Robert Todd Adelson, Eldest Son, Full Testimony: Donna Adelson Murder Trial

[00:00:00] Speaker 1: or affirm the testimony you're about to give in this matter will be the truth. I swear. You may take your seat. Please speak loudly and clearly. You can adjust the microphone as need be. Ms. Dugan, you may examine. [00:00:12] Speaker 2: Thank you. Could you tell us your name and spell your name for our court reporter, please? [00:00:16] Robert Todd Adelson: Sure. Robert Todd Adelson, A-D-E-L-S-O-N. [00:00:20] Speaker 2: Thank you. And what state do you currently live in? [00:00:24] Robert Todd Adelson: New York. [00:00:25] Speaker 2: And how long have you lived in New York? [00:00:27] Robert Todd Adelson: Twelve, thirteen years. [00:00:29] Speaker 2: Okay, so since maybe 2012? Yes. All right. What do you do for a living in New York? [00:00:34] Robert Todd Adelson: I'm an ENT. [00:00:35] Speaker 2: Okay, so ear, nose, and throat doctor? [00:00:37] Robert Todd Adelson: Yes. [00:00:37] Speaker 2: And how long have you worked as an ENT? [00:00:39] Robert Todd Adelson: For 20 years. [00:00:41] Speaker 2: How do you know the defendant in this case, Donna Adelson? [00:00:45] Robert Todd Adelson: She's my mother. [00:00:46] Speaker 2: And Harvey Adelson's your dad? [00:00:48] Robert Todd Adelson: Yes. [00:00:49] Speaker 2: Wendy and Charlie Adelson are your siblings? [00:00:51] Robert Todd Adelson: Yes. [00:00:52] Speaker 2: Okay. And where did you grow up? [00:00:55] Robert Todd Adelson: In Coral Springs, Florida. [00:00:57] Speaker 2: Is that a bit north of Miami? [00:01:00] Robert Todd Adelson: Yep. [00:01:00] Speaker 2: About how long of a drive? [00:01:02] Robert Todd Adelson: About an hour north of Miami. [00:01:04] Speaker 2: Okay. When y'all were growing up, did you all, the five of you, live in the same house as a family? [00:01:09] Robert Todd Adelson: Yes. [00:01:10] Speaker 2: And who's the oldest child? [00:01:12] Robert Todd Adelson: I am. [00:01:12] Speaker 2: Okay. Who's the middle child? [00:01:15] Robert Todd Adelson: Charlie. [00:01:15] Speaker 2: How many years between you and Charlie? [00:01:17] Robert Todd Adelson: Three years between Charlie and I. [00:01:19] Speaker 2: And then who's the youngest then is Wendy? [00:01:22] Robert Todd Adelson: Yes. [00:01:22] Speaker 2: And how many years between Charlie and Wendy? [00:01:24] Robert Todd Adelson: Three years. [00:01:25] Speaker 2: Okay. When you were 18, did you move out of the Coral Springs house? [00:01:33] Robert Todd Adelson: Yes, when I went to college. [00:01:34] Speaker 2: Okay. And did you go to college at University of Florida? [00:01:37] Robert Todd Adelson: I went to Tulane. [00:01:39] Speaker 2: Oh, thank you. Okay. Did you go to, did you live in Gainesville at some point? I did, yes. Okay, thank you. So, after you went to college at Tulane and then went on to med school, went on to residency, throughout those years, did you continue to talk to your parents and your siblings on a regular basis? Yes. And would you see them a couple of times a year? [00:02:03] Robert Todd Adelson: Yes. [00:02:04] Speaker 2: When you were in school, would you go home for the summer? [00:02:07] Robert Todd Adelson: Yes. [00:02:08] Speaker 2: Based on your personal observations throughout your life of your parents and of your siblings, who is the leader in the family? Who tends to run the show? [00:02:19] Robert Todd Adelson: I think my mom. [00:02:20] Speaker 2: Okay, so Donna Adelson? [00:02:21] Robert Todd Adelson: Yes. [00:02:23] Speaker 2: Would you describe Donna Adelson's personality as being more controlling or more laid back? [00:02:30] Robert Todd Adelson: I think more on the controlling side. [00:02:32] Speaker 2: What about, is she kind of a more assertive person or a more passive person? [00:02:38] Robert Todd Adelson: A more assertive. [00:02:40] Speaker 2: What about your dad, Harvey Adelson? What's his personality like? [00:02:45] Robert Todd Adelson: I think he's more passive, more go with the flow. [00:02:49] Speaker 2: Okay. So, they're kind of opposites in that way a bit? [00:02:52] Robert Todd Adelson: Yeah. [00:02:54] Speaker 2: When you and your siblings were growing up, was Donna Adelson a very involved parent? [00:02:58] Robert Todd Adelson: Yes. [00:03:01] Speaker 2: And when I say involved, as far as with your life and with your friends and with school and with that type of thing? [00:03:06] Robert