Naples, Italy – A Naples court delivered a split verdict today in the case surrounding the death of 15-year-old Luca Piscopo, who died after consuming sushi at a restaurant on Via Bernini in November 2019. The restaurateur was sentenced to pay 45,000 euros to each of the civil parties involved, but was acquitted of criminal obligation. Critically, the attending doctor was also acquitted, a decision sparking outrage from the Piscopo family.
The case centers on whether timely medical intervention could have saved Luca, who ate lunch with three friends at the restaurant on November 23rd. Prosecutors argued a delay in treatment contributed to his death, but the court found insufficient evidence to convict the doctor. The verdict follows a four-year legal battle and leaves Luca’s family devastated, believing the truth was obscured by procedural technicalities and a lack of accountability.
Following the ruling at the New Palace of Justice of Naples, Maria Rosaria Borrelli, Luca’s mother, expressed her anguish, stating, “the truth did not emerge from this process, only a procedural and artificial truth emerged.” She specifically contested the doctor’s acquittal, saying, “In ten days my son lost more than ten kilos and in that time he never called me to ask how the boy was doing.”
Antonio Piscopo, luca’s father, noted the anniversary of his son’s death coincided with the verdict, calling it a cruel twist of fate. Imma, a friend of Luca present during the trial, lamented, “We waited four years for justice to be done – but that wasn’t the case. once again Italian justice has failed.” The family intends to explore further legal options, while the restaurateur’s sentence remains a point of contention for those seeking full accountability in the case.