Italy votes on giving protection to `respond with force` householders

Italy`s Parliament is preparing to vote on a new self-defence law to protect citizens caught up in “murder in the house” cases. The new legal protection would make it legitimate to respond with force to robbers or burglars who enter a property, even if this proves fatal. The country`s Chamber of Deputies – one of its two identical parliamentary arms – will decide on the Bill`s passage and whether to extend people`s rights to “legitimate defence”. Under current Italian law, accused parties usually have to show they had reasonable grounds to fear for their own life to avoid a murder charge. Some judges however have also allowed a “legitimate defence” argument based on a pattern of being regularly targeted by criminals. The amendments would change the requirements for claiming “legitimate defence” by extending them to include any night-time break-in, or a robbery attempt involving threats or violence to people or things. But robbery victims would still need to prove “proportionality” between the offence and their defence, and the Bill won`t come into force until Italy`s Senate also gives it the green light. The Bill has been in parliament for two years, but came back into the spotlight after an investigation was opened in March into a restaurant owner who shot dead a burglar in Gugnano near Milan. The case sparked controversy across Italy and outrage from right-wing politicians in particular. Mario Cattaneo, 67, killed the burglar with a single shot from his hunting rifle after hearing intruders breaking into his restaurant during the night. He was placed under investigation for voluntary manslaughter – a crime which carries a minimum prison term of 21 years. Maurizio Gasparri, a close ally of former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, immediately launched an appeal for funds to pay the restaurateur`s legal bills. However, Mr Berlusconi`s Forza Italia party has said it will vote against the Bill on the grounds that robbery victims` rights are still not sufficiently protected under it. The vote is expected later on Thursday (May 4).