Justice Minister Carlo Nordio has launched an investigation into a possible pardon for Mario Roggero, a jeweler who in 2021 fired a lawfully owned firearm, killing two fleeing criminals as they stole from his shop in Grinzane Cavour, near Cuneo, Piedmont. The 72-year-old was sentenced to 14 years and nine months in prison, which he termed as a "life sentence" in an Instagram video. The Supreme Court of Cassation, Italy's highest court, thus upheld the Court of Appeal's ruling, which had reduced the sentence to 17 years in the first instance and ruled out self-defense because, according to the ruling, the three robbers (one of whom was injured) had already left the shop when the shots were fired. "A 72-year-old father, grandfather, husband, and lifelong worker is sentenced to prison for responding to an assault, theft, and robbery in his family business, during which his wife and daughter were present and were at risk. I believe this sentence is unjust", said Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport Matteo Salvini shortly after the ruling. Supporting the request for a pardon are also Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, Defence Minister Guido Crosetto, as well as a petition signed by centre-right members of Parliament. In addition, hundreds of thousands of people have signed an online petition. President Sergio Mattarella will have the final say: opting for clemency would not result in the jeweler's criminal record being expunged, but it could prevent him from serving his sentence.