2nd September 2025!
Background of the case: Donna Adelson, 75, is on trial in Tallahassee for her alleged role in orchestrating the 2014 murder-for-hire of her former son-in-law, Dan Markel, a respected law professor at Florida State University. Markel was fatally shot in the head in his Tallahassee garage amid a bitter custody dispute with his ex-wife, Wendi Adelson. The prosecution and the defense presented their theory of the case in the trial and a few witnesses took the stand and we shall be going through key parts of their testimony.
Case Info
Judge: Stephen Everett
Prosecutor: ADA Sarah Kathryn Dugan, ADA Georgia Cappleman
Defence Attorneys: Jackie Fulford, Josh Zelman
Today’s witnesses:
1. Witness #26 – Defence Witness #1 – Annie Cunningham – Friend of Donna Adelson
2. Witness #27 – Defence Witness #2 – Ron Guttarson – Friend of Harvey Adelson
3. Witness #28 – Defence Witness #3 – Kelsey Guay – Digital Forensics Examiner
Recalled Witness #26 – Defence Witness #1 – Annie Cunningham – Friend of Donna Adelson
4. Witness #29 – Defence Witness #4 – Richard Chagrin – Friend of the Adelsons
5. Witness #30 – Defence Witness #5 – Tarana Khan – Mitigation Specialist
6. Witness #31 – Defence Witness #6 – Eddie Varnes – Private Investigator
7. Witness #32 – Defence Witness #7 – Tim Kelly – Realtor
8. Witness #33 – Defence Witness #8 – Josh Turner – Dectective at Leon County Sheriff Office
- Witness #26 – Defence Witness #1 – Annie Cunningham – Friend of Donna Adelson
a. Direct Exam
i. She gave testimony about the times she spent with the Adelsons and how they met. She also says that she has never seen Donna harm or hurt anyone.
ii. She testified to being friends with Donna during the period that Wendi and Dan Markel were getting a divorce. She says that she is Jewish and says that Donna made a comfortable home for the kids to help them follow their faith. She says that Donna was upset during the divorce but not indicative of wanting to murder Dan.
iii. She testified that on the day of Dan Markel’s death, Donna had called her upset and crying. She did not know who had shot him.
iv. She testified that she became aware of the Charlie’s trial and conviction. She said that Donna was crying and distraught about this particular conviction. She says that Donna had considered taking her own life due to all that happened.
v. She testifies that Donna was excited about attending the 2024 January bar mitzvah planned and says that she wanted to go and clear her head.
b. Cross Exam
i. She says that Donna never called Dan names to her and says that Donna had mentioned the Christian comment she made to Wendi regarding making the kids christian to spite Dan and said that she said it was silly.
ii. She says that Donna had mentioned about being extorted but she can’t remember exactly when and said that Charlie was being extorted by Katherine after the bump.
1) This was expertly done to show to show she only mentioned this after the undercover agent.
iii. She says that Donna had watched the trial and says that the jury got it wrong. She was shown a transcript of what Donna said happened that day and she said that if Donna said it was Harvey crying on the floor then that’s what she says.
c. Redirect Exam
i. She says that Donna never told her that she was being extorted, only that Charlie was being extorted and says that she was always planning to return from Vietnam for the children’s bar mitzvah. - Witness #27 – Defence Witness #2 – Ron Guttarson – Friend of Harvey Adelson
a. Direct Exam
i. He testified that Harvey and Donna was off the wall because their son was just convicted. He said that he served in the military from 1966-1971 and has qualifications in Maths
ii. He testifies that the move both of them took was to clear their heads and would return for the kids bar mitzvah either January or February and would move heaven and earth to return under normal circumstances.
b. Cross Exam
i. He says that they might think twice to come back when confronted with the question of Donna having a warrant against her would be an abnormal circumstance.
ii. He says that if Harvey needed him, he would be there whenever.
c. No redirect Exam - Witness #28 – Defence Witness #3 – Kelsey Guay – Digital Forensics Examiner
a. Direct Exam
i. She testifies to working part of the police and led a lab in the police investigations specialising in data extractions.
ii. She testified to review all the Donna made available by law enforcement of Donna’s communications.
iii. She says that based on Corbitt’s presentation of data, and says that based on his chart, there were 417 communication attempts on Charlie’s files, so she checked Charlie’s for May 2nd 2014 to 20 July 2014 and says that she found overlaps when it comes to these files.
iv. She says that when she recreated the chart, it came to 218 communications. She says that she removed the duplicates and overlapping dates and got 318 unique communications and got 393 unique calls.
v. She agrees that the 393 calls were both attempted and connected
vi. She says that she wasn’t given cell site activity to review and law enforcement only have access to the cell activity of Donna and Charlie Adelson handset.
vii. She says that both Donna and Charlie Adelson would not be communicating with the local cell site.
b. Cross Exam
i. She testifies that she wasn’t aware of Annie Cunningham’s communications on the 18th July 2014
ii. She says that she does not disagree with Christopher Corbitt’s findings.
c. Redirect Exam
i. She testifies that apps like Viber, Facetime or apps etc, that the calls wont show up on the call records but will be lumped in on the data sessions.
