The first outside legal analyses of Vatican’s ‘trial of the century’ are in, and they’re critical

By NICOLE WINFIELD
Associated Press

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Several prominent lawyers have published stinging academic critiques and legal opinions about the Vatican’s recently concluded “trial of the century.” They highlight violations of basic defense rights and rule of law norms that they warn could have consequences for the Holy See going forward. The critiques are written by outside experts and are likely to feature in the appeals of the nine people who were convicted in December of several financial crimes linked to the Vatican’s bungled 350 million euro investment in a London property.