just a really moot point. I think it's
grasping its straws and throwing stuff against the wall to
see what sticks. But he immediately says, I didn't take
that in the jury room. There's no harm, no foul.
Speaker 16 (20:00):
So long story short, doctor gud how can you listen
to the evidence, listen to the testimony and look over
at the defendant and pretend you don't see what you see.
Speaker 1 (20:11):
What is she talking about? Exactly, Nancy.
Speaker 11 (20:14):
And no matter what we do, as human beings, given
germ instructions, our feelings are going to be entangled in
our decision making.
Speaker 1 (20:24):
We would love to say.
Speaker 11 (20:24):
That that's not going to be the case.
Speaker 1 (20:26):
That's just not true. We are emotional beings. That's how
we're built.
Speaker 11 (20:29):
And so you're hearing the evidence and then you're trying
to try to piece this all together and say, all right,
this person clearly doesn't even seem to show any remorse,
any empathy towards her other family members who have been affected.
What do we do with a somebody like this, because
they are going to be potentially a continued threat to
(20:51):
the rest of society. And even now as all of
this is unfolding, there isn't still a clear remorse and
that does factor into jury decisions. I'm sorry to say it,
but I just will.
Speaker 2 (21:03):
Guys, speaking of her reactions, watch her reaction.
Speaker 1 (21:08):
When the jury hands down the verdict.
Speaker 10 (21:11):
We have a jury find as follows as the count
one of the indictment, first degree murder. The defendant is
guilty of first degree murder. Missus Adelson, control yourself. Count two.
We have a jury find as follows as the count
(21:31):
two of the indictment, conspiracy to commit first degree murder.
The defendant is guilty of conspiracy to commit first degree
murder from.
Speaker 2 (21:42):
Our friends at tallahassee Democrat. Back to doctor Judy Hoe
joining us clinical forensic neuropsychologist.
Speaker 1 (21:47):
Did you see the crime? Did you see that?
Speaker 2 (21:50):
But nothing about Dan Markel, her dad's son in law,
Nothing about him, but just her.
Speaker 11 (21:58):
The first time does she shows such a extreme emotion
is of course about her own welfare and well being.
Speaker 1 (22:04):
And I would also.
Speaker 11 (22:05):
Argue that when someone has such an extreme reaction, even
if it of course is a decision, that's going to
affect your life.
Speaker 1 (22:13):
This is why she was told to control herself.
Speaker 11 (22:15):
Most people are not going to actually look kindly on that,
because there is a sense that perhaps that's put on,
whether that's true or not, that is going to be
someone's human intuition, someone's red flags going off saying, oh
my goodness, now she's really trying to demonstrate that she
is so emotional and so impacted.
Speaker 1 (22:34):
Where was this? The rest of trial, they're.
Speaker 11 (22:36):
Going to see the incongruency and it's going to be
hard for them to have more empathy after that.
Speaker 2 (22:42):
What about this, I don't know if this is in
your diagnostic manual, but what about rich little old Miami
saysilot can't believe somebody called her on her bass?
Speaker 16 (22:55):
Watch this dot gudi Count three.
Speaker 10 (23:00):
We the jury find as follows. As the count three
of the indictment, solicitation to commit first degree murder, the
defendant is guilty of solicitation to commit first degree murder.
If you cannot control yourself, I am going to have
to determine.
Speaker 18 (23:18):
If you'll be removed from.
Speaker 10 (23:19):
The remainder of this process. Do you understand what I'm
saying to you?
Speaker 17 (23:28):
Yes?
Speaker 3 (23:31):
Yes?
Speaker 10 (23:32):
Do you need a moment to collect yourself.
Speaker 1 (23:36):
Again?
Speaker 2 (23:36):
From our friends at Tallahassee Democrat daughter Judy Hoe, did
you see her between all that she said something very angrily,
talk about lack of self control, impulse control. But she
had plenty of time to call off the murder of
her son in law, but she couldn't control herself, just
(23:57):
like she can't control herself in the courtroom exactly.
Speaker 11 (24:01):
And this is why people are going to look at
this Nancy and say, why should I feel any sympathy
for this woman. No one's going to feel that sympathy
for her even as she is crying, balling her eyes out,
because of the context and when she's actually shedding those tears.
Speaker 13 (24:17):
Adolsen also cites courtroom environments. Wheneverett ruled against the defense,
the gallery laughed out loud despite multiple warnings from Everett.
Adolson claims the continued behavior eroded the defense's credibility in
the eyes of the jury. Adolsen also claims footage of
the proceedings shows gallery members making faces at the jurors
(24:37):
throughout the trial, distracting them from testimony.
Speaker 2 (24:41):
Well, if the gallery, the paint gallery had disrupted the trial,
I would have expected the judge to throw them out.
If this is true, Adelson complaining about the environment in
the courtroom is what convicted her. Well, the evidence was
overwhelming that she was involved in Markell's murder. Let's go
(25:03):
straight back out to Evan Higginbotham. Evan, what was your
first impression of Donna Edelson?
Speaker 18 (25:14):
My first imprint?
Speaker 17 (25:15):
It is hard to say because whenever I first came
in for a jury selection, she's an older lady, so
I wasn't certain who the defense attorneys were. They're all
sitting behind in the same desk, And it took until
me walking back there and speak to the defense team
and the prosecutors on the second day of jury selection
for me to realize that she was deft and I
(25:36):
had no opinion on her.
Speaker 2 (25:38):
Okay, wait, that's really funny. Funny, odd and funny. I
say predictable because I believe it is harder for gurrrs
to convict a woman of a violent crime such as murder.
Speaker 1 (25:53):
Like you said, you came in.
Speaker 2 (25:54):
And it took you a while to realize, Oh, it's
a little old lady.
Speaker 1 (25:58):
Speaking charged with murder.
Speaker 2 (26:00):
Because, for instance, I think of my own mother, and
my mother raised me, she took care of me, she
sacrificed for me. It's really hard for me to imagine
someone like my mother committing a murder or planning a murder.
Now tell me that again, how long did it take
(26:20):
you to realize, Oh, the older lady is the one
charged with murder.
Speaker 3 (26:26):
I left the.
Speaker 17 (26:26):
First day of jury selection, not I'm sure who the
defendant was. It took me coming back, and then after
I finally got in there and the defense attorney started
as speaking to me, for me Okay, so she's the.
Speaker 2 (26:38):
Defendant, Dubey, that is the defense attorney's dream guror they
can't with the defendant sitting right in front of them,
their mind cannot grasp she, the little old lady, is
the one charged with murder.
Speaker 1 (26:52):
He just can't comprehend that.
Speaker 9 (26:54):
Well, that's why I always advise to be yourself a trial.
I don't know why they clad her in an hout
is looking like Grandma Walton, because she really wasn't being herself.
And I got to tell you, on a personal level,
I don't agree with the judge the way he chied
it and casteized her in open court. The lady just
literally found out in a couple of words that whatever
(27:15):
left of her life is over, as opposed to finding
out that there is no Santa Claus anymore. It is ridiculous,
and it looks like she was.
Speaker 2 (27:26):
Yeah, you know what I do say that's falling flat
with me, because all that matters right now is will
there be a new trial. And this was already at
the verdict phase.
Speaker 1 (27:37):
The trial was over. That did not affect the verdict.
Speaker 2 (27:40):
When he said get a hold of yourself, woman, look and.
Speaker 1 (27:44):
All that is total bs. She you know what.
Speaker 3 (27:48):
Too.
Speaker 1 (27:49):
Robert Crispin joining us. He's been with the fence, he's
been with DOJ.
