Continuance of Donna Adelson's trial expected to cost state attorney's office "tens of thousands of dollars"
More than ten years after FSU Law Professor Dan Markel was murdered in this neighborhood, people are reacting to the pushed back trial of Donna Adelson. I'm Kendall Brandt in the Midtown Neighborhood.
I told you Tuesday Donna Adelson's trial has been continued after one of her attorneys withdrew from the case. I am taking a look at how this is impacting the court and how a friend of Markel's is feeling.
Attorney Dan Rashbaum will no longer represent Donna Adelson
State attorney Jack Campbell says a lot of work went in to this case. "I've been involved in a lot of trials. I've not been involved in anything bigger than this one."
What he's talking about: the trial of Donna Adelson, a woman accused working with her son Charlie to murder her ex-son-in-law Dan Markel. Jury selection was set to start Tuesday with the same attorney her son used, Dan Rashbaum.
But Rashbaum withdrew after Charlie invoked his 6th amendment right to not have his former lawyer represent his mother. Campbell says Charlie previously signed a waiver to allow Rashbaum's representation. "We wouldn't have gotten this far and done all the things we did if we didn't think we were going to go to trial this week."
It's a case that has taken lots of resources to get off the ground and the continuance will cost the state attorney's office, "tens of thousands of dollars."
Kendall: "Can you kind of talk about the burden this placed on the court?"
"And the community. 600 people were summoned for potential jurors for this."
He says the Markel family was on a flight layover when the trial was pushed back. I spoke with Donna's new defense attorney Alex Morris who says this was not anticipated by the defense team.
Donna Adelson's new lead counsel Alex Morris discusses next steps
"There were waivers in place seemingly resolved the conflict issue but as is anyone's right in that circumstance, their consent or their permission was revoked."
He also said it was hard on Donna.
"It was a stressful day for Mrs. Adelson, there's no doubt about that."
I asked one of Markel's friends, Jason Solomon who is a founding member of the group Justice for Dan. He said he was disappointed to see the delay, but says he knows justice will be served.
"The reality is that Donna Adelson was in jail at the beginning of the week. She's going to be in jail at the end of the week and she's going to be in jail next year and for the rest of her life because the evidence is overwhelming against her."
Campbell says he is also confident in his team.
"There's nothing that we're not watching and trying and I mean it's a pretty big chess game."
Donna next appears in court October 15 for case management.
