NEWLYWED BRIDE HIRES HITMAN TO MURDER GROOM, CAUGHT ON VIDEO, NOW LEADING BIBLE STUDY BEHIND BARS

Summary

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Podcast Summary:

Crime Stories with Nancy Grace
Episode: NEWLYWED BRIDE HIRES HITMAN TO MURDER GROOM, CAUGHT ON VIDEO, NOW LEADING BIBLE STUDY BEHIND BARS
Date: February 14, 2026
Host: Nancy Grace
Guests: Brian Claypool (defense attorney), Dr. Bethany Marshall (psychoanalyst), James Shelnutt (lawyer, former SWAT), Ray Caputo (news anchor), Mark Ebner (reporter), Boynton Beach police

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Main Theme

Nancy Grace and her panel dissect the infamous case of Dalia Dippolito, a Florida newlywed convicted of hiring a hitman (who turned out to be an undercover officer) to kill her husband, all caught on camera. The episode delves into the crime, the dramatic police sting, defense strategies, and Dippolito’s current jailhouse life–including leading a Bible study group as she pursues further appeals.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Case Overview & Background

• Dalia Dippolito married Michael Dippolito after a whirlwind romance; he was a recently released ex-con ([02:21], Mark Ebner).
• Dalia quickly gained control over Michael's finances and his house ([03:04], Sergeant Ramsey).
• The relationship soured while Dalia allegedly sought to claim everything for herself.

2. The Hitman Plot Unfolds

• Tip-off: Dalia’s ex-lover, Muhammad, warned police she wanted to hire someone to kill her husband ([04:40], Nancy Grace; [04:47], Brian Claypool).
• Police sting: Muhammad becomes a confidential informant, arranging a meeting between Dalia and the supposed hitman—actually an undercover officer.
• Famous Video Evidence: The meeting where Dalia declares she is "5,000% sure" she wants her husband killed is caught on camera ([10:47], Brian Claypool).

“Everybody's seen that videotape where Dalia says she's 5,000% sure she wants her husband killed, but they don't see behind the scenes...”
– Brian Claypool ([07:21])

3. Defense Arguments and Multiple Trials

• First Defense Attempt: The defense initially argued the murder plot was just a script for a fake reality show, inspired by "Burn Notice" ([15:25], Ray Caputo).
• Second Defense: Under Brian Claypool, focus shifted to claims of police coercion and due process violations, arguing the police hurried the sting for TV purposes ([13:06], Brian Claypool).
• Contradictions: The various defenses across trials are debated and critiqued.

“That argument was farcical, that was a silly argument that Dalia's attorney put forward to the jury.”
– Brian Claypool ([14:44])

“If you have a completely different defense… everything you said at the first trial can come in on cross examination.”
– Nancy Grace ([16:20])

4. Staged Crime Scene and Jailhouse Reaction

• Police staged a crime scene for Dalia’s benefit, filming her agonized reaction when told her husband was "dead" ([10:36], Nancy Grace; [18:36], Ray Caputo). Dalia's Oscar-worthy wailing became infamous.
• Police then brought in both the undercover “hitman” and Michael (alive) at the station, to Dalia’s feigned surprise and denial ([31:11-33:28], Narrator, Officers, Nancy Grace).

“You're going to jail today for solicitation of murder. You're under arrest.”
– Sergeant Ramsey/Police Officer ([31:59])

5. Panel Analysis

• Psychological Profile: Dr. Bethany Marshall labeled Dalia a rare female sociopath, using sexuality and manipulation to get her way ([23:42], Dr. Marshall).
• Police and Prosecution Tactics: Debate whether police went too far by staging the dramatic scene and posting video online ([20:02-21:46], Nancy Grace and Brian Claypool).
• Intent and Credibility: Questions over whether Dalia truly intended murder or was manipulated into the plan, with experts noting inconsistencies in her accounts and behaviors ([17:17], James Shelnutt).

“Men are just wallets for her... need-satisfying objects. That's all they are.”
– Dr. Bethany Marshall ([25:35])

6. Verdict, Current Status, and Life Behind Bars

• Conviction: After multiple trials (including a hung jury), Dalia is serving a 16-year sentence in Florida ([36:31], Ray Caputo).
• Bible Study Leader: Dalia now leads a Bible study group for inmates ([00:35], Nancy Grace).
• Motherhood: Dalia gave birth while on house arrest and experiences pain from separation from her son since imprisonment ([36:59], Nancy Grace).