Todd Adelson: Absolutely. [00:03:07] Speaker 2: Did she have certain fixed ideas throughout your life of certain things she wanted to happen in you and your sibling's life? [00:03:15] Robert Todd Adelson: Yes, absolutely. [00:03:17] Speaker 2: Was it acceptable if you decided to not do those certain things that she was fixated she wanted you to do? Was that acceptable to her or no? [00:03:27] Robert Todd Adelson: No, no, I think she had certain sort of rigid fixed ideas or impressions for what she wanted for us. And, you know, if you went along with that, things were fine. If you didn't, things were not fine. [00:03:37] Speaker 2: Did she have strong opinions about who you all married and what you all did for a living and those types of things? [00:03:44] Robert Todd Adelson: Yes. [00:03:45] Speaker 2: And you're obviously a doctor. Was that an acceptable profession to her? Yes. [00:03:49] Robert Todd Adelson: Yeah. That was okay. [00:03:51] Speaker 2: Okay. And was that one of the reasons you became a doctor? [00:03:56] Robert Todd Adelson: Yes. [00:03:56] Speaker 2: Okay. How involved was Donna in yours, Charlie, and Wendy Adelson's life after you grew up, became adults, and had kids of your own? [00:04:08] Robert Todd Adelson: I think still involved. [00:04:11] Speaker 2: Was she more involved with your life, Charlie's life, or Wendy's life, would you say? [00:04:16] Robert Todd Adelson: Yeah, probably more involved with Wendy and probably to a lesser degree with Charlie. [00:04:19] Speaker 2: Okay. And then would you be the kind of the least, she's the least involved with your life out of the three? [00:04:26] Robert Todd Adelson: Yeah, probably because I was older, but sure, I agree. [00:04:29] Speaker 2: Okay. So you're the oldest child. You're out of the house before the other two? [00:04:33] Robert Todd Adelson: Yeah. [00:04:33] Speaker 2: Okay. And then you also lived other places after you went to college throughout the rest of your life? [00:04:38] Robert Todd Adelson: Yes. [00:04:39] Speaker 2: Now, was this like a healthy level of involvement that she had with the three of your lives, or was it more of like a micromanaging as you saw it? [00:04:49] Robert Todd Adelson: I think it was certainly between over-involved and controlling, it probably lended itself more toward controlling, but in various realms, more or less, but I think certainly that was the tension. [00:05:02] Speaker 2: Okay. So a little more on the controlling side. [00:05:05] Robert Todd Adelson: Yes. [00:05:07] Speaker 2: And does that include your personal lives as far as your relationships and in your professions, your jobs? [00:05:14] Robert Todd Adelson: Yes. [00:05:21] Speaker 2: Did, was it Charlie who always needed more attention than the other two children? [00:05:26] Robert Todd Adelson: I think so, yes. [00:05:28] Speaker 2: When did Wendy's life become, start becoming one that she needed to pay or give more attention to? [00:05:34] Robert Todd Adelson: You know, I think when she had some troubles in her marriage. You know, I wasn't aware there were any troubles in her marriage until Wendy left, but I think around that time when she had two young children, I think that was when she became more involved and I was, you know, at that point living, you know, pretty good distance away. [00:05:53] Speaker 2: Okay. Were you living in Philadelphia at the time? [00:05:55] Robert Todd Adelson: Yeah, first in Philly and then in New York where we live now. [00:05:59] Speaker 2: Okay. Okay. And so Charlie always got a lot of attention and then Donna also started giving her attention also to Wendy's life once Wendy starts going through the separation or divorce. Yeah, I agree. From your interactions with Donna Adelson through your whole life growing up and even as an adult, would you describe her as someone who's mentally sharp, thinking about things from all angles, or is she someone who's a little more gullible? [00:06:34] Speaker 1: Yes, sir. If your objection is sustained, you may continue with your examination. [00:06:45] Speaker 2: Were Charlie and Donna Adelson dependent on each other or pretty independent from each other? [00:06:54] Robert Todd Adelson: I would say they, I mean, Charlie was probably somewhat dependent on my mom to help him out with, you know, organizing stuff, his dental practice. I think he probably relied on her a lot. [00:07:03] Speaker 2: Okay. Was, and you mentioned the dental