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Saturday, October 12, 2019

Hit Man Convicted Of First-Degree Murder Of Dan Markel; State To Retry Magbanua After Jury Deadlocks; Magbanua Fingers Charlie Adelson

Tallahassee Democrat, Dan Markel Case: Family Says Justice 'Partially Served' With Murder Verdict and Mistrial:

Markel SuspectsJurors deliberated for 11 hours Thursday and Friday before convicting the man who fatally shot Dan Markel in broad daylight in 2014 and deadlocking on the woman prosecutors tried to prove was the go-between in an alleged murder-for-hire plot.

Sigfredo Garcia was found guilty of first-degree murder following nearly two weeks of testimony in front of a Leon County jury of 10 women and two men.

After that decision was announced, jurors briefly continued deliberating on whether to convict Katherine Magbanua, his co-defendant and the mother of their two children. After sending signals earlier in the day they were struggling with reaching a unanimous decision, they officially deadlocked, prompting Leon Circuit Judge James C. Hankinson to declare a mistrial. ...

Magbanua will remain in jail as a charged co-conspirator, and the state will try her case again. ...

The Markel family said in a statement they were relieved to have some semblance of justice. “After waiting five long years, we are relieved that at least one of the people responsible for Danny’s murder was convicted today and are grateful for the tireless efforts of law enforcement and the State Attorney’s Office,” said their attorneys Orin Snyder and Matthew Benjamin. “Yet justice was only partially served. In light of the mountain of evidence presented by the State Attorney’s Office, we are confident Katherine Magbanua will be re-tried and convicted.”

“As all who followed this trial know, there is more work to be done to ensure that everyone responsible for Danny’s murder is held accountable,” they said. “Until that day comes, we will continue to fight for complete justice and to be reunited with our grandchildren, Danny’s two young boys, whom we love and miss dearly.”

Tallahassee Democrat, Dan Markel Murder Trial: Katherine Magbanua Denies Involvement, but Fingers Charlie Adelson:

Katherine Magabanua, accused in the murder of Dan Markel, denied any involvement in a conspiracy but said that she thought the Florida State law professor’s brother-in-law was behind the murder.

Week 3 Highlights Of The Dan Markel Murder Trial:

Prior TaxProf Blog coverage:

https://taxprof.typepad.com/taxprof_blog/2019/10/hit-man-garcia-convicted-of-first-degree-murder-of-dan-markel-state-to-retry-magbanua-after-jury-dea.html

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Comments

The whole sordid affair hardly kindles respect for Jews, dentists, professors, or lawyers. Of particular note, the prosecutor was particularly poor in the trial. A book might sell 500 or so copies, "Clueless in Tallahassee."

Posted by: Diogenes | Oct 13, 2019 4:28:15 AM

Why don't they do like the father of OJ's victim did: sue the dentist and evil mother civilly? Burden of proof is much easier, and they can force discovery which would help the prosecution.

Posted by: John Doe | Oct 12, 2019 11:42:07 AM

Hope that a judge will award Markel's parents with joint custody of the children.

Posted by: jetty | Oct 12, 2019 7:46:20 AM