Speaker 2 (27:54):
Now he's joining Crispin Special Investigation, former homicide detective. She
did it, and now she's looking around going, oh my stars, Lilo,
me is in jail.
Speaker 1 (28:06):
This can't be real. How can I get out of here? Claw? Claw, Claw,
That's what's happening. She did it.
Speaker 5 (28:14):
Come on, Nancy, how many juries have we sat in?
How many trials have we sat in?
Speaker 1 (28:20):
The rubber hit the road? For Donna, it hit the road.
Speaker 5 (28:24):
The evidence was against her, The gallery wasn't against her,
the jury wasn't against her.
Speaker 1 (28:30):
The evidence was against her. She never thought, birched.
Speaker 5 (28:34):
Up on the sixteenth floor, that she would ever, ever,
ever get caught orchestrating and masterminding.
Speaker 1 (28:41):
This entire murder.
Speaker 5 (28:43):
But guess what, that jury came back in such a
short amount of time, and listening to some of the
conversations from those jurors when they got out, they did
an initial are you guilty?
Speaker 1 (28:58):
Is she guilty or not?
Speaker 5 (29:00):
When they were in their final deliberations, and they all
came back guilty. So nobody convicted Donna but herself. Not you,
not me, not the panic gallery, not the cops. Donna
Addison convicted herself.
Speaker 2 (29:16):
Hey, Crispin, which one of those buildings behind you was
her high rise? I guess a husband's still there, But
which one is it?
Speaker 5 (29:24):
So look, there's those two green glass buildings right there,
one with the white dome on it is the one
that she lived in, and it's up there on the
sixteen sixteen oh nine, sixteen four multimillion dollars. Nancy, I'm
telling you it's Scott sprawling insane views.
Speaker 20 (29:42):
Insane views.
Speaker 5 (29:44):
Guess what she's now sitting in jail cell for the
rest of her lifense.
Speaker 2 (29:47):
I guess some people are just so rich and so
living in a bubble. They're rich bubble. They think they
can get away with everything. Markel was just like a
paper cut, is it? You squashed it and throw it
in the trash and don't think about it again. I mean,
this guy was a brilliant lawyer, but more important, a
(30:08):
loving dad that did not want to be away from
his children. He wouldn't take a million dollars literally to
be away from them. It wasn't about money, it was
about them, them, That's all he cared about.
Speaker 1 (30:19):
Crispin.
Speaker 5 (30:21):
Yeah, yeah, that was a brutal homicide. That was a
great guy, a great father, a pillar in our community
in the legal profession. She masterminded this and took all
that away from him. Nan, she all that away, and
she treated all this in for her jail cell. So
you know what it is? What it is?
Speaker 2 (30:43):
Okay, Yeah, that's not a legal theory, but it's true.
Joining me right now, an incredible medical examiner, doctor Kendall Crowns,
talking about Save the Best for Last Chief Medical Examiner
Terran County.
Speaker 1 (30:56):
That's fort Worth.
Speaker 2 (30:58):
He is a host of a brand new hit podcast,
Mayhem in the Morgue. He is an esteemed lecturer at
the Brunette School of Medicine at TCU, And it goes
on and on, but for my purposes, has performed literally
thousands of autopsies. Can we have a reality check from
Donna Adelson in her ear wax and her starchy food
(31:19):
and her whining and crying about people that made fun
of her. Markel is dead and he died in a
brutal fashion, and he had long enough to know he
was dying. It wasn't instantaneous, was it. Doctor Kyndall Crown's Noah.
Speaker 20 (31:38):
Was not from the witness accounts he was moving after
he was shot, and based on the information we have,
there was a survival time period what the wounds were,
as he had a gunshot wound of his face that
entered into his cheek and another gunshot wound that entered
into his forehead. Now, the one in his cheek potentially
(32:00):
could not have hit vital structures that would have caused
him to die instantly, and the one in his forehead
potentially only encountered half.
Speaker 3 (32:09):
Of his brain.
Speaker 20 (32:10):
So if one half of your brain is hit, the
other half is still able to function and you aren't
going to die right away. But as you're sitting there
from the damage done by the gunshot wound, your brain
is going to swell and it's eventually going to pinch
off your brain stem and kill you. So that's why
when witnesses were there, they saw that he was still moving.
(32:31):
He probably only had half of his brain compromise, and
it took him a little while to die. The other
thing is is there's a mention of a gunshot wounded
the forearms, so he did probably try to shield himself
at one point before he got shot, and that's probably
why the cheek wound isn't as severe as the forehead.
Speaker 1 (32:49):
Wound crime Stores. With Nancy Grace.
Speaker 2 (33:01):
Joining us tonight, a very special guest, Evan Higginbotham is
with us, aka your R number six.
Speaker 1 (33:10):
Evan, thank you for being with.
Speaker 18 (33:11):
Us, Hey, thanks so much for having me.
Speaker 2 (33:14):
Did you ever wonder why Professor Markel's wife, Wendy wasn't
charged because it seems like this whole murder plot, the
whole murder was so Wendy, then Markel could take her children,
the boys, and move to Miami. Did you ever wonder, well,
(33:35):
wait a minute, how is she coming out smelling like
a rose?
Speaker 17 (33:40):
I definitely was interested in trying to understand that at
the beginning, and at this point now after going through
the whole trial and seeing it, it makes a lot
of sense as to why Wendy's at the.
Speaker 18 (33:51):
Back end of this and hasn't been charged with anything yet.
Speaker 17 (33:53):
I mean, they did such a good job of insulating
each other throughout this whole conspiracy, from say Frado Garcia
all the way to Miss Elsen.
Speaker 2 (34:02):
You know what, Evan Higginbotham, You're like a threat. You're
like a double threat. You've got charisma and brains. The
way you just said that you want to consider dumping
out of electrical engineering and going to law school. Referring
to how every member of the murder plot insulated each
(34:23):
other from getting.
Speaker 1 (34:26):
Caught, what do you mean by that? Well, you're absolutely right,
number one. But what leads you to that observation.
Speaker 17 (34:33):
Well, there was very little overlap in communication between Segfredo
Garcia to Catherine mcbena lah, from Cathrie mckrana Wah to Charlie,
and then from Charlie to Donna. There was a very
little overlap from that, so we didn't see very much
contact at on any from miss Eielson, Gothriye mcmanawah, vice versa,
or even Charlie to Secreto. And I think them setting
(34:56):
up that way and making sure that there was very
little contact outside of just their person makes it you
have to tie a connection further along able to make pet.
Speaker 2 (35:07):
Did any of the other jurors wonder why the wife,
Wendy had not been charged.
Speaker 17 (35:15):
I'm sure they have. I didn't seek to them very
much about that in any very deliberation. We stayed very
focused on just miss a. Viewers on trial with Donna,
I'm sure that they're probably just as interested to see.
Speaker 18 (35:32):
On the back end that I am about.
Speaker 17 (35:35):
Wendy's contribution to this, but I so very little to
all the other jurors about anyone outside of this. Miss
alelest in her.
Speaker 1 (35:43):
Part that was wise.
Speaker 2 (35:46):
Okay, so you get in there, and what went through
your mind when they called you to be a gerr
one of the twelve.
Speaker 17 (35:54):
My first thought was I'm going to miss a lot
of class and then and then it was a great experience.
I'm very grateful for being selected, But yeah, I was
surprised to be picked, though I thought that for sure,
me being a relatively young guy and being a student,
I figured it OU would be probably sent away pretty
(36:15):
early in the selection process.
Speaker 2 (36:17):
What was the most difficult part of the deliberations, I
don't honestly.
