Garlasco's Reasonable Doubt: Meeting with the Magistrate Who Absolved Stasi in Padula

Padula – The Garlasco case, one of the longest-running legal proceedings in Italy, will be the focus of a meeting scheduled for Saturday, October 3, 2026, at 10:00 a.m., in the Sala Sanseverino of the Certosa di San Lorenzo in Padula.

The event, titled "The Reasonable Doubt of Garlasco. A Judge in the Labyrinth of Italy's Most Discussed News Case ," draws inspiration from the book by Stefano Vitelli and Giuseppe Legato, published by Piemme in 2026, and offers a reflection on the relationship between trial, evidence, and judgment, starting with the professional experience of Vitelli, the magistrate who, in 2009, as GUP, pronounced the first-instance acquittal of Alberto Stasi in the Chiara Poggi murder case.

The meeting is not intended to overshadow the procedural truths that have matured over the years, but rather to address the issue from a legal and judicial perspective, focusing on the meaning of the principle of "beyond reasonable doubt," a cornerstone of our criminal justice system.

In the book, the author revisits some of the most controversial aspects of the investigation and the proceedings, from time reconstructions to computer analyses, from blood traces to various expert assessments, and even the investigative aspects that have fueled debate over the case over time. At the heart of the book, however, is the role of those called upon to decide a person's liability when the evidence gathered during the trial does not, from the judge's perspective, overcome all reasonable doubt.

It is also a reflection on the profession of judge and the difficulty of exercising judicial power in cases that, beyond the courtroom, become the subject of enormous media attention. The relationship between justice and public opinion, the power of media coverage, and the risk of trials being discussed outside their natural venues will be among the topics of discussion.

The Mayor of Padula, Michela Cimino, will deliver official greetings. Speakers will include Vincenzo Bonafine, President of the Lagonegro Bar Association, and Giovanni Leonasi, President of the "A. De Marsico" Criminal Bar Association at the Lagonegro Courthouse. The guest speaker will be Stefano Vitelli, author of the book and the magistrate who presided over the first-instance trial in the case against Alberto Stasi.

The discussion will be moderated by Caterina Di Bianco, a lawyer from the Lagonegro Bar Association and Councilor for Culture for the Municipality of Padula. Following the presentations, a discussion will take place with the opportunity for the audience to participate and ask questions.

The meeting was born from the desire of the Municipality of Padula to offer an opportunity to explore a topic that concerns not only one of the most well-known judicial cases in the country, but also some fundamental principles of our justice system.

"The initiative," emphasizes Padula's Deputy Mayor and Councilor for Culture, Caterina Di Bianco, "was created with the aim of offering an in-depth look at the principle of 'beyond reasonable doubt' and, at the same time, opening the discussion to a wider audience. The Garlasco case, in fact, continues to generate great interest and be the center of media attention. We felt it was important to create an opportunity for discussion that, starting from the legal perspective and the direct experience of a magistrate who played a role in the proceedings, could help better understand the meaning and weight of judicial decisions, beyond the scope of media debate."

Due to its technical and legal focus, the meeting has been accredited by the Lagonegro Bar Association for professional training purposes, with the awarding of 2 training credits in ordinary subjects.