Overview
- Late June prosecutors at the Procura generale della Cassazione asked the Supreme Court to annul with referral the Milan appellate decision that reduced Alessia Pifferi’s sentence from life to 24 years.
- The magistrates argued the appellate judges gave 'carenti' motivations for recognizing generic mitigating circumstances and said Pifferi’s recorded psychiatric distress did not affect her capacity to understand and will.
- If the Cassazione accepts the request it would send the case back to the Corte d’Assise d’Appello di Milano only to re-evaluate the attenuating circumstances and the penalty while the guilty verdict for Diana’s death would remain final.
- Court-appointed experts at both trial levels found Pifferi capable of understanding and willing, a finding prosecutors used to challenge the appellate court’s decision to remove the aggravating factor of 'futili motivi' and reduce the sentence.
- A renewed sentencing review could change long-term detention rules and parole eligibility for Pifferi and will be closely watched by the victim’s family and legal teams as the Cassazione prepares its ruling in the coming weeks.