BBC News - L'Aquila quake: Italy scientists guilty of manslaughter

Six Italian scientists and an ex-government official have been sentenced to six years in prison over the 2009 deadly earthquake in L'Aquila.

A regional court found them guilty of multiple manslaughter.

Prosecutors said the defendants gave a falsely reassuring statement before the quake, while the defence maintained there was no way to predict major quakes.

The 6.3 magnitude quake devastated the city and killed 309 people.

'Alarming' case

It took Judge Marco Billi slightly more than four hours to reach the verdict.

The seven were judged to have provided "inexact, incomplete and contradictory" information about the danger of the tremors that were felt ahead of 6 April 2009 quake, Italian media report.

The defendants were also ordered to pay court costs and damages.

It was not immediately known if they planned to appeal.

The case has alarmed many in the scientific community, who feel science itself has been put on trial.

More than 5,000 scientists signed an open letter to Italian President Giorgio Napolitano in support of the defendants.

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this is a tough one oh boy

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lol now scientists being prosecuted for failing to predict the future. next doctors will be sued when we tell patients you have 3 months to live and he dies after 1 month. disappointing stuff from italian courts...UNLESS scientists systematically deceived the public or withheld or distorted facts.

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DID they somehow prove that they were deliberately giving false information? or was a part of a conspiracy?

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Alright, now thats what you call bullshit. They should appeal against it , this is totally irrational :S
Who was the judge Rehman Malik ? :P

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