A 30-year sentence is the maximum applicable in Italy under trial by the so-called “abbreviated rite”, in which the judge for the preliminary hearing issues the sentence, cutting short the process, and recognizing a certain “discount” on the sentence in case of a guilty verdict.
The verdict was no surprise.
After the sentence, Elisa's mother declared to journalists:
“Danilo has to ROT in England, and he will...”
Reading between the lines, one can sense her doubt that, should he be extradited to Italy, the forces that covered up his crime for more than fifteen years could come into play again.
Ms Filomena Claps then appealed for those who know the truth about these 18 years since Elisa's murder to come forward . Those who have covered up this crime must face their responsibilities, she said, not only for the pain her family has endured, but above all, because Heather Barnett's family have lost a wife and mother for ever. This second murder would never have happened if proper action had been taken after Elisa disappeared.
Restivo has been sentenced, but the Salerno magistrates have another, related investigation open, to ascertain if there are penal responsibilities to be attributed to accessories. Others aided Restivo to avoid justice, protected his transfer to England, covered up evidence, and possibly put pressure on the police and magistrate first involved in the case. Certainly Restivo's parents have moral responsibility, but how they managed to influence others is a mystery.
The Judge for the Preliminary Hearing Rejected a Request from the Church to Bring a Civil Action in the Criminal Case against Danilo Restivo
The Judge for the abbreviated rite, Elisabetta Boccassini of the Salerno Tribunal, refused the request from the Church to bring a civil action in this case, pointing out that the body of Elisa Claps had lain for far too long under the roof of the Potenza Church of the Santissima Trinità. The Judge simply stated that the length of time the girl's corpse remained on the church premises was tantamount to “negligence” on the part of the Church. Elisa's family and public opinion considered this belated “interest” from the Church an outrage, since the parish priests close to the case never gave much co-operation during all the years the girl was missing.
Clergymen Involved in the Case of Elisa Claps
Local clergymen have not always behaved transparently in this case. Exactly how and why remains to be seen, and many think the truth will never come out.
- Don Mimì Sabia was the priest of the Church of the Santissima Trinità at the time of Elisa's disappearance. His reaction to the announcement of the disappearance of a 16-year-old girl last known to be in his church, was to lock up the church and leave town for several days. When asked by investigators if he knew Danilo Restivo, he claimed to know him only by sight. Many people knew that the relationship was much deeper than that. Restivo was often in the church, and photographs have appeared showing Don Mimì beside the boy at his 18th birthday party. Police investigators cannot haul a priest down to the station and interrogate him, and the secrets of the confessional are sacred. Don Mimì died a few years ago, taking his secrets, if any, with him.
- Don Pierluigi Vignola was Don Mimì Sabia's assistant at the time of Elisa's disappearance. He declared that he was not even aware of the disappearance, and that his sister had not told him of any such matter. This seems incredible, when the whole town was talking about it and streets were papered with posters of Elisa. - Later it appeared that his sister had told him that she (the sister) was being pestered by a “sticky” boy who kept wanting to give her presents and be her boyfriend, and this sticky boy was called Danilo Restivo.
- Don Wagno Olivera E Silva is the young Brazilian Assistant Priest, who appears to have seen the body of Elisa, about 40 days before the discovery by three workmen repairing the church roof. This has been a case of : now I tell you, now I deny it. Two cleaning women told Don Wagno about the body, he looked at it and even picked up the spectacles lying close by. Then apparently he made a phone call to his Archbishop to tell him about the discovery. The Archbishop was absent and Don Wagno declared that he forgot about the matter. The cleaning ladies afterwards retracted their statement. No wonder the investigators feel taken for a ride. It's to be said that Don Wagno's Italian was not very good at the time and he might have had difficulty with communications, however his behaviour is seen as strange and not many people forget about human remains in their attic.
Possible Connection with Suicide of a Woman Police Inspector in Potenza
The Italian TV show Chi l'Ha Visto has followed the disappearance of Elisa Claps since 1993, during years in which the family claim to have received little support from the police. In a recent edition, they examined the case of Anna Esposito, known as an excellent policewoman and inspector, separated mother of two, Chief Inspector of the Potenza Police, who died aged 35 on 12 March 2001. She was found dead in her police station lodgings with a belt round her neck attached to a door handle.
The body was moved and the scene of her death contaminated before investigative procedures were carried out, and her death was dismissed as suicide.
Confirmation that Anna Esposito was likely to have committed suicide came from the Chaplain to Potenza Police, at that time Don Pierluigi Vignola, assistant priest of the Santissima Trinità at the time of Elisa's disappearance. Don Vignola was a friend of the Esposito family. He declared that he was aware that Anna had already attempted suicide two months before, using the same improbable method. Apparently her relationship with colleagues was not good. Don Vignola was unable to explain why he had neither attempted to hint at something wrong to his friend, Anna's father, nor taken any action with her superiors. Anna's father rejects the suicide verdict.
Since the solution of Elisa Claps' murder, two disturbing statements have been made:
- Gildo Claps, Elisa's brother, stated that shortly before her death, Anna Esposito had telephoned him and asked to meet him.
- He also stated that Anna Esposito's mother (separated from her father) told him that Anna had phoned her in 2000 to confide that someone in the Police Station knew the truth about Elisa's disappearance, that she had been murdered and that they knew where the body was hidden.
So Elisa now rests in peace, but for some others, sleep may not be quite so peaceful.
Valerie Wilson - Valerie Wilson has lived, studied and worked in Scotland, Germany and Italy; mainly employed in multi-national companies in shipping ...
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