Asbestos trial in Italy: verdict expected
The Swiss billionaire, Stephan Schmidheiny, and the Belgian baron Jean-Louis Marie Ghislain de Cartier de Marchienne, respectively former owner of the Eternit Group and former shareholder of the Eternit Italy group, will soon be fixed on the fate.
They were considered by the public prosecutor's office to be the effective managers of Eternal Italy. The two men are therefore accused of also being responsible for the deaths of about 3,000 people in Italy, former workers or ordinary inhabitants of Casale Monferrato and Cavagnolo (north), Rubiera (north) or Bagnoli (south). They were sentenced to 20 years in prison.
On 4 July 2011, the Public Prosecutor's Office requested the heaviest possible sentence, 12 years, to which it added 8 years, ruling that people exposed to asbestos can still get sick several decades later. The prosecutor, Raffaele Guainiello, in his indictment referred to "tragedy" that "continues to sow death".
The defence denied direct responsibility for the management of the Italian company of the two accused, who never appeared at the hearings. However, the civil parties do not intend to resign themselves. On 3 February 2012, the Casale Monferrato City Council, after an initial green light for an amicable negotiation, finally refused 18 million euros proposed by Mr Schmidheiny in exchange for the municipality's renouncement of civil party.
In France, asbestos victims are eager to know the outcome of this trial and hope that it can set a precedent. Because in our country, the investigation of criminal complaints filed 16 years ago by asbestos victims is protracted.
They were considered by the public prosecutor's office to be the effective managers of Eternal Italy. The two men are therefore accused of also being responsible for the deaths of about 3,000 people in Italy, former workers or ordinary inhabitants of Casale Monferrato and Cavagnolo (north), Rubiera (north) or Bagnoli (south). They were sentenced to 20 years in prison.
On 4 July 2011, the Public Prosecutor's Office requested the heaviest possible sentence, 12 years, to which it added 8 years, ruling that people exposed to asbestos can still get sick several decades later. The prosecutor, Raffaele Guainiello, in his indictment referred to "tragedy" that "continues to sow death".
The defence denied direct responsibility for the management of the Italian company of the two accused, who never appeared at the hearings. However, the civil parties do not intend to resign themselves. On 3 February 2012, the Casale Monferrato City Council, after an initial green light for an amicable negotiation, finally refused 18 million euros proposed by Mr Schmidheiny in exchange for the municipality's renouncement of civil party.
In France, asbestos victims are eager to know the outcome of this trial and hope that it can set a precedent. Because in our country, the investigation of criminal complaints filed 16 years ago by asbestos victims is protracted.