Mario Roggero, a jeweler in Piedmont, convicted of killing two armed robbers
When is self-defense justified?
That’s the central question in a debate now raging across Italy over the fate of Mario Roggero, a jeweler from Piedmont.
In April 2021, three armed men entered Gioielleria Mario Roggero, a modern designed jewelry store on Via Garibaldi, 71, in Grinzane Cavour, Piedmont. While stealing gold wrist watches, women’s necklaces, and rings, the robbers threatened to kill Roggero and his wife and daughter, who were with him inside the store.
As the assailants quickly escaped to the getaway car outside, 72-year-old Roggero retrieved his 38-caliber revolver from under the counter. Security cameras show him chasing after the robbers, firing his weapon, killing two and wounding a third.
When the police arrived, Roggero was arrested, subsequently prosecuted, found guilty of two counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. He was sentenced to prison for 17 years while the court also found him civilly liable for damages. He was forced to pay €780,000 ($890,000) to the court as provisional compensation to families of the two deceased robbers and one injured, in lieu of them seeking €3.3 million ($3.77 million) in civil court. This past week, Italian Supreme Court (Court of Cassation) upheld the original verdict. The judges kept in place the monetary damages, but reduced the prison sentence for Roggero from 17 years to 14 years, nine months.
The case and subsequent verdicts have divided public opinion in Italy. The debate comes with partial or inaccurate interpretations, confusing the instinctive nature of the reaction with the legal framework.
Mario Roggero, a jeweler in Piedmont, convicted of killing two armed robbers
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Legitimate Question
The core issue is legal in nature: the law does not evaluate the subjective perception of danger, but its actual existence.
When the aggressor flees, the threat is considered terminated. Consequently, the use of force—especially lethal force—can no longer be classified as defense but as an offensive act. The resulting tragedy is twofold: the loss of human life and the profound disruption of the life of an elderly worker and his family, with a sentence that carries particular weight at the age of 72.
In this context, it is legitimate to ask whether the opinions circulating in recent days stem from genuine understanding or from simplifications and political rhetoric.
Protesters who support Roggero carry a banner that reads in English: "Self-defense is always legitimate"
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American Justice
Judicial precedents in the United States closely mirror those of Italy. The sequence in such cases remain identical: robbery → escape → pursuit → gunfire → death.
Convictions were upheld in all cases where individuals acted in a similar way to Mario Roggero.
1. State of Oklahoma v. Jerome Jay Ersland
Defendant's Age: 57 years old
Verdict: Life imprisonment for First-Degree Murder (convicted in 2011)
Legal Reasoning: Although Ersland's initial shots against two armed minor robbers inside his pharmacy were recognized as self-defense, the threat ended when one suspect was left unconscious on the floor and the other fled. Ersland chased the fugitive outside, re-entered the store, retrieved a second weapon, and fired five more rounds into the unconscious robber on the floor. The court ruled that defense ends when the danger ceases.
2. State of Washington v. Min Sik Kim
Defendant's Age: 56 years old
Verdict: 8 years and 4 months in prison for Second-Degree Murder (sentenced on June 23, 2017)
Legal Reasoning: Convenience store owner Min Sik Kim confronted shoplifter Jakeel Mason. After a brief struggle, Mason broke free and ran toward the exit to escape. Kim pursued him and shot him twice in the back. Acknowledging his responsibility, the defendant pleaded guilty, avoiding a formal trial. The court reaffirmed that lethal force is not justified when the suspect is fleeing and no longer poses an imminent danger.
Two different states, two different doctrines, two convictions. No acquittals. No exceptions. No alternative interpretations.
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God’s Law, Man’s Law
Self-defense has accompanied human beings since the earliest societies. In the Old Testament, the principle of “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth” reflected a logic of reciprocal response. Later, Christian teaching introduced the paradigm of forgiveness to guide society toward a higher conception of responsibility and human relations.
Modern legal systems, however, are not designed to punish or forgive. They are designed to define with clarity what, if left to individual interpretation, would inevitably lead to chaos and social disorder.
In matters of self-defense, the law requires awareness, proportionality, and adherence to facts, not impulsive reactions—even though the emotional factor of “grave disturbance” may be considered, it cannot replace the objective assessment of danger.
Grinzane Cavour, a village surrounded by vineyards, near where Barolo wine is made, is south of Alba, in the Piedmont region of Italy
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Educating the Public
Political communication, especially when addressing security, carries significant responsibility. Simplifications that may create unrealistic expectations are to be avoided. Self-defense is not an unlimited right but a legal institution governed by precise criteria.
Faced with the complexity of the topic, society has two possible paths:
intervene on the law, making it clearer and more uniform; intervene on culture, through accurate information and targeted education.
The second path is immediately accessible. The first requires time, expertise, and institutional responsibility.
What is certain is that the widespread myth of “always justified” self-defense does not contribute to collective safety. Knowledge is needed. Education is needed. Awareness is needed.
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Editor's Note:
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of PRIMO. Luca Damante is an educator, founder of the Wing Tsun Damante System, expert in personal defense and self defense law, and trainer in violence management. He works in Italy and the United States in the fields of human behavior, risk management, and public education on personal safety.
His email address is: Luca.damante@virgilio.it
His website is: www.wingtsundamante.com
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