This archive report was first published on 20 June 2020.
On July 26, 2020, Mario Cerciello Rega, a plain-clothed police officer, was stabbed to death during a night-time drug bust in Rome. Two American students, Finnegan Lee Elder and Gabriel Natale-Hjorth, are now on trial for his murder.
The two face life sentences if found guilty of knowingly killing a police officer. Elder has admitted to stabbing Cerciello with an 8-inch combat knife, but claims he thought he was fighting for his life against drug dealers.
However, prosecutors argue that Cerciello and his partner Andrea Varriale identified themselves before the attack. Varriale says the two students attacked them when they stopped them for questioning.
But in a recent twist, Elder's lawyers discovered a statement taken during the police investigation that was illegally withheld by the prosecution ahead of the trial. The statement, from policeman Fabrizio Pacella, reveals that drug dealer Italo Pompei was an informant of his.
This new evidence could answer many questions surrounding the case, including why Cerciello and Varriale left their designated patrol area to track down the two young Americans. Italy's best-selling Corriere della Sera daily suggested that the policemen may have been determined to recover a stolen bag containing a mobile phone that could have unmasked Pompei.
The case continues with three hearings next week, when Pompei and the intermediary will take the stand. The hearings are being held behind closed doors due to the coronavirus pandemic.
