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The trial for the murder of the carabiniere Cerciello Rega is open
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The trial begins on Wednesday
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September 16, 2020 "I want to apologize to everyone, to the Cerciello family and their friends. To the whole world. That night was the worst of my life and if I could go back to change things I would do it now, but I can't".
This was stated in court by Finnegan Lee Elder, the American on trial together with his friend Christian Natale Hjorth for the murder of the deputy sergeant of the carabinieri, Mario Cerciello Rega, after having asked the Court to be able to make spontaneous statements.
The Carabiniere was killed in July last year with 11 stab wounds in the Prati district of the capital.
The two offenders, the American students Finnegan Lee Elder and Christian Gabriel NataleHjorth, currently detained in the Regina Coeli prison.
In addition to the crime of murder, the Prosecutor also disputes the crimes of injury, attempted extortion and resistance to a public official against them.
"I did not speak before for lack of courage - said the Californian before the judges of the first Court of Assizes. In prison I had the opportunity and time to reflect. That night was the worst of my life, not because I am in prison, far from everyone. The reasons are different: I took the life of a person, I took a husband from his wife, I broke a bond between brothers. And I took a son from his mother. I will never be able to forgive myself for all this " .
Elder added that "he will never be able to forgive me for this and I don't expect Cerciello's family to do it today, it will be difficult, but I hope that one day they can".
The young man admitted that that night "many mistakes were made. Mine was the biggest one. I would like to go back to change things, but I can't. All I can say is that I feel remorse. What happened to me. has changed forever and I promise not to make these mistakes again. "
Finnegan Lee Elder, 18, is considered the material author of the murder that took place on the night of July 26 in the Prati neighborhood a few hundred meters from the Le Meridien hotel, where the young man was staying with Gabriel Christian Natale Hjorth.
The latter is also on trial because he was present during the murder and accused of engaging in physical confrontation with Cerciello's colleague, Andrea Varriale.
They must be held accountable for murder, injury, attempted extortion and resistance to the public.