Defense Detective Josh Turner completes examination across direct, cross, and redirect, covering the jail surveillance video from December 19, 2024 showing Drina Bernhardt and Donna Adelson writing together in the jail pod. On cross, Cappleman drew out Turner's confirmation that Bernhardt had already told investigators Adelson attempted to enlist her in a perjured-testimony scheme, and that Bernhardt arrived at the December 20 SAO meeting still holding the original pink notebook by circumstance. Day 7 closes with Judge Everett issuing a sequestration admonition to defense counsel following the Tim Kelly courtroom-observation incident.

Day 8 →

Proceedings

Direct Josh Turner - Direct Line 1

Cross Josh Turner - Cross Line 150

Redirect Josh Turner - Redirect Line 204

Procedural End-of-Day Recess — Sequestration Admonition Line 221

Direct Josh Turner Joshua D. Zelman

1 5:21:01

JUDGE EVERETT: Please call your next witness.

2 5:21:06

MR. ZELMAN: Defense will call Detective Joshua Turner.

3 5:22:04

JUDGE EVERETT: Detective Turner, please raise your right hand, sir. Sir, do you swear or affirm the testimony you're about to give will be the truth?

4 5:22:11

JOSH TURNER: I do.

5 5:22:11

JUDGE EVERETT: You may take your seat.

6 5:22:13

JUDGE EVERETT: Will you speak loudly and clearly? You may adjust the microphone as you need to.

7 5:22:36

MR. ZELMAN: Good afternoon, sir.

8 5:22:37

JOSH TURNER: Good afternoon.

9 5:22:38

MR. ZELMAN: Can you please introduce yourself to the jury?

10 5:22:40

JOSH TURNER: Yes, my name is Josh Turner.

11 5:22:42

JOSH TURNER: I'm a deputy with the Leon County Sheriff's Office.

12 5:22:44

MR. ZELMAN: How long have you been employed with the Leon County Sheriff's Office?

13 5:22:47

JOSH TURNER: Since September of 2016.

14 5:22:49

MR. ZELMAN: 2016.

15 5:22:50

MR. ZELMAN: And during your time with the Leon County Sheriff's Office, can you tell the jury a little bit about what assignments you have worked?

16 5:22:59

JOSH TURNER: Yes. In 2019 I was a field training officer, and then in 2020 I transferred into the criminal investigations division at the Sheriff's Office. I worked in property crimes, auto crimes, and violent crimes.

17 5:22:59

MR. ZELMAN: Okay. And in your role as a detective with the Leon County Sheriff's Office, did you come to interview an inmate by the name of Drina Bernhardt?

18 5:23:25

JOSH TURNER: I did.

19 5:23:26

MR. ZELMAN: And did you meet with her on December 18th of 2024?

20 5:23:34

JOSH TURNER: I did.

21 5:23:35

MR. ZELMAN: Okay. And subsequent to that, did you notify the State Attorney's Office that Ms. Bernhardt had information concerning Donna Adelson?

22 5:23:45

JOSH TURNER: I did.

23 5:23:46

MR. ZELMAN: And did you then attend a recorded interview with Ms. Bernhardt at the State Attorney's Office?

24 5:23:56

JOSH TURNER: Yes.

25 5:23:57

MR. ZELMAN: During that interview, did she indicate what, if any, steps — and by "she" I'm referring to Ms. Bernhardt — took when she was speaking with Ms. Adelson in the pod at the Leon County Detention Center?

26 5:24:15

JOSH TURNER: She said that she was speaking to Ms. Adelson throughout the day and sitting in front of a camera at the detention facility.

27 5:24:15

MR. ZELMAN: She specifically stated that she situated herself and Ms. Adelson so that they would be picked up on the surveillance footage?

28 5:24:15

JOSH TURNER: I'm not sure of the exact wording, but yes.

29 5:24:15

MR. ZELMAN: Something to that effect?

30 5:24:24

JOSH TURNER: Correct.

31 5:24:24

MR. ZELMAN: Okay. Now, previously, did you review State's Exhibit 105?

32 5:24:45

JOSH TURNER: Yes.

33 5:24:46

MR. ZELMAN: Yes. And what was that?

34 5:24:48

JOSH TURNER: I believe it was the recording of the pod, the annex.

35 5:24:55

MR. ZELMAN: Okay. So there was surveillance video.

36 5:24:56

JOSH TURNER: Yes.

37 5:24:56

MR. ZELMAN: So after Ms. Bernhardt's interview on December 20th, 2024, at the State Attorney's Office, did you go back to your office to download the surveillance video?

38 5:25:12

JOSH TURNER: No, sir. I went to my vehicle and back up to the State Attorney's Office and downloaded it from there.

