Spartacus Trial

The trial was opened at the Corte d'Assise of Santa Maria Capua Vetere in Caserta.

It was named after the historical gladiator, Spartacus (who led a rebellion of slaves beginning in old Capua against the ancient Roman Empire).

[6] The other Casalesi clan members who received life sentences were: Giuseppe Caterino, Cipriano D'Alessandro, Enrico Martinelli, Sebastiano Panaro, Giuseppe Russo, Walter Schiavone, Luigi Venosa, Vincenzo Zagaria, Alfredo Zara, Mario Caterino and Raffaele Diana.

More than 1,300 people were investigated, 508 witnesses gave evidence and 626 were interviewed in the trial which saw the heaviest penalties ever for organised crime with a total of 700 years of imprisonment.

Over the course of the initial trial and the appeal, five people involved in the case were murdered, including a court interpreter.