Italian court convicts 7 for no quake warning

Italian court convicts 7 for no quake warning

news.yahoo.com

L'AQUILA, Italy (AP) — An Italian court convicted seven scientists and experts of manslaughter on Monday for failing to adequately warn citizens before an earthquake struck central Italy in 2009, killing more than 300 people.
The court in L'Aquila also sentenced the defendants to six years in prison. Each one is a member of the national Great Risks Commission.

(visit the link for the full news article)

I honestly dont see how this could have even gotten to trial much less gotten a conviction.
This completely ridiculous, sort of like a weather man getting convicted for not predicting where a tornado hits and kills someone.



news.yahoo.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

wtf this can't be real can it? there has to be more to this. mind you it is italy. they are bonkers over there.

reply to post by Juggernog


From the provided link:

In Italy, convictions aren't definitive until after at least one level of appeals, so it is unlikely any of the defendants would face jail immediately.

I doubt this case goes past that process, unless from a conspiracy angle they know you CAN predict quakes somehow, and they are trying to get them to expose how as a plea bargain..

That was hard to write it sounds so silly.

What evidence is there that they knew anything? Shouldn't they have to prove prior knowledge?


Meanwhile I am fine dieing by a Tornado/Hurricane if the news doesn't warn me about it. It's kind of up to ME to stay alive. I don't need a baby sitter.

Obviously they have given any thought to the fact that now these poor souls are in the jail, they have less to warn of any future eq. Well at least for the next 6 years..

reply to post by Dustytoad


Apparently this is what theyre basing their case on.

The defendants were accused in the indictment of giving "inexact, incomplete and contradictory information" about whether small tremors felt by L'Aquila residents in the weeks and months before the April 6, 2009, quake should have constituted grounds for a quake warning. The 6.3-magnitude quake killed 308 people in and around the medieval town and forced survivors to live in tent camps for months.

So because there were minor tremors in the months leading up to the main quake, they shouldve been able to predict that a major quake was coming, and I guess when it was coming as well.

I would never expect this from a modern civilized country.

Totaly insanity.

Not much more to add, it's just insane, totally.

Great, lets also jail economists for failing to predict a depression and weathermen for failing to predict a storm.

If I understood the report correctly;
It wasn't because they failed to report an Earthquake, but rather they failed to report on the Earthquake dangers for the area given. It would be like a person telling you that your house is safe to live in, then days after moving in you fall through the floor.

reply to post by Guyfriday


Except that this is an old medieval town. Frankly, if you have a bunch of tremblors days before the big quake, shouldn't you judge for yourself whether to stay or go? Can you just yank your kids out of school and tell the boss that you and your family are following your instincts and heading out of town for a while? Will you have a job then when you decide to return? And what if you have nowhere to go? How long do you stay gone?

Even if this committee had issued a warning, just exactly how accurate are these warnings EVER? And does society really allow you to just pack up and go? Come on....

Ill bet if they wouldve caused a big stink about it, warning people the "big one was coming" and you should leave.
If everyone evacuated and nothing happened, theyd probably be arrested for some kind of charge like spreading false info or starting a panic and sued by everyone that lost their jobs.
What wouldve most likely happened though, is they would warn everybody, most would ignore them and just go on with their lives.

I first saw this while looking in the India news
Times of India

At the heart of the case was whether the government-appointed experts gave an overly reassuring picture of the risks facing the town, which contained many ancient and fragile buildings and which had been partially destroyed three times by earthquakes over the centuries.

From this story it seems more like it was a lack of work on the Scientists part. From the Yahoonews it seems like it's a witch hunt. (Iwonder which it correct?)

In the end the people that lived in the area should have used their own judgement to decide if they wanted to stay, or go.

I don't know......silly scientists. Based on the information below, maybe they could have stated something like: "Based on the history of earthquakes in this region, it has never been nor will be a safe zone for people to occupy. To continue to do so is entirely at your own risk." Yet another nanny action. Oh, and good luck getting a scientist in that area to say/do/predict anything which is uncontrolled by humans. Like anyone can predict Mother Nature.

en.wikipedia.org...'Aquila

Earthquakes mark the history of L'Aquila, as the city is situated partially on an ancient lake-bed that amplifies seismic activity.[1][2]

On December 3, 1315, the city was struck by an earthquake which seriously damaged the San Francesco Church. Another earthquake struck on January 22, 1349, killing about 800 people. Other earthquakes struck in 1452, then on November 26, 1461, and again in 1501 and 1646. On February 3, 1703 a major earthquake struck the town. More than 3.000 people died and almost all the churches collapsed; Rocca Calascio, the highest fortress in Europe was also ruined by this event, yet the town survived. L'Aquila was then repopulated by decision of Pope Clement XI. The town was rocked by earthquake again in 1706. The most serious earthquake in the history of the town struck on July 31, 1786, when more than 6.000 people died. On June 26, 1958 an earthquake of 5.0 magnitude struck the town.

Europeans, Italians even more so, like to blame.

They need to put a face on a tragedy, and then drag that face trough the mud while they hold torches and throw stones, metaphorically of course.


The evidence against Amanda Knox was so flimsy that most legal experts in America thought she wouldn't even be charged, let alone convicted.

That she had to spend even one night in prison is unforgivable. And even when they found the real killer, they fought to keep her in prison.

Besides smelling like cold cuts, it comes right out their skin, it's the worst thing about Italians.

They get passionate about something and stop using logic.

Benito Musolini knew his people well.

reply to post by AGWskeptic


That was unexpected but funny. Caught me off guard lol

Besides smelling like cold cuts, it comes right out their skin,

My brother in law died in this Earthquake. Those "scientist" got sued for telling the people that NOTHING will happen and they should stay in their Houses that day.

Edit to add:

There may have been no charges leveled at the scientists at all if it were not for a press conference held after the meeting. According to Nature, during the press conference, the panel's non-scientist member, a government official who was also convicted of manslaughter, told the press and the public that the earthquakes the area had been feeling posed no threat, and went so far as to joke that everyone should relax and drink a nice glass of local red wine.

Who's laughing now?

LA times

This is just plain ole mob mentality balled up into none of the mob taking responsibility for their own actions.

While they were too busy with their lives, they failed to fully comprehend they lived in a seismically active zone, well what does a group of people do when something happens and they loose things or lives? Blame someone else so that the burden isn't solely upon themselves, a selfish reaction to stress.

So by this standard of blame game, we can blame people for pre cog crimes, and future events, nothing will be safe, you will pay tomorrow for your failure to predict it.

Is it me, or can anyone else see that these ideals people live by today are only going to ensure the extinction of the human race.

reply to post by Hellas


My condolences to you. Professionals who advise people to stay in their homes and drink wine? It does seem they were trying very hard to be naysayers about the danger. I hope it gives other experts food for thought.

The scientists probably thought they could outrun anything thrown their way. Don't forget, the standing catch phrase of WW2 was their tanks had one forward gear and 4 reverse

If we followed the standard set in Italy in Christchurch the New Zealand government would have had to build a new prison. The real sentence is how people like me have to live with the fact that human fallibility lead to the deaths of one hundred and eight five people dying. In the near future the Royal Commission will hand down its findings. No doubt new issues will arise from the findings.