Donna Adelson, the 75-year-old matriarch of a prominent South Florida family, was sentenced to life in prison on Monday for her involvement in the 2014 murder-for-hire of her former son-in-law, Daniel Markel, a respected law professor at Florida State University (FSU).
Adelson received a sentence of life without the possibility of parole for the charge of first-degree murder, with an additional 30 years for conspiracy and solicitation, to be served consecutively. The sentencing follows her guilty verdict last month after a week-long trial that had drawn national attention for its sordid details involving a bitter custody dispute and a wealthy family’s alleged orchestration of a cold-blooded killing.
Markel Killed Amid Bitter Custody Battle
Markel was fatally shot in 2014 at his Tallahassee home amid a contentious custody battle with his ex-wife, Adelson’s daughter, Wendi Adelson. Prosecutors successfully argued that Donna Adelson was the calculated and controlling force behind the plot, driven by an intense hatred for Markel and the financial means to hire hitmen to carry out the killing.
Adelson’s son, Charles Adelson, is already serving a life sentence for his own role in the murder. Donna Adelson is the fifth person to be sentenced in the plot.
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Judge Cites ‘Utter Lack of Remorse’
Prior to the sentencing handed down by Circuit Judge Stephen Everett, a shackled Adelson, dressed in a purple jail jumpsuit, delivered an emotional statement where she swore her innocence, claiming the trial was a miscarriage of justice fueled by negative media coverage.
“What happened to Danny is unforgivable. But I am an innocent woman convicted of this terrible crime without evidence,” Adelson asserted. “I’ve always respected the law. I’ve never gotten a parking ticket. But I’m going to prison for a murder I did not commit.”
Judge Everett interrupted Adelson multiple times, sternly noting that her statements showed what he termed an “utter lack of remorse” for the crime.
“You certainly can choose to deny your involvement and maintain innocence. The court finds the evidence in this case is clear,” Judge Everett stated before delivering the sentence.
Adelson’s defense attorneys had maintained that the state lacked sufficient evidence to link the aging grandmother directly to the murder plot, instead emphasizing the roles of others.
Despite the conviction, Donna Adelson has already pledged to appeal the verdict and sentence. The case, which spans over a decade, has captivated the Florida public, chronicling a complex web of family tensions, divorce, and deadly retribution.
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