1997-07-29
Coach's back flip resurrects Knox's career
(APW_ENG_19970729.0114)
1) Australian veteran rugby union fly-half David Knox was berated on Saturday as a ``non-tackler'' by the national coach who now rates him an automatic choice for the Wallabies.
2) Coach Greg Smith's amazing back flip on the 33-year-old continued a strange season for Knox.
3) Knox was outstanding in the Super 12 competition but walked out on Australia last month when Smith picked Tim Horan out of position at fly-half. Smith said Knox could not match Horan's defense but with the incumbent breaking a thumb against New Zealand on Saturday, Knox will get another chance to change Smith's mind.
4) After the All Blacks ruthlessly rolled Australia 33-18 in Melbourne, Smith called Knox a ``non-tackler'' in discussing replacements for Horan.
5) It was reported that Australian Rugby Union chief executive John O'Neill intervened to urge selectors to call Knox up from his South African base, where he is playing provincial rugby for Natal.
6) Smith said Tuesday that if Knox plays well against South Africa in the tri-nations series match at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday he might retain the position for the remainder of the tournament.
7) Horan is likely to be out for two months, leaving the door open for Knox to make the tour of Argentina and following one-off test against England later this year.
8) ``What you do is give people an opportunity in a position and if they perform they retain the position,'' said Smith.
9) ``I don't have the slightest doubt David Knox will perform. If he doesn't it won't be his fault, it'll be the circumstances.
10) ``Knoxy's the kind of bloke who'll enjoy the circumstances. I'm sure he'll be okay.''
11) Knox was flying back from South Africa Tuesday to prepare for his ninth Test appearance as Australia had its first Brisbane training session since the demoralizing loss to New Zealand.
12) ``When I got the call it was a bit of a surprise but I'm very happy,'' Knox said.
13) ``There's more to a game of rugby than defense, although it's very important, but I've really worked on my defense in the last couple of years.''
14) A majority of Wallaby players believe Knox should have been picked in the Test team from the outset this year.
15) ``If we can keep offering good possession for the back line we know we can maintain a lot of pressure on any opposition,'' said scrum half George Gregan.
16) ``David's got a very good set of hands and plays a style which gives his outside backs more opportunities. That's really going to help our game.''
17) But captain John Eales warned Knox could not be expected to do it himself.
18) ``He's not going to be able to come in and just do it,'' Eales said.
19) It obvious that Knox is not one of his coach's favorites, but he was lucky enough that Smith has even less time for the nearest rival - Queensland's fly-half Elton Flatley.
20) In November last year Smith said ``strewth, he is a bloke with a lot of courage ... but he's not a Test five-eighth.''
2007-11-06
3 detained in Italy on suspicion of murder and sexual assualt of UK student
(APW_ENG_20071106.0611)
1) Police detained the American roommate of a 22-year-old British student stabbed to death in Perugia last week and two others on suspicion of murder and sexual assault, authorities said Tuesday.
2) Meredith Kercher was found dead Friday in her rented room in the central Italian city the morning after attending last a Halloween party, authorities said.
3) Kercher, found half-naked, died fighting off a sexual attack, Perugia Police Chief Arturo De Felice told a news conference. He said Kercher was a "victim and nothing more."
4) A coroner said Kercher was stabbed in the neck, but police said no murder weapon has been found.
5) The three people detained were identified by Italian news agencies as Kercher's 20-year-old roommate, a 24-year-old Italian man who may have been the roommate's boyfriend and a 37-year-old Congolese man.
6) Kercher had been enrolled for a year of study in Perugia, an Umbrian city 170 kilometers (105 miles) north of Rome that is known for its university for foreigners.
3 detained in Italy on suspicion of murder and sexual assualt of UK student
(APW_ENG_20071106.0614)
1) Police detained the American roommate of a 22-year-old British student stabbed to death in Perugia last week and two others on suspicion of murder and sexual assault, authorities said Tuesday.
2) Meredith Kercher was found dead Friday in her rented room in the central Italian city the morning after attending a Halloween party, authorities said.
3) Kercher, found half-naked, died fighting off a sexual attack, Perugia Police Chief Arturo De Felice told a news conference Tuesday. He said Kercher was a "victim and nothing more."
4) A coroner said Kercher was stabbed in the neck, but police said no murder weapon has been found.
5) The three people detained were described by Italian news agencies as Kercher's 20-year-old roommate, a 24-year-old Italian man who may have been the roommate's boyfriend and a 37-year-old Congolese man.
6) Kercher had been enrolled for a year of study in Perugia, an Umbrian city 170 kilometers (105 miles) north of Rome that is known for its university for foreigners.
3 detained in Italy on suspicion of murder and sexual assault of UK student
(APW_ENG_20071106.1279)
1) Italian police detained an American woman and two others on suspicion of murdering and sexually assaulting a female British student in Perugia last week, authorities said Tuesday.
2) Meredith Kercher, 21, was found dead Friday in her rented room in the central Italian city the morning after attending a Halloween party, authorities said.
3) Kercher, found half-naked, died fighting off a sexual attack, Perugia Police Chief Arturo De Felice told a news conference Tuesday. He said Kercher was a "victim and nothing more."
4) A coroner said Kercher was stabbed in the neck, but police said no murder weapon has been found.
5) The three people detained were described by Italian news agencies as Kercher's 20-year-old roommate, a 24-year-old Italian man who may have been the roommate's boyfriend and a 37-year-old Congolese man.
6) Kercher had been enrolled for a year of study in Perugia, an Umbrian city 170 kilometers (105 miles) north of Rome that is known for its university for foreigners.
7) Members of Kercher's family, including her father and sister, arrived in Perugia Tuesday to meet with Italian authorities.
8) "Words can't even begin to describe how we feel right now," Stephanie Kercher said at a news conference held at a Perugia hotel. She described her sister as an "intelligent, witty and caring" person.
2007-11-07
Mother of American suspect in death of British girl arrives in Perugia
(APW_ENG_20071107.0500)
1) An American woman who traveled to Italy to comfort her daughter following the slaying of her roommate was told during the journey that her daughter was being detained as a suspect, officials said Wednesday.
2) Edda Mellas, of Seattle, arrived in Perugia on Tuesday night and was being hosted in an apartment owned by the city, said city spokesman Paolo Occiuto.
3) Mellas' daughter, Amanda Marie Knox, 20, was detained Tuesday along with her 24-year-old Italian boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito and a Congolese resident of Perugia, Lumumba "Patrick" Diya, 38, in connection with the sexual assault and death of British student Meredith Kercher.
4) Perugia police did not release the suspects' names, but a police spokeswoman confirmed Wednesday that the names that had appeared in the Italian media were correct.
5) Kercher, 21, was found dead Friday, half-naked, in the apartment she shared with Knox the morning after attending a Halloween party, authorities said.
6) Police chief Arturo De Felice said Tuesday she died fighting off a sexual attack. The coroner said Kercher was stabbed in the neck, but police say no murder weapon has been found.
7) Members of Kercher's family arrived Tuesday in Perugia and were being hosted at the city's expense at a central hotel, awaiting word from prosecutors on when they can take her remains home, Occhito said in a phone interview.
8) "We don't know how long it will take," he said.
9) In Seattle, the president of the Seattle-Perugia Sister City Association, Mike James, said it helped make travel arrangements for Mellas to get to Perugia. At the time she left, she was going to comfort her daughter and did not know she was a suspect.
10) Occhito said Mellas had been informed during the trip that her daughter had not just been questioned by police in the case but had been detained.
11) Kercher had been enrolled for a year of study in Perugia, an Umbrian city 170 kilometers (105 miles) north of Rome that is known for its university for foreigners.
Mother of American suspect in death of British girl arrives in Perugia
(APW_ENG_20071107.0528)
1) An American woman who traveled to Italy to comfort her daughter following the slaying of her British roommate was told during the journey that her daughter was being detained as a suspect, officials said Wednesday.
2) Edda Mellas, of Seattle, arrived in Perugia on Tuesday night and was being hosted in an apartment owned by the city, said city spokesman Paolo Occhiuto.
3) Mellas' daughter, Amanda Marie Knox, 20, was detained Tuesday along with her 24-year-old Italian boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito and a Congolese resident of Perugia, Lumumba "Patrick" Diya, 38, in connection with the sexual assault and death of British student Meredith Kercher.
4) Perugia police did not release the suspects' names, but a police spokeswoman confirmed Wednesday that the names that had appeared in the Italian media were correct.
5) Kercher, 21, was found dead Friday, half-naked, in the apartment she shared with Knox after attending a Halloween party, authorities said.
6) Police chief Arturo De Felice said Tuesday she died fighting off a sexual attack. The coroner said Kercher was stabbed in the neck, but police say no murder weapon has been found.
7) Members of Kercher's family arrived Tuesday in Perugia and were being hosted at the city's expense at a central hotel, awaiting word from prosecutors on when they can take her remains home, Occhiuto said in a phone interview.
8) "We don't know how long it will take," he said.
9) In Seattle, the president of the Seattle-Perugia Sister City Association, Mike James, said it helped make travel arrangements for Mellas to get to Perugia. At the time she left, she was going to comfort her daughter and did not know she was a suspect.
10) Occhiuto said Mellas had been informed during the trip that her daughter had not just been questioned by police in the case but had been detained.
11) Kercher had been enrolled for a year of study in Perugia, an Umbrian city 170 kilometers (105 miles) north of Rome that is known for its university for foreigners.
Mother of American suspect in death of British girl arrives in Perugia
(APW_ENG_20071107.1133)
1) An American woman who traveled to Italy to comfort her daughter following the slaying of her British roommate was told during the journey that her daughter was being detained as a suspect, officials said Wednesday.
2) Edda Mellas, of Seattle, arrived in Perugia on Tuesday night and was being hosted in a city-owned apartment, city spokesman Paolo Occhiuto said.
3) Mellas' daughter, Amanda Marie Knox, a 20-year-old University of Washington student, was detained Tuesday along with her 24-year-old Italian boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito and a Congolese resident of Perugia, Lumumba "Patrick" Diya, 38, in connection with the sexual assault and death of British student Meredith Kercher.
4) Perugia police did not release the suspects' names, but a police spokeswoman confirmed Wednesday that the names that had appeared in the Italian media were correct.
5) Kercher, 21, was found dead Friday, half-naked, in the apartment she shared with Knox after attending a Halloween party, authorities said.
6) Police chief Arturo De Felice said Tuesday she died fighting off a sexual attack. The coroner said Kercher was stabbed in the neck, but police say no murder weapon has been found.
7) In Italy, police detain people as suspects if prosecutors feel they have sufficient proof that they were involved in a crime. Within 48 hours, a judge must decide at a hearing whether to confirm the detentions or reject them based on the prosecutors' evidence.
8) That hearing is scheduled for Thursday. If the judge confirms the detentions, the prosecutor will likely ask that the suspects remain in prison while the investigation continues, said attorney Valerio Spigarelli, who is not connected to the case but is an expert in Italian criminal law.
9) At a later date, depending on the course of the investigation, prosecutors may ask a judge to formally indict the suspects and put them on trial, Spigarelli said.
10) Members of Kercher's family, meanwhile, arrived Tuesday in Perugia and were being hosted at the city's expense at a central hotel, awaiting word from prosecutors on when they can take her remains home, Occhiuto said in a phone interview.
11) "We don't know how long it will take," he said.
12) In Seattle, the president of the Seattle-Perugia Sister City Association, Mike James, said it helped make travel arrangements for Mellas to get to Perugia. At the time she left, she was going to comfort her daughter and did not know she was a suspect.
13) Occhiuto said Mellas had been informed during the trip that her daughter had not just been questioned by police in the case but had been detained.
14) A spokesman for the University of Washington in Seattle, Norm Arkans, said Knox was a student in good standing, studying this quarter in Perugia.
15) "That's all we can say because of student information privacy," Arkans said. "We don't have a role in any student's private legal problems."
16) Perugia, a city of about 150,000 people, hosts two major universities, the Italian state University of Perugia, with some 20,000 students, as well as the University for Foreigners, with a few thousand students, Occhiuto said.
American suspect to face hearing in death of British girl
(APW_ENG_20071107.1260)
1) An American student detained in this central Italian city in connection with the slaying of her British roommate will face a judge Thursday in a hearing to decide whether she and two other suspects will stay in jail.
2) Amanda Marie Knox, a 20-year-old University of Washington student from Seattle, was detained Tuesday along with her 24-year-old Italian boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito and a Congolese resident of Perugia, Lumumba "Patrick" Diya, 38, in connection with the sexual assault and death of British student Meredith Kercher.
3) Perugia police did not release the suspects' names, but a police spokeswoman confirmed Wednesday that the names that had appeared in the Italian media were correct.
4) Kercher, 21, was found dead Friday, half-naked, in the apartment she shared with Knox after attending a Halloween party, authorities said.
5) Police chief Arturo De Felice said Tuesday she died fighting off a sexual attack. The coroner said Kercher was stabbed in the neck, but police say no murder weapon has been found.
6) In Italy, police detain people as suspects if prosecutors feel they have sufficient proof that they were involved in a crime. Within 48 hours, a judge must decide at a hearing whether to confirm the detentions or reject them based on the prosecutors' evidence.
7) If the judge at Thursday's hearing confirms the detentions, the prosecutor will likely ask that the suspects remain in prison while the investigation continues, said attorney Valerio Spigarelli, who is not connected to the case but is an expert in Italian criminal law.
8) At a later date, depending on the course of the investigation, prosecutors may ask a judge to formally indict the suspects and put them on trial, Spigarelli said.
9) Meanwhile, Knox's mother, Edda Mellas arrived in Perugia on Tuesday night and was being hosted in a city-owned apartment, city spokesman Paolo Occhiuto said. He said Mellas had been informed during the trip that her daughter had not just been questioned by police in the case but had been detained.
10) Members of Kercher's family arrived earlier Tuesday in Perugia and were being hosted at the city's expense at a central hotel, awaiting word from prosecutors on when they can take her remains home, Occhiuto said in a phone interview.
11) "We don't know how long it will take," he said.
12) In Seattle, the president of the Seattle-Perugia Sister City Association, Mike James, said it helped make travel arrangements for Mellas to get to Perugia. At the time she left, she was going to comfort her daughter and did not know she was a suspect.
13) A spokesman for the University of Washington in Seattle, Norm Arkans, said Knox was a student in good standing, studying this quarter in Perugia.
14) "That's all we can say because of student information privacy," Arkans said. "We don't have a role in any student's private legal problems."
15) Perugia, a city of about 150,000 people, hosts two major universities, the Italian state University of Perugia, with some 20,000 students, as well as the University for Foreigners, with a few thousand students, Occhiuto said.
American suspect to face hearing in death of British girl
(APW_ENG_20071107.1454)
1) An American student detained in a central Italian city in connection with the slaying of her British roommate will face a judge Thursday in a hearing to determine whether she and two other suspects will stay in jail.
2) Amanda Marie Knox, a 20-year-old University of Washington student from Seattle, was detained Tuesday in connection with the sexual assault and killing of British student Meredith Kercher, 21.
3) Police also detained Knox's 24-year-old Italian boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, and a Congolese resident of Perugia, Lumumba "Patrick" Diya, 38.
4) Perugia police did not release the suspects' names, but a police spokeswoman confirmed Wednesday that the names that had appeared in the Italian media were correct.
5) Kercher's seminude body was found in the apartment, which she shared with Knox, after she attended a Halloween party, authorities said.
6) Police have said she died fighting off a sexual attack. The coroner said Kercher was stabbed in the neck, but police say no murder weapon had been found.
7) In Italy, police detain people as suspects if prosecutors feel they have sufficient proof that they were involved in a crime. Within 48 hours, a judge must decide at a hearing whether to confirm the detentions or reject them based on the prosecutors' evidence.
8) If the judge at Thursday's hearing confirms the detentions, the prosecutor will likely ask that the suspects remain in prison while the investigation continues, said attorney Valerio Spigarelli, who is not connected to the case but is an expert in Italian criminal law.
9) At a later date, depending on the course of the investigation, prosecutors may ask a judge to formally indict the suspects and put them on trial, Spigarelli said.
10) Knox's mother, Edda Mellas, arrived in Perugia on Tuesday night and was staying in a city-owned apartment, city spokesman Paolo Occhiuto said. He said Mellas had been informed during the trip that her daughter had not just been questioned by police in the case but had been detained.
11) Members of Kercher's family arrived earlier Tuesday in Perugia and were being hosted at the city's expense at a central hotel, awaiting word from prosecutors on when they can take her remains home, Occhiuto said in a phone interview.
12) "We don't know how long it will take," he said.
13) In Seattle, the president of the Seattle-Perugia Sister City Association, Mike James, said it helped make travel arrangements for Mellas to get to Perugia. At the time she left, she was going to comfort her daughter and did not know she was a suspect.
14) A spokesman for the University of Washington in Seattle, Norm Arkans, said Knox was a student in good standing, studying this quarter in Perugia.
15) "That's all we can say because of student information privacy," Arkans said. "We don't have a role in any student's private legal problems."
16) Perugia, a city of about 150,000 people, hosts two major universities, the Italian state University of Perugia, with some 20,000 students, as well as the University for Foreigners, with a few thousand students, Occhiuto said.
17) Dozens of red commemorative candles remained lit Wednesday evening in Kercher's memory on the stairs of Perugia's medieval cathedral, but many foreign students continued to party as usual.
18) "The Americans still come out as if nothing happened," said Esteban Garcia Pascual, the Argentine-born owner of a downtown pub that is popular among foreign students. "They go out and have fun and continue their adventure."
2007-11-08
Judge to decide whether to hold 3 suspected in UK student ' s murder in Italy
(APW_ENG_20071108.0565)
1) Lawyers and prosecutors arrived Thursday at Perugia's courthouse for a hearing on whether there was sufficient evidence to warrant keeping an American student and two others in jail in connection with the death of the student's British roommate.
2) Judge Claudia Matteini must decide whether to confirm the detentions of Amanda Marie Knox, a 20-year-old student from Seattle; her Italian boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, 24, and a Congolese resident, Lumumba "Patrick" Diya, 38.
3) The three were detained on Tuesday in connection with the sexual assault and death of British student Meredith Kercher. Kercher, 21, was found dead Friday, the day after attending a Halloween party, in the apartment she shared with Knox, authorities said.
4) Police said she died fighting off a sexual attack. The coroner said Kercher was stabbed in the neck, but police say no murder weapon has been found.
5) "We are serene and have total faith in the judge," Sollecito's attorney, Tiziano Tedeschi, told reporters as he arrived at the courthouse, shortly after the prosecutor and other attorneys.
6) In Italy, a judge must determine within 48 hours whether to hold or release detained suspects. If the judge confirms the detentions, the prosecutor will likely ask that the suspects remain in prison while the investigation continues, said attorney Valerio Spigarelli, an expert in Italian criminal law who is not connected to the case.
7) In her profile on the MySpace.com social networking site, Knox wrote that she was majoring in Italian and German and minoring in creative writing.
8) She wrote on her blog last month that she was in "one of my most happiest places right now" and mentions her house, her language classes, working at Diya's bar six nights a week and her observations on Italian life.
9) "Everything shuts down in the middle of the day so everyone can have a 3 hour lunch break. i love it," she wrote. "i wish we had that in america. ... Having that time in the middle of the day reminds you that life really isnt all about going to work and making money. its about who you are and what you choose to do and who you choose to spend your time with."
10) She signed off by wishing her friends well: "Vi voglio bene."
11) Dozens of red commemorative candles remained lit Wednesday evening in Kercher's memory on the stairs of Perugia's medieval cathedral, but many foreign students continued to party as usual.
12) "The Americans still come out as if nothing happened," said Esteban Garcia Pascual, the Argentine-born owner of a downtown pub that is popular among foreign students. "They go out and have fun and continue their adventure."
Italy judge delays decision on holding US student in death of UK roomate
(APW_ENG_20071108.0827)
1) A judge on Thursday postponed a decision for another day on whether there was sufficient evidence to keep an American student in jail in connection with the death of her British roommate, a defense lawyer said.
