the car was more than 50 meters from the vehicle, in contradiction with what Lozano said. Judicial investigation Italian prosecutors sought to interview Lozano as part of their criminal investigation into Calipari's death. On December 22, 2005 the special prosecutors of the Magistrate's service of Rome announced that they were considering charging Lozano with voluntary manslaughter. On January 18, 2006, it was reported that the prosecutors had decided to charge Lozano with murder. The prosecutors indicated that despite making over twenty formal requests to the United States, they refused to formally identify Lozano. After confirming Lozano's identity, the Magistrate service appointed an attorney to represent Lozano during the charging process, with Lozano facing trial in absentia in the event of a failure to accept service of process and non-appearance at trial. On February 7, 2007, it was reported that Judge Sante Spinaci had agreed to allow the trial in absentia to move forward, with the trial beginning on April 17. On October 25, 2007, an Italian court dismissed the charges against Lozano after determining that coalition forces in Iraq were under the exclusive jurisdiction of the country that sent them. Political implications Calipari's death sparked one of the most serious diplomatic incidents between U.S. and Italy since the end of World War II. Other such incidents include the Sigonella crisis, the Cavalese cable car disaster in 1998, the Gladio scandal and the abduction of Islamic cleric Hassan Mustafa Osama Nasr in 2003 (Imam Rapito affair). Calipari, a highly decorated SISMI agent, had become a national hero in Italy. As a result, there was significant pressure on the Italian government to publicly support another investigation into the shooting, this time being conducted by prosecutors. Italy's Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi indicated in Parliament on May 5, 2005 that the government remains fully committed to supporting the ongoing judicial investigation into Calipari's death. One of the most prominent leaders of the opposition in the lower house of parliament, Piero Fassino, called for the United States to facilitate cooperation with the investigation, indicating that they believe the U.S. Army should produce Lozano for questioning by the magistrates. Alfonso Pecoraro Scanio, head of the Italian Federation of the Greens, indicated that should the United States fail to cooperate with this investigation by allowing Lozano to be questioned, he would push for a hearing at the International Court of Justice. References 1953 births 2005 deaths Military