Naples- Sensational acquittal on appeal for Raffaele Mauriello, Alias “Lello the barge”, considered a loyalist of the former drug trafficker Raphael Imperial. The third section of the Court of Assizes of Appeal of Naples overturned the first-degree verdict, acquitting the defendant of the charge of being responsible for the murder of Andrew Castle.
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Already in the first degree, Mauriello had avoided the life sentence requested by the Prosecutor's Office, receiving instead a sentence of 20 years in prison. However, the second level of judgment dismantled the accusatory framework based on the statements of four collaborators of justice.
The charges and the acquittal verdict
Mauriello, defended by lawyers Luigi Senese, Maria Grazia Padula and Lucia Boscaino, had been indicated as the material perpetrator of the murder by Pasquale Cristiano, former boss of the 167 of Arzano, who had accused himself of the crime and had involved “Lello the barge”. Even collaborators of justice Michael and Paul Caiazza e Antonio Accurso, former head of the Vanella Grassi from Secondigliano, they had pointed the finger at him.
The defense, however, managed to demolish the evidentiary system, highlighting gaps and contradictions in the testimonies of the repentants, until obtaining the acquittal.
One case, two opposite sentences
The verdict takes on even greater weight if one considers that, for the same murder, Dario Amirante, Alias “the twin”, tried separately, was instead sentenced tolife sentence.
Article published on March 28, 2025 - 19pm
The news of Mauriello's acquittal is strange because there are many testimonies accusing him. It is difficult to understand how the court could overturn such an important sentence without concrete evidence. It seems unfair to me.