Italy earthquake experts charged with manslaughter

[MelBridgeman]

Seven experts responsible for evaluating the threat of natural disasters in Italy have been charged with manslaughter for allegedly failing to give sufficient warning about the devastating L'Aquila earthquake in 2009.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011...aughter-charge

Didn't see this posted anywhere and even though its an old story its all over CBC right now...anyways im just speechless....

[CaptainCrunch]

So does that mean that we can sue the Weather men for not predicting proper weather screwing us out of our weekend plans?

Jerks!

[Bigtime]

The judge will also declare that science must stay 500 meters away from Italy at all times going forward (probably common sense too).

[Zevo]

Momma Mia!

[FlameOn]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

So does that mean that we can sue the Weather men for not predicting proper weather screwing us out of our weekend plans?

Jerks!

In Moscow, they want to fine the weatherman for wrong forecasts
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...2005Feb28.html

[troutman]

Litigation gone wild! A geologist’s take on the Italian seismology manslaughter case

http://www.skepticblog.org/2011/06/0...ion-gone-wild/

Naturally, people were upset, and wanted someone to blame. In the case of most natural disasters, people usually regard such events as “acts of God” and try to get on with their lives as best they can. No human cause is responsible for great earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, tornadoes, hurricanes, or floods. But in the bizarre world of the Italian legal system, six seismologists and a public official have been charged with manslaughter for NOT predicting the quake! My colleagues in the earth science community were incredulous and staggered at this news. Seismologists and geologists have been saying for decades (at least since the 1970s) that short-term earthquake prediction (within minutes to hours of the event) is impossible, and anyone who claims otherwise is lying. As Charles Richter himself said, “Only fools, liars, and charlatans predict earthquakes.” How could anyone then go to court and sue seismologists for following proper scientific procedures?

I don’t know much about the Italian legal system, but I’m hoping that the seismologists’ attorneys will bring in the “big names” of seismology from around the world to testify (or at least collect depositions, as well as statements from all the major world scientific organizations) to show that the charges are baseless. If the Italian justice system works as a court should, the judge should throw the case out of court before this frivolous suit goes any further.

If the victims insist on suing someone, they should leave the seismologists alone and look into the construction of some of those buildings. The stories out of L’Aquila suggest that the death toll was much higher because of official corruption and shoddy construction, as happens in many countries both before and after big quakes. In fact, much of the construction is apparently Mafia-controlled in that area—good luck suing them!

[VladtheImpaler]

I don't understand - why should the geologists be guilty of failing to predict something that the Pope either ordered or failed to prevent?

[REDVAN]

The main problem here: they had geologists interpreting seismic.

[troutman]

Italy should round up all the psychics too that failed to provide warning.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by troutman

Litigation gone wild! A geologist’s take on the Italian seismology manslaughter case

http://www.skepticblog.org/2011/06/0...ion-gone-wild/

Naturally, people were upset, and wanted someone to blame. In the case of most natural disasters, people usually regard such events as “acts of God” and try to get on with their lives as best they can. No human cause is responsible for great earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, tornadoes, hurricanes, or floods. But in the bizarre world of the Italian legal system, six seismologists and a public official have been charged with manslaughter for NOT predicting the quake! My colleagues in the earth science community were incredulous and staggered at this news. Seismologists and geologists have been saying for decades (at least since the 1970s) that short-term earthquake prediction (within minutes to hours of the event) is impossible, and anyone who claims otherwise is lying. As Charles Richter himself said, “Only fools, liars, and charlatans predict earthquakes.” How could anyone then go to court and sue seismologists for following proper scientific procedures?

I don’t know much about the Italian legal system, but I’m hoping that the seismologists’ attorneys will bring in the “big names” of seismology from around the world to testify (or at least collect depositions, as well as statements from all the major world scientific organizations) to show that the charges are baseless. If the Italian justice system works as a court should, the judge should throw the case out of court before this frivolous suit goes any further.

If the victims insist on suing someone, they should leave the seismologists alone and look into the construction of some of those buildings. The stories out of L’Aquila suggest that the death toll was much higher because of official corruption and shoddy construction, as happens in many countries both before and after big quakes. In fact, much of the construction is apparently Mafia-controlled in that area—good luck suing them!

Well if that's the hope then these guys might as well get themselves measured for a noose

[Daradon]

Wow! That's going a little overboard!

Though I bet it will be one of those situations where it's mostly done for show and there will be no conviction. Just serve as a warning for agencies like that to be more careful in the future and give the grieving public some sense of 'justice'.

[calumniate]

I somehow don't think this manslaughter stipulation would have been written into their contracts?

[Buff]

Anytime somebody dies from injuries sustained in a car accident during a snow storm any and all cops on duty as well as city/county officials and whomever else is in charge of roads and highways should be charged with manslaughter for not closing down the roads.

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by Buff

Anytime somebody dies from injuries sustained in a car accident during a snow storm any and all cops on duty as well as city/county officials and whomever else is in charge of roads and highways should be charged with manslaughter for not closing down the roads.

Funny enough, as idiotic as that sounds, that would make FAR more sense than charging these guys.