Rome court defends murder convictions of 2 U.S. friends
ABC News
A court in Italy is defending its conviction of two young tourists from California for the 2019 murder of an Italian plainclothes police officer on a Rome street
ROME -- A court in Italy is defending its conviction of two young tourists from California for the 2019 murder of an unarmed Italian plainclothes police officer on a Rome street, dismissing arguments of self-defense as patently implausible. Lawyers for the defendants on Tuesday were provided copies of the written motivation for the Rome court’s May 5 convictions and life sentences for Finnegan Lee Elder, 21, and Gabriel Natale-Hjorth, 20. Italian courts are required, within 90 days of a verdict, to formally detail in writing why they decided on verdicts and punishment, with their rationale forming the basis of eventual appeals by defense or prosecutors. Lawyers for the defendants were studying the document and didn't immediately comment on appeal prospects.More Related News