Sandro Mugnai, the 56-year-old Arezzo craftsman who, on January 5, 2023, killed his neighbor, 59-year-old Gezim Dodoli, by shooting him while he was hitting his home with a bulldozer, was acquitted by the Arezzo Assize Court. The judges found he acted in self-defense.
Prosecutor Laura Taddei had requested a four-year sentence, upgrading the charge of voluntary homicide to one of negligent excess of self-defense.
When the verdict acquitting him was read, Mugnai burst into tears. "We'll finally have a peaceful Christmas," he said. "These have been difficult years, but I've always had faith in justice. The Court has acted for the best."
Mugnai's family members—his two sons, his wife, his brother, and his nephew—were also moved in court. "We knew it was self-defense, but it had to be proven. The Court did its best," his eldest son stated.
The defense lawyers expressed satisfaction: Marzia Lelli burst into tears of relief, while Piero Melani Graverini commented: "I was confident."
The judges, recognizing self-defense, accepted the argument put forward by the two defense attorneys, who this morning had also emphasized that the defendant had opened fire to protect his family, who had taken refuge in the house while the neighbor had already crushed several cars and was heading toward the house after hitting it with the bulldozer.
That morning, the civil party's lawyer also intervened, reiterating his belief that Mugnai had not acted in self-defense.
(Unioneonline)