Defense lawyers in the Holy See's "trial of the century" asked the Vatican prosecutor to recuse himself from the appeals trial Monday, arguing he was implicated in questionable behavior according to years of private WhatsApp messages that have shaken the proceedings. Prosecutor Alessandro Diddi has a conflict of interest that should preclude him from heading the prosecution, the lawyers said in separate motions on the opening day of the appeals trial. They suggest questionable behavior by Vatican police, Diddi and Francis himself. The existence of the messages first jolted the trial in 2022 when Diddi told the court that Ciferri had forwarded him 126 chats she exchanged with Chaouqui. Diddi entered the messages into evidence but redacted all but eight, prompting defense complaints that he was withholding crucial evidence.