At the end of the first degree Ruby process Silvio Berlusconi was found guilty. The judges of the fourth section of the Court of Milan issued the sentence, after retiring (at 9.45) to the council chambers. The Knight, accused of the crimes of extortion and child prostitution, was sentenced for the crime of "extortion by constraint" and child prostitution to a sentence of 7 years' imprisonment, perpetual disqualification from public office and legal disqualification for the period of expiation of the sentence. The court also decided to send the papers back to the prosecutor to evaluate the possible false testimony of a long series of witnesses who filed before the court. The judges have ordered also the confiscation of assets already seized in the past from Ruby and her partner Luca Rizzo.
After 26 months and just over 50 hearings, the first instance ruling. On May 13, the assistant prosecutor Ilda Boccasini and the prosecutor Antonio Sangermano asked for a 6-year prison sentence for Berlusconi, of which 5 for unlawful induction and 1 for child prostitution, perpetual disqualification from public office and 6 years of legal disqualification .
Today the lawyer Piero Longo, after delivering a defense brief at the beginning of the hearing, declared to journalists in front of the Palace of Justice: "Let's be realistic, it's a trial against Berlusconi and in addition to Milan". A pessimism that yesterday also characterized Silvio di Berlusconi's state of mind. “I already know how it ends: it ends badly – he confided to his very close – I have done nothing, nothing wrong, this process is neither in heaven nor on earth, but since they want to get me out of the political scene, they will also take advantage of this occasion".
The Knight spent the day in Arcore and it was there that he learned of the sentence of what he considers his "most hateful trial", which has scarred his "international image". Berlusconi will be back on television in the next few days to explain "how things are", his and the PDL's personal position with respect to the moment, the state of the country, the economy, the government and perhaps even justice. It is unlikely that the Knight will decide to speak now in the wake of his conviction.
