Student stabbed in Milan sentenced to 20 years. Davide embraces his attackers
Ten months and 20 days for failure to render assistance for the co-defendant.
Twenty years for the man who stabbed Davide Cavallo in Corso Como
The gup of Milan Alberto Carboni has sentenced Alessandro Chiani, 19, to twenty years in prison for attempted murder and aggravated robbery. ANSA Cronaca reports. Chiani is held responsible for stabbing Davide Cavallo, 22, a Bocconi student, on the night of 12 October last in Corso Como, outside a nightclub in Milan's entertainment district, with the aim of robbing him of 50 euros.
The victim today walks with crutches and has a permanent injury. When the sentence was read in court, Cavallo initially appeared disoriented, then sat down, covered his face and wept.
The sentence and provisional awards
Judge Carboni set the base sentence at 30 years — the maximum provided for — reducing it by ten as a result of the abbreviated trial chosen by the defendant. He also ordered a provisional award of 500,000 euros in favour of Davide Cavallo and 50,000 euros for each of his parents and his brother.
The student's family, whilst satisfied with the trial outcome, reacted with distress to the severity of the sentence. "It is as if their sense of justice had been recalibrated and they thought that 20 years perhaps is a lot," declared Luca Lazzaroni, one of the family's lawyers.
Reduced position for co-defendant
Ahmed Atia, 18, accused of acting as a lookout and of complicity in attempted murder, was instead acquitted of the charge of aggravated robbery. The crime against him was reclassified as failure to render assistance: the sentence is 10 months and 20 days, with an obligation to pay compensation to be determined in civil proceedings. Since he had been in prison since last November, the judge ordered his immediate release.
The surveillance camera images from the area exonerated him from the more serious charges, showing that Atia did not take part in the beating. His defence was handled by lawyer Elena Patrucchi.
The attack on 12 October
According to the reconstruction of the investigation, coordinated by prosecutor Andrea Zanoncelli and delegated to the Mobile Squad of the police, around 3 in the morning a group made up of Chiani, Atia and three minors — all from Monza — surrounded Cavallo to rob him. Chiani struck him with two knife blows; the three minors allegedly then kicked him whilst he lay dying. The attack had led to the arrest of five people six months ago. For the three minors, trial proceedings in abbreviated form will begin on 9 July.
Davide's gesture: embraces and forgiveness
Before the court withdrew to chambers, Cavallo approached the two defendants, embraced them and spoke with them, also receiving their apologies. A few days earlier, in a letter, he had stated that he had forgiven them.
In court, during the morning hearing, Atia handed Davide a lengthy handwritten letter — a copy had been filed by his defence the day before. In the text, in halting Italian, Atia expressed his regret and repentance. "I imagine the pain you are feeling, you could be my brother," read one passage. And further: "I am suffering too from six months in prison, but it is nothing compared to what you and your family and friends are experiencing". Atia also stressed that he did not know, that night, that his friend was carrying a knife with him: "I am sorry because I saw and did nothing".
Davide Cavallo's lawyer, Giovanni Azzena, of the Maris firm, reported that his client hoped that Atia "could learn from the experience of prison and that in future he could be a better person". Azzena clarified that "this has always been Davide's thinking towards both defendants".
Reasons expected within 30 days
The reasons for the sentence will be filed within thirty days.
Source: ANSA Cronaca