Speaker 17 (36:24):
It was going through the evidence. Again, there's a lot
of evidence to go through, so anything that we specifically
wanted to look at, we had to dig through and
find specifically what part of what piece of evidence we
wanted to go through, and that takes time to find.
And then But as far as like any sort of
friction between the jurors or anything like that, there was
(36:46):
very little. We all worked very professionally and pleasant discussion
the entire time there was any pickering or fighting, so
I was very impressed by everyone.
Speaker 2 (36:57):
Did any fights break out, did anybody ever fight over
the evidence, or you know, did recollections vary as to
the evidence.
Speaker 17 (37:06):
There was no viting whatsoever, which was surprising to me.
I expected there to be at least like some statsy
pickering here and there, but there was none of that.
There was different recollections, for sure. Some of us were
better note takers than others, so there would be things
where someone would mildly misremember something and then we'd go
back through the evidence to be okay. Well I was
taken on that, but everything was very pleasant.
Speaker 2 (37:28):
Evan, you're describing a pretty peaceful deliberations. That's what I
want to hear, because dissension among the Gurrars and fighting
leads to reversals. What do you believe was the strongest
piece of evidence that convicted Adelson.
Speaker 18 (37:45):
That's a difficult.
Speaker 17 (37:46):
Question to answer because there's not It's not a case
where there's a smoking gun, so to say, it's a
lot of.
Speaker 18 (37:52):
Small bits of evidence that add up.
Speaker 17 (37:55):
To create a picture where that shows for guilty. I'd
say that some of the testimonies that really stood out
were definitely Chris Corbett as well as Rob Adelson.
Speaker 18 (38:07):
I think we're very important. That's to us coming to
our conclusion.
Speaker 1 (38:11):
What specifically about those two, I think that.
Speaker 17 (38:17):
Rob's testimony gives a lot of insight into character that
you don't get from any of the other testimonies in
being such an integral part of her life, being herself,
her oldest son, and then Chris Corbett. The digital forensics
from that placing the cell phones at certain areas, as
(38:37):
well as being able to see the text messagesiness some
of the phone calls at what period of time helps
create help set up that picture and helped Bee able
to see where the communication was at the time when
she was partly in the regards to when it was happening.
Speaker 2 (38:53):
What did you think about the sun, I mean the Maestro.
Did you guys hear evidence about his vanity tag Maestro?
Speaker 17 (39:05):
I did not hear that specifically within the days, but
that doesn't surprise me after that day of us.
Speaker 1 (39:10):
Listen, why do you say that I'm talking.
Speaker 2 (39:12):
About Wendy's Wendy, the wife, Wendy who has not been charged,
brother who was right up in the middle of all
this doing his mother's bidding. He's already been convicted, of course,
had a vanity tag onnes What was it?
Speaker 3 (39:28):
Jack?
Speaker 2 (39:28):
A Lamborghini maestro, you know, the one that orchestrates everything.
Truer words were never spoken. What did you think about him?
Speaker 18 (39:40):
I was hoping that we would.
Speaker 17 (39:41):
Get a testimony from him of some kind. That may
not have been something that I wanted after got up
on the stand if that did end up happening, he
is someone that did like the ramble for sure. I
had my feel of hearing it from Carly on that
whole day of phone calls, like four hours worth of
was listening to Arley and Donna.
Speaker 18 (40:04):
But that doesn't surprise me. It seemed like someone that.
Speaker 17 (40:06):
Was very pervose and had a pretty big so attack
like that on this carps.
Speaker 2 (40:15):
It's hard to believe everybody in the family and all
these people are involved and she knows nothing about it.
But again that said, she has not been named as
suspect or a person of interest in this case. Question Evan,
how did the crime scene photos affect you? Which photos
do you recall as being the most vivid?
Speaker 3 (40:39):
The one of.
Speaker 17 (40:40):
Mister Markel in the hospital was definitely a difficult one
to look at outside of that.
Speaker 18 (40:46):
The other the ones of the crime scene, luckily were
not too strong, I guess would be the word I
would pick there.
Speaker 17 (40:56):
The one of them in the hospital that with all
of the tubes and life support film was definitely one.
Speaker 18 (41:01):
But yes, where reaction from me?
Speaker 2 (41:05):
What did you make of the bump as it has
been called, We're an LA law enforcement agent bumps in
to Donna Adelson and ask for five thousand dollars to
basically keep quiet about what he allegedly knows about the murder?
Speaker 1 (41:26):
What did you make of that?
Speaker 2 (41:27):
And the phone calls that she had with her son
following the bump.
Speaker 17 (41:32):
I think the bump operation was a really important part
of the space because nothing about the way she reacted
to that was ordinary.
Speaker 18 (41:40):
Anyone else you would expect.
Speaker 17 (41:41):
To immediately read the paper to begin with, and so
just sticking into your.
Speaker 18 (41:47):
First and then would likely call the police it's.
Speaker 17 (41:50):
Someone that is threatening or blackmailing you, and then definitely
not going to pick up your grandkids and then walk
them past the exact thing thought where that happened. So
I think that definitely set the tone for her involvement.
Speaker 2 (42:03):
I mean, all I needed to hear is for people
to say, don't call me, don't talk about this on
the phone, Let's go outside where they're not any bugs.
Speaker 1 (42:11):
I mean, why would you say that. I've never said
that in my whole life.
Speaker 18 (42:16):
Yeah, definitely have strange behavior.
Speaker 2 (42:18):
They thought of the boys living their life without their dad.
I believe their last names have been changed now. It's
almost as if Dan Markel has been totally erased.
Speaker 18 (42:36):
Yeah, it's heartbreaking.
Speaker 17 (42:38):
I feel terrible for those two kids because it's not
just the loss of their father, but it's the loss
of any normal life for them because that, you know,
they're getting to the age now where they absolutely have
to seeing some of the stuff that's living around the
Cairnet in regards to their mother and all with their family,
everything about their grandmother's trial, and that it's truly terrible
(43:03):
there because the victims and this as well.
Speaker 1 (43:09):
We wait as justice unfolds.
Speaker 2 (43:11):
And now we remember an American hero, Sergeant David Miller,
Clark's Fulle PD Tennessee, killed in the line of duty
after twenty years service, leaving behind grieving wife Amy and
two children. American hero, Rest in peace, Sergeant David Miller.
Speaker 1 (43:31):
Nancy Grace signing off goodbye friend,
Crime Stories with Nancy Grace.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Arranging mother in law orders a hit on her law
professor's son in law and she's convicted now to walk
free because she alleges youror misconduct and oh yes, TikTok
is involved. Good evening, I'm Nancy Grace. This is Crime Stories.
(00:28):
I want to thank you for being with us.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
So you're saying his head is bloody, now, yes, some bloody.
Speaker 4 (00:33):
I mean it's window shattered. I don't know if he's
tried to shoot himself. I don't know what the situation.
He's not responding to that, but his head's kind of
rolling around him.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
Okay, is she conscious?
Speaker 4 (00:44):
Well, I can't tell.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
I'm talking about the killer mother in law, Donna Adelson,
who is so incensed that her son in law refuses
to let his children move seven hours away from his
home where he teaches law school to be closer to
(01:06):
her the grandma that she orders a hint and has
him executed.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
Really, okay, listen to this.
Speaker 3 (01:14):
One wants see address of your emergency. Okay, tell exactly
what happened.
Speaker 4 (01:20):
We heard looked in the garage, goal was up and
I thought the gentleman was backing out, and I went
back to my house, but he never backed out, and
I came back over and his wind his driver's side
window is shattered, and he's moving his head around, but
he's not responding. I've called his name, asked what's going on?
