What happens next in the Donna Adelson murder trial?

The trial of Donna Adelson, accused of masterminding the death of her former son-in-law, Dan Markel, collapsed in part because of assumptions on all sides about her attorney, Dan Rashbaum,'s attempts to deal with the conflicts arising from his decision to continue representing her even though he had already taken on her son's case.

That's what legal experts are saying after Rashbaum – in a surprising turn of events – withdrew his representation as counsel on Tuesday, the first day of jury selection in the Donna Adelson murder trial.

The move prompted Leon County District Judge Stephen Everett, who had repeatedly warned Adelson of potential conflicts that could arise from hiring the same attorney who represented her son, Charlie Adelson, to order an adjournment.

Now her trial may be postponed until later this year or early 2025. Rashbaum's co-counsel Robert “Alex” Morris of Tallahassee will take over the defense.

Josephine “Jo” Potuto, a professor emerita of constitutional law at the University of Nebraska who has followed the case closely, called the unexpected outcome of the trial an “epic disaster,” but said it was entirely avoidable.