I have previously commented on the prosecution of six Italian scientists for manslaughter over their alleged failing to adequately warn a community regarding the risk of an earthquake – see
- Italian scientists convicted of manslaughter (October 23, 2012);
- Italian Prosecution continues (September 21, 2011); and
- Disaster really brings law into disrepute (June 3, 2011).
I have not been able to find the judge’s published reasons online and even if I did it may not be much help as I don’t read Italian nor know the details of Italian law, so for the latest I do have to rely on others – see for example “L’Aquila quake: Italian judge explains why he jailed scientists over disaster” (The Guardian, 18 January 2013).
The Natural Hazards Centre, based in Boulder, Colorado, USA is reporting in their latest newsletter that all of the scientists have lodged their appeals against conviction and their sentences of imprisonment have been suspended pending those appeals: see “Disaster News Redux: L’Aquila Seismologists Get a New Day in Court” (Natural Hazards Disaster Research, 21 March 2103), see also “Italian seismologists appeal L’Aquila ruling” (Nature News Blog, 7 March 2013).
For a detailed explanation of the case and the issues it is worth reading the reports prepared by Risk Frontiers at Macquarie University – see:
- Vlentina Koschatzky, Katharine Haynes, Paul Somerville, John McAneney & Delphine McAneney “Guilty?” (Risk Frontiers’ Quarterly Newsletter Vol 12(3), November 2012);
- Delphine McAneney, “Bertolaso investigated for culpable homicide” (Risk Frontiers’ Quarterly Newsletter Vol 11(3), March 2011); but those charges were later dropped, “L’Aquila drops quake charges against Guido Bertolaso” (LaGazzettaDelMessogiorno.it, 30 January 2013); and
- Paul Somerville and Katharine Haynes “Scientists Indicted on Manslaughter Charges for Failure to Predict L’Aquila Earthquake” (Risk Frontiers’ Quarterly Newsletter Vol 10(4), July 2011).
Michael Eburn
23 March 2013.
Australian Emergency Law 