Italy arrest over soldier's 'hazing' death in 1999
- Published
Hazing was tolerated at the barracks, an inquiry found
A man has been arrested over the death of an Italian paratrooper 19 years ago that prosecutors now say could have been the result of hazing.
Emanuele Scieri, 26, was found dead at the foot of a ladder up to a parachute jump-training tower in a barracks in the city of Pisa in 1999.
Autopsy results said the trainee suffered multiple injuries in a fall and survived for hours before dying.
Last year an investigating commission said Mr Scieri did not commit suicide.
It said he had been attacked before he died and added that there was a "surprisingly high level of tolerance towards hazing" at the Gamerra barracks.
Mr Scieri was "attacked by the bullies, even when he was on the ground" at the barracks and then "left in agony" when there was still time to save him, Pisa Prosector Alessandro Crini said.
He said three former soldiers had already been under investigation for murder but one of them was arrested when it emerged he was about to flee for the US, external, Le Repubblica newspaper reported.
The initial investigation into Mr Scieri's death looked at the possibility hazing was involved, while an army general also raised the possibility in a media interview, but prosecutors said at the time that there was not enough evidence to press charges.
The head of the Folgore parachute regiment had suggested it was suicide.
However Mr Scieri's parents refused to accept this and campaigned for a commission of inquiry, whose findings prompted prosecutors to reopen their investigation.
There has been speculation that Mr Scieri may have been climbing the tower as a test of his strength, Italian news agency Ansa reported.