Court Clears Italian Premier of Corruption Charges

[Freddie Stubbs]

MILAN, Italy, Dec. 10 - A three-judge panel absolved Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi of corruption charges today, one for insufficient evidence and one because the statute of limitations in a 1991 case had run out.

The verdict, ending a more than decade-long legal battle, spared Italy painful questions about Mr. Berlusconi's political future, and would seem to strengthen his position at a time when he is less popular than he has been in the past.

The judges quickly read out their verdict and left the courtroom. Mr. Berlusconi did not attend.

Mr. Berlusconi, 68, a billionaire media mogul and the first serving Italian prime minister to stand in a criminal trial, was accused of bribing the Rome judiciary in the late 1980's and again in 1991 to win favorable rulings for his Fininvest company. Throughout the trial, which lasted four years, he claimed that he was the victim of a political witch-hunt by the left.

more: http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/10/international/europe/10cnd-italy.html

[Mokito]

1. Isn't it funny

how high profile cases always seem to run out of time for an actual prosecution?

[Judi Lynn]

2. Maybe an Italian speaker can give a quick glimpse of what this means

I don't know Italian but I'd say it explains that the guy owns almost everything in the media in Italy.

Funny how trouble always seems to move around and away from people who are simply wildly wealthy. Magically, it seems.....

[Kellanved]

3. "clears"?

The asshole used all his power to prolong the trial; he was acquitted because of the time that has passed, not because of innocence or lack of evidence.