“She is stone cold guilty. And this is why...”
– Nancy Grace ([26:37])

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Segments (with Timestamps)

• [00:35] “Meryl Streep, beware. Dalia Dippolito may have it over on you for acting skills.” – Nancy Grace
• [04:47] “She asked if I knew someone who can kill her husband for her.” – Brian Claypool, quoting Muhammad to detectives.
• [06:44] “Did she call police and report domestic violence?” – Nancy Grace
• [07:21] “Everybody's seen that videotape where Dalia says she's 5,000% sure she wants her husband killed, but they don't see behind the scenes...” – Brian Claypool
• [10:47] “She doesn't say 100% sure or 200% sure, but 5,000% sure.” – Nancy Grace
• [13:09] “That was the COPS TV show timeline to get this script done…” – Brian Claypool
• [14:44] “That argument was farcical, that was a silly argument that Dalia's attorney put forward to the jury.” – Brian Claypool
• [16:20] “If you have a completely different defense… everything you said at the first trial can come in on cross examination…” – Nancy Grace
• [18:36] “She starts wailing... she tremors, starts, you know, kind of hunching over...” – Ray Caputo
• [23:42] “It seems to me that she's one of these rare female sociopaths who uses her sexuality and charm...” – Dr. Bethany Marshall
• [25:35] “Men are just wallets for her. Men are need-satisfying objects. That's all they are.” – Dr. Bethany Marshall
• [26:37] “She is stone cold guilty. And this is why...” – Nancy Grace
• [33:28] “She’s on tape negotiating with the hitman. Then they bring in the husband, and she learns for the first time that he’s actually alive.” – Nancy Grace
• [36:31] “Bottom line, she is serving 16 years in prison in a woman’s prison in Ocala and Marion county.” – Ray Caputo

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Timeline & Key Segments

• 00:35 – Nancy introduces case, Dalia’s backstory, and her role behind bars
• 02:21–03:22 – Michael and Dalia’s relationship dynamics (panel)
• 04:40–05:25 – Muhammad informs police of the murder plot (actual tip-off)
• 10:36–12:18 – Dalia caught on camera (“5,000% sure”) and defense commentary
• 14:44–17:17 – Debate over defense strategies (“script” vs. coercion)
• 18:36–20:52 – Dalia’s dramatic staged crime scene “grief” and expert analysis
• 23:42–25:41 – Dr. Bethany Marshall’s psychoanalysis of Dalia
• 26:37–29:12 – Dalia’s conviction and aftermath, discussion of trial process
• 31:11–33:28 – Sting climax: confrontation with hitman and husband at station
• 36:31–36:59 – Dalia’s current status, motherhood, Bible study in prison

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Flow & Tone

• Nancy Grace’s tone is direct, relentless, and slightly sardonic, especially when highlighting the theatrics of Dalia’s behavior (“Meryl Streep, beware...”).
• The panel alternates between legal debate, psychoanalysis, and blunt critique.
• Frequent references to sensational TV moments and viral footage underscore the case’s notoriety and media spectacle.
• While lawyers debate due process and tactics, the overall consensus leans toward Dalia’s guilt.

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Conclusion

Nancy Grace and her guests lay bare the bizarre, disturbing saga of Dalia Dippolito: a blend of calculated crime, reality TV histrionics, and failed legal gambits. Despite new jailhouse religious pursuits and ongoing appeals, the panel underscores Dalia’s culpability and the irreparable harm of her actions. The story’s most memorable moments—her Oscar-worthy grief, her denials, and the police’s TV-driven sting—continue to shock and fascinate both legal experts and the public.

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Transcript

[Nancy Grace]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Narrator/Reporter]

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[Nancy Grace]

Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. She was convicted after multiple trials and now multiple appeals of hiring a hitman to kill her brand new husband. And guess what? It was all caught on tape. Meryl Streep, beware. Dahlia Dipolito may have it over on you for acting skills. Remember when she bent over double in quoty pain quoty when she was told her husband had been shot? Yes. And the whole time she had planned the whole thing. Well, guess what? I've got news about Dalio Dippolito behind bars. I'm Nancy Grace. This is Crime Stories. I want to thank you for being with us. That's right. The former Floridian caught on camera in a murder for hire plot by an undercover cop is now leading, wait for it. A Bible study group behind bars.

[Brian Claypool]

You.

[Nancy Grace]

Yes. Dalia Dipolito sentenced to hard jail time after she's found guilty for trying to hire hitman to kill her husband. Michael Dipolito is leading a Bible study. Well, you know what? I'm happy for her that she has ostensibly found the Lord and she can continue her Bible studies behind bars. Reality check. This is what we learned at trial. Kick it off with our friends at Crime Watch Daily.

[Mark Ebner]

Dippolito is a guy working hard to get his life in order. He's an ex con fresh out of prison for running a phony investment scam. But after meeting Dalia on an online dating site, he falls into a whirlwind romance.

[Sergeant Ramsey / Police Officer]

He called her up, made an arrangement. She showed up at his office, he liked what he saw. Within a short period of time, he divorced his wife and he found himself married to Dalia.

[Mark Ebner]

Reporter and crime writer Mark Ebner says Dalia is a woman who knows where she wants to go in life and waste very little time getting there. He claims after the honeymoon, her next destination is Michael's bank account to the tune of $240,000.

