The trial against a monsignor, a public relations specialist, an administrative aide, and two journalists has been on a hiatus for three months while experts determined which evidence could be used against the defendants.
The trial began with Spanish monsignor Lucio Vallejo Balda, one of the five suspects, testifying that his co-defendant Francesca Chaouqui, threatened his life if he didn’t give documents to the journalists. Balda also said that Chaouqui had implied to him she was the “ ‘No. 2 in the Italian secret service” and that if they needed it, she would ‘call the mafia for help,’ ” writes Barbie Latza Nadeau.
