De Santis term cut to 16 yrs for Ciro Esposito murder (4)

(ANSA) - Rome, June 27 - Former Roma ultra Daniele De Santis on Tuesday had his 26-year first-instance sentence cut to 16 years on appeal for the murder of Napoli fan Ciro Esposito ahead of the 2014 Italian Cup final between Napoli and Fiorentina.
    The 10-year cut in the sentence was due, judges said, to an acquittal from the crime of affray as well as the exclusion of futile motives and repeat offences.
    De Santis's lawyer said his client was "partially satisfied" with the verdict and would appeal to the supreme Court of Cassation.
    Lawyers for Esposito's family said the sentence was "incredible, the sentence reduction is absurd." The appeals judges acquitted another two defendants, Napoli fans Gennaro Fioretti and Alfonso Esposito, each sentenced to eight months in jail at the first-instance trial for affray and injuries to De Santis's face.
    De Santis got the original 26-year sentence on March 24 last year.
    Esposito died 53 days after De Santis shot him on May 3, 2014, in a Naples hospital.
    "You must rot for what you did," shouted someone in court who was thought to have been one of Esposito's friends among the Napoli fan base.
    The mother of Ciro Esposito said the 26-year sentence handed down on De Santis was "right and proper".
    Antonella Leardi added that "I don't feel hatred for De Santis because I've forgiven him".
    De Santis had defended himself by saying he had responded to an attack by Napoli fans.
    Rome prosecutors had asked for a life sentence for De Santis.
    De Santis was a former member of a group of hardcore 'ultra' Roma fans and an extreme rightwing militant who has admitted to pulling the trigger, but said he only did so as he was being attacked with knives.
    A medical report documented the fact that De Santis suffered "cut wounds" in the clashes, Carabinieri police said in 2014.
    De Santis was accused of manslaughter, bodily harm and illegal possession of arms, among other things.
    The lower court also ordered him to pay compensation of 50,000 euros each to Esposito's parents, as well as paying a further 6,300 euros to compensate Naples city council and cover court costs.