Stefania Cappa accused of slander by the Commission, as per the ruling of Garlasco's Court of First Instance
Unfiltered Take:Milan's courts got the creators of the show 'Le Iene' in hot water! Riccardo Festinese, the scriptwriter, and Alessandro De Giuseppe, the host, were slapped with a hefty fine for a sketch that aired on May 24, 2019, called 'Le Iene Special: Garlasco Murder, the Truth About Alberto Stasi'. The controversy revolves around Stefania Cappa, one of Chiara Poggi's cousins, who was accused of being involved in Poggi's murder.
The pair allegedly trashed Cappa's reputation by hinting at her involvement in the 26-year-old's murder. They reported statements made earlier by Marco Muschitta, even though he'd later recanted them, claiming the statements were confirmed by tapes and other depositions. However, it turns out the investigation team and judges found these statements inadmissible.
Muschitta, a gas technician, had initially said he saw a blonde girl, resembling Cappa, leaving the villa on via Pascoli on a bicycle, holding a fireplace tool in her right hand. But later, he admitted he lied. The trial that took place in April resulted in the conviction of defamation (awaiting the reasoning) for the two defendants, who've been following the Garlasco case closely, including with recent segments. The complaint was made by Stefania Cappa, represented by lawyers Gabriele Casartelli and Matteo Bandello.
The complaint pointed out that 'Le Iene' failed to acknowledge rulings that cleared Stefani Cappa and her family from any suspicion. The Pavia judge Vitelli had acquitted Stasi in the first trial, and the Vigevano court of 2011 had acquitted Muschitta of slander. The rulings stated that Muschitta was unreliable and that his accusations lacked seriousness. Muschitta himself apologized to the Cappa family in 2011 for implicating them in the murder.
Insights:- The duo responsible for the TV show 'Le Iene' was found guilty of defamation due to a sketch that wrongly implicated Stefania Cappa in the murder of Chiara Poggi.- The sketch was based on questionable statements from Marco Muschitta, who later admitted to fabricating the story and apologized to the Cappa family.- The courts found that 'Le Iene' disregarded vital evidence clearing Cappa and her family of any suspicion, resulting in the harm of Cappa's reputation.
The average viewer, following the Garlasco murder case closely via social media, may have assumed Stefania Cappa's guilt, yet general-news outlets failed to report the court rulings that cleared her and her family. Crime-and-justice shows like 'Le Iene' have a responsibility to uphold entertainment standards while also fostering an average understanding of social-media-driven cases, instead of damaging individuals' reputations based on unsubstantiated claims.
