Six Italian Scientists Found Guilty of Manslaughter and Sentenced to Jail for Failing to Predict Earthquake

Posted on October 22, 2012

Six Italian scientists have been jailed for failing to predict the L'Aquila earthquake which killed 309 people in 2009. The scientists were found guilty of multiple counts of manslaughter and sentenced to six years in prison. They are also forbidden from ever holding a public office again.

Lawyers for the scientists argued correctly that it is currently impossible to precisely predict earthquakes, but the The Christian Science Monitor reports that the court appears to have been swayed by irrelevant emotional testimony from loved ones of the deceased. The scientists were all members of the "National Commission for the Forecast and Prevention of Major Risks." BBC News reports that the case could set a damaging precedent and could make scientists reluctant to make predictions. The scientists will be appealing the court's terrible decision. Take a look:



More from Science Space & Robots