And I call his name, asking what's happening. He's not
(01:43):
responding to that, but his head's kind of rolling around.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
Okay, is he conscious?
Speaker 4 (01:48):
Well, I can't tell.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
Okay, is he breathing?
Speaker 4 (01:52):
I can't tell that. I'm assuming he's breathing if he's
moving his head around.
Speaker 3 (01:56):
Did you ever hear him talk or anything? Okay, he said,
he's sitting in the car right correct the driver's seat.
Speaker 1 (02:06):
You know what that means.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
And shortly I'm going to go to a renowned medical
examiner on this, Professor Dan Markel, was actually alive? Was
he seeing his life flash before him?
Speaker 1 (02:16):
In his own garage?
Speaker 2 (02:18):
There he is with his ex wife, Wendy Adelson, practically
the only one left in the family that hasn't been
charged with the murder. And now, just so you know,
when you don't know a horse, look at her track record.
This killer mother in law has already tried to get
out of jail, claiming she had earwax and because the
food sucks. Their words, not mine. Really get used to it, woman,
(02:44):
get used to it.
Speaker 1 (02:46):
We're going straight to the scene.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
Joining us now in Miami, renowned private investigator Robert Crispin
of CRISP Special Investigations, former Federal Task Force officer for USDJ.
Joining us, Robert, Robert, can we just clarify the problem
the so called killer mother in law Donna Adelson had
(03:11):
her her son in law, Professor Dan Markel, comes home
and by the way, I had heard of him in
legal circles as being brilliant all right when he was.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
Alive, So she the wife, no, let me start with him.
Speaker 2 (03:29):
Markel comes home from work to find the furniture gone,
his wife gone, and most important, his little boy's gone.
Then Wendy Adelson's family aggressively hides his children from him,
and Wendy Adelson's a lawyer. How she allowed this to happen,
(03:52):
I don't know, But then wanted to move the children
from where he was guests around Tallahassee all the way
to Miami.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
How far of a drive would that be, Crispin, every
bit of eight hours.
Speaker 5 (04:08):
It's a long trek from Tallahassee all the way down
here to Miami.
Speaker 1 (04:12):
At least where are you? What is that behind you, Crispin?
Speaker 5 (04:16):
So I'm coming to you, live, Nancy, right outside where
Donna Adelson's multimillion dollar condo sits, perched on keep a skain,
overlooking the city of Miami skyline, all the cruise ships
and the entrance of the Rickenbacker Causeway out to keep
a skain.
Speaker 1 (04:35):
Her view is insane.
Speaker 5 (04:37):
In her multimillion dollar condo, she has traded for a
jail cell.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
Well, that is quite a change in circumstances, is it not,
Because now she's sitting in a jail cell, Crispin, with
a cot and three hots that we're paying for, and
whining about TikTok of all things and demanding a new trial.
You know what, sometimes when money talks, justice walks, and
(05:04):
I don't want to see that happening.
Speaker 1 (05:06):
These people are loaded loaded.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
Did you hear about the wedding that Wendy Adelson had
with Markel?
Speaker 1 (05:15):
I mean over the top.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
I'm talking ice sculptures, five star venue, the works.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
They are loaded And now hold on, you got to
hear this.
Speaker 2 (05:27):
You've got to hear this, Crispin again, When you don't
know a horse.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
Look at her track record.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
Now she's whining she needs a new trial because of TikTok. Okay,
she probably never even heard of TikTok she was sitting
in her jail cell. But this is her track record.
Listen to this complaint.
Speaker 6 (05:44):
So I have a hearing issue.
Speaker 7 (05:47):
I have a problem. I evidently have very narrow ear canals,
and so doing getting the West builds up in my
ears to the point that I mean, I have officers
and say to me, are you jeff atels? And when
(06:09):
I don't respond to them, it's because I don't hear them.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
I mean, really, she wanted out from behind bars because
of her ear wax, And I'm supposed to take her
seriously because she claims your arm misconduct and TikTok. Really
have you ever in your life and you've probably dealt
with as many felons as I have heard anyone complain
they should be set free because of ear wax.
Speaker 5 (06:35):
Well, that's probably the first one I've heard about, is
that one? But if you think about it, Nancy, according
to the law enforcement, perched up there on the sixteenth
floor of per condo with this beautiful view is where
she orchestrated this entire mastermind of having him killed.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
So it's pretty quiet up there, you know, isn't it true?
Speaker 2 (06:55):
Straight out to Jji Mkelvey joining us investigative journalists and hosts.
Speaker 1 (06:59):
Are pre elies and alibis.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
Gigi didn't she make another bid at freedom, claiming the
food behind bars was making her fat.
Speaker 8 (07:08):
She did because commissary food is not healthy. It is
just junk food. And she complained that she had gained
a lot of weight since her incarceration, as a lot
of inmates do because they don't like the prison food
and they do have that option to buy a lot
of foods that are high and fast and salt. That
was another reason she thought she needed to be let out.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
Salt and high fat content. Okay, you know what that
that leaves me at a loss. But I'm trying to
judge her complaint. She says, TikTok has destroyed her life
and one's youror in specific. Well, you know what, can
I remind everybody it's not about her ear wax, or
(07:50):
her starchy food or tick tight It's about this.
Speaker 4 (07:55):
Bloody now, yes, some bloody. I mean it's the windows shattered.
I don't know if he's tried to shoot himself. I
don't know what the situation is.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
It's the driver's side window, correct, that's correct.
Speaker 4 (08:07):
He's still moving around, So who's alive?
Speaker 3 (08:10):
Okay, looks like I should have an officer coming up
the roadway. Okay, well we need the MP. The officer's
going to be there first. They're not going to come
until we figure out what's going on. But they're on
the way as well.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
Okay, we'd better be if this guy's got to shut
a Philip Debey, joining US veteran trial lawyer out of
the California jurisdiction, tried a ton of cases. A Phillip debay,
How can I take anything this woman says seriously when
she's been complaining about the starchy food behind bars.
Speaker 1 (08:40):
Hey, she gets donuts, she gets breads.
Speaker 2 (08:44):
She also gets high protein like eggs, meat, vegetables. But
she's whining about Italian night really and the ear wax
in her ears, And now she wants me to believe
she should walk free. Walk free on a murder charge,
not just a murder charge, not I'm mad at you bang,
(09:06):
a long thought out and planned execution style murder because
Markel would not go along with moving his children eight
hours away from him, and now I'm supposed to pay
attention to her TikTok compliant.
Speaker 9 (09:22):
What can I tell you? She was a tin pot
dictator within the family. And the days of her horsh
glinses in vodka are over and she's going to be
living on what we call the high fives, meaning the
high fat, the high cholesterol, the high sodium, the high
fruitose corn syrup, and the high cholesterol. And she needs
to get used to it and make sure she has
(09:43):
a doctor behind bars to keep her on statins and
heart medication because that is going to be her life. Unfortunately,
now having said that, it doesn't mean she doesn't have
a post trial motion regarding jurreami'sconduct, and it remains to
be seeing what the evidence is to show during this conduct.
(10:03):
If it is a viable claim, then the court can
actually grant the relief and order a hearing. And that's
the endgame here, is to get the hearing. So before
you even get to a new trial, the court has
to find that there wasn't fact misconduct, much of it
hinges on a credibility pall. If the court actually believes
the testimony of these kicktoker jurors. Then she doesn't get
(10:25):
a new trial, she stands convicted, and off she goes
to prison to ensure her five highs.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
Straight out to doctor Judy hoe joining us clinical friends
at neuropsychologist, author of the New Rules of Attachment and
Stop Self Sabotage. You can find her doctor judyhoeho dot com.
