Wendi Adelson’s Own Mother’s Lawyer Suggests Wendi Was Involved in the Murder

[00:00:00] Speaker 1: I need to know if you recall this. Your parents, you had mentioned when they went out of the country, you used the WhatsApp to communicate with them because it was free of charge. [00:00:11] Wendy Adelson: Yes. [00:00:11] Speaker 1: And you could call them free of charge? Yes. And you could message with them free of charge? Both, yes. There was also questions of you, several questions about your interview with law enforcement the day that Danny was shot. You recall those questions from the state? I do recall the questions. And they were pointing out things that you had said about your family, your parents, Charlie, you remember those questions? I do. Isn't it true that when you were interviewed by law enforcement, what you said initially was that Danny's parents were going to think that you're the one who did it, right? I did say that. Katie McBanawha, Catherine McBanawha, I guess people call her Katie. There was a picture of you with her at the beach and there was another young lady there. You recall that? I recall the picture, yes. And that was Father's Day weekend, I guess, of 2014? Yes, ma'am. And I think your testimony was that really you only knew her with Charlie, is that right? That's right. With Charlie at the beach? No. Your mother wasn't there either, was she? [00:01:12] Wendy Adelson: No. [00:01:14] Speaker 1: They're not eating kosher like they would have with their father? They are not. They don't have him at all? [00:01:20] Wendy Adelson: They don't have him in their lives day to day, no. [00:01:22] Speaker 1: Because on July the 18th of 2014, he was brutally murdered in his driveway. Isn't that true? That is true. And you testified on direct that anybody in your family that had anything to do with it should be held responsible. Isn't that correct? [00:01:37] Wendy Adelson: Yes. [00:01:37] Speaker 1: And that includes you, doesn't it? Anyone. Anyone who's responsible. [00:01:46] Speaker 3: Did Donna Adelson throw Wendy Adelson under the bus at her trial? In Donna's opening statement, her lawyer, Jackie Fulford, made Donna's position clear. Donna was not involved in the murder, but her son, Charlie, was. Fulford didn't say anything incriminating towards Wendy during that opening. Early in the trial, Wendy Adelson was called as a witness for the state. After Georgia Kappelman finished the direct, Jackie Fulford began to cross-examine Wendy Adelson. As you will see, that cross-examination was all over the place. However, one theme became clear early. Donna's lawyer was hoping to cast suspicion onto Wendy. This was the opposite approach of that taken by Charlie's lawyer, Dan Rashbaum, who tried to ridicule the suggestion that Wendy was involved in the murder. Let's examine Fulford's cross of Wendy Adelson and how Georgia handled the rebuttal. So, let's take a look at this one. [00:02:48] Speaker ?: Thank you. Let's take a look at this one. Let's take a look at this one. Let's take a look at this one. Let's take a look at this one. Let's take a look at this one. Let's take a look at this one. Let's take a look at this one. Let's take a look at this one. Let's take a look at this one. Let's take a look at this one. Let's take a look at this one. Let's take a look at this one. Let's take a look at this one. Let's take a look at this one. Let's take a look at this one. Let's take a look at this one. Let's take a look at this one. Let's take a look at this one. [00:03:03] Speaker 1: Let's take a look at this one. Good afternoon, ma'am. Good afternoon. I represent your mother in this case. You've never spoken to me about this case, correct? I have not. I guess the best place to start is where you left off with respect to the comments that you made regarding your mother taking it well. When's the last time you listened to that call? [00:04:05] Wendy Adelson: I haven't listened to the call I had with my mom. I've never listened to it. Well, from the interview room, you've never listened to your interview? I have read the transcript of my interview, but I never listened to my interview. [00:04:20] Speaker 1: You don't recall the shock in your mother's voice when you told her what had happened? I do think she was shocked. You could hear that over the phone, correct? Yes. So many topics were covered. I'm going to have to kind of skip around, okay? Katie McBanawha, Catherine McBanawha, I guess people call her Katie. There was a picture of you with her at the beach and there was another young lady there. Do you recall that? I recall the picture, yes. And that was Father's Day weekend, I guess, of 2014. Yes, ma'am. And I think your testimony was that really you only knew her with Charlie, is that right? That's right. Was Charlie at the beach? No. Your mother wasn't there either, was she? No. And then I think you mentioned that you had had a dinner with Katie? And my brother. And my brother. Okay. Was that before you went to the beach? [00:05:14] Wendy Adelson: It was a different time. Do you recall if it was before then? It was before, but several months before. [00:05:20] Speaker 1: Several months before. Mm-hmm. Okay. So if this was Father's Day, when do you think you actually met her for the first time? [00:05:26] Wendy Adelson: I think I met her when I was doing the alternative spring break, so that's usually March or April. Same year? Same year. [00:05:38] Speaker 1: And the dinner that was mentioned, is that the first place you ever met her? [00:05:42] Wendy Adelson: That's the first place I remember meeting her. And who all was there? It was my brother and Katie and Jeff and I. Jeff LaCasse. I'm sorry, how do you pronounce it? [00:05:53] Speaker 1: LaCasse. LaCasse. Okay, so the four of you were there. Your mother was not there. [00:05:57] Speaker ?: No. [00:06:08] Speaker 1: I want you to, it's been 11 years, so a lot, I'm sure, has happened to you in the past 11 years. Is that fair to say? Yes. And your memory may not be as good as it was of things that happened back then, now that 11 years has passed. Is that fair to say? [00:06:22] Wendy Adelson: Yes. Okay. [00:06:24] Speaker 1: As best you can, I want you to take yourself out of the year 2025 and go back to the years somewhere like 2010 through 2014, when Mr. Markell was murdered, okay? Okay. In that timeframe are going to be most of the questions that I ask you. Okay. I think you testified you had a brother, Charlie? Yes. And you have a brother, Rob? Yes. So that was a five-member family? Yes. Okay. And Rob's the oldest? Yes. Charlie's the middle? Yes. Okay. And you grew up in a household where, was your mother working when you were younger? No. Okay. She stayed home with the kids? She did. And at some point she went back into teaching, which is what she had done before she had her first child, correct? Yes. Okay. And she did that after you were in school, is that right? Yes. Okay. And then you all went to school, grade school, high school, you grew up, right? Yes. And each one of you went off to college. Yes. Each one of you got a post-graduate degree. Yes. So you're an attorney. Yes. Charlie became a periodontist. Yes. Which is someone who does surgery related to dentistry, correct? Yes. And then Rob's a doctor as well. Yes. And throughout the time that you all were going to college, your parents helped support you. Yes. Every one of you. Yes. And you had a good childhood. I did. And your mom took good care of you all. Yes. She treated you well. Very kind. Yes. Very loving. Yes. Very caring towards her family and others. Yes. I think you once described her as being kind, empathetic, and very loving and sensitive person. Do you recall that? I don't recall that, but that sounds right. That she radiates positivity. [00:08:15] Wendy Adelson: Yes. [00:08:17] Speaker 1: She has a very loving and respectful and fun relationship with my dad. They are very much in love. Now it's been 54 years. She has. You said your mom was completely selfless. Yes. That's the opposite of selfish. It is. Means she's caring more about others than she does about herself. [00:08:35] Wendy Adelson: Yes, ma'am. [00:08:36] Speaker 1: And what she did was for others. Yes. Never doing anything for herself. Correct. Okay. [00:08:41] Speaker ?: Okay. [00:08:42] Speaker 1: She was