Posted on 04/16/2004 11:32:23 AM PDT by MegaSilver
The corruption trial of Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has resumed after a 10-month break, with prosecution lawyers seeking the removal of the presiding judge.
The Milan court hearing the case has a new three-judge panel. But prosecutors sought the removal of newly appointed chief Judge Francesco Castellano, saying his comments in a 2002 interview raise doubts about his objectivity.
Because Friday's proceedings focused on procedural issues, the prime minister was not in court.
Mr. Berlusconi is accused of bribing judges to give him a favorable ruling in a case involving the sale of a state-held food chain to a rival in the 1980's. The allegations are from a time before Mr. Berlusconi was elected to public office.
The case, which began in 2002, was suspended the following year after the Italian parliament passed legislation granting the country's five top public officials immunity from prosecution. But Italy's Constitutional Court in January ruled the law violated equal protection provisions of the constitution.
The proceedings could interfere with Mr. Berlusconi's plans to campaign for candidates running in local elections and in an election for the European Parliament scheduled for June.
In addition to being Italy's prime minister, Mr. Berlusconi is the country's richest man.
Some information for this report provided by Reuters, AP and AFP.
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