Donna Adelson Trial Preview — Defense & Prosecution Tactics
Hidden Killers With Tony Brueski | True Crime News & Commentary
True Crime Today
3.3 • 907 Ratings
🗓️ 25 August 2025
⏱️ 26 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
The trial of Donna Adelson — matriarch of the family linked to the murder of Florida State law professor Dan Markel — is about to begin, and it’s already shaping up to be one of the most dramatic courtroom battles of the year. In this Hidden Killers special, Tony Brueski and defense attorney/former prosecutor Eric Faddis combine two hard-hitting conversations to examine both sides of the legal fight: Donna’s startling consideration of testifying in her own defense, and the prosecution’s likely strategy to convict her.
First, we explore why Donna might be willing to take the stand — a move most defendants in major murder trials avoid. Is it a bluff? A calculated attempt to control the narrative? Or simply Donna’s belief that she can persuade a jury better than anyone else? Eric explains the legal risks, how the defense might try to limit her exposure on cross-examination, and what the prosecution will be ready to hit her with — from financial records to coded phone calls to her one-way ticket to Vietnam.
Then, we shift to the state’s playbook. With three co-conspirators already convicted, prosecutors will likely lean heavily on the money trail to Katherine Magbanua, Donna’s deep involvement in the custody dispute with Markel, and the infamous $1 million “relocation offer.” We discuss how the state will frame motive, means, and opportunity, and how the defense might counter by portraying Donna as an over-involved grandmother rather than a mastermind.
#DonnaAdelson #DanMarkel #TrueCrime #HiddenKillers #EricFaddis #TrialStrategy #ProsecutionPlan #WitnessStand #FloridaCrime #MurderTrial
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | A Better Help ad. |
| 0:02.3 | Lewis Capaldi partnered with Better Help to get word out about how important therapy can be. |
| 0:07.6 | I struggle most weeks to get up, get myself up and ready and go to therapy or whatever. |
| 0:13.0 | Even like to open the laptop to talk to, my therapist sometimes could be really difficult. |
| 0:17.4 | But I do it because I realise how important it is for me to continue to feel |
| 0:21.3 | good. Because I felt the best I've felt in a long time through therapy. |
| 0:25.6 | Learn more about online therapy at betterhelp.com. |
| 0:29.5 | A better help ad. |
| 0:31.5 | Lewis Capaldi partnered with BetterHelp to get word out about how important therapy can be. |
| 0:36.8 | I struggle most weeks to get up, get myself up and ready and go to therapy or whatever. |
| 0:42.2 | Even like to open the laptop to talk to, my therapist sometimes could be really difficult. |
| 0:46.6 | But I do it because I realise how important it is for me to continue to feel good. |
| 0:51.0 | I felt the best I've felt in a long time through therapy. |
| 0:54.8 | Learn more about online therapy at betterhelp.com. |
| 0:58.4 | This is Hidden Killers with Tony Brewski. |
| 1:01.5 | Here now, Tony Brewski. |
| 1:04.7 | Donna Adelson, the trial is about to start. |
| 1:07.4 | Jury Selection is getting underway, |
| 1:09.8 | and we're going to see quite a show, |
| 1:12.4 | and we're bringing you the trial every single day right here at the Hitting Killers podcast and |
| 1:16.8 | True Crime today, so be sure to press subscribe so you don't miss any of that. And of course, |
| 1:20.9 | our commentary are breaking down of the case. We're going to be doing a lot of that in the coming |
... |
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