The preliminary hearing judge in the case of three radiologists and a cardiologist who are being prosecuted for manslaughter has broadened the scope of liability to the clinics and insurance company involved in the treatment of a well-known investigative reporter, according to reports in the Italian media.
“The legal proceedings surrounding the death of journalist Andrea Purgatori are entering a crucial phase,” stated an article posted on 20 September by Notizie.it.
Radiologists Prof. Gianfranco Gualdi, Dr. Claudio Di Biasi, Dr. Maria Chiara Colaiacomo, and the cardiologist Prof. Guido Laudani -- all of whom work at La Sapienza University Hospital -- are standing trial for the care they gave to Purgatori, who died of infectious endocarditis in July 2023.
At an initial hearing held on 19 September, the judge authorized the inclusion of the two private healthcare facilities where the 70-year-old was treated and an insurance company as civil liability parties. The judge also granted the request from the Purgatori family and the Cittadinanzattiva association (a nonprofit organization that promotes civic participation and the protection of citizens' rights, particularly in healthcare) to join the civil action, Notizie.it pointed out.
According to a report on the tg24.sky.it news website, the judge approved the summons for civil liability against the two clinics and the insurance company and approved the appearance of the Purgatori family as civil parties. “If the doctors and the facilities where they worked are found liable, they will have to answer to the family,” said Alessandro Silveri Gentiloni, the plaintiff's lawyer, who expressed satisfaction at the outcome of the initial hearing.
In December 2024, the public prosecutor's office, located in Piazzale Clodio in Rome, closed its investigation into the actions of the four doctors and subsequently requesting their indictment, the article continued.
The next hearing, at which the clinics and insurance company are likely to appear in court to argue their case, is scheduled for 20 February 2026.