invested in your lives. Yes. You and both of your brothers. Yes. [00:08:47] Wendy Adelson: Okay. [00:08:47] Speaker 1: You were a close family. Yes. And would you say she was a good mother to you? Yes. Very good mother. And a very good grandmother as well. Yes. When you had your first child and you needed someone to help out, your mother came. She did. And she spent time there. Yes. And when the baby was crying in the middle of the night so that you could get some rest, she took care of the baby. She did. And she did that for both of your children. Yes. Fair to say that your mom has always been there for you when you needed her. [00:09:21] Wendy Adelson: Yes. [00:09:22] Speaker 1: For little things and big things. Yes. Now, you said that you testified that you left Danny in September of 2012. You recall that? Yes. From September of 2012 until March of 2013, your mother actually spent quite a bit of time helping you with the boys in Tallahassee, correct? She did. Yes. She would go home and take care of things there, but she would return. Yes. So a substantial amount of each month she was there assisting you with the children. Yes. While you were at work, she may take them to school. Is that correct? Their daycare? [00:10:00] Wendy Adelson: I don't remember that one, whether I dropped them at school or my mom did, but it's certainly possible that she took them to school. She might have picked them up. [00:10:06] Speaker 1: Mm-hmm. Yes. She did some housework, cleaning up around the house. Yes. She bought groceries. Yes. She cooked. Yes. She cleaned. Yes. She was there for you because you had just left a marriage where you had a partner helping you, and now you were adjusting to being by yourself, correct? Yes. Now, at the time, this time period we're talking about, your mother lived in, where did you say, Coral Springs? Coral Springs. [00:10:31] Wendy Adelson: And where is that in relation to Miami? It's Broward County, so it's the county north of Dade County, which is where Miami is. [00:10:39] Speaker 1: Yes. And in Broward County, that's like where Fort Lauderdale is? Yes, ma'am. Okay. And their dentist practice that they had that's been referred to, Adelson Institute. Yes. That was located in Broward County, correct? It was, yes. Not far from where your parents lived. Yes, in Tamarack, so close to Coral Springs. Okay. And at some point, they got the place down in Miami, right? Yes. So what they were doing was they would work Monday through Thursday and stay at their home in Coral Springs, right? Mm-hmm. [00:11:11] Speaker ?: Yes. [00:11:11] Speaker 1: And then they would go and spend the weekend at the place in Miami. Is that right? I don't think every weekend, but some weekends. [00:11:16] Wendy Adelson: Oh. Yeah. And you visited there? I did. Okay. [00:11:21] Speaker 1: Now, when your mother would come up to assist you or just to visit with you and the children and Dani, did she drive typically or fly? I think sometimes drive, sometimes fly. Okay. Most of the time drive, I think. Most of the time drive. And that's almost an eight-hour trip, correct? [00:11:54] Wendy Adelson: It is, yes. [00:11:56] Speaker 1: And at the time that this occurred, your mother would have been, when Dani was murdered, she would have been, let's see, 64-ish? That sounds right. She's 75 now. Is that yes? Yes. Okay. And sometimes she would rent cars, is that right? Yes. As opposed to driving her vehicle? Yes. Your father came sometimes as well to help out? Yes. I want to talk about Mr. Markell for a few minutes. I think you said you met online. We did. But you were attracted to him. [00:12:32] Wendy Adelson: Yes. [00:12:33] Speaker 1: He was a handsome young man. Yes. You're a beautiful young woman. Thank you. And you got married. We did, yes. And there were times, I mean, we've heard about the divorce, but before the divorce, there were times where you had a happy marriage. Yes. And you all enjoyed spending time together. Yes. The two of you together and with your children. Yes. And even your parents who would come up and spend time with you. Yes. And your parents actually took you and Dani on vacations, right? Yes. There was one trip where they took you out of the country and you went ziplining. Do you remember that? Yes. We went to Costa Rica. And after the ziplining is when you told them that you were pregnant, correct? I went ziplining pregnant, yes. You would agree with me that Dani... I'm saying Dani because that's what people call him. I'm not trying to be disrespectful of him. He's... No, I called him Dani. Okay. You would agree that he was very intelligent. Yes, very. He had two degrees from Harvard, correct? Yes. Undergraduate and law school. Yes, ma'am. He did a lot of writing. Yes. And at the time that he was murdered, he was a tenured professor at the College of Law here at FSU, correct? [00:13:39] Wendy Adelson: Yes. [00:13:40] Speaker 1: And becoming tenured is not like an automatic thing. You have to work towards that, right? Yes. It takes a lot of time. It does. A lot of effort. He put in a lot of work to gain that status. Yes. Okay. And he traveled to go and speak at different places, right? Yes. And he was well respected by his colleagues. Yes, very. Okay. And after he had children, those became the love of his life, didn't they? Yes. And even after you separated, I think you would agree with me that Dani made a great deal of effort to get as much time with his children as he could. Is that fair? [00:14:20] Wendy Adelson: Yes, absolutely. [00:14:21] Speaker 1: And even when it was your time to have the children, he would go to their preschool and visit with them there. Yes. He wanted to talk to them on the phone when he didn't have them? Yes. And he wanted to Skype with them, correct? Yes. Okay. And that, I'm sorry, I'm old, but that involved like a computer where you can see each other while you're talking, is that right? [00:14:40] Wendy Adelson: I think now it's something you could do on the phone, but back then you needed a computer. And you assisted with that? [00:14:48] Speaker 1: I did. Not necessarily the schedule he wanted. I'm sorry? You didn't necessarily keep the schedule that Dani wanted for Skyping, right? I did try. You tried? Yes. That was one of the things you two bickered about. It was. And during the time that you were with Dani, your mother was always kind to him, wasn't she? She was. Before you got married to him? Yes. While you were married to him? Yes. While you were separated? Yes. And after the divorce? [00:15:15] Wendy Adelson: Yes. [00:15:16] Speaker 1: And there's been a lot of testimony and a lot of pictures put up, lots of things highlighted about the ugly things that your mother said about Dani during the course of the separation, divorce, and the follow-up litigation, right? Yes. And you shared, as you've testified, some of the pleadings that were filed in your case. Yes. And some of the pleadings weren't very attractive towards you, were they? No. Yeah. They described things that were derogatory towards you, is that fair? Yes. And the communications that you had with Dani during the separation leading up to the divorce and some thereafter were pretty critical of you, weren't they? [00:15:51] Wendy Adelson: The communication on paper, which was very different than the communication in person. Right. But the paperwork was critical. Yes. And you shared that with your mother. [00:15:59] Speaker 1: Yes. And some of the things that he said to you in writing, whether they were communications or in the pleadings, upset you. Yes. Some of it was very upsetting to you. Yes. And you shared it with your mother and then she became upset. Yes. And she said bad words. Yes. She called him a lot of bad names. Yes. She said ugly things about him. Yes. But not one single time did she ever suggest in writing or to you personally that Dani deserved to be harmed. Did she? Never. Never said he needed to be killed. Never. Never suggested any harm to him in any way. Never. And those things that she said to you in the emails, the communications, I assume, that you all thought were between yourselves, you never shared those with Dani, did you? [00:16:41] Wendy Adelson: No. [00:16:44] Speaker 1: And during the separation, well, during the time you're married, we've already separated. But during the