“I have to tell you, I kept wondering about that all through the trial. Nobody doing my job feels very comfortable when the defence, for one reason or another, is inadequate. I always feel better if the accused has a good lawyer who’s doing their job well.” Then he thought for a moment about what he’d just said and gave a slight smile. “Okay, not everyone who does my job thinks like that. Some of us – how can I put this? – some of us like an easy victory.”

“You’ll think I’m asking a stupid question if I ask you your opinion on Cardace’s guilt.”

“No. There are times when you obtain a guilty verdict because the evidence against the accused is sufficient, in some cases technically unassailable, and yet have doubts yourself. Moral doubts, I mean. Not technical doubts. Those are the most unpleasant situations, but it wasn’t the case with the Cardace trial.”

“So you’re totally convinced of his guilt?”113

“Yes, but all the same it bothered me that he was so badly defended. Actually, I’m pleased you’ve agreed to handle his appeal. I don’t envy you, though. If he wasn’t guilty of the murder, and I can’t imagine how that could even be possible, it’d be such an unfortunate combination of circumstances, it gives me the shivers.”

I sighed. It had been kind of him to discuss the subject with me. But after those words, there wasn’t much else to add.

The young magistrates I was supposed to be giving the talk to had arrived, so we went in. Cotturri gave a brief introduction, and while he was speaking I had a look at my audience.