Why Chico Forti remains in prison in Verona: the Surveillance Court denies parole.

Chico Forti must remain in prison . The Verona Surveillance Court has rejected his lawyers' request for conditional release .

Forti, 66, was sentenced to life in prison in the United States and spent 26 years in prison. He returned to Italy in 2024 after lengthy diplomatic negotiations between Rome and Washington, and his detention continued in Montorio prison, Verona.

Arrested in 1998 in Miami, Florida, he was charged with the murder of Dale Pike : he allegedly killed him while committing another crime, a fraud against Anthony Pike, the victim's father. Following a trial in the United States, Forti was sentenced to life in prison in 2000.

One of his lawyers, Carlo Dalla Vedova , announced that they will consider appealing the ruling to the Supreme Court of Cassation . "We will carefully read the reasons for the order of the Venice Surveillance Court. The request was submitted because it is supported by documentary evidence that, in our opinion, meets the requirements for granting conditional release, which is essential for the reintegration into society of Mr. Enrico Forti, who, during his 26 years of detention, has always demonstrated proper prison behavior. We will submit this conviction to the Supreme Court of Cassation for evaluation," added Forti's other lawyer, Alessandro Favazza .

According to his lawyers, Forti, having served 26 years in prison between the United States and Italy—almost five years more than the sentence prescribed in Italy for the same crime he was convicted of in the United States—would have been eligible for parole. Twenty-six years is one of the minimum objective requirements required by law for a life sentence, as in the case of Forti, who has been described as a model prisoner.

"Unfortunately, Chico's request for parole was rejected on a series of absurd and nonexistent grounds . We have to appeal to the Supreme Court, and it will take a long time. We don't know what to do anymore... the maximum time limits have been exceeded for years... Some people hate him so much that they want to see him die in prison...", Gianni Forti , Chico Forti's uncle, told ANSA.

According to what lawyer Michele Dalla Vedova explained to Agi, the court rejected the request because it "deemed the legal requirements not to exist, in particular due to the lack of repentance and lack of compensation ".