separation, if Dani needed help with the children, your mother assisted him, didn't she? [00:16:53] Wendy Adelson: He had called her and asked for help at various times, and she did. And after the divorce, the same thing, correct? He would call and ask for help and she would help. [00:17:02] Speaker 1: I don't see anything that says, "60" on it. [00:17:11] Wendy Adelson: I don't see anything that says, "60" on it. [00:17:24] Speaker 4: We can't use this book. [00:17:30] Speaker ?: What is this? [00:17:30] Speaker 4: Yeah, here it is. [00:17:32] Speaker 5: Can we approach the witness, Your Honor? Good night. [00:17:52] Speaker 1: I'm going to show you what has been entered into evidence in States Exhibit 60, and I think they would look at it as JJ, and this would be your, it's going to fall if you don't hold that side. [00:18:09] Speaker ?: Okay. I'm sorry. No problem. [00:18:09] Speaker 1: I can't, I can't get this over for some reason. I can try. But this has been referred to as the pleadings that are within your dissolution file. Okay. Okay. I'm going to leave that with you, okay? Okay. Could you look at that document, the JJ, please? [00:18:25] Wendy Adelson: Yes. You want me to just keep reading through it? Yes, please. Okay. [00:18:28] Speaker 1: I want you to familiarize yourself with it. [00:18:40] Speaker ?: Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. [00:19:12] Wendy Adelson: I'm still reading through it. Should I continue to read to the- [00:19:15] Speaker 1: You don't need to read every word. If you would just familiarize yourself so that you can recall the substance of that pleading. [00:19:22] Speaker 4: Okay. [00:19:31] Speaker 1: Prior to you filing your petition for dissolution, do you want me to come and get that? No, no, no. It's okay. Okay. Prior to filing your petition for dissolution, what kind of experience did you have regarding divorce proceedings? [00:19:55] Wendy Adelson: I'm trying to understand the question. Yeah, sure. Prior to filing the dissolution of marriage- Yes. There weren't any divorce proceedings prior to filing. [00:20:07] Speaker 1: I guess what I'm saying is because you're an attorney, were you familiar with family law? No. Had you participated in any helping anybody with their dissolution of marriage? I had not. Completely unfamiliar with the process. I was unfamiliar with the process. And that pleading that's before you, are you back on the front page of that? I can get back to the front page. Thank you. I'm on the front page. Okay. And could you read for the jury what the title of that pleading is? [00:20:35] Wendy Adelson: Yes, ma'am. Former Husband's Counter Motion for Enforcement of MSA on Parenting Issues and Motion for Contempt and Sanctions. [00:20:42] Speaker 1: It doesn't say grandmother motion, does it? [00:20:44] Wendy Adelson: No. [00:20:45] Speaker 1: And in fact, the overwhelming majority of that motion relates to Danny's complaints about you and parenting issues, correct? It does, yes. In fact, what they call the grandmother part of that motion is really Danny complaining about you not meeting the requirements of the right of first refusal, correct? That's correct. Because his complaint is that if you gave him the right of first refusal, some of the times he could take it and the children would be with him instead of the grandmother. Yes. Wasn't actually suggesting that from this point forward, your mother could no longer have anything but a supervised visitation, correct? I didn't see it that way. Okay. And in any event, your mother never saw that motion, did she? No, she did not. May I approach? I'm going to take the book. I don't know if I need to give it back to you or not. That way it's not going to fall on you. Okay. Now, the state has referred to this bribe. You've heard them talk about that, correct? I believe so. They suggested, because I think there are emails that re-discuss this, about potentially offering Danny a million dollars. Yes. And your understanding of what was trying to take place there, because you actually put that in writing, was it wasn't to take the children away from Danny, was it? No. It was in hopes that he would relocate to Miami as well, correct? Yes. And that although you would live separate lives, you could raise your children together, correct? Yes. Because there were more opportunities for him, Danny, to practice his Jewish faith in Miami than there is in Tallahassee, correct? Correct. They have kosher food in Miami. Yes. Lots of it. Yes. They don't have that in Tallahassee. No. Okay. And the million dollar offer was not to bribe him in what sounds like an illegal sense. It was an incentive for him to relocate himself to Miami, correct? Yes. That was my understanding. Yes. You lived there with him before. Yes. And he liked living there. Yes. He liked it very much. Okay. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to talk over you. [00:23:08] Wendy Adelson: No, that's okay. [00:23:09] Speaker 1: I was just saying he liked it very much. In fact, he tried to get a professorship at the University of Miami School of Law. He did. And if he had gotten that, the plan between you and he was to stay in Miami, correct? He would have. Yes. But he didn't get it. And so he had already been employed by FSU College of Law, right? Yes. And so you moved up here and finished law school and you all remained in this area. Yes. So the million dollars would offset, as the state has mentioned, travel expenses if he moved there, correct? Right. He only taught two days a week, right? Yes. And so that would have given him the opportunity to live in Miami. But for the two days a week he needed to be in Tallahassee, he could take plane trips, right? Yes. And be here. Yes. And if you all had done that, he still could have enjoyed 50% parenting time with his children, right? That would have been the same. Yes. It wasn't to take him away from the kids. [00:24:15] Speaker 6: No. [00:24:16] Speaker 1: We're going to talk about relocation more than once, but I just want to make sure I understand how that all came about, okay? So it was, you left the marital home in August or September of 2012? I think it was September. Okay. So you separated officially in 2012. [00:24:37] Wendy Adelson: Yes. [00:24:37] Speaker 1: By the time he was murdered, almost two years had passed. [00:24:40] Wendy Adelson: Yes. Okay. [00:24:41] Speaker 1: Do I understand it correctly that somewhere around October or November of 2012 that you interviewed for a job at a law firm in Miami? I did. And that was the Grossman firm? I think it's Grossman and Roth. Okay. And somewhere around December of 2012, they made you an offer. They did. And I don't need to know numbers, but was it substantially more than you were making in Tallahassee? [00:25:08] Wendy Adelson: It was, and it was just more secure. More secure. [00:25:12] Speaker 1: Okay. Not more money? [00:25:13] Wendy Adelson: No, it was more money, but it just more than anything, it was secure money as opposed to grant money that could be taken away. Okay. So you were a professor also at the law school here in Tallahassee. I was. FSU. [00:25:25] Speaker 1: Yes. You were not tenured. No, no. I was a clinical professor. Okay. So having, being tenured means you have more stability in your job. Yes. You have more job security. Job security. Okay. And so you got that offer in December. And sometime in January, you told Danny that you had a good job offer, correct? [00:25:43] Wendy Adelson: Yes. I asked to meet with him and we went to get coffee and talk about it. [00:25:47] Speaker 1: Okay. And a part of that discussion, you asked him if he would consider all of you, not together, but all of you relocating to Miami, correct? I did. And he was going to consider that, correct? [00:25:57] Wendy Adelson: He said he was considering it. He wasn't opposed to it. Okay. [00:26:01] Speaker 1: You thought it would be good for all of you, correct? [00:26:03] Wendy Adelson: I thought it could be. [00:26:04] Speaker 1: Including the boys. Yes. He decided he didn't want to do it, right? He changed his mind. Okay. But you didn't change your mind, right? No, I kept going with it. So you filed a motion for temporary relocation and you also amended your petition for disillusion to add relocation, correct? I did. Okay. At the time that