A judge opened hearings today to decide if Silvio Berlusconi should face trial in a corruption case, and lawyers presented documents which his defence said would clear the former prime minister.
Milan prosecutors have accused Mr Berlusconi of paying lawyer David Mills, the estranged husband of British Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell, a kickback of $600,000 for not revealing details of his media empire when he testified in two court cases.
Lawyers for Mr Mills presented information today which Mr Berlusconi's lawyers said proved the money was not connected to the politician or his family holding firm Fininvest.
"This paperwork proves that we are talking about money that has nothing to do with Berlusconi and Fininvest," Niccolo Ghedini, one of Mr Berlusconi's lawyers, said, adding that they had received a voluminous file. "We are completely at ease."
Mr Berlusconi's defence asked for more time to look at the new documents, and Judge Fabio Paparella set June 9th for the next hearing.
The hearings, which will determine if Mr Berlusconi and Mr Mills stand trial, are the latest chapter in Mr Berlusconi's longstanding legal struggles. The proceedings were the most important development in court since Mr Berlusconi narrowly lost a general election in April to Romano Prodi's centre-left coalition.
Mr Berlusconi lashed out at the prosecutors three days ahead of the April vote, accusing them of plotting to ruin his political ambitions by seeking charges against him before the election. He presented bank statements then that he said proved the money in question had come from a Naples shipbuilder.
Mr Prodi's new government today said it would seek damages in the case.
Both Mr Berlusconi and Mr Mills have denied wrongdoing. Neither attended Monday's session. Subsequent hearings could take weeks or months before the judge decides whether to charge the men.
Mr Berlusconi, Mr Mills and 12 others are under investigation in a related fraud case involving Mr Berlusconi's media company, Mediaset.
Preliminary hearings to decide whether to indict them in that case began in October and are continuing.