Accused Florida Woman Claims Inhumane Jail Conditions, Attorneys Reveal
Lawyers claim Donna Adelson, charged with murdering her ex-son-in-law, endures cruel and unusual punishment in jail
Donna Adelson's lawyers, who are representing her in the 2014 murder case of her former son-in-law, have alleged that she is being subjected to "cruel and unusual punishment."
Her attorney, Marissel Descalzo, filed an emergency motion on Tuesday, making multiple allegations, including claims that jail staff are making the 73-year-old woman sit naked and eat with her hands while confined to a small cell by herself.
The jail staff is accused of denying Adelson her medication and not allowing her to shower for days.
The motion contends that this treatment is a violation of Adelson's Sixth Amendment rights as it has prevented her from communicating with her attorney or aiding in her defense.
Descalzo is asking the court to either release Adelson on house arrest, or to improve her conditions in jail by releasing her from isolation and transferring her to a unit where she can prepare for trial and speak to her family. Another alternative being requested is for a psychological evaluation to be considered in order to place her in a different unit. The Florida woman is facing charges for allegedly plotting the death of her former son-in-law, just a week after her son was convicted of murder.
The Leon County Sheriffs Office spokesperson emphasized the facility's serious commitment to the care, custody, and control of all individuals. According to Descalzo, a hearing regarding the allegations is set for Monday, as reported by CNN.
Adelson was taken into custody on November 13 while attempting to board a flight to Vietnam with her husband at Miami International Airport. Following her arrest, she was held at a Miami jail before being moved to Leon County. Adelson faces charges of first-degree murder, conspiracy, and solicitation in connection with the alleged murder-for-hire of her former son-in-law, Florida State University law professor Dan Markel.
A week before her arrest, her son Charles Adelson, a South Florida dentist, was convicted of Markel's murder.
Descalzo stated in the motion that the evidence against her client is "circumstantial at best," highlighting that "there is a presumption of innocence in this country and Donna is entitled to a fair trial."