[Sergeant Ramsey / Police Officer]

She put her claws in him so fast in a six month time span, managed to take all of Michael Dippolito's money. She managed to get his home deeded over to her.

[Mark Ebner]

But all that is not enough. She has everything she wants, but she reportedly wants it all to herself.

[Nancy Grace]

Guys, what you are hearing is the plot laid out by friends of the groom. But what really happened? Joining me right now, an all star panel, Brian Claypool, lawyer for Dalia DiPolito. Dr. Bethany Marshall, psychoanalyst, Joining us out of Beverly Hills on Insta at Dr. Bethany Marshall, James Shelnutt, 27 years Metro major case SWAT, now lawyer and Ray Caputo, lead news anchor, Orlando News wdbo. Ray, what happened?

[Ray Caputo]

Well, Nancy, these two, it's a really good looking couple. You see pictures of them. Dahlia was a Catholic schoolgirl and Mike was a, you know, aspiring investor who had a little bit of trouble, but they hit it off quick and they were married in this whirlwind romance. This happened down in Boynton beach, right.

[Brian Claypool]

By Palm Beach, Florida.

[Ray Caputo]

You know, these two, it just, they were like fire and ice, it seems because everything wasn't as it appeared on the surface.

[Nancy Grace]

Well, you can say that again. Take a listen to our friends at ABC 20 20.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Terry Parker, investigative reporter for WPBF 25 News, covered the story.

[Nancy Grace]

So this guy Muhammad walks into the Boynton beach police station and he says, I know a woman who's trying to hire a hitman to kill her husb.

[Brian Claypool]

She asked if I knew someone who can kill her husband for her.

[Narrator/Reporter]

The man, Mohammed Shahadi was recorded as he talked to detectives about his one time lover, Dalia Dupolito. He tells police he's speaking out to save the man's life.

[Brian Claypool]

Are you scared for the guy? Yes, because she's really, I mean dead serious on getting this done.

[Narrator/Reporter]

It's quite a story if true because while he can describe Dalia, she's maybe.

[Brian Claypool]

Five six, five seven, dark black hair. She's a good looking girl, really good looking girl actually.

[Narrator/Reporter]

He can't even tell cops her last name or her address.

[Sergeant Ramsey / Police Officer]

At the time we didn't know what to believe. We were kind of, you know, weren't sure what we had.

[Nancy Grace]

They had the reservations. They had to say, let's see some proof.

[Narrator/Reporter]

To get proof, the cops make Mohammad a confidential informant. He arranges to meet Dalia at this gas station. Cops are staked out as their mystery woman arrives.

[Nancy Grace]

So to you, Brian Claypool, renowned attorney, joining me out of la. The lawyer for Dahlia Dippolito, the so called black widow, Brian Claypool. I guess everybody is teaming up against your poor client, Dahlia Dippolito. Here you've got a former boyfriend and I'm sure I'm using that term euphemistically, but you've got a former boyfriend who walks into the cop station and says, hey, my old lover, Dahlia Dippolito is trying to kill her husband. What, is he lying, too?

[Brian Claypool]

Well, Nancy, one thing you're missing about Muhammad's first interaction with the law enforcement was that he also said that Dalia conveyed to him that she was being domestically abused and that either she was going to die or either he was going to die. That's the exact first phone call he makes. And that's the point that we were making in the trials, which was, look, the police department did nothing to investigate domestic abuse, and they did everything to make good TV for the cops. Television?

[Nancy Grace]

Well, hold on just a moment. Did she call police and report domestic violence?

[Brian Claypool]

I don't. I don't know whether she called to report the domestic violence. Wait a minute. Wait a minute.

[Nancy Grace]

Wait a minute. You know what? That's why you win so many cases, Troy Slayton. You get people hook, line, and sinker. Because you just said. Jackie, did he just say that the police never investigated all the domestic abuse? But you're telling me you don't know if your client. Your client. And you've got a pretty good track record, Troy Slayton. And you don't know whether she ever called cops and said, I just got hit. I'm being abused?

[Brian Claypool]

Well, Nancy, Nancy, this case was always about Dahlia's constitutional rights being violated. That's why I took the case. And everybody's seen that videotape where Dalia says she's 5,000% sure she wants her husband killed, but they don't see behind the scenes about the police department, Boynton Beach PD pressuring Muhammad.

[Nancy Grace]

Can I get back to you? Claiming that she was a domestic abuse victim. How long had she been married to her groom?

[Brian Claypool]

She. She was. She did claim that she was domestically abused, and that's in the recording.

[Nancy Grace]

How long were they married?

[Brian Claypool]

I. I don't remember the exact amount of months they were married. But, Nancy, you know as well as.

[Nancy Grace]

I was married a few months, I.

[Brian Claypool]

I don't know how long they were married when it was reported.

[Nancy Grace]

Who jumped in and said five months? Is that Caputo?

