DOWNTOWN TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — Charlie Adelson's attorneys will push for a new trial on Tuesday at the First District Court of Appeal. Adelson was convicted in 2023 for first-degree murder, solicitation, and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder in the 2014 killing of former FSU Professor Dan Markel.
Charlie Adelson was convicted as one of the co-conspirators in Markel's murder. In January 2025, the First District Court of Appeal denied a motion made by Adelson's team asking for jurisdiction to be relinquished back to the trial court.
Now, on Tuesday, oral arguments will be heard by three appeal judges: Judges Rowe, Winokur, and MK. Thomas. The docket does say this is subject to change.
According to the docket and paperwork submitted to the courts, Michael Robert Ufferman and Laurel Cornell Niles', Adelson's attorneys, arguments say they are appealing based on the trial court "erring" when:
- They denied a change of venue for the trial
- "Excluding defense-proffered text messages that would have shown Appellant Adelson and other alleged co-conspirators communicating “normally” during the time leading up to Dan Markel’s murder
- "It excluded evidence that was highly probative to the theory of defense" - this was related to the defense's theory that Adelson was being extorted.
Their arguments conclude with: "the errors, cumulatively, in this case denied Appellant Adelson his constitutional right to a fair trial."
The State and the Defense will be allotted 20 minutes each to make their case.
Oral arguments are set to begin at 10:00 a.m. at the First DCA on Drayton Drive.
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