39 5:25:19

MR. ZELMAN: Okay. So you went to get your computer?

40 5:25:21

JOSH TURNER: Yes, sir.

41 5:25:22

MR. ZELMAN: So back then, when you were assigned to the investigations unit, you had access to their surveillance videos?

42 5:25:27

JOSH TURNER: I did.

43 5:25:28

MR. ZELMAN: Okay. And then you logged in from the State Attorney's Office and downloaded that?

44 5:25:32

JOSH TURNER: Correct.

45 5:25:33

MR. ZELMAN: Your Honor, may I approach the witness and show him?

46 5:25:36

MR. ZELMAN: It was marked for identification purposes as State's Exhibit 105.

47 5:26:01

MR. ZELMAN: Do you recognize State's Exhibit 105?

48 5:26:05

JOSH TURNER: I do.

49 5:26:06

MR. ZELMAN: Is this the surveillance — or is this a portion of the surveillance video — that you obtained from the Leon County Detention Facility?

50 5:26:15

JOSH TURNER: It is.

51 5:26:19

MR. ZELMAN: Any — aside from shortening the video so it was easier to show in court — any changes to it?

52 5:26:28

JOSH TURNER: Not that I'm aware of.

53 5:26:41

MR. ZELMAN: Just a moment. At this point in time, I would move into evidence as Defense Exhibit 70, the surveillance video.

54 5:26:47

JUDGE EVERETT: Any objections?

55 5:26:48

MS. CAPPLEMAN: My only objection is rule of completeness, Judge. I'm not sure how much shortening occurred, but I would ask for all of State's 105 to be admitted.

56 5:26:58

MR. ZELMAN: And I can say, Your Honor, that the video that was provided to us as State's 105 is exactly what I've copied onto this thumb drive.

57 5:27:06

JUDGE EVERETT: The item is admitted and is to be published in its entirety.

58 5:27:10

MR. ZELMAN: Thank you, Your Honor.

59 5:28:58

MR. ZELMAN: Is it okay if I stand over here rather than at the lectern?

60 5:29:21

MR. ZELMAN: So, Detective, initially in the video, do we see Ms. Bernhardt or Ms. Adelson?

61 5:29:26

JOSH TURNER: Yes, they are back towards the bunks.

62 5:29:30

MR. ZELMAN: Do they walk towards the foreground of the video?

63 5:29:36

JOSH TURNER: At one point.

64 5:29:39

JOSH TURNER: A little bit.

65 5:29:47

MR. ZELMAN: Who's seated at the table with the dark hair?

66 5:29:53

JOSH TURNER: That's Drina Bernhardt.

67 5:29:58

MR. ZELMAN: What does she have in front of her?

68 5:30:01

JOSH TURNER: A notebook with a daisy and a yellow folder, it looks like.

69 5:30:31

MR. ZELMAN: Did the video appear to show Ms. Bernhardt putting a chair at the table towards the right?

70 5:30:37

JOSH TURNER: It does.

71 5:30:38

MR. ZELMAN: Who's walking up now?

72 5:30:40

JOSH TURNER: Ms. Adelson.

73 5:30:41

MR. ZELMAN: From the video, did Ms. Bernhardt get Ms. Adelson to sit down at that table?

74 5:31:24

JOSH TURNER: It does.

75 5:31:36

MR. ZELMAN: Engaged in conversation?

76 5:31:38

JOSH TURNER: Yes.

77 5:31:39

MR. ZELMAN: Without stating the obvious, there's no audio on this video, correct?

78 5:32:42

JOSH TURNER: Correct.

79 5:36:24

MR. ZELMAN: Neither one of them have started writing, have they?

80 5:36:27

JOSH TURNER: No.

81 5:36:28

MR. ZELMAN: It appears she took a piece of paper out of her notebook and is showing Ms. Adelson something on that page.

82 5:38:00

MR. ZELMAN: It appears that something is already written on that page.

83 5:38:03

JOSH TURNER: Potentially. I can't tell.

84 5:38:05

MR. ZELMAN: Now Ms. Bernhardt is writing on that piece of paper.

85 5:38:20

JOSH TURNER: Correct. Correct, writing.

86 5:40:40

MR. ZELMAN: At this point, Judge — given that this is an hour and 14 minute long video, instead of publishing it in full as requested, is it okay if I fast-forward to the points that I'm trying to make?

87 5:41:00

MR. ZELMAN: Thank you, Your Honor. Timestamp...

88 5:41:14

MR. ZELMAN: :26 — who's writing?

89 5:41:15

JOSH TURNER: Ms. Bernhardt.

90 5:41:24

MR. ZELMAN: Timestamp :17 — who's writing?

