Dennis De Palma is a gossip blog editor and the boyfriend of freelance writer Megan Kerik. He was part of a scheme to blackmail Megan's former boss Vanessa Carville and later framed as a suspect in Megan's murder.
History[]
Megan moved to Di Palma's gossip blog, Citysmear.com, because Carville, a co-host on the talk show The Sisters and her former boss, coerced her into sexual exploitation while she was production assistant at the studio. When Megan started freelancing for Citysmear, Di Palma was assigned as her supervising editor, and they eventually began a relationship. When Megan spoke with Sara Bradley, another former colleague and victim of Carville, to try and get Carville ousted for her crimes, Di Palma was all for the story and brought his sub-editor, Derek Fanning, on for the assignment. Fanning, however, wanted more money for the expose and turned it into a blackmailing scheme, deciding to threaten Di Palma too and trick Megan without her even knowing.
Fanning pulled the couple's strings by making them, at gunpoint, act out Di Palma "choking" Megan while Fanning recorded it, then sent them to the Cayman Islands for making an offshore account for the blackmail money. Fanning then made Di Palma drop a package off at Carville's door, demanding $3 million for not publishing a book on her sex crimes. When Megan found out and was close to calling the cops or even Carville to stop the scheme, Fanning strangled Megan with his bare hands and left her off the side of a public highway. He then told Di Palma if he didn't keep with the plan, Fanning would use the video to frame him for Megan's murder.
Di Palma was questioned at City Smear's office, giving the lowdown of the outlet and Megan's activities with Fanning present while the detectives are inquiring. When McCoy is found with Carville since she reported the blackmail attempt, a sting is set up to catch the blackmailer in the act. Di Palma was shaken by Fanning's threats, which is why he missed the call the first time, but a meeting in the park was arranged later. Di Palma and Carville got into a brief confrontation, shortly before the exchange of payment happened and Di Palma was arrested.
Knowing he was only caught on extortion, he kept silent, until Fanning sent the video of him and Megan acting out the "murder" on his command. Knowing a third party was involved because he was in a reflection in the video, and he collected the money from the account while Di Palma was in jail, Di Palma was questioned, and he confessed Fanning's masterminding the crimes and threats against Di Palma if he talked. Di Palma refused to testify and was fine with milder penalties.
To break the "daisy chain" of blackmailing, Carville herself was threatened with drug charges as part of her drugs and booze meeting with the employees she sexually plowed through. With that, she herself gave in and testified against Di Palma, pressuring him to be taken to court or take a plea. Di Palma chose the plea for a reduced sentence, and Fanning was convicted and imprisoned for premeditated murder and extortion to face the maximum penalty. (L&O: "Blackmail")