Francesco Mangione
| Francesco Mangione | |
|---|---|
| Born |
23 July 1957 (56 Years Old) Sicily, Italy |
| Occupation | State Electricity Commission of Victoria, Ice Cream Van Operator. |
| Criminal penalty | 22 years imprisonment, 18 years non-parole. |
| Conviction(s) | Murder |
Francesco Mangione is an Italian-born Australian, convicted of the murder of his 26-year-old cousin, Denis Giunta on 5 February 2002 in his Williamstown home.[1]
Early life
Mangione, of Moonee Ponds, Victoria was born 23 July 1957 in Sicily. In 1969 he came to Australia. Apprenticed to the former State Electricity Commission of Victoria, he was in 1978 named by the Industrial Training Commission of Victoria as the outstanding radio tradesman apprentice of that year.[2][3][4] He departed the SECV in 1989 and began operating an icecream van. In 1992 Mangione was arrested and detained, but he was later released due to there being no evidence to support charges over a missing six-year-old girl found in his icecream van.[5] In 1993 an incident occurred between his family and that of Giunta, also an icecream van operator, escalating a turf war which included a violent fight between Mangione and Giunta.
Attack
On 5 February 2002, Giunta returned home from work. After showering he stepped naked into the bedroom where his wife lay sleeping and Mangione lay in wait. Mangione then attacked Giunta slashing, stabbing and hacking at him with a homemade sword. Giunta's wife, Laura, awakened by her husband's screams, escaped via the bedroom's balcony leading to the outside garage roof where she leapt to the ground, breaking her leg, requiring further hospitalisation for 21 days and in need of a wheelchair and crutches upon her release. Giunta died at the scene from massive injuries.[6]
Trial
The trial lasted 10 days. On 13 February 2004, Mangione was found guilty by a jury and sentenced by Justice David Harper to 22 years imprisonment, with a non-parole period of 18 years.
On 21 February 2006, the Supreme Court of Victoria Court of Appeal dismissed Mangione's appeal against the severity of his sentence. Mangione continues to maintain his innocence. He is imprisoned at Barwon Prison.
References
- ↑ 22 years for ice cream vendor who hacked rival to death, The Sydney Morning Herald, 22 April 2004
- ↑ More importantly, you were in 1978 named by the Industrial Training Commission of Victoria as the outstanding radio tradesman apprentice of that year. It was an impressive beginning to your working life. Supreme Court of Victoria R v Mangione (2004) VSC 135, 22 April 2004.
- ↑ Some cookin', good lookin'. The Herald, 31 July 1978. Mangione in photo but not named. (State Library of Victoria). Apprentice cook of the year was congratulated by five SEC apprentices who had been judged the top of their respective trades.
- ↑ Well done for an apprentice cook. The Age, 1 August 1978. Mangione not in photo but named. (State Library of Victoria). The SEC scooped the pool. It employs the other five award winners. They are - ,- , Frank Mangione (radio), -, -.
- ↑ Icecream man goes free. Herald Sun, 6 June 1992, article+photo. (State Library of Victoria). Article summary: Police search for a six-year-old girl reported missing. The girl found in Mangione's icecream van when he was arrested was not distressed. Mangione spent Easter in custody. He believed he had approval of her parents. He should never have been charged with any offence said the Director of Public Prosecutions Mr Bernard Bongiorno QC. Charges withdrawn and police ordered to pay costs.
- ↑ Mangione fled the scene dropping the weapon as he did. His DNA was latter found on the handle of the sword and tools where found in his home which were forensically linked to the making of the weapon.R v Mangione (2006) VSCA 34, Supreme Court of Victoria Court Of Appeal, 21 February 2006