Doctor Judy, thank you for being with us. Could you
just help me out? Because all on her from debate?
Speaker 10 (10:51):
Then then.
Speaker 1 (10:53):
Help me out.
Speaker 2 (10:54):
How can anybody take Donna Adelson anything?
Speaker 1 (10:57):
She says, seriously, Nancy, we can't.
Speaker 11 (11:01):
I mean, you even see her demeanor as she's trying
to communicate her struggles and it's as if she has
no self awareness that this would sound ridiculous to pretty
much everyone listening her whole diatribe about the ear wax
and how much it's bothering her and how people are
accusing her of being deaf, that that's one of her
(11:23):
biggest problems. Can we please focus on the core of
the problem. Why are you there in the first place?
Why are you incarcerated because you have been charged with
first degree murder the loss of another human life, a
family member. You stripped your grandchildren of their father, and
(11:43):
you're talking about your ear wax. Nancy, it was hard
for me to have some compassion as she was talking
about that. And you know, I am someone who was
supposed to have built my career on compassion, and it
was still a struggle for me, Nancy.
Speaker 1 (11:55):
So maybe you have to help.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
Me today, you know, just you never hear any from
her about the death of her son in law and
what this has meant to her grandchildren.
Speaker 1 (12:07):
There was a point, isn't this true?
Speaker 2 (12:10):
Sidney Sunray joining US Crime Stories investigative reporter that she
offered or suggested offering to Professor Markel a million dollars
to let go of the children and let them move
to be closer to her than the grandmother. And when
that didn't work, she said, let's tell them, let's tell
him that we have converted them to Catholicism and baptized
(12:34):
them because they're devout Jews.
Speaker 1 (12:37):
I mean, what is wrong with her?
Speaker 2 (12:39):
Could you fill me in on those two attempts by
Donna Adelson?
Speaker 12 (12:44):
I cannot believe how much this woman hated Dan Markel
just for wanting to be close to his children. This
family had such a work sense, a work perception of
what Markel was doing by just wanting to keep his
children actively in his life every day.
Speaker 1 (13:05):
I do not.
Speaker 12 (13:07):
Understand how someone can be pushed to murder someone because
they wanted to be an active.
Speaker 1 (13:15):
Father in their children's life. It's ridiculous.
Speaker 2 (13:18):
Here are the claims exactly that Donna Adelson, who was
sitting behind bars, not in her aluxe condo where you
say Crispin standing in front of it, but in jail
where she belongs. According to a juror who is joining
us shortly, this is the crux of her claims.
Speaker 13 (13:37):
Edelson filed a motion for a new trial claiming jury misconduct,
bias from the judge, and a lack of evidence, just
two weeks after in conviction, and includes a request to
interview two of the.
Speaker 1 (13:49):
Jurors Adelson accuses.
Speaker 14 (13:50):
During number seven JC Maxen Walker posted a TikTok about
her selection to the jury on the third day of
the trial, then deleted the post. Adelson says they can
provide a copy of the video on Adolsen writes that
Max and Walker then went viral for hosts discussing details
of the case immediately after the verdict.
Speaker 1 (14:12):
Crime Stores with Nancy Grace.
Speaker 15 (14:18):
Overall, it took us about just over three hours to deliberate.
Speaker 16 (14:22):
And reach our final verdicts.
Speaker 15 (14:23):
Right, but within the first hour hour and a half,
I want to say, everyone was agreeing that she is guilty.
Speaker 3 (14:31):
Everyone it was unanus.
Speaker 1 (14:32):
Within the first hour hour and a half.
Speaker 15 (14:34):
Donna Nielson was found guilty on all three charges for
killing her ex son in law. I'm here to say
that I was on the jury and I got to
be the four person. If you have questions, let me
know because.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
I can finally talk that drom at Lacey with aj
on TikTok. I mean, come on, Robert Crispin, You've tried
handled so many felony cases. Crispin is joining us right
now outside across the water, that beautiful.
Speaker 1 (15:02):
View mother in law from Hale had.
Speaker 2 (15:07):
I'd love to have a gr like that. She's proud
she was on the jury. She's proud she was for
a person. What's wrong with that?
Speaker 1 (15:14):
Not a thing?
Speaker 5 (15:15):
And with the new gen zs in TikTok and social
media and all these platforms that are out there now,
all these people are going to their own social media
and posting and Nancy, they have a microphone. They're not
being censored, They're not being edited. They're not ending up
on the floor of the editing room. They're telling what
(15:36):
they want when they want, when they can. I love
it and get ready. There's a lot more of that
coming out on cases to come.
Speaker 1 (15:44):
You're not kidding, do Maybe what's wrong with what she said?
Speaker 2 (15:47):
I don't see anything wrong with what Lacey with aj
on TikTok had to say.
Speaker 1 (15:51):
She was a four person. She's proud.
Speaker 2 (15:53):
Aielsen asked for it, she did it, she deserved it,
she was convicted.
Speaker 1 (15:58):
Why what's the problem?
Speaker 3 (15:59):
Yeah, resons in.
Speaker 9 (16:00):
This condo, particularly if it's going on during the trial.
If she's going online commenting, looking at social media in
direct violation of court orders not to follow the case,
not to discuss the case until all jurors are sent
to the jury room to deliberate. That is a contemptive court.
And the remedy for that is the tinpot dictator gets
(16:22):
a new trial.
Speaker 1 (16:24):
WHA WHA.
Speaker 2 (16:25):
When I think for a miss Trump be granted, you
have to show that the error was so grievous that
it would have warranted a new trial, that it impacted
the jury so much that a new trial would be
warranted because there would have been a different outcome.
Speaker 1 (16:43):
Hold on, let's hear more from Lacey.
Speaker 6 (16:45):
With aj A lot of people are saying that I'm
the reason that a Kyla is going to happen, which
is just crazy because if you actually.
Speaker 1 (16:52):
Watched and really listened to.
Speaker 6 (16:54):
Anything I said, it's just no words. Yeah, I said
absolutely nothing that could hurt the verdict that we came
up with. Okay, Like I'm not as far as of
people's concerns as to me being on social media and
person by TikTok's in the last week or two, there
(17:16):
was no rule of stating that we cannot be on Thorcian.
Speaker 1 (17:18):
Media, the rule of provided by Judge Everett in this case.
Speaker 6 (17:21):
Okay, we cannot seek out information.
Speaker 17 (17:23):
About this case.
Speaker 6 (17:24):
We cannot talk about the case with anyone, We cannot
listen to others talk.
Speaker 1 (17:27):
About the case.
Speaker 6 (17:28):
We cannot do anything in regard to the case during
the trial. But now that I'm released as a juror,
I have the freedom to say and do.
Speaker 2 (17:39):
Whatever that Again, from at least you with aj On TikTok,
can I do Bay.
Speaker 1 (17:43):
I know you went to law school and you tried
a lot of cases, but I think she's got you
over the barrel.
Speaker 2 (17:49):
Guys joining me right now, Special guest Evan Higginbotham is
with us aka your R number six.
Speaker 1 (17:57):
Can you believe it was just a few.
Speaker 2 (17:58):
Short days ago that you voted guilty? You did vote guilty,
right on Donna Adelson? Correct, Yes, that's right, Okay, that
was just a few days ago. And already she has
hatched a motion for a new trial and to have
her case completely reversed. And part of her claim is
(18:22):
YOURR misconduct. How does that make you feel you're a
gr R? Did you see any conduct?
Speaker 18 (18:28):
I didn't know that.