[Ray Caputo]

It's Ray.

[Brian Claypool]

Yeah.

[Nancy Grace]

Ray Caputo, wdbo. So they're married five months. The renowned defense attorney. And I'm not. I'm not saying that with a box of salt because. Troy. Excuse me. Brian Claypool is a well known trial lawyer who represented Dalia Dippolito, who's won A lot of cases just told me that police failed to investigate domestic abuse. But you cannot tell me, Brian Claypool, that she ever told police she was a victim of domestic abuse. Correct.

[Dr. Bethany Marshall]

When a woman is domestically abused, she tells her friends, hey, if I go missing, it's my husband who did it. She never says, look, either he's going to die or I'm going to die. In 30 years of private practice and working with domestic violence victims, I have never heard that line. Usually they're afraid for their own life. They're not threatening the life of their spouse.

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[Nancy Grace]

Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. According to reports, Dalia Dippolito actually tried to murder her husband twice. Once with a poisoned Starbucks and then once with a hitman who turned out to be an undercover agent. She was sentenced to 16 short years behind bars after being found guilty of soliciting first degree murder. Those claims resulted in two retrials and a hung jury. That's right. The reason she was caught on camera is because that particular day, the local police were being featured on the TV show Cops. They happen to catch her antics. I will never forget them. Listen to her. Carry on.

[Sergeant Ramsey / Police Officer]

Is your husband Michael okay? I'm sorry to tell you, man. He's been killed. He's been killed, man.

[Brian Claypool]

No, there's no, like, positive, like 5,000% sure.

[Nancy Grace]

Brian Claypool, the lawyer for Dahlia Dipolido. You're right. She doesn't say 100% sure or 200% sure, but 5, 1000% sure. You brought it up, so I played it for you. Response.

[Brian Claypool]

Yeah, in. My response is that that she was pressured into having that meeting with the undercover police officer. Just prior to that. She was. She was. She had a meeting with Muhammad, the undercover informant, where he was pressuring her. And there were police officers all around this restaurant. That. That interaction was recorded by the police department and it was destroyed by the police department. So my argument in the case was that Dalia had a large. She had a big bark, but a very small bite. In fact, she never even did you know this, Nancy, in the Second trial, I got the undercover hitman to admit that Dalia never even gave him a key to. To Mike's apartment. And she didn't give him a picture of Mike Dipolito. And he admitted that shows that she lacked the proper intent to have him killed. And that's why we almost won the second trial.

[Nancy Grace]

Yeah, keyword there. Almost. But let me understand something. You're saying she didn't hand over a photo, but it's my understanding she did hand over a photo. Twelve hundred dollars cash and a photo of Mike.

[Brian Claypool]

She handed over a photo to her ex boyfriend, Muhammad. Now, when it went to the undercover police officer, not the informant, when she's pressured into meeting, the undercover police pressured her, who's pressuring. The police department made probably over 100 phone calls. They were forcing. They were forcing Muhammad, the informant to call her. Call her, Call her. Muhammad's like, look, dude, I don't want to be involved in this anymore. I don't want to be in the middle of this. They're like, yeah, you are going to be. No, no, no.

[Nancy Grace]

I'm not listening to what you're saying about Muhammad because he's not char. Attempted murder. Who pressured your client, Dahlia Dipolito, to pay a hitman money?

[Brian Claypool]

The police department. Here's my argument, but for.

[Nancy Grace]

I thought you said this was a movie script one time.

[Brian Claypool]

Well, no, let's focus on your question. But for the police department pressuring Muhammad to pressure Dalia. Muhammad's the one that set up the meeting with. With the undercover hitman. Dahlia didn't this all happened within a 72 hour window? Because that was the COPS TV show timeline to get this script done in a Norton. You're aware of this. In a normal undercover operation, it could take a month or many months to get this accomplished. They were. They were. They were on an accelerated plan to get her on tape to try to kill her husband. And we. She would have never done that. Okay, pause for all that.

[Nancy Grace]

I got to cut through this and understand what you're saying. With me is veteran trial lawyer Brian Claypool, who represented Dalia Dippolito at trial. Now, there have been two trials. Now you're saying now today that she, Dahlia Di Pulito, was pressured by her friend Muhammad via police. Police pressure Muhammad. Muhammad pressures her to have a hitman with a meeting with a hitman. All right, Coercion. But isn't it true? At another trial, the defense was that the entire thing was actually a script, that the script was basically a screenplay for a movie. She Wanted a reality show she wanted to do and they were acting it out.

[Brian Claypool]

Yeah, that was the first trial that I did not conduct. And I will concede to you that that argument was farcical, that that was a silly argument that Dalia's attorney put put forward to the jury. And we had an entirely different twist on the case that was based on due process violations carried out by the Boynton beach pd.

