Avellino Dolce Vita trial postponed to October 13

The “Dolce Vita” trial in Avellino, involving 27 defendants, has been postponed to October 13 due to a declared abstention by criminal lawyers. The proceedings will now be overseen by a new judicial panel led by Judge Gian Piero Scarlato, alongside judges Corona and Calabrese.

The defendants, including former mayor Gianluca Festa, face various charges including association, corruption, forgery, and misdirection. The investigation, conducted by the Carabinieri and Guardia di Finanza between September 2023 and March 2024, involves 18 counts of indictment.

Key preliminary issues include a dispute over whether the Municipality of Avellino can join the proceedings as a civil party. Defense attorneys argue the municipality's formal filing was untimely, while counsel for the city maintains that the original ordinance for admission remains valid. Additionally, the court must decide on requests to remove certain documents from the case file, such as initial seizure decrees, which the prosecutor argues are essential unrepeatable acts.