TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — Friday morning, both the state and Charlie Adelson’s defense team told a Leon County judge they’re ready for jury selection to begin on Monday. They’ll be selecting jurors from a pool of 50.
Charlie Adelson, the former brother-in-law of murdered Florida State University law professor Dan Markel, was arrested in April in connection to Markel's killing.
Potential jurors will be asked the following questions:
- 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 Mr. Adelson’s guilt or innocence?
- Can you set aside any present knowledge, disregard it and render a verdict solely on the evidence presented in the courtroom?
- Are you capable of being fair and impartial?
- Do you have any reason that will prevent you from serving on this jury for potentially three weeks, directly addressing hardship?
Judge Stephen Everett said he expects to have a jury seated by Thursday or Friday of next week. Once a jury is seated, opening statements can begin.
Once the trial begins, those involved will need to report to court by 8:45 a.m. Testimony will begin at 9 a.m. Proceedings will wrap up around 5:30 p.m. each day of the trial.
Assistant State Attorney Georgia Cappleman asked to dismiss early on Wednesdays between 5:00 and 5:15 p.m. Charlie Adelson signed a stipulation about his parents testifying to the state. That stipulation was mutually agreed upon, because the state did not want to give the parents immunity by enforcing the subpoena. Neither the defense nor prosecution will call the parents. This does not necessarily mean they won’t be called as witnesses in any future trial.
A firearm stipulation will be read during the trial. The defense has sealed stipulations as well that will be presented.
