TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — With fewer than two weeks until Donna Adelson's trial is set to begin, both the defense and the prosecution deny rumors that Adelson has been offered a plea deal.
- State Attorney Jack Campbell and Adelson's defense attorney are firmly denying rumors that the State has offered Donna Adelson a plea deal.
- Adelson's trial is set to begin on August 19. She is accused of orchestrating a murder-for-hire plot in Tallahassee.
- Watch the video to hear from Campbell.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Donna Adelson's long-awaited trial is set to kick off in just under two weeks. She has her final pre-trial hearing Friday, but that's not all the developments taking place in this case this week.
I would like to start with the latest that you've been dealing with in terms of the Adelson trial pertaining to rumors of a plea deal.
"It's just totally unfounded and untrue," said State Attorney Jack Campbell. "No such plea offer has been extended."
Donna Adelson is accused of orchestrating a murder-for-hire plot in Tallahassee, which led to the death of her former son-in-law Florida State professor Dan Markel in 2014.
Reports that Adelson had been offered a plea deal of time served if she testified against her daughter Wendi Adelson were first reported on the podcast Surviving the Survior. Wendi Adelson divorced Markel and was in a custody battle with him prior to his murder.
Adelson's attorney, Joshua Zelman, also confirmed to ABC 27 via email that "no offer was made by the State to Mrs. Adelson."
Do you expect this rumor to have any impact on that jury selection?
"Well, that's my concern, and that's why the ethical rules allow on pre-trial publicity for corrections of things like this," said Campbell. "And that's why I so quickly wanted to come out and correct it."
ABC 27 spoke with criminal defense lawyer, Don Pumphrey Jr. with Pumphrey Law. He has been following this case. Pumphrey doesn't believe Judge Everett, who's presiding over this case, will let these rumors have any impact on the jury.
"They're going to vet that jury," said Pumphrey. "They're going to want to make sure on both sides that the plea negotiations are not going to affect the panel."
Campbell says he still expects the case to go to trial. That will begin on August 19.
"Obviously, we don't know how long the jury will deliberate, but I would expect it to be done in three weeks,' said Campbell.
Adelson's final pretrial hearing is set for 9 a.m. this Friday.
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