Palermo: Merchants of Brancaccio face trial, civil parties allowed without Mafia links.

Last Updated: June 19, 2024

Aggredì il genero, convalidato il fermo per l'operaio della Reset di Palermo

The judge of the Palermo court, Stefania Brambille, has admitted three new civil parties in the trial against the Brancaccio mafia, in which 31 businessmen who denied paying protection money are also accused. In the first preliminary hearing, not all the entities and associations that usually participate in the proceeding were present, as the charge against the entrepreneurs was for simple favoritism and not aggravated by aiding Cosa Nostra. Despite this impediment – according to the statute, associations only take part in trials against individuals accused of mafia crimes – today Addiopizzo, the Anti-Racket Federation, and the Solidarity Desk have overcome objections from the defendants’ lawyers and have been admitted by Judge Brambille.

In her ruling, the judge highlighted how the connection of the accused person’s conduct to the associational phenomenon can justify their participation in the trial. The judge, in fact, by admitting the associations that have requested to be civil parties, explains that although the offense of favoritism is not among the crimes for which their respective statutory social purposes provide for the constitution of civil parties by the associations, the connection of favoritism conduct to the crime of mafia association produces abstract damage to the associations themselves and to the free market, and for this reason, they are entitled to participate.

Today, the Municipality of Palermo was also absent, now authorized by the judge’s decision to participate in the proceeding. Provided that it appears at the next hearing.