Wednesday December 1 2010
Murder sentence for Sandri shooting

The police officer who shot Lazio fan Gabriele Sandri has been given a nine-year prison sentence for murder rather than manslaughter.

Italian football was stunned when Sandri was killed as he lay in the back of a car that was driving away from a motorway service station on November 11 2007.

There was an altercation between the Lazio supporters and Juventus fans as they were on their way to a match against Inter at San Siro, but this scuffle seemed to be over when officer Luigi Spaccarotella fired his gun.

He originally claimed it was an accidental shot, then that he only fired into the air, but the ballistics reports did not bear that up.

Spaccarotella was sentenced to six years for manslaughter in the first trial, but on appeal the verdict is even harsher.

The judges ruled it was voluntary homicide and passed a sentence of nine years and four months in prison.

“This justice had to be done,” said Sandri's father Giorgio. “Unlike what I said at the first trial, today hearing the decision of the judges made me proud to be Italian.”

'Gabbo' Sandri was a very popular figure among the Lazio supporters, a DJ of some note and had several friends among the squad.