[Nancy Grace]

Let me go now to Ray Caputo, the lead anchor for morning news wdbo. Ray, there have been a couple of trials for Dahlia Dipolito. At one trial, explain to me the script defense.

[Ray Caputo]

Yeah, well, here's the thing. Mohammed, the gentleman that she was talking to, and I see gentlemen, loosely, I don't know him, he was a part time actor. Dalia says that him, Mike were in on kind of doing a reality show based on an episode of Burn.

[Nancy Grace]

Did you say Mike the husband was in on it?

[Ray Caputo]

That's what Dahlia says now. He mimic an episode of Burn Notice that had a similar storyline and they wanted to post it on YouTube and get famous. And this is, you know, Brian said that it was farcical. And I agree. Because here's the thing, Nancy, the idea of getting famous on YouTube is really a modern thing. In 2009 it was still kind of evolving because they had that, that partner program and that just launched at like the very end of 2007 where people can start getting paid for their videos. So the idea of getting paid on YouTube wasn't like this big idea that everybody now wants to do, like the bloggers and people. So it just didn't make sense then that somebody will be doing that.

[Nancy Grace]

I hear what you're talking about, the intricacies of putting, posting video online and getting paid for it or not getting paid for it. But I'm concerned about the trial and I'll tell you why. Because to James Shelnutt, 27 years Metro major case SWAT now lawyer. Here's the thing about multiple trials. Whatever you say at the first trial, there is a certified transcript of that. So if you have a completely different defense, such as I was forced by the cops to try to put a hit on my husband, everything you said at the first trial can come in on cross examination. You can say, well, wait, wait, wait, wait. Now you're saying the cops made you do this. But last trial you said this was all part of a script you made up as a reality series with you, the hitman and your husband, that he was in on it. That's not true. Then you're stuck with what you said at that first trial. What about it? Shell nut?

[James Shelnutt]

Oh, I agree 100%. I mean, the credibility is completely impeached at that point. I mean, that, you know. You know, it's going to be hard to. To go back and retract that. You know, if you take a look at this, and, you know, all due respect to Brian, always got a client to defend. I get it. I've done criminal defense in the past.

[Brian Claypool]

But, you know, if you take a.

[James Shelnutt]

Look at it, nothing is consistent with what this lady is claiming as being a domestic violence victim. You know, she. She was with this guy very short period of time. They were traveling. You know, in addition to that, you know, the day of that, this supposedly was going to occur. This hitman was supposedly going to kill her husband. She's going to a gym she regularly went to. You know, if you take a look at the whole situation, nothing adds up.

[Nancy Grace]

Straight back out to Ray Caputo, lead news anchor, morning news, wdbo. So what happens next? She's at the gym when the hit goes down.

[Ray Caputo]

The supposed hit. Yeah, Nancy. And I'll tell you what, she wanted to be on reality tv, and she got on it all right, because the cops were filming an episode of that show. So they bring her back from the gym to this staged crime scene, and they got this all on video, and they. They get her reaction when they tell her that Mike has been murdered. Now, of course, he's still alive, and this is all staged. But I'll tell you, she puts on a type of act that would have been great for reality tv. She starts wailing.

[Brian Claypool]

She.

[Ray Caputo]

She tremors, starts, you know, kind of hunching over. But one thing you don't see is you see tears, you know, and this woman puts on quite an act. Thinking, you know, considering the videos that we saw before, that she, you know, was behind this. She puts on quite an act trying to sell the fact that she was upset that Mike apparently was murdered.

[Nancy Grace]

Okay, take a listen.

[Narrator/Reporter]

The TV show cameras are rolling. When police wake up Mike. That's Officer Moreno at the door.

[Sergeant Ramsey / Police Officer]

Your wife has hired a person to kill you.

[Nancy Grace]

Relax.

[Brian Claypool]

Just relax. Take a deep breath.

[Ray Caputo]

I just sit down.

[Brian Claypool]

Guy was totally in shock that this was going on.

[Nancy Grace]

I was very surprised. I was like.

[Brian Claypool]

Because then it hit me like, this is a. This is a mess.

[Narrator/Reporter]

They drive him away and transform the street to make it appear they're really investigating Mike's murder. The TV show Cops, along with Boynton beach police have cameras rolling when a detective calls Dalia at the gym.

[Sergeant Ramsey / Police Officer]

We're at your residence, ma'.

[Ray Caputo]

Am.

[Sergeant Ramsey / Police Officer]

Can you come right back to your residence, please?

[Narrator/Reporter]

She's back in a flash. And now watch carefully. You be the judge of what happens next.

[Sergeant Ramsey / Police Officer]

Is your husband Michael okay? I'm sorry to tell you, man. He's been killed. He's been killed, man. Try to find out.

[Narrator/Reporter]

We know the cops are acting. What about Dalia?

[Nancy Grace]

Okay, Brian Claypool, you're stuck with that video and audio at trial number two, what do you make of it?

