On July 1, 2025, Italy’s Court of Cassation rejected an appeal by the Milan Attorney General’s Office to revoke the semi-freedom status of Alberto Stasi, convicted in 2015 for the 2007 murder of his girlfriend, Chiara Poggi, in Garlasco, Italy. The decision allows Stasi, now 41, to continue spending parts of his day outside Bollate prison for work and social reintegration, returning in the evening, as he serves a 16-year sentence. The ruling has reignited debate over the high-profile case, especially amid new investigations into potential alternative suspects. This article examines the Cassation’s decision, the Garlasco case’s developments, public sentiment, and ongoing inquiries, drawing on sources like ANSA, Il Sole 24 ORE, and posts on X.
Cassation’s Ruling on Semi-Freedom
The Milan Attorney General’s Office, led by Francesca Nanni and deputy Valeria Marino, sought to revoke Stasi’s semi-freedom, granted on April 11, 2025, by the Milan Supervisory Court, citing an unauthorized interview he gave to Le Iene on March 30, 2025, during a family leave, per Il Sole 24 ORE. The prosecutors argued that Stasi’s failure to seek permission violated conditions of his semi-freedom, which allows him to work as an accountant in Milan and engage in reintegration activities, per LaPresse. The Court of Cassation, after a hearing on July 1, 2025, upheld the Supervisory Court’s decision, finding the interview did not warrant revocation, per X post @ultimoranet. Stasi’s lawyer, Giada Bocellari, noted the court recognized Stasi’s empathy toward Poggi in the interview, supporting the decision, per Il Sole 24 ORE.
The ruling means Stasi, who has served 10 years of his sentence, can continue his semi-freedom regime, with his sentence set to end in 2028. He may soon be eligible for probation to social services, per Agenzia Nova.
The Garlasco Murder Case
Chiara Poggi, 26, was killed on August 13, 2007, in her family’s villa in Garlasco, Pavia. Stasi, her boyfriend and a former Bocconi student, was initially acquitted in 2009 and 2011 but convicted in 2015 after the Court of Cassation overturned earlier verdicts in 2013, ordering a new trial, per LaPresse. The conviction relied on circumstantial evidence, including Stasi’s failure to explain blood traces and inconsistencies in his alibi, though he maintains his innocence, stating in a 2022 Le Iene interview, “My conscience is light,” per Unione Sarda.
Recent investigations, reopened in 2025, have introduced doubts. A preliminary hearing found only Stasi and Poggi’s DNA on household items like a Fruttolo yogurt and Estathè drink from the crime scene, per LaPresse. However, Stasi’s defense, led by Antonio De Rensis and Giada Bocellari, argues multiple people may have been present, citing four unexamined long black hairs in a sink and a 2007 consultant’s claim of two perpetrators, per Oggi and Calabria News. A footprint near Poggi’s body, attributed to Andrea Sempio, a friend of Poggi’s brother, prompted interrogations of Sempio, Stasi, and Marco Poggi on May 20, 2025, though Sempio’s lawyer, Massimo Lovati, called the evidence “inconsistent,” per Oggi.
Public and Legal Reactions
The Cassation’s decision has polarized opinions. Poggi’s mother expressed dismay, stating, “We hope we never meet him,” per Unione Sarda. X posts reflect divided sentiment: @ultimoranet and @pomeriggio5 confirmed the ruling, while @saures788 called Stasi a “victim of mala giustizia,” arguing investigative errors taint the case, per. @PastoreAdirato claimed Stasi’s guilt is “improbable,” citing suppressed evidence, per. Critics like @AndreaCilento questioned the conviction’s reliance on “exclusion” rather than direct proof, per.
The reopened investigation, coordinated by Pavia prosecutors Fabio Napoleone and Valentina De Stefano, focuses on new evidence, including a hammer found in a Tromello canal, though its relevance is unconfirmed, per Oggi. De Rensis, on Rai 3’s Filorosso (July 1, 2025), criticized past investigative oversights, like untested hairs, and avoided commenting on the Cassation ruling out of respect for the judiciary, per Calabria News.
Implications and Ongoing Developments
The Cassation’s rejection of the appeal reinforces Stasi’s semi-freedom, a significant step toward potential full release by 2028. However, the reopened investigation could alter his fate if new evidence exonerates him or implicates others, like Sempio, whose footprint remains under scrutiny, per Agenzia Nova. The European Court of Human Rights rejected Stasi’s 2018 appeal for a trial review, citing no procedural unfairness, per Unione Sarda, but the new probe keeps the case alive.
For observers, the Garlasco case highlights Italy’s complex judicial system and the challenges of revisiting convictions, as noted in IrishDentist.ie. Follow updates on www.ansa.it or X, and support victim advocacy groups addressing gender-based violence, given the case’s tragic context.
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