91 5:41:24

JOSH TURNER: Ms. Bernhardt.

92 5:41:27

JOSH TURNER: Bernhardt.

93 5:41:40

MR. ZELMAN: She's still writing?

94 5:41:50

MR. ZELMAN: 14:46 — my client takes the paper and starts writing, correct?

95 5:41:55

JOSH TURNER: Correct.

96 5:42:33

MR. ZELMAN: Fast forward to 16:42 — did Ms. Bernhardt take the notebook back?

97 5:42:37

JOSH TURNER: She did.

98 5:42:38

MR. ZELMAN: We can't see what Ms. Adelson is writing, can we?

99 5:43:01

JOSH TURNER: Correct.

100 5:43:02

MR. ZELMAN: However, it's clear that Ms. Bernhardt is still speaking with my client.

101 5:43:16

JOSH TURNER: They seem to be engaged in conversation.

102 5:43:18

JOSH TURNER: Conversation.

103 5:43:38

MR. ZELMAN: 22:50.

104 5:43:39

MR. ZELMAN: What do we see Ms. Bernhardt doing now?

105 5:43:53

JOSH TURNER: She placed two notebooks on the table, and one of them was the hot pink one that we saw.

106 5:43:56

JOSH TURNER: I think the state submitted it as evidence.

107 5:44:00

JOSH TURNER: It's a hot pink.

108 5:44:01

MR. ZELMAN: Correct.

109 5:44:02

MR. ZELMAN: Okay. 41:24 — what do we see now?

110 5:44:38

JOSH TURNER: Drina's opening the hot pink notebook.

111 5:44:40

MR. ZELMAN: Is she showing Mrs. Adelson something in that notebook?

112 5:44:45

JOSH TURNER: It appears so.

113 5:44:46

MR. ZELMAN: Fast forward.

114 5:45:03

MR. ZELMAN: 44:04 — are they both writing?

115 5:45:07

JOSH TURNER: Yes.

116 5:48:29

MR. ZELMAN: Drina, something...

117 5:48:31

MR. ZELMAN: Do they appear to be discussing it now?

118 5:48:33

JOSH TURNER: It appears so.

119 5:49:39

MR. ZELMAN: Ms. Adelson had gotten up and is now sitting back down.

120 5:49:42

JOSH TURNER: That's correct.

121 5:50:22

MR. ZELMAN: Does it appear that they're both looking through the pages and discussing them?

122 5:50:26

JOSH TURNER: It does.

123 5:50:27

MR. ZELMAN: 53:35 — they're still both discussing some topic, correct?

124 5:51:56

JOSH TURNER: Correct.

125 5:51:57

MR. ZELMAN: We don't know what they're discussing.

126 5:51:58

JOSH TURNER: Correct.

127 5:51:59

MR. ZELMAN: And they're both looking at pages that they have in front of them?

128 5:52:03

JOSH TURNER: Correct.

129 5:52:04

MR. ZELMAN: It appears they're both still writing.

130 5:52:40

JOSH TURNER: Correct.

131 5:52:42

MR. ZELMAN: And as with previously, can we tell what they're writing?

132 5:52:48

MR. ZELMAN: Can we determine what they're discussing?

133 5:52:50

JOSH TURNER: No.

134 5:52:51

MR. ZELMAN: In two seconds, can you tell the jury what's going on here?

135 5:54:28

JOSH TURNER: Ms. Bernhardt just opened some notebook.

136 5:54:33

JOSH TURNER: She's writing, and Ms. Adelson is also writing.

137 5:54:36

MR. ZELMAN: Detective, from your previous review of this surveillance video, does the same behavior continue where they're both writing and discussing things between now and the end of the video?

138 5:55:21

JOSH TURNER: I believe so, yes.

139 5:55:22

MR. ZELMAN: Can we get the lights, please?

140 5:56:34

MR. ZELMAN: Detective, do you recall the date that video was collected?

141 5:56:40

MR. ZELMAN: I'm sorry, it's a poorly worded question. Do you recall the date that video was taken?

142 5:56:45

JOSH TURNER: I believe it was December 19th.

143 5:56:48

MR. ZELMAN: So the day before Ms. Adelson met with the state attorney's office.

144 5:56:55

MR. ZELMAN: I'm sorry, Ms. Bernhardt. Thank you.

145 5:56:58

JOSH TURNER: Correct.

146 5:56:59

MR. ZELMAN: Just a moment, Your Honor.

147 5:57:01

MR. ZELMAN: Detective, that's the day after Ms. Bernhardt told you that she had information about my client.

148 5:57:16

JOSH TURNER: Correct.

149 5:57:16

MR. ZELMAN: Nothing further.

