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Dan Markel— Case Archive
Donna Adelsontrial-daytrial-dayGeorgia CapplemanSarah Kathryn DuganJackie L. FulfordJoshua D. ZelmanChristopher CorbittRyan FitzpatrickMary HullJeffrey LacasseClariza LebredoKatherine MagbanuaJune UmchindasidebardirectcrossredirectDay 3 - August 26, 2025Katherine Magbanua described an alleged arrangement involving Charlie Adelson, payroll checks, and post-bump communications, while defense questioning addressed her prior false testimony and lack of direct contact with Donna Adelson. Financial and communication-record testimony followed.
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Day 3 - August 26, 2025

Magbanua Testifies, Financial Records Presented, and Communications Analysis Begins

Judge Stephen S. Everett
26Proceedings
7Pages
7Witnesses
3,764Lines
6Sidebars
Day 3 of 9
Appearing:
Georgia Cappleman Sarah Kathryn Dugan Jackie L. Fulford Joshua D. Zelman Christopher Corbitt Ryan Fitzpatrick Mary Hull Jeffrey Lacasse Clariza Lebredo Katherine Magbanua June Umchinda

Katherine Magbanua described an alleged arrangement involving Charlie Adelson, payroll checks, and post-bump communications, while defense questioning addressed her prior false testimony and lack of direct contact with Donna Adelson. Financial and communication-record testimony followed.

Full day summary

Katherine Magbanua testified that her earlier denial of involvement was false and described an alleged arrangement involving Charlie Adelson, Sigfredo Garcia, payroll checks from the Adelson Institute, and communications after the law-enforcement bump. On cross-examination, she said she did not know Luis Rivera would be involved, did not know the payment amount, and had no direct communications with Donna Adelson after a dental-office encounter. Earlier testimony addressed relocation and custody disputes, the limits of firsthand knowledge about Donna Adelson, and financial records including 44 Adelson Institute checks deposited into Magbanua's accounts that Mary Hull said were signed by Donna. Sergeant Christopher Corbitt then began presenting communication-record analysis, explaining that cell-site analysis can include or exclude proposed locations but cannot precisely place a handset. The court also addressed evidentiary objections, instructed jurors to disregard one discovery-related answer, and sustained a hearsay objection to a proposed text-message slide absent another admissible basis.

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1. Jeffrey Lacasse — Direct/Cross

Jeffrey Lacasse testified about his relationship with Wendi Adelson and statements he attributed to her concerning relocation, custody litigation, Dan Markel, and Charlie. Cross-examination emphasized that he lacked firsthand knowledge of Donna Adelson's reaction to the Grandmother Motion.

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Procedural
Day 3 Court Opens — Gallery Instructions (Resumed)
3 lines
sidebar
Reported Juror Contact Concerns
40 lines

Counsel disclosed an anonymous report about a possible jury-selection restroom conversation and asked about jurors and audience members sharing break areas, with no specific improper contact identified.

Procedural
Procedural
9 lines
sidebar
Anonymous Texts About Juror 14
7 lines

The court discussed anonymous texts that identified a different person as Juror 14 and could not be verified.

Direct
Jeffrey Lacasse - Direct Jeffrey Lacasse Georgia Cappleman
473 lines

Lacasse described his relationship with wendi Adelson, relocation-related conversations, and travel plans; the court also addressed co-conspirator testimony and a discovery violation.

2 sidebars inside this proceeding
  1. Co-Conspirator Testimony FoundationThe parties disputed whether the evidence had yet connected Donna Adelson to a conspiracy for purposes of admitting co-conspirator-related testimony.
  2. Discovery Basis for Witness TestimonyThe sidebar addressed whether a witness's training-based information and prior statements had been disclosed in discovery, with disagreement over whether the testimony was expert evidence.
Cross
Jeffrey Lacasse - Cross Jeffrey Lacasse Joshua D. Zelman
55 lines

Lacasse acknowledged that his information about Donna Adelson's reaction came through wendi, while confirming his account of a statement concerning Charlie.

Highlights

Jeffrey Lacasse - DirectrulingAfter a hearsay objection, the court reserved the question whether Donna Adelson had been connected to the conspiracy, found a conspiracy involving Charlie and wendi had been established, and allowed the testimony to continue subject to possible later instruction.

2. June Umchinda — Direct/Cross

June Umchinda testified about her relationship with Charlie Adelson, limited contact with Donna Adelson, and observations later questioned on cross-examination, including her prior statements and recollection.

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Procedural
Witness Locating Delay — June Umchinda
18 lines
sidebar
Juror Rabies Shot Scheduling
13 lines

The court and counsel discussed scheduling an extended lunch break so Juror No. 3 could attend a rabies-shot appointment.

Direct
June Umchinda - Direct June Umchinda Georgia Cappleman
244 lines

June Umchinda described Charlie Adelson's changed behavior during the investigation and recounted a qualified recollection of Donna Adelson's statement about Dan Markel.

Cross
June Umchinda - Cross June Umchinda Jackie L. Fulford
93 lines

Defense tested June Umchinda's prior statements, including her speculation about the Adelsons and the exact wording she attributed to Donna.

3. Ryan Fitzpatrick — Direct/Cross

Ryan Fitzpatrick described his friendship with Charlie Adelson, Charlie's stapled cash bundles, and Charlie's agitation after the law-enforcement bump and later arrests.

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Direct
Ryan Fitzpatrick - Direct Ryan Fitzpatrick Georgia Cappleman
86 lines

Ryan Fitzpatrick described Charlie Adelson's stapled-cash practice and said Charlie became agitated after the bump operation and later arrests.