2) Judge Claudia Matteini said she would decide Friday whether Amanda Marie Knox, a 20-year-old student from Seattle, should remain in jail pending further investigation into the death of Meredith Kercher, Knox's attorney, Luciano Ghirga, told reporters outside the courthouse.
3) At the hearing Thursday, Matteini was still weighing whether to continue to hold Knox's Italian boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, 24, and a Congolese resident, Lumumba "Patrick" Diya, 38, Ghirga said.
4) The three were detained on Tuesday in connection with the sexual assault and death of Kercher, 21, whose body was found Friday in the apartment she shared with Knox, authorities said.
5) Police said she died fighting off a sexual attack. The coroner said Kercher was stabbed in the neck, but police say no murder weapon has been found.
6) Ghirga said Knox was well but stressed by the experience.
7) "We maintain her innocence, and the prosecutor maintains she contributed to the crime," Ghirga said.
8) Sollecito's attorney, Tiziano Tedeschi, told reporters as he arrived at the courthouse that he was "serene" and had "total faith in the judge."
9) In her profile on the MySpace.com social networking site, Knox wrote that she was majoring in Italian and German and minoring in creative writing.
10) She wrote on her blog last month that she was in "one of my most happiest places right now" and mentions her house, her language classes, working at Diya's bar six nights a week and her observations on Italian life.
11) "Everything shuts down in the middle of the day so everyone can have a 3 hour lunch break. i love it," she wrote. "i wish we had that in america. ... Having that time in the middle of the day reminds you that life really isnt all about going to work and making money. its about who you are and what you choose to do and who you choose to spend your time with."
12) She signed off by wishing her friends well: "Vi voglio bene."
13) Dozens of red commemorative candles remained lit Wednesday evening in Kercher's memory on the stairs of Perugia's medieval cathedral, but many foreign students continued to party as usual.
14) "The Americans still come out as if nothing happened," said Esteban Garcia Pascual, the Argentine-born owner of a downtown pub that is popular among foreign students. "They go out and have fun and continue their adventure."
Italy judge delays decision on holding American student in death of British roommate
(APW_ENG_20071108.1019)
1) An Italian judge postponed a decision until Friday on whether there was sufficient evidence to keep an American student in jail in connection with the death of her British roommate, a defense lawyer said.
2) Judge Claudia Matteini must decide whether to confirm the detentions of Amanda Marie Knox, a 20-year-old student from Seattle; her Italian boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, 24, and a Congolese resident, Lumumba "Patrick" Diya, 38.
3) The three were detained Tuesday in connection with the sexual assault and killing of British student Meredith Kercher, 21, who was found dead Nov. 2, the day after attending a Halloween party.
4) Matteini had been expected to make a decision Thursday on Knox's detention, but the judge said she would decide Friday, Knox's attorney, Luciano Ghirga, told reporters outside the courthouse.
5) At the hearing Thursday, Matteini was still weighing whether to continue to hold Knox's Italian boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, 24, and a Congolese resident, Lumumba "Patrick" Diya, 38, Ghirga said.
6) Kercher's body was found in the apartment she shared with Knox, authorities said. Police said she died fighting off a sexual attack. The coroner said Kercher was stabbed in the neck, but police say no murder weapon had been found.
7) Ghirga said Knox was well, but stressed by the experience.
8) "We maintain her innocence, and the prosecutor maintains she contributed to the crime," Ghirga said.
9) Sollecito's attorney, Tiziano Tedeschi, told reporters as he arrived at the courthouse that he was "serene" and had "total faith in the judge." He said his client was innocent and "he wasn't at the crime scene."
10) In her profile on the MySpace.com social networking site, Knox wrote that she was majoring in Italian and German and minoring in creative writing.
11) She wrote on her blog last month that she was in "one of my most happiest places right now" and mentions her house, her language classes, working at Diya's bar six nights a week and her observations on Italian life.
12) "Everything shuts down in the middle of the day so everyone can have a 3 hour lunch break. I love it," she wrote. "I wish we had that in America. ... Having that time in the middle of the day reminds you that life really isn't all about going to work and making money. It's about who you are and what you choose to do and who you choose to spend your time with."
13) She signed off by wishing her friends well: "Vi voglio bene."
14) Dozens of red commemorative candles remained lit Wednesday evening in Kercher's memory on the stairs of Perugia's medieval cathedral, but many foreign students continued to party as usual.
15) "The Americans still come out as if nothing happened," said Esteban Garcia Pascual, the Argentine-born owner of a downtown pub that is popular among foreign students. "They go out and have fun and continue their adventure."
Italy judge delays decision on holding American student in death of British roommate
(APW_ENG_20071108.1405)
1) An Italian judge postponed a decision until Friday on whether there was sufficient evidence to keep an American student in jail in connection with the death of her British roommate, a defense lawyer said.
2) Judge Claudia Matteini must decide whether to confirm the detentions of Amanda Marie Knox, a 20-year-old student from Seattle; her Italian boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, 24; and a Congolese resident, Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, 38.
3) The three were detained Tuesday in connection with the sexual assault and killing of British student Meredith Kercher, 21, who was found dead Nov. 2, the day after attending a Halloween party.
4) Matteini had been expected to make a decision Thursday on the detention of Knox and the other two suspects. But the judge was now expected to rule Friday, lawyers said.
5) Kercher's body was found in the apartment she shared with Knox, authorities said. Police said she died fighting off a sexual attack. The coroner said Kercher was stabbed in the neck, but police say no murder weapon had been found.
6) Knox's attorney, Luciano Ghirga, said Knox was well, but stressed by the experience.
7) "We maintain her innocence, and the prosecutor maintains she contributed to the crime," Ghirga said.
8) The other two suspects also denied involvement in the killing.
9) Lumumba was questioned by prosecutors Thursday and answered all of their questions, the suspect's lawyer said. He maintained his innocence.
10) "He worked at his pub like every evening," said Carlo Pacelli, Lumumba's lawyer. He added that he could provide evidence supporting the claim and said: "He never was in that house of horrors."
11) Sollecito's attorney, Tiziano Tedeschi, told reporters as he arrived at the courthouse that he was "serene" and had "total faith in the judge." He said his client was innocent and "he wasn't at the crime scene."
12) In her profile on the MySpace.com social networking site, Knox wrote that she was majoring in Italian and German and minoring in creative writing.
13) She wrote on her blog last month that she was in "one of my most happiest places right now" and mentions her house, her language classes, working at Lumumba's bar six nights a week and her observations on Italian life.
14) "Everything shuts down in the middle of the day so everyone can have a 3 hour lunch break. I love it," she wrote. "I wish we had that in America. ... Having that time in the middle of the day reminds you that life really isn't all about going to work and making money. It's about who you are and what you choose to do and who you choose to spend your time with."
15) She signed off by wishing her friends well: "Vi voglio bene."
16) Dozens of red commemorative candles remained lit Wednesday evening in Kercher's memory on the stairs of Perugia's medieval cathedral, but many foreign students continued to party as usual.
17) "The Americans still come out as if nothing happened," said Esteban Garcia Pascual, the Argentine-born owner of a downtown pub that is popular among foreign students. "They go out and have fun and continue their adventure."
2007-11-09
Italian judge to make decision on holding American student in death of British roommate
(APW_ENG_20071109.0496)
1) An Italian judge was due to rule Friday on whether there was sufficient evidence to keep an American student in jail in connection with the death of her British roommate.
2) Amanda Marie Knox, a 20-year-old student from Seattle, has been detained in this central Italian city since Tuesday, along with two other suspects in the case: her Italian boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, 24, and Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, a 38-year-old Congolese who runs a bar where Knox works.
3) The three have been detained in connection with the sexual assault and killing of British student Meredith Kercher, 21, who was found dead Nov. 2.
4) Judge Claudia Matteini had been expected to decide Thursday on whether to keep the three behind bars, but she postponed the decision until Friday, lawyers said.
5) Kercher's body was found in the apartment she shared with Knox and police said she died fighting off a sexual attack. The coroner said Kercher was stabbed in the neck, but police say no murder weapon has been found.
6) Knox's attorney, Luciano Ghirga, said Knox was well, but stressed by the experience.
7) "We maintain her innocence, and the prosecutor maintains she contributed to the crime," Ghirga said.
8) The other two suspects also denied involvement in the killing.
9) Lumumba "worked at his pub like every evening," said his lawyer, Carlo Pacelli, adding he could provide evidence supporting the claim. Sollecito's attorney, Tiziano Tedeschi, said his client was innocent and that "he wasn't at the crime scene."
Italy judge rules 3 to remain in jail over death of British roommate
(APW_ENG_20071109.0576)
1) An Italian judge ruled Friday that an American student, her Italian boyfriend and a Congolese bar owner should remain in jail as suspects in the death of a British student, a lawyer said.
2) Amanda Marie Knox, 20, Raffaele Sollecito, 24, and Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, 38, have been detained in connection with the sexual assault and killing of Knox's roommate, Meredith Kercher, 21, who was found dead Nov. 2.
3) Judge Claudia Matteini said in a 19-page ruling that there was sufficient evidence to keep them in jail while the investigation continues, said Luca Maori, one of Sollecito's lawyers.
Italy judge rules 3 to remain in jail over death of British student
(APW_ENG_20071109.0602)
1) An Italian judge ruled Friday that an American student, her Italian boyfriend and a Congolese bar owner should remain in jail as suspects in the death of a British student, a lawyer said.
2) Amanda Marie Knox, 20, Raffaele Sollecito, 24, and Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, 38, have been detained in connection with the sexual assault and killing of Knox's roommate, Meredith Kercher, 21, who was found dead Nov. 2.
3) Judge Claudia Matteini said in a 19-page ruling that there was sufficient evidence to keep them in jail for up to a year while the investigation continues, said Luca Maori, one of Sollecito's lawyers.
4) "We didn't expect it," Maori told reporters, adding that he planned to appeal.
5) He cautioned that he still had to read the ruling, but said that the defense team was "perplexed" by the judge's decision.
6) The three have denied involvement in the killing, according to their lawyers.
7) Under Italian law, suspects can be kept behind bars without being charged if a judge rules there is enough evidence to jail them and there is a chance they might flee, repeat the crime or tamper with evidence. Depending on the course of the investigation, prosecutors may later seek to indict the suspects and put them on trial.
8) Kercher's body was found in the apartment she shared with Knox and police said she died fighting off a sexual attack. The coroner said Kercher was stabbed in the neck, but police say no murder weapon has been found.
Italy judge rules 3 to remain in jail over death of British student
(APW_ENG_20071109.1004)
1) A judge ruled Friday there was enough evidence to hold an American student, her Italian boyfriend and a Congolese bar owner as suspects in the death of the girl's British roommate.
2) Amanda Marie Knox, 20, Raffaele Sollecito, 23, and Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, 38, have been detained in connection with the sexual assault and killing of Meredith Kercher, 21, who was found dead Nov. 2.
3) Judge Claudia Matteini said there were "serious indications of guilt" that warranted keeping the three in jail for up to a year while the investigation continues. She also warned in a 19-page ruling that each of the suspects posed a flight risk.
4) The three suspects, all under investigation for murder and sexual assault, have denied involvement in the killing, according to their lawyers.
5) Under Italian law, suspects can be kept behind bars without being charged if a judge rules there is enough evidence to jail them and there is a chance they might flee, repeat the crime or tamper with evidence. Prosecutors may later seek to indict the suspects and put them on trial.
6) The judge said in her ruling that, if released, the suspects could try to leave Italy.
7) "They could easily have left the territory of the state to escape the investigation," the judge wrote, noting that Lumumba is from Congo, Knox is American and Sollecito could have enlisted his girlfriend's help to flee.
8) Kercher's body was found in the apartment she shared with Knox, and police said she died fighting off a sexual attack. The coroner said Kercher was stabbed in the neck.
9) Matteini said it was not yet clear who might have dealt the fatal blow, but said Sollecito's footprints were found in Kercher's room, and identified the murder weapon as a knife with an 8.5-centimeter-long (3.3-inch-long) blade that the Italian usually had with him.
10) However, the judge wrote that, when questioned by investigators, Knox said Lumumba was also in the room and that he had killed Kercher.
11) In her reconstruction of the incident, the judge said Knox, who worked for Lumumba at his Perugia bar, let the two men into the apartment with her keys.
12) "Then something went wrong," Matteini wrote. "The two (men) demanded some kind of sexual act, which (Kercher) refused to do. She was then threatened with a knife, which Sollecito always carried with him, and with which Meredith was stabbed in the neck."
13) One of Sollecito's attorneys, Luca Maori, said he planned to appeal the decision.
14) "We didn't expect it," he said. While saying he had not yet read the ruling, he said the defense team was "perplexed" by the judge's decision.
Italian judge: US student accuses barman of killing her roommate
(APW_ENG_20071109.1220)
1) An American student has accused a Congolese bar owner of knifing her British roommate to death, saying she had to cover her ears to drown out her friend's screams, according to a judge's ruling Friday ordering the American, the Congolese and another suspect to remain in jail in connection with the slaying.
2) In her ruling, however, the judge noted that Amanda Marie Knox, of Seattle, was confused about the events since she had smoked hashish before the slaying. And the judge also said the murder weapon was a knife that belonged to the third suspect, Knox's Italian boyfriend.
3) Knox, 20, Raffaele Sollecito, 23, and Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, 38, have been detained in connection with the sexual assault and killing of Meredith Kercher, 21, who was found dead Nov. 2. They are under investigation for murder and sexual assault, and have all denied involvement in the killing, according to their lawyers.
4) Judge Claudia Matteini ordered the three, who have not been charged, to be kept in jail. Matteini said there were "serious indications of guilt" that warranted keeping the three in jail for up to a year while the investigation continues.
5) The 19-page ruling says that Knox, in her meetings with prosecutors, had accused Lumumba of killing Kercher.
6) Knox had "confused memories, since she had taken hashish in the afternoon," the ruling read. But Knox told prosecutors that "Patrick slipped off with Meredith ... on whom he had a crush ... in the bedroom, where they had sex."
7) "She (Knox) added that she could not remember if (Meredith) had been previously threatened but that it was Patrick who killed her," the ruling read. "She made clear that in those moments ... she heard Meredith scream so much that she, being scared, covered her ears."
8) A lawyer for Knox, Luciano Ghirga, said Friday he had warned Knox against making unfounded accusations. He said she had given "three versions and ... it is difficult to evaluate which one is true."
9) "We told her that it would be worse than assassination to accuse an innocent person. We explained to her what slander means in Italy and we'll see," Ghirga said.
10) Under Italian law, suspects can be kept behind bars without being charged if a judge rules there is enough evidence to jail them and there is a chance they might flee, repeat the crime or tamper with evidence. Prosecutors may later seek to indict the suspects and put them on trial.
11) The judge said in her ruling that, if released, the suspects could try to flee Italy.
12) "They could easily have left the territory of the state to escape the investigation," the judge wrote, noting that Lumumba is from Congo, Knox is American and Sollecito could have enlisted his girlfriend's help to flee.
13) Kercher's body was found in the apartment she shared with Knox, and police said she died fighting off a sexual attack. The coroner said Kercher was stabbed in the neck.
14) Matteini said it was not yet clear who might have dealt the fatal blow, but said Sollecito's footprints were found in Kercher's room, and identified the murder weapon as a knife with an 8.5-centimeter-long (3.3-inch-long) blade that the Italian usually had with him.
15) In her reconstruction of the incident, the judge said Knox, who worked for Lumumba at his Perugia bar, let the two men into the apartment with her keys.
16) "Then something went wrong," Matteini wrote. "The two (men) demanded some kind of sexual act, which (Kercher) refused to do. She was then threatened with a knife, which Sollecito always carried with him, and with which Meredith was stabbed in the neck."
17) One of Sollecito's attorneys, Luca Maori, said he planned to appeal the decision.
18) "We didn't expect it," he said. While saying he had not yet read the ruling, he said the defense team was "perplexed" by the judge's decision.
Italian judge: US student accuses barman of killing her roommate
(APW_ENG_20071109.1273)
1) An American student has accused a Congolese bar owner of knifing her British roommate to death, saying she had to cover her ears to drown out her friend's screams, according to a judge's ruling Friday ordering the American, the Congolese and another suspect to remain in jail in connection with the slaying.
2) In her ruling, however, the judge noted that Amanda Marie Knox, of Seattle, was confused about the events since she had smoked hashish before the slaying. And the judge also said the murder weapon was a knife that belonged to the third suspect, Knox's Italian boyfriend.
3) Knox, 20, Raffaele Sollecito, 23, and Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, 38, have been detained in connection with the sexual assault and killing of Meredith Kercher, 21, who was found dead Nov. 2. They are under investigation for murder and sexual assault, and have all denied involvement in the killing, according to their lawyers.
4) Judge Claudia Matteini ordered the three, who have not been charged, to be kept in jail. Matteini said there were "serious indications of guilt" that warranted keeping the three in jail for up to a year while the investigation continues.
5) The 19-page ruling says that Knox, in her meetings with prosecutors, had accused Lumumba of killing Kercher.
6) Knox had "confused memories, since she had taken hashish in the afternoon," the ruling read. But Knox told prosecutors that "Patrick slipped off with Meredith ... on whom he had a crush ... in the bedroom, where they had sex."
7) "She (Knox) added that she could not remember if (Meredith) had been previously threatened but that it was Patrick who killed her," the ruling read. "She made clear that in those moments ... she heard Meredith scream so much that she, being scared, covered her ears."
8) A lawyer for Knox, Luciano Ghirga, said Friday he had warned Knox against making unfounded accusations. He said she had given "three versions and ... it is difficult to evaluate which one is true."
9) "We told her that it would be worse than assassination to accuse an innocent person. We explained to her what slander means in Italy and we'll see," Ghirga said.
10) Lumumba's lawyer, Carlo Pacelli, has maintained that his client was at his pub at the time and accused Knox of making "slanderous statements."
11) "She repeatedly changes her story," he said Thursday.
12) Sollecito's attorney, Tiziano Tedeschi, has also told reporters that his client was not at the crime scene.
13) Under Italian law, suspects can be kept behind bars without being charged if a judge rules there is enough evidence to jail them and there is a chance they might flee, repeat the crime or tamper with evidence. Prosecutors may later seek to indict the suspects and put them on trial.
14) The judge said in her ruling that, if released, the suspects could try to flee Italy.
15) "They could easily have left the territory of the state to escape the investigation," the judge wrote, noting that Lumumba is from Congo, Knox is American and Sollecito could have enlisted his girlfriend's help to flee.
16) Kercher's body was found in the apartment she shared with Knox, and police said she died fighting off a sexual attack. The coroner said Kercher was stabbed in the neck.
17) Matteini said it was not yet clear who might have dealt the fatal blow, but said Sollecito's footprints were found in Kercher's room, and identified the murder weapon as a knife with an 8.5-centimeter-long (3.3-inch-long) blade that the Italian usually had with him.
18) In her reconstruction of the incident, the judge said Knox, who worked for Lumumba at his Perugia bar, let the two men into the apartment with her keys.
19) "Then something went wrong," Matteini wrote. "The two (men) demanded some kind of sexual act, which (Kercher) refused to do. She was then threatened with a knife, which Sollecito always carried with him, and with which Meredith was stabbed in the neck."
20) Sollecito's attorneys said they planned to appeal the decision.
2007-11-10
Mother visits her jailed U.S. daughter in Perugia murder case
(APW_ENG_20071110.0496)
1) The mother of a U.S. student jailed in the university town of Perugia as part of a probe into the murder of her British apartment mate comforted her daughter in jail Saturday, the prison's chaplain said.
2) Amanda Marie Knox, 20, of Seattle, is being held in jail while investigators continue to probe the grisly slaying of a British student with whom she shared living quarters. Also in jail are Knox's Italian boyfriend and the Congolese owner of a bar she frequented in the Umbria town of Perugia, where she attended university.
3) All three have denied involvement in the slaying.
4) Authorities say Meredith Kercher, 21, was stabbed in the neck in her bed as she resisted sexual assault. Police who came to the apartment Nov. 1 to return Kercher's cell phone, which had been found in a neighbor's garden, discovered her seminude body in a pool of blood.
5) "As far as I can ascertain, her mother was able to give her comfort, despite the atmosphere," Perugia prison chaplain, the Rev. Saulo Scarabattoli, said after visiting Amanda Saturday.
