Harvey Adelson Makes Shocking Statement at Donna's Sentencing

[00:00:00] Speaker 1: At this time, I believe that Mrs. Adelson's husband, Harvey Adelson, would like to address the court. [00:00:07] Speaker 2: Very well. Do you wish to enter these letters into evidence? Yes, Judge. Does the state have any objection? No, Your Honor. It will be composite defense one for Sonson. Thank you, Judge. Dr. Adelson, please raise your hand, sir. Do you swear or affirm the testimony you're about to give will be the truth? Yes, I do. You can lower your hand. You may speak. [00:00:28] Speaker 3: Thank you, Judge, and respected officers of the court for allowing me to speak. I have been Donna Adelson's husband for over 50 years. My wife sacrificed everything so that she could pour her heart and soul into our children, our grandchildren, and our marriage. This summer was our 54th wedding anniversary, and I had to spend it without her hand in mine. She has done nothing wrong, and yet is being punished for a crime that she did not commit. I thought we lived in a different kind of sin, but I have listened, watched, and sat in the courtroom for the entire trial, and I could not help but scream in my mind by the witnesses that were brought forward by the prosecution who told outright lies. I didn't know that you could lie in a courtroom. I didn't know that you could lie in a courtroom, but apparently you can. Danny's parents contend that they have never seen their grandchild. But for years, for years, they say they've never seen her, but Wendy has shared with me pictures and videos and letters from their visits. They have suffered immensely at the loss of their son, but they also contend to tell lies to the court about our grandchildren. Donna has always been a loving and caring wife, and is innocent of the charges. A biased judge and jury were influenced by years of one-sided news pieces. [00:02:16] Speaker 2: And social dignity, Dr. Ms. Fulford, this has nothing to do with the character of the defendant, or at least the Senate Senate Senate. May I just have a moment, please? Go ahead. Thank you. I'll change it. [00:02:40] Speaker 1: Michael almost fell out of my chair. I cannot believe he just said to the judge, a biased judge and jury were influenced by the media, at which point the judge finally interrupted and said, I don't know what this has to do with her character. [00:02:52] Speaker 4: I like the way the judge handled it. Yes. Because clearly I know that would have upset him. Yes. All right. But he says, look, this has nothing to do with why we're here. We're here to talk about Donna. And this is the second witness that has said some things that I question why they're presenting this evidence. And, again, they may feel emboldened, empowered by the fact that it's not going to change one way or the other. So they want to say what they have to say. [00:03:14] Speaker 1: Right. [00:03:14] Speaker 4: But, again, I'm not sure how smart it is. [00:03:16] Speaker 1: Yeah, I agree with you. Let's bring in Josh Schiffer and get his thoughts. Josh, I mean, right? Same. That's exactly what I'm thinking. Go ahead. Tell us your thoughts. [00:03:25] Josh Schiffer: Oh, well, glad Franz isn't here anymore because there's just not enough heat around here. This, I'm telling you, that, that's wild, literally, talking about going with both barrels. Harvey is in charge and angry. He's got his moment to use, and he's going to let everybody know exactly how he feels. I've never quite seen anything quite like it. Harvey has stood by this family the entire time. I've spoken at length about how I believe the state's leaned on him this whole time, and I believe he may be next, as well as potentially Wendy. But he is not holding back at all, letting the judge who is about to sentence his wife to a mandatory period, but still has a lot of discretion on top of it, exactly what he feels about the justice system, fairness, and how this whole process has worked. [00:04:15] Speaker 4: Talk a little bit about what discretion the judge has, because I feel like both the witness before him, or two witnesses before him, as well as Harvey, may be emboldened by the fact that there is nothing to lose. And they've had these things to say, and this is their opportunity to say it. And again, I don't know how smart it is in the long run, but what difference could it possibly make? What discretion are you talking about, Josh? [00:04:40] Josh Schiffer: Well, you know, you're absolutely right that once the big prize is off the table, you can swing for the fences. And that's exactly what people are doing, trying to gain what? I don't exactly know, because this isn't going to have much of an effect other than allowing the judge to really swing hard on those discretionary additional sentences where the judge has additional range. He can add, you know, it will be telling to see exactly how angry the judge is when it comes time for the actual sentencing. And I don't believe we're going to get a big response from the judge. A judge has been a rock-solid paragon of integrity during what is clearly an emotional trial. And I think that he's going to be cool, calm, collected, as he drops the iron fist on Donna. [00:05:32] Speaker 1: And I don't think the judge is surprised, Michael, at things that he's hearing come out of these individuals' mouths, knowing people think in her life that she's innocent. [00:05:41] Speaker 4: I would have to agree. And again, he's probably heard it before, but I don't think it works out well for the people who are making those types of representations in this forum. [00:05:50] Speaker 1: I agree with you. All right, stay tuned. Josh, stand by. We're going to hear more from Harvey Adelson as he speaks at his wife's sentencing. It is fiery. Stay tuned. [00:06:04] Speaker 6: Tonight on Closing Arguments. Convicted for the murder of her former son-in-law, Donna Adelson, learns her fate. Vinny is back in the studio with a closer look at today's sentencing. [00:06:14] Speaker 7: Closing Arguments, tonight at 8, 7 Central, only on Court TV. This week. [00:06:20] Speaker 8: We're digging deeper into the biggest cases across the country. Join us for all the latest developments with what's trending in true crime. [00:06:29] Speaker 7: Opening statements with Julie Grant. Mornings at 8, 7 Central on Court TV. [00:06:40] Speaker 1: This is a fiery hour of court that we are bringing you in Tallahassee, Florida, where sentencing is currently underway for the matriarch mastermind, Donna Adelson. [00:06:56] Speaker 4: Adelson faces life in prison after being found guilty of orchestrating the murder-for-hire plot to kill her daughter's ex-husband, Dan Markell, back in 2014. [00:07:05] Speaker 1: Now, we do expect to hear from Donna herself. But right now, we're hearing from her husband, Harvey. Let's go back inside the courtroom for more. [00:07:14] Speaker 3: All right, thank you for letting me continue. Donna did not participate in the heinous acts that she was convicted of doing. You're sending an innocent woman to prison. You have taken my wife and that, and you have taken my life as well. And for what? This is not justice. It is vengeance, and it is wrong.