Speaker 17 (18:29):
This doesn't surprise me at all. It would only make
sense for he look for something like this after the
verdict was served.
Speaker 2 (18:35):
Sounds like Donna Adelson didn't make a very good impression
on the jury. And more now here is Mitchelle McKenzie
Ailsen's your number five.
Speaker 19 (18:44):
There were certain witnesses that when they brought in, I
was focused kind of on her reaction and body language.
I really just wanted to see how she reacted to
certain things. I wanted to see how she reacted to
the information that was coming out. Uh, not that that
I could use that against her during deliberations, but you know,
it kind of gave me a sense of where her
(19:05):
head was at I think during certain testimony.
Speaker 2 (19:07):
Now that is a gurr appearing on Surviving the Survivor,
so GJ. McKelvey joining US investigative journalist. The other claim
is that that juror judged her Adelson on her reactions
in court. What's wrong with that? You know, they're asking
these jurors not to be human. Of course they're gonna
(19:29):
look at the defendant. And I've been in so many courtrooms, Nancy,
where it's like a tennis match. The jury watches the witness,
and they watched the defendant. And what I find funny too,
is that they had her dressed like a granny, so
they wanted the jury to look at her at certain times,
but not when testimony was going on.
Speaker 8 (19:46):
It's a human thing to do. And so I think
this is just a really moot point. I think it's
grasping its straws and throwing stuff against the wall to
see what sticks. But he immediately says, I didn't take
that in the jury room. There's no harm, no foul.
Speaker 16 (20:00):
So long story short, doctor gud how can you listen
to the evidence, listen to the testimony and look over
at the defendant and pretend you don't see what you see.
Speaker 1 (20:11):
What is she talking about? Exactly, Nancy.
Speaker 11 (20:14):
And no matter what we do, as human beings, given
germ instructions, our feelings are going to be entangled in
our decision making.
Speaker 1 (20:24):
We would love to say.
Speaker 11 (20:24):
That that's not going to be the case.
Speaker 1 (20:26):
That's just not true. We are emotional beings. That's how
we're built.
Speaker 11 (20:29):
And so you're hearing the evidence and then you're trying
to try to piece this all together and say, all right,
this person clearly doesn't even seem to show any remorse,
any empathy towards her other family members who have been affected.
What do we do with a somebody like this, because
they are going to be potentially a continued threat to
(20:51):
the rest of society. And even now as all of
this is unfolding, there isn't still a clear remorse and
that does factor into jury decisions. I'm sorry to say it,
but I just will.
Speaker 2 (21:03):
Guys, speaking of her reactions, watch her reaction.
Speaker 1 (21:08):
When the jury hands down the verdict.
Speaker 10 (21:11):
We have a jury find as follows as the count
one of the indictment, first degree murder. The defendant is
guilty of first degree murder. Missus Adelson, control yourself. Count two.
We have a jury find as follows as the count
(21:31):
two of the indictment, conspiracy to commit first degree murder.
The defendant is guilty of conspiracy to commit first degree
murder from.
Speaker 2 (21:42):
Our friends at tallahassee Democrat. Back to doctor Judy Hoe
joining us clinical forensic neuropsychologist.
Speaker 1 (21:47):
Did you see the crime? Did you see that?
Speaker 2 (21:50):
But nothing about Dan Markel, her dad's son in law,
Nothing about him, but just her.
Speaker 11 (21:58):
The first time does she shows such a extreme emotion
is of course about her own welfare and well being.
Speaker 1 (22:04):
And I would also.
Speaker 11 (22:05):
Argue that when someone has such an extreme reaction, even
if it of course is a decision, that's going to
affect your life.
Speaker 1 (22:13):
This is why she was told to control herself.
Speaker 11 (22:15):
Most people are not going to actually look kindly on that,
because there is a sense that perhaps that's put on,
whether that's true or not, that is going to be
someone's human intuition, someone's red flags going off saying, oh
my goodness, now she's really trying to demonstrate that she
is so emotional and so impacted.
Speaker 1 (22:34):
Where was this? The rest of trial, they're.
Speaker 11 (22:36):
Going to see the incongruency and it's going to be
hard for them to have more empathy after that.
Speaker 2 (22:42):
What about this, I don't know if this is in
your diagnostic manual, but what about rich little old Miami
saysilot can't believe somebody called her on her bass?
Speaker 16 (22:55):
Watch this dot gudi Count three.
Speaker 10 (23:00):
We the jury find as follows. As the count three
of the indictment, solicitation to commit first degree murder, the
defendant is guilty of solicitation to commit first degree murder.
If you cannot control yourself, I am going to have
to determine.
Speaker 18 (23:18):
If you'll be removed from.
Speaker 10 (23:19):
The remainder of this process. Do you understand what I'm
saying to you?
Speaker 17 (23:28):
Yes?
Speaker 3 (23:31):
Yes?
Speaker 10 (23:32):
Do you need a moment to collect yourself.
Speaker 1 (23:36):
Again?
Speaker 2 (23:36):
From our friends at Tallahassee Democrat daughter Judy Hoe, did
you see her between all that she said something very angrily,
talk about lack of self control, impulse control. But she
had plenty of time to call off the murder of
her son in law, but she couldn't control herself, just
(23:57):
like she can't control herself in the courtroom exactly.
Speaker 11 (24:01):
And this is why people are going to look at
this Nancy and say, why should I feel any sympathy
for this woman. No one's going to feel that sympathy
for her even as she is crying, balling her eyes out,
because of the context and when she's actually shedding those tears.
Speaker 13 (24:17):
Adolsen also cites courtroom environments. Wheneverett ruled against the defense,
the gallery laughed out loud despite multiple warnings from Everett.
Adolson claims the continued behavior eroded the defense's credibility in
the eyes of the jury. Adolsen also claims footage of
the proceedings shows gallery members making faces at the jurors
(24:37):
throughout the trial, distracting them from testimony.
Speaker 2 (24:41):
Well, if the gallery, the paint gallery had disrupted the trial,
I would have expected the judge to throw them out.
If this is true, Adelson complaining about the environment in
the courtroom is what convicted her. Well, the evidence was
overwhelming that she was involved in Markell's murder. Let's go
(25:03):
straight back out to Evan Higginbotham. Evan, what was your
first impression of Donna Edelson?
Speaker 18 (25:14):
My first imprint?
Speaker 17 (25:15):
It is hard to say because whenever I first came
in for a jury selection, she's an older lady, so
I wasn't certain who the defense attorneys were. They're all
sitting behind in the same desk, And it took until
me walking back there and speak to the defense team
and the prosecutors on the second day of jury selection
for me to realize that she was deft and I
(25:36):
had no opinion on her.
Speaker 2 (25:38):
Okay, wait, that's really funny. Funny, odd and funny. I
say predictable because I believe it is harder for gurrrs
to convict a woman of a violent crime such as murder.
Speaker 1 (25:53):
Like you said, you came in.
Speaker 2 (25:54):
And it took you a while to realize, Oh, it's
a little old lady.
Speaker 1 (25:58):
Speaking charged with murder.
Speaker 2 (26:00):
Because, for instance, I think of my own mother, and
my mother raised me, she took care of me, she
sacrificed for me. It's really hard for me to imagine
someone like my mother committing a murder or planning a murder.
Now tell me that again, how long did it take
(26:20):
you to realize, Oh, the older lady is the one
charged with murder.
Speaker 3 (26:26):
I left the.
Speaker 17 (26:26):
First day of jury selection, not I'm sure who the
defendant was. It took me coming back, and then after
I finally got in there and the defense attorney started
as speaking to me, for me Okay, so she's the.