6) The Roman Catholic priest said he didn't meet with Knox's mother, Edda Mellas.
7) Italian news reports said Mellas did not talk to reporters when she arrived at the prison Saturday morning.
8) Scarabattoli said Knox had received visits from him "with joy" and was writing down her thoughts.
9) "It's not a diary in a formal sense as we know it, but she is recording sensations, memories, her account," the priest told The Associated Press by telephone. Scarabattoli said she gladly accepted a selection from the Gospel of St. Luke about the resurrection that will be read at Sunday's prison Mass.
10) Knox and her mother would have sat face-to-face in the visitor's room, said the priest. Inmates usually are allowed hour-long visits about four times a month, he said.
11) Francesco Sollecito, the father of Knox's boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, visited his 23-year-son in prison. He described his son as "tranquil enough, although obviously tried by the atmosphere."
12) He is also "a bit perturbed. He's reviewing his impressions of this girl," the father said, referring to Knox. Raffaele Sollecito had been seeing her for about two weeks before the slaying.
13) Investigators have said Kercher was stabbed with a knife similar to one the boyfriend was known to carry.
14) But Francesco Sollecito dismissed any link. "I, too, collect weapons. I collect rifles and other things," he said. His son, he said, "collects knives -- nothing more, nothing less."
15) The father, a doctor, contended the wound suffered by Kercher, was "compatible with several kinds of knives."
16) In a ruling upholding the detentions, Perugia Judge Claudia Matteini described Knox as confused about the events, since she had smoked hashish before the slaying.
17) The third suspect, Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, 38, was accused by Knox of the killing, according to the judge's ruling. Lumumba's lawyer, has maintained that his client was at his pub at the time and accused Knox of making "slanderous statements."
18) Sollecito's attorney has also told reporters that his client was not at the crime scene, although the judge wrote that Sollecito's footprints were found in Kercher's room. The Italian news agency Apcom quoted Sollecito's father as saying that the footprints were of a "very common" kind of shoe and that the defense would press for new scientific tests on his son's shoes.
Mother visits her jailed U.S. daughter in Perugia murder case
(APW_ENG_20071110.0631)
1) The mother of a U.S. student suspected in the murder of her British apartment mate comforted her daughter in jail Saturday, the prison's chaplain said.
2) Amanda Marie Knox, 20, of Seattle, is being held in the Umbria town of Perugia while authorities investigate the grisly slaying of a British student with whom she shared living quarters. Also in jail are Knox's Italian boyfriend and the Congolese owner of a bar she frequented in Perugia, where she attended university.
3) All three have denied involvement in the slaying.
4) Authorities say Meredith Kercher, 21, was stabbed in the neck in her bed as she resisted sexual assault. Police who came to the apartment Nov. 2 to return Kercher's cell phone, which had been found in a neighbor's garden, discovered her seminude body in a pool of blood.
5) "As far as I can ascertain, her mother was able to give her comfort, despite the atmosphere," Perugia prison chaplain, the Rev. Saulo Scarabattoli, said after visiting Amanda Saturday.
6) The Roman Catholic priest said he didn't meet with Knox's mother, Edda Mellas.
7) Italian news reports said Mellas did not talk to reporters when she arrived at the prison Saturday morning.
8) Scarabattoli said Knox had received visits from him "with joy" and was writing down her thoughts.
9) "It's not a diary in a formal sense as we know it, but she is recording sensations, memories, her account," the priest told The Associated Press by telephone. Scarabattoli said she gladly accepted a selection from the Gospel of St. Luke about the resurrection that will be read at Sunday's prison Mass.
10) Knox and her mother would have sat face-to-face in the visitor's room, said the priest. Inmates usually are allowed hour-long visits about four times a month, he said.
11) Francesco Sollecito, the father of Knox's boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, visited his 23-year-son in prison. He described his son as "tranquil enough, although obviously tried by the atmosphere."
12) He is also "a bit perturbed. He's reviewing his impressions of this girl," the father said, referring to Knox. Raffaele Sollecito had been seeing her for about two weeks before the slaying.
13) Investigators have said Kercher was stabbed with a knife similar to one the boyfriend was known to carry.
14) But Francesco Sollecito dismissed any link. "I, too, collect weapons. I collect rifles and other things," he said. His son, he said, "collects knives -- nothing more, nothing less."
15) The father, a doctor, contended the wound suffered by Kercher, was "compatible with several kinds of knives."
16) In a ruling upholding the detentions, Perugia Judge Claudia Matteini described Knox as confused about the events, since she had smoked hashish before the slaying.
17) The third suspect, Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, 38, was accused by Knox of the killing, according to the judge's ruling. Lumumba's lawyer, has maintained that his client was at his pub at the time and accused Knox of making "slanderous statements."
18) Sollecito's attorney has also told reporters that his client was not at the crime scene, although the judge wrote that Sollecito's footprints were found in Kercher's room. The Italian news agency Apcom quoted Sollecito's father as saying that the footprints were of a "very common" kind of shoe and that the defense would press for new scientific tests on his son's shoes.
Mother visits her jailed U.S. daughter in Perugia murder case
(APW_ENG_20071110.0680)
1) The mother of a U.S. student suspected in the murder of her British apartment mate comforted her daughter in jail Saturday, the prison's chaplain said.
2) Amanda Marie Knox, 20, of Seattle, is being held in the Umbria town of Perugia while authorities investigate the grisly slaying of a British student with whom she shared living quarters. Also in jail are Knox's Italian boyfriend and the Congolese owner of a bar she frequented in Perugia, where she attended university.
3) All three have denied involvement in the slaying.
4) Authorities say Meredith Kercher, 21, was stabbed in the neck in her bed as she resisted sexual assault. Police who came to the apartment Nov. 2 to return Kercher's cell phone, which had been found in a neighbor's garden, discovered her seminude body in a pool of blood.
5) The Italian news agency Ansa reported Saturday that Kercher's body had been flown to Rome and was expected to be flown to Britain on Sunday.
6) The prison chaplain in Perugia visited Knox Saturday.
7) "As far as I can ascertain, her mother was able to give her comfort, despite the atmosphere," the Rev. Saulo Scarabattoli, said after visiting Amanda Saturday.
8) The Roman Catholic priest said he didn't meet with Knox's mother, Edda Mellas.
9) Italian news reports said Mellas did not talk to reporters when she arrived at the prison Saturday morning.
10) Scarabattoli said Knox had received visits from him "with joy" and was writing down her thoughts.
11) "It's not a diary in a formal sense as we know it, but she is recording sensations, memories, her account," the priest told The Associated Press by telephone. Scarabattoli said she gladly accepted a selection from the Gospel of St. Luke about the resurrection that will be read at Sunday's prison Mass.
12) Knox and her mother would have sat face-to-face in the visitor's room, said the priest. Inmates usually are allowed hour-long visits about four times a month, he said.
13) Francesco Sollecito, the father of Knox's boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, visited his 23-year-son in prison. He described his son as "tranquil enough, although obviously tried by the atmosphere."
14) He is also "a bit perturbed. He's reviewing his impressions of this girl," the father said, referring to Knox. Raffaele Sollecito had been seeing her for about two weeks before the slaying.
15) Investigators have said Kercher was stabbed with a knife similar to one the boyfriend was known to carry.
16) But Francesco Sollecito dismissed any link. "I, too, collect weapons. I collect rifles and other things," he said. His son, he said, "collects knives -- nothing more, nothing less."
17) The father, a doctor, contended the wound suffered by Kercher, was "compatible with several kinds of knives."
18) In a ruling upholding the detentions, Perugia Judge Claudia Matteini described Knox as confused about the events, since she had smoked hashish before the slaying.
19) The third suspect, Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, 38, was accused by Knox of the killing, according to the judge's ruling. Lumumba's lawyer, has maintained that his client was at his pub at the time and accused Knox of making "slanderous statements."
20) Sollecito's attorney has also told reporters that his client was not at the crime scene, although the judge wrote that Sollecito's footprints were found in Kercher's room. The Italian news agency Apcom quoted Sollecito's father as saying that the footprints were of a "very common" kind of shoe and that the defense would press for new scientific tests on his son's shoes.
2007-11-11
Body of British woman slain in Italy is returned home to the UK
(APW_ENG_20071111.0609)
1) The body of a British student who was brutally slain in an apartment in Italy was flown back to England on Sunday.
2) Meredith Kercher, 21, was found with her throat cut in her apartment in the Italian city of Perugia this month. Italian prosecutors believe she was murdered after refusing to take part in an extreme sex game.
3) Three people -- Kercher's American apartment mate, Amanda Marie Knox, 20, of Seattle; Knox's Italian boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito, 23; and Congolese immigrant Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, 38 -- have been jailed as suspects in her death. of Kercher of Coulsdon, Surrey, in southern England.
4) All three suspects have denied involvement in the slaying.
5) An Italian newspaper reported that forensic traces found in Kercher's apartment suggested that a fourth person may have been involved in the killing. La Repubblica said police discovered DNA in the apartment's bathroom that did not match any of the three suspects.
6) Authorities say Kercher -- a Leeds University student who had traveled to Perugia in August to study at the city's University for Foreigners -- was stabbed in the neck in her bed as she resisted sexual assault. Police who visited the apartment on Nov. 2 to return Kercher's cell phone, which had been found in a neighbor's garden, discovered her seminude body in a pool of blood.
7) On Sunday, Kercher's body was flown to Heathrow Airport on an Alitalia flight from Rome. She was from Coulsdon, Surrey, in southern England.
8) Full forensic tests on material found in her apartment are due to begin Monday.
9) A judge in Perugia said Friday there was enough evidence to hold the three suspects for up to a year while the case against them was prepared.
2007-11-16
Italian police find traces of DNA of slain British student on suspect ' s knife
(APW_ENG_20071116.0546)
1) Italian police have found DNA traces of a slain British student and of her American roommate -- jailed as a suspect in the case -- on a knife that may have been the murder weapon, lawyers and news reports said.
2) Police seized the kitchen knife in the house of Raffaele Sollecito, the Italian boyfriend of American Amanda Marie Knox. The couple have been arrested, along with Congolese musician and bar owner Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, on suspicion of killing Meredith Kercher, 21.
3) Sollecito's lawyers and family said in a written statement Thursday evening that traces of the DNA of both Knox and Kercher were found on the knife in Sollecito's house. Sollecito's DNA was not found on the knife, the statement said.
4) Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera said that Kercher's DNA was found on the tip of the knife, while Knox's was on the handle. Corriere della Sera and other reports said the knife had a 17-centimeter (6.7-inch) blade, and that investigators believed it to be the murder weapon.
5) Knox's lawyer was not available for comment Friday.
6) Kercher's body was found Nov. 2 in the apartment she shared with Knox near the center of Perugia, a small Medieval city in central Italy that hosts two major universities and draws thousands of foreign students every year.
7) The circumstances surrounding the killing remain unclear, and police were carrying out forensic tests on Sollecito's house on Friday, reports said.
8) Police said Kercher died fighting off a sexual attack, and that she was stabbed in the neck.
9) The three suspects have been detained since Nov. 6. No charges have been filed, but an Italian judge who ordered the three to remain in jail last week said that there were "serious indications of guilt."
10) The three have all denied involvement. Knox, 20, from Seattle, has changed her version of events several times, at one point accusing the Congolese suspect. She has always maintained her innocence.
Italian police find DNA traces of slain British student and American suspect on kitchen knife
(APW_ENG_20071116.1181)
1) Police found DNA traces from two people on a kitchen knife believed to be the weapon in the killing of a 21-year-old British student: the victim's on the tip, and her American roommate's on the handle.
2) Police said Meredith Kercher died fighting off a sexual attack, while the coroner said she was stabbed in the neck. Her body was found Nov. 2 in the apartment she shared with Amanda Marie Knox.
3) The DNA matching Kercher and Knox, 20, of Seattle, came from a knife found in the home of Knox's Italian boyfriend in Perugia, where all three were students.
4) "This is a fairly relevant clue to link Meredith's death to the actions of these people," Francesco Maresca, a lawyer for Kercher's family, told The Associated Press. "It shows that evidently something did happen among them."
5) Knox, her 24-year-old boyfriend Raffele Sollecito and Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, a 38-year-old Congolese resident who owns a bar where Knox worked, were arrested Nov. 6. All three have denied involvement.
6) Sollecito's lawyers and family said in a written statement Thursday that his DNA was not found on the knife that contained traces of DNA from Kercher and Knox.
7) The Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera said that Kercher's DNA was found on the tip of the 6 1/2-inch blade, while Knox's was on the handle. Repeated attempts to reach Knox's lawyer for comment were unsuccessful.
8) "A knife nails the couple," Il Messaggero, a Rome daily, said in a front-page headline.
9) The circumstances of the killing remain unclear. The case has shocked Perugia, a small Medieval city in central Italy that hosts two major universities and draws thousands of foreign students every year.
10) Kercher's body was found under a quilt in her room in the apartment she shared with Knox.
11) Police said Kercher had bruises on her neck and face and her body showed signs of sexual violence. A court document said she died after a "rather long agony," possibly bleeding to death.
12) No charges have been filed. But the Italian judge who upheld the suspects' detentions said last week that there were "serious indications of guilt" -- enough to keep them behind bars for up to a year.
13) Police and lawyers said Friday that forensic experts were testing items collected at Sollecito's house, such as other knives and shoes. The suspect's computer was also to be checked, since Sollecito told magistrates at one point that he had spent the night of the murder at his home working on his computer.
14) "We are awaiting the results from forensic police with great serenity," said his attorney, Luca Maori. He said he filed a new appeal Friday to try to get Sollecito released from jail.
15) Knox has changed her account several times, according to her own lawyer and court documents. At one point she accused the Congolese suspect and said she had to cover her ears to drown out Kercher's screams from next door.
16) In another version, she said she was not at home the night of the murder, according to the judge's ruling upholding her detention. But a street camera caught her entering her home that evening, according to Italian reports.
17) Lumumba claimed that he was at the bar he owns in downtown Perugia, but it is not clear if the bar was open and the suspect was there at the time. Investigators believe he might have gone there late to give himself an alibi.
18) A witness cited by the defense -- a Swiss professor confirming Lumumba's alibi -- failed to convince investigators, the reports said.
19) "The crime is still recent, forensic tests require time," said Maresca, the Kercher family lawyer. "Better to wait a little longer than having things done poorly."
2007-11-17
Lawyer: New fingerprints found in blood of British student killed in Italy
(APW_ENG_20071117.0527)
1) New, bloody fingerprints have been found on the pillow of a British student found slain in her bedroom in the Italian university town of Perugia earlier this month, a lawyer for the victim's family said Saturday.
2) The same person's prints were also found on toilet paper in the house where the body of Meredith Kercher, 21, was discovered by police on Nov. 2, said the lawyer, Francesco Maresca, in a telephone interview from Florence. He did not know whether the prints belonged to a potential new suspect in the case, but said they did not belong to any of the three suspects now jailed in the probe.
3) Milan daily Corriere della Sera reported that one of the prints, on Kercher's pillow, was that of a man's thumb, but Maresca said he had no details about the prints, including whether they were believed to be those of a man.
4) Kercher's 20-year-old American flatmate, Amanda Knox, and Knox's 23-year-old Italian boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, are being held in a Perugia jail as suspects in the woman's slaying and sexual abuse. Also jailed in the case is a 38-year-old Congolese man, Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, who runs a pub that was frequented by the American.
5) Knox has told investigators that Lumumba was infatuated with Kercher and was in the British woman's bedroom in the hours before the victim was killed, but Lumumba has denied being in the house.
6) All three suspects have denied involvement in the killing.
7) One of Lumumba's lawyers, Carlo Pacelli, told reporters Saturday that the defense is seeking further scientific analysis to better establish how and precisely when Kercher was killed, including a possible new autopsy on the body, which was flown to Britain on Nov. 11.
8) The body has not yet been buried, Maresca said.
9) "In a word, they are seeking to know ... the exact hour, the moment of death," as well as more details on the cause, Maresca said.
Lawyer: New fingerprints found in blood of British student killed in Italy
(APW_ENG_20071117.0634)
1) New, bloody fingerprints have been discovered on the pillow of a British student found slain in her bedroom in the Italian university town of Perugia earlier this month, a lawyer for the victim's family said Saturday.
2) The same person's prints were also found on toilet paper in the house where the body of Meredith Kercher, 21, was found by police on Nov. 2, said the lawyer, Francesco Maresca, in a telephone interview from Florence. He did not know whether the prints belonged to a potential new suspect in the case, but said they did not belong to any of the three suspects now jailed in the investigation.
3) Milan daily Corriere della Sera reported that one of the prints on Kercher's pillow was that of a man's thumb, but Maresca said he had no details about the prints, including whether they were believed to be those of a man.
4) "One step away from (finding) a fourth" suspect, was the headline on the Turin newspaper La Stampa's story about the fingerprint development.
5) Kercher's 20-year-old American roommate, Amanda Marie Knox, and Knox's 23-year-old Italian boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, are being held in a Perugia jail as suspects in the woman's sexual assault and fatal stabbing. Also jailed in the case is a 38-year-old Congolese man, Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, who runs a pub that was frequented by the American.
6) No charges have been filed. But the Italian judge who upheld the suspects' detentions said last week that there were "serious indications of guilt" -- enough to keep them behind bars for up to a year.
7) All three suspects have denied involvement in the killing.
8) Knox has told investigators that Lumumba was infatuated with Kercher and was in the British woman's bedroom in the hours before the victim was killed, but Lumumba has denied being in the house.+
9) One of Lumumba's lawyers, Carlo Pacelli, told reporters Saturday that the defense is seeking further scientific analysis to better establish how and precisely when Kercher was killed, including a possible new autopsy on the body, which was flown to Britain on Nov. 11.
10) The body has not yet been buried, Maresca said.
11) "In a word, they are seeking to know ... the exact hour, the moment of death," as well as more details on the cause, Maresca said.
12) Based on the autopsy by the Perugia coroner and accounts by Kercher's friends of when she ate dinner with them on Nov. 1, the woman is believed to have died between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. on Nov. 1, according to court papers filed by the judge who ordered the three suspects held.
13) The state of digestion of a victim's last meal is commonly used in helping to determine time of death.
14) Maresca said it is now believed that Kercher "might have eaten something in the house" after she returned from dinner. If the food found in Kercher's digestive system turns out to be from her after-dinner consumption and not from the dinner with her friends, it would make the time of death later.
15) A later time of death could help Lumumba since he has claimed he was in the pub later in the evening. Investigators have found cash register receipts to confirm the night spot was operating in late evening.
16) Maresca said a court order was issued on Saturday authorizing two outside experts to be engaged to study remains of fingernails, tissue and other biological traces of the crime scene that have been preserved on slides.
2007-11-18
Lawyers for suspects in slaying of British student seek freedom amid new leads on killer
(APW_ENG_20071118.0618)
1) Lawyers for three suspects jailed in connection with the slaying of a British student said Sunday they were hopeful their clients could be freed after investigators found a bloody fingerprint from someone else on the victim's pillow.
2) The lawyers said the discovery bolsters their appeals to a court to review the judge's Nov. 9 ruling jailing their clients. A date for a new hearing on the detentions is expected to be announced this week.
3) Meredith Kercher, 21, was found dead in her Perugia apartment on Nov. 2. She was sexually assaulted and fatally stabbed.
4) Her 20-year-old American roommate, Amanda Marie Knox; Knox's 23-year-old Italian boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito; and a Congolese pub owner, Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, 38, are being held in a Perugia jail as suspects.
5) No charges have been filed. But the Italian judge who upheld the suspects' detentions has said there were "serious indications of guilt" that warranted keeping them behind bars for up to a year while the investigation continues.
6) All three suspects have denied involvement in the killing.
7) Lawyers for the three suspects submitted motions to a court to review the detentions late last week. By early this week, prosecutors must respond by submitting the results of their investigation so far. Also this week, the court is expected to set a date for a hearing as to whether the detentions are justified, the attorneys said.
8) The lawyers praised indications that investigators were turning their attention to another suspect after bloody fingerprints were discovered on Kercher's pillowcase and on toilet paper in the house that did not match those of any of the three jailed suspects.
