Matriarch sentenced to life in prison for hired killing of her ex-son-in-law

TALLAHASSEE, FL — TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Donna AdelsonThe matriarch of a wealthy South Florida family who was convicted of murder-for-hire of her former son-in-law was sentenced Monday to life in prison for her role in 2014. contract killing from Daniel Markel.

A prominent law professor at Florida State University, Markel was involved in a bitter custody battle with his ex-wife, Adelson's daughter, when he was shot to death in 2014 at his Tallahassee home.

Adelson, 75, was found guilty last month of first-degree murder, conspiracy and incitement after week trial. She was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole on the murder charge, with an additional 30 years on the other two counts to be served consecutively. Adelson vowed to appeal.

In an emotional statement before her sentencing in a Tallahassee courtroom, Adelson swore she was innocent and called her miscarriage of justice a miscarriage of justice overseen by a jury she said was unduly influenced by years of negative media coverage.

“What happened to Danny is unforgivable. But I am an innocent woman convicted of this terrible crime without evidence,” Adelson said.

“I've always respected the law. I've never received a parking ticket, but I'm going to jail for a murder I didn't commit,” she added.

District Judge Stephen Everett interrupted Adelson several times, warning her that the statements showed what he called a “total lack of remorse” for the crime.

Shackled and wearing a purple prison jumpsuit, Adelson stood attentively as Everett handed down the sentence. “You can, of course, renounce your involvement and remain innocent. The court finds that the evidence in this case is clear,” Everett said.

The case has gripped Floridians for more than a decade amid the sordid details of a messy divorce, tensions with wealthy in-laws and a custody battle that led to murder.

Adelson became the fifth person convicted of what prosecutors say was a plot to kill Markel. Among those already serving a life sentence for murder is Adelson's son, Charles Adelson.

At trial, prosecutors portrayed Donna Adelson as the calculating and controlling matriarch of a wealthy South Florida family who had the means and motive to orchestrate the murder of a former son-in-law whom she “hated.”

Defense lawyers insisted the state did not have enough evidence to link the aging grandmother to the murder plot, instead emphasizing the role of others and casting suspicion on Adelson's two adult children. Wendy Adelson denied any involvement murder and was not charged.

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Kate Payne is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

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