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Chico Forti Awaits Imminent Ruling on Conditional Release in Italy

Judges are assessing an Article 176 bid grounded in long detention, documented rehabilitation, claimed sentencing disparity.

Overview

  • After a Sept. 17 hearing before the Tribunale di Sorveglianza, a decision on Enrico “Chico” Forti’s conditional release is expected within hours or days.
  • Forti’s lawyers filed under Article 176 of the penal code, arguing he has served roughly five years more than an equivalent Italian sentence would require.
  • Forti, 66, was convicted in the United States for the 1998 murder of Dale Pike, served about 25 years in Florida, and was transferred to Verona’s Montorio prison in May 2024.
  • He is described as a model inmate with regular permits to visit his 97-year-old mother in Trento and participation in prison programs including a pizzaiolo course, library work, and writing an autobiography.
  • A favorable ruling would replace incarceration with supervised measures and specific obligations similar to a trial-period regime and would not affect the underlying conviction.