Berlusconi has a new plan to evade justice, wants to end ALL cases in Italy more than 6 years old

[ck4829]

With his signature showmanship and swagger, Silvio Berlusconi opened a U.N. Food summit in Rome just as judges were reopening a tax fraud trial against him in Milan.

While the Italian prime minister seemed unburdened by the legal problems facing him, efforts behind the scenes are in full gear.

Material witnesses and evidence will not be heard until next January. But the real surprise came when Berlusconi's lawyers confirmed that for crucial bits of the trial, the prime minister will show up.

But what happens before that could make all the difference. Berlusconi has once again proposed a law that would throw out at least two of the charges against him by extinguishing all cases in Italy not wrapped up within six years.

Judges warn it is irresponsible because more than 100,000 criminal cases could be thrown out.

"Many proceedings also for serious crimes will end, as in bribery, for example, stolen goods, manslaughter, for fraud, tax evasion will be eliminated forever." says Elizabetta Maria Cesqui of the Italian Magistrate's Board.

"Guilty people will be free." she adds. "It's impossible; it is against the fundamental principles of the judiciary in criminal matters, it's impossible to have a law for one person."

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/11/17/italy.berlusconi.trial.analysis/