9) "I'm convinced this is an open case," said Carlo Pacelli, Lumumba's lawyer. He said that he hopes the hearing would confirm that his client had nothing to do with the slaying; Lumumba has maintained he was at his pub, not in the apartment, on the night of the slaying.
10) Tiziano Tedeschi, attorney for suspect Raffaele Sollecito, said the lead on the pillowcase traces was "good news."
11) Tedeschi said investigators knew from the beginning that there were such traces and that Meredith was found with hair clutched in her hands. He said investigators should have focused on identifying the DNA from those samples rather than detaining his client in haste.
12) "This is the first suspect, not the fourth," he said of the new investigative lead. "They should have immediately focused their attention on this subject, and then if there were others."
13) "They (prosecutors) didn't want to find the truth; they wanted to close the case and make a 'bella figura,'" because the case was in the international spotlight, he said in a phone interview.
14) Italian news reports said Sunday that investigators were believed to have identified the "fourth suspect," based on the bloody fingerprints, as a man from the Ivory Coast with a known criminal record, and that he was believed to have been formally placed under investigation.
15) Phone calls placed to prosecutors were not answered Sunday; messages left with police seeking confirmation of the reports were not returned.
16) Luciano Ghirga, Knox's attorney, said the reported identification of a new suspect changed little for his client. He noted that Knox had never mentioned any such person in her two declarations to prosecutors.
2007-11-19
Italian police release photo of 4th suspect in case of slain British student
(APW_ENG_20071119.0960)
1) Italian police released a photograph Monday of a man identified as the fourth suspect in the slaying of a British student in central Italy.
2) Police in Perugia identified the man as a Rudy Hermann, an Ivory Coast native, and said the man had been named as a suspect in the case. Italian news reports said that an international arrest warrant had been issued for Hermann, who is believed to have left Perugia.
3) Three suspects have been arrested in connection with the slaying of Meredith Kercher -- her American roommate, University of Washington student Amanda Marie Knox; Knox's Italian boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, and Congolese pub owner Diya "Patrick" Lumumba.
4) Kercher, 21, was found dead Nov. 2 in her apartment in Perugia. She had been sexually assaulted and fatally stabbed, police said.
5) Investigators found a bloody fingerprint on Kercher's pillow and on toilet paper that did not belong to the three suspects in custody, Italian news reports said.
6) The three jailed suspects have denied wrongdoing. They were arrested Nov. 6. and their attorneys have asked a court to review the decision. A date for a new hearing on the detentions is expected to be announced this week.
Italian police release photo of 4th suspect in case of slain British student
(APW_ENG_20071119.1027)
1) Italian police released a photograph Monday of a man identified as the fourth suspect in the slaying of a British student in central Italy.
2) Police in Perugia identified the man as Rudy Hermann Guede, an Ivory Coast native, and said the man had been named as a suspect in the case. Italian news reports said that an international arrest warrant had been issued for Guede, who is believed to have left Perugia.
3) Three suspects have been arrested in connection with the slaying of Meredith Kercher -- her American roommate, University of Washington student Amanda Marie Knox; Knox's Italian boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito; and Congolese pub owner Diya "Patrick" Lumumba.
4) Kercher, 21, was found dead Nov. 2 in her apartment in Perugia. She had been sexually assaulted and stabbed, police said.
5) Investigators found a bloody fingerprint on Kercher's pillow and on toilet paper that did not belong to any of the three suspects in custody, Italian news reports said.
6) The jailed suspects have all denied wrongdoing. They were arrested Nov. 6. and their attorneys have asked a court to review the decision. A date for a new hearing on the detentions is expected to be announced this week.
2007-11-20
Authorities arrest fugitive suspect in murder of British student
(APW_ENG_20071120.0460)
1) Police in Germany on Tuesday arrested a Ivorian man wanted in connection with the murder of a British student in central Italy, officials said.
2) The 21-year-old suspect, Rudy Hermann Guede, was arrested on an international warrant in the western German city of Mainz, officials said on condition of anonymity.
3) Police on Monday identified Guede and said it was believed that he had had left the central Italian city of Perugia where Meredith Kercher was found murdered Nov. 2. Three other suspects are jailed in Italy, including Kercher's American roommate, Amanda Marie Knox.
Authorities arrest fugitive suspect in Germany in slaying of British student
(APW_ENG_20071120.0499)
1) An Ivorian wanted in connection with the killing of a British college student in central Italy was arrested Tuesday in Germany, Italian officials said.
2) Rudy Hermann Guede, 21, was arrested on an international warrant in the western German city of Mainz while traveling by bus to southern Germany, an investigator in Perugia told The Associated Press. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the media.
3) Guede is the fourth suspect named by police in connection with the killing of 21-year-old Meredith Kercher, found stabbed to death Nov. 2 in her Perugia apartment.
4) Her American roommate, University of Washington student Amanda Marie Knox; Knox's Italian boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito; and a Congolese-born pub owner, Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, also are in police custody in connection with Kercher's death.
5) Police identified Guede as a suspect Monday and said he was believed to have left Perugia the day Kercher's body was found.
6) Italian news reports said a bloody fingerprint on Kercher's pillow and on toilet paper led investigators to Guede.
7) All four have denied wrongdoing.
Authorities arrest fugitive suspect in Germany in slaying of British student
(APW_ENG_20071120.0681)
1) A man wanted in connection with the killing of a British college student in central Italy was arrested Tuesday in Germany, Italian officials said.
2) Rudy Hermann Guede, 20, was detained in the western German city of Mainz, an investigator in Perugia told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the media.
3) Guede had emerged Monday as a suspect in the slaying of 21-year-old Meredith Kercher, found stabbed to death Nov. 2 in her Perugia apartment. A bloody fingerprint on a bedsheet led investigators to Guede, an Ivorian former basketball player who has been living in Italy since childhood, Italian media reported.
4) Three others, including Kercher's American roommate Amanda Marie Knox and her Italian boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, have been jailed in Perugia.
5) A defense lawyer for another suspect, Congolese bar owner Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, said he has been told prosecutors will seek his release due to lack of evidence.
6) Authorities have found DNA traces from Knox on the blade near the handle of a knife on which they found traces from the victim. The knife belongs to Knox's boyfriend, authorities said.
7) All the jailed suspects have denied wrongdoing.
8) Italian police traced Guede to Germany through a friend who established Internet contact with the suspect Monday night and chatted with him for hours, the investigator said.
9) Police in Mainz confirmed they had arrested a 20-year-old native of the Ivory Coast, who appears to be the Italian suspect. The man was arrested on a train bound for nearby Frankfurt for traveling without a ticket, said Mainz police spokesman Achim Hansen.
10) In Perugia, Police Chief Arturo De Felice said Guede will be transferred to Italy as soon as possible.
11) "It's a matter of days, only days," he told the Italian news channel SkyTG24. "There was a trail to Germany; we knew that it could be one of the places where he could have sought refuge."
12) On Tuesday, a prosecutor in the case was expected to request Lumumba's release, his lawyer said. "Lumumba is serene; he knows he will come out of this, there is no trace, nothing that leads to him," Giuseppe Sereni said.
13) According to court documents, Lumumba became a suspect based on Knox's accusations.
14) However, the American was confused about the events because she had smoked hashish before the slaying, a judge said in a ruling ordering the three to remain in custody.
15) No physical evidence has emerged tying Lumumba to the crime scene, and witnesses have placed him at his bar the night of the murder.
Authorities arrest fugitive suspect in Germany in slaying of British student
(APW_ENG_20071120.0736)
1) A fugitive wanted in connection with the killing of a British college student in central Italy -- the fourth suspect detained in the slaying -- was arrested Tuesday in Germany, Italian officials said.
2) Rudy Hermann Guede, 20, was arrested Tuesday in the western German city of Mainz, an investigator in Perugia told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the media.
3) Guede had emerged Monday as another suspect in the slaying of 21-year-old Meredith Kercher, found stabbed to death Nov. 2 in her Perugia apartment. Three others, including Kercher's American roommate, Amanda Marie Knox, and her Italian boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, have been jailed in Perugia.
4) However, prosecutors on Tuesday asked a judge to release one of the men detained after Kercher's death, bar owner Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, due to lack of evidence.
5) The three jailed suspects have denied wrongdoing. However, authorities said they found Knox's DNA on the blade of a knife implicated in the killing that belongs to her boyfriend, and a bloody fingerprint on a bedsheet led investigators to Guede, an Ivorian former basketball player who has been living in Italy since childhood, Italian media reported.
6) Italian police traced Guede to Germany through a friend who established Internet contact with the suspect Monday night and chatted with him for hours, the investigator said.
7) Police in Mainz confirmed they had arrested a 20-year-old native of the Ivory Coast, who appears to be the Italian suspect. The man was arrested on a train bound for nearby Frankfurt for traveling without a ticket, said Mainz police spokesman Achim Hansen.
8) In Perugia, Police Chief Arturo De Felice said Guede will be transferred to Italy as soon as possible.
9) "It's a matter of days, only days," he told the Italian news channel SkyTG24. "There was a trail to Germany; we knew that it could be one of the places where he could have sought refuge."
10) A ruling on Lumumba's release was expected later Tuesday, his lawyer said. "Lumumba is serene; he knows he will come out of this, there is no trace, nothing that leads to him," Giuseppe Sereni said.
11) According to court documents, Lumumba became a suspect based on Knox's accusations. However, the American was confused about the events because she had smoked hashish the night of the killing, a judge said in a ruling ordering the three held in custody.
12) No physical evidence has emerged tying Lumumba to the crime scene, and witnesses have placed him at his bar the night of the murder.
Authorities arrest fugitive suspect in Germany in slaying of British student
(APW_ENG_20071120.0895)
1) A fugitive wanted in connection with the killing of a British college student in central Italy -- the fourth suspect detained in the slaying -- was arrested Tuesday in Germany, Italian officials said.
2) Rudy Hermann Guede, 20, was arrested Tuesday in the western German city of Mainz, an investigator in Perugia told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the media.
3) Guede had emerged Monday as another suspect in the slaying of 21-year-old Meredith Kercher, found stabbed to death Nov. 2 in her Perugia apartment. Three others, including Kercher's American roommate, Amanda Marie Knox, and her Italian boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, have been jailed in Perugia.
4) However, a judge on Tuesday authorized the release of one of the men detained after Kercher's death, bar owner Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, due to lack of evidence, the ANSA news agency reported.
5) Defense lawyers and court officials were not immediately available to confirm.
6) The three suspects jailed in Italy have denied wrongdoing. However, authorities said they found Knox's DNA on the blade of a knife implicated in the killing that belongs to her boyfriend, and a bloody fingerprint on a bedsheet led investigators to Guede, an Ivorian former basketball player who has been living in Italy since childhood, Italian media reported.
7) Italian police traced Guede to Germany through a friend who established Internet contact with the suspect Monday night and chatted with him for hours, the investigator said.
8) Police in Mainz confirmed they had arrested a 20-year-old native of the Ivory Coast, who appears to be the suspect. The man was arrested on a train bound for nearby Frankfurt for traveling without a ticket, said Mainz police spokesman Achim Hansen.
9) The man is to be brought on Wednesday before a German judge, who will rule whether he can be kept in custody on the Italian warrant, said Karl-Rudolf Winkler, a spokesman for prosecutors in Koblenz who have now taken over the case.
10) If he is ordered held, Koblenz prosecutors will then begin preparing a case for his deportation, he said.
11) In Perugia, Police Chief Arturo De Felice praised international cooperation and said Guede will be transferred to Italy as soon as possible.
12) "It's a matter of days, only days," he told the Italian news channel SkyTG24. "There was a trail to Germany; we knew that it could be one of the places where he could have sought refuge."
13) Lumumba's lawyer said his client was expected to be released imminently after the judge's ruling. "Lumumba is serene; he knows he will come out of this, there is no trace, nothing that leads to him," Giuseppe Sereni said.
14) According to court documents, Lumumba became a suspect based on Knox's accusations. However, the American was confused about the events because she had smoked hashish the night of the killing, a judge said in a ruling ordering the three held in custody.
15) No physical evidence has emerged tying Lumumba to the crime scene, and witnesses have placed him at his bar the night of the murder.
Suspect arrested in Germany in slaying of British student; African released in Perugia
(APW_ENG_20071120.0928)
1) A fugitive wanted in connection with the killing of a British college student in central Italy -- the fourth suspect detained in the slaying -- was arrested Tuesday in Germany, Italian officials said. Hours later, one of the suspects jailed in Italy was released.
2) Rudy Hermann Guede, 20, was arrested Tuesday in the western German city of Mainz, an investigator in Perugia told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the media.
3) Guede had emerged Monday as another suspect in the slaying of 21-year-old Meredith Kercher, found stabbed to death Nov. 2 in her Perugia apartment. Three others, including Kercher's American roommate, Amanda Marie Knox, and her Italian boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, have been jailed in Perugia.
4) But a third suspect who had been held in a Perugia prison since Nov. 6, bar owner Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, was released. He uttered "thank God" and told reporters outside the prison gate that he was happy to be going.
5) The three suspects who were jailed in Italy have denied wrongdoing. However, authorities said they found Knox's DNA on the blade of a knife implicated in the killing that belongs to her boyfriend, and a bloody fingerprint on a bedsheet led investigators to Guede, an Ivorian former basketball player who has been living in Italy since childhood, Italian media reported.
Fugitive wanted in Italy slaying of UK student is arrested in Germany
(APW_ENG_20071120.0989)
1) A fugitive wanted in connection with the killing of a British college student in central Italy -- the fourth suspect detained in the slaying -- was arrested Tuesday in Germany, Italian officials said. Hours later, one of the suspects jailed in Italy was released.
2) Rudy Hermann Guede, 20, was arrested in the western German city of Mainz, an investigator in Perugia told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the media.
3) Guede had emerged Monday as another suspect in the slaying of 21-year-old Meredith Kercher, found stabbed to death Nov. 2 in her Perugia apartment.
4) Two other suspects, Kercher's American roommate, Amanda Marie Knox, and her Italian boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, have been jailed in Perugia since Nov. 6.
5) A third suspect, a 38-year-old Congolese who owns a bar in Perugia also jailed that day, was released Tuesday.
6) "I am fine. I thank God who helped me go back home," Lumumba told reporters who mobbed him as he left the Perugia jail.
7) The ANSA news agency said prosecutors asked the judge to release Lumumba for lack of evidence.
8) "He was jailed with the shame of being a monster and today he comes out with his head held high," lawyer Giuseppe Sereni, who escorted him from the jail, was quoted as saying by ANSA.
9) The three suspects who were jailed in Italy have denied wrongdoing.
10) Authorities said they found Knox's DNA on the handle and Kercher's on the blade of a knife belonging to Sollecito.
11) But a bloody fingerprint on Kercher's pillow did not belong to either suspect, investigors said. They launched a manhunt for a new suspect identified Monday as Guede.
12) Police in Mainz confirmed they had arrested a 20-year-old native of the Ivory Coast, who appears to be the suspect. The man was arrested on a train bound for nearby Frankfurt for traveling without a ticket, said Mainz police spokesman Achim Hansen.
13) The man is to be brought on Wednesday before a German judge, who will rule whether he can be kept in custody on the Italian warrant, said Karl-Rudolf Winkler, a spokesman for prosecutors in Koblenz who have now taken over the case.
14) If he is ordered held, Koblenz prosecutors will then begin preparing a case for his deportation, he said.
15) Guede is an Ivorian former basketball player who has been living in Italy since childhood, Italian media reported.
16) Italian police traced Guede to Germany through a friend who established Internet contact with the suspect Monday night and chatted with him for hours, the investigator said.
17) In Perugia, Police Chief Arturo De Felice praised international cooperation and said Guede will be transferred to Italy as soon as possible.
18) "It's a matter of days, only days," he told the Italian news channel SkyTG24. "There was a trail to Germany; we knew that it could be one of the places where he could have sought refuge."
19) According to a ruling by the Perugia judge who had originally ordered his jailing, Lumumba became a suspect based on Knox's accusations. The same judge ruled that the American was confused about the events because she had smoked hashish the night of the killing.
20) No physical evidence has emerged tying Lumumba to the crime scene, and witnesses have placed him at his bar the night of the murder.
Suspect in slaying of UK student in Italy is nabbed in Germany; another in probe is set free
(APW_ENG_20071120.1388)
1) German police on Tuesday arrested a fugitive wanted in the sex slaying of a British college student in Italy, nabbing an African man whose fingerprints had been found at the bloody scene of the sordid crime that has gripped Italians.
2) Hours later, a Congolese pub owner was freed from jail, where he had been held after being accused of the stabbing by another suspect, the victim's 20-year-old American roommate.
3) Rudy Hermann Guede, 20, a native of the Ivory Coast, was taken into custody in the western German city of Mainz after police stopped him for riding a Frankfurt-bound train without a ticket, investigators said.
4) Guede was sought in the sexual assault and fatal stabbing of 21-year-old Meredith Kercher in the house she shared with American student Amanda Marie Knox in Perugia. Knox and her Italian boyfriend remain jailed in connection with the Nov. 2 slaying. Both have denied any wrongdoing.
5) Perugia Police Chief Arturo De Felice said he expected Guede to be sent to Italy in "very short time."
6) "I would like to thank the German police very much because today they arrested the Ivorian man who was wanted in a savage murder in Perugia," said Italian Premier Romano Prodi, who was in Germany for talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
7) Guede, who once played on a local basketball team in Perugia, had been taken in by an affluent Italian family living in a villa near the hills in the Perugia area.
8) Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, 38, a Congolese man who owns a pub in Perugia, was released Tuesday for lack of evidence. He had been jailed after Knox told investigators Lumumba had a crush on Kercher and had killed her while Knox was in another room, covering her ears so she wouldn't hear the victim's screams.
9) But no physical evidence has emerged tying Lumumba to the crime and witnesses have placed him at his bar the night of the murder.
10) The autopsy found that Kercher had likely died slowly from a stab wound to her neck. She was found on the floor near her bed in her blood-splattered bedroom, half-naked, with a foot sticking out from under bedcovers.
11) Knox's lawyers said earlier in the probe that their client had given various versions about the killing. The judge's order upholding Knox's jailing on Nov. 6 noted she was confused about the events because she had smoked hashish the night of the killing.
12) Authorities have said they found Knox's DNA on the handle of a knife believed to have been the murder weapon and Kercher's on the blade. The knife came from the kitchen of a house where Knox's Italian boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, lived in Perugia.
13) The search for Guede was launched after bloody fingerprints were found on Kercher's pillow and on toilet paper in the house. The prints did not match Knox, Sollecito or Lumumba.
14) Lumumba expressed relief when he was let out of jail Tuesday.
15) "I thank God who helped me go back home," said Lumumba, who lives in Perugia with his Polish-born wife and young son.
16) Guede was abandoned by his mother and came to Italy when he was 5, arriving in Perugia with his father, according to an interview in the Rome daily La Repubblica with the Perugia industrialist who took in the Ivorian youth at age 17.
17) Guede lived in the home of Paolo Caporali, 62, for "seven or eight months," the industrialist said.
18) "For me and my wife in that period, it was like having one more son -- four instead of three," Caporali was quoted as saying.
19) Guede played basketball with one of Caporali's sons on a team sponsored by the industrialist's vending machine company.
20) When Guede turned 18, he left the family and turned out to be "a big liar," Caporali said.
21) Guede skipped school to play video games, and when Caporali found him a job as a gardener at a tourist lodging, he left after a few months without explanation, the industrialist was quoted as saying.
22) Guede was scheduled to appear Wednesday before a German judge, who will rule whether he can be kept in custody on the Italian warrant, said Karl-Rudolf Winkler, a spokesman for prosecutors in the city of Koblenz.
23) Italian police traced Guede to Germany through a friend who established Internet contact with the suspect Monday night and chatted with him for hours, Italian investigators said.
2007-11-21
Fugitive arrested over Italian stabbing before German court
(APW_ENG_20071121.0478)
1) A fugitive wanted in the sex slaying of a British college student in Italy was brought before a German court Wednesday to determine whether there was enough evidence to keep him in custody, authorities said.
