The death of Gianpaolo Demartis does not appear to be linked to the use of a taser, although further tests will need to be carried out to determine the cause of death .
These are the first indiscretions filtering out from the autopsy on the body of the 57-year-old , who died last Saturday after being subdued with a stun gun in Olbia at the height of an evening in which he had attacked citizens and the police.
The examination performed by Salvatore Lorenzoni confirmed death by cardiac arrest and identified the victim's previous heart problems . It will take a few weeks for the final report to be filed, while further tests will be performed in the meantime.
The autopsy was also attended by the consultant, Dr. Francesco Serra, medical director of the Sassari Local Health Authority, appointed by the SIC, the independent Carabinieri union, which instructed Maria Paola Marro, a lawyer from the Milan court, an expert in military law, to provide maximum legal protection for the two soldiers under investigation.
The SIC – according to a statement from Secretary General Luigi Pettineo – notes that, internationally, deaths clearly linked to the use of Tasers are "extremely isolated and limited." "In any case," Pettineo continued, "we continue to believe that our colleagues acted correctly, applying and fully respecting the operational protocol established for the use of Tasers. From this point of view, we are calm and confident."
