Posted by on December 19, 2019 11:04 am
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Categories: µ Newsjones

ROME–The criminal case against two American teens from California’s Bay Area who are accused of fatally stabbing an Italian police officer here in July has just taken a truly Italian twist. 

On Wednesday, Italian police concluded their own internal investigation into three police officers who are now facing charges that could jeopardize the case against 19-year-old Finnegan Elder and 18-year-old Gabe Natale Hjorth. Elder allegedly confessed to stabbing the officer, Mario Rega Cerciello. But he says he did so in self defense because neither Cerciello nor his partner that night identified themselves as police officers by showing weapons or badges. Hjorth also says he was manhandled during the interrogation, as shown by a photo of him blindfolded in custody. 

Officer Fabio Manganaro is accused of using excessive measures and abuse of office for blindfolding Natale Hjorth when he was in custody being questioned about the murder. Officer Silvio Pellegrino is accused of circulating the photo of the blindfolded American, which was disseminated widely in the press. 

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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