d. Recross Exam – Nothing of note. - Recalled Witness #26 – Defence Witness #1 – Annie Cunningham – Friend of Donna Adelson
a. Direct Exam
i. She testifies that when she was communicating with Donna, it would be Viber and Whatsapp and that it was Viber they used for the 18th July 2014
b. Cross Exam
i. June 20th, 20 July & July 23rd 2014 normal calls were made to Annie by Donna but she said there are times the call would go through in their car.
c. No redirect Exam - Witness #29 – Defence Witness #4 – Richard Chagrin – Friend of the Adelsons
a. Direct Exam
i. He testifies to knowing Donna and Harvey from Gourmet clubs and says that he saw Donna and Harvey a day after Charlie was convicted saying that Harvey was in shock and Donna was distraught.
ii. He says that he told them that it would be cheaper to fly to Vietnam and says that they didn’t know how long they would be gone for and that’s why they went for the 90 day visa.
iii. He testifies that they wanted to get out of the country because they were ambushed and distraught by the media. He says that they have been to Vietnam in the past. He says that they were going to return for the Bar Mitzvah.
b. Cross Exam
i. The state confronts him with regarding his deposition where he said that he was at the Adelson’s on the 7th November 2023 to help them with their computer and he says that he also gave them suggestions on their travel.
c. Redirect Exam
i. The defence brings into the record the state asking in the deposition if he had made decisions for the Adelson’s and he says no that it was only suggestions. - Witness #30 – Defence Witness #5 – Tarana Khan – Mitigation Specialist.
a. Direct Exam
i. She testifies to doing investigative work for Donna Adelson and looking into Patricia Byrd during the time of 24th January 2025. She says that she never told her that Donna was offering Veneers, money and Patricia never told her that Donna had confessed to her or made her any offers to give her veneers piano etc.
b. Cross Exam
i. The state clarifies that she didn’t go to Patricia with the knowledge that she was not a state witness at the time.
ii. She testifies that she didn’t record the interview
c. Redirect Exam
i. She says that she would have made her notes available for the state. - Witness #31 – Defence Witness #6 – Eddie Varnes – Private Investigator
a. Direct Exam
i. He testifies to interviewing Patricia Byrd on 30th August 2024 seeking to know what Katherine Magbanua back in 2021. She never told him that Donna confessed to her or offered her land, veneers.
ii. He testifies that he didn’t record the interview and that Patricia never knew Donna before meeting her in jail and that Patricia told him that she was expecting an offer from the state soon.
b. Cross Exam
i. He says that the interview with Patricia was 30th August 2024 and the state said 25th July 2025 was when Patricia was added to the witness list.
ii. He says that Katherine had told her that they were extorting the Adelsons and her kids were to be fed.
iii. They asked him if he followed up to do a recorded interview after learning this and he said he never did that.
c. Redirect Exam
i. He says that according to his understanding, Patricia Byrd was listed as a defence witness on 24th September 2024.
Out of jury’s presence, an issue was raised with the court regarding the next witness that was brought up who was apparently sitting in the courtroom for 15 minutes breaking the court’s sequestration rules as he has heard the witness testimonies. Judge decided it was okay for the testimony as long as it is disclosed to the jury he has heard testimony.
- Witness #32 – Defence Witness #7 – Tim Kelly – Realtor
a. Direct Exam
i. He says that he knew Dan Markel and was contacted by him to see some homes in 2011. He says that they never purchased any homes in the Tallahassee area.
b. Cross Exam
i. State highlights to him that he wouldn’t have known what occurred in 2012 or 2013 regarding Wendi and Dan Markel and he agreed.
c. No redirect Exam - Witness #33 – Defence Witness #8 – Josh Turner – Dectective at Leon County Sheriff Office
a. Direct Exam
i. He testifies to his history at the Leon County sheriff office and says that he interviewed Drina Bernhardt in 2024. He said that Drina situated in herself to be seen on the camera.
1) He says that he downloaded the surveillance videos pertaining to Drina speaking with Donna.
2) He describes the footage showing that Drina had a notebook before speaking with Donna.
3) He describes that Drina takes a page out of the notebook and writes something down before Donna writing something.
4) He describes that Drina is the one writing in the note and then Donna writes on the paper.
5) He describes how both Donna and Drina are writing in the notebook page.
6) He describes Drina opening a notebook, writing and discussing with one another.
a) All of this shows that there is a high likelihood that there was context to the note she said she was instructed to write and it may have not been an instruction.
ii. He testifies that this video was recorded on 19th December 2024 and on the 20th December 2024, Drina goes to the states office that she has information about Donna.
b. Cross Exam
i. He says that on the 18th December 2024, she approached their office had said that Donna had solicited her on what to say in court and he had informed investigator Newlin about it
ii. He says that Donna was expecting the note back.
iii. State goes on to show on the footage where Donna was writing on the paper without Drina being present.
c. Redirect Exam
Defence highlights that all is relied on is what Drina had said to them when reporting and how they acted with the information they received from Drina.
Court Adjourned for the day!
Download the timeline of events PDF here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Qy-QyT-brlzrrEaDS_FuwRvj0YNkswr2/view?usp=drive_link
Hope you are now caught up with the substance of what happened in court on Day 7.
Thanks for reading xo
Sources:
Trial clips of the full trial is from The Trial Channel, Youtube Playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLq-6my_qlf8oMS9eGIfgoqSlfn4Vk6Vn&si=2m4b-tTAa2IwJVU4
