There will be a second appeal process in relation to the death of Desirée Mariottini, the 16-year-old originally from Cisterna di Latina, who died on 19 October 2018 due to a mix of drugs . The judges of the Supreme Court decided this after almost four hours of deliberation.
Four African citizens are accused. The judges ordered a second appeal for Mamadou Gara , already sentenced to life imprisonment, in reference to the murder charge. For Brian Minthe , sentenced to 24 and a half years at the end of the first two levels of judgement, there will be a new trial in relation to the drug supply charge. For the latter defendant, an aggravating circumstance was also applied as well as for Alinno Chima , sentenced on appeal to 27 years. Finally, Yussef Salia was acquitted of the charge of sexual assault and had been sentenced to life imprisonment in the second degree.
The judges confirmed his responsibility for the other charges. «It is a complex device, the reasons relating to the postponement judgments must be read - says Claudia Sorrenti, lawyer of Desirée's aunt -. What has shocked the mother and family is the non-confirmation of the accusation of sexual assault for one of the defendants even though the sentence of life imprisonment remains. A sentence that will cause discussion, even if the murder charge held for three defendants."
According to what was ascertained by investigators, the 16-year-old died due to a lethal mix of narcotics. The girl, also a victim of abuse, was found lifeless in an abandoned building in the San Lorenzo district . A tragic end in which, according to the accusation brought forward by the Prosecutor's Office, the role played by the four was determined.
The defendants, with different roles, essentially did nothing, they didn't lift a finger to try to save the girl's life . «The state of semi-consciousness in which she was also prevented her from getting dressed. Desirée was barely breathing and although she was unconscious - said the Attorney General during the first appeal trial - the defendants remained indifferent. They said she was resting even though they knew she had taken substances and they were threatening towards those present who wanted to call for help until they uttered the terrible phrase: 'Better her dead than us in jail' ."
It will now be up to the second level judges of Piazzale Clodio to examine the responsibility of some of the four defendants.
(Unioneonline/L)