2) Rudy Hermann Guede, 20, was brought before a judge in the morning and the result of the hearing was not immediately known, prosecutor's spokesman Karl-Rudolf Winkler said.
3) So long as the detention is upheld -- which is usual -- prosecutors will ask for him to be held pending extradition to Italy, which has an international warrant out for Guede's arrest.
4) Guede, a native of the Ivory Coast, was stopped for riding a train without a ticket and arrested Tuesday in the western German city of Mainz.
5) Though there was some initial confusion about his identity, Winkler said Germany's Federal Crime Office has confirmed the man arrested was Guede.
6) Guede was sought in the sexual assault and fatal stabbing of 21-year-old Meredith Kercher in the house she shared with University of Washington student Amanda Marie Knox in Perugia.
7) Knox and her Italian boyfriend are currently jailed in connection with the slaying. Both have denied any wrongdoing.
8) The autopsy found that Kercher likely died slowly from a stab wound to her neck. She was found on Nov. 2 on the floor near her bed in her blood-splattered bedroom, half-naked, with a foot sticking out from under bedcovers.
9) Italian authorities have said they found Knox's DNA on the handle of a knife believed to have been the murder weapon and Kercher's on the blade. The knife came from the kitchen of a house where Knox's Italian boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, lived in Perugia.
10) The search for Guede was launched after bloody fingerprints were found on Kercher's pillow and on toilet paper in the house. The prints did not match Knox or Sollecito.
11) Winkler said he did not know whether Guede had made any statements about the allegations against him. But he said German authorities were concentrating strictly on his extradition, rather than the crime investigation, so would not be questioning Guede about the killing.
Man arrested over Italy stabbing won ' t fight extradition from Germany
(APW_ENG_20071121.0597)
1) A man wanted in the sex slaying of a British college student in Italy told a German court Wednesday that he was innocent, but said he would not fight his extradition, a prosecutor said.
2) Rudy Hermann Guede, 20, was brought before a judge, who ordered him held during extradition proceedings, Koblenz prosecutor Karl-Rudolf Winkler said.
3) "He explained that he is innocent and had nothing to do with the crime," Winkler said, adding that the judge noted his statement and would pass it on to Italian authorities.
4) Italy has issued an international warrant for Guede's arrest, and prosecutors now need to go through the formal process of getting the extradition authorized. He should be sent to Italy within about a week, Winkler said.
5) Guede, a native of the Ivory Coast, was stopped for riding on a train without a ticket and arrested Tuesday in the western German city of Mainz.
6) Though there was some initial confusion about his identity, Winkler said Germany's Federal Crime Office has confirmed the man arrested was Guede.
7) Guede was sought in the sexual assault and fatal stabbing of 21-year-old Meredith Kercher in the house she shared with University of Washington student Amanda Marie Knox in Perugia.
8) Knox and her Italian boyfriend are currently jailed in connection with the slaying. Both have denied any wrongdoing.
9) The autopsy found that Kercher likely died slowly from a stab wound to her neck. She was found on Nov. 2 in her blood-splattered bedroom.
10) Italian authorities have said they found Knox's DNA on the handle of a knife believed to have been the murder weapon and Kercher's on the blade. The knife came from the kitchen of a house where Knox's Italian boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, lived in Perugia.
11) The search for Guede was launched after bloody fingerprints were found on Kercher's pillow and on toilet paper in the house. The prints did not match Knox or Sollecito.
12) Winkler said German authorities were concentrating strictly on Guede's extradition, rather than the crime investigation, so would not be questioning Guede about the killing.
13) A hearing is scheduled Nov. 30 in Perugia to hear defense requests to release Knox and Sollecito from jail.
Man arrested over Italy stabbing won ' t fight extradition from Germany
(APW_ENG_20071121.0709)
1) A man wanted in the sex slaying of a British college student in Italy told a German court Wednesday that he was innocent, but said he would not fight his extradition, a prosecutor said.
2) Rudy Hermann Guede, 20, was brought before a judge, who ordered him held during extradition proceedings, Koblenz prosecutor Karl-Rudolf Winkler said.
3) "He explained that he is innocent and had nothing to do with the crime," Winkler said, adding that the judge noted his statement and would pass it on to Italian authorities.
4) Italy has issued an international warrant for Guede's arrest, and prosecutors now need to go through the formal process of getting the extradition authorized. He should be sent to Italy within about a week, Winkler said.
5) Guede, a native of the Ivory Coast, was stopped for riding on a train without a ticket and arrested Tuesday in the western German city of Mainz.
6) Though there was some initial confusion about his identity, Winkler said Germany's Federal Crime Office has confirmed the man arrested was Guede.
7) Guede was sought in the sexual assault and fatal stabbing of 21-year-old Meredith Kercher in the house she shared with University of Washington student Amanda Marie Knox in Perugia.
8) Knox and her Italian boyfriend are currently jailed in connection with the slaying. Both have denied any wrongdoing.
9) The autopsy found that Kercher likely died slowly from a stab wound to her neck. She was found on Nov. 2 in her blood-spattered bedroom.
10) Italian authorities have said they found Knox's DNA on the handle of a knife believed to have been the murder weapon and Kercher's on the blade. The knife came from the kitchen of a house where Knox's Italian boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, lived in Perugia.
11) The search for Guede was launched after bloody fingerprints were found on Kercher's pillow and on toilet paper in the house. The prints did not match Knox or Sollecito.
12) Italian police traced Guede to Germany through a friend who established Internet contact with the suspect Monday night and chatted with him for hours, Italian investigators said.
13) Winkler said German authorities were concentrating strictly on Guede's extradition, rather than the crime investigation, so would not be questioning Guede about the killing.
14) A hearing is scheduled Nov. 30 in Perugia to hear defense requests to release Knox and Sollecito from jail.
2007-11-22
American suspect in Italy stabbing death says police hit her during questioning
(APW_ENG_20071122.0839)
1) An American suspected in the sex slaying of her British roommate wrote in a jailhouse statement that police hit her on the head during questioning and that her sometimes-conflicting statements were prompted by stress and exhaustion, Italian media reported Thursday.
2) Police in the central Italian city of Perugia declined to comment on the allegations by University of Washington student Amanda Marie Knox, one of three suspects being held in connection with the sexual assault and fatal stabbing of 21-year-old Meredith Kercher.
3) Knox and her Italian boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, who also is jailed in Perugia, have denied wrongdoing. An Ivorian-born suspect arrested Tuesday in Germany, Rudy Hermann Guede, also denied involvement in the murder.
4) "I was told that I would be arrested and put in jail for 30 years. When I didn't remember things I was hit in the head, but I understand the stress of the police," Amanda Marie Knox wrote in the three-page handwritten statement the day of her Nov. 6 arrest.
5) The statement was obtained by the Italian dailies Corriere della Sera, La Repubblica and La Stampa, which carried excerpts translated from English. Knox's lawyer did not answer telephone calls seeking confirmation and the newspapers did not say how they obtained the statement.
6) Knox said she had "serious doubts" about statements made to investigators before her arrest because she spoke "under the pressure of stress, shock and because I was exhausted." She did not elaborate.
7) Among the confusing statements that have emerged are Knox's whereabouts at the time of the killing. A judge's order upholding Knox's detention noted that she was confused about the events because she had smoked hashish that night.
8) Four days before she was arrested, Knox said she had spent the night with Sollecito at his flat and only returned to the place she shared with Kercher the following morning, Nov. 2. But she later told investigators that another man killed Kercher while Knox was in another room, and that she covered her ears so she wouldn't hear the victim's screams.
9) She had identified the man as Congolese bar owner Diya "Patrick" Lumumba. He was arrested largely based on Knox's recollections but released Tuesday for lack of evidence.
10) "I know I didn't kill Meredith. I see Patrick in flashes as the murderer, but I can't verify the truth the way it appears in my mind, because I don't remember with certainty if I was there," Knox wrote in the Nov. 6 statement.
11) The autopsy found that Kercher likely died slowly from a stab wound to her neck, and prosecutors said she was killed resisting a sexual assault. She was found half-naked on the floor of her blood-splattered bedroom.
12) Authorities have said they found Knox's DNA on the handle of a knife believed to have been the murder weapon and Kercher's on the blade. The knife came from the kitchen of Sollecito's Perugia apartment.
13) The search for Guede was launched earlier this week based on bloody fingerprints found on Kercher's pillow and on toilet paper in the house.
American suspect in Italy stabbing death says police hit her during questioning
(APW_ENG_20071122.1007)
1) An American suspected in the sex slaying of her British roommate wrote in a jailhouse statement that police hit her on the head during questioning and that her sometimes-conflicting statements were prompted by stress and exhaustion, Italian media reported Thursday.
2) Police in the central Italian city of Perugia declined to comment on the allegations by University of Washington student Amanda Marie Knox, one of three suspects being held in connection with the sexual assault and fatal stabbing of 21-year-old Meredith Kercher.
3) Knox and her Italian boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, who also is jailed in Perugia, have denied wrongdoing. An Ivorian-born suspect arrested Tuesday in Germany, Rudy Hermann Guede, also denied involvement in the murder.
4) "I was told that I would be arrested and put in jail for 30 years. When I didn't remember things I was hit in the head, but I understand the stress of the police," Amanda Marie Knox wrote in the three-page handwritten statement the day of her Nov. 6 arrest.
5) The statement was obtained by the Italian dailies Corriere della Sera, La Repubblica and La Stampa, which carried excerpts translated from English. Knox's lawyer did not answer telephone calls seeking confirmation and the newspapers did not say how they obtained the statement.
6) Knox said she had "serious doubts" about statements made to investigators before her arrest because she spoke "under the pressure of stress, shock and because I was exhausted." She did not elaborate.
7) Among the confusing statements that have emerged are Knox's whereabouts at the time of the killing. A judge's order upholding Knox's detention noted that she was confused about the events because she had smoked hashish that night.
8) Four days before she was arrested, Knox said she had spent the night with Sollecito at his flat and only returned to the place she shared with Kercher the following morning, Nov. 2. But she later told investigators that another man killed Kercher while Knox was in another room, and that she covered her ears so she wouldn't hear the victim's screams.
9) She had identified the man as Congolese bar owner Diya "Patrick" Lumumba. He was arrested largely based on Knox's recollections but released Tuesday for lack of evidence.
10) "I know I didn't kill Meredith. I see Patrick in flashes as the murderer, but I can't verify the truth the way it appears in my mind, because I don't remember with certainty if I was there," Knox wrote in the Nov. 6 statement.
11) The autopsy found that Kercher likely died slowly from a stab wound to her neck, and prosecutors said she was killed resisting a sexual assault. She was found half-naked on the floor of her blood-splattered bedroom.
12) Authorities have said they found Knox's DNA on the handle of a knife believed to have been the murder weapon and Kercher's on the blade. The knife came from the kitchen of Sollecito's Perugia apartment.
13) The search for Guede was launched earlier this week based on bloody fingerprints found on Kercher's pillow and on toilet paper in the house.
14) "My son is innocent," Pacome Roger Guede told reporters in Perugia.
15) He said his son had left Italy "because maybe he was afraid, very afraid for what he saw" at the house.
16) "He has to come (back) to tell the truth, his version of it," said the father, wiping away tears. He described his son as a "good boy."
17) Italian media, without citing sources, reported that the young Guede told authorities in Germany that he was in the house where Kercher and Knox lived but felt ill, so he went to use the bathroom.
18) While in the bathroom, he said he heard Kercher scream and saw an Italian man running away, then took Kercher in his arms to try to help her but panicked and left the house, the Italian news reports said.
19) German authorities could not immediately be reached for comment.
Investigator: DNA confirms new suspect had sex with woman night of slaying
(APW_ENG_20071122.1082)
1) DNA testing has confirmed that the latest suspect in the slaying of a British university student in Perugia had sex with the victim the night she was stabbed to death, investigators said Thursday.
2) The suspect, Rudy Hermann Guede, an Ivory Coast native, was arrested in Germany on Tuesday.
3) DNA samples taken from Guede's toothbrush from his home in Perugia matched vaginal samples taken from the body of Meredith Kercher during an autopsy, the Italian news agency ANSA reported.
4) "I can confirm that the DNA test result" confirmed that Guede had sex with the victim on the night of the slaying, said an investigator on the case, speaking on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to media about the investigation.
5) The investigator said that the DNA match came after Guede was arrested in Germany after riding a train without a ticket. The investigator declined to give other details.
6) A manhunt for Guede was launched by Italian authorities after a bloody fingerprint found on Kercher's pillow indicated there was another suspect in the killing of the 21-year-old Kercher, whose body was found in a rented flat in Perugia on Nov. 2.
7) Guede has denied any involvement in the slaying. Lawyers for him could not immediately be reached for comment on the development.
8) Jailed in Perugia are two other suspects: Amanda Marie Knox, 20, a University of Washington student from Seattle, U.S., who shared the flat with Kercher, and Knox's Italian boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, 23.
9) Knox and Sollecito, who also was studying and living in Perugia, have denied wrongdoing.
10) A third suspect who had been jailed in Perugia, Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, a 38-year-old Congolese who owns a bar in the town, was released earlier this week. He also has denied any wrongdoing.
11) Knox wrote in a jailhouse statement that police hit her on the head during questioning and that her sometimes-conflicting statements were prompted by stress and exhaustion, Italian media reported Thursday. Police in the central Italian city of Perugia declined to comment on the allegations.
12) Italian newspapers quoted Knox as writing in a three-page handwritten statement on Nov. 6, the day of her arrest: "I was told that I would be arrested and put in jail for 30 years. When I didn't remember things I was hit in the head, but I understand the stress of the police."
13) The statement was obtained by the Italian dailies Corriere della Sera, La Repubblica and La Stampa, which carried excerpts translated from English. Knox's lawyer did not answer telephone calls seeking confirmation and the newspapers did not say how they obtained the statement.
14) Knox said she had "serious doubts" about statements made to investigators before her arrest because she spoke "under the pressure of stress, shock and because I was exhausted." She did not elaborate.
15) Among the confusing statements that have emerged are Knox's whereabouts at the time of the killing. A judge's order upholding Knox's detention noted that she was confused about the events because she had smoked hashish that night.
16) Four days before she was arrested, Knox said she had spent the night with Sollecito at his flat and only returned to the place she shared with Kercher the following morning, Nov. 2. But she later told investigators that another man killed Kercher while Knox was in another room, and that she covered her ears so she wouldn't hear the victim's screams.
17) She had identified the man as Lumumba, who was arrested largely based on Knox's recollections but released Tuesday for lack of evidence.
18) "I know I didn't kill Meredith. I see Patrick in flashes as the murderer, but I can't verify the truth the way it appears in my mind, because I don't remember with certainty if I was there," Knox wrote in the Nov. 6 statement.
19) The autopsy found that Kercher likely died slowly from a stab wound to her neck, and prosecutors said she was killed resisting a sexual assault. She was found half-naked on the floor of her blood-splattered bedroom.
20) Authorities have said they found Knox's DNA on the handle of a knife believed to have been the murder weapon and Kercher's on the blade. The knife came from the kitchen of Sollecito's Perugia apartment.
21) Guede's father defended his son. "My son is innocent," Pacome Roger Guede told reporters in Perugia.
22) He said his son had left Italy "because maybe he was afraid, very afraid for what he saw" at the house. "He has to come (back) to tell the truth, his version of it," said the father, wiping away tears. He described his son as a "good boy."
23) Italian media, without citing sources, reported that the young Guede told authorities in Germany that he was in the house where Kercher and Knox lived but felt ill, so he went to use the bathroom.
24) While in the bathroom, he said he heard Kercher scream and saw an Italian man running away, then took Kercher in his arms to try to help her but panicked and left the house, the Italian news reports said.
25) German authorities could not immediately be reached for comment.
Investigator: DNA confirms new suspect had sex with woman night of slaying
(APW_ENG_20071122.1090)
1) DNA testing has confirmed that the latest suspect in the slaying of a British university student in Perugia had sex with the victim the night she was stabbed to death, investigators said Thursday.
2) The suspect, Rudy Hermann Guede, an Ivory Coast native, was arrested in Germany on Tuesday.
3) DNA samples taken from Guede's toothbrush from his home in Perugia matched vaginal samples taken from the body of Meredith Kercher during an autopsy, the Italian news agency ANSA reported.
4) "I can confirm that the DNA test result" confirmed that Guede had sex with the victim on the night of the slaying, said an investigator on the case, speaking on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to media about the investigation.
5) The investigator said that the DNA match came after Guede was arrested in Germany when riding a train without a ticket. The investigator declined to give other details.
6) A manhunt for Guede was launched by Italian authorities after a bloody fingerprint found on Kercher's pillow indicated there was another suspect in the killing of the 21-year-old Kercher, whose body was found in a rented flat in Perugia on Nov. 2.
7) Guede has denied any involvement in the slaying. A lawyer for Guede, Valter Biscotti, said he has not yet spoken with his client and could not comment on the DNA development.
8) Jailed in Perugia are two other suspects: Amanda Marie Knox, 20, a University of Washington student from Seattle, U.S., who shared the flat with Kercher, and Knox's Italian boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, 23.
9) Knox and Sollecito, who also was studying and living in Perugia, have denied wrongdoing.
10) A third suspect who had been jailed in Perugia, Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, a 38-year-old Congolese who owns a bar in the town, was released earlier this week. He also has denied any wrongdoing.
11) Knox wrote in a jailhouse statement that police hit her on the head during questioning and that her sometimes-conflicting statements were prompted by stress and exhaustion, Italian media reported Thursday. Police in the central Italian city of Perugia declined to comment on the allegations.
12) Italian newspapers quoted Knox as writing in a three-page handwritten statement on Nov. 6, the day of her arrest: "I was told that I would be arrested and put in jail for 30 years. When I didn't remember things I was hit in the head, but I understand the stress of the police."
13) The statement was obtained by the Italian dailies Corriere della Sera, La Repubblica and La Stampa, which carried excerpts translated from English. Knox's lawyer did not answer telephone calls seeking confirmation and the newspapers did not say how they obtained the statement.
14) Knox said she had "serious doubts" about statements made to investigators before her arrest because she spoke "under the pressure of stress, shock and because I was exhausted." She did not elaborate.
15) Among the confusing statements that have emerged are Knox's whereabouts at the time of the killing. A judge's order upholding Knox's detention noted that she was confused about the events because she had smoked hashish that night.
16) Four days before she was arrested, Knox said she had spent the night with Sollecito at his flat and only returned to the place she shared with Kercher the following morning, Nov. 2. But she later told investigators that another man killed Kercher while Knox was in another room, and that she covered her ears so she wouldn't hear the victim's screams.
17) She had identified the man as Lumumba, who was arrested largely based on Knox's recollections but released Tuesday for lack of evidence.
18) "I know I didn't kill Meredith. I see Patrick in flashes as the murderer, but I can't verify the truth the way it appears in my mind, because I don't remember with certainty if I was there," Knox wrote in the Nov. 6 statement.
19) The autopsy found that Kercher likely died slowly from a stab wound to her neck, and prosecutors said she was killed resisting a sexual assault. She was found half-naked on the floor of her blood-splattered bedroom.
20) Authorities have said they found Knox's DNA on the handle of a knife believed to have been the murder weapon and Kercher's on the blade. The knife came from the kitchen of Sollecito's Perugia apartment.
21) Guede's father defended his son. "My son is innocent," Pacome Roger Guede told reporters in Perugia.
22) He said his son had left Italy "because maybe he was afraid, very afraid for what he saw" at the house. "He has to come (back) to tell the truth, his version of it," said the father, wiping away tears. He described his son as a "good boy."
23) Italian media, without citing sources, reported that the young Guede told authorities in Germany that he was in the house where Kercher and Knox lived but felt ill, so he went to use the bathroom.
24) While in the bathroom, he said he heard Kercher scream and saw an Italian man running away, then took Kercher in his arms to try to help her but panicked and left the house, the Italian news reports said.
25) German authorities could not immediately be reached for comment.
2007-11-23
Investigator: DNA confirms new suspect had sex with woman night of slaying
(APW_ENG_20071123.0111)
1) DNA testing has confirmed that a suspect in the slaying of a British university student in Perugia had sex with the victim the night she was stabbed to death, investigators said. The suspect, Rudy Hermann Guede, an Ivory Coast native, was arrested in Germany on Tuesday.
