Earlier today, Italian judges released Captain Francesco Schettino of the Costa Concordia from house arrest.
Captain Schetinno had been under house arrest since January 17th, 2012 after crashing the Costa Concordia on a rock just outside of Giligo Island, Italy. Captain Schetinno was to be placed under house arrest until his court date, but was allowed to leave his house after his lawyer had convinced the judge of his case that he was not a flight risk. Schetinno is not allowed to leave his hometown, Meta di Sorrento. The judge believes that it will be easy to track Schetinno’s movements within the town as it is very small.
The judge has also lifted a ban barring Schetinno from communicating with other people besides his lawyer and close family members.
Schettino is currently facing charges of manslaughter, causing a shipwreck, abandoning ship, failing to report an accident to the coast guard and destroying a natural habitat, a prosecutor said earlier this year.
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Header image: CBC
