The two footballers, including the first son of the former Livorno striker, had been convicted at first instance together with three of their friends of gang sexual violence against an American student. The court overturned the sentence: “The fact does not exist”
Acquitted because “the fact does not exist”. The Milan Court of Appeal overturned the first degree ruling and annulled the convictions of the players Mattia Lucarelli, son of former striker Cristiano, and Federico Apolloni. Both were accused – together with three friends, also accused and now acquitted – of gang sexual violence against an American student, who at the time of the events (March 2022) was 22 years old. The group had met the girl outside a nightclub in the Sempione area of Milan and had taken her to Mattia Lucarelli’s house where – according to the prosecution – the gang rape had taken place.
Mattia Lucarelli’s lawyer
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In the first instance – at the end of the abbreviated trial – the sentences ranged from 3 years and 7 months to 2 years and 5 months for the contested crimes, but the charges were completely canceled in the second instance. The reasons will be made known in 90 days. “We are very happy and relieved: I was convinced of the innocence of these boys and I think that today justice went,” said the lawyer Leonardo Cammarata, defender of the footballer Mattia Lucarelli.
Lucarelli senior’s outburst
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“For four years – this is Cristiano Lucarelli’s outburst – my son had to suffer everything: insults, infamy, death threats… They ruined his career (today he plays for Eccellenza, ed.) and many rejected his job applications, but today sound Italian justice has issued a clear verdict: innocent”. The former striker and captain of Livorno himself, outside the courtroom, reacted with very harsh tones to the news of the acquittal: “Fake, sold… I want to see if you make headlines or big headlines. You filthy people, for four years you have defamed us…”. Addressing journalists awaiting the verdict, he added: “We ruined everyone’s party.” Before the shouts of joy from the defendants’ relatives, Cristiano Lucarelli – learning of his son’s acquittal – violently hit an information totem causing it to crash noisily to the ground, all in front of the amazed eyes of the carabinieri.
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