practice, when you were growing up, who owned the dental practice? [00:07:12] Robert Todd Adelson: My dad. [00:07:13] Speaker 2: Okay. And throughout your life, was Donna Adelson in charge of the money at Adelson Institute? [00:07:20] Robert Todd Adelson: Yeah, I always, you know, I wouldn't know the inside workings of it, but I always remember my mom, like, signing the checks and writing a checkbook at the table, like, when I was back in middle school or high school, so. [00:07:30] Speaker 2: Okay. So even back then, she would do some bookkeeping or payroll type things at home? [00:07:36] Robert Todd Adelson: That's my memory of it. [00:07:37] Speaker 2: Okay. And then, did the dental practice, you said it also, it obviously started out at Harvey's. Do you remember a time when Charlie Adelson took over? [00:07:47] Robert Todd Adelson: Yeah, I remember my dad making a joke about him having a very understanding boss, because Charlie was now his boss, so. [00:07:53] Speaker 1: Do not testify to what others have stated out of court. You may testify as to your knowledge, but not what someone else specifically said. The objection is sustained. You may continue. [00:08:06] Speaker 2: I understand you were telling us how you remember that, but can you just tell us around what year do you remember that happening? [00:08:13] Robert Todd Adelson: Around 2012, Charlie purchased the practice. [00:08:17] Speaker 2: Okay. And then, was there a time that you remember Charlie somehow selling it back to Harvey Adelson as then becoming the head of the practice again? Jeff, unless he has personal knowledge. [00:08:30] Speaker 1: I will permit you to answer the question if you have knowledge of this matter. [00:08:35] Robert Todd Adelson: My memory of that was sometime in, like, fall to winter of 2015 to 16, some right around there. That's my memory. [00:08:43] Speaker 2: Okay, so fall to winter of 2015. Turning into 2016. Turning into 2016. That's my memory. Okay. Now, you mentioned Donna Adelson doing payroll at Adelson Institute throughout your life. If someone were to ask Donna Adelson, or if someone asked Donna Adelson to do something, is she the type of person that just snaps to it, or does she have some questions first? [00:09:10] Speaker ?: I'm going to object as to the ruling judge. [00:09:13] Speaker 1: Overall, this is not very familiar, but you may answer the question. [00:09:18] Robert Todd Adelson: No, I don't think she would just snap to and do what someone told her to. [00:09:23] Speaker 2: Okay. Is she the type of person who's going to have some questions if you ask her to do something? [00:09:27] Robert Todd Adelson: I think she would definitely have some questions. [00:09:29] Speaker 2: How did Donna Adelson feel about Dan Markell when he and Wendy first got together and were headed towards marriage? [00:09:44] Robert Todd Adelson: He was very positive about him. [00:09:46] Speaker 2: Okay. So he was somebody she approved of? [00:09:49] Robert Todd Adelson: Yes. [00:09:50] Speaker 2: All right. And how did that change as Wendy and Danny's relationship soured? They ended up moving towards divorce. [00:09:57] Robert Todd Adelson: So I really only heard anything bad about Danny after Wendy moved out. I didn't hear anything bad about him prior to that date. [00:10:05] Speaker 2: Okay. So it just kind of went from everything's fine to then hearing bad things about him. [00:10:09] Robert Todd Adelson: Yes. [00:10:10] Speaker 2: And when you say hearing bad things about him, like from her? From Donna Adelson, I'm sorry? Yes. Okay. And how did Donna Adelson feel about Dan Markell in 2014? [00:10:22] Robert Todd Adelson: I mean, she hated him. [00:10:25] Speaker 2: And would this come from, your knowledge of that, come from things that she would say to you? [00:10:31] Robert Todd Adelson: Yes. I mean, yeah. [00:10:34] Speaker 2: Did you observe that Wendy played a bit of a damsel in distress, in your opinion, in the divorce? [00:10:40] Robert Todd Adelson: Yes, I think that's a good way to describe it. [00:10:43] Speaker 2: Did Donna Adelson ever talk to you about Wendy Adelson and Dan Markell's divorce? [00:10:52] Robert Todd Adelson: I apologize. Did Donna Adelson, I apologize. Can I hear the question again? I'm sorry. [00:10:55] Speaker 2: Did Donna Adelson ever talk to you about Wendy and Dan Markell's divorce? [00:11:00] Robert Todd Adelson: Some. I mean, the phrase that sticks