An attorney representing Donna Adelson, a mom-of-five behind bars for the 2014 murder of her son-in-law, says that she’s been under “cruel and inhumane conditions” while at Florida’s Leon County Detention Facility.
In a motion filed on Tuesday, Miami attorney Marissel Descalzo requested that Adelson be relocated from solitary confinement or, as an alternative, be placed under house arrest. Descalzo outlined various concerns, including Adelson reportedly sitting “naked” on a mattress on the floor and having no eating utensils.
According to court documents obtained by The Docket, Descalzo said Adelson arrived at the jail on November 20 and was initially placed in the infirmary under direct supervision. She was then moved to a small solitary unit equipped with “a toilet, a sink, a mattress on the floor, and a dirty blanket.”
Despite Adelson’s requests for a book or Bible, she allegedly received nothing and has been forced to eat her meals with her hands, the court documents state.
Donna Adelson Emergency Motion by Leigh Egan
“When Donna made her concerns known, the official told Donna that Donna “is a fancy white lady who murdered her son and now thinks she has rights,’” the defense motion read. “The official joked with the other guards about this outside Donna’s door.”
On November 13, Adelson was arrested at Miami International Airport as she and her husband, Harvey, were preparing to board a one-way flight to Vietnam. They attempted to flee a week after a jury found Charles Adelson guilty of hiring two hit men from Miami to assassinate Markel amid a custody dispute with his wife, Wendi Adelson, over their two children.
Markel has been identified as Donna Adelson’s former son-in-law. Charles Adelson, a Florida dentist, is Donna Adelson’s son, as CrimeOnline previously reported.
Donna Adelson is now charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy, and solicitation in the alleged murder-for-hire killing of Markel, Donna Adelson faces legal consequences. Charles Adelson was previously convicted of Markel’s murder, following an 8-day trial at the Leon County Courthouse.
Markel, a Florida State law professor, was killed on July 18, 2014, after Charles Adelson fatally shot him in the garage of Markel’s Betton Hills home. The murder happened amid a bitter divorce and custody battle between Markel and Wendi Adelson, identified as Donna and Harvey’s daughter.
Family friend Ben Graber told The Miami Herald that Donna Adelson and her loved ones were a “five-star family” who seemingly had a perfect life while her three children grew up in Coral Springs.
She worked as a teacher and then helped her husband part-time at his dental practice. While raising her children, she reportedly volunteered in the community and was a member of the Coral Springs synagogue.
Two other people, identified as “hitmen” in the murder, Sigfredo Garcia and Luis Rivera, were also convicted for Markel’s murder, along with Charles Adelson’s former girlfriend, Katie Magbanua.
Meanwhile, Donna Adelson remains behind bars without bond at the Leon County jail, while waiting for her next court hearing.
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[Feature Photo: Wendi Adelson and Dan Markel/Handout]
