Naples – The Naples Court of Appeals has upheld the conviction for aggravated threats against Giovanni Cellurale, 51, a leading member of the Casalesi clan. The boss, already sentenced to life in prison for murder, will also serve a sentence of one year and six months in prison, the maximum sentence for the crime charged in the first instance.
The ruling, issued by the First Criminal Section of the Court of Appeal (president Daniela Critelli), reaffirmed the verdict of the Court of Santa Maria Capua Vetere (president Luciana Crisci), which had accepted the request of Public Prosecutor Fabrizio Vanorio.
Threats from prison
At the heart of the affair are serious death threats made against Maria Bertone, editor of the newspapers Cronache di Napoli and Cronache di Caserta and the online newspaper cronachedi.it.
The facts date back to August 2021, when Cellurale, at the time detained in the Palermo "Pagliarelli" prison, sent a handwritten letter to the editorial staff of Cronache.
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"You know, I was thinking about you. I sincerely hope I get out soon so I can blow you up. Now I'm telling everyone that if anyone gets out before me, they'll have to shoot you and your whole bunch of shit in the mouth ten times. I'm currently being held in the Pagliarelli prison in Palermo. I hope you publish this in your s... paper. I swear that the day I get out, I'll come and shoot you in the mouth."
The weight of the clan
According to investigators, Giovanni Cellurale, originally from Aversa, is a prominent member of the Caterino di Cesa faction of the Casalesi clan, historically linked to the boss Francesco Bidognetti, known as Cicciotto 'e Mezzanotte. The explicit reference to his Camorra affiliation justified the aggravating circumstance of mafia methods, crucial to the severity of the sentence.
During both levels of proceedings, director Maria Bertone was represented by attorney Gennaro Razzino. The Libra cooperative, which publishes the threatened newspapers, and the Campania Order of Journalists, chaired by Ottavio Lucarelli, also joined the proceedings as civil plaintiffs, underscoring the solidarity of press institutions against all forms of criminal intimidation.
Comments (1)
This ruling shows that justice in Italy works, but there are still many problems linked to the mafia. It's important to continue fighting these threats and protecting journalists like Maria Bertone, who do essential work.