On the day of the sentence for the death of Denis Donato Bergaminiwith Isabella Internò sentenced to 16 years in prison for complicity in murder, Cosenza wanted to make a dedication for the unforgettable number 8:
It was July 2017 when we decided to no longer assign the number 8 shirt to one of our players. With that symbolic gesture we wanted to send a strong signal, hoping that one day we will learn the truth about the death of our dear Denis Donato Bergamini. Today, with the sentence issued in the Court of Assizes in Cosenza, a significant and long-awaited page has been written in the long process of the trial. The work of raising awareness of the institutions and public opinion in recent years has seen everyone together – many, many – always have Denis in their hearts, first and foremost dear Donata and her family, the Cosenza fans, who have joined fans from all over Italy and beyond. We remain faithful to the promise made seven years ago, custodians of that important and unique shirt which, we are certain, will be able to return to the field in the near future. And it will be the beginning of a new story of sporting life and beyond. For Denis, forever.
The sentence
Sixteen years of sentence, seven less than requested by the public prosecution. This is the decision of the judges of the Assize Court of Cosenza: Isabella Internò she was convicted of complicity in murder. November 18, 1989 Donato Bergaminia Cosenza footballer with whom the woman was engaged, did not commit suicide.
The facts
Bergamini’s death was initially attributed to a suicide, but this reconstruction definitively lapsed in November 2017, 28 years after the fact, when a new expert report ordered by the Castrovillari court attributed the footballer’s death to suffocation/strangulation; following this assessment, the ex-girlfriend and the driver of the truck under whose wheels the footballer ended up were registered in the register of suspects.