Overview
- At the Jan. 19 hearing before the Third Section of the Court of Appeal of Rome, Marco Mottola gave spontaneous remarks asserting innocence for himself and his parents, who are on trial with him.
- He said Serena Mollicone did not come to the new Arce barracks to see him and insisted he had no romantic relationship or quarrel with her.
- Mottola stated he does not know who attacked, restrained, and moved the 18-year-old to Fontecupa.
- He challenged the late brigadier Santino Tuzi’s account of Serena entering the barracks, calling it a lie, and said he first heard about the broken door in March 2008, recounting that his father told him he had damaged it.
- The current appellate proceeding follows the annulment of prior acquittals and could include about 60 witnesses as well as a new expert examination of the contested door.