Cerreto Sannita, abuse in a hotel home: trial opened against four social-health workers

It began before Panel B of the Court of Benevento, presided over by Judge Rotili, the trial against four health care workers accused of aggravated mistreatment of elderly guests of the Cerreto Sannita nursing home.

The hearing, held in recent days, has been adjourned to May 22 to discuss the preliminary issues raised by the defense. Attorney Barbieri, legal representative of GP, 51, from Cusano Mutri, has resubmitted the plea bargaining request, which was already rejected during the preliminary hearing.

Lawyer Ciotta, defender of GS, instead requested the revocation of the civil action for alleged defects relating to the legitimacy of the act. A similar request was also advanced by lawyers Massimo Viscusi and Vaccarella, lawyers respectively of AM and LAM, who raised doubts on the status of heirs or administrators of support of the injured parties.

During the preliminary phase, the judge had accepted an objection from lawyer Viscusi regarding the vagueness of the charge, changing the wording from “persons yet to be identified” to “persons no longer identified”.

The investigation, coordinated by the public prosecutor Stefania Bianco and conducted by the Carabinieri and the Guardia di Finanza of Solopaca and Cerreto Sannita, with the support of the NAS of Salerno, had led to the issuing of precautionary measures: initially the prohibition of approaching the structure, then replaced by the prohibition of practicing the profession for one year for three of the defendants. Only AM had not filed an appeal to the Review Court.

The charges concern alleged episodes of physical and psychological violence: shouting, insults and intimidating behavior directed at frail and non-self-sufficient elderly people.