Premier Addresses Court in Bribery Trial
From Times Staff and Wire Reports
In the first trial of a governing Italian prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi stood before a court and denied bribery charges, insisting his role in a contested business deal served the best interests of the nation.
Berlusconi is accused of bribing judges in Rome to sway a ruling on the sale of former state-controlled food company SME in the 1980s. Berlusconi says the company was about to be sold too cheaply, so he stepped in after pleas from then-Prime Minister Bettino Craxi.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
