Former Italian Premier Berlusconi sentenced to year in jail
Former Italian Premier Berlusconi sentenced to year in jail
Silvio Berlusconi is seen in a May 11, 2012 file photo. (AP
Photo/Luca Bruno) MILAN (AP) - A Milan court on Thursday
convicted former Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi of breach of
confidentiality for the illegal publication of wiretapped
conversations related to a failed bank takeover in a newspaper
owned by his media empire.  The court sentenced him to one year
in jail, but issued no orders on the carrying out of the
sentence. In Italy, it is rare for anyone to be put behind bars
pending a possible appeal except in the case of very serious
crimes like murder.   Silvio Berlusconi's defense team had
accused the court of seeking a speedy verdict for political
impact.  Still, the verdict does not directly affect
Berlusconi's eligibility to participate in a new government
because Italy - despite several attempts to pass such
legislation - has no law banning people convicted of minor
crimes fro