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Podcasts Take Two
Italian earthquake experts convicted of manslaughter win appeal
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Nov 11, 2014
Listen • 8:08
Italian earthquake experts convicted of manslaughter win appeal
Two years ago, seven Italian earthquake experts were found guilty of manslaughter for not doing enough to warn the public before a deadly quake.
This picture shows damaged building following the 2009 earthquake on October 22, 2012 in the village of Onna. Six Italian scientists and a government official were found guilty the same day of multiple manslaughter for underestimating the risks of a killer earthquake in L'Aquila in 2009, and sentenced to six years in jail in a watershed ruling in a case that has provoked outrage in the international science community.
This picture shows damaged building following the 2009 earthquake on October 22, 2012 in the village of Onna. Six Italian scientists and a government official were found guilty the same day of multiple manslaughter for underestimating the risks of a killer earthquake in L'Aquila in 2009, and sentenced to six years in jail in a watershed ruling in a case that has provoked outrage in the international science community.
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FILIPPO MONTEFORTE/AFP/Getty Images
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Two years ago, seven Italian earthquake experts were found guilty of manslaughter for not doing enough to warn the public before a deadly quake.

Two years ago, seven Italian earthquake experts were found guilty of manslaughter for not doing enough to warn the public before a deadly quake.

Prosecutors argued that 29 people who might have otherwise fled the town of L'Aquila decided to stay in their homes because of assurances made by those scientists. 

The court's ruling sparked widespread outrage in the scientific community. Eventually it was appealed, and just yesterday the convictions were overturned.

Caltech seismologist Tom Heaton has been following the case and joins Take Two to discuss how earth scientists are reacting to news of the successful appeal.