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Thu 10/20/2011 
Italy's Black Widow Refuses Day Release As She Does Not Want To Work 

Patrizia Reggiani, Italy's Black Widow of Gucci Heir  46-year-old fashion magnate husband, Maurizio Gucci, who paid a hit man to murder her husband in 1995 is serving a 26 year term. She is entitled to  Release Days, on which she must do menial work ,which she refuses.


Italy's Black Widow Refuses Day Release As She Does Not Want To Work 
Italy's "black widow", the wealthy socialite who paid a hit man to murder her husband, the multi-millionaire heir to Gucci, has refused to leave jail on day release because she will not lower herself to do a menial job. 
The London Telegraph; By Nick Squires, Rome;  October 19, 2011

Patrizia Reggiani has been in jail ever since being convicted of the killing in 1998. More than a decade later, she was the prospect of day release from Milan's San Vittore prison, if she will accept a menial job such as working as a waitress. 

But the 63-year-old, whose extravagant tastes included spending 10,000 euros a month on orchids, told a court in Milan: "I've never worked in my life and I'm certainly not going to start now." 

Her peremptory refusal of the day release deal echoed one of her more famous quotes: "I would rather weep in a Rolls-Royce than be happy on a bicycle." 

Instead she intends to serve the rest of her 26-year sentence in her jail cell, where she reportedly lavishes affection on a collection of pot plants and a pet ferret. 

She will continue to be allowed to make twice-monthly visits to her ageing mother, who lives in a lavish palazzo in central Milan-? a reminder of the cosseted lifestyle Mrs Reggiani used to enjoy. 

"The decision is up to her," said her lawyer, Danilo Buongiorno. "Whatever her decision, it needs to be respected." 

Mrs Reggiani was accused in 1995 of paying a hit man to shoot dead her 46-year-old fashion magnate husband, Maurizio Gucci, on the steps of his office in Milan. 

She was said to be jealous of other women in his life and angry about his management of the $170 million he had accrued after selling the family business in 1993 to a Bahrain-based investment group, Investcorp. 

She was found guilty three years later and sentenced to 29 years in prison, which was later reduced to 26 years on appeal. 

The crime exposed toxic feuds within the famous fashion family and featured a bizarre cast of characters ? Benedetto Ceraulo, the man convicted of pulling the trigger and sentenced to life imprisonment, was a debt-ridden pizzeria owner. 

Also found guilty of involvement in the murder was a hotel porter and Mrs Reggiani's personal psychic, Pina Auriemma, who first contacted the hit man and was sent to prison for 25 years. 

The heiress claimed she had been blackmailed by the fortune teller. 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/
8836918/Italys-black-widow-refuses-day-release-as-she-
does-not-want-to-work.html
 
 

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