Luca Richeldi, the head of pneumology at Rome’s Gemelli University Hospital, has been granted judicial approval for a plea bargain concerning accusations of sexual violence. The Rome tribunal approved the deal, which includes an 11-month and 10-day sentence, proposed by his defense team.
The court has scheduled a hearing for November 20th to determine the facility where Richeldi must report twice weekly for a mandatory psychological assistance program, a requirement for the entire duration of his sentence.
The victim, who filed the complaint in 2022 alleging she was assaulted following a medical examination, was present in court. She described the plea deal as “an important result,” stating the three-year judicial process had been psychologically and humanly difficult. She encouraged all women who suffer violence to always come forward, affirming that “you will be believed” and that it can lead to a conviction.
The victim’s lawyer, Ilenia Guerrieri, commented, “We are certainly curious to read the plea bargain sentence… it is an 11-month conviction with a mandatory program and a suspension of the sentence conditional on completing a course for sexual abusers.”
Richeldi was ordered to stand trial last October after a judge rejected an initial plea deal, deeming the proposed penalty insufficient given the gravity of the alleged facts. His defense lawyers, Carlo Bonzano and Tatiana Minciarelli, expressed “satisfaction” with the “favorable outcome.” They emphasized that the procedural resolution is separate from the facts of the case, which Richeldi continues to deny, adding that the charges are now recognized as “minor.” They stated the plea bargain avoids the emotional burden of a full trial for all parties involved.