Overview

• Four men—Ciro Grillo, Edoardo Capitta, Vittorio Lauria and Francesco Corsiglia—face trial for alleged group sexual violence against a 19-year-old woman in Costa Smeralda in July 2019 and for photographing a second woman while she slept.
• Defense lawyer Mariano Mameli argued on July 14 that the principal accuser’s testimony was shaped by extensive press coverage and questioned the absence of prior incident-probe testimony.
• Prosecutor Gregorio Capasso has signaled his intent to deliver a final rebuttal and formally requested nine-year prison terms for each defendant.
• The court adjourned its verdict session to September 1–3, 2025, to accommodate Capasso’s reply, counsels’ counter-replies and the judges’ deliberations.
• The case underscores national debates over media influence on judicial proceedings, requirements for material evidence in sexual violence allegations and the reputational fallout experienced by public figures.