in my head is that Danny was depoting Wendy to death. You know, I wasn't involved with, you know, all the various motions. I remember that phrase. I remember there being a lot of, you know, court motions back and forth. But I remember that phrase. I remember, you know, some complaints about, like, very long either mediation or depositions that Wendy had to endure. [00:11:26] Speaker 2: Okay, so this is Donna saying Wendy's having to go through these things. Yes. Okay. And she's telling you about it. [00:11:33] Robert Todd Adelson: Yes. [00:11:35] Speaker 2: Did, how did Donna tell you that, or did she tell you that, how Wendy was planning to leave Dan Markell and give him the news that she was leaving the marriage? [00:11:49] Speaker 1: I think you're going to need to rephrase this in such a way the witness can answer, Ms. Duggan. [00:11:58] Speaker 2: How did Donna Adelson describe to you how Wendy Adelson left the marriage? [00:12:03] Speaker 1: I think you're going to need to rephrase this in such a way the witness can answer, Ms. Duggan. You may continue your examination, Ms. Duggan. [00:12:18] Speaker 2: Okay, so I was asking you about this text that you received from Wendy Adelson. Can you tell me about this text? [00:12:26] Robert Todd Adelson: Sure. She texted me that she was going to Gainesville for the weekend, and this was 2014, so I last lived in Gainesville about, you know, three years prior to that. I mentioned that she wanted to, I mentioned the name of Jeff. I asked, who is Jeff? The response was, my boyfriend. I responded, I didn't know, and she said, you wouldn't, you know, I didn't hear it from the parents. She said, they don't know. And so it just struck me as, and then she sent me some pictures of Jeff with her and the boys. It just, it struck me as unique because she'd never shared the name or photograph of a boyfriend before. [00:13:05] Speaker 2: Okay, so. [00:13:05] Speaker 1: Before we continue, Mr. Duggan, members of the jury, as to the last question and response, you are not to consider the hearsay statement for the truth of the matter asserted. You may continue. [00:13:17] Speaker 2: Okay. So it was unusual for her to talk to you about boyfriends at all. [00:13:22] Robert Todd Adelson: Yes. [00:13:22] Speaker 2: But you also felt it was unusual that she's telling you about this boyfriend when even your parents don't know about him yet. Right. And she was closer to her parents at the time than you? [00:13:31] Robert Todd Adelson: Correct. [00:13:32] Speaker 2: Okay, what date was that text message sent? [00:13:39] Robert Todd Adelson: The very end of June, like 26 or 28 of 14, that last weekend. [00:13:45] Speaker 2: Okay, so it was prior to 4th of July weekend. [00:13:48] Robert Todd Adelson: Yes. [00:13:49] Speaker 2: Okay. And do you remember where in those photographs Wendy is with her sons and Jeff? [00:13:57] Robert Todd Adelson: Like Wakulla Springs, something like that. Okay. They were in front of, like, a board that said that. [00:14:05] Speaker 2: And did you let her know you wouldn't mention him to her parents or to your parents? Yes. Did that strike you as so unusual that after Dan Markell was murdered, you felt, I guess, compelled to tell police, like, hey, I heard she has this boyfriend she hasn't told anybody about named Jeff? [00:14:28] Robert Todd Adelson: Yes, they, you know, I did, the FBI came to my house and I spoke to them once and either didn't come up or, you know, it's a bit nerve wracking talking to the FBI and that they didn't ask any questions about that. And then, you know, I guess over the ensuing week I'd heard about, like, this Prius and this, you know, this unsolved murder. And I remembered, you know, it struck me as odd that I was sent these photographs of a boyfriend and not to tell the parents about him. And so that's when I wanted to have a clean conscience. So I reached out to the FBI and I said, you know, I don't know if this matters, but I figured I would, you know, tell you about this. And they came back for a second interview and looked at the pictures. [00:15:06] Speaker 2: Okay. When is your father, Harvey Adelson's, birthday? [00:15:10] Robert Todd Adelson: July 5. [00:15:11] Speaker 2: Okay. So on July 5th of 2014, how old would he have turned that year? [00:15:16] Robert Todd Adelson: 70. [00:15:17] Speaker 2: Okay. And this is about two to three weeks before Dan Markell was killed? [00:15:22] Robert Todd