The description of the situation here appears to vindicate the scientists and call into doubt any legal action against them. There are two distinct components to the story, the scientific data, and the communication of the implications of that data to the general public. Scientists are really never in charge of the communication of the data to the public. Anyone with more than a child's understanding of the political milieu understands that politicians control the nature and volume of information in this context. There may not be direct evidence of that control. That would be consistent with the political animal's capacity for distortion, obfuscation, and cover-up. And scientists, as a breed, are generally not capable of outwitting the intent and determination of the politician. They are more adept at reading evidence gleaned from devices than at reading covert political gamesmanship. The conclusion here, for this reader, is that any legal action against the scientific community is not about the scientific community's accountability to the broader public. It is about the political animal adroitly offering up the scientist as the sacrificial victim.

Sue the scientist?  Are you kidding?  In America hold scientists responsible.  Half the country doesn't even believe in science.  They prefer mythology to science.  Talk of holding scientists responsible is nonsense and in the end at least in this country lead to nothing but a brain drain.  It's bad enough scientists hae to try and do research in a country that is more and more becoming anti-science.  American scientists pretty much have to hide out now allowing folks to take them to court over theory would simply have them run away. 

This is Italy where politics and justice are just pure opera buffa performances.  This case means nothing and will be thrown out on appeal, but only after having severely harmed Italian science's sense of freedom, which is the lifeblood of progress.  Don't believe me, ask Gallileo.