Sex, lies, no videotape as Silvio trial begins
Unlike Berlusconi’s other trials, the one that opens today puts the premier’s personal life under scrutiny, and a conviction could end his political career. TV crews from around the world will be on hand for the opening session — even though Berlusconi is not attending.
“This time it is not about offshore, secret accounts and tax havens, but about sex, money and power,” the Turin-daily La Stampa wrote this week.
Berlusconi is skipping today’s session, citing earlier commitments to attend ceremonies marking the two-year anniversary of an earthquake in central Italy that killed 300 people.
Even without his presence, media interest is feverish, and the Milan court overseeing the trial is holding the opening session — reserved mainly for formalities like setting future trial dates — in an auditorium usually used for ceremonial occasions in order to accommodate media.
Outside, Berlusconi supporters have pledged to maintain a vigil on a traffic island opposite the courthouse where dozens have gathered for recent court hearings in three other pending Berlusconi cases, all involving corruption and fraud allegations.
Prosecutors allege Berlusconi paid a 17-year-old Moroccan girl known by her nickname Ruby for sex at his villa, then personally called police to have her released from custody when she was picked up for theft out of concern that she would reveal their relationship.
Both the 74-year-old premier and Ruby, whose real name is Karima el-Mahroug, have denied having sex.
The underage prostitution charge carries a possible prison term of six months to three years. The abuse of power charge is even more dangerous: it carries a sentence of four to 12 years, and if Berlusconi is sentenced to more than five, he would be barred from ever again holding public office.
Legal experts and oddsmakers alike agree that the case will be hard to prove.
Bologna law professor Carlo Guarnieri says that convictions will require stronger evidence than what he has seen so far reported in newspapers, consisting mostly of wiretaps allegedly placing Ruby at Berlusconi’s villa outside of Milan, as well as testimony from a bevy of would-be starlets who took part in raucous parties.
In the abuse of power case, prosecutors must prove that there was an implication of a threat of retaliation, he said.
“This is a case which is difficult to sustain in court. It is very likely that all these people involved will tell very different versions,” Guarnieri said.
Ironclad evidence would be something like a videotape, Guarnieri said. So far, no reports of such has surfaced.
Prosecutors allege that Berlusconi paid for sex 13 times with Ruby, who has since turned 18, during parties that started with dinner, then generated into seminude dancing after which Berlusconi would choose a sex partner.
A new poll out yesterday, shows Berlusconi’s popularity in steady decline. The premier enjoys just 33% approval, compared with 50% last May.
Berlusconi has said he intends to attend this and the other court cases against him in Milan. Ruby is being called as a witness for both the defence and the prosecution.