Cross Josh Turner Georgia Cappleman

150 5:57:18

JUDGE EVERETT: Cross-exam.

151 5:57:18

MS. CAPPLEMAN: Permission to publish an defense exhibit?

152 5:57:20

JUDGE EVERETT: You may.

153 5:57:25

MS. CAPPLEMAN: She told you not just that she had information about Donna Adelson, but that Donna Adelson was trying to enlist her, solicit her, to give perjured testimony in this trial, right?

154 5:57:59

JOSH TURNER: Correct.

155 5:57:59

MS. CAPPLEMAN: So you learned that on the 18th. You relayed that information to, uh, Investigator Newlin with my office. Correct?

156 5:58:07

JOSH TURNER: Correct.

157 5:58:08

MS. CAPPLEMAN: All right. And the meeting at the state attorney's office ultimately happened on December 20th, right?

158 5:58:15

JOSH TURNER: Correct.

159 5:58:16

MS. CAPPLEMAN: At that time, there was a more detailed interview conducted with Ms. Bernhardt to get the information she had about what had happened, right?

160 5:58:23

JOSH TURNER: Correct.

161 5:58:24

MS. CAPPLEMAN: Okay. And at that meeting, Bernhardt shows up with this pink notebook pictured in State's Exhibit 62, right?

162 5:58:32

JOSH TURNER: Correct.

163 5:58:33

MS. CAPPLEMAN: And she tells us in that meeting, "Hey, here's the script that she's written for me that she wants me to deliver at trial," right?

164 5:58:41

JOSH TURNER: Correct.

165 5:58:43

MS. CAPPLEMAN: And you were able to photograph the thing, and this is what's pictured in State 62. Correct? Okay. And what were Drina's instructions from the defendant about this exhibit — why did we have to photograph it instead of impounding the thing?

166 5:59:01

JOSH TURNER: Her instructions were to read over that and to trace it in her own handwriting and provide that back to Ms. Adelson.

167 5:59:11

MS. CAPPLEMAN: Okay. So she's supposed to copy what's here and give this back to Ms. Adelson?

168 5:59:16

JOSH TURNER: Correct.

169 5:59:17

MS. CAPPLEMAN: So Ms. Adelson was going to be expecting to get this thing back. We had to send it back with her, right?

170 5:59:21

JOSH TURNER: Correct.

171 5:59:22

MS. CAPPLEMAN: Did Bernhardt at the meeting on December 20th tell you when this script was authored by Mrs. Adelson?

172 5:59:40

JOSH TURNER: She was speaking to Investigator Newlin. I don't recall.

173 5:59:43

MS. CAPPLEMAN: Based on what she told Investigator Newlin, did you go and review that video and find the video that we just watched?

174 5:59:51

JOSH TURNER: Correct.

175 5:59:51

MS. CAPPLEMAN: All right. And so the video is from December 19th, right?

176 5:59:56

JOSH TURNER: Correct.

177 5:59:57

MS. CAPPLEMAN: So based — I mean, you didn't look through multiple days of videos. You knew to go to December 19th, right?

178 6:00:02

JOSH TURNER: Correct.

179 6:00:03

MS. CAPPLEMAN: So Bernhardt obviously said, "She wrote this yesterday. Correct? I'm supposed to copy it and give it back to her." Yeah?

180 6:00:10

JOSH TURNER: Yes.

181 6:00:11

MS. CAPPLEMAN: Okay. And so when you went and found the video, did the video appear to corroborate what Bernhardt had told law enforcement that day?

182 6:00:19

JOSH TURNER: It did.

183 6:00:22

MS. CAPPLEMAN: And when Bernhardt originally reported this to you on the 18th, you said you let Investigator Newlin know. Did you let Bernhardt know, hey, you're going to be interviewed on the 20th?

184 6:00:39

JOSH TURNER: No.

185 6:00:39

MS. CAPPLEMAN: Did Bernhardt have any way of knowing that we were going to have a meeting on the 20th?

186 6:00:43

JOSH TURNER: Not to my knowledge.

187 6:00:45

MS. CAPPLEMAN: In fact, didn't we consider meeting with — waiting until after Christmas to meet with her? Remember that I was home with a bad injury, bad back?

188 6:00:54

JOSH TURNER: Yes.

189 6:00:54

MS. CAPPLEMAN: The kids were out of school, it was Christmas time. We thought, talked about doing it after Christmas, right?

190 6:00:59

JOSH TURNER: Correct.

191 6:01:00

MS. CAPPLEMAN: So wasn't it just dumb luck that we happened to bring her over on the day that she was in possession of this thing in defendant's handwriting?

192 6:01:06

JOSH TURNER: Yes.

