Italy- Finnegan Elder, 19 & Gabriel Hjorth, 18, US students, police murder, 26 Jul 2019 *guilty* *new trial 2023*

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FrostOwl said:
The prosecutor:
US students accused of killing Italian policeman should be 'sentenced to life'
Mario Cerciello Rega was killed with 11 stab wounds in less than 30 seconds.
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I'm a bit torn on this. I understand the Italian law of joint enterprise (or whatever term they use) but I'm not convinced Hjorth should face the same charge or sentence. Do we know if it's been confirmed whether he knew Elder was carrying the knife?

Elder - lock him up and throw away the key. He repeatedly stabbed Cerciello, it doesn't matter whether he was a cop or not, it was a brutal murder.
 
PastTense said:
Sensitive documents that you don't want suspects to see are extremely common in criminal investigations. The police have no problem dealing with this issue the overwhelming majority of times. But this time they need to blindfold the suspect? I think Gargaro is lying and the police are doing this solely to humiliate the suspect--because he killed a cop.
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I agree
 
FrostOwl said:
Regardless whether NH knew beforehand that FE had a knife or not, according to the Italian police the two of them were on the way to leave Italy when they were arrested. NH was staying with relatives, and I don't think it has been his plans to leave in a hurry, so he must have been aware that something serious had happened, had it just been that he and his friend had punched a drug dealer, who would be less likely to report it to the police, so why were the two planning to leave?
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This is where I find it confusing because in the details I have read it says that the carabinerie were at the hotel arresting them shortly afterwards which links in with the quick removal of bloodied clothes stashed in the ceiling as tho there was no time to do anything further so how can it be that they were preparing to leave Italy ? In what way ? Again I’ve read that flights were booked but they wouldn’t have had time if the account given by the carabineri is accurate.
I also don’t believe the caribineri identified themselves and that fits with plain clothes and no cuffs and only one weapon . Therefore it could be argued that yes they deserve the book thrown at them but the addition of extra punishment for him being a LE and it being an aggravating factor that was known in advance? Im Not so sure . Either way he lost his life so RIP to the officer and condolences to his family. A hard lesson learned for these entitled youths .
 
The "arresting them shortly afterwards" was in fact about eight hours. The stabbing of Mario Cerciello Rega happened at about 3 a.m., he died at hospital at 4 a.m., and the police came to the room of FE and GNH shortly after 10.55 a.m., after a phone call from GNH to his uncle.
The timeline is from this article: 2 California college students accused of killing Italian police officer - '32 Seconds: A Deadly Night in Rome'
It gave them plenty of time to get tickets, and time to get in contact with relatives, and girlfriends.
 
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JerseyGirl said:
Americans hope for 'truth' in officer's murder trial in Rome

Lawyers and family of two young American men convicted of murdering a police officer in Rome said they are hoping for a better outcome in the defendants' appeals trial, which began on Thursday in the Italian capital.
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Did we ever find out if the non-stabber knew his pal had a knife with him? (sorry, forgotten who was who). If so, I do think it’s a bit unfair he received the same sentence.
 
Major update in case of Marin classmates who killed Italy cop

Finnegan Elder and Gabriel Natale-Hjorth, a pair of high school classmates from the Bay Area, have had their life sentences significantly reduced for the murder of an Italian police officer in July 2019.

Elder, who is now 22, and Natale-Hjorth, now 21, have been in prison for more than three years. They were sentenced to life in May 2021, and their appeal has been working its way through the Italian courts since. It took the court three hours Thursday to uphold their murder conviction but reduce their sentences. Elder must now serve 24 years; Natale-Hjorth must serve 22.
 
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