Second Florence Cop Also Denies Rape

The second carabiniere military policeman involved in the rape case of the two American students admitted to having sexual intercourse with one of the girls. Pietro Costa, 32, denies rape. Costa broke down in tears in the interrogation with his lawyer present and said, “I did not have rape in mind.”

His statement was similar to that of the other policeman, Marco Camuffo, who also admitted to consensual sex with one of the girls.

Both of the carabiniere involved were not supposed to be on duty in the downtown Florence area because that is where the police (polizia) were assigned to stay that evening. The two officers did not report to headquarters that they were bringing the girls home. Security cameras on the road near the students’ apartment show that Costa and Camuffo’s squad car was for 20 minutes.

The officers have been suspended from service.

Public prosecutor Giuseppe Creazzo, is waiting for medical reports to show how much alcohol was in each girl’s system at the time of the attack. One of the girls also smoked either marijuana or hashish. It will take a few weeks for the tests to come back. The toxicology reports will determine if the girls were able to consent to sexual intercourse or not.

To read more in Italian, visit Florence’s La Repubblica news site.