A Rome judge started hearing arguments today from prosecutors of a US soldier charged with shooting dead an Italian intelligence agent in Iraq last year.
The hearing was adjourned after two hours until February 7th to give the judge time to review lengthy arguments - including about the tricky issue of jurisdiction - in a case that has strained ties between Rome and Washington.
Magistrates accuse Specialist Mario Lozano of the US Army's 69th Infantry Regiment of "voluntary homicide" for shooting agent Nicola Calipari at a checkpoint in March 2005 while his car was heading for Baghdad airport.
Mr Lozano was not in court and his state-appointed lawyer said he was "unable to be located" since the US authorities failed to give information on his whereabouts or hand him over to Italy.
"We want a trial," said the Calipari family's attorney, Franco Coppi. "We asked the United States for cooperation but that has always been refused to us.
"A nation that wants to be considered serious and lawful must respond to [this killing] with a trial that is balanced and fair," Mr Coppi said.
Mr Calipari was killed after helping free journalist Giuliana Sgrena, who had been held by militants. His death strengthened anti-war sentiment in Italy and calls to pull out of Iraq.
Italy's then prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi, had close ties to US President George W Bush and took Italian troops into Iraq. But he narrowly lost an April election to centre-left leader Romano Prodi, who has withdrawn Italy's Iraq contingent.
The main charges against Spec Lozano would carry at least 21 years in prison, without mitigating circumstances, according to lawyers involved in the case.
He could also face two counts of attempted homicide - one relating to the Italian agent driving the vehicle and the second to Mr Sgrena, who spent 24 days in hospital after the shooting and is seeking compensation.
"There is no motive [for a trial]. This was a tragic accident, period," defence attorney Fabrizio Cardinali said.
Rome agrees with the Pentagon that it was an accident but criticised the US military for having inexperienced troops at a poorly set up roadblock.
The US says troops fired on the car after it failed to heed signals to slow down.