Eternit on Trial!
The timetable set for a trial into the asbestos-related deaths of thousands of Italians, dubbed the Great Asbestos Trial, is bizarre; four and a half hour sessions on Mondays are taking place at the Palace of Justice as shown below.
| Hearing: | |
| 1 | December 19, 2009 |
| 2 | January 25, 2010 |
| 3 | February 8, 2010 |
| 4 | February 15, 2010 |
| 5 | February 22, 2010 |
It is anticipated that the first part of this trial will last “at least 2 years.” This scheduling will ensure that most of the seriously ill people on whose behalf this action has been mounted will have died before a resolution is reached.1
The latest hearing (January 25) disappeared amidst a flurry of applications from lawyers representing the firms of Etex Group (Belgium), Eternit Schweiz, Hanova Holding A.g., Amindus Holding A.g., Ametex A.g. and Becon A.g. (Switzerland), requesting that their clients be excluded from the proceedings; one of the objections raised alleged that the lawsuit is unconstitutional. Lawyers representing civil authorities named in this case have also asked Judge Giuseppe Casalbore to drop the charges against these bodies.
For more information see: http://asbestosinthedock.ning.com/
January 28, 2010
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1 Kazan-Allen L. Asbestos Trial Begins! News Item; November 17, 2009.
http://ibasecretariat.org/
