Esposito killer gets 26 years

By Football Italia staff

Daniele De Santis, the Roma ultra who shot and killed Napoli fan Ciro Esposito, has been given a 26-year prison sentence.

The incident occurred when rival groups of fans clashed ahead of the Coppa Italia Final between Napoli and Fiorentina at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome in May 2014.

De Santis, who was working at his stall in Viale Tor di Quinto, claimed he acted in self-defence when seeing a large group of Napoli fans walking down the road.

Today the judge sentenced De Santis to 26 years in prison for murder.

“I forgave De Santis the day after the clashes. I never felt hate for him, but I always demanded justice,” said the victim’s mother Antonella Leardi.

“I can say today that the sentence is fair. Any sentence has to be a warning to others so that absurd crimes like this do not happen again.

“My son was not supposed to die, yet Ciro died because of hate.”

Esposito was not taking part in the clashes, but De Santis reportedly discharged his gun and he was caught in the back.

He survived for 53 days in hospital after multiple operations before passing away.

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