Valter Lavitola Claims Desire to Protect Sigfrido Ranucci During Court Hearing

Valter Lavitola appeared before the Riesame judges to provide spontaneous statements regarding his involvement in an attack on Sigfrido Ranucci. According to his lawyers, Sergio and Arturo Cola, Lavitola claimed that his actions were motivated by a desire to protect Ranucci from a known threat of an attack. Lavitola further stated that his friendship with Ranucci provided him with a sense of social redemption given his previous judicial history. Regarding the execution of the crime, Lavitola reportedly took full responsibility for the consequences but asserted that the specific idea of using a bomb belonged to an individual named Gomes Tavares. Lavitola claimed he gave Gomes a blank mandate to handle the situation without specifying the methods and was not told a bomb would be used.

The defense argued that the political motive hypothesized by the Rome Prosecutor is non existent. Lavitola reportedly told the court that Ranucci never intended to enter politics and often complained when Lavitola suggested the topic. During the three hour hearing, the defense requested house arrest for Lavitola at a residence in Basilicata, a request the judges have reserved for a later decision. The defense also submitted a 72 page defensive memorandum to the court.