2) DNA samples taken from Guede's toothbrush from his home in Perugia matched vaginal samples taken from the body of Meredith Kercher during an autopsy, the Italian news agency ANSA reported Thursday.
3) "I can confirm that the DNA test result" confirmed that Guede had sex with the victim on the night of the slaying, said an investigator on the case, speaking on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to media about the investigation.
4) The investigator said that the DNA match came after Guede was arrested in Germany when riding a train without a ticket. The investigator declined to give other details.
5) A manhunt for Guede was launched by Italian authorities after a bloody fingerprint found on Kercher's pillow indicated there was another suspect in the killing of the 21-year-old Kercher, whose body was found in a rented flat in Perugia on Nov. 2.
6) Guede has denied any involvement in the slaying. A lawyer for Guede, Valter Biscotti, said he has not yet spoken with his client and could not comment on the DNA development.
7) Jailed in Perugia are two other suspects: Amanda Marie Knox, 20, a University of Washington student from Seattle, U.S., who shared the flat with Kercher, and Knox's Italian boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, 23.
8) Knox and Sollecito, who also was studying and living in Perugia, have denied wrongdoing.
9) A third suspect who had been jailed in Perugia, Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, a 38-year-old Congolese who owns a bar in the town, was released earlier this week. He also has denied any wrongdoing.
10) Knox wrote in a jailhouse statement that police hit her on the head during questioning and that her sometimes-conflicting statements were prompted by stress and exhaustion, Italian media reported Thursday. Police in the central Italian city of Perugia declined to comment on the allegations.
11) Italian newspapers quoted Knox as writing in a three-page handwritten statement on Nov. 6, the day of her arrest: "I was told that I would be arrested and put in jail for 30 years. When I didn't remember things I was hit in the head, but I understand the stress of the police."
12) The statement was obtained by the Italian dailies Corriere della Sera, La Repubblica and La Stampa, which carried excerpts translated from English. Knox's lawyer did not answer telephone calls seeking confirmation and the newspapers did not say how they obtained the statement.
13) Knox said she had "serious doubts" about statements made to investigators before her arrest because she spoke "under the pressure of stress, shock and because I was exhausted." She did not elaborate.
14) Among the confusing statements that have emerged are Knox's whereabouts at the time of the killing. A judge's order upholding Knox's detention noted that she was confused about the events because she had smoked hashish that night.
15) Four days before she was arrested, Knox said she had spent the night with Sollecito at his flat and only returned to the place she shared with Kercher the following morning, Nov. 2. But she later told investigators that another man killed Kercher while Knox was in another room, and that she covered her ears so she wouldn't hear the victim's screams.
16) She had identified the man as Lumumba, who was arrested largely based on Knox's recollections but released Tuesday for lack of evidence.
17) "I know I didn't kill Meredith. I see Patrick in flashes as the murderer, but I can't verify the truth the way it appears in my mind, because I don't remember with certainty if I was there," Knox wrote in the Nov. 6 statement.
18) The autopsy found that Kercher likely died slowly from a stab wound to her neck, and prosecutors said she was killed resisting a sexual assault. She was found half-naked on the floor of her blood-splattered bedroom.
19) Authorities have said they found Knox's DNA on the handle of a knife believed to have been the murder weapon and Kercher's on the blade. The knife came from the kitchen of Sollecito's Perugia apartment.
20) Guede's father defended his son. "My son is innocent," Pacome Roger Guede told reporters in Perugia.
21) He said his son had left Italy "because maybe he was afraid, very afraid for what he saw" at the house. "He has to come (back) to tell the truth, his version of it," said the father, wiping away tears. He described his son as a "good boy."
22) Italian media, without citing sources, reported that the young Guede told authorities in Germany that he was in the house where Kercher and Knox lived but felt ill, so he went to use the bathroom.
23) While in the bathroom, he said he heard Kercher scream and saw an Italian man running away, then took Kercher in his arms to try to help her but panicked and left the house, the Italian news reports said.
24) German authorities could not immediately be reached for comment.
German court orders suspect in Italian slaying held pending extradition
(APW_ENG_20071123.0524)
1) A German court has approved the continued detention of a suspect in the slaying of a British university student in Italy pending his extradition, a prosecutor said Friday.
2) The Koblenz state court ruled that Rudy Hermann Guede is a possible flight risk given the severity of the charges he faces, so ordered him held on Thursday.
3) In its ruling, the court said the Italian authorities suspect Guede "and another perpetrator of raping a British citizen in Perugia, Italy, and then killing her with many stabs to the throat." It did not go into further details.
4) Guede, an Ivory Coast national who has denied involvement in the crime, was stopped for riding on a train without a ticket and arrested Tuesday in the western German city of Mainz.
5) Italian authorities had an international arrest warrant out for him in connection with the sexual assault and fatal stabbing of 21-year-old Meredith Kercher in the house she shared with American student Amanda Marie Knox in Perugia.
6) Italian authorities said Thursday that DNA samples confirmed that Guede had sex with the victim on the night of the slaying.
7) Italian media, without citing sources, reported that Guede told German authorities he was in the house where Kercher and Knox lived but felt ill, so he went to use the bathroom.
8) While in the bathroom, he said he heard Kercher scream and saw an Italian man running away, then took Kercher in his arms to try to help her but panicked and left the house, the Italian news reports said.
9) Koblenz prosecutor Karl-Rudolf Winkler said he could confirm only that Guede had made a statement to German officials.
10) "He gave an explanation regarding the allegations, but I can only say that he denied taking part in the crime," he said. "I can't give further details."
11) Knox and her Italian boyfriend are currently jailed in connection with the slaying. Guede and both others have denied any wrongdoing.
12) The autopsy found that Kercher likely died slowly from a stab wound to her neck and Italian prosecutors said she was killed resisting a sexual assault. She was found on Nov. 2 in her blood-spattered bedroom.
13) Italian authorities have said they found Knox's DNA on the handle of a knife believed to have been the murder weapon and Kercher's on the blade. The knife came from the kitchen of a house where Knox's Italian boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, lived in Perugia.
14) A third suspect who had been jailed in Perugia, Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, a 38-year-old Congolese who owns a bar in the town, was released earlier this week. He also has denied any wrongdoing.
15) The search for Guede began after bloody fingerprints were found on Kercher's pillow and on toilet paper in the house. The prints did not match Knox or Sollecito.
16) Italian police traced Guede to Germany through a friend who established Internet contact with the suspect Monday night and chatted with him for hours, Italian investigators said.
17) Winkler said the German court was still waiting on documents from Italian authorities and it was not clear how long the extradition process may take.
2007-11-24
US suspect seen as
(APW_ENG_20071124.0540)
1) An American student jailed in Italy for the slaying of her British roommate is out of touch with reality but is not a murderer, her former boyfriend and fellow suspect said.
2) Amanda Marie Knox, 20, a University of Washington student from Seattle, and Italian Raffaele Sollecito were jailed on Nov. 6. The two are suspected of involvement in the slaying of 21-year-old Meredith Kercher, found dead in her Perugia apartment on Nov. 2.
3) "She lives life as if it is a dream, she's out of touch with reality, she is not able to tell dream from reality," Sollecito said of Knox in statements to his father that were published Saturday in leading Italian daily Corriere della Sera.
4) Sollecito's lawyer, Luca Maori, confirmed the contents of the report, saying that Sollecito had dictated the letter Friday to his lawyers, who then relayed it to the suspect's father. Sollecito is banned from writing letters in prison, Maori said.
5) "In the period we were together she was elusive," said Sollecito, a student also living in Perugia.
6) The two had been together for about two weeks at the time of their arrest, the lawyer said. Sollecito no longer considers himself Knox's boyfriend.
7) "The Amanda I knew is an Amanda who takes life lightheartedly. Her only thought is a quest for pleasure at any moment," Sollecito said. "But from here to even just imagining that she is a murderer, it becomes impossible."
8) Kercher died from a stab wound to her neck, according to the autopsy, and prosecutors said she was killed resisting a sexual assault. She was found half-naked on the floor of her blood-splattered bedroom.
9) Ivory Coast native Rudy Hermann Guede, another suspect in the case, was apprehended this week.
10) The 20-year-old Guede was picked up Tuesday in Germany on an international arrest warrant issued by Italian authorities. DNA testing has confirmed that Guede had sex with Kercher the night of the murder. He denies being involved in the crime.
11) According to court documents and lawyers, Knox has given contradictory versions about what happened the night that Kercher was killed. She has always denied being involved.
12) In a jailhouse statement, Knox wrote that police hit her on the head during questioning and that her sometimes-conflicting statements were prompted by stress and exhaustion, Italian media reported this week. Police have declined comment on the reports.
13) Sollecito said in his remarks to his father that the experience has been like "taking a stroll in hell," but that he is confident he will be cleared given his "absolute certainty of having committed no wrongdoing."
14) "I was not in that room when poor Meredith was killed," he said. Sollecito has said that he was at his own Perugia apartment the night of the murder, working at his computer.
15) This week, Italian authorities released from jail another suspect, 38-year-old Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, who had been arrested with Knox and Sollecito.
16) Lumumba, a Congolese who owns a bar and popular student hangout in Perugia, has denied any wrongdoing. No physical evidence has emerged tying Lumumba to the crime scene, and witnesses have placed him at his bar the night of the murder.
US suspect seen as
(APW_ENG_20071124.0569)
1) An American student jailed in Italy for the slaying of her British roommate is out of touch with reality but is not a murderer, her boyfriend at the time and fellow suspect said.
2) Amanda Marie Knox, 20, a University of Washington student from Seattle, and Italian Raffaele Sollecito were jailed on Nov. 6. The two are suspected of involvement in the slaying of 21-year-old Meredith Kercher, found dead in her Perugia apartment on Nov. 2.
3) "She lives life as if it is a dream, she's out of touch with reality, she is not able to tell dream from reality," Sollecito said of Knox in statements to his father that were published Saturday in leading Italian daily Corriere della Sera.
4) Sollecito's lawyer, Luca Maori, confirmed the contents of the report, saying that Sollecito had dictated the letter Friday to his lawyers, who then relayed it to the suspect's father. Sollecito is banned from writing letters in prison, Maori said.
5) "In the period we were together she was elusive," said Sollecito, a student also living in Perugia.
6) The two had been together for about two weeks at the time of their arrest, the lawyer said. Sollecito no longer considers himself Knox's boyfriend.
7) "The Amanda I knew is an Amanda who takes life lightheartedly. Her only thought is a quest for pleasure at any moment," Sollecito said. "But from here to even just imagining that she is a murderer, it becomes impossible."
8) Kercher died from a stab wound to her neck, according to the autopsy, and prosecutors said she was killed resisting a sexual assault. She was found half-naked on the floor of her blood-splattered bedroom.
9) Ivory Coast native Rudy Hermann Guede, another suspect in the case, was apprehended this week.
10) The 20-year-old Guede was picked up Tuesday in Germany on an international arrest warrant issued by Italian authorities. DNA testing has confirmed that Guede had sex with Kercher the night of the murder.
11) Guede on Saturday met with his Italian lawyers for the first time and maintained his innocence, Italian news reports said.
12) According to court documents and lawyers, Knox has given contradictory versions about what happened the night that Kercher was killed. She has always denied being involved.
13) In a jailhouse statement, Knox wrote that police hit her on the head during questioning and that her sometimes-conflicting statements were prompted by stress and exhaustion, Italian media reported this week. Police have declined comment on the reports.
14) Sollecito said in his remarks to his father that the experience has been like "taking a stroll in hell," but that he is confident he will be cleared given his "absolute certainty of having committed no wrongdoing."
15) "I was not in that room when poor Meredith was killed," he said. Sollecito has said that he was at his own Perugia apartment the night of the murder, working at his computer.
16) This week, Italian authorities released from jail another suspect, 38-year-old Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, who had been arrested with Knox and Sollecito.
17) Lumumba, a Congolese who owns a bar and popular student hangout in Perugia, has denied any wrongdoing. No physical evidence has emerged tying Lumumba to the crime scene, and witnesses have placed him at his bar the night of the murder.
2007-11-25
Perugia suspect says he was in slain UK student ' s room, fled because he was desperate
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1) The newest suspect in the slaying of a British student in the central Italian city of Perugia admits he was in the woman's room the night she died, but says he didn't kill her and that an Italian who is trying to frame him did, his lawyer said Sunday.
2) Rudy Hermann Guede is wanted in the death of Meredith Kercher, 21, who was found dead on Nov. 2 in her apartment in Perugia where she was studying for the year. Kercher died from a stab wound to her neck, and prosecutors said she was killed resisting a sexual assault.
3) "Rudy was present; he was there, but he denies having ever committed acts of sexual violence against Meredith, and it wasn't he who killed her," lawyer Walter Biscotti told The Associated Press in a telephone interview.
4) "He saw the assassin; he knows he's Italian," because the killer, before he fled the apartment, told Guede in Italian that police would blame him for the murder, Biscotti said.
5) Biscotti met with Guede for the first time Saturday in the German jail where he has been held since his arrest last week on an international arrest warrant issued by Italian authorities.
6) DNA testing has confirmed that Guede had sex with Kercher the night of the murder.
7) Biscotti said Guede had left Kercher's room to go to the bathroom when the killer slipped in and knifed the girl. He said Guede returned to the room and held Kercher in his arms, but then fled.
8) "He found himself in a totally desperate situation, with Meredith in his arms dying," Biscotti said. "External circumstances made him flee immediately."
9) He said, however, that Kercher had uttered some words to Guede before he left, which he said would be the "central strategy" of Guede's defense. He declined to elaborate.
10) Biscotti said he thought Guede, an Ivory Coast native, would be extradited to Italy within 10 to 15 days.
11) Two other people are in custody in connection with the slaying: Kercher's American roommate, Amanda Marie Knox, 20, a University of Washington student from Seattle, and Knox's then-boyfriend, Italian Raffaele Sollecito. Both have denied wrongdoing.
12) Another man arrested along with Knox and Sollecito, Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, was released from custody last week for lack of evidence. Nothing was found linking him to the scene and witnesses placed him at the bar he owns at the time of the slaying.
13) In a contradictory statement to police, Knox fingered Lumumba as the killer, saying she had to cover her ears at one point to drown out Kercher's screams.
14) In interviews published Sunday with two British newspapers, the Sunday Mirror and the Daily Mail, Lumumba said Knox may have falsely accused him because she was mad that he had fired her from her job at his pub -- and that he had offered a job to Kercher.
15) He said Knox was extremely jealous of Kercher.
16) "Amanda hated Meredith because people loved her more than they did Amanda," the Mirror quoted Lumumba as saying. "She was insanely jealous that Meredith was taking over her position as Queen Bee."
17) He said he thought Knox knew who the true killer was. Authorities have said they found Knox's DNA on the handle of a knife believed to have been the murder weapon; the knife came from the kitchen of Sollecito's Perugia apartment.
18) "I don't always think Amanda did it, but I think she knows who did it, and whoever killed Meredith should stay in prison forever," the Mail quoted Lumumba as saying.
19) Knox has said her memory of the night was shaky because she had smoked hashish earlier in the day. Sollecito has said he was at home at the time of the slaying.
2007-11-26
Experts to decide whether new autopsy needed in slaying of British student
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1) Experts were expected to decide on Tuesday whether a new autopsy is needed in the case of the British university student slain in Perugia, a lawyer for the victim's family said.
2) Lawyers for one of the suspects in the slaying and sexual assault of Meredith Kercher pushed for new tests to better determine how and at what time the 21-year-old woman died.
3) Kercher family lawyer Francesco Maresca told reporters in Perugia on Monday that he hoped the autopsy will not be needed, allowing the woman's body to be buried soon in Britain, where it was flown on Nov. 11.
4) "We hope that further tests on the body are not going to be needed," Maresca said.
5) The lawyer had said previously that the experts might be able to work using tissue samples and other biological material preserved from the initial autopsy shortly after Kercher was found dead Nov. 2 in her rented apartment. Outside experts began additional tests using some of that material on Monday.
6) An Italian coroner said that she died from a stab wound to the neck, and prosecutors said she was killed resisting a sexual assault.
7) Defense lawyers pressed for new tests to better establish time and cause of death.
8) Three people are jailed in the probe of the murder: Kercher's roommate, Amanda Marie Knox, 20, a University of Washington student from Seattle; Knox's then-boyfriend, Italian Raffaele Sollecito; and Rudy Hermann Guede, an Ivory Coast native who is awaiting extradition to Italy after his arrest in Germany.
9) A fourth suspect, Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, a Congolese who runs a bar in Perugia, was recently released from jail for lack of evidence.
10) All four suspects deny any role in Kercher's slaying.
11) Guede has admitted that he was in Kercher's room the night she died, but said he didn't kill her and that an Italian who is trying to frame him did. DNA testing has confirmed that Guede had sex with Kercher the night of the murder.
12) Based on the autopsy and accounts by Kerchers' friends of when she ate dinner with them on Nov. 1, the woman is believed to have died between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. on Nov. 1, according to the judge who ordered the three suspects held.
13) However, Maresca has said it is believed that Kercher might have eaten something in the house after she returned from dinner, which could influence the determination of time of death. The state of digestion of a victim's last meal is commonly used in helping to determine time of death.
2007-11-28
Reports: American ' s blood found on faucet of Perugia apartment where roommate slain
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1) A trace of blood belonging to American student Amanda Knox was found in her Perugia apartment that investigators believe dates back to the night her British flatmate was slain, news reports said Wednesday.
2) Investigators found the blood on a bathroom faucet and one of Knox's fingerprint on a glass, but the apartment was otherwise cleaned after Meredith Kercher, 21, was killed, according to a summary report by investigating magistrate Giuliano Mignini quoted by the ANSA news agency.
3) Investigators concluded that the blood was left on the faucet sometime between Nov. 1 and 2, when Kercher was killed with a knife wound to the neck. Investigators have concluded that Knox was in the apartment during that period although Knox herself hasn't disputed that.
4) "The visibility of the stain is such to exclude that it could have been left in the days before the crime since it would surely have been cleaned," investigating magistrate Giuliano Mignini wrote in the summary of his probe so far, ANSA reported.
5) Knox, 20, a University of Washington student from Seattle, has admitted in one of her several conflicting statements to prosecutors that she was in the apartment the night of the slaying, saying at one point she had to cover her ears to drown out Kercher's screams. She has denied any wrongdoing, however.
6) Calls to Knox's attorney were not answered Wednesday.
7) Besides Knox, her then-boyfriend Italian Raffaele Sollecito, and Rudy Hermann Guede, an Ivory Coast native, have been detained in the slaying. Guede is awaiting extradition to Italy after his arrest in Germany.
8) A fourth suspect, Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, a Congolese who runs a bar in Perugia, was released from jail for lack of evidence.
9) All four suspects deny any role in Kercher's slaying.
10) Guede has admitted that he was in Kercher's room the night she died, but said he didn't kill her and that an Italian who is trying to frame him did. DNA testing has confirmed that Guede had sex with Kercher the night of the murder.
11) Prosecutors have said Kercher was killed while resisting a sexual attack. Guede has denied he attacked Kercher sexually.
12) Kercher family attorney Francesco Maresca said Wednesday he believed that investigators had determined that a second autopsy would not be necessary on Kercher, letting her family in Britain bury her.
13) A hearing is scheduled Friday in Perugia to determine if Knox and Sollecito should continue being held. The judge who originally ordered them held after their Nov. 6 detentions said there was sufficient evidence to warrant their detention and that they represented flight risks.
Reports: American ' s blood found on faucet of Perugia apartment where roommate slain
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1) A trace of blood belonging to American student Amanda Knox was found in her Perugia apartment that investigators believe dates back to the night her British flatmate was slain, news reports said Wednesday.
2) Investigators found the blood on a bathroom faucet and one of Knox's fingerprint on a glass, but the apartment was otherwise cleaned after Meredith Kercher, 21, was killed, according to a summary report by investigating magistrate Giuliano Mignini quoted by the ANSA news agency.
3) Investigators concluded that the blood was left on the faucet sometime between Nov. 1 and 2, when Kercher was killed with a knife wound to the neck. Investigators have concluded that Knox was in the apartment during that period although Knox herself hasn't disputed that.
