‘Control Yourself!’ Judge Reprimands Matriarch After She Loses It During Murder-for-Hire Verdict

The judge in a murder-for-hire trial strongly reprimanded 75-year-old Donna Adelson for her emotional outburst after she was found guilty of masterminding a plan to kill her ex-son-in-law.

Adelson shouted “Oh my God!” as the judge pronounced her guilty of first-degree murder in a Tallahassee, Florida, courtroom on Thursday.

“Mrs. Adelson, control yourself!” admonished Florida Second Judicial Circuit Judge Stephen Everett as Adelson continued to sob.

Adelson was also found guilty of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and solicitation to commit first-degree murder in the 2014 killing of Florida State University law professor Dan Markel. Markel was married to Adelson’s daughter Wendi Adelson, who was engaged in a custody battle when Markel was fatally shot in the head while in his garage. Wendi Adelson has not been charged in the case.

At one point, the judge dismissed the jury for a brief recess, saying, “Mrs. Adelson, while this was not the outcome I’m sure you desired, there will not be any further outbursts in front of the jury. If you cannot control yourself, I am going to have to determine if you will be removed from the remainder of this process. Do you understand what I’m saying to you?”

He gave her a moment to collect herself before bringing the jury back in to the courtroom.

Prosecutors argued Adelson was the “controlling matriarch of her affluent South Florida family who had the means and motive to orchestrate the killing of the ex-son-in-law she ‘hated,'” The New York Post reported.

Adelson’s son Dr. Charlie Adelson was also convicted for his role in the plot and was sentenced to life in prison. Prosecutors said he and his then-girlfriend Katherine Magbanua hired two Latin Kings gang members to carry out the hit. All were convicted and sentenced to life, except for one man who took a plea deal and is serving a 19-year sentence.

Donna Adelson is awaiting sentencing.

Watch the video above via the Tallahassee Democrat on YouTube.