“It’s all nonsense, I’m not a monster” –

Was it really necessary to publish the words of a parent to his son who confessed to a heinous crime, a father’s attempt to give a modicum of perspective to a life that will inevitably be marked by years and years of prison? This and other questions are characterizing the debate in the media and social media over the wiretaps of Filippo Turetta’s father and wife during the first interview in prison with their son after his arrest for the murder of Giulia Cecchettin. Words that were included in the trial documents and published by the weekly Giallo, then relaunched by Corriere della sera. With inevitable controversy.

What does Nicola Turetta say to his son? “You did something, but you’re not a mafioso, you’re not someone who kills people, you had a moment of weakness”, are some passages of the conversation of which Tg1 exclusively showed some images today. “You’re not a terrorist” or a “mafioso”, “you have to be strong. You’re not the only one. There were many others. But you have to graduate”, says the parent. Phrases that have sparked fierce controversy and divided public opinion. “I apologize for what I said to my son. I only told him a lot of nonsense. I never thought that feminicides were a normal thing. They were sentences without sense. I was afraid that Filippo would commit suicide”, says the man to Corriere Veneto. “There had been three suicides in Montorio in those days. We had just been told that our son was also at risk. Those moments were devastating for us. We didn’t know how to handle them. Please, don’t take those stupid phrases into consideration. I beg you, be understanding,” implores Turetta’s father.

After the news broke, the man says he hasn’t slept: “I feel terrible. I left the house so as not to worry my wife and my other son any further. Now they are facing media pillorying after that interview published in the newspapers.” “Tomorrow, who will have the courage to face the looks and the judgement after those headlines that paint me as a monster,” says Nicola Turetta in tears. “I was just a desperate father. I apologize, certain things are not even said as a joke, I know. But in those moments I was just trying to prevent Filippo from committing suicide,” he says.

Turetta clarifies that the sentence about the degree was intended to give his son a goal so he wouldn’t think about suicide, and says that today Filippo has reached an awareness of what he has done: “Now he realizes what he has done. We have in fact managed to address the subject. He wants to serve his sentence. He has no hope or intention of shirking his responsibilities”, says the father of Giulia Cecchettin’s murderer.