you filed it, do you think you had a good shot at it? [00:26:31] Wendy Adelson: I thought I had a shot. I didn't really know it would depend on the judge. Okay. [00:26:41] Speaker 1: And we'll go back to it later, but I guess on June the 18th of 2013, which would be right before your divorce was finalized, right? You had a hearing on your motion for relocation. Yes. Yes. And the state has already presented in its exhibits a copy of the order and relocation was denied, correct? It was. Okay. And after relocation was denied, you and Dani were able to work out some kind of temporary schedule for the summer? We were. Okay. And then you proceeded forward and there's been discussion, there was a mediation that did not resolve your divorce, but within a few days thereafter, you did come to an agreement with Dani, correct? We did. You agreed to all of the issues in the dissolution of marriage, right? Yes. Including how you were going to share time with him. Yes. Was it ever your intention in the dissolution proceedings from the time that you moved out of your marital home, that you would actually take the children's custody completely away from Dani so that he couldn't see them? No. No. Did you always want them to be a big part of his life? Of course. He loved them and they loved him. Yes. [00:28:26] Speaker 5: Everyone can be seated. Ms. Wolford, you may continue with your cross-examination. [00:28:37] Speaker 1: Thank you. I have just a bunch of oddball questions at this point. Do you recall getting emails from your mother? Yes. And your father? Well, yes, from both. From the same email. And I think you had a necklace at some point during that time period that said, never, never, never give up. [00:29:02] Wendy Adelson: I did. [00:29:03] Speaker 1: And your parents would sometimes put that in the emails back to you, correct? [00:29:06] Wendy Adelson: Yes. [00:29:13] Speaker 1: I need to know if you recall this. Your parents, you had mentioned when they went out of the country, you used the WhatsApp to communicate with them because it was free of charge. [00:29:24] Wendy Adelson: Yes. [00:29:25] Speaker 1: And you could call them free of charge? Yes. Yes. And you could message with them free of charge? Both. Yes. Okay. And when your parents would go out of town, do you recall that they had a routine where your mother would take her phone, but your father would not get the plan to travel with? Do you recall that? [00:29:42] Speaker ?: Do you recall that? [00:29:42] Speaker 1: That sounds right. Okay. And wasn't that because if you called the Adelson Institute and you got the answering machine, it was an old fashioned answering machine, right? [00:29:52] Wendy Adelson: Yes. [00:29:52] Speaker 1: And what it gave out if you reached the answering machine was your father's cell phone number. [00:29:57] Wendy Adelson: Yes. [00:29:58] Speaker 1: So he didn't want to be contacted when he was out of town and that's what people would get, right? [00:30:02] Wendy Adelson: Yes. Yes. Yes. [00:30:06] Speaker 1: The birthday party that's been mentioned for your dad, it was his 70th birthday? It was. And although I don't think it ended up being a surprise, your mom was trying to plan a party for him where he knew his children and grandchildren would be there, but she was trying to surprise him with the friends. That's right. Okay. And you might've helped her with some of those preparations. I think so. And she planned it for several months, right? Yes. And I think one of the things that you got involved with was a caterer that was going to be used to cook paella. I'm not sure if that's how you pronounce it at the party. [00:30:41] Wendy Adelson: It's pronounced paella. I think I remember on the night of, I speak Spanish. So I spoke with him in Spanish because I don't think he spoke much English. And mommy, your mother didn't speak Spanish, right? No. Okay. [00:30:56] Speaker 1: You weren't actually making the order and buying it, correct? [00:30:58] Wendy Adelson: No, I didn't. I didn't pay for anything. [00:31:10] Speaker ?: It's still Adelson, correct? Yes. Okay. [00:31:24] Speaker 1: Um, Ms. Adelson, I'm going to approach and show you what's been marked just for identification purposes as 40, defense 49J and ask you to look at that. And you tell me if you've ever seen that before. I, I have seen this before. Okay. And that's an email that your father sent to you regarding the appointment that he had made for the TV to be repaired, correct? Correct. Okay. And on the front page, you can see where he's forwarding it to you. And it says, love dad, right? Yes. And then, uh, he tells you when the appointment's going to be Friday, the 18th, between eight and 12, right? Yes. And then when you flip, well, let me now stay on the first page. Do you see down, uh, almost two thirds of the way down where it has the order information and the order creation date? [00:32:24] Wendy Adelson: Yes. [00:32:24] Speaker 1: And that date was what? [00:32:26] Wendy Adelson: The order creation date is July 11th, 2014. [00:32:30] Speaker 1: Okay. And on the next page, uh, where the problem description is, it says that Hervey called in, stated that the 55 inch TV has screen had some problems, right? Yes. Go to the next page. It repeats about the, um, complaint that your father had about what was wrong with the TV, right? Yes. Yes. If you scroll down, there are some questions under date submitted, right? [00:32:54] Wendy Adelson: Yes. [00:32:55] Speaker 1: Whether the TV is wall mounted. Yes. What the size of the TV is. Yes. If it's mounted over six feet high. Yes. If, uh, the height of the ceiling. Yes. Um, is it eligible for a loaner? Yes. Was it installed by the geek squad? Yes. Is the product that we're going to service in a place of business? So I'm saying yes, that I see these questions, but the answer to that question is no. Right. Okay. That's what I was going to point out. So your dad said no to that one. Right. Is the product that we are going to service in a place of business? And your dad answered no, correct? [00:33:29] Wendy Adelson: He answered no. And the next one says what? Would you be willing to accept a sooner appointment if one became available? And the answer to that one is yes. Thank you. [00:33:43] Speaker 1: May I approach? [00:33:44] Speaker 5: Amen. [00:33:45] Speaker 1: Ms. Adelson, you testified on direct when asked some questions about the name change of your children. You recall those questions? [00:34:02] Wendy Adelson: Yes. [00:34:03] Speaker 1: Okay. And I think your testimony was that you officially changed your children's last names a year, year and a half? [00:34:10] Wendy Adelson: What did you say? She changed them a year after Danny's death. Okay. [00:34:16] Speaker 1: But after he passed away and you went to Miami, it was time for your oldest child to be enrolled in kindergarten, right? Yes. And so what were the ages of the children when Danny was murdered? [00:34:31] Wendy Adelson: They were almost five and three and a half. Okay. [00:34:36] Speaker 1: And so the five-year-old was going into kindergarten? Yes. And where was the other child going to be? Was he being posted in a preschool program? It was a preschool program. Okay. And so you went and registered them at the school, correct? Yes. And the official registration said Markel for the children's last names, correct? I believe so. But because you were going to socially refer to them as Adelson, that's what you asked the school to do as well, right? Yes. So when you went into orientation for the oldest child, I'm trying not to say the name, when you went into orientation for the oldest child for kindergarten and they had his little name plate there where he was going to sit at his desk, it said last name Adelson, right? [00:35:15] Wendy Adelson: I honestly don't remember him having a last name. I remember his first name being there, but I don't remember. I thought they put the first names for the kindergarteners. [00:35:24] Speaker 1: But you asked the school to refer to him by the last name Adelson. [00:35:27] Wendy Adelson: I did. [00:35:28] Speaker 1: I did. So it was an exhibit that was shown to you where your mother had registered him for an after school flag football, right? Right. And so because the school's knowing his name, that he's being referred to