Adelson: Yes. [00:15:22] Speaker 2: Did the family, did your family do anything to celebrate his birthday that year? [00:15:27] Robert Todd Adelson: Yes. We had a party at their, at their condo. [00:15:31] Speaker 2: Okay. Was there a gift from the family or from any of you to him? [00:15:35] Robert Todd Adelson: No, no. I remember an email and my dad is not someone who wants gifts or a big deal made about him. And so, you know, the email is like, you know, your dad doesn't want gifts. He just wants all of his kids to be with him on his birthday. [00:15:48] Speaker 2: And was that from Donna Adelson? Yes. So she's basically just letting know you and your kids coming is going to be his gift. [00:15:54] Robert Todd Adelson: Correct. [00:15:55] Speaker 2: And everybody, all the kids and grandkids being here. Correct. Okay. Did the family ever discuss going on a cruise? [00:16:02] Robert Todd Adelson: No, not with me. [00:16:04] Speaker 2: When a birthday gift is given for somebody in the family, does Donna Adelson typically say, we're going to get him this, everybody owes this much, everybody's going to pay a third or whatever it is? [00:16:15] Robert Todd Adelson: Yeah. If there was like a big gift we're getting or they said, you know, we're getting this for someone, you know, and you can be part of it, that was not uncommon. [00:16:23] Speaker 2: Okay. So tell us at the party, or about the party. You said it was at the continuum? [00:16:29] Robert Todd Adelson: Yes, at their apartment. [00:16:30] Speaker 2: Okay. So is that like a condo building in Miami? [00:16:33] Robert Todd Adelson: Yeah, on Miami Beach. [00:16:35] Speaker 2: Okay. On Miami Beach, like South Beach? [00:16:37] Robert Todd Adelson: Yeah. [00:16:38] Speaker 2: Okay. And is it a, is it a secure building? [00:16:43] Robert Todd Adelson: It's very secure. It was, you know, we were staying at a hotel down the street and there was like, you know, armed guards and, you know, it was a, apparently there's a lot of celebrities that live there. It was a very high, very secure building. [00:16:55] Speaker 2: Okay. And these celebrities that live there, were they people that you knew of? I mean, you knew who they were? [00:17:02] Robert Todd Adelson: Sure. Yeah. A-Rod. [00:17:04] Speaker 2: Did these people have kind of guards of their own too in the building? [00:17:08] Robert Todd Adelson: I don't know. [00:17:09] Speaker 2: Oh, okay. So the guards that you saw were the guards in the front? Yes. All right. Had your parents, how recently had they moved to the continuum? [00:17:19] Robert Todd Adelson: You know, I got the idea. It was certainly less than a year. Like, I don't remember exactly, but it seemed like they said they were going to try living down in South Beach to see if they liked it for their retirement. And so it had to be sometime, you know, before because they were pretty well moved in there. But I don't, I don't remember the exact time, but if I'm guessing like maybe six months before or something like that. [00:17:39] Speaker 2: Okay. So by the weekend of the party, July 5th, are they like fully moved into their condo there? Yes. Okay. And are they living there full time from what you know? [00:17:49] Robert Todd Adelson: It seemed like that, but I couldn't, I know they still own the house in Coral Springs. So I don't know if they were just there on the weekends, but I couldn't say definitively, but it looked like they were living there fully. [00:18:01] Speaker 2: Was his party on his actual birthday or another day of the week? [00:18:04] Robert Todd Adelson: No, on his actual birthday. [00:18:06] Speaker 2: All right. Was your brother Charlie there that weekend? [00:18:08] Robert Todd Adelson: Yes. [00:18:10] Speaker 2: Wendy and her sons, were they there? [00:18:11] Robert Todd Adelson: Yes. [00:18:12] Speaker 2: Was the party catered? [00:18:15] Robert Todd Adelson: Yeah, there was, yes. [00:18:17] Speaker 2: What type of food did you have? [00:18:19] Robert Todd Adelson: There were like, like past hors d'oeuvres and then there was a, like a paella chef on the balcony. [00:18:25] Speaker 2: Okay. Was the party a surprise for Harvey? [00:18:29] Robert Todd Adelson: No. [00:18:31] Speaker 2: So you were never told, don't tell him about it, it's a surprise? No. Anything like that? Don't tell him. Were you not supposed to tell him anything about the party that was a surprise? [00:18:41] Robert Todd Adelson: