TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – Donna Adelson is expected to be sentenced at 3 p.m. this afternoon for the 2014 murder for hire of her former son-in-law, FSU law professor Dan Markel.
The South Florida grandmother was found guilty last month of first-degree murder, conspiracy and solicitation in the 2014 murder for hire plot.
Donna Adelson faces a mandatory life sentence for the first-degree murder conviction.
Prosecutor Georgia Cappleman said the Markel family, who lives in Canada, will be appearing via Zoom. Markel’s parents, Ruth and Phil, both addressed the court in person just minutes after the guilty verdict was announced back on September 4.
Defense attorney Jackie Fulford says Donna Adelson “will likely make a statement” at today’s sentencing hearing and there may be several other family members and friends who will speak on her behalf.
If Adelson does speak at today’s sentencing hearing, it would be the first time she addresses the court. Adelson decided against testifying in her own defense at trial.
A jury found Adelson guilty as charged last month after a two-week trial and just over three hours of deliberation.
FULL TRIAL: Watch the entirety of Donna Adelson’s trial
Nearly two weeks after her conviction, Donna Adelson’s defense team requested a new trial, claiming juror misconduct.
But Leon County Circuit Judge Stephen Everett denied the motion after not finding the jury’s verdict to be “contrary to the law or the weight of the evidence,” court documents revealed.
The 75-year-old was the latest to stand trial in Markel’s death. Her son, Charlie Adelson, convicted hitman Sigfredo Garcia and convicted go between Katherine Magbanua are all serving life sentences in the plot. Hitman Luis Rivera is serving a 19 year prison sentence in exchange for his testimony against the others.
Today’s sentencing comes nearly two years after Donna Adelson was arrested boarding a one-way flight to Vietnam. Her arrest came just a week after her son, Charlie Adelson, was convicted in the same murder for hire plot.
WCTV will be live-streaming Donna Adelson’s sentencing under our Watch Live tab as well as on the WCTV YouTube and Facebook pages.
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