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.