From left: M.F. Moro, Zamparutti, Veronesi, Mafai

ROME. PRESENTATION OF “AN EYE FOR AN EYE” BY SANDRO VERONESI

November 30, 2006: on Cities for Life Day the book “An Eye for An Eye” by Sandro Veronesi was presented in Rome at Hands Off Cain headquarters.   Speaking at the event, the writer Fulvio Abbate called to mind the long and tiring journeys undertaken by Veronesi in order to document capital cases. For this reason, he said, “An Eye for An Eye” is not the classic work of a politically correct writer dealing with moral issues but a real, complete and detailed reportage.   Hands Off Cain Secretary Sergio D’Elia highlighted the coincidences between the publication of the first edition of the book “An Eye for An Eye” and the founding of Hands Off Cain which came about at approximately the same time. Both book and organisation have taken inspiration from the Bible to represent the meaning behind a battle aimed at upholding rights and a form of justice separate from revenge, D’Elia added.    
Sandro Veronesi recalled how his interest in the death penalty was kindled after reading brief files on those sentenced to death and their relative crimes.   “As a writer, but also as a human being, I could not help asking myself what had been both before and after. The descriptions of those crimes were on their own, studiously aseptic, canvasses for tales from Dostoyevsky or Kafka, and I wasn’t able to convince myself that by killing the characters someone would want to interrupt those stories.”   (Sources: HOC, 30/11/2006)