[Brian Claypool]

Yeah, here's what we argued. You just heard Amy Roback say the police officers were acting as well. But I argued in the second trial was that the fact that the police department went to such an extreme to set up a staged crime scene. And then Nancy, after that, the. The. The media person at Boynton Beach PD takes that video clip that you just played for your listeners, and she posts that, posts it online for the world to see, and it goes viral internationally within seven minutes.

[Nancy Grace]

What fault is that? That's Dahlia Dippolito's fault. She's the one out on the street crying. I mean, as I love to say, Meryl Streep, don't worry, okay? You're safe because. But she certainly put on a performance.

[Brian Claypool]

Well, look, I know that you're in love with that. That. That. Her. Her crying.

[Nancy Grace]

Yeah, I am.

[Brian Claypool]

Staged crime scene. And I'm surprised you haven't brought up the chai tea latte yet. But listen, at the end.

[Nancy Grace]

I'm glad you said that. I was just waiting for my end. You mean when she allegedly tried to poison him before she hired the hitman?

[Brian Claypool]

That wasn't true at all. There's no evidence of that. No investigation. But let me make one more quick point. The whole. The whole point on cross exam of the media director was that there is a pending criminal investigation ongoing. You don't jeopardize or contaminate an investigation by circulating this video worldwide. That was our argument. Her due process rights were violated.

[Nancy Grace]

Well, if she had planned to kill her husband, hired a hitman and. And carried on, doubly, she's physically doubling over in grief. She did that, not the cops.

[Brian Claypool]

Nancy. Nancy, you're one of the brightest people I've ever met. There is a legal doctrine called fruit of the poisonous tree. You've heard of that? Our argument was that that stage videotape, that. That tape where Dolly is 5,000% sure that is all toxic and contaminated and the result of unconstitutional violations by the Boynton Beach Police Department.

[Nancy Grace]

Okay, did they make Muhammad come in the Friend Muhammad and say, hey, my ex lover is planning a hit. FYI, nobody. The police didn't make that happen. What they did do is do it. Get an undercover cop to pose as a hitman. And that's absolutely constitutional. She didn't have to take that meeting, Nancy. She didn't. Who made her go get $1200 out of the ATM?

[Brian Claypool]

There was an audio tape. There was an audio tape of the police officers laughing Muhammad when he went in because he couldn't remember her name. They weren't even taking this that serious. And then Ray. Ray, actually one of your other guests made a good point that I actually made to help Dahlia almost win the second trial. Ray just said, oh, wait a minute. Dahlia could have hired somebody else to go kill Mike. That's why they needed to expedite this. Expedite this investigation. What I argued at trial was the police department never even called up Mike. They never even called this guy up. And to say, hey, Dahlia might kill you. You might want to get somebody to protect you or get a security guard, because they never took it serious. And all they were doing was setting up a.

[Nancy Grace]

They were trying to do this thing before the guy. Okay, Dr. Bethany Marshall, there's something toxic, all right? But it's not the cops.

[Dr. Bethany Marshall]

I'm just listening to all these facts and trying to assess the mindset of Dippolito. And it seems to me that she's one of these rare female sociopaths who uses her sexuality and charm to preferentially relate to men so that she can get something from them. That this is her M.O. in the world. And she turns on that same kind of charm in this YouTube video. So when I looked at it, the cop says, you know, your husband's. Instead, she burst into tears. And you and I both know that when you get bad news, the first stage is shock, right? You can't believe it. You're trying to take in the information, you're rejecting it all at the same time. She is prepared for this. She starts crying big crocodile tears. But then she cozies up to the police officer who has just given her the so called bad news. Kind of presses her body up against him a little bit. He has his arm around her waist. It's a sexualized interaction. So here, as she supposedly learns that her husband is dead, she becomes very sexualized in her relationship with the police officer. I don't know that that small fact just has stood out to me about this case all along.

[Nancy Grace]

Well, you know what you mentioned? You mentioned something that triggered What Brian Claypool just said about claims that Dahlia Di Pulido had tried to poison the husband. This is after just six months of marriage. They're on the honeymoon phase. Reports that Dolly Dipolito, the ex lover turned informant, testifies Dippolito tried to poison her husband before she hired a hitman to kill him. Well, that's neither here nor there. That's background information for you.

[Dr. Bethany Marshall]

Except that men are. Men are just wallets for her. Men are need satisfying objects. That's all they are.

[Nancy Grace]

Troy. Excuse me. Brian Claypool, I've got a question for you. Your client, Dahlia Depolito, was she ever a hooker?

[Brian Claypool]

Absolutely not. Her contention was that they met at a Starbucks coffee shop.

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[Nancy Grace]

Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. 11 years, three trials and two convictions later, her defense lawyer is commenting on her new life behind bars. And that's all about her Bible study. And I respect that. I applaud her. She can still continue her Bible studies behind bars because she is stone cold guilty. And this is why, with me, a renowned trial lawyer that represented her at trial, too. And I got to tell you, I've never seen anybody fight as hard as Brian Claypool did at trial. But sadly for him, there are some hurdles you just can't get over. Listen to this.

