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Dan Markel— Case Archive
Charlie Adelsontrial-daytrial-dayGeorgia CapplemanSarah Kathryn DuganDan RashbaumChristopher CorbittCorey HaleMary HullErika JohnsonClariza LebredoKatherine MagbanuaLuis Riveracrossredirectdirectcross_waivedDay 3 - October 30, 2023Katherine Magbanua testified about the alleged plot and her prior false testimony as the State presented office, financial, dinner-text, and historical phone-record evidence.
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Day 3 - October 30, 2023

Magbanua Testimony, Financial Records, and Cell-Phone Analysis

Judge Stephen S. Everett
25Proceedings
7Pages
7Witnesses
4,695Lines
6Sidebars
Day 3 of 8
Appearing:
Georgia Cappleman Sarah Kathryn Dugan Dan Rashbaum Christopher Corbitt Corey Hale Mary Hull Erika Johnson Clariza Lebredo Katherine Magbanua Luis Rivera

Katherine Magbanua testified about the alleged plot and her prior false testimony as the State presented office, financial, dinner-text, and historical phone-record evidence.

Full day summary

Katherine Magbanua testified about her role in the alleged plan to kill Dan Markel, her prior false testimony, and her account of receiving and delivering an envelope and money she attributed to Charlie Adelson. The defense cross-examined her about her earlier trials, proffers, and hope of seeing her children again. Former Adelson Institute employees described Katherine Magbanua as a patient and Charlie Adelson's girlfriend rather than an office employee. The court admitted a recorded 2016 call between Erika Johnson and Charlie Adelson after investigators sought records concerning Magbanua. Forensic accountant Mary Hull reviewed banking and employment records, including Magbanua's cash deposits and Adelson Institute checks. Detective Corey Hale testified about Jeffrey Lacasse's account of a July 2014 dinner and text messages referring to a dinner involving wendy and Charlie Adelson. Sergeant Christopher Corbitt began presenting historical communication, travel, and cell-site records, explaining the limits of cell-site location analysis before the examination recessed for the evening.

Video thumbnail9:28:26
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1. Luis Rivera — Cross/Redirect

Luis Rivera's cross-examination examined the source of his information and the payment arrangement; redirect addressed Garcia's remarks and denied a gang-related motive.

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Procedural
Court Opens — Rivera Recalled to Stand
20 lines
Cross
Luis Rivera - Cross Luis Rivera Dan Rashbaum
459 lines

Defense questioned Rivera's secondhand knowledge, lack of direct Adelson contact, payment account, and recollection of the alleged post-killing call.

Redirect
Luis Rivera - Redirect Luis Rivera Georgia Cappleman
67 lines

Rivera denied a Latin Kings connection to the murder and said Garcia did not discuss the dentist during the Tallahassee trips.

2. Katherine Magbanua — Direct/Cross/Redirect

Katherine Magbanua testified about the alleged murder plan, her role in connecting it to Sigfredo Garcia, and money she said came from Charlie Adelson.

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Procedural
Jury Seated and Witness Sworn In
5 lines
sidebar
Voice Identification Stipulation
17 lines

The parties discussed stipulating to identification of voices on calls and proceeding with the witness.

Direct
Katherine Magbanua - Direct Katherine Magbanua Georgia Cappleman
653 lines

Magbanua admitted prior false testimony and gave an account of alleged recruitment, delivery of target information and money, post-homicide payment, and later coded communications.

1 sidebar inside this proceeding
  1. Witness Interview DisclosureDefense raised concerns about undisclosed witness-interview material before questioning proceeded.
Cross
Katherine Magbanua - Cross Katherine Magbanua Dan Rashbaum
954 lines

Magbanua acknowledged prior lies, described difficulty admitting her role during proffers, and said she hoped to see her children again despite no promise from the State.

1 sidebar inside this proceeding
  1. Impeachment Foundation ObjectionCounsel disputed whether an officer's words could be used for impeachment without first following the proper procedure.
Redirect
Katherine Magbanua - Redirect Katherine Magbanua Georgia Cappleman
23 lines

Magbanua reaffirmed that she understood the job was to result in a killing before the murder.

sidebar
Two Witnesses Before Lunch
13 lines

The parties discussed proceeding with two brief out-of-town witness examinations before lunch.

Procedural
Procedural
5 lines
sidebar
Dolce Vita Transcript Admission
11 lines

The court raised whether a transcript authenticated as the Dolce Vita recording would be offered into evidence, noting it had previously been disputed.

Procedural
Five-Minute Recess (Resumed)
2 lines

Highlights

Katherine Magbanua - Directtestimony highlightMagbanua testified that Charlie Adelson originated the idea to kill Dan Markel and that she identified Sigfredo as someone who could harm another person.Katherine Magbanua - Directtestimony highlightMagbanua described receiving a sealed envelope from Charlie Adelson and delivering it to Sigfredo Garcia, with instructions not to open or examine it.Katherine Magbanua - CrossadmissionMagbanua acknowledged that she lied in her earlier trials to save herself.Katherine Magbanua - Cross“Yes. I lied in my trials to save myself.”— Katherine MagbanuaMagbanua directly acknowledged prior false testimony, a central credibility issue on cross-examination.

