12 November 1997 Yesterday the defense took the stand to reply to Passarini's prosecution summary and request for verdict.
First was Bonetti, defense lawyer (and nephew) of Poggi, who was track director at the time. Bonetti said that the 1st of May 1997 was poggi's last day of work and should had retired immediately afterwoards. It was supposed to be a day of celebration for him, the apex of a carreer started in 1973 as track inspector. He had work very hard and had managed to become the track director, therefore he cannot be happy that he is to be found not guilty just because the fact that the track surface was uneven is not a crime. Poggi was a very scrupolous manager, but all his work was under the control of international authorities, therefore his responsability is limited. His role must be ethically reinstated, therefore Bonetti asked for full discharge for Poggi because he had no fault whatsoever of what happened.
Colliva then proceeded to destroy the prosecution consultants. In particular Nosetto's exams and tests were full of cointraddictions and have been proved wrong six times on the account that the fron tyres of Senna's car had lifted. There were no changes of level on the part ouside the tack, only a very smmall bump. The line created by the defense experts, on the other hand, shows that senna went out with the front and rear right tyres and could not have lifted. The car lost its balance in the passage from the track to the grass, but this would not have prevented Senna from braking. Colliva then accused the prosecution consultants of not having used precise measurements in their calculations.
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