Biography of Massimo Carlotto

From "runaway" a successful writer

July 22, 1956
Massimo Carlotto was born in Padua, the 22 July 1956. Is a successful writer, translated abroad, as well as a playwright and screenwriter for television. His life, however, is linked to a long and convoluted lawsuit, in which she is involved at the age of nineteen, when he discovers the corpse of a girl murdered and is accused of murder. In 1969 Carlotto is thirteen and approaches to the movements of the left, blooming in that era especially in his city.
The Venetian town in those years is a BREW, the movement "workers ' power" is very strong, and there are only a few days before the autonomy of Toni Negri, the founder of the Communist Party of Padua, ideologue and philosopher much discussed. Here, Cano came into contact with groups so-called "Maoists", approaches to the ideologies of the extreme left and soon after, she enrolled in Lotta Continua, perhaps the movement's most important and feared-parliamentary bodies, at least under communism. It is a choice that marked his life, when he just nineteen. On 20 January 1976, in Padua, his city, Massimo Carlotto hears screams coming from the apartment where he lives his sister.
The then 19-year-old, according at least to date later and not only in judicial proceedings, reaches the apartment and finds the door ajar. When he enters, he finds a girl of 25 years named Daisy Magello wrapped in a robe soaked in blood. The woman reportedly said Carlotto, say a few words, then dies. Struck by fifty-nine stab wounds. The young Massimo thinks he saved her, touch the corpse, you leave panic. Then, run. Obeying the rules of Lotta Continua relates everything to his superiors. The night of the incident, tells the story to his father and decides to go to the police station voluntarily chose to testify.
It is the beginning of its long history. Massimo Carlotto is arrested on charges of manslaughter against Margherita Magello. After about a year of investigation, in 1978, in may, is held the trial of first instance before the Assize Court of Padua. The 21-year-old is acquitted of murder for lack of evidence. A year later, however, on 19 December of 1979, the Corte d'Assise d'appello di Venezia overturns the verdict: Massimo Carlotto was sentenced to eighteen years in prison. The young man accused of murder is in prison, but don't give up.
On 19 November 1982, however, the Supreme Court dismisses the action of defence and confirm the sentence. Cano then, under advice of counsel decides to run away. Thus began his long run. He went to Paris, then to South America. According to what is written in his future book, which is titled "the fugitive", once in Mexico he enrolled at the University. Here, in the mid-80 's, was also arrested and tortured. After about three years on the run, on 2 February of 1985, the future writer noir back from Mexico and it is to the Italian authorities. The case divides public opinion and soon comes the "International Committee for Justice for Massimo Carlotto", based in Padova, Rome, Paris and London. The aim is to spread the news about its history, a real information campaign, coupled with an extensive collection of signatures in favour of revision of the process.
Among the signatories, also famous as Norberto Bobbio and the Brazilian writer Jorge Amado. The latter, a year later, in 1986, he released his personal appeal from the pages of the Parisian newspaper Le Monde, in defense of Campos and in support of the thesis to fully review the process. In recent years, however, the former member of Lotta Continua, in prison get sick of organic dysmetabolism, namely bulimia. According to doctors would be exposed to the risk of heart attack and stroke and the news appeared in the newspapers, mobilizes public opinion again, which wants its release. On 30 January 1989, the Supreme Court grants new trial related to the now well-known "case Carlotto", also on the basis of three new trials. Sets aside the judgment of condemnation, delaying the proceedings to the Court of appeal of Venice. On 20 October 1989, just four days before the entry into force of the new code of criminal procedure, start the new process Vassals in Venice.
After a few days, a point of order stops the process: one wonders whether Cano should be tried under the old or the new code. After more than a year in practice, about fourteen months of investigation, the Venice Court issue an order which puts the proceedings at the Constitutional Court. One of the three tests, according to the papers, is well founded and based on this, in the final judgment, it is believed that the accused should be acquitted for lack of evidence. On 21 February 1992, after the Constitutional Court's ruling, starts another process, opposite to a new Court, because in the meantime the President retired. In the General astonishment, the Court recovers the previous investigation and the 27 March of 1992 confirms the conviction of 1979, overturning the findings of the court precedent. Cano has to go back to jail and after less than two months, falls seriously ill. Re mobilizes public opinion, including the Constitutional Court, and, finally, on 7 April 1993, the President of the Republic Oscar Luigi Scalfaro grants clemency to Massimo Carlotto.
From now on, to him, she begins a new life. The noir novelist. Free, brings together the writings that he accumulated during his detention, placing them at the disposal of the writer and literary talent scouts Grace Castillo. In 1995 his debut novel arrives-reportage "the fugitive", largely autobiographical, drawn from his experience on the run in Europe and South America.
The same year the alligator, aka Marco Buratti, the serial character created by writer of Padua, who begins to recount his detective stories very sui generis. The saga includes several publications, such as "the truth" alligator, "the mystery of Mangiabarche", 1997, "No exit", courtesy of 1999, and many others. In 2001 he wrote "Arrivederci amore, ciao", which inspired the movie of the same title in 2005, directed by Michele Soavi. The film is appreciated, but the book even more, enough to win several awards, such as the second place at Grand Prix of crime fiction in France. In the meantime, in 2003, including "the fugitive" in movie theaters, directed by Andrea Manni and with actor Daniele Liotti. In September 2009, seven years after the last, the new episode of the alligator, which is titled "love bandit". Carlotto's books have been translated into many European countries and even in the United States.
Article contributed by the team of collaborators.