No, there was nothing about a surprise birthday. [00:18:44] Speaker 2: Was there ever a time in the weeks leading up to the party that you heard that the party may be canceled for any reason? [00:18:51] Robert Todd Adelson: No. Never. [00:18:54] Speaker 2: All right. So how did you first hear about Dan Markell's murder? [00:19:00] Robert Todd Adelson: Yeah, you know, I heard the day after the shooting occurred, so that would be Saturday, July 19. I was at a meeting in Chicago and I think I got a phone call first and that I, you know, I was in a meeting and so I just said, I can call it, can I call you later? And then I got a text message shortly thereafter, like right before 10 in the morning, it said like, tragedy here, please call. [00:19:26] Speaker 2: I know these from Donna Adelson? [00:19:28] Robert Todd Adelson: Yes. [00:19:28] Speaker 2: Okay. So were you able to call her that morning from the conference in Chicago? [00:19:33] Robert Todd Adelson: Yeah, so I walked out and went to the hotel lobby and just hit call. [00:19:40] Speaker 2: Okay, and tell us about that conversation with her. [00:19:43] Robert Todd Adelson: So, you know, it's one of those moments that, you know, you'll just remember forever. So I remember being, you know, in the lobby of the Westin and, you know, I assumed something, you know, terrible had happened and I wasn't ready for it. She said, you know, so we just want to let you know that Danny's been shot and they took him to the hospital, but he didn't make it. And I mean, it just didn't make any sense. And, you know, I probably asked like a few medical questions and they said, they're driving up to go help Wendy. And, you know, we'll talk to you later. We can't talk now. [00:20:18] Speaker 2: Okay. Was she crying in that conversation? [00:20:22] Robert Todd Adelson: Not in that conversation. [00:20:23] Speaker 2: Sir? [00:20:24] Robert Todd Adelson: No, she was not. [00:20:25] Speaker 2: Okay. [00:20:26] Robert Todd Adelson: It was very matter of fact. [00:20:28] Speaker 2: Did she ever give you any further detail that weekend about how he'd been shot or other than just Danny was shot and he didn't make it? [00:20:37] Robert Todd Adelson: I think it was the next day. So the only really other time that I spoke with him that weekend, you know, I was in the airport going home like Sunday afternoon. So it was definitely the next day. And, you know, it was the first time I could actually have any kind of conversation. And, you know, one of the things that she told me is, you know, it bothered me, but I didn't have any other details about. But she said that, you know, someone went to the front door and said, are you Dan Markell? And then shot him. And then I said, well, how could you know that? Who's telling you that? And she said, well, that's just what they're telling us. [00:21:17] Speaker 2: So she said someone told her that someone knocked on Danny's door, said, are you Dan Markell? He said yes, and the shooter shot him. [00:21:25] Robert Todd Adelson: That's the story I heard. And, you know, later we found out that wasn't what happened. But that story bothered me a lot because there's only one way you could hear that story. [00:21:35] Speaker 2: Was she crying when she told you that information? [00:21:38] Robert Todd Adelson: No. [00:21:41] Speaker 2: You mentioned earlier that law enforcement contacted you after Dan Markell's murder. Did they contact you to try to see if you knew any information? [00:21:51] Robert Todd Adelson: They came to our house. I was already at work, and so they talked to my wife. It had to be a Wednesday or Thursday, so I was already at work. [00:21:58] Speaker 2: And is this your house in New York? [00:21:59] Robert Todd Adelson: Yes. [00:22:00] Speaker 2: Okay. And did you end up talking to law enforcement and answering their questions, letting them know what you knew? [00:22:10] Robert Todd Adelson: Yeah, they came to my office the next day with two agents, and we had an interview. [00:22:17] Speaker 2: Okay. After that conversation with, you said it was the FBI earlier, right? Yes. After that conversation with the FBI, did Donna Adelson ever say anything to you about having talked to law enforcement or the FBI? [00:22:33] Robert Todd Adelson: It was either that afternoon or the next day, but, you know, and she called me and said, you know, I just want to let you know, you know, if the police come around, you