Most of the Italian economy is run by the Mafia and their justice system has been both inept and corrupt for decades. Additionally I think most foreigners accused of crimes abroad face an uphill battle. (Apart from UK where we grant bail to serious offenders who flee home).
"Most of the Italian economy is run by the Mafia."
Wow.
Parmalat. Pirelli. Fiat. Ferrari, Armani, Benetton, Bulgari, Diadora, Diesel, Dolce & Gabbana, Alfa Romeo, Lamborghini, Maserati, De Longhi, Olivetti, Barilla and hundreds of others global firms are run by the Mafia?
Righto.
When Parmalat buy their milk from farmers do you not think some may be skimmed off by the Costra? Many of the above are involved in Italian football, the fairest in the world with not a hint of match fixing! But my comment was about the Italian legal system which has a history of incompetence and corruption towards their Sicilian friends, so it is easy to imagine not getting a fair trial there.
You'd do well to not opine on subjects you know next to nothing about, other than what you read in the British media or glamourised by the film industry. The 'mafia' (and mafia-like organisations) used to control vast amounts of Sicily, Calabria and Napoli's politicians via influence, but those days ended in the eighties. There's still a large amount of influence exerted over Sicilian politicians - but that's a reflection of the corruption that is endemic in Sicilian life, rather than any long reach the mafia might have. The mafia has never had any influence in Italy anywhere north of Naples - other than at a petty crime level. To suggest that they somehow influence the highest courts in the land is utterly ridiculous.
Dozens, if not hundreds of judges, lawmakers and public officials in Sicily and - to a lesser degree - Southern Italy gave their lives in the fight against corruption (Google Falcone and Borsellino - Palermo airport was renamed in their honour). Public outrage at their murders led to a massive reduction in 'organised' crime (which has never been as 'organised' as the myths perpetuated by films like Goodfellas and The Godfather would have you believe) in Sicily.
The Falcone murder 1992 not 80's dampened their influence but they are still there and allegedly have the highest turnover of any organisation in Italy.
Apologies for your greater insight but please address your criticisms to Google.
I know that patent law law proceedings in Italy are referred to as launching an Italian torpedo, because they take so long
I think the main points to remember is that proceduraly and forensically the Italian police by all accounts did a pi$$ poor job and let their suspicions lead to evidence rather than vice-versa. But then two courts upheld their conclusions. OK AK wrongly dobbed her boss in but she was a young woman in a nightmare scenario, lawyerless in a foreign country and subject to unreasonable (9 hours?) of continuous interigation. I don't buy the conspiritry theories.
Comments
Apologies for your greater insight but please address your criticisms to Google.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/financialcrisis/9006027/Mafia-is-Italys-biggest-business.html
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/modern-mafia-operates-at-every-level-of-italian-society-799290.html
http://italychronicles.com/is-the-mafia-still-powerful-in-italy/