Italian Justice Calls Scientists to Court

Enzo Boschi

Today seven Italian scientists were charged with involuntary homicide because they overestimated the risks of the earthquake that struck the city L’Aquila on April of 2009.

Among the accused are the members of the Commission “Great Risks” who met last March 31 of 2009 to comment on the tremors that had occurred. Six days later the seism left 309 casualties in that city. The authorities believe that the scientists revealed mistaken information to keep the residents calm.

The former president of the National Institute Geophysics and Volcanology, Enzo Boschi, is also among the accused. Now they must answer because of their negligence after inefficiently measure the seismic activity that nearly destroyed the city of L’Aquila. (AV)