The Spartacus Maxi-Trial(Italian: Processo Spartacus) was a series of criminal trials, each specifically directed against the activities of the powerful

Casalesi clan The Casalesi clan is a clan within the Camorra, an Italian criminal organization, operating from Casal di Principe and San Cipriano d'Aversa in the province of Caserta between Naples and Latium. Formed by Antonio Bardellino, it is a confederat ...

of the

Camorra The Camorra (; ) is an Italian Mafia-typeMafia and Mafia-type orga ...

. The trial was opened at the

Corte d'Assise The Corte d'Assise ( en, Court of Assizes) is an Italian court composed of two professional, stipendiary judges or ''giudici togati''; and six lay judges or ''giudici popolari'', who are selected from the people. The Corte d'Assise has jurisdictio ...

Santa Maria Capua Vetere Santa Maria Capua Vetere ( nap, Santa Maria 'e Capua) is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Caserta, part of the region of Campania (southern Italy). Though it is not connected with the ''Civitas Capuana'', the town is a medieval place and i ...

Caserta Caserta () is the capital of the province of Caserta in the Campania region of Italy. It is an important agricultural, commercial, and industrial ''comune'' and city. Caserta is located on the edge of the Campanian plain at the foot of the Camp ...

. It was named after the historical gladiator,

Spartacus Spartacus ( el, Σπάρτακος '; la, Spartacus; c. 103–71 BC) was a Thracian gladiator who, along with Crixus, Gannicus, Castus, and Oenomaus, was one of the escaped slave leaders in the Third Servile War, a major slave uprisin ...

(who led a rebellion of slaves beginning in old

Capua Capua ( , ) is a city and ''comune'' in the province of Caserta, in the region of Campania, southern Italy, situated north of Naples, on the northeastern edge of the Campanian plain. History Ancient era The name of Capua comes from the Etrusc ...

against the ancient

Roman Empire The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn) was the post- Republican period of ancient Rome. As a polity, it included large territorial holdings around the Medite ...

), and so named in recognition of the need to fight a revolt in the Casalesi clan's territory. The trial was initially chaired by its president, Catello Marano on 1 July 1998. It continued just over ten years, until its final verdict was eventually read on 19 June 2008.Il maxiprocesso Spartacus e il silenzio della stampa
Cuntrastamu, 30 September 2005«Processo Spartacus», 16 ergastoli ai Casalesi
Corriere del Mezzogiorno, June 20, 2008 In that 10-year legal trial, 36 members of the clan were charged with a string of murders and other crimes. The Casalesi clan had exploited and extorted from every business and economic opportunity, from waste disposal to construction, in creating a monopoly in the cement market for their own building businesses to the distribution of materials. Building business would have to pay for the contracts, buy material from the clan, and keep paying for protection. The clan also controlled elections.
Sydney Morning Herald, June 21, 2008 All defendants were found guilty and 16 sentenced to life imprisonment including prominent Casalesi bosses, Francesco Schiavone aka ''"

Sandokan Sandokan is a fictional late 19th-century pirate created by Italian author Emilio Salgari. His adventures first appeared in publication in 1883. Sandokan is the protagonist of 11 adventure novels. Sandokan is known throughout the South China ...

"'', and his chief lieutenant, Francesco Bidognetti. The other two bosses Antonio Iovine and Michele Zagaria were also given life sentences. However, at the time they were fugitives and are still absconding They were on the

list of most wanted fugitives in Italy The list of most wanted fugitives in Italy is a most wanted list published by the Italian Interior Ministry. It includes criminals who are considered extremely dangerous by the Polizia di Stato. The list was started in July 1992. There are also l ...

, with international warrants for their arrest. (Antonio Iovine was arrested on 17 November 2010, in Casal di Principe)Camorra Boss Antonio Iovine Arrested
Corriere della Sera, November 18, 2010 The other Casalesi clan members who received the life sentences were: Giuseppe Caterino, Cipriano D'Alessandro, Enrico Martinelli, Sebastiano Panaro, Giuseppe Russo, Walter Schiavone, Luigi Venosa, Vincenzo Zagaria, Alfredo Zara,

Mario Caterino Mario Caterino (; born June 14, 1957 in Casal di Principe) is an Italian Camorrista and member in the Casalesi clan from Casal di Principe in the province of Caserta between Naples and Salerno. He was on the " most wanted list" of the Italian mi ...

and Raffaele Diana. More than 1,300 people were investigated, 508 witnesses gave evidence and 626 were interviewed in the trial which saw the heaviest penalties ever for organised crime with a total of 700 years of imprisonment. Over the course of the initial trial and the appeal, five people involved in the case were murdered, including a court interpreter. A judge and two journalists were threatened with death.Godfathers of €25bn mafia family get life after epic trial
The Independent, 20 June 2008 In all, 115 people were prosecuted, 27 life sentences, plus 750 years in prison were handed out to the defendants. On 15 January 2010, Italy's Supreme Court confirmed the sentence.La Cassazione conferma la sentenza: Sedici ergastoli contro i Casalesi
La Repubblica, 15 January 2010

References

External links

Roberto Saviano Roberto Saviano (; born 22 September 1979) is an Italian writer, essayist, journalist, and screenwriter. In his writings, including articles and his book '' Gomorrah'', he uses literature and investigative reporting to tell of the economic reali ...

, The Washington Post, June 29, 2008
Spartacus Trial: 16 life sentences for Casalesi
on

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Spartacus Trial - Appeal Ruling
on

{{DEFAULTSORT:Spartacus Trial Mafia trials Antimafia Organized crime events in Italy 21st century in Italy History of the Camorra in Italy Casalesi clan