Italy throws out corruption case of British lawyer

ITALY’S highest court last night overturned a guilty verdict for British lawyer David Mills, who was accused of taking a bribe to lie in court to protect Premier Silvio Berlusconi.

The Court of Cassation (appeal and review) determined the statute of limitations had expired. The ruling is a victory for Berlusconi, whose trial on related corruption charges was put on hold pending the outcome of Mills’s final appeal.

Prosecutor Gianfranco Ciani insisted Mills took the bribe, but yesterday recommended that his 2009 conviction be thrown out because the statute of limitations had expired.

Mills and Berlusconi have denied wrongdoing, with the Italian premier saying he is the victim of politically- motivated prosecutors.

Mills was found guilty of corruption in February 2009 and sentenced to four- and-a-half years in prison.

Lower court judges ruled he received $600,000 (€442,600) to give false testimony in two 1990s trials to shield Berlusconi and his Fininvest holding company from charges relating to the purchase of US film rights.

An appeals court upheld the decision in October.

Prosecutor Ciani insisted yesterday that Mills took the bribe, but in a surprise move he recommended that the 2009 conviction be thrown out because the statute of limitations had expired.

Ciani told the high court there was no doubt that the money changed hands, but that the alleged crime dated from November 11, 1999. Previous courts held that the corruption occurred in late February 2000.

The court also ruled in the related civil portion of the case that since Mills did indeed receive the bribe, he was liable for €250,000 in damages to the government and €10,000 in court costs.

In Berlusconi’s portion of the case, prosecutors accused the premier of having ordered the payment.