Berlusconi to Stand Immediate Trial | 18 comments (18 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)

Guardian intrigues me :

Prosecutors maintain that the prime minister, who denies any wrongdoing, paid Mahroug, who adopted the nickname "Ruby Heartstealer", for sexual services while she was still 17. Berlusconi's lawyers are expected to argue she is older than indicated on official documents.

Anyone who is in doubt about the age of a prospective sexual partner would be expected to consult their official documents.

... so his defense is that he knew her documents were false?

_{It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue
- Queen Elizabeth II}

by eurogreen on Tue Feb 15th, 2011 at 07:47:30 AM EST

Re: This detail from the (4.00 / 2)

I think we're letting ourselves be distracted by the morbid business of the statutory rape charges.

The prosecutors would do well to go for the charges of abuse of office in pressuring the Milan police to release somebody from custody.

Keynesianism is intellectually hard, as evidenced by the inability of many trained economists to get it - Paul Krugman

by Carrie (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Tue Feb 15th, 2011 at 08:12:04 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: This detail from the (4.00 / 3)

The charges of abuse of power for personal interests carries a sentence of four to twelve years. Statutory rape of an underage prostitute carries a term of six months to three years. The second charge is subordinate to the first and serves to aggravate the defendant's position.

by de Gondi (publiobestia aaaatttthotmaildaughtusual) on Tue Feb 15th, 2011 at 10:42:39 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: This detail from the (4.00 / 2)

This contention may have been discussed in the Di Censo ruling. Effectively, in one police document there was a minor error on the year of her birth. However, this is grasping at straws. It was a bona fide error that incidently has nothing to do with Berlusconi's defense. I think this will likely come up in the independant trial against Emilio Fede, Nicole Minetti and Lele Mora. They were running the show and were in a position to know how old Ruby was.

They were well aware of Berlusconi's tastes.

by de Gondi (publiobestia aaaatttthotmaildaughtusual) on Tue Feb 15th, 2011 at 10:39:12 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: This detail from the (none / 0)

Meanwhile in Milan... « Joe Saward's Grand Prix Blog

Berlusconi claims that he made the phone call to avoid a diplomatic incident as he thought she was a niece of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.

by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Tue Feb 15th, 2011 at 11:01:37 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: This detail from the (4.00 / 3)

If so, why didn't he have the young lady taken into custody by an Egyptian diplomat rather than his girl friend, Nicole Minetti, who immediately turned Ruby over to a prostitute under the curious eyes of the police?

by de Gondi (publiobestia aaaatttthotmaildaughtusual) on Tue Feb 15th, 2011 at 11:07:58 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: This detail from the (4.00 / 4)

Because he's a mendacious misogynistic toad who thinks the law doesn't apply to him and who has spent his entire life lying professionally and subverting justice and decency?

Just guessing.

by ThatBritGuy (thatbritguy (at) googlemail.com) on Tue Feb 15th, 2011 at 11:10:59 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: This detail from the (none / 1)

Are you still commenting on Berlusconi, or did the conversation switch to Rupert Murdoch and Newt Gingrich?

Never underestimate their intelligence, always underestimate their knowledge.

Frank Delaney ~ Ireland

by siegestate (siegestate or beyondwarispeace.com) on Tue Feb 15th, 2011 at 01:49:27 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: This detail from the (4.00 / 7)

Seeing the Model candidates he has suggested for parliament, perhaps he thought she was the Egyptian Ambassador :)

Any idiot can face a crisis - it's day to day living that wears you out.

by ceebs (ceebs (at) eurotrib (dot) com) on Tue Feb 15th, 2011 at 11:19:12 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: This detail from the (4.00 / 2)

Yes, thought she way Mubarak's niece AND the Egyptian Ambassador, sent to offer him her services. This could not possibly be offensive to Egyptians or the Mubarak family.

"It is not necessary to have hope in order to persevere."

by ARGeezer (ARGeezer a in a circle eurotrib daught com) on Tue Feb 15th, 2011 at 01:27:15 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: This detail from the (none / 1)

Italian intelligence services working as well as usual.

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Tue Feb 15th, 2011 at 11:32:55 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Berlusconi to Stand Immediate Trial | 18 comments (18 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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