Giovanni Falcone: a Modern Hero

by Michele Alonzo

             May 23, 1992 is one of those days when Italians still remember, after exactly 20 years, what they were doing in the moment the media announced the assassination of Giovanni Falcone. On that day judge Falcone, his wife and three bodyguards were killed a few miles from Palermo, his hometown, in one of the most brutal massacres carried over by Sicilian Mafia.

The site right after the explosion

            The cold execution of one of the most prominent judges of that time shocked Italian public opinion. Giovanni Falcone had dedicated his whole life to the investigation of illicit activities operated by the most powerful Sicilian Mafia families, so uncovering the complex hierarchical structure of Cosa Nostra. Together with another judge and friend, Paolo Borsellino, who would also be killed by Mafia only two months after him, Falcone had discovered money laundering among bank accounts held by the criminal organization, that had made huge profits from drug sales between Sicily and United States since the 70s. For this reason, he had been appointed head of the Anti-Mafia Pool, a group of prosecutors having the only purpose to enquire and to report Mafia’s criminal activities to the Italian government. In 1987 Giovanni Falcone was the head of the famous "Maxi-Trial of Palermo" that resulted in sending to jail 360 Mafia members for a total of 2,665 years and forced them to pay 12 billion Italian lire in fines. In 1984 actually Giovanni Falcone had convinced the so-called “repentant” Tommaso Buscetta to testify against his former affiliates, so bringing to justice the most important bosses of the families that controlled large territories in Sicily. Maybe it was just this brilliant victory against Mafia that cost him his own life a few years later. They never forgot and never forgave this offense and decided the assassination of their primary prosecutor.

 

Giovanni Falcone (1939-1992)

The personal life of Judge Falcone was greatly influenced by his role of primary investigating head of the Anti-Mafia Pool; his transfers from one place to another, together with his family, always occurred in absolute secrecy and were never planned in advance. Falcone had been threatened many times and had escaped attempted murders in the past. In June 1989 a bomb was found on the beach where he was spending a brief vacation with his wife. For security reasons his family was immediately transferred in a remote safe location on the island of Sardinia.

            Judge Falcone was aware to live on the edge and that his life was at risk every day, but never backed off from the duties he had been assigned. Notwithstanding of this, Falcone continued to engage on his battle, until May 23, 1992. On that doomed day a thousand pound of TNT was remotely ignited, making a whole stretch of the highway to Palermo airport blow up right when Falcone, his wife and the bodyguards of his escort were driving by. The explosion was so powerful that it was recorded by local seismographs as an earthquake.

Memorial stone where he was killed

            Falcone’s funeral was attended by the whole city of Palermo and by people coming from everywhere, national and foreign politicians, collegues, family, friends and simple people who want to pay him the last homage. It was broadcasted live on national television and watched by millions of Italians. In May 2004, a memorial stone, listing the name of all victims of that tragic day, was placed on that ramp of the Palermo-Capaci highway. The International airport of Palermo was re-named in honor of Falcone and Borsellino, who sacrificed their lives in the name of justice. After his death, Falcone was awarded the Civil Gold Medal of Honor and in 1992 was named by Time Magazine one of the top heroes of the last 60 years. One day, during an interview to a newspaper, Falcone had stated “Mafia is by no means invincible. Mafia is a human act operated by men and, as all human acts, it has a beginning, an evolution and will have an end”. And we have to believe him.