4) "The visibility of the stain is such to exclude that it could have been left in the days before the crime since it would surely have been cleaned," investigating magistrate Giuliano Mignini wrote in the summary of his probe so far, ANSA reported.
5) Knox, 20, a University of Washington student from Seattle, has admitted in one of her several conflicting statements to prosecutors that she was in the apartment the night of the slaying, saying at one point she had to cover her ears to drown out Kercher's screams. She has denied any wrongdoing, however.
6) Knox and Kercher's DNA was found on a knife that investigators believe may have been the murder weapon; the knife was found at the home of Knox's then-boyfriend Italian Raffaele Sollecito.
7) Calls to Knox's attorney were not answered Wednesday.
8) Knox, Sollecito, and Rudy Hermann Guede, an Ivory Coast native, have been detained in the slaying. Guede is awaiting extradition to Italy after his arrest in Germany.
9) A fourth suspect, Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, a Congolese who runs a bar in Perugia, was released from jail for lack of evidence.
10) All four suspects deny any role in Kercher's slaying.
11) Guede has admitted that he was in Kercher's room the night she died, but said he didn't kill her and that an Italian who is trying to frame him did. DNA testing has confirmed that Guede had sex with Kercher the night of the murder.
12) Prosecutors have said Kercher was killed while resisting a sexual attack. Guede has denied he attacked Kercher sexually.
13) Kercher family attorney Francesco Maresca said Wednesday he believed that investigators had determined that a second autopsy would not be necessary on Kercher, letting her family in Britain bury her.
14) A hearing is scheduled Friday in Perugia to determine if Knox and Sollecito should continue being held. The judge who originally ordered them held after their Nov. 6 detentions said there was sufficient evidence to warrant their detention and that they represented flight risks.
Reports: American ' s blood places her in Italy apartment the night roommate was slain
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1) A single fingerprint and a trace of blood belonging to American student Amanda Knox were found in the Perugia apartment where her British flatmate was slain, but the apartment was otherwise cleaned, news reports said.
2) Investigators have concluded that the blood was left on the bathroom faucet sometime between Nov. 1 and 2, the ANSA news agency reported, placing Knox in the apartment either the night Meredith Kercher, 21, died or the next morning.
3) Knox has acknowledged she was home the night Kercher was killed by a knife wound to the neck, and returned the next morning, but has denied any wrongdoing.
4) Calls to Knox's attorney were not answered Wednesday.
5) "The visibility of the stain is such to exclude that it could have been left in the days before the crime since it would surely have been cleaned," investigating magistrate Giuliano Mignini wrote in a summary of his probe submitted to the court ahead of a hearing Friday, ANSA reported.
6) Knox, 20, a University of Washington student from Seattle, has said in one of several conflicting statements to prosecutors that she was in the apartment the night of the slaying, saying at one point she had to cover her ears to drown out Kercher's screams.
7) ANSA quoted the summary as saying that the apartment was cleaned after the slaying, such that the only fingerprint of Knox found in the apartment, which she shared with Kercher, was on a glass.
8) "It's evident that after the crime, an effort was made to remove everything possible -- also staging a burglary, which wasn't credible since there were no traces of a break-in on the door, and the broken window appears to have been probably broken from the inside," Mignini wrote, according to ANSA.
9) On Wednesday, investigators informed a judge that a second autopsy on Kercher's body wasn't necessary, meaning she can be buried in Britain, where her body was flown Nov. 11, Kercher family attorney Francesco Maresca said.
10) Defense lawyers had pushed for new tests to better determine how and when Kercher died. Based on the autopsy and accounts by Kercher's friends of when she ate dinner with them, she is believed to have died between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. on Nov. 1, a judge wrote.
11) However, Maresca has said it is believed Kercher might have eaten something in the house after she returned from dinner, which could influence the determination of her time of death.
12) In addition to Knox, the American's then-boyfriend, Italian Raffaele Sollecito, and Rudy Hermann Guede, an Ivory Coast native, have been detained in the slaying. Guede is awaiting extradition to Italy after his arrest in Germany.
13) A fourth suspect was recently released from jail for lack of evidence. All deny any role in Kercher's slaying.
14) Knox and Kercher's DNA were found on a knife that investigators believe may have been the murder weapon; the knife was found in Sollecito's home.
15) Also found in Sollecito's home: two bottles of bleach, which Mignini's summary noted is useful for removing blood stains. Sollecito's maid told investigators the bleach hadn't been there before, and that she uses other cleaning agents to clean the house, ANSA reported.
16) Sollecito has said he was home on the computer the night of the slaying. Mignini disputed defense claims that Sollecito had been logged on, saying police had proven that the computer wasn't connected.
17) Guede has acknowledged that he was in Kercher's room the night she died, but said he didn't kill her and that an Italian who is trying to frame him did. DNA testing has confirmed that Guede had sex with Kercher the night of the murder.
18) Guede also has denied he attacked Kercher sexually; Investigators have said she died of the knife wound while fending off a sexual attack.
19) On Friday, a hearing is scheduled in a Perugia tribunal to determine if Knox and Sollecito should continue to be held. The judge who originally ordered them held said there was sufficient evidence to warrant their detention and that they represented flight risks.
20) In his summary, Mignini said the two remained a flight risk since Knox could return to the United States and Sollecito could flee since he has "not insignificant economic resources."
American ' s blood places her in Italy apartment the night roommate was slain
(APW_ENG_20071128.1244)
1) An American student jailed in connection with the death of her British flatmate tried to clean up traces of her presence at the crime scene but left a drop of her own blood left on a bathroom faucet, according to a prosecutor.
2) The top investigating prosecutor wrote that the body of evidence against University of Washington student Amanda Knox has only grown as the probe continued. The document was prepared for a hearing Friday to decide whether Knox and her former boyfriend will remain in jail.
3) The prosecutor maintained that the two remained a flight risk, because Knox could return to the United States and her Italian boyfriend has "not insignificant economic resources."
4) Investigators in the central Italian city of Perugia have concluded that the blood was left on the faucet between Nov. 1 and 2, placing Knox in the apartment she shared with Meredith Kercher either the night the 21-year-old Briton was killed or the following morning.
5) Knox has acknowledged she was home the night Kercher was killed by a knife wound to the neck, but has denied any wrongdoing.
6) Calls to Knox's attorney were not answered Wednesday.
7) "The stain is visible to the naked eye, it belongs to Amanda Knox," prosecutor Giuliano Mignini wrote in the summary submitted to the court. "The visibility of the stain is such to exclude that it could have been left in the days before the crime since it would surely have been cleaned."
8) Knox, a 20-year-old from Seattle, has said in one of several conflicting statements to prosecutors that she was in the apartment the night of the slaying, saying at one point she had to cover her ears to drown out Kercher's screams.
9) The summary said that the apartment was cleaned after the slaying in an attempt to erase traces of Knox's presence. The only fingerprint of Knox found in the apartment was on glass, while many more traces were left by two other Italian flatmates and visitors.
10) "It is reasonable to hypothesize that she herself felt the need to eliminate the traces of her presence from an apartment in which she lived," Mignini wrote. "It's evident that after the crime, an effort was made to remove everything possible -- also staging a burglary, which wasn't credible since there were no traces of a break-in on the door, and the broken window was quite probably broken from the inside."
11) On Wednesday, investigators informed a judge that a second autopsy on Kercher's body wasn't necessary, meaning she can be buried in Britain, where her body was flown Nov. 11, Kercher family attorney Francesco Maresca said.
12) Defense lawyers had pushed for new tests to determine more precisely how and when Kercher died. Based on the autopsy and accounts by Kercher's friends of when she ate dinner with them, she is believed to have died between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. on Nov. 1, a judge wrote.
13) However, Maresca has said it is believed Kercher might have eaten something in the house after she returned from dinner, which could influence the determination of her time of death.
14) Mignini said in the summary that a mushroom was found lodged in Kercher's esophagus, although a friend with whom she had dinner said the Briton didn't eat any.
15) "Meredith surely ate (again) later, perhaps with her assassins," the prosecutor wrote.
16) In addition to Knox, the American's then-boyfriend, Italian Raffaele Sollecito, and Rudy Hermann Guede, an Ivory Coast native, have been detained in the slaying. Guede is awaiting extradition to Italy after his arrest in Germany.
17) A fourth suspect was recently released from jail for lack of evidence. All deny any role in Kercher's slaying.
18) Knox's and Kercher's DNA were found on a knife that investigators believe may have been the murder weapon; the knife was found in Sollecito's home.
19) Hinting at a possible motive, Mignini cited the two other flatmates as saying Knox and Kercher didn't like each other and quarreled over male visitors and cleaning the apartment.
20) While stopping short of accusing Knox of being the killer, Mignini said the fact that the American's DNA was found between the knife's handle and blade was "highly significant." Kercher's DNA was found on the sharp end of the knife.
21) Also found in Sollecito's home were two bottles of bleach, which Mignini noted is useful for removing blood stains. Sollecito's maid told investigators the bleach hadn't been there before, and that she uses other cleaning agents to tidy the house, the summary said.
22) Sollecito has said he was home on the computer the night of the slaying. Mignini disputed defense claims that Sollecito had been logged on, saying police had proven that the computer had been left connected to the Internet without anybody accessing it overnight.
23) A bloody footprint found near Kercher's body was matched Sollecito's shoes, though the shoes themselves had no traces and had been washed, Mignini wrote.
24) Guede has acknowledged that he was in Kercher's room the night she died, but said he didn't kill her and that an Italian who is trying to frame him did. DNA testing has confirmed that Guede had sex with Kercher the night of the murder.
2007-11-29
American suspect tells Italian paper she was ' going crazy ' first few days in jail
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1) An American student jailed in connection with the slaying of her British roommate was quoted Thursday as saying she was "going crazy" during her first days in jail.
2) Amanda Marie Knox, a 20-year-old from Seattle, has been jailed in Perugia since Nov. 6. On Friday, a judge must decide whether she and another suspect -- her former Italian boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito -- should remain behind bars.
3) Knox agreed to talk to the Turin newspaper La Stampa, but not about the night Meredith Kercher was killed.
4) "No questions about that night; I don't want to be affected by things that I learn from outside," she is quoted as saying, speaking Italian. "Whenever I see Perugia footage on TV, I switch channels. What I have to say I want to say to judges alone. And to my lawyer."
5) Knox has given conflicting statements since Kercher was found dead in their Perugia apartment on Nov. 2. Kercher, a 21-year-old Leeds University student, was killed by a knife wound to the neck, and prosecutors said she died fighting off a sexual assault.
6) Knox first said she wasn't home the night of the slaying, but later told prosecutors she was in the apartment, saying she had to cover her ears to drown out Kercher's screams.
7) Her lawyer, however, is expected Friday to go back to the original version -- that Knox was not at home -- when he speaks to the judge ruling on Knox's detention, according to La Stampa and other Italian reports citing a defense document prepared for the hearing.
8) Knox told La Stampa that the first days in jail were difficult.
9) "The first days, I was kept isolated," she told the newspaper, speaking in Italian. "It was very hard; I couldn't have any relations with anybody." Then she was transferred to a ward housing people accused of sexual crimes, the newspaper said.
10) "My God, those days were terrible; nobody talked to me," Knox is quoted as saying. "I thought I was going crazy and I prayed that they would move me. When I arrived here, everything changed."'
11) "They treat me with dignity," she said, adding that her fellow inmates are "wonderful."
12) Knox's and Kercher's DNA were found on a knife that investigators believe may have been the murder weapon; the knife was found in Sollecito's home.
13) The top investigating prosecutor, Giuliano Mignini, wrote that the body of evidence against Knox has only grown as the probe continued.
14) In addition to Knox and Sollecito, 23, Rudy Hermann Guede, an Ivory Coast native, has been detained in the slaying. Guede is to be extradited from Germany. All have denied any wrongdoing.
Italian suspect says evidence not enough to place him at scene of UK student ' s slaying
(APW_ENG_20071129.0876)
1) There is not enough evidence to place an Italian suspect jailed in connection with the slaying of a British student at the crime scene, his lawyer said in court documents obtained Thursday.
2) A judge must rule Friday on whether suspect Raffaele Sollecito and his then-girlfriend, American Amanda Marie Knox, should remain jailed in connection with the killing of Knox's flatmate, Meredith Kercher. The two were arrested Nov. 6.
3) In a document prepared for Friday's hearing and obtained by The Associated Press, Sollecito's lawyers dismissed prosecutors' allegations that he was at the crime scene the night of the slaying. Sollecito says he was at his own Perugia apartment, working at his computer.
4) Sollecito "from 20:30 of Nov. 1, 2007, until the morning of Nov. 2 was always at home and therefore did not have any role in the murder of the poor Meredith Kercher," the defense document says.
5) The defense says analyses on Sollecito's computer show he had been logged on. Prosecutors say police have proven that the computer was connected to the Internet but without anybody accessing it overnight.
6) According to the defense, there isn't enough evidence that a bloody footprint found near Kercher's body matches Sollecito's shoes, as prosecutors maintain. The defense says the print is not clear enough to allow for a certain match.
7) Sollecito, a 23-year-old student who was dating Knox at the time, is expected to attend the hearing Friday, said his lawyer, Marco Brusco. Knox also is expected to appear in court.
8) DNA from Knox and Kercher was found on a knife that investigators believe may have been the murder weapon; the knife was found in Sollecito's home.
9) But "no compatibility has been ascertained between the knife in question and the wounds inflicted on the victim," said the defense document.
10) Knox, a 20-year-old from Seattle, was quoted as saying she was calm. An Italian lawmaker who visited Knox on Wednesday relayed her quotes to the Turin newspaper La Stampa.
11) The lawmaker, Osvaldo Napoli, told the AP that Knox is spending her time reading books and answering letters.
12) "She told me: 'I am extremely serene and tranquil. I have faith in the Italian courts; I await the judgment serenely,'" Napoli told the AP Thursday.
13) Knox has given conflicting statements since Kercher was found dead in their Perugia apartment on Nov. 2. Kercher, a 21-year-old Leeds University student, was killed by a knife wound to the neck, and prosecutors said she died fighting off a sexual assault.
14) Knox first said she wasn't home the night of the slaying, but later told prosecutors she was in the apartment and had to cover her ears to drown out Kercher's screams.
15) The top investigating prosecutor, Giuliano Mignini, says the body of evidence against Knox has only grown as the probe continued.
16) In addition to Knox and Sollecito, a third suspect, Rudy Hermann Guede, is being held as a suspect. He was arrested in Germany and is to be extradited to Italy.
17) All have denied any wrongdoing.
Student life abroad comes under scrutiny after gruesome slaying in medieval Italian city
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1) For many university students, a year studying abroad is an experience of a lifetime to learn a language and live in a new culture. But it's often just as much about partying in a place where alcohol and drugs are readily available.
2) Even for the wild life of college kids away from home, something went horribly wrong in this picturesque central Italian city where a 21-year-old British student was killed Nov. 1.
3) Meredith Kercher was sexually assaulted and stabbed in the apartment she shared with her American flatmate, Amanda Marie Knox -- who has been detained along with two other people in connection with the death.
4) The gruesome tale of sex, drugs and murder has gripped Italy, and even the Vatican has weighed in on what it called the "dangers" of students living far from home and family.
5) Knox, 20, and her one-time boyfriend and Italian co-defendant Raffaele Sollecito, are due in court on Friday for a hearing on whether they should remain in jail while the probe continues.
6) A third suspect, Rudy Hermann Guede, a native of Ivory Coast is in detention in Germany awaiting extradition to Italy. Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, a Congolese who owned the Perugia bar where Knox worked, was recently released from jail for lack of evidence. All four deny wrongdoing.
7) The case, and particularly Knox's alleged role, has made headlines in Italy, Britain and beyond in part because of the light it has shone on the seemingly privileged world of students spending a semester or year abroad studying.
8) And by all indications, Knox was a bright and eager student proficient enough in languages to read Harry Potter in German.
9) She grew up in Seattle, where she attended a $12,000-a-year Jesuit high school. Her parents married in 1987, the year she was born, divorced two years later and remarried.
10) Last spring, she made the dean's list at the University of Washington, where, according to her profile on the MySpace.com social networking site, she was majoring in German and Italian and minoring in creative writing.
11) Before arriving in Italy in September, she had lined up an internship at the Bundestag in Berlin with the help of her uncle. On her first day of work, she left her apartment three hours early since she had to navigate Berlin's public transport system on her own and wanted to be on time.
12) Yet, at the same time Knox also comes across as a typical irresponsible, 20-year-old: She walked off her Bundestag job after just a few days because, she wrote, she had nothing to do.
13) Her MySpace page, in which she calls herself "Foxy Knoxy," includes images of her drunk and acting silly in a video, and she referred several times to drug use and nights spent working and dancing at Lumumba's bar -- providing a different side to what the Italian press calls her "angel face" look.
14) Lumumba said after his release from jail that Knox was a self-confident and flirtatious girl who was intensely jealous of Kercher.
15) "Amanda hated Meredith because people loved her more than they did Amanda," Britain's Sunday Mirror quoted Lumumba as saying last week. "She was insanely jealous that Meredith was taking over her position as Queen Bee."
16) In a Nov. 9 ruling ordering the suspects jailed, a judge in Perugia wrote that Knox, in her statement to prosecutors, had accused Lumumba of killing Kercher and at one point had covered her ears to drown out her screams.
17) The judge noted that Knox's memories were confused since she had smoked hashish earlier in the day.
18) In many European capitals, the close-knit world of study abroad students is hard to miss.
19) Groups of rowdy, mostly English-speaking students are routinely seen staggering through central squares, like Rome's Campo dei Fiori, on any given Saturday night, frequenting bars that carry "Two-for-One" or "Lady's Night" signs that clearly target English-speakers out to get drunk.
20) But the small city of Perugia, population 150,000, seemed to have provided a different experience to its students.
21) With its steep medieval streets and heavy presence of European students attending its University for Foreigners, Perugia was off the beaten-track for Americans, said Carol Clark, the American director of the Perugia Umbra Institute which offers study abroad programs to U.S. students.
22) "Here, foreign students tend to live in apartments with international roommates, buy food, interact with locals," although the foreign community still has their own pubs and meeting points, she said.
23) The students who come to Perugia, she said, "want a place which is less Americanized," than the big cities that attract U.S. college programs.
24) But binge-drinking and drug use is certainly available for those who want it, said Esteban Garcia Pascual, an Argentine whose bar "La Tana dell'Orso" is a top destination for foreign students in Perugia.
25) "Perugia is more of a break to them than a commitment," he said. "For them, it is a new world. They come here, have fun and get trashed in the evening."
26) Yet not all students come to Perugia -- or go on study abroad programs -- just to have fun with other Americans, said Zachary Nowak, a 30-year-old New Yorker who fell in love with Perugia during his own study abroad program and never left.
27) "They are really integrated," he said of the foreign students. "There's no Campo dei Fiori here, they have to make an effort. If they want to order a margarita in English in a bar, they'd go to Rome or Florence."
2007-11-30
Student life abroad comes under scrutiny after gruesome slaying in medieval Italian city
(APW_ENG_20071130.0049)
1) For many university students, a year studying abroad is an experience of a lifetime to learn a language and live in a new culture. But it's often just as much about partying in a place where alcohol and drugs are readily available.
2) Even for the wild life of college kids away from home, something went horribly wrong in this picturesque central Italian city where a 21-year-old British student was killed Nov. 1.
3) Meredith Kercher was sexually assaulted and stabbed in the apartment she shared with her American flatmate, Amanda Marie Knox -- who has been detained along with two other people in connection with the death.
4) The gruesome tale of sex, drugs and murder has gripped Italy, and even the Vatican has weighed in on what it called the "dangers" of students living far from home and family.
5) Knox, 20, and her one-time boyfriend and Italian co-defendant Raffaele Sollecito, are due in court on Friday for a hearing on whether they should remain in jail while the probe continues.
6) A third suspect, Rudy Hermann Guede, a native of Ivory Coast is in detention in Germany awaiting extradition to Italy. Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, a Congolese who owned the Perugia bar where Knox worked, was recently released from jail for lack of evidence. All four deny wrongdoing.
