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[shadenight123]

Yes.
Usually there is the first 'judgment' then, as always, the appeal...
I don't recall if there's actually another one afterwards, and then yet another one.
I do know some process take years (sixteen going up!) to finish though.
...
All hail the mother Law in Italy!
(You can't say no to it! They'll fine you!)

[Zangi]

Ah, my weekly reaffirmation of why Italy is quite literally the absolute worst place in Europe.

Yah know... I have seen a number of B12ers say this very same thing (of course of different places) before in kneejerk reaction to faith in humanity loss event.

[10ebbor10]

Ah, my weekly reaffirmation of why Italy is quite literally the absolute worst place in Europe.

greece?

Greece is a nice place. Just not so nice if you're a Greek (Or a german, I suppose.)

[mainiac]

or you're allergic to hyperinflation.

Greece is still on the Euro...

[sluissa]

My guess? People were angry. They gave people a sacrificial lamb, knowing that there would be an appeal a few years down the line when things had calmed down where they could give the "real" decision. From what I understand, they aren't even being put in jail yet, the first appeal has to go through first.

Is it stupid? Yes. Does it have to be as stupid as it sounds from first glance? Not really.

[Joben]

Boschi said after the verdict. "I thought I would have been acquitted. I still don't understand what I was convicted of."

I think that's a rather telling quote. If one of the defendants is confused about the nature of the charges you might be doing it wrong.


On the other hand...

The then vice-director of Italy's Civil Protection department, Bernardo De Bernardinis, told reporters the seismic activity in L'Aquila posed "no danger" and advised residents to relax with a glass of wine.

Anouncing to residents in an area that just had minor earthquakes that earthquakes post no danger does sound rather irresponcible.

However....

Their colleagues were being prosecuted for having failed to predict an earthquake: but that was a feat widely acknowledged to be impossible, they argued.

That is a pretty inarguable point.

Prosecutor Fabio Picuti, however, insists the point is not whether they could have predicted the quake. He says the government-appointed experts' job was to evaluate the risk and advise a large population in a town with fragile, ancient buildings.

No, no that is the point. And you're contradicting yourself. Doesn't evaluating risk imply prediction?

When your trying to figure out if they were criminally irresponsible you have to ask if there is a theoretical level of competence and diligence that would have secured a better result. See previous point about earthquakes not being particularly predictable.

[Flying Dice]

"People are angry."

"I know, let's charge some scientists who might possibly have been professionally negligent with hundreds of counts of manslaughter! We can always take it back a few years down the line after destroying their careers and reputations, as well as forcing them to waste massive amounts of time (and quite possibly money) appealing the charges."

"Sounds great."


Not stupid, perhaps, but monumentally dickish.

[MetalSlimeHunt]

Ah, my weekly reaffirmation of why Italy is quite literally the absolute worst place in Europe.

What about Belarus?

[GlyphGryph]

Ah, my weekly reaffirmation of why Italy is quite literally the absolute worst place in Europe.

greece?

What's funny here is I actually wrote a post apologizing, and that after looking into it Greece had apparently taken the title this year, but decided not to post it so as not to compound my dickishness.

But yeah, depending on how you look it it, places like Belarus could easily take the title. Although they DO manage to rank as less corrupt than Italy.

Spain suffers many of the same problems, from what I understand, but to a lesser extent (as does my home state, for similar reasons, and is part of why I have no intention of ever going back). The primary problem being that people in these places seem to think electing criminals is a good idea.
(Why, Rhode Island. What is wrong with you. Electing known criminals to run your government is bad. For those who are unaware, while in office, one of our mayors (using his position and security to minimize risk of the man fighting back) knocked a man down with a fireplace log, bashed his face bloody with a heavy ash tray, and then held him down while burning him with cigarettes. He was convicted of assault, and as soon as he was released... he was re-elected. T_T He was forced to resign not once, but twice, thanks to felony convictions, and he's still widely beloved. )

So yes, a hasty assessment. But they are at least vying for the title, and I think this stunt got them a couple points on that front.

[Levi]

Stop saying greece! Every time you do my stocks go down!   

[Flying Dice]

Grease.


_{See, it's funny because corruption, greasing palms, and so forth.}

[MetalSlimeHunt]

Legend has it that if you invoke its name three times it will be summoned to you, bringing about the end of the economy. Also you'll be crushed under several miles of rock.

[Neonivek]

Well, the fact is that now, in Italy, the only sensible thing for any scientist is to announce the worst possible results for anything. Disease, floods, health risks... They basically killed all sciences having to do with risks.

Shadenight, can those scientists appeal yet?

Doesn't work, I remember in America (or Canada) where they sued a weather station for predicting rain when there wasn't any. Thus postponing an important game.

I can imagine scientists being jailed for failing to predict an earthquake... but it REALLY depends on the situation.

[Mimidormi]

If there is something to be gawked at, is the corruption of the judges involved, not the presumed ignorance, which is just not there.

Those judges know very well what they are doing. They know earthquakes can't be predicted, just as the vast majority of the population knows it and is appalled.
The sentence is tailored to allow the 6 scientists to be sued for damage, as plain scapegoats to cover the criminal builders that knowingly ignored modern building regulations.

It's totally in the interest of the condemners to pass off as well meaning, heroes of the people, protectors of the earthquake survivors (which frankly feel insulted instead of vindicated. I know i would, for one) and to pass off as insular, anti-scientific tyrants to whoever is already embracing that particular brand of anti-Italian bigotry. Win-win for them.

[Sheb]

Snippets of interview from resident showed them to be happy with the verdict.