TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – The First District Court of Appeals heard arguments from Charlie Adelson’s attorneys on Tuesday as they asked the court to toss out Adelson’s conviction.
WCTV Legal Analyst Joe Bodiford explained why the decision could take time.
“It could take months, I mean it could be the end of the year before we see something and the reason for that is because these judges are very carefully reviewing what we call the record … which is the typed out copy of everything that was said in the trial, all of the evidence that was admitted, and they’re very carefully weighing it. They have law clerks that are also researching this,” Bodiford said. “They’ll get into conference and the three of them that were there will talk about it and this is a very painstaking process because they want to make sure that they get it right.”
Bodiford said the First DCA never rules from the bench.
He explained the three appeal judges will now review the extensive trial record and confer with each other to decide if Charlie Adelson’s conviction should stand or be overturned.
Bodiford likened it to an official review on the football field.
“If there is enough to substantiate the call, then the call on the field stands. If they see that the call was wrong and there’s video evidence to say that the call was wrong, then it’s overturned,” Bodiford said. “That’s exactly what an appeal is in the justice system. They look at the record, they look at what the judge called on the field, and either there was support for it or there wasn’t.”
Bodiford said if the First DCA ultimately upholds Charlie Adelson’s conviction this is likely the first of several appeals in his case.
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