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Foreman juror in Dalia Dippolito retrial says evidence against her was 'overwhelming'

Posted at 7:34 PM, Jun 19, 2017
and last updated 2017-06-20 04:10:03-04
From a hung jury to a unanimously confident one, the jury foreman in the Dalia Dippolito trial is talking only to WPTV.
 
Six jurors walked out of the Palm Beach County Courthouse Friday, confident about their decision to find Dippolito guilty. 
 
"It was just the overwhelming evidence of the videos, the phone calls, it was overwhelming that it was a 'guilty' verdict," said Thomas Gaines, the foreman of the jury panel. 
 
Gaines said he took jury duty very seriously and was a bit shocked at Dippolito's lawyers comments that the way the state painted Dippolito caused them to hate her.
 
"That was not the case," said Gaines. "We had nothing against her. We had a duty there to do." 
 
Dippolito's defense attorneys said allegations the state got in last minute about Dippolito planting drugs on her husband and allegedly poisoning him is what may have swayed the jury.
 
"That was not even part of deliberation," said Gaines. "It was mentioned in the trial, but there was no evidence of it."
 
Gaines said he was surprised to learn after the trial that Dippolito had a previous trial that ended in a hung jury. 
 
"I think both sides kind of put on a good case, but with our instructions and what we were given as evidence, that's what we based our decision on," Gaines added. 
 
Dippolito was taken into custody immediately after the 'guilty' verdict. She is expected to be sentenced in July. She could face up to 20 years in jail.