as Adelson, that's why she did that, correct? Correct. And the youngest one, where was he going to go or where did he go? [00:35:49] Wendy Adelson: He was at a private preschool because he was too young to go to the preschool at the public elementary school. [00:35:57] Speaker 1: Okay, and whether it was your mother or your father who wrote the email about signing up and grandpa's coming with him to, I'm sorry, I'm not Jewish, I didn't understand what that was. [00:36:07] Wendy Adelson: It's okay. It taught Shabbat would have been, you know, like a Sabbath activity where the grandparents would come and sing songs and something like that. [00:36:16] Speaker 1: And so the younger ones also being known as last name Adelson? Yes. Okay. Because socially that's what you wanted them to go forward with. [00:36:26] Wendy Adelson: I thought it would make them safer. [00:36:29] Speaker ?: Okay. There was some questions of you on direct about potentially purchasing, which is something that's going to happen. There was some questions of you on direct about potentially purchasing a home after the divorce is final in 2013, you recall those questions? I do. And it was suggested that Charlie convinced you not to do that, right? That was what was suggested. [00:36:52] Speaker 1: But in fact, the reason I think you stated was because you hadn't gotten your settlement yet from Mr. Markel. Right. I didn't have the money to purchase a home. And so even though you had been interested in it, you had to notify your realtor that it wasn't possible at that time. It wasn't possible at that time. Okay. Okay. Okay. [00:37:10] Speaker ?: Okay. Yeah. [00:37:10] Speaker 1: Okay. Okay. That was what was suggested. But in fact, the reason I think you stated was because you hadn't gotten your settlement yet from Mr. Markell. Right. I didn't have the money to purchase a home. And so even though you had been interested in it, you had to notify your realtor that it wasn't possible at that time. And in the emails that the state introduced and discussed with you, where your mother is making lots of suggestions, mostly after a relocation was denied, of things that you could do, like tell Danny you're going to raise them as Catholics, you're going to have them baptized as Catholics, all of those suggestions she was making, correct? Yes. She wasn't actually suggesting you do it. She was wanting you to use that as a means of negotiating with Danny, right? That's my understanding. That if he thought maybe you were going to do these things, he would reconsider the issue of relocation, correct? Correct. You testified that your mother hated Danny at the time that he was killed. Do you remember saying that? I believe I said that. But the week before he died, your mother was babysitting for Danny, wasn't she? Yes. And nothing but pleasantries between the two of them. That's right. And in fact, she actually made him banana bread, specifically the way he liked it, right? It was his favorite. Without nuts, but with chocolate chips. That's right. But you think she hated him? [00:39:27] Wendy Adelson: I think she was mad at him. [00:39:29] Speaker 1: Mad at him. There's a difference between being mad at someone and hating them, isn't there? There is. I think you testified that, and there may have been an email that suggested it, that you would have never left Danny if not for your mom and maybe brother's suggestions. [00:39:51] Wendy Adelson: Did you say that? I don't think that was exactly right. I think it was, I probably wouldn't have left, kind of suggesting that maybe I would have wanted to, but wouldn't have had the strength or wherewithal to leave on my own. [00:40:06] Speaker 1: Okay, isn't it true that each year, maybe not every year, but many years, yourself and Danny would, when you finish the school session here at FSU College of Law, you would go down to Coral Springs or Miami, whichever they were at, and you would spend almost two weeks with your parents, right? Yes. And that would be yourself and Danny when it was just you, right? Yes. And then after you had the children, all of you went down there, correct? Yes. Well, in fact, what really happened was in the summer of 2012, when you decided that you were going to leave Danny, Danny was down there with you, correct? Yes. And the children were there too. [00:40:51] Wendy Adelson: Yes. And they were young. How old were they? In 2012, they would have been two and three. [00:40:59] Speaker ?: Okay. [00:41:00] Speaker 1: And you, Danny was there, and you actually asked your mom if she'd go out to coffee with you. You remember that? I don't remember that. And you told her then that you were going to leave Danny and get a divorce, didn't you? That sounds right, but I don't remember that. Okay, and in fact, she suggested counseling to you, and you told her you guys had already been in counseling, and it didn't work. Isn't that right? [00:41:24] Wendy Adelson: We had been in counseling, and it hadn't worked, but again, I don't, it sounds like something that could have happened, but I just don't remember the coffee. [00:41:33] Speaker ?: Okay. [00:41:43] Speaker 1: There was also questions of you, several questions about your interview with law enforcement the day that Danny was shot. Do you recall those questions from the state? I do recall the questions. And they were pointing out things that you had said about your family, your parents, Charlie. You remember those questions? I do. Isn't it true that when you were interviewed by law enforcement, what you said initially was that Danny's parents were going to think that you're the one who did it, right? I did say that. I wanted to talk about the relocation a little bit. So, you have a relocation hearing on June the 18th. Does that sound right? 2013? Yes, ma'am. And leading up to that hearing, you notified your mother by email that because she was going to be testifying in court, she would need to wait outside that hearing, correct? [00:42:47] Wendy Adelson: I don't remember that, but that if she was supposed to be a witness, then she couldn't be present for the hearing. [00:42:55] Speaker 1: May I approach, Your Honor? I'm going to show you—my goodness, I can't read that. I'm going to show you what's been marked for identification purposes for Defense Exhibit 49B. You can just read that for me, please, to yourself. [00:43:08] Wendy Adelson: Do you want me to read to the end? No, ma'am. [00:43:28] Speaker 1: I'm just looking for where you told your mother, get you to agree that you said to her, because you are testifying in court, mom, you won't be able to sit in on the hearing with me. Is that what you said? [00:43:38] Wendy Adelson: Yes, but I can hopped out there. [00:43:40] Speaker 1: Yeah. Come and get it from you. Okay. [00:43:47] Speaker ?: Thank you. Thank you. I'm going to show you what you're going to do with her, and I'm going to show you what you're going to do with her, and I'm going to show you what you're going to do with her. I'm going to show you what you're going to do with her, and I'm going to show you what [00:44:57] Speaker 1: you're going to do with her, and I'm going to show you what you're going to do with her. It took time in April of 2013, so that would be not long before your divorce was final. You took a trip. I don't know if you were speaking there or someone else was, but you took a trip out of town with a gentleman named Miguel. Do you recall that? [00:45:20] Wendy Adelson: I don't recall the trip, but I was seeing Miguel at the time. [00:45:32] Speaker ?: I don't know what the trip was in April of 2013. I don't remember that. [00:45:39] Wendy Adelson: Can you tell me where we went? Yes, ma'am. Let me hear that. [00:45:50] Speaker ?: Okay. [00:45:50] Speaker 1: Yes, ma'am. I want to hear that. [00:45:51] Wendy Adelson: Okay. Okay. - Puerto Rico, does that sound familiar? - It was a clinical law professor conference. There's one every year and that year it was in Puerto Rico. [00:46:26] Speaker 1: - Okay, and did you speak at that or you were there to get credit hours or something? [00:46:30] Wendy Adelson: - No, I spoke. [00:46:47] Speaker ?: - May I approach your honor? [00:47:05] Speaker 1: I'm gonna now show you what's been marked for identification purposes as Defendants exhibit 1E. And it's stated April the 28th of 2013 