Cross
Ryan Fitzpatrick - Cross Ryan Fitzpatrick Jackie L. Fulford
44 lines

Fitzpatrick confirmed Charlie's cash practice and qualified that his view about the Adelsons' feelings toward Dan Markel was implied.

4. Mary Hull — Direct/Cross/Redirect

The court sustained a hearsay objection to a proposed text-message slide and accommodated defense review of late-disclosed material before forensic accountant Mary Hull testified about financial, business, and bank records involving Rivera, Magbanua, and the Adelson Institute.

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Procedural
Sidebar — Slide 38 Hearsay Ruling & Hull Late-Disclosure Accommodation
91 lines

The court sustained a hearsay objection to planned slide 38, allowed defense time to speak with Mary Hull and review a revised PowerPoint, and directed the trial to proceed.

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

Forensic accountant Mary Hull detailed financial records involving cash deposits, Adelson Institute checks to Katherine Magbanua, and banking patterns following Dan Markel's murder.

Cross
Mary Hull - Cross Mary Hull Jackie L. Fulford
42 lines

Mary Hull confirmed limits in the reviewed financial records and clarified Adelson Institute management and ownership dates.

Redirect
Mary Hull - Redirect Mary Hull Sarah Kathryn Dugan
43 lines

Hull clarified payroll and corporate-record listings for Adelson Institute, including changes involving Harvey Adelson and Charlie.

Highlights

Mary Hull - Directtestimony highlightHull testified that 44 Adelson Institute checks were deposited into Magbanua's accounts and that Donna Adelson signed them; she also described three later checks absent from the QuickBooks records.

5. Clariza Lebredo — Direct/Cross/Redirect

Clariza Lebredo, a longtime Adelson Institute dental assistant, described Donna Adelson's office role and identified voices on a recording; cross-examination addressed her experience with Donna Adelson and redirect covered voicemail access.

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

Lebredo described Adelson Institute operations, said Magbanua was a patient rather than an employee, and identified voices on State's 100.

Cross
Clariza Lebredo - Cross Clariza Lebredo Joshua D. Zelman
16 lines

Lebredo said she never heard Donna Adelson speak badly about Dan Markel and described Donna and Harvey Adelson as hard-working.

Redirect
Clariza Lebredo - Redirect Clariza Lebredo Sarah Kathryn Dugan
26 lines

Lebredo clarified voicemail practices and said her relationship with Donna Adelson was primarily work-based.

Procedural
Transition — Magbanua Called; Judge Admonishes Donna Adelson on Courtroom Conduct
22 lines

6. Katherine Magbanua — Direct/Cross

Katherine Magbanua described her role as an intermediary in the alleged Markel murder arrangement, then faced cross-examination about her prior false testimony, payments, and lack of direct communications with Donna Adelson.

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Direct
Katherine Magbanua - Direct Katherine Magbanua Georgia Cappleman
650 lines

Magbanua admitted prior false testimony and described an alleged intermediary role, payments, payroll checks signed by Donna Adelson, and coded communications after the bump.

1 sidebar inside this proceeding
  1. Leading Questions ObjectionDefense counsel objected that the prosecutor was leading the witness rather than eliciting the witness's own information.
Cross
Katherine Magbanua - Cross Katherine Magbanua Jackie L. Fulford
211 lines

Defense challenged Magbanua's prior lies and her account of payments, while she said she had no direct communications with Donna Adelson after a dental-office encounter.

Redirect
Katherine Magbanua - Redirect Katherine Magbanua Georgia Cappleman
24 lines

Magbanua confirmed the prosecution's alleged intermediary chain through Charlie and Garcia after the court overruled an objection.

Procedural
Transition — Corbitt Setup Break and Summary Exhibit Agreement
21 lines

The court recessed for Sergeant Corbitt's setup and approved an agreed procedure for a planned summary exhibit, subject to later rulings.

Highlights

Katherine Magbanua - DirectadmissionMagbanua acknowledged that her earlier testimony denying involvement was untrue, said she hoped eventually to see her children again, and denied any promise in exchange for her testimony.Katherine Magbanua - Direct“I think that the truth needed to come out, and the people responsible needed to get arrested.”— Katherine MagbanuaMagbanua explained why she was changing from her earlier false testimony.Katherine Magbanua - Directtestimony highlightMagbanua said she was placed on Adelson Institute payroll without performing work and agreed that she believed the payments were compensation for arranging the murder.Katherine Magbanua - Crosstestimony highlightMagbanua said she had not communicated with Donna Adelson after seeing her at a dental office and said Donna was not involved in Magbanua's conversations with Charlie Adelson and Sigfredo Garcia.Katherine Magbanua - Cross“Not that I can recall. TI don't think I've spoken to her.”— Katherine MagbanuaMagbanua qualified her account that she did not speak with Donna Adelson after their dental-office encounter.

7. Christopher Corbitt — Direct

Sergeant Christopher Corbitt explained historical communication-record analysis and the limits of cell-site location evidence.

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

Cell-site analyst Christopher Corbitt explained the limits of phone-location analysis and presented certified phone records, tower-dump results, and family communications.

Procedural
End-of-Day Recess — Day 3
17 lines

Highlights

Christopher Corbitt - Directtestimony highlightCorbitt explained that cell-site analysis can include or exclude locations based on available records and sectors, but cannot precisely place a handset.Christopher Corbitt - Direct“And historical location analysis is about inclusion and exclusion. And we look at a location, and we say, yes, this address is included in the service area -- based on our opinion, is included in the service area of this particular cell site and sector. Or, no, a handset at the location you gave me would not be serviced by this particular cell site and sector. So we include and exclude locations. we do not say exactly where a handset was.”— Christopher CorbittCorbitt stated the limits of his cell-site methodology while explaining how it could be used to assess proposed locations.
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