Judge dismisses lawsuit against Itaca News

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The reporter Linda Ferrara and the chief editor Vincenzo Figlioli had been accused in 2017 by Alcamo politicians for news contained in a judicial statement.

“The truth of the news altered by a judicial provision is maintained whenever it is faithful to the content of the provision itself, without alterations or misrepresentations. It is sufficient that the published article corresponds to the content of the acts and provisions of the judicial authority, without the journalist being required to prove the objective truth or the validity of the decisions and provisions adopted in the judiciary “.

With this reasoning, on September 26^th 2019, the magistrate of the Court of Marsala ordered the dismissal of the libel proceedings against journalists Vincenzo Figlioli (chief editor) and Linda Ferrara (collaborator) of Itaca News.

The two journalists had been sued by four politicians Alcamo (Trapani): the former mayors Giacomo Sala and Sebastiano Bonventre; former councillor Antonio Manno and former municipal consultant Gaetano Intravia.

The chief editor Figlioli told Ossigeno, “We have always supported Linda Ferrara and we have defended her with our lawyer, Caterina Cardinale, publicly appreciating the work that she has carried out, claiming our independence from any pressure. – In addition to the economic burden of the attorney’s fees, which we have always met, what weighed upon us above all is the emotional burden for the possible compensation of the plaintiffs. That was what they were aiming for, but we never gave an inch. “

The politicians had resented the article entitled “The Perricone trial starts again: thirty years of intertwining between the mafia, politicians, and local entrepreneurs (and not only)”, published on 7^th September 2017. In the article Linda Ferrara, armed with documents recounted an inquiry by the Trapani Public Prosecutor which, in 2016, had led to the arrest of the former deputy mayor of Alcamo, Pasquale Perricone, and explained the functioning of the power system created by the former deputy mayor, who gave instructions to other individuals in local politics. Among the latter there are the names of the plaintiffs who, although mentioned in the documents, are not being investigated.

For the politicians, seeing their names in the article, damaged their reputation and therefore, they had sued the journalist and the chief editor of the online magazine. But for the magistrate, Linda Ferrara has respected the right to report.