Rigopiano: the sentence acquits almost everyone. Relatives: “Shame”

On January 18, 2017, 29 people died in a snow avalanche that engulfed the hotel Rigopiano of Farindola, in the province of Pescara. Today, more than six years later, the court of the Adriatic capital has issued its own judgment of first instance against the 30 defendants: 25 acquitted and five convicted.

the anger of the relatives of the victims

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A sentence that already caused much discussion in the courtroom, where the relatives of the 29 victims had arrived. The newspapers tell of several screams in the courtroom: “Shameshame. Injustice it’s done. Assassins. Sold. You suck”. Strong expressions, accompanied by equally important gestures and which required the intervention of the police. To this, then, are added the heavy words of a survivor, Giampaolo Matronewho lost his wife Valentina Cicioni in the avalanche: “Judge, it doesn’t end there”.

the sentences

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One of the excellent sentences, however, is that concerning the mayor of Farindola, Ilario Lachetta. The man was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison for manslaughter and multiple manslaughter multiple culpable injuries. Furthermore, three years and four months’ imprisonment was also ordered for the same crimes for the manager and head of the traffic service of the Province of Pescara, Paul D’Incecco And Mauro DiBlasio. They are responsible for monitoring the practicability of the roads and for clearing the snow at night in the place and moment in which the avalanche occurred. The other two convicts are Bruno Di Tommasomanager of the hotel and director and legal manager of the company “Gran Sasso Resort & SPA” and Giuseppe Gatto, drafter of the technical report attached to the request from Gran Sasso spa to intervene on the canopies and verandas of the hotel: both were sentenced to 6 months in prison for forgery. Among the acquittalsalso those of the former prefect of Pescara, Francesco Provolo, and the former president of the Province, Antonio Di Marco.

the words of the president of the Abruzzo Marsilio region

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Marco Marsilio, the president of the Abruzzo Region, also commented on the sentence. The decision of the Tribunal, he said, “provoks pain and surprise, and we cannot fail to understand the feelings of the families of the victims and survivors”. At the same time, added Marsilio, “we have a duty as representatives of the institutions of comply with the sentence and to take note of the judge’s decision. Naturally, to express a more complete judgment and evaluate any further actions that the Region can and must undertake, we have to wait for the publication of the reasonswhich we will read and study with the necessary attention”.