3. Clariza Lebredo — Direct/Cross

Clariza Lebredo testified that Katherine Magbanua was a patient, not an Adelson Institute employee or cleaning-team member, and the defense waived cross-examination.

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Direct
Clariza Lebredo - Direct Clariza Lebredo Sarah Kathryn Dugan
156 lines

Lebredo described Adelson Institute staffing and payroll practices and said she knew Magbanua only as a patient.

Cross Waived
Clariza Lebredo - Cross (Waived) Clariza Lebredo Dan Rashbaum
7 lines

Defense waived cross-examination of Lebredo, who was excused before the State called Erika Johnson.

4. Erika Johnson — Direct/Cross/Redirect

Erika Johnson testified about Adelson Institute records and her 2016 call to Charlie Adelson after law enforcement sought records concerning Katherine Magbanua.

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Direct
Erika Johnson - Direct Erika Johnson Sarah Kathryn Dugan
158 lines

Erika Johnson authenticated and the court admitted a 2016 call to Charlie Adelson about law enforcement's request for records concerning Katherine Magbanua.

Cross
Erika Johnson - Cross Erika Johnson Dan Rashbaum
42 lines

Johnson said Charlie Adelson did not own the office and that she continued working with him until his arrest.

Redirect
Erika Johnson - Redirect Erika Johnson Sarah Kathryn Dugan
17 lines

Johnson confirmed Charlie Adelson's dental work and said she did not remember details of a landline callback.

Procedural
Lunch Recess — Erika Johnson Released
11 lines

Highlights

Erika Johnson - Directevidence eventJohnson authenticated a recording of her June 2016 call to Charlie Adelson after law enforcement requested records concerning Katherine Magbanua; the court admitted and published State's Exhibit 106 without objection.

5. Mary Hull — Direct/Cross/Redirect

Forensic accountant Mary Hull testified about banking, cash-deposit, payment, and related financial records involving Rivera, Magbanua, Charlie Adelson, and the Adelson family.

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Direct
Mary Hull - Direct Mary Hull Sarah Kathryn Dugan
730 lines

Financial investigator Mary Hull presented admitted records and testimony about cash deposits, banking patterns, and Adelson Institute payments.

Cross
Mary Hull - Cross Mary Hull Dan Rashbaum
141 lines

Hull agreed that the records showed different banking patterns for Rivera and Magbanua and discussed limits of the available payment records.

Redirect
Mary Hull - Redirect Mary Hull Georgia Cappleman
48 lines

Hull clarified the differing cash-deposit patterns and described messages between Magbanua and Charlie Adelson.

Highlights

Mary Hull - Directtestimony highlightHull testified that Magbanua deposited $44,963 in cash in the 12 months after the murder, compared with $15,600 in the preceding 12 months; she identified $17,300 deposited from July 19 through the end of August 2014.

6. Corey Hale — Direct/Cross

Corey Hale testified about investigators' exclusion of Jeffrey Lacasse as a suspect and Lacasse's account of a July 31 dinner involving Wendy and Charlie Adelson; defense counsel questioned the account's timing, sources, and corroboration.

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Direct
Corey Hale - Direct Corey Hale Georgia Cappleman
79 lines

Corey Hale described the timing of Jeffrey Lacasse's police interview and the admission of July 31 text messages identified as relating to a dinner involving Wendi and Charlie Adelson.

Cross
Corey Hale - Cross Corey Hale Dan Rashbaum
62 lines

Defense questioned Hale about the timing, sources, and investigation of Professor Lacasse's account of the dinner.

Procedural
Witness Release and Next Witness Call
8 lines

Highlights

Corey Hale - Directevidence eventThe court admitted State's 126 without objection; Hale identified the exhibit as July 31, 2014 text messages referring to a dinner involving Wendi and Charlie Adelson.

7. Christopher Corbitt — Direct

Sergeant Christopher Corbitt testified as the State's historical communication-analysis expert, describing records used to trace June and July 2014 travel, communications, and possible handset locations. He explained the limits of cell-site analysis before the court admitted the related exhibits and recessed for the evening.

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Direct
Christopher Corbitt - Direct Christopher Corbitt Sarah Kathryn Dugan
1007 lines

Corbitt presented the State's phone, location, rental, and extracted-device records, while explaining the limits of historical cell-site analysis.

1 sidebar inside this proceeding
  1. Dolce Transcript Issue ScheduledThe parties discussed ending for the evening and postponing the Dolce transcript issue until the next morning.

Highlights

Christopher Corbitt - Directtestimony highlightCorbitt explained that cell-site analysis cannot precisely place a handset and depends on records containing location information.Christopher Corbitt - Direct“we can only make estimations about locations when we have events with location.”— Christopher CorbittCorbitt stated the central limitation of his cell-site analysis.
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