Italy disaster experts quit over quake trial
October 24, 2012  00:04
Four top Italian disaster experts quit their posts today, saying the manslaughter convictions of former colleagues for failing to adequately warn of a deadly 2009 earthquake means they can't effectively perform their duties.

A court in the quake-devastated town of L'Aquila convicted seven former members of Italy's so-called 'Great Risks Commission' and sentenced each of them to six years in prison, prompting predictions that experts would be discouraged from working in Italy for fear of similar risks of prosecution. 

Commission president Luciano Maiani and two other members resigned, along with a top official for earthquake and volcano risk in the national department of civil protection.
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