"I accept a life sentence for the murder of Giulia Cecchettin. I am sincerely remorseful and I do not want any mitigating circumstances." In a letter to the judicial offices of the Tribunal and Court of Appeal of Venice, Filippo Turetta had renounced the appeal process just as his lawyers were preparing their appeal to rule out premeditation and avoid a life sentence.
But the appeal process will still take place. The appeal against the first-instance sentence was filed by the Attorney General's Office, which aims to obtain recognition of the aggravating circumstances of cruelty and stalking , excluded in the first instance by the Venice Assize Court, which last December 3rd had sentenced Turetta to the maximum penalty for voluntary homicide aggravated by premeditation and the emotional relationship with the victim, as well as for kidnapping and concealment of a corpse.
In any case , the sentence cannot be increased; life imprisonment is the maximum sentence allowed by law . Any recognition of aggravating circumstances would have symbolic value , the importance of which was underscored by the Cecchettin family's lawyers, who joined the civil action.
Attorney General Federico Prato and Deputy Attorney Pasquale Mazzei will meet on November 14th in the bunker courtroom in Mestre, before the Court of Assizes of Appeal presided over by Michele Medici. Turetta's defense will be represented by Professor Giovanni Caruso and attorney Monica Cornaviera. The lawyers for Giulia's family members, Stefano Tigani, Nicodemo Gentile, and Piero Coluccio, will also be present.
(Unioneonline)
