Italy reopens investigation into Pasolini's death 51 years later
The Public Prosecutor's Office in Rome has resumed inquiries into the murder of filmmaker Pier Paolo Pasolini, who died in November 1975 in Ostia. New footage, evidence and a witness prompted the request to reopen the case.
Rome Public Prosecutor's Office resumes Pasolini case after five decades
The Public Prosecutor's Office in Rome has reopened the investigation into the death of writer and filmmaker Pier Paolo Pasolini, more than half a century after his murder. Pasolini was killed in the early hours of 1 to 2 November 1975 in Ostia, a coastal area of the Italian capital. The information was reported by agendadopoder.com.br.
The resumption of inquiries results from a request by lawyer Stefano Maccioni, who claims to have new footage, evidence and an unprecedented witness — whose identity has not been revealed. According to Maccioni, the material gathered indicates that Pino Pelosi, the only person convicted of the crime, was not alone at the scene that night.
Pelosi was 17 years old and worked as a male sex worker when he confessed to the homicide. Convicted in 1976, he initially stated he had killed Pasolini because the filmmaker had attempted to sexually abuse him. In 2005, however, he presented a different version: the artist would have been beaten to death by a group of criminals who intended to "teach him a lesson", and Pelosi claimed he had been pressured to confess. He obtained parole in 1983 and died of cancer in 2017, aged 58.
The contradiction between the two accounts has fuelled, over the decades, questions about the possible involvement of other people and about the real motives for the crime. Some of Pasolini's admirers and historians point to a possible political motive or a hate crime — Pasolini was openly homosexual, a communist, and known for the incisive criticism he directed at Italian society.
Maccioni publicly called for collaboration from anyone with information about the murder. "We trust that the Public Prosecutor's Office in Rome will finally be able to provide the answers that have been sought for many years," the lawyer said. "At the same time, I appeal to all those who chose to remain silent about what they knew until now to come forward and speak."
Pasolini left an extensive body of work as a poet, novelist and political commentator. In cinematography, notable works include Mamma Roma (1962), The Gospel According to St Matthew (1964) and the adaptation of Oedipus Rex, a classic by Sophocles, released in 1967. His final feature film, Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom, premiered posthumously in 1975 and remains one of the most controversial works in his legacy, frequently cited in debates about his artistic heritage.
Source: Google News PT — Crime (pt)