MK True Crime Podcast Summary

Episode: Donna Adelson Defense’s Rocky Start, Plus Sheriff Shoots Judge Murder Case, and Burning Man Homicide
Host: Mark Eiglar
Panelists: Ashley Merchant (criminal defense attorney), Phil Holloway (criminal defense attorney, former law enforcement)
Date: September 3, 2025

Overview

This episode of MK True Crime dives into three trending criminal cases:

1. The ongoing Donna Adelson trial, focusing on her defense’s unstable opening and pivotal testimony details.
2. The jaw-dropping Kentucky case where a sheriff shot a judge, with layers of small-town scandal.
3. A homicide investigation at Burning Man and a look at fatal risks in festival environments.

The panel offers seasoned courtroom, legal, and investigative insights, along with lively, sometimes irreverent banter.

1. The Donna Adelson Trial

Current Status & Key Questions ([02:24] - [28:00])

• State Rested, Defense on Deck: Prosecutors have completed presenting their case; defense is calling witnesses. The case’s centerpiece is the accused Donna Adelson, portrayed at trial as a loving grandmother rather than a criminal mastermind.

Key Issues:

• Did the State present enough direct evidence, or is the case built mainly on circumstantial elements and interpretations of Donna’s actions?
• How much does Donna’s attempted flight to Vietnam show consciousness of guilt?

The Vietnam Flight: Guilt or Misunderstanding?

• State’s View: Fleeing suggests she’s guilty ([05:15], Mark: “Fleeing shows consciousness of guilt, right, Ashley?”).

• Defense’s Lens: Multiple witnesses claim innocent reasons—family events like her grandson’s bar mitzvah or needing a break—plus her alleged tendency for bargain travel ([05:31], [08:24], [10:12]).

  • Ashley: “I wish the defense had presented a little more evidence as to why Vietnam... Something, you know, give me something.” (08:24)

• Phil: “She didn’t just want a tourist visa; she wanted like, an emergency visa... I’m beginning to wonder if they should maybe relabel that... a fugitive visa.” ([08:58])

• Theme Problem: Defense lacks a clear, consistent story “just throwing things up there and seeing what sticks.” (Ashley, [10:12])

Lead Investigator Cross-Examination ([11:19] - [13:35])

• Strategy: Defense attacks the main investigator’s certainty and the lack of direct evidence (emails, texts, DNA, fingerprints, confession).
  • Ashley to Investigator: “Isn’t it true you don’t have any physical evidence linking Donna Adelson to this crime?... No confession? No DNA?” ([12:25])
• Phil’s Critique: The defense didn’t land a knockout—"I wasn’t very impressed with that” ([14:51])

The Snitch (Jailhouse Informant) Bombshell ([15:20] - [25:55])

• Jailmate Testimony: Patricia Byrd claims Donna confessed—“She said she did it... to keep her grandkids, but it wasn’t supposed to go that far.” ([19:08])

  • Phil: “To me, that testimony rings true, despite the fact that this is a jailhouse snitch.” ([21:49])
  • Ashley: “This is a lady who would probably sell her own mother out for a ham sandwich or a honey bun at jail. Come on.” ([22:04])

• Scripted Perjury Allegation: The informant claims Donna tried to get her to lie, giving her a “script.” Handwriting analysis said script written by Donna.

  • Ashley: “Handwriting analysis is junk science. My fifteen-year-old could forge my name...” ([25:31])

• Corroboration Twist: Jail video backs the witness’s claim—“showed them sitting together... working out something that looked a lot like the document” ([24:30], Phil).

Text Message Evidence ([26:22] - [28:00])

• Messages between Donna and her daughter Wendy after her son Charlie was convicted.

  • Donna: “Your brother protected you for years. Now you are not guilty... You can bury me in the dress that I bought for Lincoln’s bar mitzvah.” ([26:39])

• Interpretation:

  • Phil: “Vague and ambiguous enough that they can cut both ways.” ([27:03])
  • Ashley: "These texts show a mother... saying, ‘I’m done fighting. Bury me in that dress.’ That doesn’t mean guilt.” ([27:44])

Defense & Prosecution Critique

• Underlying consensus: Defense isn’t capitalizing on weaknesses—scattered cross, weak theme, little fire ([55:03], Phil in closing argument).
• Should Donna testify?
  • Ashley: Yes: “A client should always take the stand in their defense if they can. She is going down unless a client tells me flat-out they did it” ([53:53]).
  • Phil: No: “She’s going to get eviscerated on cross... These prosecutors know this case up, down, left, right, through and through.” ([54:11])

2. Kentucky: Sheriff Shoots Judge Case

The Shocking Facts ([30:08] - [44:54])

• Incident: Sheriff (Sean Mickey Starnes) shot Judge Kevin Mullins in his chambers, caught on camera, then surrendered. Both had a friendship, with the sheriff formerly serving as the judge's bailiff ([31:32]).
• Motive Murkiness: Possible small-town sex ring, judge involvement with sheriff’s daughter, and more.
  • Phil: “There’s going to be more to this that will make it all make sense... perhaps the judge was involved with the sheriff’s daughter...” ([31:35])
  • Ashley: “There are sex parties, there are swingers. This whole community apparently was swinging. This judge was involved with litigants in this courtroom.” ([33:02])

Legal Strategies & Bond

• Defense move: Fight for bond release so the client can properly assist with his defense ([33:02]).

