The trial into the alleged torture inflicted on inmates at the Santa Maria Capua Vetere prison (Caserta) on April 6, 2020, during protests that erupted in prisons due to the Covid lockdown, is entering its final phase. 105 defendants are involved, including prison police officers, officials from the Department of Penitentiary Administration (DAP), and doctors from the Caserta Local Health Authority.
In the latest hearings, the witnesses – prisoners who did not join the trial as civil parties – are providing versions that, in part, differ from the accusations made by the Prosecutor's Office, speaking in favor of some officers.
Raffaele Romano, one of the witnesses interviewed, identified the defendants Giuseppe Gaudiano and Alessio De Simone, declaring: "They helped me, carrying me away from the group of officers with helmets and truncheons who were beating me up."
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Okoli Pedro Uch, another witness, said he was protected by Inspector Salvatore Mezzarano, who allegedly shouted to his colleagues to stop the violence, saving him from the beatings. During cross-examination, Mezzarano's defense attorney, Edoardo Razzino, presented videos: the witness recognized the inspector as the person who accompanied him to the cell and protected him.
Another witness, Ismaila Futa, reported that Mezzarano was shouting "enough, enough, enough" while trying to stop the violence of police officers from other penitentiaries, including Secondigliano and Avellino. Pasquale Bottone also described a similar episode, recounting how the inspector intervened in his defense, shouting, "Leave him alone, leave him alone."
Testimonies are painting a more nuanced picture of events, with some statements that could impact the outcome of the trial.
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