and addressed Dear Renee. You don't need to read it all, but would you familiarize yourself with your communication there? Please. Thank you. [00:47:56] Wendy Adelson: Okay, I've read a little bit. Do you want me to? [00:48:25] Speaker 1: No, that's okay. Okay. I'll point out any sections that I wanted to discuss with you. Would you agree that you wrote this on April the 28th of 2013? [00:48:35] Wendy Adelson: Yes, it looks like I dated it. [00:48:37] Speaker 1: Okay, and that's to Renee? [00:48:40] Wendy Adelson: Yes. [00:48:41] Speaker 1: And you're coming back from your trip to Puerto Rico? [00:48:45] Wendy Adelson: Yes. [00:48:45] Speaker 1: And while you were on this trip, your parents were taking care of the boys, correct? [00:48:49] Wendy Adelson: Yes. [00:48:50] Speaker 1: Okay. And on the first page down towards the bottom, you have some bullet points about what you would like to do to resolve your divorce, correct? [00:49:02] Wendy Adelson: Well, I think it was not just about my divorce. It was kind of about how I wanted to be living my life overall. [00:49:08] Speaker 1: Yeah, I was trying not to get into the personal information, but that's right. This entire email is really about changes you want to make in your life, correct? Yes. Okay. And the last bullet point down at the bottom, it says, I've been coming to a place in the last few months where I have realized that I want to keep my job. It allows me the maximum amount of flexibility to spend with my kids while allowing the freedom for intellectual exploration, one-on-one mentoring with students, and meaningful work in the community. I don't care that Gibbers told my colleagues that I stole from him and that I am mentally ill. Nasty things are said in divorce and people know that, right? [00:49:45] Wendy Adelson: Yes. [00:49:49] Speaker 1: Tallahassee isn't ever where I wanted to live, but it's where the job is. And it's where my boy's father is, which means they don't have to constantly be flying on planes or driving in cars to accomplish our custody situation, right? [00:50:01] Wendy Adelson: Yes. [00:50:02] Speaker 1: So you have the pending petition and motion for relocation, but as of April the 28th, you're starting to think maybe staying in Tallahassee is the right thing to do, correct? [00:50:15] Wendy Adelson: Yes. [00:50:19] Speaker 1: And then this goes on, third page is, now you're writing on May the 2nd of 2013, correct? [00:50:28] Wendy Adelson: Yes. [00:50:31] Speaker 1: A little different subject, but if you go to the next to the last page of that exhibit, see where it starts? Um, wait, it's me again? Um, yes. Okay. Paragraph after that, I wanted to ask you about this. It says, on Sunday morning, we're supposed to sit on the same stage. You're referring to Mr. Markell, correct? [00:50:58] Wendy Adelson: Yes. [00:50:59] Speaker 1: In full regalia and clap for the graduating law students. I love graduation and the Jibs has never attended because it's normally on a Saturday morning and he is at synagogue, correct? Yes. And then you say, it's on Sunday this year and I have the boys and the dean wants all faculty to attend. So, I need to, it's only two hours and my mom can watch the boys during that time, correct? Yes. So, it was fairly routine then for you to get your mother or both parents assistance when you had somewhere that you needed to be and someone needed to take care of the children, correct? [00:51:39] Wendy Adelson: Yes. [00:52:09] Speaker 1: Sorry, Judge, I have so many papers up here. I'm confused. [00:52:35] Speaker 5: I just took it. [00:52:43] Speaker 1: May I approach? I'm going to exchange work here. Ms. A. Olsen, I'll take that one back and then show you what's been marked as Defense Exhibit 1G for identification purposes. Could you review that to yourself, please? Thank you. [00:53:43] Speaker ?: Thank you. [00:54:13] Speaker 1: I'm not sure if this was to Renee or not. Yeah, you mentioned Renee. So this is on June the 4th of 2013, correct? [00:54:39] Wendy Adelson: Yes. [00:54:40] Speaker 1: And we're approaching the hearing date on the relocation motion, which is set for June the 18th, right? Yes. And in here, you're expressing some concerns over what you've been through in the divorce, but you said, and I think the state referred to this, that Mr. Markell had sent you a long message about how you could be doing all of the divorce stuff so differently in the spirit of love and joy, where we get together and talk about our vision for the boys and for our future. And I won't say what you said after that, but at this point, you're kind of agreeing with him. You want to do it peacefully, right? Yes. And you talk about the one alternative is you could call Gary. Now, Gary is the gentleman who was kind of offering you a position in Miami, right? Gary was a partner at the law firm where a position was offered to me. Okay. And your plan was to have him come and testify at the relocation hearing about the job that he would be giving you if you relocated there, correct? Yes. And you had other people who were going to testify there as well on your behalf, right? Yes. Okay. And so you say one alternative is you call Gary and say, I've changed my mind. I don't think it's best for my kids to move them to South Florida. I appreciate you saving the job for me, but I'm not going to come to South Florida, correct? [00:55:52] Wendy Adelson: Yes. [00:55:53] Speaker 1: And then you say, you call your brother and say, I love you, Charlie, but I'm going to stay in Tallahassee. I know you don't agree with my decision, but that's what's best for me and the kids right now. I hope one day you'll understand. That was something else you were considering, correct? Right. And then call your parents and say basically the same thing. And if they wanted to come up anytime and visit you and the boys in Tallahassee, they were free to do so, right? Yes. But that's like they've always been doing, correct? Yes. Okay. So you think if you take relocation off the table that it will give you an opportunity to discuss things with Mr. Markell and hopefully work them out, right? Yes. On the next page, you talk about what the alternative vision is, and that's what you currently have planned, which is to have Gary fly up to testify at the hearing, right? [00:56:42] Wendy Adelson: Yes. [00:56:42] Speaker 1: Your mom would testify, right? Yes. They would fly up and spend days with you, correct? Yes. You expected at that time, the hearing would last one to two days, right? Yes. And you were concerned that you would go through all of that, spending more money, being more stressed. And then you say, for the chance to save face with my family and to be given an opportunity I don't actually want to live with them in South Florida. That's what you said, right? [00:57:09] Wendy Adelson: Well, I say an opportunity I don't actually want with all of my heart, but maybe part of it to live with them in South Florida. All right. [00:57:17] Speaker 1: And then you say, so I am willing to put myself through all of this just to keep up appearances with my parents and brother that I want to be living down in South Florida or down South with them, even though I don't want to. That's what you said, right? [00:57:33] Wendy Adelson: I say, even though I don't want to give up my current flexible job where I get to spend maximum time with my kids so I can be with them. Okay. [00:57:42] Speaker 1: And that was June the 4th of 2013, right? Yes. And what you end up choosing was the second alternative, correct? I went through with the hearing. Okay. And I think, let me find it. Let me show you what's already been introduced in the evidence as the States Exhibit 60. Let's see if I can figure out their lettering system. That would be why. Take this and let you take this book. Okay. And if you would review that meeting or just this order that the board enter, please. Okay. Have you had an opportunity to review that? Yes. So, you went into this hearing and Gary ended up coming, correct? He did. And he testified, right? Yes. And you gave some testimony, correct? Yes. And what happened was the judge kind of called a timeout, right? I don't remember a timeout. At some point, she wanted to speak to counsel. Is that right? [00:59:18] Wendy Adelson: I'm sorry. I don't remember that part of