Francesco Gratteri - the Diaz raid commander- convicted four years
Giovanni Luperi - 2001 - central special investigations - convicted four years
Spartico Mortola - 2001 - DIGOS commander- convicted three years nine months
Gilberto Caldarozzi - Gratteri's deputy - convicted three years nine months
Vincenzo Canterini - 2001 - commander 7th heavy riot unit - convicted five years
However, the Diaz trial has one final hurdle to clear. The Supreme court of Appeal in Rome. Both defendants and victims have appealed to this court. for the defendants, it is an automatic right but this court only studies whether there has been any breach of process or law broken. The Court of appeal cannot question the evidence in any way whatsoever. The victims have appealed to the court over the question of statute of limitations law which was changed by Berlusconi and the constitutional court a few years ago so he could avoid being convicted for tax and fraud charges.
If the case does not start soon (held up by so-called 'office' delays), the final appeal could miss the final date to see the convicted police go to jail.
If the statute of limitations law is not changed back to 15 years and the Supreme Court of Appeal take too long to pass the final verdict in the Diaz case, all is lost for the victims.
It would the greatest and a most final tragedy of justice for the victims to see none of the Diaz police sent to jail for their crimes. It would be of further insult to see the same men stay in their posts and continue with their careers of hate and fascism against other italian citizens.
This is a raid that has been described as a Mexican butchers shop and as Italy's darkest page of history for its police force. If you want a story telling what the dark side of Italy looks like, you need to follow the history of the Diaz raid and its sister case Bolzaneto.
If the Diaz raid is not settled, the lash back could be another Genoa somewhere else present day in 2011, almost ten years to the day since the original event happened. It is certainly not forgotten by many people and youth in Italy who have already lost trust and confidence in the police.
