The Trial of Joseph Adle
Joseph Causton Adle, 33, was sentenced to one year of probation on Thursday after a jury found him guilty of misdemeanor stalking and trespassing.
Adle was arrested on November 10, 2022. Gainesville Police Department (GPD) Officer Monica Henry made contact with the victim, who stated Adle had been following her for five months.
The victim stated Adle “waits outside of her building, waiting for her to walk her dog around the [apartment] complex” and that he has “gotten extremely close in proximity…. With the closest encounter being less than two feet away.”
Henry reported that Adle frequently walked around the victim’s apartment complex (Aero on 24th) while wearing a gas mask. Adle reportedly attempted to talk to the victim, but she could not hear him due to him wearing the mask.
The victim advised Henry that Adle would hide behind a shed and wait for her.
On multiple occasions the victim found Adle waiting for her at a nearby dog park when she brought her dog there.
Adle was banned from the victim’s apartment complex, but he ignored the orders.
Henry reported, “I also spoke with [Adle’s] apartment complex management (The Ridge), and they advised that there have been numerous complaints about [him] from several residents at The Ridge about the same harassing behavior. [Adle] showed me a document that [The Ridge] gave him stating that due to causing multiple disturbances on campus, he could be subject to eviction if he did not change his actions.”
Henry went on to report, “Post Miranda, [Adle] admitted to approaching and following numerous women in the neighborhood. Additionally, I asked if [Adle] had ever taken any photos or videos of the people he has approached, and he denied he had. I asked [Adle] if I could look through the camera roll on his phone, and he gave me the consent to do so. Upon looking at his camera roll, I observed multiple photos of a group of people he had taken photos of him from his apartment window. When I asked [Adle] why he had taken the photos, he stated that it was a large group and he wanted to document it. I also spoke with [Adle’s] roommates, and they stated that while having guests over, [he] has taken photos of them and their guests without permission. When they asked why he had done so, he replied that the photos were taken for his ‘collection.’ When interviewing [Adle] in his room, I identified a gas mask on his bedside table that appeared to be the same one [he] was wearing in the photo [the victim] captured of him.”
Adle, represented by Richard Buzan of Musca Law, pleaded not guilty.
Adle was released on a $50,000 bond the month following his arrest under GPS monitoring.
On December 21, 2022, Assistant State Attorney Ray Powers submitted a disclosure of Brady material, stating a “witness [identified as ‘K.T.’] may provide exculpatory information…. The state has provided this information in an email to the defense… which pertains to the victim’s testimony that was taken on [December 8, 2022.]”
On January 13, 2023, Buzan submitted a referral to mental health court for Adle, but the motion was denied by Judge Susan Miller Jones.
On February 3, 2023, Buzan submitted a motion to take the victim’s deposition and make the state provide a statement of particulars, i.e., a more specific explanation of the accusations.
The motion states, “To support these charges, the probable cause statement alleges that, on unstated dates, [Adle] followed the [the victim], waited outside her building, was at the dog walking area but never heard [Adle] make any statements to her, and, through the State's Brady disclosure, we know that the [victim] never spoke words to [Adle].”
The motion goes on to state that Buzan cannot mount a proper defense without more information about the allegations and a deposition of the victim.
According to the House of Representatives staff analysis, “Depositions are not allowed in cases where a defendant is charged with a misdemeanor or criminal traffic offense unless good cause is shown to the trial court.”
On February 10, 2023, Buzan submitted a motion to issue a subpoena on Aero on 24th and the Ridge apartment complex. The motion states, “The discovery provided by the State does not contain any information or documents and things related to the allegations that the Aero on 24th apartment complex was ever advised of the alleged victim’s allegations.”
On March 7, 2023, Assistant State Attorney Stephanie Klugh submitted a supplemental discovery exhibit for 911 audio of the incident and body worn camera (BWC) footage from GPD Ofc. Marquice Miller and Henry. The same day, Klugh submitted a seven-page response to the state’s previous motion.
Klugh’s response states, “On January 5, 2023, in an email, the Defense asked if the State was opposed to the Defense deposing confidential victim regarding her interactions with [Adle]. Shortly after, on January 9, 2023, Powers responded via email to the Defense, stating that the State was opposed to a deposition under law].... Powers made clear in that email that while a deposition was not proper, the State could and would assist in using other opportunities for the Defense to discover the information needed to prepare their case. The Defense did not respond to that email, instead filing their motion for leave to take a deposition of the alleged victim and motion for a statement of particulars.”
The motion goes on to state, “In the BWC footage of Officer Maurquice Miller of the Gainesville Police Department, [Adle] stated that he moved to the area where the stalking occurred because there are a lot of people outside…. [Adle] also stated that he has been outside, ‘pretty much every day,’ approaching men and women since he moved to his apartment complex in July of 2022.”
