05-10-2011, 02:06 PM
Palm Beach Post
WEST PALM BEACH — Testimony in the solicitation-to-commit-murder case against Dalia Dippolito resumed Monday after a one-week hiatus, with prosecutors showing jurors the first of the undercover police videos that have made the rounds on the Internet since Dippolito's high-profile arrest.
Jurors saw the video of Dippolito wailing at the fake crime scene in August 2009 as Boynton Beach Sgt. Frank Ranzie told the newlywed that her husband, Michael Dippolito, was dead.
Ranzie, who was wearing a camera in his shirt button, said Dalia asked him about her dog - right after he told her Michael was dead.
"Is that odd?" asked Elizabeth Parker, chief assistant state attorney.
"Yes," Ranzie replied.
Ranzie said the elaborate fake crime scene was necessary because the department wanted to take extra steps beyond just recording Dippolito with an undercover "hit man."
On cross-examination, defense attorney Michael Salnick asked if the fake crime scene sensationalized things. "YouTube is what sensationalized things," Ranzie said. Ranzie testified, however, that he thought it was not a good idea to involve the reality TV show Cops and to post videos on the Internet.
Parker is scheduled to wrap up her case by the end of today, with the defense's case beginning Wednesday.
Last week, while court was out of session, came a curious wrinkle the defense could potentially plumb.
Mohamed Shihadeh, a central witness in the case and Dalia Dippolito's occasional lover who turned her in to police, was arrested and charged with driving under the influence in Boca Raton on Thursday .
WEST PALM BEACH — Testimony in the solicitation-to-commit-murder case against Dalia Dippolito resumed Monday after a one-week hiatus, with prosecutors showing jurors the first of the undercover police videos that have made the rounds on the Internet since Dippolito's high-profile arrest.
Jurors saw the video of Dippolito wailing at the fake crime scene in August 2009 as Boynton Beach Sgt. Frank Ranzie told the newlywed that her husband, Michael Dippolito, was dead.
Ranzie, who was wearing a camera in his shirt button, said Dalia asked him about her dog - right after he told her Michael was dead.
"Is that odd?" asked Elizabeth Parker, chief assistant state attorney.
"Yes," Ranzie replied.
Ranzie said the elaborate fake crime scene was necessary because the department wanted to take extra steps beyond just recording Dippolito with an undercover "hit man."
On cross-examination, defense attorney Michael Salnick asked if the fake crime scene sensationalized things. "YouTube is what sensationalized things," Ranzie said. Ranzie testified, however, that he thought it was not a good idea to involve the reality TV show Cops and to post videos on the Internet.
Parker is scheduled to wrap up her case by the end of today, with the defense's case beginning Wednesday.
Last week, while court was out of session, came a curious wrinkle the defense could potentially plumb.
Mohamed Shihadeh, a central witness in the case and Dalia Dippolito's occasional lover who turned her in to police, was arrested and charged with driving under the influence in Boca Raton on Thursday .