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Arezzo Court Acquits Sandro Mugnai in Excavator Attack Killing, Citing Self-Defense

Judges found an immediate and serious threat to his family, rejecting the prosecution’s bid to punish an alleged excess of self-defense.

Overview

  • The Corte d’Assise of Arezzo on December 5, 2025 cleared Mugnai after ruling he acted in legitimate defense during the 2023 incident.
  • Presiding Judge Anna Maria Lo Prete’s panel rejected prosecutor Laura Taddei’s request for a four-year sentence for excessive self-defense.
  • Investigators and court testimony described neighbor Gezim Dodoli ramming cars and then the house with a mechanical digger at night in San Polo.
  • Mugnai fired multiple shots with a legally owned hunting carbine toward the excavator’s cab, killing Dodoli as several relatives were inside the home for Epiphany dinner.
  • The case drew strong local attention and public backing for Mugnai, including vigils and support from figures such as former general Roberto Vannacci, and immediate reactions to the verdict included visible relief from the defendant and his family.