News

Friday, October 26, 2012

Berlusconi lawyers attack tax fraud conviction, say will appeal

ROME (Reuters) - SIlvio Berlusconi's lawyers fiercely criticised his conviction for tax fraud on Friday, saying they would appeal against the "incredible" verdict that sentenced him to four years imprisonment.

"The sentence is absolutely incredible," the former prime minister's defence lawyers Piero Longo and Niccolo Ghedini said in a statement.

"It is to be hoped that in the appeals court there will be a different atmosphere," they said, describing Friday's verdict as "totally divorced from all judicial logic."

Berlusconi will not go to jail unless he loses what is likely to be a lengthy appeals process.

(Reporting By Gavin Jones)

  • E-mail this story
  • Print this story
  • Bookmark and Share