Dalia Dippolito was back in court for a hearing Friday where a judge heard arguments to institute a gag order on her attorneys and to remove lead defense attorney Brian Claypool from her team.
In the motion, the State Attorney says the defense is intentionally trying to influence the local jury pool by filling them with “irrelevant, untrue and prejudicial information.”
Dippolito's defense team said Friday there has been no evidence presented to substantiate the gag order.
However, the prosecutor in the case said in court Friday that Claypool held press conferences each day in the trial in an effort to influence the jury.
After Friday's hearing, the judge said he will take matters under advisement and issue a written order.
Dippolito’s murder for hire retrial in December, her attorneys spoke to the media frequently, and they have continued since the trial ended with a hung jury.
The third trial is now rescheduled for June, and the state wants the judge to impose a gag order on them.
The state is asking the judge to remove Claypool for consistently calling them liars during depositions.
Dippolito’s team says she has every right to hire and retain attorneys of her choice and say removing Claypool would only violate her rights.
The defense is fighting the broad gag order, claiming it is unnecessary because the state has not shown sufficient evidence to prove the need for it.
