Marion True trial update

I've not been following what's been happening in that Italian courtroom that closely, but from what I read in the Guardian, it doesn't sound as if the prosecution is scoring many, if any, points:

One of the letters shown to the court was an apology from True to Giacomo Medici, the convicted Italian art dealer, in 1987 for a decision by the Getty not to buy a set of Etruscan ceramic plates.

"I do hope that you understand that the decision was not mine," the letter said.

The apology was evidence of the extensive dealings between the two, Ferri told reporters after the session.

You call that evidence? I call it grasping at straws.

"Why did she feel the need to write such an apology if she never bought anything from Medici?" Ferri asked.

Perhaps because she hoped to be able to buy from him in the future? Or because she wanted to remain on good terms with a valuable source of information? Or maybe it was just common courtesy upon dashing a dealer's hopes, after putting him through negotiations taking up both time and expense?

The prosecutor also displayed a 1992 thank-you note from True to Medici for the receipt of three ancient pitchers. She thanked Medici for revealing that artifacts were from the area north of Rome rich in Etruscan tombs.

"To know that they come from Cerveteri and the area of Monte Abatone is very helpful," True wrote.

Ferri told reporters that being able to pinpoint where the antiquities were dug up meant that Medici must have been acquiring the artifacts from illegal excavators

Or from old collections where the original findspots had been recorded. I'm not saying there aren't grounds for suspicion (when it comes to antiquities, there almost always are), but you don't get convictions on suspicions. If this is the best the Italians can do, True will walk.

Posted by David on December 21, 2005 3:00 PM