Klugh argued that the defense lacked legal authority to take the victim’s deposition.
On March 9, 2023, Judge Thomas Jaworski granted both of the defense’s subpoena motions.
The subpoenas for The Ridge and Aero on 24th were both served on March 28, 2023.
On June 14, 2023, Buzan made a motion to appoint an expert to evaluate Adle’s competency to proceed.
On July 7, 2023, Buzan sent an email Meridian workers, writing, “I am writing to you at the instruction of the Hon. Thomas Jaworski of the Alachua County Court regarding [Adle]. The Court has directed that a competency restoration plan be prepared by Meridian by Thursday, July 13, 2023. A hearing is set for July 26, 2023, at 10:30 a.m. when [Adle] is set to be found to be not competent to proceed in the above-referenced case. A representative for your organization is required to attend this hearing.”
A few minutes later Buzan sent another email that stated, “[Adle] is to be found not competent to proceed in the above-referenced matter on that date. I have notified Meridian of the need for it to prepare a competency restoration plan by next Thursday and send a representative to the [July 26, 2023] hearing.”
On December 19, 2023, Meridian Healthcare notified the court they found Adle competent to proceed with a trial.
On December 21, 2023, Buzan made a motion to remove Adle’s ankle monitor but it was later denied.
On January 17, 2024, Buzan issued a notice of intent to rely on an insanity defense. The motion states, “At the time of the alleged commission of these events, [Adle] was suffering from mental illness, schizophrenia with prevalent delusions, alcohol-related disorder with the possibility that he was also suffering from schizoaffective disorder. Based upon [Adle's] mental illness, delusional and hallucinatory behavior preceding, during, and following his arrest for the charges, the Defendantgives notice of his intent to rely on the insanity defense.”
On May 22, 2024, Assistant State Attorney Dean Zipes made a motion to appoint a mental health expert to evaluate Adle’s sanity at the time of the offense. The motion was approved by Judge Jonathan Ramsey.
On May 31, 2024, Zipes submitted a 2nd supplemental discovery exhibit for jail call logs.
On August 20, 2024, Klugh submitted a discovery to have Dr. Tonia Werner of Meridian Healthcare appear as an expert witness.
On August 27, 2024, Buzan submitted a reciprocal discovery for Adle’s medical records and all documents provided by The Ridge. The same day, Buzan made a motion stating, “The State provided discovery that alleges a law enforcement officer viewed photographs and videos from [Adle's] phone, but the state has not provided images or data containing the pictures and videos…. See GPD Officer Monica Henry Supplemental Narrative…. where she stated, in relevant part, that: ‘Post Miranda, I interviewed Adle and he admitted to approaching and following numerous women in the neighborhood. Additionally, I asked Adle if he had ever taken any photos or videos of the people he has approached and he denied he had. I asked Adle if I could look through the camera roll on his phone and he gave me the consent to do so. Upon looking at his camera roll, I observed multiple photos of a group of people he had taken photos of from his apartment window….’ If the records and things are not provided to Defendant voluntarily by the State by September 3, 2024, Defendant asks that the Court enter an Order in Limine that either excludes any testimony about the existence of or what is portrayed/stated in any photographs/videos or things found on [Adle's] phone.”
Three days later, Assistant State Attorney Cameron Life responded, stating the motion should be denied because the state doesn’t have any items being withheld. Life wrote, “It was never indicated in GPD reports that the photographs viewed on [Adle's] phone were saved, taken, or otherwise obtained by law enforcement…. It is stated Officer Henry had her department issued BWC on during the investigation on November 10, 2022. The State at no point has received that BWC…. On August 29, 2024, the State had a conversation with Officer Monica Henry where she confirmed that no BWC footage was taken from her BWC during her interaction with [Adle].”
On September 5, 2024, Buzan motioned that the State refrain from mentioning anything “regarding the character, past crimes, wrongs, or acts (not directly linked to the proof of the charged crimes) of Joseph C. Adle without first establishing that the character trait is relevant and pertinent and secondly, that [Adle] has a reputation in the community for this character trait and that the witness is familiar with [Adle's] reputation in the community.”
The same day, Buzan alleged that the State was in violation of discovery disclosure rules and motioned for a Richardson hearing. The motion states, “One would presume that the State had obtained and reviewed the entire case file, identified all potential witnesses, and provided all discovery prior to announcing that it was ready for trial…. Beginning on September 3, 2024, less than a week before jury selection in this matter, the State began disclosing for the very first time the following witnesses, Brady evidence, and tangible evidence:
On September 7, 2024, Buzan submitted a supplemental reciprocal discovery for photographs from Henry and Mullins’ BWC.
