The third criminal section of the Monochromatic Court of Catania acquitted the manager of the public green of the Municipality, Paolo Italia, in office since 2013, from the charge of manslaughter for the death of Patrizia Scalora, 49, which occurred following the fall of a party of a palm tree.
The tragedy occurred on 23 October 2014: the woman was overwhelmed while sitting on a bench in the central Piazza Cutelli with her daughter, then 19 years old.
For the second defendant, Marco Morabito, manager of the public green area of the Municipality of Catania before 2013, the judge did not issue a sentence, but ordered the transmission of the file to the Public Prosecutor, asking to verify any omitted checks and failure to prevent a possible fungal infection to the palm that would have caused the fall.
The public prosecutor, the deputy prosecutor Fabio Regolo, had asked for absolution for both defendants. The carabinieri of the provincial command of Catania investigated the episode.
(Unioneonline / vl)
