Closing arguments for the
prosecution are scheduled Thursday and Friday in the trial of
Francesco Schettino, captain of the Costa Concordia which
shipwrecked off the Tuscan island of Giglio in January 2012,
killing 32 people.
In Wednesday's hearings, Captain Leopoldo Manna, director
of central operations for Rome's harbourmaster, testified that
based on his telephone conversations with Schettino while the
shipwreck was underway, Manna told operations center personnel
he felt Schettino wasn't the "most suitable" person to speak to
regarding the situation, and that he "seemed in shock".
A recording was played in court in which Manna uses a
vulgar expression to tell another in the operations center that
Schettino seemed stupid or "out of it".
Grosseto Prosecutor Francesco Verusio in early December
said he intends to ask the court to hand down a prison term of
more than 20 years for Schettino.
Judicial sources said the widely reviled sailor could be
sentenced to as much as 22 years in prison if convicted on
multiple counts of manslaughter and dereliction of duty.
Schettino is the only person on trial after Costa Cruises
and a number of crew members and company staff reached plea
bargains with prosecutors.
In addition to this week's two days of closing arguments,
hearings are scheduled for 39 civil attorneys defending
passengers of the Concordia who have filed civil suits for
damages against Costa Cruises and Schettino.
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