Berlusconi assailant acquitted
June 29th, 2010 - 10:42 pm ICT by IANSMilan, June 29 (IANS/AKI) An Italian judge Tuesday acquitted the mentally unbalanced man who attacked Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi at a political rally last year on grounds of diminished responsibility.
Judge Luisa Savoia ruled that Massimo Tartaglia be placed under a control order for a year and obey a community psychiatric therapy centre director’s orders during that time.
Tartaglia is also banned from attending political rallies for 12 months, Savoia said.
Public prosecutors requested the judge to drop criminal charges against Massimo Tartaglia at his fast-tracked trial in Milan Tuesday.
A fresh psychiatric assessment ordered by Milan prosecutors last Friday found Tartaglia was “mentally infirm” at the time of the attack against Berlusconi in Milan last December.
Tartaglia’s defence lawyers argued he was not a danger to society and asked him to be released.
Tartaglia was arrested after he hurled a small alabaster replica of Milan’s landmark cathedral in Berlusconi’s face after a political rally in Milan Dec 13.
Berlusconi was hospitalised after the attack, in which his nose and two teeth were broken.
The attack took place as the prime minister shook hands with supporters and signed autographs in front of Milan’s gothic cathedral, the Duomo.
Earlier this year Tartaglia was granted house arrest. He was previously held in the psychiatric wing of Milan’s San Carlo hospital, which is located close to the Duomo
–IANS/AKI
vd/vm
- Berlusconi attacker to be put under house arrest - Feb 02, 2010
- Injured Italy PM leaves hospital - Dec 17, 2009
- I `suffered' over Berlusconi attack: Sophia Loren - Dec 22, 2009
- Souvenir that hit Berlusconi becomes cult item - Dec 15, 2009
- Berlusconi assailant Tartaglia to be released from psychiatric unit - Feb 03, 2010
- Pope commiserates with Berlusconi over assault - Dec 15, 2009
- Berlusconi makes first public appearance after facial surgery - Mar 10, 2011
- Video game invites players to attack Berlusconi - Dec 16, 2009
- Berlusconi could have been killed, says minister - Dec 15, 2009
- Berlusconi suffers injuries in vicious attack, hospitalised (Third Lead) - Dec 14, 2009
- Witness claims Berlusconi's attacker was 'given' souvenir - Dec 16, 2009
- Berlusconi Milan attack boosts sales of souvenir statuette - Dec 19, 2009
- Italian prime minister cleared in tax evasion case - Oct 18, 2011
- Italian Prime Minister Berlusconi bloodied by attacker - Dec 14, 2009
- Silvio Berlusconi suffers broken nose, teeth after political rally attack - Dec 14, 2009
Tags: alabaster, assailant, centre director, criminal charges, defence lawyers, diminished responsibility, duomo, gothic cathedral, house arrest, italian judge, political rallies, political rally, prime minister silvio, prime minister silvio berlusconi, psychiatric assessment, psychiatric therapy, public prosecutors, san carlo, silvio berlusconi, tracked trial