Naples prison death probed

(ANSA) – Naples, December 2 – Top officials from the Department of Prison Administration (DAP) met in Naples on Monday with Nobila Scufaro, mother of Francesco Perna, a 34-year-old who died on November 8 while incarcerated in Poggioreale prison. Scufaro met with DAP Director Giovanni Tamburino and Vice Director Francesco Cascini, accompanied by her lawyers Fabrizio Cannizzo and Camillo Autieri. Cannizzo said that Tamburino is taking the investigation seriously, stating that DAP is in a “frantic search for the truth” surrounding Perna’s death. Perna’s family claims that Perna’s serious health problems made him unable to withstand incarceration. According to Scufaro, Perna also suffered multiple beatings during his time at Poggioreale.

“Federico should have been hospitalized, and instead they pumped him full of psychotropic drugs,” said Cannizzo. “We are shocked at the parliamentary interrogations describing Federico as someone who refused treatment.”