Donna Adelson emotionally maintains her innocence at sentencing for Dan Markel's murder

[00:00:00] Speaker 1: Thank you for letting me speak. My son-in-law Dan Markell was a fine and decent man he was well educated and passionate about his career he was a good son-in-law but more importantly he was a caring and loving father on July 18th 2014 his car was followed leaving his home it should have been just like any other day an ordinary day in the life of Ben and Lincoln's father but it wasn't he didn't know when he left his boys off at daycare that would be the last time he would see them and the last time they would see him he didn't know when he went to the gym afterwards that would be the last time he would exercise and he didn't know when he drove home that his life would end within minutes Danny wasn't just being followed he was being hunted he was brutally murdered in broad daylight sitting in his car in his garage by vicious killers I cannot imagine the terror he felt when he saw a gun pointed at him through the window of his car I cannot conceive of his heroic efforts to stay alive during the hours after the attack Danny died in the early morning hours of July 19th his death is a loss to his children his parents his sister all of us in his family his friends his colleagues in the legal community and to his students at FSU law school Danny's boys each have a photo of themselves with their Abba their dad beside their beds they grew up kissing the framed photo and saying good night Abba I love you but pictures and memories are all they have because cruel cold-hearted people took him from all of us who loved him my heart was broken when Danny died my grandsons were going to grow up without the father who loved them I wondered how could we help these boys through this trauma it was then that my husband and I knew that the best way to honor Danny's memory would be to share with these children an abundance of love the love that Danny would have given them if he were alive it is interesting how the state can't make up its minds about who is what they call the quote mastermind behind this murder in both of Catherine Macbana was trials the state claims she was the mastermind behind any's murder in my son Charlie Adelson's trial they claimed he was the mastermind and now in my trial they claimed that I this grandma was the mastermind behind the murder I had no idea that other people plan to cut Danny's life short and the people who did this are exactly where they deserve to be but I had no knowledge that this horrible evil act was going to take place if I had become aware of this plan before Danny was murdered I would have stopped it with not one iota of actual evidence the state convinced the Tallahassee jury that I solicited and conspired with other people to have Danny killed where is the evidence prior to the murder the evidence beyond a reasonable doubt that the state needed to prove their case where is the evidence before July 18th 2014 at 10:50 in the morning before you continue as it relates to this statement as it relates to this [00:04:56] Speaker 2: the defense trying to re-argue the trial no judge just giving Zadelson an opportunity to be heard [00:05:05] Speaker 1: Ms. Zadelson you certainly can continue however the court can take into consideration the utter lack of remorse that you are displaying please proceed if you desire to do so [00:05:08] Speaker 2: Where is the evidence before July 18th 2014 at 10:50 a.m. that revealed that I had any involved in the court in the court in the court in the court in the court [00:05:20] Speaker 1: Where is the solicitation and conspiracy evidence the state needed to show that there was evidence before the murder to convict me the state couldn't show that because there wasn't any evidence they were trying an innocent person it makes you wonder if the jurors were sleeping when the state had sergeant Corbett on the stand for hours their own star witness testified that my phone was never I repeat never at my son's house on the night of the murder the state's theory that my husband and I dropped off money to my son's house on the night of the murder the state's theory that my husband and I dropped off money to my son's house on the night of the murder the state's theory that my husband and I dropped off money to my son's house on the night of my son's house on the night of the murder the state's theory that my husband and I dropped off money to my son's house on the night of the murder my son was blown out of the water by their own witness and yet the state continued to push that story that lie of the so-called money drop to the jury through the remainder of the trial and the jury bought into it hook line and sinker reasonable doubt many months ago my attorneys filed a motion for a change of venue an expert witness testified that Tallahassee had been barraged with over nine years of negative social media printed news television news and podcast publicity about my family he explained to the court both with evidence and demonstratives that for me to receive a fair trial it needed to be held in any of the research to designated areas in the state of Florida other than Tallahassee all I wanted was a level playing field but the court wanted the trial here in the hotbed of Tallahassee I stepped through three days of jury selection 180 potential jurors were asked if they had developed an opinion in my case those that answered yes also added I believe she is guilty not one person not one said I think she may be innocent I think she may be innocent that should have been a clue to the court to grant our motion for a change of venue but the court denied the motion but the court denied the motion one of my jurors admitted during jury selection that she had background information concerning what one of the state's witnesses would be testifying about why was she allowed to be on my jury what moment another juror this has nothing to do with elocution of any sort this is a raising of grievances which are properly given to the appellate court what does any of this have to do with elocution of any sort this is a raising of grievances which are properly given to the appellate court what does any of this have to do with elocution [00:08:18] Speaker 2: what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing just one moment please what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing [00:08:36] Speaker 1: what does any of this have to do with sentencing [00:08:37] Speaker ?: what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing [00:09:10] Speaker 2: what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing [00:09:13] Speaker ?: what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing [00:09:40] Speaker 2: what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing [00:09:42] Speaker ?: what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing [00:10:53] Speaker 1: what does any of this have to do with sentencing [00:10:54] Speaker 2: what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing [00:10:57] Speaker ?: what does any of this have to do with sentencing [00:10:58] Speaker 1: what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing [00:11:48] Speaker ?: what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing [00:11:51] Speaker 1: what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing [00:12:01] Speaker ?: what does any of this have to do with sentencing [00:12:02] Speaker 1: what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing [00:12:18] Speaker ?: what does any of this have to do with sentencing [00:12:19] Speaker 1: what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing [00:12:32] Speaker ?: what does any of this have to do with sentencing [00:12:33] Speaker 1: what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing [00:13:06] Speaker ?: what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing what does any of this have to do with sentencing