193 6:01:07

MS. CAPPLEMAN: Defense says, well, both women wrote in the notebook — see one writing, we see the other one writing. Are you a handwriting expert?

194 6:01:17

JOSH TURNER: No, ma'am.

195 6:01:18

MS. CAPPLEMAN: Would you defer to the expertise of a handwriting expert in determining who wrote this particular thing?

196 6:01:24

JOSH TURNER: Yes.

197 6:02:55

MS. CAPPLEMAN: I want to publish. — proceed to write in the notebook for quite some time, right?

198 6:02:59

JOSH TURNER: Correct.

199 6:03:32

MS. CAPPLEMAN: And if we go to 58:19, so we see Ms. Adelson get up and walk away and then she later returns, right?

200 6:03:36

JOSH TURNER: Yes.

201 6:03:54

MS. CAPPLEMAN: Okay, and if we go to 1:04, Ms. Bernhardt gets up and walks away and Ms. Adelson continues writing.

202 6:03:57

JOSH TURNER: Correct.

203 6:04:02

MS. CAPPLEMAN: Nothing further.

Redirect Josh Turner Joshua D. Zelman

204 6:04:30

MR. ZELMAN: Detective, we know that Ms. Adelson expected this document back that was written in Drina's notebook because that's what Drina said, right?

205 6:04:43

JOSH TURNER: Correct.

206 6:04:44

MR. ZELMAN: But we can't hear what's being discussed on that video.

207 6:04:48

JOSH TURNER: Correct.

208 6:04:49

MR. ZELMAN: We have to rely on what Ms. Bernhardt says.

209 6:04:52

JOSH TURNER: Correct.

210 6:04:57

MR. ZELMAN: Now, you testified on cross that Ms. Bernhardt did not know that she was being brought up to the state attorney's office for a meeting on the 20th.

211 6:05:09

JOSH TURNER: I don't believe she knew the date.

212 6:05:12

MR. ZELMAN: Yet, when she came, she brought a bunch of materials with her.

213 6:05:19

JOSH TURNER: Correct.

214 6:05:20

MR. ZELMAN: And the state attorney's office collected what Drina said they should collect.

215 6:05:28

JOSH TURNER: Correct.

216 6:05:28

MR. ZELMAN: Nothing further.

217 6:05:29

JUDGE EVERETT: Will the detective be recalled by the party?

218 6:05:29

MS. CAPPLEMAN: I don't think so, Your Honor. He's released from the State.

219 6:05:33

MR. ZELMAN: Defense would do the same.

220 6:05:42

JUDGE EVERETT: Right. Have a good day. Thank you. Please approach.

Procedural End-of-Day Recess — Sequestration Admonition

221 6:09:00

JUDGE EVERETT: Members of the jury, we are going to go into recess for the trial at this point for the day. We will resume tomorrow with the defense's case. Once again, I'm going to remind you not to speak with each other or any other person concerning this case. Also, do not seek out any information outside of this courtroom.

222 6:09:18

JUDGE EVERETT: Please report at 8:30 tomorrow. We will resume at 8:45. Enjoy the rest of your afternoon.

223 6:10:04

JUDGE EVERETT: Please report tomorrow at 8:30. We will resume at 8:45 with the witnesses.

224 6:10:10

JUDGE EVERETT: Please have all witnesses that will be testifying in the morning present and ready. Mr. Zelman, Miss Fulford, also there is not to be any further violations of the rules of sequestration.

225 6:10:22

MR. ZELMAN: Yes, sir. That was certainly not intentional. And as I indicated, one of our witnesses, I don't believe her flight gets in until 10.

226 6:10:29

MR. ZELMAN: We will have further discussions with her to get her here as quickly as possible.

227 6:10:35

JUDGE EVERETT: We're in recess.

Insights

Direct Josh Turner

Defense detective authenticates jail surveillance video showing Drina Bernhardt as the primary architect and writer during a December 19, 2024 meeting with Donna Adelson — timed the day after Bernhardt disclosed information to police and the day before her formal recorded statement.

Case Significance

The surveillance video and Turner's authentication directly attack jailhouse informant Drina Bernhardt's credibility by showing she orchestrated the interaction with Donna Adelson on camera — after going to police but before her formal statement — and served as the primary author throughout, supporting the defense theory that Bernhardt constructed rather than received incriminating material.

Bernhardt told Turner she was speaking to Adelson while sitting in front of a camera at the detention facility
Bernhardt was the primary writer throughout the video; Adelson wrote only briefly around the 14:46 mark before Bernhardt retrieved the notebook
The interaction occurred December 19 — after Bernhardt's December 18 disclosure to police but before her December 20 formal SAO interview
The content of what was written remains unknown, leaving the jury to draw its own inferences about the session's purpose

Highlights

Testimony

Turner confirms Bernhardt told him she was speaking to Adelson while sitting in front of a detention camera, establishing the informant's awareness and intent to be on surveillance during the encounter — the core of the defense's orchestration narrative.

