All acquitted because the fact does not exist . This is the sentence pronounced by the sole judge of the Latina court , Mario La Rosa, in the trial involving eight former Air Force student pilots accused of private violence and injury against their then colleague Giulia Schiff . The public prosecutor Antonio Sgarrella had requested a one-year prison sentence each for the charges.
The facts date back to 2018, when the young woman's so-called "baptism of flight" took place at the "Enrico Comani" military airport, home of the 70th Wing of Latina.
A ritual in which, according to the prosecution, Giulia Schiff was whipped dozens of times with twigs, pushed against the wing of an airplane, and finally thrown into a swimming pool. The prosecution considered it an act of violence, but not according to the judge at the Pontine Courthouse. The charge of assault was, in fact, downgraded to battery and not prosecutable due to the late filing of the complaint.
"An acquittal in the name of the Air Force," said State Attorney Maurizio Greco. "We found an extremely balanced judge, who looked at the preliminary investigation, and certainly not at the prosecution's findings," said Michela Scafetta , one of the defense lawyers. "We are all very satisfied, and I speak on behalf of all my colleagues. The boys were always calm about what happened: sure, they were a little worried, but the Air Force was always very supportive of them."
"The sentences must be respected," commented Massimo Strampelli, Giulia Schiff's lawyer, "Evidently, the court deemed this procedure to be lawful , essentially confirming what the Air Force commission of inquiry had already determined."
(Unioneonline)
