Dalia Dippolito's Murder-For-Hire Conviction In Jeopardy
MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- The South Florida murder-for-hire conviction of Dalia Dippolito could be tossed out over allegations of a major conflict of interest.
It involves the lead detective on Dippolito's case, Sgt. Frank Ranzie, who has been recommended for termination for having pornography on his Boynton Beach police issued laptop.
CBS4 News has learned Dippolito's attorneys have filed a motion seeking a new trial. They claim her trial attorney, Michael Salnick, did not disclose that he previously represented Sgt. Ranzie in a child molestation and witness tampering case in 2001 and that created a major conflict of interest that worked against her defense.
Dippolito was convicted in May of 2011for trying to hire a hitman to kill her husband in 2009 in what turned out to be a sting operation.
The Boynton Beach police chief is currently moving to fire Sgt. Ranzie after his police issued laptop was found to contain pornography, some of it, allegedly downloaded while he was on duty.
Ranzie, who's out on leave from the department, said through his attorney, that his son downloaded the porn.
The court has not yet made a ruling on Dippolito's motion for a new trial.
Her Miami-based attorney Mike Grieco said they're weighing all of their legal options as she awaits sentencing in a case that may now be tossed out.
