{"id":142303,"date":"2026-02-03T19:39:12","date_gmt":"2026-02-03T19:39:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/142303\/"},"modified":"2026-02-03T19:39:12","modified_gmt":"2026-02-03T19:39:12","slug":"first-district-court-of-appeal-hears-charlie-adelsons-appeal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/142303\/","title":{"rendered":"First District Court of Appeal hears Charlie Adelson\u2019s appeal"},"content":{"rendered":"

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – Charlie Adelson\u2019s attorneys asked the First District Court of Appeal Tuesday to overturn his conviction in the 2014 murder for hire of his former brother-in-law, FSU law professor Dan Markel<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Adelson was found guilty in November 2023 and is serving a life sentence<\/a> for his role in the plot. <\/p>\n

Defense attorney Michael Ufferman argued Tuesday that Adelson was denied \u201ca fair and impartial trial,\u201d citing extensive pre-trial publicity spanning nearly 10 years.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf there was ever a case for a change of venue, these facts are that case,\u201d Ufferman told the appeals court. <\/p>\n

Ufferman argued Tuesday that the jury pool was tainted and the judge should have tossed out an entire jury panel and granted a change of venue. <\/p>\n

He cited potential jurors in one panel \u201ctalking about (the case) all day\u201d and others \u201clying\u201d about whether they had already formed an opinion about Adelson\u2019s guilt.<\/p>\n

More Tallahassee News<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s clear this 50 was tainted,\u201d Ufferman said. \u201cThe fix was easy.\u201d<\/p>\n

However, prosecutors contend Adelson would have been convicted anywhere in Florida. Charlie Lee with the Florida Attorney General\u2019s Office told the court Adelson ultimately accepted the jury pool and his conviction should stand. <\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s entitled to an impartial jury; he\u2019s not entitled to an impartial community or city or world,\u201d Lee said. <\/p>\n

It\u2019s not clear when the First DCA will issue a ruling in Adelson\u2019s appeal.<\/p>\n

Charlie Adelson\u2019s mother, Donna Adelson, also has an appeal pending before the court, which she filed in November<\/a> following her conviction<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Three other people are also currently serving prison sentences in connection to the FSU law professor\u2019s murder: convicted hitmen Sigfredo Garcia<\/a> and Luis Rivera<\/a>, along with convicted go-between Katherine Magbanua.<\/a><\/p>\n

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