“She said that she was speaking to Ms. Adelson throughout the day and sitting in front of a camera at the detention facility.”

— Josh TurnerTurner reports Bernhardt's own account to him: she acknowledged speaking to Adelson while positioned in front of a surveillance camera — the evidentiary foundation for the defense's informant-orchestration theory.

“I'm not sure of the exact wording, but yes.”

— Josh TurnerTurner's careful qualification when asked whether Bernhardt specifically said she situated herself and Adelson to be captured on camera — confirming the substance of the claim while hedging on precise language, which both limits the admission and preserves its core impact.Evidence

Defense Exhibit 70 (jail pod surveillance video, identical to State's Exhibit 105) admitted over Cappleman's rule-of-completeness objection; judge orders it published in its entirety.

Testimony

Defense walks Turner through video timestamps showing Bernhardt as the primary writer throughout the session (timestamps :26, :17, and multiple later points), while Adelson wrote only briefly around 14:46 before Bernhardt retrieved the notebook — the content of the writing remaining unknown.

Testimony

Turner confirms the video was taken December 19, 2024 — the day after Bernhardt disclosed information to him and the day before her formal recorded SAO interview — anchoring the notebook-writing session to a strategically significant window between disclosure and formal statement.

People Mentioned

Drina Bernhardt

Locations Mentioned

Leon County Jail

Evidence Mentioned

Defense Exhibit 70 / State's Exhibit 105

Deep Analysis

Attorney Strategy

Let the video carry the narrative

Zelman walks Turner through timestamps using neutral, open questions and avoids pressing on contested interpretations. He accepts Turner's hedged confirmation ('I'm not sure of the exact wording, but yes') without pushing for stronger language, preserving the key fact while staying within what the witness can credibly support.

Law enforcement witness to sponsor the orchestration theory

By calling a current LCSO detective rather than a defense investigator, Zelman presents the surveillance narrative through a credential the jury is more likely to treat as neutral, making the orchestration framing harder to dismiss as partisan spin.

Case Theory Connections

Undermines Bernhardt's organic-confession account

Bernhardt testified as a prosecution jailhouse informant reporting incriminating statements Donna Adelson made in the detention pod. Turner's video testimony supports the defense counter-narrative: Bernhardt orchestrated the interaction, positioned it on camera, and served as the primary author of whatever was produced — calling into question whether the subsequent SAO account reflected a genuine disclosure or a constructed one.

Credibility Observations

Turner's measured hedging lends weight to confirmations

Turner twice qualified his testimony — 'I'm not sure of the exact wording, but yes' on the camera positioning, and 'I believe so, yes' on whether behavior continued to the video's end — presenting as careful rather than an advocate, which reinforces the credibility of the facts he does confirm.

Evidentiary Or Procedural Notes

Defense Exhibit 70 and State's Exhibit 105 are the same video

Zelman moved the video as Defense 70; Cappleman's completeness objection was resolved by ordering full publication rather than substitution. The dual-exhibit status — prosecution originally obtained and marked it, defense now sponsors it — is itself part of the narrative that the video's contents favor the defense's interpretation.

Followup Questions Or Open Threads

Contents of notebooks remain unknown

Neither the video nor Turner's testimony establishes what Bernhardt and Adelson wrote during the session. The hot pink notebook appeared as a state exhibit elsewhere, but what was actually written on December 19 — and by whom — is an open factual question the jury must resolve without direct evidence of content.

Impeachment Or Tension Points

Rule of completeness objection on shortened video

Cappleman objected to a shortened version of the video, and Zelman clarified the drive contained the full State's Exhibit 105. The judge admitted the exhibit and ordered full publication — a minor prosecution point on completeness, though the underlying video content was unchanged.

Testimony Themes

Bernhardt as architect of the interaction

The defense uses Turner to establish that Bernhardt initiated the pod session, positioned it on camera, and served as the primary writer throughout — framing her as the active party who constructed the encounter rather than a witness who passively received a confession.

Strategically timed notebook session

Turner's testimony anchors the December 19 video to a precise timeline: after Bernhardt's December 18 disclosure to police, and before her December 20 formal SAO interview — supporting the inference that the writing session was preparatory rather than spontaneous.

