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VERDICT WATCH: Dalia Dippolito Murder-For-Hire Re-Trial

 

A jury is deliberating the fate of Dalia Dippolito.  She’s the Florida woman accused of trying to hire an undercover cop to kill her husband, Mike Dippolito.

Jurors listened to a recording of Dippolito trying to hire the purported hitman.

Dippolito’s lover, Mohamed Shihadeh, who eventually became a police informant, also testified that Dippolito had talked with him about killing her husband by lacing a drink with antifreeze.  He further testified that Dippolito tried to get him to help both secure a gun and a hitman.

The lover’s testimony was contentious.  Defense attorneys moved before the trial began to keep it out of court.  Prosecutors were able to use it to impeach Shihadeh’s initial claim that Dalia Dippolito had not discussed her desire to eliminate her husband.

“The evidence is overwhelming,” prosecutor Craig Williams said during closing arguments.

“That woman is as guilty as anyone who’s ever walked into a criminal courtroom,” he said.  “It’s like ‘Old Milwaukee.’  It doesn’t get any better than this,” he added.

Williams urged jurors to focus on “her actions, her words, and her intent.  That woman is as guilty as ever,” he argued.

Defense attorney Brian Claypool had previously argued that the police case was so horrible that Dippolito should go free.  He accused the police of bringing forward “trash evidence” and of conducting a “garbage investigation.” He said the police department which investigated the case was “in love with publicity” and not “in love with justice.”

Defense attorneys criticized the police department which handled the case for involving the television show “Cops.”

At one point, Claypool even told jurors that even if they think Dippolito is a “gold digger,” they shouldn’t hold that against her.

Dippolito is charged with solicitation to commit first-degree murder.  She could face a thirty-year prison sentence if convicted.

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Aaron Keller holds a juris doctor degree from the University of New Hampshire School of Law and a broadcast journalism degree from Syracuse University. He is a former anchor and executive producer for the Law&Crime Network and is now deputy editor-in-chief for the Law&Crime website. DISCLAIMER:  This website is for general informational purposes only. You should not rely on it for legal advice. Reading this site or interacting with the author via this site does not create an attorney-client relationship. This website is not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. Speak to a competent lawyer in your jurisdiction for legal advice and representation relevant to your situation.