her speaking to counsel. [00:59:21] Speaker 1: Do you remember the judge making some comments about the children hadn't been harmed and since he hadn't pulled out their toenails? I do remember the toenail comment. Yes. So, she wasn't leaning towards relocation, correct? No, no, no, no. Okay. So, even though you had other witnesses, you didn't proceed with the hearing, right? [00:59:39] Wendy Adelson: Well, I think we had the hearing and the judge decided. You didn't call all your witnesses, did you? I don't remember. [00:59:51] Speaker 1: If you look at the order, it says order on wife's petition to relocate with the minor children. And then it says what the court orders and adjudges. Court does not find that the wife has met her burden of proof that a relocation is in the best interest of the minor children. You see that? Yes, number one. Yes. And your mother actually stayed outside for the testimony of that hearing with your dad, correct? [01:00:19] Wendy Adelson: I don't remember, but I remember asking her to stay outside if she was going to testify. Okay. [01:00:29] Speaker 1: And you came outside at some point and told your parents that relocation was denied, correct? Correct. And it's after this hearing, when relocation is denied, that those truly ugly emails that your mother wrote were written by her, correct? [01:00:55] Wendy Adelson: Yes. [01:00:57] Speaker 1: May I approach? You may. Actually, if you'd keep that for a second. Okay. Once the final judgment was entered, the issue of relocation was over, right? Relocation from July 31st of 2013 until the time that Mr. Markell was murdered was never an issue again, was it? [01:01:35] Wendy Adelson: It was never an issue from the day it was decided on July 31st, 2013. That's when it ended. [01:01:43] Speaker 1: Certainly after the final judgment, correct? [01:01:45] Wendy Adelson: Yes. [01:01:46] Speaker 1: And that's the end of the discussion about relocation, right? Yes. No more plans about how to get relocation. The issue's decided, correct? It was decided. [01:01:59] Speaker 6: Ms. Adelson, if you look at that, that order that's entered by the court, [01:02:29] Speaker 1: besides saying it's denied, it says something pretty important. And I think the state pointed this out in its opening. It says that this denial is with prejudice. Yes, ma'am. Of the wife's petition for request to relocate with the minor children. And you're a lawyer, so you know that with prejudice means this is done. This topic in this divorce is over. Yes. With prejudice means it's a final decision of the court. But what it says right before that is, as such, the parties stipulate to the denial with prejudice of the wife's petition. You see that? Yes, I do. So what happened is, is after the judge says, if their toenails haven't been pulled out, I'm not thinking relocation, you actually stipulated to denial with prejudice, right? Yes. So, not knowing that it was denied with prejudice, your mother thought you still had an opportunity to get it up through your final hearing, right? I believe so. And so she kept writing these ugly things and giving you all of these ugly suggestions, right? She did write those emails. If you had told her you stipulated with prejudice, that's probably not what you wanted, mom. But that would have been the end of it, right? [01:03:51] Wendy Adelson: I don't know. I would just be guessing. May I approach? [01:03:55] Speaker 4: You may. [01:03:56] Speaker 1: Well, if you'd just be guessing, after she thought it was finally over on July the 31st, there were no more emails suggesting you do things like she suggested between the hearing date on June the 20th and the final hearing on July the 31st, did she? Can you help me? What is the question? Well, sure, so your mother doesn't know when you get out of the hearing on June the 20th that you've stipulated that this is a forever decision, so she writes these ugly emails, right? She may not have understood that it was a final decision of the court. It was a decision of the court because you stipulated to it, Ms. Adelson, didn't you? I did stipulate to it. And she didn't know it. She thought you had up until the final hearing, so she's marching along trying to come up with more suggestions of how you can pressure Danny and get him to agree for you to read it. Relocate, even though you know it's dead, right? I knew that it was a final decision. And after July the 31st, when she thought it was a final decision, she wrote no more emails suggesting you do these crazy things to still try and get relocation, did she? I don't remember the dates of the email, but... And you testified when you got up, when the state was asking you questions, after you said your mother hated Danny at the time that he was killed, which you've clarified now that she was mad at him, not that she hated him. You testified you hated him at the time he was killed, right? I don't remember testifying to that. Well, then we'll need to take a break, Judge. May we approach? I do. May we approach? [01:05:36] Speaker 5: Boys approach. Boys. Boys. [01:06:08] Speaker ?: Boys. Boys. Boys. Boys. [01:06:08] Speaker 5: Boys. [01:06:09] Speaker ?: Boys. Boys. [01:06:37] Speaker 5: Everyone can be seated. I believe the defense is talking to their client, but then we'll go in a recess in just a moment. Okay. [01:07:08] Speaker 6: It's true. Sit down. [01:07:10] Speaker 5: Sit down. Sit down. Sit down. [01:07:13] Speaker ?: Sit down. Sit down. Sit down. [01:07:46] Speaker 5: Sit down. They're still over there. You can bring them in. [01:08:00] Speaker ?: All rise, you're entering the courtroom. [01:08:27] Speaker 5: You may be seated. You may continue with your cross-examination, Ms. Fulford. [01:08:31] Speaker 1: Thank you, Judge. [01:08:34] Speaker ?: Ms. Edelson, isn't it true that before getting married to Mr. Markell in, was it 2006? 2006, we got married. [01:08:42] Speaker 1: Isn't it true that you've stated that you knew on your fancy wedding day when you were all dolled up and feeling like you were an actor in someone else's show, you knew it on your honeymoon. when you were enjoying the vacation but not thrilled to be there with him. You said, "I'm not sure I liked him, let alone loved him, but I was eager to start a life with someone and he wanted to do it with me." You recall saying that? I don't recall saying that, no. I have placed in front of you what's been previously marked as the FinDance Exhibit 1B for identification purposes. It's towards the bottom of page 3. [01:10:03] Wendy Adelson: I see that I said that in 2013. [01:10:14] Speaker 1: Ms. Edelson, you would agree that when Danny Markell was murdered on June the 18th of 2014, your little boys lost their father for the rest of their life? [01:10:29] Wendy Adelson: On the day that he was murdered it was July 18th, and yes, my boys lost their father. [01:10:34] Speaker 1: They are growing up as 11 years have passed without his influence in their life in any way. Isn't that correct? I wouldn't say without his influence in any way, but yes, they've grown up without their father. He's not here to give them advice. He is not. He can't come to any of their functions, sports, anything else. Correct. They're not eating kosher like they would have with their father. They are not. They are not. They don't have him at all. [01:11:01] Wendy Adelson: They don't have him in their lives day to day, no. [01:11:03] Speaker 1: Because on July the 18th of 2014, he was brutally murdered in his driveway. Isn't that true? That is true. And you testified on direct that anybody in your family that had anything to do with it should be held responsible. Isn't that correct? Yes. And that includes you, doesn't it? Anyone. Anyone. Anyone who's responsible. Nothing for you. [01:11:23] Speaker 5: Rederog is on the issue. [01:11:29] Speaker 4: When you said you were an actor in someone else's show, whose show was it? [01:11:35] Wendy Adelson: I think I felt like I just wasn't fully present in my own life, that I had always been a real people pleaser. And so there was an aspect of not always being true to myself and wanting to make other people happy. [01:11:50] Speaker 4: And one of those people is your mom, right? Yes. And that's part of why you kept going with relocation, even when you kind of had some doubts about