*Editor's Note: During this process, there will be portions that we will not be able to air, and the video will remain on the seal until court resumes.
Today begins the high-profile murder trial of Donna Adelson. Adelson was arrested in November of 2023, accused of orchestrating the death of her former son-in-law Dan Markel, in 2014. Markel was shot at his home in Tallahassee and died the next day at the hospital.
Adelson is charged with first-degree murder, solicitation and conspiracy to commit murder. Jury selection is expected to take three days, as 300 people were summoned. 12 people will be selected with 3 alternates.
WATCH JURY SELECTION DAY 1 BELOW:
LIVE BLOG:
August 19th:
8:30 a.m.: Judge Everett gave some brief remarks this morning and said jurors will go through 5 rounds of questioning. The judge said he believes jury selection could go through Thursday. The state thinks it will not take that long. Now, the Judge has ordered a brief recess while we wait for potential jurors to be seated.
At a previous pre-trial hearing, Judge Everett said 50 potential jurors will be screened in the morning, and 50 potential jurors will be screened in the afternoon, until we have a pool of 100 potential jurors.
Judge Everett started asking the pool of potential jurors basic questions, including whether jurors are 18 years of age and residents of Leon County. Also asking if jurors are full-time students, or are they the full-time caregivers of a child under the age of 6.
Judge Everett states the five questions potential jurors will be asked:
- What do you know about this case?
- What sources have you obtained this knowledge from?
- Based on what you know, do you have an opinion about Mrs Adelson’s guilt or innocence?
- Can you set aside your present knowledge, disregard it, and use the evidence shown in the courtroom? Can you be fair?
- Is there any reason you can’t serve on this jury for potentially up to 3 weeks?
Midday Update:
Tuesday morning saw 50 potential jurors going through a screening process to see if they qualify to serve as one of 12 jurors for Donna Adelson's trial.
For this pool, 26 remain as potential jurors, 24 jurors were excused.
Each juror was questioned individually in a private room with the Judge, defense, and State present. Donna Adelson was also in this room as well.
Reporters were allowed one-on-one into the room to listen to some of the conversations.
Questions included if the juror had any prior knowledge of the case, if they could only use the evidence provided in the courtroom to determine an opinion, and if they could weigh both parties up fairly.
Judge Everett informed the remaining 26 jurors that they must report back to the courthouse at 11am on Thursday.
The second pool of jurors for Tuesday are reporting at 1:45pm.
WTXL is in court and will provide updates throughout the day.
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