The supreme Court of Cassation was
set to rule on Friday on appeals in the case of captain
Francesco Schettino, sentenced by two lower courts to 16 years
and one month in jail for culpable homicide in the January 2012
Costa Concordia cruise liner disaster that killed 32 people.
The supreme court prosecutor has upheld the position of
Florence prosecutors who say the sentence is too short, having
asked for 27 years in their appeal trial.
Instead, Schettino's lawyers are asking for an acquittal.
On Friday morning the judges gathered in chambers to decide
whether to accept a request from the defence to view a video in
which the defendant gives his version of events.
They declined.
The prosecutor and civil parties in the case were opposed to
the video being shown on grounds the supreme court rules on
matters of procedure, not merit.
Schettino is the only person to have stood trial for the
maritime disaster off the Tuscan island of Giglio after a number
of crew members and company staff reached plea bargains with
prosecutors and were sentenced to three years each.
The disaster occurred after the cruise ship carrying 3,216
passengers and 1,013 crew members hit an underwater rock
formation off the island's east coast just south of its port at
21:45 on the evening of Friday, January 13, 2012, in a strong
impact that opened a hole 70 metres wide on the left side of its
hull.
In addition to the 32 people who died in the disaster, a
salvage also died while working on the ship in 2014.
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