Paul L. Caron
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Saturday, June 11, 2022

What Got Katherine Magbanua Convicted Of Dan Markel’s Murder? What's Next For Charlie Adelson?

Tallahassee Democrat, What Got Katherine Magbanua Convicted of Dan Markel’s Murder? Here’s What Her Lawyer Said:

Magbanua AdelsonThere was evidence against convicted murderer Katherine Magbanua that was hard to overcome as jurors weighed her role in the murder of acclaimed Florida State law professor Dan Markel, one of her attorneys said Friday.

In an exclusive interview a week after the highly-anticipated trial ended, Miami defense attorney Chris DeCoste commented on the verdict, the evidence he believes the jury keyed in on, and what’s next for his client of six years. ...

Magbanua attorney says Dolce Vita tape pivotal in verdict
On the stand, Magbanua struggled to explain to jurors how she came into more than $100,000 in extra money in the years immediately following Markel’s brutal murder. A secret FBI recording of her and a prime suspect — Markel’s ex brother-in-law Charlie Adelson — that left the impression the two were discussing the murder was a focal point for jurors. ...

Magbanua testified she was innocent, but stumbled in her explanations
Magbanua told jurors she wanted them to hear the truth from her, but instead she delivered a disjointed account of her life in the years around Markel’s murder. Her relationship with Garcia was rocky when she started dating Markel’s talkative former brother-in-law Charlie Adelson, who is accused of orchestrating and financing the hit. ...

One co-conspirator testified, one didn't
Magbanua’s attorneys consistently told jurors they couldn’t trust Luis Rivera’s testimony. ... But the one man who could definitively say whether Magbanua was involved — or not — did not take the stand. Garcia, who was convicted of Markel's murder in 2019, refused to testify on behalf of the mother of his children. ...

What does this mean for Charlie Adelson?

Charlie Adelson is now in the Leon County jail on murder and related conspiracy and solicitation charges. No trial date has been set for him.

TaxProf Blog coverage of the Magbanua trial:

Complete TaxProf Blog coverage:

https://taxprof.typepad.com/taxprof_blog/2022/06/what-got-katherine-magbanua-convicted-of-dan-markels-murder-whats-next-for-charlie-adelson.html

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