TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (CBS12) — The 75-year-old matriarch of a wealthy South Florida family was sentenced to life in prison Monday for masterminding the murder-for-hire of her former son-in-law, Florida State University law professor Daniel Markel.
According to CNN, Donna Adelson was convicted of first-degree murder, conspiracy, and solicitation in a case that exposed deep family rifts and a deadly custody dispute. Prosecutors said she orchestrated the 2014 killing to keep her daughter and grandchildren close, describing her as the “driving force” behind the plot.
During her sentencing in a Tallahassee courtroom, Adelson, 75, maintained her innocence, calling the trial a “miscarriage of justice” and claiming she was convicted “without evidence.” Circuit Judge Stephen Everett interrupted her statement multiple times, citing her “utter lack of remorse.”
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The judge handed down a life sentence without parole for the murder charge, plus 30 years for conspiracy and solicitation, to be served consecutively. Adelson is the fifth person sentenced in connection with the killing. Her son, Charles Adelson, is already serving a life sentence. Wendi Adelson has not been charged and denies involvement.
This case has drawn national attention for more than a decade, exposing a tangled web of family conflict, privilege, and tragedy.
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