Italy: Police officers investigated over Ferrara death
01 January 2006
Four police officers (three men and a woman) were placed under investigation on 14 March 2006 in relation to the death of Federico Aldrovandi, an 18 year-old who died as he made his way home late at night on 25 September 2005, after an encounter with the police (see Statewatch news online, January 2006). The officers are suspected of omicidio preterintenzionale (having deliberately inflicted injuries leading to a death). In January 2006, Federico's mother told her story and expressed her suspicion that her son may have died as a result of police brutality. She also complained about the five hours that passed before she was informed of her son's death and noted that "they are trying to kill him a second time" in relation to claims that a drugs overdose was the reason for his death. Her claims drew a response from the questore (local authority in charge of security) of Ferrara, who defended the actions of the police officers and called on the public to refrain from slandering the police. The inconsistency of police claims which originally stated Federico had died after feeling ill, then that they had intervened to stop him from harming himself and later that he had suffered an overdose has caused concern. Further evidence emerged, including witnesses who saw him asking for help and pleading with the policemen to "stop it"; two truncheons that were broken during the encounter, are further elements of concern.
Two different reports emerged from the autopsy, one by the forensic legal medical unit, and the other from counsel for the Aldrovandi family. Both establish that there were a number of injuries caused by blows (Federico's body and face were heavily bruised), although they were not deemed to have been the cause of his death. The interpretations as to the cause of the death differ. The forensic doctor claimed that the death was caused by a heart failure provoked by several factors including his excitement, the strength and anger that he released in his struggle with the police, and the consumption of drugs. The family's legal counsel claims that Federico Aldrovandi died of "positional asphyxia" due to "compression of the thorax" after being restrained for several minutes, face down, handcuffed and with an officer leaning on his back. The team added that the traces of drugs that showed up in the toxicological tests were insufficient to cause Aldrovandi's death. Further forensic tests whose outcome is expected in April have been ordered by the judge who is in charge of the case.
Federico's mother, Patrizia Moretti, responded to the news of the investigation of the officers by claiming that it should have taken place six months earlier, as well as questioning the appointment of a legal medical doctor from Ferrara whose work has drawn controversy in the past, and who is not an expert in toxicological issues, to run the new set of tests.
Kataweb special dossier on the Aldrovandi case: http://www.kataweb.it/spec/home_speciale.jsp?ids=1253530; Blog about the case set up by the Aldrovandi family:
http://federicoaldrovandi.blog.kataweb.it; Comitato verità per Aldro: http://www.veritaperaldro.it; Repubblica, 13.1, 17.2, 22.2, 15.3.06.