Posted on 02/18/2006 1:14:24 PM PST by freepatriot32
ROME - Italy's highest court ruled Friday that a man who raped the 14-year-old daughter of his girlfriend can seek to have his sentenced reduced because the girl was sexually active, news reports said.
The ruling provoked an outcry across Italy, was condemned by UNICEF and prompted other justices on the court to issue a statement saying the ruling was wrong and in the future would be cited as a bad example of a high court decision, the ANSA news agency reported.
The case goes back to 2001, when a court in Sardinia convicted Marco T. of sexual violence and threats against the 14-year-old daughter of his live-in girlfriend and sentenced him to more than three years in prison, ANSA said.
He requested a reduced sentence, saying the crime was less serious because the girl had already had several sexual partners.
His request was rejected, but Italy's high court said the judges should re-evaluate the decision because the girl "since the age of 13 had had many sexual relations with men of every age."
"And it's right to assume," the ruling went on, according to ANSA, "that at the time of the encounter with the suspect her personality, from a sexual point of view, was much more developed than what one might normally expect from a girl of her age."
The suspect's lawyer, Andrea Biccheddu, defended the ruling, saying the episode between his client and the girl "didn't provoke any trauma," because the girl had had so many sexual partners.
He said his client deserved to have his sentence reduced by two thirds, the agency said.
Ridiculous. Although this girl is obviously in a bad environment.
I thought the Euros were perfect, and their land a socialist paradise. Evidently I've been mis-informed.
14? Should convert to Islam and claim that he actually thought she was a bit long in the tooth...after all, Mohammed liked his girls to be 9.
I did not know that Italy practiced sharia law.
What is the Italian view on stoning?
Not sure. Heard they were big into crucifixions at one time. Mussolini wasn't a big fan of hanging.
That may be but I heard him and his wife were big time swingers :-)
Rape is illegal in Italy? I'm surprised.
the ruling was "condemned by UNICEF".
Wow.
I bet that Italian judge is REALLY scared now.
Disgusting ruling. The judge will rot in hell.
It is ridiculous, but I am not surprised because in both Italy and France, the idea that the victim of a sexual assault is "guilty" is established in the legal system. Given that it is so difficult to get any sort of conviction for rape in Italy, I think this girl must have been severely assaulted.
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