Witness Role And Importance

Witness Role And Importance

Turner, a Leon County Sheriff's Office detective, serves as the defense's chain-of-custody witness for the jail pod surveillance video. He conducted the initial Bernhardt interview, notified the SAO, attended her formal recorded interview, and personally downloaded the video. His functional role is narrow — authenticate and narrate — but the evidence he sponsors is strategically central to the defense's effort to reframe Bernhardt as an orchestrating actor rather than a passive recipient of Donna Adelson's disclosures.

Cross Josh Turner

Cappleman's efficient cross turns the defense's own detective against the defense narrative, using Turner to confirm that Donna Adelson directed Bernhardt to copy a script and return the original, that the Dec. 20 discovery was coincidental, and that the jail video corroborated Bernhardt's account.

Case Significance

Cross locks in the prosecution's suborning-perjury narrative through the defense's own witness, establishing the trace-and-return scheme, the coincidental timing of the notebook's discovery, and video corroboration of Bernhardt's account.

Turner confirms Bernhardt disclosed the perjury-solicitation scheme on December 18
Turner confirms the trace-and-return mechanism: Adelson expected the original notebook back
Turner confirms Dec. 20 meeting timing was coincidental — the notebook's presence was 'dumb luck'
Turner confirms jail video corroborated Bernhardt's account

Highlights

Testimony

Turner confirms Bernhardt disclosed on December 18 that Donna Adelson had tried to enlist her to give perjured testimony at trial.

Testimony

Turner explains the trace-and-return scheme: Bernhardt was instructed to copy the script in her own handwriting and give the original back to Adelson, explaining why investigators photographed rather than impounded the notebook.

“Her instructions were to read over that and to trace it in her own handwriting and provide that back to Ms. Adelson.”

— Josh TurnerTurner describes the core scheme in concrete operational terms — Adelson authored the script, Bernhardt was to copy it and return the original — establishing the perjury-solicitation mechanism in the detective's own words.Testimony

Turner confirms the December 19 jail video corroborated everything Bernhardt told law enforcement the following day.

Testimony

Turner confirms the December 20 meeting timing was coincidental — Cappleman had been injured and prosecutors discussed waiting until after Christmas — making the notebook's presence at the SAO a matter of chance.

“So wasn't it just dumb luck that we happened to bring her over on the day that she was in possession of this thing in defendant's handwriting?”

— Georgia CapplemanCappleman preemptively addresses the defense's implicit suggestion of a setup, using Turner to confirm the notebook's discovery was coincidental rather than orchestrated by law enforcement.

People Mentioned

Jason Newlin Drina Bernhardt

Evidence Mentioned

Defense Exhibit 70 / State's Exhibit 105 State's Exhibit 62 / Defense Exhibit 70

Deep Analysis

Attorney Strategy

Prosecution Inverts Defense Witness

Cappleman uses a brief, tightly structured cross to convert Turner — a defense authentication witness — into a vehicle for the prosecution's narrative, extracting confirmations of the solicitation, the scheme's mechanics, coincidental timing, and video corroboration without opening new avenues for defense redirect.

Case Theory Connections

Witness Tampering as Consciousness of Guilt

The prosecution's theory is that Adelson's alleged effort to script Bernhardt's testimony reflects awareness of guilt and a willingness to obstruct justice. Turner's cross-examination confirmations lock that theory to physical evidence and a law enforcement timeline.

Credibility Observations

Turner Concedes Handwriting Limits

Turner acknowledges he is not a handwriting expert and would defer to expert analysis on who wrote what in the notebook — the one concession that preserves the defense's expert-testimony angle.

Evidentiary Or Procedural Notes

Notebook Photographed, Not Impounded

Because Adelson expected the original returned, investigators could not seize the notebook without alerting her. Photographing it and returning it via Bernhardt was the only way to preserve both the evidence and the covert nature of the disclosure.

Notable Admissions

Video Corroborated Bernhardt

Turner confirms the December 19 jail video corroborated what Bernhardt told law enforcement on December 20, grounding her account in physical evidence independent of her credibility as an informant.

Testimony Themes

Perjury-Solicitation Confirmed

Turner confirms Bernhardt told him on December 18 that Donna Adelson had tried to get her to deliver perjured testimony — a direct confirmation of the solicitation allegation from the detective who first received the disclosure.

Trace-and-Return Scheme

Turner describes in concrete operational terms why the notebook was photographed rather than impounded: Adelson expected it back, and Bernhardt was to trace the contents in her own hand before returning the original.

Coincidental Discovery

The December 20 SAO meeting timing was not strategic — prosecutors had considered waiting until after Christmas. Turner confirms the notebook's presence that day was effectively accidental, blunting any defense suggestion of a setup.

