ROME ( CNN ) -- Seven people went on trial for manslaughter Tuesday in Italy , accused of failing to predict an earthquake that killed more than 300 people in L'Aquila in April 2009 . The seven -- six scientists from the Italian National Institute of Geophysics and Vulcanology and a member of the Civil Protection Agency -- were members of a governmental panel that prosecutors accuse of giving a `` rough , generic and ineffective assessment of the seismic risk . '' The seven , members of a so-called `` major risks '' panel , published `` inaccurate , incomplete and contradictory information about the dangers of seismic activity undermining the protection of the population , '' prosecutors said . The first hearing Tuesday morning in L'Aquila 's tribunal was devoted to technical matters and claims by injured parties . The city of L'Aquila has requested 50 million euros ( $ 68 million ) in compensation . Only one defendant was in court , the vice president of the panel , Bernardo De Bernardinis . `` I thought it was important to be here , not only because this is my turf but also to underline the professionalism ... of the other public officers , '' De Bernardinis told reporters . The trial has attracted the attention of the scientific world . The American Association for the Advancement of Science ( AAAS ) wrote to Italy 's President Giorgio Napolitano in June last year to express `` concern '' over the indictment of its Italian colleagues . `` The charges against these scientists are both unfair and naive , '' the letter said . The basis of the indictments appears to be that the scientists failed to alert the population of L'Aquila of an impending earthquake . However , the letter continues , `` there is no way they could have done that credibly . '' Lawyer Marcello Melandri is defending Enzo Boschi , who was president of the National Institute of Geophysics and Vulcanology at the time of the quake . Melandri denies that it 's a trial against science , saying : `` Professor Boschi simply said that the earthquake is unpredictable , that it could or it could not happen . '' The Civil Protection Agency had organized a meeting of the major risks panel in L'Aquila on March 31 , 2009 , amid concern among the city 's residents over ongoing seismic activity . After that meeting some members of the commission made reassuring statements to the press . In particular De Bernardinis said in an interview with a local TV station that the scientific community was `` reassuring '' him , and that the numerous tremors were in some ways a good thing , as they released seismic energy . The interview concluded with a joke . `` Meanwhile , let 's go and have a glass of wine , '' the journalist said . `` Absolutely ! '' De Bernardinis replied . Six days later , the magnitude-6.3 quake hit the city and surrounding areas , causing wide destruction and loss of life . Eugenio Carlomagno is among the citizens of L'Aquila to feel let down by the panel . `` There are big responsibilities that this trial has to establish . No one alerted us , there were no evacuation plans that could have saved lives , '' he told CNN . `` It 's not a matter of drinking a glass of wine , it 's a matter of respecting rules . '' The next trial session was scheduled for October 1 .
More than 300 people died in the April 2009 earthquake in L'Aquila . Scientists were asked to assess the risk after increased seismic activity . They did not predict the major earthquake that hit the centuries-old city . Prosecutors say they gave a generic and ineffective assessment of the risk .