South Florida matriarch convicted in murder-for-hire killing of her ex-son-in-law seeks a new trial

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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — The matriarch of a South Florida family who faces life in prison for the hired killing of her former son-in-law is asking a judge for a new trial.

Attorneys for Donna Adelson argued that alleged juror misconduct and errors by the court should warrant their client another hearing of her case.

Earlier this month, jurors returned guilty verdicts in Adelson's weekslong trial on charges of first-degree murder, conspiracy and solicitation in the 2014 killing of Florida State University law professor Daniel Markel in Tallahassee where he taught.

In a motion for a new trial filed Tuesday, attorneys Joshua Zelman and Jackie Fulford said Adelson should get a new trial after two jurors went public with their stories after the trial, including one who posted a video on TikTok about her jury service and another who appeared on a true crime podcast called “Surviving the Survivor.”

The attorneys also argued that the verdicts were contrary to the law or the weight of the evidence, that prosecutors relied on speculation and inference to build their case, and alleged that Circuit Judge Stephen Everett showed favoritism to the prosecution throughout the trial.

"Where is the evidence Mrs. Adelson agreed; conspired; combined; or confederated with anyone else that Mr. Markel be killed? There is none," the attorneys wrote.

The case had riveted Florida's capital city for more than a decade amid sordid details of a messy divorce, tensions with wealthy in-laws and custody fights leading to the killing.

Markel had been locked in a bitter custody battle with his ex-wife and Adelson's daughter, Wendi Adelson, with whom he had two children.

Prosecutors argued at the trial that Donna Adelson helped orchestrate Markel’s killing after he stood in the way of letting her daughter and two young grandsons make the move from Tallahassee to South Florida to be closer to the rest of the family.

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Kate Payne is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.