>>
the trial of italian premier
silvio berlusconi
got under way this morning. he's accused, as you remember, of paying for sex with an under aged prostitute and using his influence to cover it up. while today's hearing didn't last long the messy case has thrown italy into an uproar.
michelle kosinski
is in milan. good morning to you.
>> reporter:
good morning. the first day of
silvio berlusconi
's trial lasted eight minutes. it's all procedural. he didn't make an appearance. he's already facing three other trials for corruption, but of course this is the one that gets the attention, the women, the allegations of wild parties and he has not exactly been shy about all of this.
silvio berlusconi
's latest defense? that at age 74, even he could not have done it. telling a newspaper, even though i'm a mischief maker, 32 girls in two months is too much even for a 30-year-old.
>>
you never see him frustrated. he's not afraid of the public or the media.
>> reporter:
these
tv show
girls said his infamous parties at the villa were elegant dinners where they might dance and the prime minister would sing. he's like a second fatherer says barbara guera, but leaked photos show them in progress with barbara dressed like not quite a
police officer
. dozens of prostitutes and
young women
were recruited for
silvio berlusconi
, but they defend him.
>>
he's not a monster. he's a simple man.
>> reporter:
alexandra said she's been to many of the prime minister's parties. they weren't full of sex and partying and
naked women
?
>>
no. i never see this like crazy things. he loved me. but, you know, it's like a
platonic love
.
>> reporter:
and admits
silvio berlusconi
gave her more than $150,000. when was the last time you talked to him?
>>
today.
>> reporter:
you talked to him today? on her sparkly phone she called him but the person who answered said he was with a group. he's actually accused of
having sex
with teenage runaway turned heart throb ruby when she was 17 and getting her released from jail for stealing with
silvio berlusconi
saying she was related to
hosni mubarak
.
>>
if he were convicted of this crime he could never be a politician for the rest of his life.
>> reporter:
he's faced many trials for corruption but always walked away. this case is not necessarily a
slam dunk
. he insists he didn't sleep with ruby, didn't know her age and thought she was related to mubarak.
>>
the prosecution has a lot to prove. a lot depends on what he knew, when he knew it.
>> reporter:
the teflon head of state is now in the hands of three judges, all women -- the no-nonsense kind. prosecutors have 20,000 pages of stuff. lots of wiretaps, but it remains to be seen what's actually damning because what leaked so far isn't necessarily, at least so far as crimes are concerned.
silvio berlusconi
has been light hearted. the other day handling a tough immigration issue he made a joke and said when women were asked who wouldle sleep with the prime minister 33% said yes and 67% said, what, again? not everyone finds it funny, matt.
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