Witness Role And Importance

Witness Role And Importance

Turner was called by the defense to authenticate jail surveillance video and support the narrative that Drina Bernhardt — not Donna Adelson — was the primary writer during their December 19 interaction. On cross, Cappleman inverted this purpose, using Turner to confirm the suborning-perjury disclosure, the trace-and-return scheme, the coincidental timing of the notebook's discovery, and the video's corroboration of Bernhardt's account.

Redirect Josh Turner

Zelman's three-question redirect plants two doubt seeds: the silent jail video makes everything about the notebook session dependent on Bernhardt's unverifiable account, and she arrived at the December 20 SAO meeting with materials despite not knowing the date.

Case Significance

Brief but strategically targeted: frames the entire notebook-scripting narrative as dependent on Bernhardt's credibility alone, a meaningful pivot given her role as a jailhouse informant whose account is the prosecution's primary interpretive source for the December 19 interaction.

Bernhardt's account is the only source interpreting the inaudible jail video
Her unexplained preparedness at the December 20 SAO meeting is left as an open question for the jury

Highlights

Testimony

Zelman extracts Turner's confirmation that the jail video is inaudible and all interpretation of the December 19 notebook session depends entirely on Drina Bernhardt's statements to investigators — not on directly observable evidence.

“We have to rely on what Ms. Bernhardt says.”

— Joshua D. ZelmanZelman distills the defense's core credibility attack in a single sentence: the silent jail video means every element of the alleged scripting scheme is filtered through Bernhardt's account — an account the defense has contested as that of a motivated jailhouse informant.

People Mentioned

Drina Bernhardt

Evidence Mentioned

Document written in Drina Bernhardt's notebook

Deep Analysis

Attorney Strategy

Anchor the jury on Bernhardt's credibility

Zelman's three-question redirect is designed to leave one takeaway: whatever the notebook session meant, only Bernhardt can tell the jury — and she is a jailhouse informant whose unverifiable account is the prosecution's sole interpretive source for the central witness-tampering allegation.

Impeachment Or Tension Points

Bernhardt's unexplained preparedness

Turner confirmed Bernhardt did not know the December 20 meeting date yet arrived with materials. Zelman left this unresolved, implying possible prior coordination that the prosecution's 'dumb luck' framing does not fully account for.

Testimony Themes

Bernhardt as sole interpreter

Because the jail video is silent, all meaning attributed to the December 19 notebook session flows from what Bernhardt told law enforcement. Zelman uses Turner's own concessions to frame this as a credibility dependency the jury must weigh.

Witness Role And Importance

Witness Role And Importance

Turner is a Leon County detective called by the defense to authenticate the December 19, 2024 jail surveillance video. On redirect, his value to the defense narrows to confirming facts that undercut the prosecution's reliance on Bernhardt as the sole interpretive source for the notebook session.

Summary

Defense called Leon County Detective Josh Turner to authenticate jail surveillance footage (Defense Exhibit 70 / State's Exhibit 105) of a December 19, 2024 interaction between jailhouse informant Drina Bernhardt and Donna Adelson. On direct, Zelman established the timeline: Bernhardt had already approached law enforcement on December 18, the notebook-writing session captured on video preceded her formal recorded statement on December 20, and the video shows Bernhardt performing the overwhelming majority of the writing while both women reviewed notebooks. Turner confirmed the video has no audio and the written content cannot be determined from the footage alone. On cross, Cappleman used Turner's testimony to reinforce the prosecution's account of the episode. Turner confirmed Bernhardt told investigators on December 18 that Adelson had asked her to trace a script in her own handwriting and return the original — a scheme Bernhardt brought physical evidence of (the pink notebook, State's Exhibit 62) when she arrived at the SAO on December 20. Turner confirmed that Adelson expected the notebook back, which is why investigators photographed rather than seized it, and that Bernhardt's December 20 arrival while still in possession of the original was not the product of coordinated timing. Turner acknowledged he is not a handwriting expert. On redirect, Zelman returned to the absence of audio to establish that the entire interpretive account of Adelson's alleged scripting scheme rests on Bernhardt's statements to investigators rather than anything directly observable from the surveillance footage. He also raised a question about the spontaneity of Bernhardt's December 20 appearance, noting she arrived without having been given a specific date. Judge Everett closed Day 7 by directing the jury not to discuss the case and to return at 8:30 the following morning. He issued a direct sequestration admonition to Zelman and Fulford arising from the Tim Kelly courtroom-observation incident earlier in the day. Zelman acknowledged the violation was unintentional and noted a defense witness might not arrive until after 10:00 AM due to travel.

← Tim Kelly — Direct/Cross 10 of 10 Day 8 → Defense Rests; Donna Adelson Elects Not to Testify

Josh Turner — Direct/Cross/Redirect