MILAN (AP) — A 22-year-old Italian man who confessed in court to killing his ex-girlfriend was convicted of her murder on Tuesday and sentenced to life in prison in a case that fueled national outrage over violence against women.
Filippo Turetta kept his eyes down as the verdict and sentence were read in a Venice court a little over a year after the body of 22-year-old Giulia Cecchettin was found in a ditch in the northern Veneto region. She had been stabbed more than 70 times, and her body was wrapped in plastic bags.
Cecchettin went missing last November after going to the mall with her ex-boyfriend. Her disappearance gripped Italy as authorities searched for them. She was found a week later.
Turetta was later arrested in Germany.
In announcing the verdict, the judge excluded aggravating circumstances of cruelty and stalking but still handed down Italy's toughest sentence.
The killing fueled demands for action to stop violence against women. In the first 10 months of this year, 96 women in Italy were killed, 51 of them by current or former romantic partners, according to Interior Ministry statistics.
Some 10,000 mourners attended Cecchettin’s funeral a year ago, ringing bells and shaking keys as part of a campaign to “make noise” against gender violence. Her father, Gino Cecchettin, urged mourners to be “agents of change” in a culture that often “undervalues the lives of women.”
“No one will give me back Giulia,'' Cecchettin's father said after the verdict.
He added: “I don't think you combat gender violence with sentences. You combat with prevention. Therefore, as a human being I feel defeated. As a father, nothing has changed from yesterday, from a year ago."
In this image taken from video 22-year-old Italian man Filippo Turetta, who confessed in court to killing his ex-girlfriend Giulia Cecchettin, was convicted of her murder on Tuesday and sentenced to life in prison, at a court in Venice, Italy, Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. (RAI/LaPresse via AP)
DALLAS (AP) — Luka Doncic had 37 points and 12 rebounds, Spencer Dinwiddie and P.J. Washington Jr. hit clutch 3-pointers in the final two minutes, and the Dallas Mavericks overcame a 15-point deficit to beat the Memphis Grizzlies 121-116 on Tuesday night and advance to the NBA Cup quarterfinals.
The Mavericks needed a win and help on the final night of group play to earn the West wild-card spot. They will face the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder.
Dallas trailed 111-103 with 3:34 to play and went on a 16-3 run capped by two 3-pointers from Dinwiddie and one from Washington.
Washington scored 18 points, Dereck Lively II had 17 points and 11 rebounds, and Dinwiddie scored 16 for the Mavericks, who have won a season-high five consecutive games and nine of their last 10.
Ja Morant scored a season-high 31 points, 15 in the fourth period, for the Grizzlies. They had a season-high, six-game winning streak snapped and were eliminated from the Cup race.
Desmond Bane added 19 points while Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 14 of his 16 in the first half.
After Dallas took a 60-57 lead into the second half, the Grizzlies dominated the third period 38-22. The Mavericks answered back in the fourth, 39-21.
Grizzlies: Morant didn’t take a shot until 10:07 was left in the first half and finished the half with five points.
Mavericks: They committed a season-high 25 turnovers but were only outscored on turnover points 27-26 because Memphis committed 19.
The first of Dinwiddie’s back-to-back 3s, pulling up on a fast break, put Dallas ahead for good 113-111 with 1:40 left.
Dallas shot a season-high 44 free throws (making 30) to Memphis' 14 (making 13). In the fourth quarter, the Mavericks were 18 of 26 from the line while the Grizzlies were 3 of 3.
The Grizzlies will host the Sacramento Kings on Thursday. The Mavericks will begin a two-game Eastern Conference road trip on Thursday against the Washington Wizards.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (11) shoots against Memphis Grizzlies forward Santi Aldama (7) during the first half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game, Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) shoots against Memphis Grizzlies guard Marcus Smart (36) during the second half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game, Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024, in Dallas. The Mavericks won 121-116. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Memphis Grizzlies guard Marcus Smart (36) shoots against Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) during the second half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game, Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024, in Dallas. The Mavericks won 121-116. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Dallas Mavericks forward P.J. Washington reacts after scoring a basket against the Memphis Grizzlies during the second half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game, Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024, in Dallas. The Mavericks won 121-116. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Memphis Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins reacts during the first half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game against the Dallas Mavericks, Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Memphis Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins reacts during the first half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game against the Dallas Mavericks, Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd looks on during the first half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game after the game, Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) goes up for a basket against Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr. (13) during the first half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game, Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II reacts after a basket after the game during the first half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game, Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic, right, is pressured by Memphis Grizzlies forward Jake LaRavia (3) during the first half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game, Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
