Italian Scientists Jailed In Quake Trial

[lfcdude]

1st of i don't know where this belongs, Earthquake thread our new topic... I thought new topic as will provide lots of discussion..

http://news.sky.com/...-in-quake-trial

A team of Italian scientists have been found guilty of manslaughter for failing to warn citizens of a massive earthquake in 2009.

The team along with a government official were sentenced to six years in jail in a trial which has infuriated the global scientific community.

Historic buildings cracked and crumbled in the 6.3 magnitude quake in which 309 died and thousands were left homeless in the town of L'Aquila in central Italy.

But the following year there was another aftershock. Charges were brought against six government scientists and an official for not sufficiently warning people of the risks of another seismic event.

The seven accused had been part of the region's Major Risks Committee which had met on March 31, six days before the earthquake.

They issued a statement designed to reassure residents after studying tremors in the area, while stressing it was impossible to say when another event may occur.

In court, prosecutor Fabio Picuti said they had given "an incomplete, inept, unsuitable and criminally mistaken analysis."

Defence lawyers said the charges in L'Aquila were 'medieval', arguing that earthquakes cannot be predicted. Five thousand scientists from around the world sent a letter of protest to the then Italian president Giorgio Napolitano.

Legal experts say the convicted men are likely to remain free from jail until an appeals process is completed.

Questions have to be asked, Is this going to stop scientists wanting anything to do with looking into potential earthquakes?

Has this set a dangerous precedent? Does this sort of thing bring the ability to sue scientists for not predicting?

Will other country's follow suit? Our is this just crazy italians?

[frogesque]

Science is couched in words like 'estimated', 'margin of error', '+-'. I be very surprised if these charges hold water. Should be thrown out as vexacious . . . but then again . . . this is the Italian justice system we are talking about!

Edited October 22, 2012 by frogesque

[Kiwi]

Should Michael Fish have done porridge?!

[AderynCoch]

Disgraceful. I can scarcely believe this is real.

[Evening thunder]

I remember hearing about this a while ago and it making me angry, but in all honesty I thought that they would be found not guilty in the end. I can't really believe this has happened, I'm pretty sure they were trying to help by doing research on earthquakes, and they never said 'there will not be another earthquake' instead saying it was impossible to tell, which is true.

And what they get in return is being put in jail for a natural event they had no control over. Like the defense lawyers said they are medieval like charges. What next their weather forecasters being put in jail for not predicting a cold spell a month down the line?

I heard this suggested before, and now agree, earthquake science should abandon Italy as a result of this (and perhaps other science too if they feel there's a risk of them being jailed).

[BornFromTheVoid]

Absolutely sickening.

Seeing as these events are often labelled an "Act of God", surely they should have the Pope in court for not providing an early warning? Y'know, seeing as he is the "Big Guy's" representative on Earth...

[summer blizzard]

Should they have been fired if the evidence was there, yes.

Should there have been a public inquiry if they were employed by the state, perhaps.

Should they be in prison, certainly not and i hope that they appeal to the ECHR.

[Gavin Hannah]

Lets not forget that the Italian justice system is probably the most corrupt and inept in western Europe. I'm pretty sure this would get squashed in the ECHR with a solid backhand.

It's pretty shocking.

[Methuselah]

So the Italian 'powers that be' think that scientists can accurately predict earthquakes, do they?

IMO, it's the same logic that might make UK councils sue the MetO, should the 'expected' winter-to-remember fail to materialize.

[Snowstorm1]

Doing about this in geography at the moment and the whole class said they shouldn't be sent to prison this is an absolute farce by the italian justice system I hope they appeal and its successful

[Nick L]

I expect this in some backwards Middle Eastern country or in the 16th century...but for a modern day, developed country? Disgusting. I hope the European Court of Human Rights intervenes.

[john pike]

http://www.nature.com/news/italian-court-finds-seismologists-guilty-of-manslaughter-1.11640

Another link to story

Also

In addition to the prison term, those indicted will be banned from public service for a year and will have to pay financial compensations to the victims' families, averaging €100,000 for each of the 29 victims named in the indictment.

Have they been found guilty so they are responsible for the compensation

A truly rediculous story

[Coast]

Madness, utter madness:

Italy disaster head Luciano Maiani quits over L'Aquila

The head of Italy's disaster body, Luciano Maiani, has resigned to protest against prison sentences passed on seven colleagues over the 2009 earthquake in L'Aquila

"These are professionals who spoke in good faith and were by no means motivated by personal interests, they had always said that it is not possible to predict an earthquake," he told the Corriere della Sera newspaper.

"This is the end of scientists giving consultations to the state," warned Prof Maiani, a world-renowned physicist who was director general of the Cern nuclear research centre in Switzerland from 1999-2003.

http://www.bbc.co.uk...europe-20039769

Edited October 23, 2012 by Coast

[Habsish]

It does seem somewhat strange.

Does anyone have link to the actual court decision ( as oppose the media interpretation), which should have been argued or at least given the basis of the judgement?

H