De Benedetti gets five years in asbestos deaths

(ANSA) - Ivrea, July 18 - A city court on Monday sentenced former Olivetti chief Carlo De Benedetti to five years two months in prison over 12 asbestos-related deaths at the company's Ivrea plant near Turin. The workers, who did jobs ranging from assembling typewriters and machine maintenance to painting, died after their retirements between 2003 and early 2013, had been employed between the 1960s and 1990s in areas of the plant that were allegedly contaminated with asbestos fibers.
    They were subsequently diagnosed with illnesses including mesothelioma, a cancer linked to asbestos. The prosecution had requested six years and eight months for manslaughter and personal injury.
    Trial Judge Elena Stoppini - who in May ordered a review of medical samples from the 12 victims - also sentenced Franco Debenedetti to five years two months (six years and four months requested) and ex-minister Corrado Passera to one year 11 months (three years and six months requested).
    Passera served as Italy's transport and industry minister from 2011 to 2013 in the emergency technocrat government of ex-premier Mario Monti.
    The judge handed down a total of 13 sentences, of which three acquittals including that of former Alitalia president and erstwhile Olivetti CEO Roberto Colannino, who was on trial for one count of culpable injury.