Grillo Jr. Trial Nears Conclusion: Prosecutor and Lawyer Bongiorno Present Closing Arguments
The trial of Alessandro Grillo, Edoardo Capitta and Vittorio Lauria, accused of group sexual violence against a 19-year-old Italian-Norwegian student and an Italian freind, entered its final stages on Tuesday with closing arguments. Prosecutor Gregorio Capasso reiterated his request for a nine-year prison sentence for all four defendants, emphasizing the inconsistencies in their testimonies. The alleged victims were not present in court, though the primary accuser may testify on Wednesday, when a verdict is expected.
Capasso argued that the defendants’ accounts of the events of the night between July 16th and 17th, 2019, at the Grillo family villa in Porto Cervo, “adapted…according to the inquiry,” while the accuser’s statements remained consistently unchanged. He urged the court, presided over by Judge Marco Contu, to recognize this discrepancy as “the real reading key” of the case. The prosecutor reaffirmed the charge of group rape and maintained his original sentencing request.
Representing the Italian-Norwegian student as a civil party,lawyer Giulia Bongiorno focused on the psychological impact of the alleged violence. She stated her client’s primary struggle after the evening was “to survive the violence.” Bongiorno addressed defense arguments questioning the victim’s behaviour in the months following the incident, specifically the number of photographs she took. She explained that her client works in fashion and photography is integral to her profession and passions, questioning whether a topless photo would necessarily be incompatible with experiencing trauma.
Bongiorno further elaborated on the common self-blaming mechanism often exhibited by victims of sexual assault. She explained that her client initially believed she was responsible for the events, stating in a voice recording sent to a friend the day after the incident, “Whatever we did those guys I looked for it.”
The lawyer also highlighted points previously raised by prosecutor Capasso, including the alleged victim’s high alcohol consumption that night and a discrepancy regarding a trip to a tobacconist in Porto Cervo on July 17th. Bongiorno stated her client never claimed to have gone to the tobacconist with the defendants after the alleged assault,a claim unsupported by mobile phone data from either the defendants or the accuser.
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