his wife were shot and severely injured. In 1993, A Rome court sentenced Michael Vernon Townley to 18 years imprisonment for attempted murder. Townley had admitted commissioning the murder attempt on behalf of DINA by members of National Vanguard, an Italian right-wing terrorist group. Three members of the group including its leader Stefano Delle Chiaie have been tried for the attack in 1987 and acquitted. The day after the attack, Leighton's brain was operated on in an attempt to prevent loss of speech; however, his brain was severely damaged. This event brought about the end of his pacification intentions to reunite the various groups opposing Pinochet, including the leftists. In 1978, the Chilean government allowed Leighton to return to Chile from Italy, and he retired to private life. He died on January 26, 1995, in Santiago, Chile. Personal life On August 15, 1940, Leighton married Ana María Fresno Ovalle, a relative of Juan Francisco Fresno. Ana Maria became a paraplegic due to the murder attempt on the couple in October 1975 and died in 2011. The couple had no children. References Sources Carta de Eduardo Frei Montalva a Bernardo Leighton May 22, 1975 Carta de Bernardo Leighton Eduardo Frei Montalva June 26, 1975 "La Tercera" biography National Security Archive 1909 births Shooting survivors 1995 deaths People from Bío Bío Province Chilean people of English descent National Falange politicians Christian Democratic Party (Chile) politicians Chilean Ministers of Education Chilean Ministers of the Interior Government ministers of Chile Deputies of the XL Legislative Period of the National Congress of Chile Deputies of the XLVI Legislative Period of the National Congress of Chile Deputies of the XLVII Legislative Period of the National Congress of Chile Operation Condor Pontifical Catholic University of Chile alumni Chilean exiles