know, don't talk to them. [00:22:46] Speaker 2: Okay. So she told you not to talk to law enforcement. [00:22:48] Robert Todd Adelson: Correct. [00:22:49] Speaker 2: Did you let her know that you'd already, you already had talked to law enforcement? [00:22:53] Robert Todd Adelson: I said, I already did. And what did she say to that? She said, oh, well, you don't know anything anyway. [00:22:57] Speaker 2: You don't know anything anyway? [00:22:59] Robert Todd Adelson: Correct. [00:23:00] Speaker 2: Was that an unusual statement coming from your mother? [00:23:04] Robert Todd Adelson: Yeah, it just, I mean, everything that week was unusual, but, I mean, I clearly didn't know anything, but I wasn't going to not talk to the FBI if they show up at my house. [00:23:13] Speaker 2: How did you respond? Let me ask you this. After the murder of Dan Markell, did Donna Adelson seem curious about who killed Dan Markell? [00:23:27] Robert Todd Adelson: No. [00:23:29] Speaker 2: Did she, was there a complete lack of curiosity? [00:23:34] Robert Todd Adelson: Yeah, nobody seemed curious. [00:23:38] Speaker 2: Did you actually ever ask her, like, after the murder, like, hey, like, what do you think happened? What do you, yeah. [00:23:45] Robert Todd Adelson: Yeah, and, you know, the conversations were kind of rerouted, or that was certainly discouraged, and it was probably, like, maybe sometime, like, mid-August, you know, when I finally had a chance to ask and say, you know, what is going on? This was not, you know, a small event. This was getting a lot of notoriety, and I said, you know, what do you guys think happened? And she had said, you know, I don't know, and I don't care. It doesn't concern me. [00:24:13] Speaker 2: Was that out of character for her to not be curious? And I'll be asking some questions? [00:24:17] Robert Todd Adelson: Yeah, I mean, it was, it was an unsolved murder of, you know, my former brother-in-law, like, someone that we all know very well. I mean, if it was, like, some neighborhood gossip, people would be interested. This was, like, national interest, and nobody had any curiosity about, you know, who did this to Danny. [00:24:37] Speaker 2: Is a person, you mentioned that, you know, not only is it your brother-in-law, but it was, like, national news at that point as well. [00:24:44] Robert Todd Adelson: Yes. [00:24:46] Speaker 2: And regardless of it being national news or not, I mean, is a person dying from gun violence an extremely unusual thing to happen in your family? [00:24:55] Robert Todd Adelson: Yeah, I mean, to this day, Danny's the only person that I know who's died from gun violence or been a victim of gun violence, so it's unique in that manner. [00:25:05] Speaker 2: What would your mom, Donna Adelson, do if you did try to, like, ask her any more about Danny's murder after that? [00:25:12] Robert Todd Adelson: It wasn't a subject for discussion, you know, it would be rerouted or, you know, it was just not a subject to discuss. [00:25:18] Speaker 2: When you say rerouted, do you mean, like, changing the subject? [00:25:21] Robert Todd Adelson: Yeah. [00:25:22] Speaker 2: Okay. All right. Fast forward to 2016. Do you remember in May of 2016 when Sigfredo Garcia and Luis Rivera were arrested? [00:25:35] Robert Todd Adelson: Yeah, I do. You know, I actually, like, saw it in the OR lounge. Someone, you know, told me about it. So it had to be, like, a Wednesday. And the, uh... [00:25:45] Speaker 2: And you were in, like, the operating room lounge? Yeah, it was the lounge. And someone told you about it. [00:25:49] Robert Todd Adelson: Yeah, someone else, because, you know, stories like this people see on Twitter or such, and I remember someone telling me, like, you know, did you hear about, you know, that case, because it's, uh, you know, more than one person had followed it. And, you know, I saw it, and then, you know, that was on the 26th, and I remember the dates because our anniversary's on the 28th of May. Um, you know, my wife and I were like, should we call them? Like, they, they, they arrested some guy who killed Danny, and... [00:26:18] Speaker 2: When you say them, you mean, like, should, should we call my parents? Yes. Yeah, okay. So, it was big news that even people you work with were seeing, that there were finally some arrests made. Right. Okay. And so, and that was two days before your anniversary, you said? Okay, so, um, did you and your wife