Speaker 2 (26:38):
Defendant, Dubey, that is the defense attorney's dream guror they
can't with the defendant sitting right in front of them,
their mind cannot grasp she, the little old lady, is
the one charged with murder.
Speaker 1 (26:52):
He just can't comprehend that.
Speaker 9 (26:54):
Well, that's why I always advise to be yourself a trial.
I don't know why they clad her in an hout
is looking like Grandma Walton, because she really wasn't being herself.
And I got to tell you, on a personal level,
I don't agree with the judge the way he chied
it and casteized her in open court. The lady just
literally found out in a couple of words that whatever
(27:15):
left of her life is over, as opposed to finding
out that there is no Santa Claus anymore. It is ridiculous,
and it looks like she was.
Speaker 2 (27:26):
Yeah, you know what I do say that's falling flat
with me, because all that matters right now is will
there be a new trial. And this was already at
the verdict phase.
Speaker 1 (27:37):
The trial was over. That did not affect the verdict.
Speaker 2 (27:40):
When he said get a hold of yourself, woman, look and.
Speaker 1 (27:44):
All that is total bs. She you know what.
Speaker 3 (27:48):
Too.
Speaker 1 (27:49):
Robert Crispin joining us. He's been with the fence, he's
been with DOJ.
Speaker 2 (27:54):
Now he's joining Crispin Special Investigation, former homicide detective. She
did it, and now she's looking around going, oh my stars, Lilo,
me is in jail.
Speaker 1 (28:06):
This can't be real. How can I get out of here? Claw? Claw, Claw,
That's what's happening. She did it.
Speaker 5 (28:14):
Come on, Nancy, how many juries have we sat in?
How many trials have we sat in?
Speaker 1 (28:20):
The rubber hit the road? For Donna, it hit the road.
Speaker 5 (28:24):
The evidence was against her, The gallery wasn't against her,
the jury wasn't against her.
Speaker 1 (28:30):
The evidence was against her. She never thought, birched.
Speaker 5 (28:34):
Up on the sixteenth floor, that she would ever, ever,
ever get caught orchestrating and masterminding.
Speaker 1 (28:41):
This entire murder.
Speaker 5 (28:43):
But guess what, that jury came back in such a
short amount of time, and listening to some of the
conversations from those jurors when they got out, they did
an initial are you guilty?
Speaker 1 (28:58):
Is she guilty or not?
Speaker 5 (29:00):
When they were in their final deliberations, and they all
came back guilty. So nobody convicted Donna but herself. Not you,
not me, not the panic gallery, not the cops. Donna
Addison convicted herself.
Speaker 2 (29:16):
Hey, Crispin, which one of those buildings behind you was
her high rise? I guess a husband's still there, But
which one is it?
Speaker 5 (29:24):
So look, there's those two green glass buildings right there,
one with the white dome on it is the one
that she lived in, and it's up there on the
sixteen sixteen oh nine, sixteen four multimillion dollars. Nancy, I'm
telling you it's Scott sprawling insane views.
Speaker 20 (29:42):
Insane views.
Speaker 5 (29:44):
Guess what she's now sitting in jail cell for the
rest of her lifense.
Speaker 2 (29:47):
I guess some people are just so rich and so
living in a bubble. They're rich bubble. They think they
can get away with everything. Markel was just like a
paper cut, is it? You squashed it and throw it
in the trash and don't think about it again. I mean,
this guy was a brilliant lawyer, but more important, a
(30:08):
loving dad that did not want to be away from
his children. He wouldn't take a million dollars literally to
be away from them. It wasn't about money, it was
about them, them, That's all he cared about.
Speaker 1 (30:19):
Crispin.
Speaker 5 (30:21):
Yeah, yeah, that was a brutal homicide. That was a
great guy, a great father, a pillar in our community
in the legal profession. She masterminded this and took all
that away from him. Nan, she all that away, and
she treated all this in for her jail cell. So
you know what it is? What it is?
Speaker 2 (30:43):
Okay, Yeah, that's not a legal theory, but it's true.
Joining me right now, an incredible medical examiner, doctor Kendall Crowns,
talking about Save the Best for Last Chief Medical Examiner
Terran County.
Speaker 1 (30:56):
That's fort Worth.
Speaker 2 (30:58):
He is a host of a brand new hit podcast,
Mayhem in the Morgue. He is an esteemed lecturer at
the Brunette School of Medicine at TCU, And it goes
on and on, but for my purposes, has performed literally
thousands of autopsies. Can we have a reality check from
Donna Adelson in her ear wax and her starchy food
(31:19):
and her whining and crying about people that made fun
of her. Markel is dead and he died in a
brutal fashion, and he had long enough to know he
was dying. It wasn't instantaneous, was it. Doctor Kyndall Crown's Noah.
Speaker 20 (31:38):
Was not from the witness accounts he was moving after
he was shot, and based on the information we have,
there was a survival time period what the wounds were,
as he had a gunshot wound of his face that
entered into his cheek and another gunshot wound that entered
into his forehead. Now, the one in his cheek potentially
(32:00):
could not have hit vital structures that would have caused
him to die instantly, and the one in his forehead
potentially only encountered half.
Speaker 3 (32:09):
Of his brain.
Speaker 20 (32:10):
So if one half of your brain is hit, the
other half is still able to function and you aren't
going to die right away. But as you're sitting there
from the damage done by the gunshot wound, your brain
is going to swell and it's eventually going to pinch
off your brain stem and kill you. So that's why
when witnesses were there, they saw that he was still moving.
(32:31):
He probably only had half of his brain compromise, and
it took him a little while to die. The other
thing is is there's a mention of a gunshot wounded
the forearms, so he did probably try to shield himself
at one point before he got shot, and that's probably
why the cheek wound isn't as severe as the forehead.
Speaker 1 (32:49):
Wound crime Stores. With Nancy Grace.
Speaker 2 (33:01):
Joining us tonight, a very special guest, Evan Higginbotham is
with us, aka your R number six.
Speaker 1 (33:10):
Evan, thank you for being with.
Speaker 18 (33:11):
Us, Hey, thanks so much for having me.
Speaker 2 (33:14):
Did you ever wonder why Professor Markel's wife, Wendy wasn't
charged because it seems like this whole murder plot, the
whole murder was so Wendy, then Markel could take her children,
the boys, and move to Miami. Did you ever wonder, well,
(33:35):
wait a minute, how is she coming out smelling like
a rose?
Speaker 17 (33:40):
I definitely was interested in trying to understand that at
the beginning, and at this point now after going through
the whole trial and seeing it, it makes a lot
of sense as to why Wendy's at the.
Speaker 18 (33:51):
Back end of this and hasn't been charged with anything yet.
Speaker 17 (33:53):
I mean, they did such a good job of insulating
each other throughout this whole conspiracy, from say Frado Garcia
all the way to Miss Elsen.
Speaker 2 (34:02):
You know what, Evan Higginbotham, You're like a threat. You're
like a double threat. You've got charisma and brains. The
way you just said that you want to consider dumping
out of electrical engineering and going to law school. Referring
to how every member of the murder plot insulated each
(34:23):
other from getting.
Speaker 1 (34:26):
Caught, what do you mean by that? Well, you're absolutely right,
number one. But what leads you to that observation.
Speaker 17 (34:33):
Well, there was very little overlap in communication between Segfredo
Garcia to Catherine mcbena lah, from Cathrie mckrana Wah to Charlie,
and then from Charlie to Donna. There was a very
little overlap from that, so we didn't see very much
contact at on any from miss Eielson, Gothriye mcmanawah, vice versa,
or even Charlie to Secreto. And I think them setting
(34:56):
up that way and making sure that there was very
little contact outside of just their person makes it you
have to tie a connection further along able to make pet.
