L’aquila, Italy – An Italian court convicted six scientists and a government official of manslaughter on Monday and sentenced them to six years in prison for failing to give adequate warning of a deadly earthquake which destroyed the central city of L’Aquila and killed more than 300 people in 2009.
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The seven, all members of an official body called the National Commission for the Forecast and Prevention of Major Risks, were accused of negligence and malpractice in their evaluation of the danger of an earthquake and their duty to keep the city informed of the risks.
The case has drawn wide condemnation from international bodies including the American Geophysical Union, which said the risk of litigation may deter scientists from advising governments or even working to assess seismic risk.
A 6.3 strength earthquake struck L’Aquila, in Italy’s Abruzzo region at 3.32 a.m. on April 6, 2009, wrecking tens of thousands of buildings, injuring more than 1,000 people and killing hundreds of others in their sleep.
At the heart of the case was whether the government-appointed experts gave an overly reassuring picture of the risks facing the town, which contained many ancient and fragile buildings and which had been partially destroyed three times by earthquakes over the centuries.
The case focused in particular on a series of low-level tremors which hit the region in the months preceding the earthquake and which prosecutors said should have warned experts not to underestimate the risk of a major shock.
The scientists are unlikely to be sent to jail pending a probable appeal trial.
Either they are scientists or are not. It’s like a medical malpractice.
Let them admit, we know very little on how these things work.
At least the case shows how the Italians care for their own people. No Rosh Yeshivas have gone to jail because they failed to warn parents that one of their rabbeim had a history of molestation.
Not only are earthquakes unpredictable, but now, failing to predict one is a criminal offense! Mussolini must be very proud of his fascist legacy.
Stupid Italian Justice.
I’m beginning to understand the how they handled the Amanda Knox case.
Next they’re going to sentence the meteorologist for predicting sunny weather when it rains.
I have respect for the Italian government. They seriously consider the well being of their citizens and try to do what they can. More than a decade ago I noticed that they were labeling trans fat on packaged foods. They also were one of the first countries to ban smoking on their trains (although they left all trains as smoking seats only on the seat selection computer).
I wish our USA and rabonim would consider action to enhance oour health and punish those that do not prevent tragedy that can be prevented.
Hey, scientist say with certainty that the world evolved and any other explanation to how the universe came into being is ridiculed by them, so if they are so sure with themselves, then they should know when and where an earthquake will strike…. unless they don’t really know too much!