it, right? [01:11:59] Wendy Adelson: I would say it's part of the reason. [01:12:02] Speaker 4: You were asked on cross-examination about the final order on relocation issued June 20th, 2013. And didn't you stipulate to making it with prejudice, I guess? Do you remember doing that? [01:12:16] Wendy Adelson: I don't actually remember stipulating. I mean, I see it in the order, but I don't remember actively saying anything or participating in a stipulation. [01:12:27] Speaker 4: In fact, when you testified about this previously, didn't you indicate you didn't know what prejudice meant? [01:12:33] Wendy Adelson: I think it's not something that comes up in my daily practice. And so at the time, I had forgotten that it meant that it was a final order. [01:12:43] Speaker 4: All right. And it was suggested or said on cross that you didn't tell your mom it was final and she was misled and she thought there was still room for it, right? [01:12:55] Wendy Adelson: That is what was said to me on cross. [01:12:57] Speaker 4: I'm going to approach and show you what I've marked as 64 JJ. [01:13:01] Speaker ?: I'll just take a moment to review this exhibit and let me know when we're done. Okay. I'll just take a moment to review this exhibit and let me know when we're done. Okay. I'll just take a moment to review this exhibit and let me know when we're done. Okay. I'll just take a moment to review this exhibit and let me know when we're done. Okay. Okay. Do you recognize that email? I mean, I recognize the email address. Is that what you mean? Yes, ma'am. Yes, ma'am. Who's the email from? Yes. [01:13:39] Wendy Adelson: The email is from my mom and dad's email address to a friend of theirs. [01:13:42] Speaker 4: Who's the friend? Who's the friend? [01:13:44] Wendy Adelson: Who's the friend? Who's the friend? The Kliegerman's. I think it's Vicki, the woman in the relationship. Okay. And it's signed love Donna, right? Yes. Sorry. So it's from my mom and dad's email address to a friend of theirs. [01:13:57] Speaker 4: Who's the friend? [01:13:58] Wendy Adelson: The Kliegerman's. I think it's Vicki, the woman in the relationship. [01:14:06] Speaker ?: Okay. [01:14:07] Speaker 4: And it's signed love Donna, right? [01:14:10] Wendy Adelson: Yes. Sorry. So it's from my mom. Okay. [01:14:14] Speaker 4: And in this email, does she indicate to the Kliegerman's that there is no chance of, no chance at the appellate level for appeal of your relocation? Yes. That's what the email says. All right. And is that email dated 6/25 of 13? Yes. So five days after the order was issued, your mom did know that that order was fine. Based on this? Based on that email. [01:14:43] Wendy Adelson: Yes. Okay. [01:14:45] Speaker 4: It was, you were asked questions about, you know, your mom never suggested any harm to Dan Markell to you. But she did want to bribe him. Yes? Yes. Take control from him. Weren't those her words? Yes. Aggravate him. Yes. Scare him. [01:15:07] Wendy Adelson: I don't remember scare him, but I believe that was part of it. Give him some grief. [01:15:15] Speaker 4: Yes. Take something from him. Yes. Show that fucker what would make him absolutely miserable. Yes. But definitely not kill him, right? I don't know what the question is. Donna was caring and devoted to your boys. You were asked about that. That's true, right? Yes. In fact, she maybe cared a little too much about your life and you and what was going on with you sometimes, right? I don't know that you can care too much. Even the Nazi uniform craziness came from her version of some kind of place of love. Would you agree with that? Yes. Because, although her lawyers tried to downplay this, she was suggesting a baptism for these kids, right? [01:16:10] Wendy Adelson: Yes. [01:16:11] Speaker 4: She said she looked into it and could get it done in two weeks, right? I believe that's what it said. And didn't she justify the means or claim that this would be harmless to your children because it was just like playing dress up to them, right? Yes. Just like Jake the Pirates. Yes. She thought the ends, relocation, would justify the means, didn't she? Yes. And she thought a move to South Florida was what was best for you. Yes. And what was best for your children. Yes. Who she cared about more than anyone in the world. [01:16:52] Wendy Adelson: I mean, I don't know who she cared about most in the world, but she loves me. [01:16:57] Speaker 4: Is there anyone that she cares about more than those two boys? [01:17:01] Wendy Adelson: My dad. Okay. [01:17:03] Speaker 4: She thought relocation was best for those boys. Yes. They were going to have better opportunities, right? Yes. Better family support. Yes. A happier mother. Yes. With a more lucrative profession. Yes. And your lives all depended on it. Isn't that what she said? Yes. And Dan Markell could have agreed, couldn't he? [01:17:30] Wendy Adelson: He was amenable, but then he didn't want to, ultimately. [01:17:35] Speaker 4: Well, he could have moved to South Florida, right? Isn't that what you were asked on cross? Yes, he could have. Could have moved to South Florida and enjoyed all that delicious kosher food down there, right? Yes. And if he had relented, you and he could have had separate lives in Miami and happily co-parented the boys, right? In theory. That could have happened. Yes. [01:18:00] Wendy Adelson: It could have. [01:18:01] Speaker 4: Except he wouldn't relent, would he? [01:18:04] Wendy Adelson: I mean, he said no, and so we had a hearing and the judge said no. [01:18:11] Speaker ?: Right. [01:18:12] Speaker 4: He wouldn't relent. He wouldn't give your mom what she wanted, would he? [01:18:21] Wendy Adelson: I mean, we only had one conversation about it, so it wasn't like an ongoing thing. It wasn't an ongoing thing? What wasn't? I mean, between Danny and I, we talked about relocation. He said he would think about it, and then he said he didn't want to. And then we had the hearing, and then that was the end of it for me. [01:18:42] Speaker 4: Yes, but you were asked on cross, wouldn't things have been potentially great for Danny down there, too? Yes, I think they would have. Couldn't we all have lived happily ever after if he would have agreed to move down there, too? Possibly, right? Possibly. But he wouldn't agree. [01:18:58] Wendy Adelson: He didn't agree, no. [01:19:01] Speaker 4: Nothing further. [01:19:03] Speaker 5: The jury, before we continue this afternoon, we will take a brief break. The bailiff will take you back to the jury now. [01:19:16] Speaker 6: Okay. I'm not going to explain it fully here. We still have a lot of evidence to go. But the clues are this. There was a fight, an argument between Wendy Aderson and Dan Markell on October 31st, 2012. Halloween 2012. Halloween 2013 is when, according to Catherine McManua, Charles Aderson asked her whether she knew somebody that could harm Dan Markell. And she said yes. On the same day, as we have learned, Charles Aderson sent a message to his sister, Wendy, in Tallahassee, telling her not to purchase a home anymore, that she doesn't have to buy it anymore. And sending her a picture of himself with Catherine McManua, his new girlfriend, the girlfriend who was going to be the middle woman in this conspiracy. That is pretty damaging evidence. It corroborates Catherine McManua's testimony about the first time that Charles Aderson approached her about the hit. And it also corroborates testimony from Jeffrey Lacasse regarding the fact that Wendy knew about efforts to hire hitmen. [01:20:41] Speaker 5: Yes, go ahead. Very well. With there being no need for a proffer from this witness, you may step down. Ms. Kappelman, will you be recalling her at any point under your subpoena? [01:20:55] Speaker 4: I don't intend to judge, but I would ask that she remain on the floor at this time. She's going to go about her business. [01:21:02] Speaker 5: You will not discuss your testimony with any other person that will be testifying in this trial. Mr. Lorrow, will you need to be heard any further, sir? Have a good day. [01:21:12] Speaker 3: Let us know what you think of Donna's approach, done through Jackie Fulford, and what you think about how Wendy handled it and how Georgia responded on rebuttal. Until next time, mentor lawyer, deep dive true crime. [01:21:36] Speaker ?: Thank you.