Why Donna Adelson Might Take the Stand in Her Murder Trial
True Crime Today | Daily True Crime News & Interviews
Tony Brueski
4.2 • 612 Ratings
🗓️ 21 August 2025
⏱️ 18 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
As jury selection begins in the Donna Adelson trial, one of the biggest pretrial bombshells is her reported willingness to testify in her own defense. The 73-year-old matriarch of the Adelson family faces charges of first-degree murder, conspiracy, and solicitation in connection with the killing of FSU law professor Dan Markel — and testifying could expose her to devastating cross-examination.
In this Hidden Killers segment, Tony Brueski and defense attorney/former prosecutor Eric Faddis dissect what this decision could mean. Is it a strategic bluff? A calculated move to control the narrative? Or simply Donna’s belief that she can charm or talk her way through the jury’s doubts?
Eric explains the risks, the limited control defense counsel has over a client’s choice to testify, and how prosecutors will be ready with a paper trail of payments, coded phone calls, and the one-way Vietnam trip to challenge her credibility. The conversation also explores how the defense might try to limit her exposure on the stand and frame her as a protective — if over-involved — mother rather than a conspirator.
#DonnaAdelson #DanMarkel #TrueCrime #HiddenKillers #EricFaddis #TrialStrategy #WitnessStand #DefenseTactics #MurderTrial #TestifyingRisks
Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video?
Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/
Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspod
X Twitter https://x.com/tonybpod
Listen Ad-Free On Apple Podcasts Here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-premium-plus-ad-free-advance-episode/id1705422872
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 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. |
| 0:58.5 | This is Hidden Killers with Tony Bruske. Here now, Tony Bruske. |
| 1:04.8 | Donna Adelson's trial hasn't even started, and already the defense strategy is raising eyebrows |
| 1:10.2 | and maybe even a few blood |
| 1:12.3 | pressures as well. jury selection is just getting underway, but instead of playing things |
| 1:16.7 | close to the vests like most defendants facing first-degree murder, conspiracy, and solicitation |
| 1:22.3 | charges do. Donna, the 73-year-old matriarch at the heart of this family drama turned homicide case, |
| 1:31.2 | is reportedly telling the world she wants to testify on her own defense. |
| 1:40.2 | Donna, the stage is yours. |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Tony Brueski, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of Tony Brueski and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.