Markel murder trial: What to follow, where to watch

Jury selection in Charlie Adelson’s trial for the 2014 murder-for-hire of FSU law professor Dan Markel begins this morning, with opening arguments expected to begin no sooner than Wednesday.

Florida Politics provides daily trial updates as well as analysis of relevance to Florida’s political, advocacy and legal communities. Our contributor Karen Cyphers of Sachs Media (who, with attorney Jason Solomon, runs the grassroots group Justice for Dan) will be in the courtroom to provide comprehensive reports.

Multiple sources of news and commentary on this case have drawn international attention — and a growing community of people seeking justice. After getting caught up through the Florida Politics back story of Charlie’s arrest and the many people involved, here’s where to watch and what to follow as this trial unfolds (in alphabetical order):

AALegalFocus: Run by North Carolina lawyer & Georgetown University Law Center graduate Judy Tseng. Her channel covers the case with verbatim readings, legal analysis, re-enactments, comedy and interviews with notable guests.

CourtTV: Gavel-to-gavel coverage, in-depth legal reporting, and expert analysis of the nation’s most important and compelling trials, including many segments related to the Markel murder.

Dan Markel Community on Reddit: If Reddit is where you like to follow things, the Dan_Markel_Murder sub has an active membership.

Deep Dive True Crime: The YouTube channel run by Tallahassee lawyer James Waczewski (aka “Mentour Lawyer”) has focused on the Markel murder for many years with in-depth legal commentary and knowledgeable guests, offering both serious insights and some unconventional levity on the case.

Fanci Fiction: Just as the clever insider-referenced name suggests, this channel began as the ultimate parody site for all things Markel murder. But no joke, it cuts real and deep, too. “Fanci” has become a top source for informed commentary on the case and is the go-to site for listening to wiretap recordings of Charlie, Donna Adelson, Katherine Magbanua, Sigfredo Garcia and others.

Jury Trial Mentor: Former Prosecutor and Defense Attorney (both civilian and military) Carl Steinbeck incisively analyzes criminal jury trial cases and will be livestreaming Charlie’s trial with added commentary on YouTube. Carl offers lawyers and laypeople a better understanding of strategies, tactics, Rules of Evidence, cross-examination techniques, effective advocacy (voir dire, openings, closings) and more. His insights on the Markel case have been exemplary.

Justice for Dan (Facebook): The official grassroots community seeking justice for Markel and his family, with regular commentary and public engagement on Facebook.

Justice for Dan (X): Live from the courtroom tweets on the moments that may matter most. Follow hashtags such as #justicefordan and #danmarkel.

La Belle Vie: This channel “explores important legal issues and follows some of the most fascinating trials dominating the headlines today” and is run by an attorney who has worked primarily in BigLaw and academia for over 25 years.

Preston Scott Show: Preston Scott has followed the case from the start and will be providing updates and commentary weekday mornings during the trial starting around 7:30 a.m. Tune in on 100.7 FM / iHeart Radio.

Tallahassee Democrat: Award-winning investigative reporter Jeff Burlew is leading the Democrat’s coverage of Charlie’s trial, and his team will be livestreaming the courtroom on YouTube and Facebook Live.

Surviving the Survivor: Hosted by Emmy Award-winning broadcast journalist Joel Waldman. Takes a live, nightly dive into the biggest true crime stories. Guests include high-profile attorneys, current and former law enforcement officials, and well-known criminal profilers; in this case, has hosted Ruth Markel, Georgia Cappleman and other case insiders.

The Society Page: Self-described, “pop culture, true crime, whimsical moving pictures with sound,” this page offers professional-grade takeoffs on the characters involved in this case. Spoof can sting and Society Page won’t disappoint.

True Lifestyles: Susan Harmon has been following the Markel case for many years and is one of a few who requests and publishes public records.

WCTV: Julie Montanaro has been on-scene covering the Markel case for years, and she and her team at WCTV will be providing live coverage and daily reporting.

WTXL ABC 27: WTXL covers every twist and turn in this case and will offer daily updates.

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Florida Politics provides ongoing coverage of the Markel murder case, which is drawing international media attention to Florida’s capital city. Our reporting draws from sources including contributor Cyphers of Sachs Media, who, with attorney Solomon, advocates with the grassroots group “Justice for Dan” to draw attention to the case and provide analysis relevant to Florida’s political, advocacy and legal communities.