Friday, May 21, 2010

The Sad Case Of Sonia Marra #9: Extreme Caution Over Non-Repetitive Testing In Sonia’s Case Too

Posted by Peter Quennell


It will be interesting to see if the defense observer ducks out of this examination in this case too.

La Nazione/Umbria describes a hearing last Monday in Perugia on the jacket the chief suspect was perhaps wearing on the night Sonia disappeared.

Together in the same courtroom without a word spoken between them.

On the one hand, Anna, the sister of Sonia Marra, the student from Puglia who disappeared from Perugia in November 2006. On the other hand, Umberto Bindella, who is accused of killing the girl and concealing her body.

At this preliminary hearing, Judge Carla Giangamboni fixed the date on which the police investigations will start on the jacket seized from the suspect.

Professor Giuseppe Novelli is the expert appointed by the court, the task of checking whether there are biological traces of organic material possibly due to Sonia Marra.

Prosecutor Joseph Petrazzini agreed to carry out investigations into the black jacket Bindella was wearing when first arrested, three years earlier, after the death of Sonia, in response to defense attorney Daniela Paccoi, who request the forensic examination.

They will be carried out in the laboratories of the faculty of medicine at the University of Rome Tor Vergata. The garment examination will begin on June 7.

Following the tests for the defense will Dr. James D’Agostaro, an expert in genetics…

Bindella had been in prison but he was released by the magistrate [judge Micheli] who concluded the investigators had not proved ‘serious indications of guilt’.

The jacket is now an object of tug of war between the prosecution and defense. It was confiscated by agents of the police post from the closet of Bindella before his arrest.

It was ‘“similar to that worn by the unknown assailany,” said a girl, a neighbor of Specchia student, who claims to have seen a man enter the apartment in via Purgotti where Sonia lived.

In that house biological traces of Bindella [Sonia’s former boyfriend] and the vicrim were found.

Posted by Peter Quennell on 05/21/10 at 03:30 AM in The legal followupsItalian related

Comments

I can’t imagine the pain and anguish of losing someone I love to a brutal act such as murder any more than I can imagine the horror of not knowing what may have befallen them. 

It would be my hope that, in any case, both sides treat the evidence with respect and exercise their rights to observe testing etc.  The evidence is witness to the truth, it’s interpretation is subject to debate, but the evidence itself simply is.

I hope the Marra family find the truth and at least some measure of peace very soon.

Posted by Nolongeramember on 05/23/10 at 04:44 PM | #

I agree, Innai. I am so glad Pete is following this case here, so similar to Meredith’s.

The Italian judges such as Micheli seem to be proceeding very judiciously and soberly on the Bindella case. Contra the FOA propaganda.

Best wishes to Sonia’s family, especially her sister. I can’t imagine being in her shoes. There was a girl here in about Sonia’s age who disappeared a dozen years ago. They found her body about 6 years later but never caught the murderer. She also had a sister who fought for her. It was so tragic and I think of her often.

Posted by Earthling on 05/23/10 at 09:17 PM | #

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