New twists in Italian seismology trial

The courthouse in L’Aquila, Italy, yesterday hosted the most anticipated hearing in the trial of six seismologists and one government official indicted for manslaughter over their reassurances to the public ahead of a deadly earthquake in 2009 (see Scientists face trial over earthquake deaths and Scientists on trial: At fault?). During the hearing, the former head of the Italian Civil Protection turned from a key witness into a defendant, and a seismologist from California criticized Italy’s top earthquake experts