Speaker 2 (35:07):
Did any of the other jurors wonder why the wife,
Wendy had not been charged.
Speaker 17 (35:15):
I'm sure they have. I didn't seek to them very
much about that in any very deliberation. We stayed very
focused on just miss a. Viewers on trial with Donna,
I'm sure that they're probably just as interested to see.
Speaker 18 (35:32):
On the back end that I am about.
Speaker 17 (35:35):
Wendy's contribution to this, but I so very little to
all the other jurors about anyone outside of this. Miss
alelest in her.
Speaker 1 (35:43):
Part that was wise.
Speaker 2 (35:46):
Okay, so you get in there, and what went through
your mind when they called you to be a gerr
one of the twelve.
Speaker 17 (35:54):
My first thought was I'm going to miss a lot
of class and then and then it was a great experience.
I'm very grateful for being selected, But yeah, I was
surprised to be picked, though I thought that for sure,
me being a relatively young guy and being a student,
I figured it OU would be probably sent away pretty
(36:15):
early in the selection process.
Speaker 2 (36:17):
What was the most difficult part of the deliberations, I
don't honestly.
Speaker 17 (36:24):
It was going through the evidence. Again, there's a lot
of evidence to go through, so anything that we specifically
wanted to look at, we had to dig through and
find specifically what part of what piece of evidence we
wanted to go through, and that takes time to find.
And then But as far as like any sort of
friction between the jurors or anything like that, there was
(36:46):
very little. We all worked very professionally and pleasant discussion
the entire time there was any pickering or fighting, so
I was very impressed by everyone.
Speaker 2 (36:57):
Did any fights break out, did anybody ever fight over
the evidence, or you know, did recollections vary as to
the evidence.
Speaker 17 (37:06):
There was no viting whatsoever, which was surprising to me.
I expected there to be at least like some statsy
pickering here and there, but there was none of that.
There was different recollections, for sure. Some of us were
better note takers than others, so there would be things
where someone would mildly misremember something and then we'd go
back through the evidence to be okay. Well I was
taken on that, but everything was very pleasant.
Speaker 2 (37:28):
Evan, you're describing a pretty peaceful deliberations. That's what I
want to hear, because dissension among the Gurrars and fighting
leads to reversals. What do you believe was the strongest
piece of evidence that convicted Adelson.
Speaker 18 (37:45):
That's a difficult.
Speaker 17 (37:46):
Question to answer because there's not It's not a case
where there's a smoking gun, so to say, it's a
lot of.
Speaker 18 (37:52):
Small bits of evidence that add up.
Speaker 17 (37:55):
To create a picture where that shows for guilty. I'd
say that some of the testimonies that really stood out
were definitely Chris Corbett as well as Rob Adelson.
Speaker 18 (38:07):
I think we're very important. That's to us coming to
our conclusion.
Speaker 1 (38:11):
What specifically about those two, I think that.
Speaker 17 (38:17):
Rob's testimony gives a lot of insight into character that
you don't get from any of the other testimonies in
being such an integral part of her life, being herself,
her oldest son, and then Chris Corbett. The digital forensics
from that placing the cell phones at certain areas, as
(38:37):
well as being able to see the text messagesiness some
of the phone calls at what period of time helps
create help set up that picture and helped Bee able
to see where the communication was at the time when
she was partly in the regards to when it was happening.
Speaker 2 (38:53):
What did you think about the sun, I mean the Maestro.
Did you guys hear evidence about his vanity tag Maestro?
Speaker 17 (39:05):
I did not hear that specifically within the days, but
that doesn't surprise me after that day of us.
Speaker 1 (39:10):
Listen, why do you say that I'm talking.
Speaker 2 (39:12):
About Wendy's Wendy, the wife, Wendy who has not been charged,
brother who was right up in the middle of all
this doing his mother's bidding. He's already been convicted, of course,
had a vanity tag onnes What was it?
Speaker 3 (39:28):
Jack?
Speaker 2 (39:28):
A Lamborghini maestro, you know, the one that orchestrates everything.
Truer words were never spoken. What did you think about him?
Speaker 18 (39:40):
I was hoping that we would.
Speaker 17 (39:41):
Get a testimony from him of some kind. That may
not have been something that I wanted after got up
on the stand if that did end up happening, he
is someone that did like the ramble for sure. I
had my feel of hearing it from Carly on that
whole day of phone calls, like four hours worth of
was listening to Arley and Donna.
Speaker 18 (40:04):
But that doesn't surprise me. It seemed like someone that.
Speaker 17 (40:06):
Was very pervose and had a pretty big so attack
like that on this carps.
Speaker 2 (40:15):
It's hard to believe everybody in the family and all
these people are involved and she knows nothing about it.
But again that said, she has not been named as
suspect or a person of interest in this case. Question Evan,
how did the crime scene photos affect you? Which photos
do you recall as being the most vivid?
Speaker 3 (40:39):
The one of.
Speaker 17 (40:40):
Mister Markel in the hospital was definitely a difficult one
to look at outside of that.
Speaker 18 (40:46):
The other the ones of the crime scene, luckily were
not too strong, I guess would be the word I
would pick there.
Speaker 17 (40:56):
The one of them in the hospital that with all
of the tubes and life support film was definitely one.
Speaker 18 (41:01):
But yes, where reaction from me?
Speaker 2 (41:05):
What did you make of the bump as it has
been called, We're an LA law enforcement agent bumps in
to Donna Adelson and ask for five thousand dollars to
basically keep quiet about what he allegedly knows about the murder?
Speaker 1 (41:26):
What did you make of that?
Speaker 2 (41:27):
And the phone calls that she had with her son
following the bump.
Speaker 17 (41:32):
I think the bump operation was a really important part
of the space because nothing about the way she reacted
to that was ordinary.
Speaker 18 (41:40):
Anyone else you would expect.
Speaker 17 (41:41):
To immediately read the paper to begin with, and so
just sticking into your.
Speaker 18 (41:47):
First and then would likely call the police it's.
Speaker 17 (41:50):
Someone that is threatening or blackmailing you, and then definitely
not going to pick up your grandkids and then walk
them past the exact thing thought where that happened. So
I think that definitely set the tone for her involvement.
Speaker 2 (42:03):
I mean, all I needed to hear is for people
to say, don't call me, don't talk about this on
the phone, Let's go outside where they're not any bugs.
Speaker 1 (42:11):
I mean, why would you say that. I've never said
that in my whole life.
Speaker 18 (42:16):
Yeah, definitely have strange behavior.
Speaker 2 (42:18):
They thought of the boys living their life without their dad.
I believe their last names have been changed now. It's
almost as if Dan Markel has been totally erased.
Speaker 18 (42:36):
Yeah, it's heartbreaking.
Speaker 17 (42:38):
I feel terrible for those two kids because it's not
just the loss of their father, but it's the loss
of any normal life for them because that, you know,
they're getting to the age now where they absolutely have
to seeing some of the stuff that's living around the
Cairnet in regards to their mother and all with their family,
everything about their grandmother's trial, and that it's truly terrible
(43:03):
there because the victims and this as well.
Speaker 1 (43:09):
We wait as justice unfolds.
Speaker 2 (43:11):
And now we remember an American hero, Sergeant David Miller,
Clark's Fulle PD Tennessee, killed in the line of duty
after twenty years service, leaving behind grieving wife Amy and
two children. American hero, Rest in peace, Sergeant David Miller.
Speaker 1 (43:31):
Nancy Grace signing off goodbye friend,
Host
Nancy Grace
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