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Italian woman rams Moroccan man to death over alleged handbag theft

DR
Estimated read time: 2'

A 52-year-old Moroccan national, identified as N.N., was killed in the Italian coastal city of Viareggio after allegedly stealing a handbag from a 65-year-old Italian businesswoman and socialite, C.D.P.

Local Italian media reports indicate that CCTV footage shows the Moroccan man walking past a shop when the woman's Mercedes SUV suddenly rams into him at high speed. The vehicle then reverses back and forth over his body four times before she exits the car, retrieves her handbag, and drives away. Paramedics rushed the man to the hospital, but he later succumbed to his injuries.

Police identified the Italian woman using her vehicle's license plate and arrested her hours later. She admitted to chasing the man, claiming he had threatened her with a knife and that she only wanted to retrieve her bag, which contained important personal items. However, police found no knife on the victim. Initially, the woman was jailed on suspicion of manslaughter but was later placed under house arrest.

The woman's lawyer, Enrico Marzaduri, dismissed the video evidence, arguing that his client had intended only to stop the man by aiming for his legs, and that the initial impact had been fatal, according to the autopsy. «She is suffering for what she did and feels remorse for what happened», Marzaduri stated.

However, the local archbishop, Monsignor Paolo Giulietti, condemned her actions: «This is not self-defence; the video shows astonishing behaviour», he said in remarks reported by Italian media. «How do you drive over a person’s body several times? ... Nothing, absolutely nothing, can justify murder».

Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini offered a contrasting stance, writing on Facebook: «This drama is the consequence of a crime. If the man who lost his life hadn’t been a delinquent, this wouldn’t have happened».

Meanwhile, in an interview with Moroccan media, the deceased's grieving family demanded justice: «Not even an animal is killed the way our brother was. We call for the woman to be sent back to jail», they said, describing him as «a good man».

As the case unfolds, a banner appeared on a Viareggio building site reading, «Those with money have power; the law is not equal for everyone», questioning the fairness of Italy's legal system in light of the woman’s house arrest. The Moroccan family and community anxiously await the outcome of the investigation and a just resolution.

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