eventually talk to your parents? [00:26:38] Robert Todd Adelson: We did, like, we thought, like, should we call them? And we figured, you know, they, if they wanted to call us, they would call us, and then they didn't. And so, we figured, well, they'll call us on our anniversary, and so, you know, we can just sit tight, and I'm sure it's, you know, pretty stressful, and, you know, this guy was arrested in Miami, and so, they called us on our anniversary, which was the 28th. [00:26:56] Speaker 2: Okay, so that was two days after the arrest, I think? [00:26:59] Robert Todd Adelson: Two days after I found out, yes. [00:27:01] Speaker 2: Okay, two days after you found out, thank you. So, on the 28th, did you talk to Donna Adelson? [00:27:09] Robert Todd Adelson: Yes. [00:27:10] Speaker 2: All right, and when she called you, was she telling you the good news that Danny's killers were arrested? [00:27:16] Robert Todd Adelson: No, she just called us for anniversary, you know, and, you know, wished us well, and had some small talk for a bit. You know, I kind of let it go for a little bit, and, I mean, this was not small news, and so, I finally broke to the top and said, you know, they found the guy, they arrested someone who killed Danny. You know, there's no response, and, you know, I said it, you know, at least two or three times that, you know, they made an arrest, they got the guy who killed Danny, and then her response was, you know, I've got to go. [00:27:52] Speaker 2: And then, did she hang up the phone after that? [00:27:54] Robert Todd Adelson: Yes. Yes. [00:27:59] Speaker 2: And did you ever talk to her about it again, ever after that? [00:28:03] Robert Todd Adelson: No. [00:28:08] Speaker 2: Just a second. Okay. Other than, you know, her reaching out for happy birthdays, happy anniversaries, that kind of thing, was that the last conversation you had with her? [00:28:41] Robert Todd Adelson: That was the last time I spoke to her. [00:28:43] Speaker 2: Okay. That's all. Thank you. [00:28:44] Speaker 1: Good afternoon, sir. [00:29:06] Speaker 4: Good afternoon. [00:29:10] Robert Todd Adelson: Good afternoon. [00:29:11] Speaker 4: Good afternoon. [00:29:41] Speaker 1: Good afternoon. [00:30:11] Speaker 4: I'll say it again. Good afternoon. [00:30:30] Robert Todd Adelson: Good afternoon. [00:30:31] Speaker 4: In 2000 and between 2012 and 2014 how many times did you come to visit your [00:30:39] Robert Todd Adelson: family in South Florida? 2012 and 2014 you know my daughter was born in October of 2012 and so I think my dad's birthday oh no there was a Thanksgiving I think in 2013 so I mean pretty much Thanksgiving's were the times when we travel having a [00:31:04] Speaker 4: you know one-year-old and a three-year-old so sure okay so Thanksgiving of 2013 and then your dad's birthday in 2014 yeah there could have been one other one but [00:31:13] Robert Todd Adelson: I remember those two for certain that I could swear to okay and when you came [00:31:17] Speaker 4: for his birthday his birthday was on the fifth you came in on the fourth the party was on the fifth and you left on the sixth correct that's my memory of it and thanksgiving kind of the same thing I mean you got a job you got to get back to [00:31:30] Robert Todd Adelson: right yeah yeah [00:31:31] Speaker 4: and how frequent were the phone calls that you were having with your family um you [00:31:41] Robert Todd Adelson: know probably less than once a week maybe every other week something like that [00:31:46] Speaker 4: and when I say family I think I'm referring to Donna sure sure okay now you were here on the fifth for your dad's birthday you said you went home on the sixth yep and Danny Markell was brutally murdered on July the 18th of 2014 that that was in the summer correct recall that yes and when did you arrive in Florida to be with your family I didn't thank you you had mentioned in your direct testimony that your mom called and said you shouldn't talk to the police you recall that yeah I do yes what actually happened was a family friend Michael Weinstein you know him correct I do your mom your mom indicated that he had called and advised that as a family friend and an attorney that you all should not talk to the police that's what she told you isn't it yeah yeah thank you I don't have anything for redirect examination [00:32:51] Speaker 1: you may step down you may step down [00:33:05] Speaker ?: you may step down