[Sergeant Ramsey / Police Officer]

I'm Sergeant Ramsey. I'm the one that called you. Thank you for coming. I'm sorry to call you. Listen, we had a report of a disturbance at your house, and there were shots fired. Is your husband Michael okay? I'm sorry to tell you, ma', am, he's been killed. He's been killed.

[Nancy Grace]

No, no.

[Sergeant Ramsey / Police Officer]

Try to calm down. Listen, right now we need to get.

[Ray Caputo]

You to a state.

[Sergeant Ramsey / Police Officer]

We need to get you to a police station. I can't let you in, man. We have to do our job if you want us to find this killer. Okay, we need you to calm down. I need you to go with these detectives, okay? Does he have enemies? Is there anyone that would want to hurt him? Okay, who would want to hurt him? Witnesses said they saw a black male running from me. I Can't let you see him. Ma', am, I cannot do this right now.

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Detective.

[Sergeant Ramsey / Police Officer]

Yes, I need you. I need you to take her to the station. I can't go with these detectives. If you want to help your husband. Okay, if you want to help your husband, you need to go to the station with these gentlemen and tell us everything you know about who he knows, who he's connected to. Don't worry. We've already taken care of dogs with Animal Control. For right now, everything's under control.

[Nancy Grace]

Okay, I'm just letting that soak in for just a moment. Dr. Bethany Marshall, psychoanalyst joining us from Beverly Hills. What do you make of all of that? In the midst of screaming about the death of her husband. This is a sting. The husband's alive. He's in on it. Did she actually ask about her dog?

[Dr. Bethany Marshall]

Oh, she did. She asked about the dog.

[Nancy Grace]

I thought I heard them say, yes, your dog's okay. He's with Animal Control. Did I hear that? Oh, I did, Jackie. Okay, that's a detail I had missed after watching this a hundred times. So, Brian Claypool, she's in such grief and shock. She asked, is the dog okay?

[Brian Claypool]

Nancy, all I can tell you is that what you just played actually almost helped me almost win that second trial. Just so we have a fair playing field, your listeners need to know. At the second trial, we had a hung jury three to three. And the two alternate jurors were also voting to equip five to three. Why? Because we argued. And Ramsey, the guy you just played, Sergeant Ramsey, testified on cross examination. When I asked him questions, I got him to admit that that was completely inappropriate. What that police department did, that that went beyond the bounds of fairness to go out and stage a frickin crime scene and then go spirit off on social media. Why aren't you addressing those issues?

[Nancy Grace]

Because improperly posting something on social media only impacts a trial. If one of the jurors has seen, not only seen the posting on social media prior to trial, but has been so effective, they can no longer render a ver that speaks the truth. That is the law. So you can carry on all you want to, Brian Claypool, but the law is what I just said. And on jury selection, in voir dire, which coincidentally, is French for to speak the truth, it was your duty, Brian Claypool, to ask the jurors, one by one, if they have been so affected by media, by tv, that they cannot render a true verdict. And I assume that you did do that because you're a good trial lawyer and I assume because they made it onto the jury that they swore under oath they had not been affected by social media or news accounts, which means your argument can't carry the water. It's not worth a hill of beans as far as an appellate court is concerned. And I would like to point out that the appellate court heard your argument as well. But while we're going, take a listen to this.

[Brian Claypool]

I want to know if you know this guy. Come here.

[Narrator/Reporter]

They bring in Officer Witty. Jean, the supposed hitman from the car.

[Brian Claypool]

Get over here. You know who this guy is?

[Dr. Bethany Marshall]

No.

[Brian Claypool]

You've never seen him before?

[Dr. Bethany Marshall]

I've never seen him before.

[Brian Claypool]

She just stared at him.

[Sergeant Ramsey / Police Officer]

She said she didn't know him, and.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Then call it a resurrection.

[Nancy Grace]

Oh, my God.

[Brian Claypool]

He's alive.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Police have another surprise for Dalia Dippolito.

[Nancy Grace]

She sees her husband and he's live.

[Narrator/Reporter]

The show Cops captures this moment as well. Come here, please.

[Dr. Bethany Marshall]

Come here.

[Nancy Grace]

Why not? I didn't do anything.

[Ray Caputo]

I heard you, Mike.

[Brian Claypool]

Come here, please.

[Nancy Grace]

What? You're alive. I love that moment. And I'm sure a jury will.

[Brian Claypool]

You're going to jail today for solicitation of murder. You're under arrest.

[Dr. Bethany Marshall]

I didn't do anything.

[Brian Claypool]

Did you hear what I just told you?

[Narrator/Reporter]

You kept saying, I didn't do anything.

