The Court of Cassation has put an end to the trial into the death of Salvatore Giordano, the 14-year-old boy who died after being hit by collapsing debris in the Galleria Umberto I in Naples.
The judges of the Fourth Section declared inadmissible the appeals presented by two of the defendants, making the sentences handed down on appeal final.
Mariano Bruno and Elio Notarbartolo, respectively the administrator and technician of the apartment building in Piazzetta Matilde Serao, will each serve two years in prison. The two, who waived the statute of limitations, were found guilty of causing a disaster through negligence, manslaughter, and causing personal injury through negligence.
Procedural positions
The Supreme Court also declared inadmissible the appeal of the third defendant, former municipal manager Giovanni Spagnuolo, convicted of manslaughter. Spagnuolo's charges of manslaughter and manslaughter were barred by the statute of limitations.
The sentences were issued in January 2025 by the Court of Appeal of Naples, which confirmed the responsibilities for the failure to maintain the historic building.
The tragedy of July 5, 2014
It was July 5, 2014, when Salvatore was with some friends on Via Toledo, at the entrance to the Galleria Umberto I. A heavy fragment of the frieze suddenly broke off from the building's façade, striking the fourteen-year-old in the head. The boy was rushed to the hospital, where he died a few days later from his serious injuries.
The accident profoundly shocked the city, shining a spotlight on the state of disrepair of many historic buildings in central Naples and the lack of safety checks on these structures.
The three levels of judgment
The trial proceeded through all levels of jurisdiction over the course of twelve years. After the conviction in the first instance, the sentence was upheld by the Court of Appeal of Naples in January 2025. The defendants' attempts to overturn the verdict in the Supreme Court of Cassation ended with the appeals being declared inadmissible, thus rendering the sentences final.
The bitterness of the family
"There's much more behind this tragic death, but I can only acknowledge the Supreme Court's decision," commented Sergio Pisani, the lawyer representing the Giordano family. He added, "I hope that at least now private individuals and the municipality will compensate the family," implying that issues related to civil liability and compensation for the young victim's family remain unresolved.
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Comments (2)
I also think the issue is complex and there are still many unanswered questions. It's essential to carry out more rigorous inspections of historic buildings to avoid similar tragedies in the future.
The court's ruling seems fair to me, but I think there are too many unclear points about the case. The safety of the facilities is important, and we hope similar incidents never happen again. The children deserve to be protected.