TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Dee Dee Moore is asking for a new trial.
Moore made national headlines after being convicted of killing Lakeland lottery winner Abraham Shakespeare after a trial in 2012.
Shakespeare went from rags to riches after taking home a one-time $17 million lottery payout, but trouble followed him from the very start.
A coworker claimed Shakespeare stole the winning ticket from him. Then he met Dorice Donegan “Dee Dee” Moore.
Moore convinced Shakespeare, who was illiterate, to go into business with her. When he vanished in 2009, Moore soon became a suspect.
His body was later discovered behind a home, under a newly-poured concrete slab. At the time, Moore told reporters she was innocent.
“I’m not scared of going to prison because there is no jury that will convict me,” said Moore.
However, a jury did convict her and she was sentenced to life in prison.
Now Moore is claiming her original defense team did not call key witnesses who could have cleared her and did little to work on her case because they were too busy with other people.
“He put no defense on, absolutely none, he was horrible,” said Moore of her original defense lawyer during a hearing on Wednesday.
She also claims Lakeland police officers were taking bribes from drug dealers and that’s why she was convicted of killing Shakespeare.
“They are being paid under the table because cocaine dealers can afford it, a lot,” said Moore.
However, one of Moore’s original defense lawyers says she was the one who made their job difficult.
“She was a management challenge. It was difficult to have a normal conversation with her,” said Christopher Boldt.
The judge in the case says she will take the motion for a new trial under advisement and issue a written order in the case at another time.