[Nancy Grace]

Please, I didn't do anything.

[Narrator/Reporter]

Was that all you could think of to say?

[Nancy Grace]

They were accusing me of trying to.

[Dr. Bethany Marshall]

Have my husband killed, and I didn't.

[Nancy Grace]

So police have her in the station. They then bring in the hitman, the undercover cop, and go, you know this guy? She goes, no. She's on tape negotiating with the hitman. Then they bring in the husband, and she learns for the first time that he's actually alive. It was all a sting. What can you imagine went through your client's mind at that moment with me, veteran trial lawyer Brian Claypool, who represented Dipolito at trial. Now, before you give Claypool too hard of a time, you gotta remember that this trial was tried one time before he got the case. So he stuck with that transcript where Dalia Dippolito has taken the stand, given all kind of statements contrary to what he then must argue to a jury. So what's going through her mind, Brian? How did you put it to the jury? When she sees the hitman come in and she says, no, I've never seen him in my life. When the cops have her on video and audio negotiating a hit with him.

[Brian Claypool]

Yeah. Hey, Nancy. Before I answer that question, I wanted to recognize. You made a great point. So did Ray. About the first trial where she said it was for reality tv. So what we had to do in the second trial is we had to. We couldn't call her as a witness because of what you said. And Ray said we could not call her as a witness because then the prosecutors would have taken that testimony under oath from the first trial and would have completely gutted the argument we were making in the second trial. That's. First point I wanted to make. Second point, as to this. This video, when they're bringing in Witty Jean and they're bringing in Mike Pipolito, what I argued was I didn't go into the mind of Dalia. I just said, look, this is completely inappropriate police practices. In fact, what is the cops TV show doing in a police station when they're about to arrest a woman for alleged solicitation to commit murder? It's completely inappropriate, out of bounds, and unconstitutional.

[Nancy Grace]

Okay, can we now address your client in jail after hiring a hitman to kill her husband, and she sees the hitman walk into the police station and then says, I don't know him. I mean, the fact that she lied, it looks bad.

[Brian Claypool]

That's not. That. That clearly, I agree with you. That's. That's nonsensical. She should have said she knew who he was, and she. And she made a mistake on that. But with respect to Mike, I mean, what would you. What would you expect her reaction to be when Mike walks in? She's been told that Mike has been killed, and now Mike walks in. So she was genuinely surprised at that.

[Nancy Grace]

I bet she was. Regarding the hitman, you said she made a mistake. She outright lied because she couldn't say, yeah, I know him. I hired him to kill my husband. So she said, no, I've never seen him.

[Brian Claypool]

Look, she did hire him to kill her husband. She was supposed to pay $15,000. Who. Who goes out and tries to kill somebody on credit? She gave.

[Ray Caputo]

She gave a lot of people.

[Nancy Grace]

You'd be so surprised at how many people telling you. You keep saying, please, please, please. Many, many people put a down payment on a hit. I mean, you just saw it in Tiger King. You put down a payment on it. Yeah.

[Brian Claypool]

Okay.

[Nancy Grace]

Put a payment on a hit and you pay the rest with the deed is done. As a matter of fact, that's pretty much SOP. Maybe not that cheap that she really.

[Brian Claypool]

Didn'T want it done. That's what I argued in this second case. Almost won. She didn't give any money.

[Nancy Grace]

You know what? You know what, Brian Claypool, if I'm ever charged with murder. Get ready, because you're still, you're still, you're going down swinging. You're still fighting for Dahlia DiPolito. Guys, whether you agree with this defense attorneys or not, and I don't, you got to respect somebody that never gives up, and that is Brian Claypool. I gotta say that. So bottom line right now to Ray Caputo, lead news anchor, WDBA Morning News, where does the case stand now? Bottom line?

[Ray Caputo]

Bottom line, she is serving 16 years in prison in a woman's prison in Ocala and Marion county. And she's not getting out for a while, Nancy. But, you know, in the grand scheme of things, some might think that that punishment isn't enough, that this woman's going to be getting out of jail. Now, one thing, Nancy, she was on house arrest for years. Between this happening and her finally getting convicted, she's now a mother. She's 36 years old. She got pregnant while she's on house arrest. So this woman's life is sort of continuing to go as all this has happened.

[Nancy Grace]

Well, clearly the ankle monitor kept her from leaving home, but she apparently had a visitor. Dalia Dippolito says it's very, quote, painful to be behind bars and away from her son. I gotta tell you something, that would be the worst thing in the world for me to be alive and separated from my twins, John, David and Lucy. I cannot imagine that kind of pain. And that is the sort of thing one should consider before attempting to murder one's husband. Dalia Dippolito behind bars, launching a brand new appeal and leading a Bible study class. Is it real or is this just her way to try to convince a pardon and parole board to release her early? I don't know. We wait as justice unfolds. Nancy Grace signing off. Goodbye, friends.

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