Francesca Morvillo

Francesca Laura Morvillo (Palermo, 14 December 1945 – Palermo, May 23 1992) was an Italian magistrate^[1]

Biography

Born in Palermo on 14 December 1945, on 26 June 1967 she graduated in Law at the University of Palermo, attaining the highest academic honours. Her thesis was entitled "Rule of Law and Security Measures", and it achieved the award "Giuseppe Maggiore" for the best thesis in criminal law for the academic year 1966/1967^[2]

She joined the judiciary as had her brother Alfredo, and father Guido—assistant prosecutor in Palermo. Her career included practising as a judge in the Agriento court; as Deputy Public Proescutor at the Juvenile Court of Palermo; as Director of the Court of Appeal of Palermo; and as a member of the Commission for Competitive Entry into the magistracy.^[3]

Appointed Professor of Law, Francesca Morvillo also at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Palermo, specialising in pediatric legal issues.^[4]

In 1979 her first marriage ended in separation. Francesca Morvillo then met Giovanni Falcone, at that time investigating judge in the court of Palermo. They were married in a civil ceremony in May 1986.^[5]

The Capaci Massacre

At around 6pm on 23 May 1992, near the Capaci exit of on the A29 Palermo-Trapani highway, 500 kg of plastic explosive exploded beneath the three car motorcade conveying Francesca Morvillo and Giovanni Falcone from Rome to their Palermo home. The explosive had been packed into a culvert passing underneath the road. Francesca Morvillo, still alive after the explosion, was transported to the neurological department of a specialist hospital. However, she died of severe internal injuries at around 11pm.^[6]

References

• Francesca Morvillo on Italian Wikipedia
• Falcone Foundation