Editing Honor Murder (section)

=== The Rocco Code ===
In 1930, the art. 587 of the italian Rocco's penal code  allowed the penalty for killing a wife, daughter or sister to be reduced in order to defend "one's honor or that of the one's family". The foreseen circumstance required that there be a state of anger (which was in practice always presumed). The reason for the diminuent was to be found in an "illegitimate carnal relationship" involving one of the women of the family, thus constituting an offense to honor. The other protagonist of the illegitimate relationship could therefore also be killed against an equal penalty.