CERCIELLO REGA MURDER: ITALIAN SUPREME COURT ORDERS NEW APPEAL FOR GABRIEL NATALE HJORTH'S SENTENCE REDUCTION

ROME, ITALY • Italy's highest court has ordered a third appeal for American citizen Gabriel Natale Hjorth, specifically to review the severity of his sentence in the murder of Carabinieri Vice Brigadier Mario Cerciello Rega. While his criminal responsibility remains confirmed, judges will now reconsider the charge of "anomalous complicity," which could lead to a reduced sentence from his current 11 years and 4 months.

Rome, Italy, March 12, 2025 – 10:32 PM – Italy's Supreme Court (Cassazione) has ordered a new, third appeal for Gabriel Natale Hjorth, the American citizen involved in the murder of Vice Brigadier Mario Cerciello Rega. This appeal is specifically limited to the sentencing phase (KEY DATES OF THE CASE). Judges will be tasked with re-evaluating the charge of "anomalous complicity" in the murder, potentially leading to a reduced sentence. Hjorth had previously been sentenced to 11 years and 4 months. The court has affirmed his criminal responsibility as irrevocable.

In response to the appeal filed by the civil parties, the Supreme Court also annulled the second appellate judgment regarding civil effects for both Hjorth and Finnegan Lee Elder, who received a definitive sentence of 15 years and two months. Finally, the Court declared the Prosecutor General's appeal inadmissible.

Prosecutor General's Appeal

The case reached the Supreme Court after an appeal was also filed by the Prosecutor General. This followed the second appellate trial where no aggravating circumstances were recognized for Hjorth, who has been under house arrest for months at his grandmother's villa in Fregene, on the Roman coast. In their challenge, the Prosecutor General specifically referred to Natale's role on that tragic night six years ago. Citing "contradictory reasoning and manifest illogicality" in the previous July ruling, the Prosecutor General wrote that "Natale did nothing to prevent Elder from carrying the knife" that was later used to kill the Carabinieri officer.

Defense and Civil Parties React

Hjorth's Defense: "A Comforting Scenario Opens Up" Lawyer Francesco Petrelli, who, along with Fabio Alonzi, represents Gabriel Natale Hjorth, stated: "We are satisfied with the annulment ordered by the Supreme Court in acceptance of all our arguments regarding the sentence and for the declaration of inadmissibility of the Prosecutor General's appeal. This opens up a comforting scenario regarding young Gabriel's position, who is already under house arrest after the Court of Assizes of Appeal recognized anomalous complicity."

Civil Party Lawyers: Satisfaction with Our Appeal's Acceptance Lawyers Ester Molinaro and Roberto Borgogno, representing the civil parties for the family of Carabinieri officer Mario Cerciello Rega and Andrea Varriale, said: "We note with satisfaction that our appeal has been accepted. We had highlighted the correctness of the actions of Carabinieri Mario Cerciello Rega and Andrea Varriale on that tragic night, and the reliability of the factual reconstruction provided by the latter. We will read the judgment, but it seems to us that the Supreme Court, with this decision, has restored dignity to the victims of this dramatic affair."

The History of the Case

In the initial trial, both young Americans were sentenced to life imprisonment. This sentence was significantly reduced after a first ruling by the Supreme Court. The second appellate trial began after the Supreme Court had annulled Elder's 24-year conviction, sending it back for reconsideration of aggravating circumstances and the existence of the crime of resisting a public official (a charge for which he was later acquitted). For Hjorth, who had been sentenced to 22 years, the annulment with remand concerned the charge of complicity in murder.