On September 9, 2024, Buzan made a motion to suppress Adle’s statements, alleging a Miranda rights violation. The motion states, “GPD Officers Henry, Miller, and Mullins (‘LEO’) entered [Adle's] home without knocking and waiting for someone. An earlier BWC footage showed Ofc. Johnson knocked at the door, and a visitor who said he did not have the authority to let him in answered. Ofc. Johnson came in and spoke to one or two men whose names were not identified, and general consent to initially or generally enter the property was not given during this exchange. The GPD case report for this matter does not provide any narrative supplement of Ofc. Johnson to note how and why he believed he could enter the building and whether Ofcs. Henry, Miller, and Mullins could come in at a later time without speaking to anyone in the residence…. Since the law enforcement officers did not have a warrant or consent to enter the residence, any statements [Adle] gave them should be suppressed as fruity of the poisonous tree. After entering the home without consent or a warrant, the LEO approached [Adle's] bedroom and asked [Adle] to exit the room to speak with [them]. After [Adle] exits his bedroom and walks into the kitchen area, Ofc. Henry begins questioning him without giving the Miranda warning…. Henry poses to him a question as to the identity of a person in a photograph allegedly taken by the victim…. Shortly after [Adle] identified the person in the photograph, Ofc. Miller read him the Miranda warning, and [Adle] was extensively questioned and eventually arrested.”
The same day, Buzan withdrew the motion for the Richardson hearing, stating, “While the defendant believes that the State committed discovery violations for the reasons alleged in the motion, the continuance of the trial in this matter mitigates the prejudice to [Adle].” Buzan subsequently submitted a motion to disregard statements from the victim that could be considered 'hearsay.'"
The following day, Life responded to Buzan’s insanity defense. “Although he identified himself as the individual seen doing these actions, when confronted with these reports [Adle] denies that he was following persons. This goes to prove two points. It establishes that he was the man who was following victim and his responses show that he believes that following persons is wrong.”
Buzan would have to prove Adle did not know what he was doing or didn’t realize what he was doing was wrong in order to properly mount an insanity defense under the law.
Life goes on to state, “[Adle] allows law enforcement to view his phone and law enforcement observes photos of persons [and] attempts to explain the actions away, again showing that he knows that following/watching people without their consent is wrong…. The State wishes to use that evidence to establish that when witness Jennifer Quezada received complaints that [Adle] was walking around Aero on 24th property. This conduct was unsettling to residents. Ms. Quezada then had employee Travis Smith trespass [Adle] from the property. In communicating to [Adle] that he was trespassed, Mr. Smith communicated that his conduct was scaring residents. After that warning, there was a period where [Adle] refrained from entering onto Aero on 24th property. This goes to show that when trespassed and informed of how his conduct was affecting residents, [Adle] knew that his conduct was wrong and stayed away for a period.”
On October 7, 2024, Buzan submitted a reciprocal supplemental discovery for more BWC and several audio recordings.
On February 7, 2025, Judge Meshon Rawls approved, in part, Buzan’s motion to restrict statements that could be considered “hearsay.”
On February 10, 2025, Life submitted supplemental discovery exhibits for four redacted BWC videos and a Google Maps image of Aero on 24th apartment complexes.
On February 12, 2025, Buzan submitted a reciprocal discovery of two binders of portable document files.
On February 17, 2025, Buzan submitted another reciprocal discovery for five pages of metadata across two files.
On March 19, 2025, Life made a motion for the court to rule on the admissibility of their trial exhibits due to the defense’s objections, which are “(1) A photo of a mask found in [Adle's] bedroom. (2) A 2022 Google Maps Image of Aero on 24th and surrounding apartment complexes. (3) Cellphone video taken of [Adle] on November 7, 2022. (4) A screenshot of [Adle] taken from the Cellphone video taken of [him] on November 7, 2022.” The motion was denied by Judge Meshon Rawles.
On April 10, 2025, the prosecution and defense reached an agreement on which parts of the BWC videos are to be redacted for the jury.
Buzan issued subpoenas for Officers Henry, Mullins, Miller and White ahead of the trial.
Adle took his case to trial on April 17, 2025.
The jury had the option to find Adle guilty of lesser offenses of attempted stalking and attempted trespassing. The jury also had the option to find Adle insane, but they ultimately found him guilty of stalking and trespassing.
Senior Judge Bo Bayer sentenced Adle to 60 days in jail with 20 days of jail credit for time served, followed by two years of probation. Adle will be required to take a mental health evaluation and a psychosexual evaluation.
This page will be updated if GnvInfo obtains videos from the trial.
