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Politicians
led torchlight processions in Rome and in cities across Italy on
Wednesday in protest of the upcoming scheduled execution of a
convicted killer in Virginia. The countdown to the execution of
Derek Rocco Barnabei, an American of Italian descent, dominated
headlines and newscasts in Italy, which is strongly opposed to the
death penalty.
``Governments
can't kill people to make justice,'' Walter Veltroni, head of the
lead party in Italy's governing center-left coalition, said at a
protest outside Rome's Pantheon.
``Americans'
consciences are moving, but the politicians are too slow,''
Veltroni said, declaring Italy would keep up pressure for a
worldwide moratorium on the death penalty. Up to 300 people took
part in the protest in Rome - a politician-heavy crowd that
included the leader of Italy's communist party.
Pope
John Paul II earlier Wednesday added to appeals of Italy's leaders
to Virginia to stop the execution. Barnabei is scheduled to die by
injection at 9 p.m. Thursday for the rape and murder of a
17-year-old student at Old Dominion University.
Even
after release of DNA evidence that Virginia said erased any doubt
of Barnabei's guilt, Italian media on Wednesday explored Barnabei's
suggestions that his fraternity brothers framed him in the killing.
Italian
state TV aired the film, ``Dead Man Walking,'' Wednesday night on
the eve of the execution. Italian TV planned live coverage from
outside the execution site in Virginia in the hours leading up to
it. |
