Third Dalia Dippolito trial set

Murder-for-hire case to stay in county

The next chapter in the Dalia Dippolito trial saga is coming in June.

Palm Beach County Circuit Judge Glenn Kelley on Thursday advised attorneys in the high-profile murderfor-hire case to prepare for jury selection to begin June 2.

It will be the third trial focusing on allegations that Dippolito hired a Boynton Beach police officer posing as a hit man to kill her then-husband in the summer of 2009.

Dippolito was convicted and sentenced to 20 years in prison after her first trial in 2011, only to have an appellate court grant her a new trial.

The second trial, held over six days in December, ended in a mistrial. The panel was split 3-3 on the count of solicitation to commit first-degree murder.

Both the defense attorneys and prosecutors have since informed Kelley they do not want to move the next trial outside Palm Beach County, despite concerns about the publicity surrounding the case and the selection of unbiased jurors.

The judge said that if either side reconsiders and seeks a change of venue, he wants the request to be filed at least 10 days before the trial.

A pre-trial hearing is scheduled for May 24.

The defense has said it plans to continue its strategy of accusing the Boynton Beach Police Department of corruption and misconduct concerning its investigation of Dippolito and the use of her former lover as a confidential informant.

The prosecutors still plan to give the new jury audio and video recordings of Dippolito speaking about her alleged plans for the killing.

Dippolito, 34, remains on house arrest, living at her mother’s house. On Jan. 6, Kelley denied her request to be taken off her ankle monitor.