The following is a slightly amended translation from yesterday's La Republica. Thanks to A. & M. in Rome.

Mario Placanica, the carabiniere who shot dead Carlo Giuliani during the G8
in Genoa has been acquitted and will NOT stand trial. The judge of the
preliminary hearing has filed his results upon the basis that the
carabiniere 'acted in self-defence and with legitimate use of the weapon'.
The judge accepted totally the ballistic report, according to which, the
bullet that hit Carlo Giuliani was fired in the air and ricocheted off a
stone that was being hurled by one of the protestors [therefore suggesting
that the real guilt lies with another protestor]. The judges report further
states, that even if the carabiniere had shot directly at Carlo Giuliani, he
would still have been acquitted on the grounds of 'legitimate use of
weapon'. The judge says that the 'use of the weapon was absolutely
indispensable and was implemented in the least offensive way possible'. This
is in total contrast with the statement that Mario Placanica released
immediately after the fact, in which he says 'I realised afterwards that I
inadvertently released the security lock on my gun', 'I felt my hand
contracting and two shots came out of my gun'. Mario Placanica has been on
suspension from duty since the incident in Genoa and has given several
interviews, for which he received payment from various outlets of the media.
He will now be re-integrated into service, protecting further citizens from
crime and violence! Carlo Giuliani's family have announced their appeal to
the report but it seems unlikely that the case will be re-opened, and due to
the findings of 'legitimate use of weapon' they cannot sue the carabiniere
in a civil trial for any form of compensation.

Further coverage below.

"Genoa Protester Case Dismissed"

BBC News

An Italian court has dismissed a case against a policeman
who shot dead a
protester during anti-globalisation riots in Genoa two
years ago.

The judge ruled that the paramilitary police officer Mario
Placanica had acted in
legitimate self defence.

He had shot 23-year-old Carlo Giuliani during clashes with
demonstrators
during a summit of the world's richest nations.

He was the first fatality since the anti-globalisation
movement began staging
protests at world meetings in 1999.

Correspondents say Carlo Giuliani has become a symbol of
the movement.

'Excessive force'

The dismissal of the case makes me
suspect that they
want to conceal the truth.

Giuliano Giuliani, protester's father

His father, Giuliano Giuliani, said he was "deeply
disappointed" that the case had been
dismissed.

"We were not asking for Placanica to be convicted, but we
wanted a trial to take place," he
was quoted as saying in the Italian press.

"The dismissal of the case makes me suspect that they want
to conceal the truth."

Some 100,000 protesters gathered in Genoa for the G8
summit in July 2001.

Police fought running battles with rioting anarchists and
protesters, and used tear gas and
water canon to protect the fenced zone around the summit
headquarters.

Giuliani was shot dead as a police van was attacked by
rioters.

Hundreds of protesters were injured during the clashes.

A month after the summit, the head of the Italian police
admitted that officers used excessive
force in dealing with demonstrators.