CBA Record April-May 2018

retried in 2013, this time in Florence, not Perugia. Italian law doesn’t recognize double jeopardy, and when the prosecution loses, the verdict can be appealed. Again, they were convicted, with the appeals court upholding the convictions. Then in 2015, the Italian Supreme Court overturned the convictions, finding that the forensic evidence was unreliable and didn’t support the convictions. The program was a rare opportunity to speak to the lawyer who was in the center of the legal storm. The panelists’ comments offered insights that often could not be captured in news stories. From there, CBA members toured the Palace of Justice over- looking the Tiber River, an august build-

ing in which the Italians obviously take great pride as it is the highest court in the country. A judge spoke to the group about the rich history of the building itself that took 22 years to complete and the separate tracks that Italian lawyers and judges follow as career paths. Other highlights of the trip included tours of the Borghese Gallery andMuseum, the Museo di Roma that was hosting a spe- cial exhibit marking the 250th anniversary of the death of the famous Venetian painter Canaletto, and, of course, a trip to the Colosseum. One walked away with a real feeling of the rich history of this European nation dating back thousands of years. Kudos to CBA President, Thomas R.

Mulroy, and the CBA staff for organizing a relevant and enjoyable week where every- one built camaraderie as well as apprecia- tion for a legal system steeped in ancient principles of justice. It also culminated in a friendship agreement between the Chicago and Rome bar associations. Next year’s trip with 2018-19 CBA President Steven Elrod: Israel.

More information on the CBA's CLE Trip to Israel will be forthcoming on our website, www.chicagobar.org

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