Italian Seismologists Could Get Four Years in Prison

[GemWArrioR]

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Italian Seismologists Could Get Four Years in Prison

Six Italian scientists and one government official could see four-year prison terms for manslaughter for allegedly downplaying the risk of an earthquake in the town of L'Aquila, Italy, in 2009.

According to prosecutors, the six researchers and the Department of Civil Protection downplayed the likelihood that a series of tremors that hit the city in early 2009 were foreshadowing a larger quake. On April 6, 2009, a magnitude-6.3 earthquake killed 309 city residents.

The trial, which began about a year ago, has worried scientists, who point out that earthquake prediction is not possible. But prosecutors insist that the trial is not about predicting the unpredictable, according to Nature News. During closing arguments on Monday and Tuesday (Sept. 24-25), the prosecution assistant told the courtroom that instead, the scientists and officials had inadequately assessed the risk of a quake and given deceptive information to the public. The prosecution is asking for four-year prison terms for the accused.

[Related: Huge quake triggered series of temblors worldwide]

Earthquake swarms are notoriously unreliable predictors of future quakes, say seismologists. In 1988, researchers found that about half of large quakes in seismically active areas of Italy were preceded by foreshocks, but only 2 percent of small earthquake clusters predicted a big temblor.

At the controversial March 31 meeting in L'Aquila, earth scientist Enzo Boschi, now a defendant in the case, acknowledged the uncertainty, calling a large earthquake "unlikely," but saying that the possibility could not be excluded. In a post-meeting press conference, however, Department of Civil Protection official Bernardo De Bernardinis, also a defendant, told citizens there was "no danger."

Prosecutors have portrayed De Barnardinis as a victim of bad information from the team of seismologists, reported Nature News.

The trial is on hold until Oct. 9, when the defense will present its closing arguments.

Italian Seismologists Could Get Four Years in Prison - Yahoo! News
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How on earth these prosecution can predict an earthquake?

[dbalagosa]

luoya sa mga scientist oi. dili intaw na sila ginoo oi nga kahibaw sa tanan. bisan pa scientist na sila ug unsa pa na ila mga achievements...tao ra na sila.

[Eve's Apple Project]

pagkapaita gud ani..hinoon, ana man jud na responsibilidad man nila ang moinform sa public.
sa ato kaha? naa ba kahay mapriso nga taga DPWH or Pag-asa sa nahitabo sa san bernardino? og kanang flooding sa manila?

[jack_bauer]

But prosecutors insist that the trial is not about predicting the unpredictable, according to Nature News. During closing arguments on Monday and Tuesday (Sept. 24-25), the prosecution assistant told the courtroom that instead, the scientists and officials had inadequately assessed the risk of a quake and given deceptive information to the public.

...if indeed there was malice and deceit, then why not.. jail them..

states are duty bound to protect its sovereign.

[ambokz]

mao nay gi-ingon lsod na tag-anon ang panahon kron...ultimo mga katigwangan mkapanlingo na,kay sauna kwaresma,init njud kaau,kron mo uwan man.hehe..poor scientist.tsk tsk

[necrotic freak]

luoya sa mga scientist oi. dili intaw na sila ginoo oi nga kahibaw sa tanan. bisan pa scientist na sila ug unsa pa na ila mga achievements...tao ra na sila.

di sad sila motuo ug ginoo bro.

[bossdak]

maypa mag predict na silag lotto results wa pay mokiha nila kung masayop sila nya murag mas sayon pa mag predict ug lotto result kaysa linog.