• Prosecution argument: Flight risk due to community ties, possibility of witness intimidation ([34:39], Phil).

• Panel consensus: Despite the gravity, bond could be appropriate ([35:44]).

• Defenses: Only realistic option is mental state (temporary insanity, irresistible impulse, or manslaughter due to passion) ([37:19], Phil).

Victim “Trashing” & Small Town Bias ([39:09] - [44:54])

• Sex Party Allegations: Multiple witnesses claim judge ran or participated in sex parties, had sex with litigants and jail inmates, and “the whole town” was aware ([40:31]).

  • “It was just, like, so normal” ([40:31], witness).

• Venue Change Debate:

  • Ashley: Keep it local: “No, no, no. You don’t want a different venue... This jury pool is going to know all this stuff.” ([40:58])
  • Phil: “There’s a great reason why you don’t want to try elected officials in the county where they are elected. It’s too small of a jury pool…” ([43:29])

Phil’s Quote on Public Perception:

• “The question legally, guys, is, is this a murder, or was this some type of manslaughter? ...He could qualify for temporary insanity...” ([31:35])

3. Burning Man Homicide & Other Festival Dangers ([47:10] - [49:26])

• Incident: Man found dead, pool of blood, homicide suspected; comes after prior festival deaths (electrocution, drug intoxication).

  • Ashley: “There’s probably stampedes... people on substances... witnesses aren’t going to be reliable.” ([48:34])
  • Phil: “This Burning Man goes back... It’s really taken on a life of its own. But apparently you’re taking your life into your own hands if you just set foot in the place.” ([47:36])

• Legal Challenges: Investigating a crime in a transient, chaotic, post-festival desert is extremely difficult.

4. Odd Legal Case: The Kevlar Rifle Duel ([49:26] - [52:23])

• Facts: Two Texas men decided to “take turns” shooting each other with rifles while wearing Kevlar helmets. One died, the shooter faces murder charges. Alcohol involved.

  • Phil: “This is like the stupidest thing I’ve seen in a long time when it comes to firearms... I cannot overstate just how ridiculously stupid and tragic and preventable this was.” ([50:07])

  • Ashley’s Defense Angle: “Mutual combat... If the victim was a willing participant... It’s like, if two people want to take it outside and have a fight, is it a crime?” ([51:30])

5. Listener Mailbag ([52:23] - [54:09])

• Reads a passionate Donna Adelson case email from listener Kelly.
• Ashley: “A client should always take the stand in their defense if they can.”
• Phil: “She’s going to get eviscerated. These prosecutors... are a lot smarter than she is.”

6. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "I wish the defense had, as the defense, presented a little more evidence as to why Vietnam. Because, you know, that's kind of... Why Vietnam?... Give me something." —Ashley ([08:24])
• "She said she did it, and she did it to keep her grandkids, but it wasn't supposed to go that far.” —Jailhouse informant testimony ([19:08])
• “This is a lady who would probably sell her own mother out for a ham sandwich or a honey bun at jail.” —Ashley ([22:04])
• “Handwriting analysis is junk science... My fifteen-year-old can forge my name.” —Ashley ([25:31])
• “I cannot overstate just how ridiculously stupid and tragic and preventable this was... use a little bit more common sense, mix less alcohol with guns...” —Phil ([50:07])

7. Closing Arguments ([55:03] - [58:47])

• Ashley: Rants about the unfairness that only incriminating statements are usually admissible; calls this “ridiculous” ([55:03]).
• Phil: Thanks show’s behind-the-scenes team, and criticizes both prosecution and defense in the Adelson trial for lacking “fire in the belly” and a cohesive theme ([56:27]).
• Mark: Thanks courageous judges/prosecutors who still take risks in sentencing and acknowledges the mounting pressure/chilling effect on the US justice system ([58:47]).

8. Timestamps for Major Segments

| Topic | Start | Highlights | |-------------------------------------------------------------|------------|--------------------------------------------------------------| | Introduction & Episode Overview | 00:35 | Mark introduces major stories, panelists | | Adelson Trial: Evidence & Defense Analysis | 02:24 | Decision points on “consciousness of guilt” | | Lead Investigator Cross & Snitch Testimony | 11:19 | Cross-exam strategies, jailhouse informant | | Handwriting “Script” and Surveillance | 22:32 | Script evidence and video | | Adelson: Text Messages | 26:22 | What texts do/don’t prove | | Panel on Donna Testifying | 53:33 | Should she take the stand? | | Sheriff Shoots Judge: Facts & Legal Analysis | 30:08 | Bond, possible motives, legal defenses | | Sex Parties & Venue Change Discussion | 39:09/40:58| Witnesses on judge’s misconduct, venue strategies | | Burning Man Homicide & Festival Risks | 47:10 | Difficult investigations, death waivers | | Kevlar Rifle Duel: Legal Absurdity | 49:26 | The “mutual combat” defense | | Listener Mailbag | 52:23 | Fan reacts to Adelson coverage | | Closing Arguments/Rants | 55:03 | Panelists’ closing thoughts |

9. Tone

Lively, direct, and occasionally irreverent; the panel mixes legal gravitas with sharp wit and sarcastic humor to enhance complex true crime topics for both legal insiders and casual listeners.

For full trial coverage, live analysis, or to watch upcoming closing arguments, visit the MK True Crime YouTube channel.