7) The case, and particularly Knox's alleged role, has made headlines in Italy, Britain and beyond in part because of the light it has shone on the seemingly privileged world of students spending a semester or year abroad studying.
8) And by all indications, Knox was a bright and eager student proficient enough in languages to read Harry Potter in German.
9) She grew up in Seattle, where she attended a $12,000-a-year Jesuit high school. Her parents married in 1987, the year she was born, divorced two years later and remarried.
10) Last spring, she made the dean's list at the University of Washington, where, according to her profile on the MySpace.com social networking site, she was majoring in German and Italian and minoring in creative writing.
11) Before arriving in Italy in September, she had lined up an internship at the Bundestag in Berlin with the help of her uncle. On her first day of work, she left her apartment three hours early since she had to navigate Berlin's public transport system on her own and wanted to be on time.
12) Yet, at the same time Knox also comes across as a typical irresponsible, 20-year-old: She walked off her Bundestag job after just a few days because, she wrote, she had nothing to do.
13) Her MySpace page, in which she calls herself "Foxy Knoxy," includes images of her drunk and acting silly in a video, and she referred several times to drug use and nights spent working and dancing at Lumumba's bar -- providing a different side to what the Italian press calls her "angel face" look.
14) Lumumba said after his release from jail that Knox was a self-confident and flirtatious girl who was intensely jealous of Kercher.
15) "Amanda hated Meredith because people loved her more than they did Amanda," Britain's Sunday Mirror quoted Lumumba as saying last week. "She was insanely jealous that Meredith was taking over her position as Queen Bee."
16) In a Nov. 9 ruling ordering the suspects jailed, a judge in Perugia wrote that Knox, in her statement to prosecutors, had accused Lumumba of killing Kercher and at one point had covered her ears to drown out her screams.
17) The judge noted that Knox's memories were confused since she had smoked hashish earlier in the day.
18) In many European capitals, the close-knit world of study abroad students is hard to miss.
19) Groups of rowdy, mostly English-speaking students are routinely seen staggering through central squares, like Rome's Campo dei Fiori, on any given Saturday night, frequenting bars that carry "Two-for-One" or "Lady's Night" signs that clearly target English-speakers out to get drunk.
20) But the small city of Perugia, population 150,000, seemed to have provided a different experience to its students.
21) With its steep medieval streets and heavy presence of European students attending its University for Foreigners, Perugia was off the beaten-track for Americans, said Carol Clark, the American director of the Perugia Umbra Institute which offers study abroad programs to U.S. students.
22) "Here, foreign students tend to live in apartments with international roommates, buy food, interact with locals," although the foreign community still has their own pubs and meeting points, she said.
23) The students who come to Perugia, she said, "want a place which is less Americanized," than the big cities that attract U.S. college programs.
24) But binge-drinking and drug use is certainly available for those who want it, said Esteban Garcia Pascual, an Argentine whose bar "La Tana dell'Orso" is a top destination for foreign students in Perugia.
25) "Perugia is more of a break to them than a commitment," he said. "For them, it is a new world. They come here, have fun and get trashed in the evening."
26) Yet not all students come to Perugia -- or go on study abroad programs -- just to have fun with other Americans, said Zachary Nowak, a 30-year-old New Yorker who fell in love with Perugia during his own study abroad program and never left.
27) "They are really integrated," he said of the foreign students. "There's no Campo dei Fiori here, they have to make an effort. If they want to order a margarita in English in a bar, they'd go to Rome or Florence."
American student, Italian boyfriend at hearing in death of British student
(APW_ENG_20071130.0499)
1) An American university student and her Italian ex-boyfriend were in court Friday for a hearing to determine if they will remain jailed as suspects in the death of a British student.
2) A judge must rule on requests by the defense to release University of Washington student Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito, who have been jailed in connection with the killing of Knox's flatmate, 21-year-old Meredith Kercher.
3) The two were picked up Nov. 6 and a judge confirmed the arrests a few days later, saying there was enough evidence against the two students to hold them while the probe continued. Lawyers appealed the decision and both suspects deny wrongdoing.
4) Knox and Sollecito were not seen arriving at court Friday, but police officials there confirmed the two were inside attending the closed-door hearing.
5) Kercher, a Leeds University student enrolled for a year of study in Perugia, was found dead Nov. 2 in the apartment she shared with Knox. She died from a stab wound to the neck, and prosecutors said she was killed resisting a sexual assault.
6) Knox has given conflicting statements since the killing, first saying she wasn't home the night of the slaying and later telling prosecutors she was in the apartment and had to cover her ears to drown out Kercher's screams.
7) According to prosecutors, a drop of Knox's blood found on a bathroom faucet places her at the apartment on the night of the murder or the morning after, and DNA from Knox and Kercher was found on a knife that investigators believe may have been the murder weapon.
8) The knife was found in Sollecito's home, while a bloody footprint located near Kercher's body has been matched to his shoes, placing the 23-year-old Italian at the crime scene, prosecutors say.
9) Lawyers maintain there is not enough evidence linking the knife to Kercher's wounds or the shoes to the footprint.
10) Sollecito says he was at his own Perugia apartment, working at his computer, but doesn't remember if Knox spent the whole night with him. Both suspects have explained confused recollections and conflicting statements by saying they had smoked hashish that night, according to court documents.
11) In addition to Knox and Sollecito, Ivory Coast native Rudy Hermann Guede is also being held as a suspect. He was arrested in Germany after an international manhunt and is awaiting extradition to Italy.
12) Guede has acknowledged that he was in Kercher's room the night she died, but said he didn't kill her and that an Italian who is trying to frame him did. DNA testing has confirmed that Guede had sex with Kercher the night of the murder.
13) A fourth suspect, Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, a Congolese who owned the Perugia bar where Knox worked, was recently released from jail for lack of evidence. Lumumba, initially fingered by Knox as the killer, remains under investigation and denies wrongdoing.
American student, Italian boyfriend at hearing in death of British student
(APW_ENG_20071130.0627)
1) An American university student and her Italian ex-boyfriend were in court Friday for a hearing to determine whether they will remain jailed as suspects in the killing of a British student.
2) A judge must rule on requests by the defense to release University of Washington student Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito, who have been jailed in connection with the killing of Knox's flatmate, 21-year-old Meredith Kercher.
3) The two were picked up Nov. 6 and a judge confirmed the arrests a few days later, saying there was enough evidence against the two students to hold them while the investigation continued. Lawyers appealed the decision and both suspects deny wrongdoing.
4) Knox and Sollecito were not seen arriving at court Friday, but police officials and lawyers confirmed the two were inside attending the closed-door hearing.
5) "We are happy and confident because we were able to fully explain our point of view," said Knox's lawyer, Luciano Ghirga. "Amanda made a very brief statement proclaiming her innocence."
6) Ghirga spoke to reporters during a break in the hearing and said a ruling was expected Friday afternoon.
7) Kercher, a student from Leeds University in England and enrolled for a year of study in Perugia, was found dead Nov. 2 in the apartment she shared with Knox. She died from a stab wound to the neck, and prosecutors said she was killed resisting a sexual assault.
8) Knox has given conflicting statements since the killing, first saying she was not home the night of the slaying and later telling prosecutors she was in the apartment and had to cover her ears to drown out Kercher's screams.
9) According to prosecutors, a drop of Knox's blood found on a bathroom faucet places her at the apartment on the night of the murder or the morning after, and DNA from Knox and Kercher was found on a knife that investigators believe may have been the murder weapon.
10) The knife was found in Sollecito's home, and a bloody footprint located near Kercher's body has been matched to his shoes, placing the 23-year-old Italian at the crime scene, prosecutors say.
11) Lawyers maintain there is not enough evidence linking the knife to Kercher's wounds nor the shoes to the footprint.
12) Sollecito says he was at his own Perugia apartment, working at his computer, but does not remember if Knox spent the whole night with him. Both suspects have explained confused recollections and conflicting statements by saying they had smoked hashish that night, according to court documents.
13) In addition to Knox and Sollecito, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede is also being held as a suspect. He was arrested in Germany after an international manhunt and is awaiting extradition to Italy.
14) Guede has acknowledged that he was in Kercher's room the night she died, but said he didn't kill her and that an Italian who is trying to frame him did. It is not clear whom Guede accused. DNA testing has confirmed that he had sex with Kercher the night of the murder.
15) A fourth suspect, Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, a Congolese who owned the Perugia bar where Knox worked, was recently released from jail for lack of evidence. Lumumba, initially fingered by Knox as the killer, has not been formally cleared and denies wrongdoing.
Judge orders American suspect to remain in jail
(APW_ENG_20071130.0971)
1) A court ruled Friday that an American suspect in the slaying of her British roommate must remain in jail.
2) Amanda Marie Knox has been jailed in this central Italian city since Nov. 6. The decision was made shortly after the 20-year-old student from Seattle appeared before the court to proclaim her innocence.
Judge orders Italian and US suspects to remain in jail
(APW_ENG_20071130.0989)
1) A court ruled Friday that an American student and her Italian ex-boyfriend must remain in jail as suspects in the slaying of a 21-year-old Briton.
2) Amanda Marie Knox and Raffaele Sollecito have been jailed in this central Italian city since Nov. 6. The decision Friday by the three-judge panel was made shortly after Knox appeared before the court to proclaim her innocence.
3) Meredith Kercher, a student from Leeds University in England and enrolled for a year of study in Perugia, was found dead Nov. 2 in the apartment she shared with Knox. She died from a stab wound to the neck, and prosecutors said she was killed resisting a sexual assault.
Court orders Italian and US suspects to remain in jail
(APW_ENG_20071130.1075)
1) A court ruled Friday that an American student and her Italian ex-boyfriend must remain in jail as suspects in the slaying of a 21-year-old Briton.
2) The decision Friday by the three-judge panel was made shortly after Amanda Marie Knox, 20, appeared before the court to proclaim her innocence. Knox and Raffaele Sollecito have been jailed in this central Italian city since Nov. 6.
3) A lawyer for Sollecito, Marco Brusco, said the judges did not release the reasoning for their ruling. They are expected to do so over the next few days, Brusco said.
4) Meredith Kercher, a student from Leeds University in England and enrolled for a year of study in Perugia, was found dead Nov. 2 in the apartment she shared with Knox. She died from a stab wound to the neck, and prosecutors said she was killed resisting a sexual assault.
5) The detention of Knox, 20, and Sollecito was upheld by a judge a few days after their arrest. The judge said there was enough evidence against the two students to hold them while the investigation continued. Lawyers appealed that decision and both suspects deny wrongdoing.
6) Knox and Sollecito were both present for the closed-door hearing, police officials and lawyers confirmed.
7) "We are happy and confident because we were able to fully explain our point of view," said Knox's lawyer, Luciano Ghirga. "Amanda made a very brief statement proclaiming her innocence."
8) Knox has given conflicting statements since the killing, first saying she was not home the night of the slaying and later telling prosecutors she was in the apartment and had to cover her ears to drown out Kercher's screams.
9) According to prosecutors, a drop of Knox's blood found on a bathroom faucet places her at the apartment on the night of the murder or the morning after, and DNA from Knox and Kercher was found on a knife that investigators believe may have been the murder weapon.
10) The knife was found in Sollecito's home, and a bloody footprint located near Kercher's body has been matched to his shoes, placing the 23-year-old Italian at the crime scene, prosecutors say.
11) Lawyers maintain there is not enough evidence linking the knife to Kercher's wounds nor the shoes to the footprint.
12) Sollecito says he was at his own Perugia apartment, working at his computer, but does not remember if Knox spent the whole night with him. Both suspects have explained confused recollections and conflicting statements by saying they had smoked hashish that night, according to court documents.
13) Besides Knox and Sollecito, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede is also being held as a suspect. He was arrested in Germany after an international manhunt and is awaiting extradition to Italy.
14) Guede has acknowledged that he was in Kercher's room the night she died, but said he didn't kill her and that an Italian who is trying to frame him did. It is not clear whom Guede accused. DNA testing has confirmed that he had sex with Kercher the night of the murder.
15) A fourth person, Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, a Congolese who owned the Perugia bar where Knox worked, was released from jail for lack of evidence. Lumumba, initially fingered by Knox as the killer, has not been formally cleared and denies wrongdoing.
Court orders Italian and US suspects to remain in jail
(APW_ENG_20071130.1231)
1) An American student told a court Friday she was innocent of the slaying of her 21-year-old British roommate but was ordered to remain in jail along with her former boyfriend, lawyers said.
2) Amanda Marie Knox, 20, and Raffaele Sollecito, an Italian student, have been under arrest in this Italian city since Nov. 6 and remain suspects in the stabbing death of British student Meredith Kercher.
3) The two could face months in jail before the prosecutors declare the probe closed and move to either seek indictments or decide not to press formal charges. Both deny wrongdoing.
4) The decision Friday by the three-judge panel was made hours after Knox and Sollecito both appeared before the court at the closed-door hearing, lawyers said.
5) Sollecito's attorney Marco Brusco said the judges did not release the reasoning for their ruling. They are expected to do so in the coming days, Brusco said.
6) Kercher, a student from Leeds University in England and enrolled for a year of study in Perugia, was found dead Nov. 2 in the apartment she shared with Knox. She died from a stab wound to the neck, and prosecutors said she was killed resisting a sexual assault.
7) The detention of Knox and Sollecito was upheld by a judge a few days after their arrest. The judge said there was enough evidence against the two students to hold them while the investigation continued. Lawyers appealed that decision.
8) Before the ruling, a lawyer for Knox said, "We are happy and confident because we were able to fully explain our point of view."
9) "Amanda made a very brief statement proclaiming her innocence," said the lawyer, Luciano Ghirga.
10) Sollecito answered some of the magistrates' questions, Brusco said, declining to discuss the contents of his client's appearance.
11) Knox, a University of Washington student, has given conflicting statements since the killing, first saying she was not home the night of the slaying and later telling prosecutors she was in the apartment and had to cover her ears to drown out Kercher's screams.
12) According to prosecutors, a drop of Knox's blood found on a bathroom faucet places her at the apartment on the night of the slaying or the morning after, and DNA from Knox and Kercher was found on a knife that investigators believe may have been the weapon used in the slaying.
13) The knife was found in Sollecito's home, and a bloody footprint located near Kercher's body has been matched to his shoes, placing the 23-year-old Italian at the crime scene, prosecutors say.
14) Defense lawyers maintain there is not enough evidence linking the knife to Kercher's wounds nor the shoes to the footprint.
15) Sollecito says he was at his own Perugia apartment, working at his computer, but does not remember if Knox spent the whole night with him. Both suspects have explained confused recollections and conflicting statements by saying they had smoked hashish that night, according to court documents.
16) Besides Knox and Sollecito, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede is also being held as a suspect. He was arrested in Germany on an international arrest warrant issued by Italian authorities and is awaiting extradition to Italy.
17) Guede has acknowledged that he was in Kercher's room the night she died, but said he didn't kill her and that an Italian, who is trying to frame him, did.
18) It is not clear whom Guede accused. DNA testing has confirmed that he had sex with Kercher the night of the slaying.
19) A fourth person, Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, a Congolese who owned the Perugia bar where Knox worked, was released from jail for lack of evidence. Lumumba, initially fingered by Knox as the killer, has not been formally cleared and denies wrongdoing.
2007-12-01
Court orders Italian and US suspects to remain in jail
(APW_ENG_20071201.0055)
1) An American student told a court she was innocent of the slaying of her 21-year-old British roommate but was ordered to remain in jail along with her former boyfriend, lawyers said.
2) Amanda Marie Knox, 20, and Raffaele Sollecito, an Italian student, have been under arrest in this Italian city since Nov. 6 and remain suspects in the stabbing death of British student Meredith Kercher.
3) The two could face months in jail before the prosecutors declare the probe closed and move to either seek indictments or decide not to press formal charges. Both deny wrongdoing.
4) The decision Friday by the three-judge panel was made hours after Knox and Sollecito both appeared before the court at the closed-door hearing, lawyers said.
5) Sollecito's attorney Marco Brusco said the judges did not release the reasoning for their ruling. They are expected to do so in the coming days, Brusco said.
6) Kercher, a student from Leeds University in England and enrolled for a year of study in Perugia, was found dead Nov. 2 in the apartment she shared with Knox. She died from a stab wound to the neck, and prosecutors said she was killed resisting a sexual assault.
7) The detention of Knox and Sollecito was upheld by a judge a few days after their arrest. The judge said there was enough evidence against the two students to hold them while the investigation continued. Lawyers appealed that decision.
8) Before the ruling, a lawyer for Knox said, "We are happy and confident because we were able to fully explain our point of view."
9) "Amanda made a very brief statement proclaiming her innocence," said the lawyer, Luciano Ghirga.
10) Sollecito answered some of the magistrates' questions, Brusco said, declining to discuss the contents of his client's appearance.
11) Knox, a University of Washington student, has given conflicting statements since the killing, first saying she was not home the night of the slaying and later telling prosecutors she was in the apartment and had to cover her ears to drown out Kercher's screams.
12) According to prosecutors, a drop of Knox's blood found on a bathroom faucet places her at the apartment on the night of the slaying or the morning after, and DNA from Knox and Kercher was found on a knife that investigators believe may have been the weapon used in the slaying.
13) The knife was found in Sollecito's home, and a bloody footprint located near Kercher's body has been matched to his shoes, placing the 23-year-old Italian at the crime scene, prosecutors say.
14) Defense lawyers maintain there is not enough evidence linking the knife to Kercher's wounds nor the shoes to the footprint.
15) Sollecito says he was at his own Perugia apartment, working at his computer, but does not remember if Knox spent the whole night with him. Both suspects have explained confused recollections and conflicting statements by saying they had smoked hashish that night, according to court documents.
16) Besides Knox and Sollecito, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede is also being held as a suspect. He was arrested in Germany on an international arrest warrant issued by Italian authorities and is awaiting extradition to Italy.
17) Guede has acknowledged that he was in Kercher's room the night she died, but said he didn't kill her and that an Italian, who is trying to frame him, did.
18) It is not clear whom Guede accused. DNA testing has confirmed that he had sex with Kercher the night of the slaying.
19) A fourth person, Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, a Congolese who owned the Perugia bar where Knox worked, was released from jail for lack of evidence. Lumumba, initially fingered by Knox as the killer, has not been formally cleared and denies wrongdoing.
Parents of American, Italian jailed in death of British student visit after court setback
(APW_ENG_20071201.0589)
1) The parents of American student Amanda Knox visited their daughter in jail Saturday -- a day after a court ruled she must remain in detention despite her proclamation of innocence in the death of her British roommate.
2) During a closed court appearance Friday, Knox said she was not in her Perugia apartment the night Meredith Kercher was killed, but was rather at the home of her then-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito, said Kercher family attorney Francesco Maresca.
3) But during the hearing, prosecutors presented the court with an intercepted conversation Knox had with her parents while in jail, in which she appeared to indicate she was indeed in the apartment she shared with Kercher, Maresca said.
4) He confirmed Italian media reports citing the intercepts in which Knox was quoted as saying: "It's stupid. I can't say otherwise; I was there and I can't lie about that."
5) Calls to Knox's attorney, Luciano Ghirga, were not answered Saturday. The La Stampa daily quoted Ghirga as saying that the quote places Amanda in Sollecito's home, not her own.
6) Kercher, 21, was found dead Nov. 1 in the apartment she shared with Knox in the central Italian town of Perugia where both were studying. She had been sexually assaulted and died of a knife wound to the neck.
7) Knox, Sollecito, and an Ivory Coast native, Rudy Hermann Guede, have been detained in the slaying. On Friday, a court ruled that Knox and Sollecito must remain in detention.
8) Guede was arrested in Germany on an international arrest warrant issued by Italian authorities and is awaiting extradition to Italy.
9) Guede has acknowledged that he was in Kercher's room the night she died, but said he didn't kill her and that an Italian who is trying to frame him did. DNA testing has confirmed that Guede had sex with Kercher the night of the slaying.
10) A fourth person, Diya "Patrick" Lumumba was released from jail for lack of evidence.
11) All four deny wrongdoing.
12) Knox has given contradictory stories to prosecutors, initially saying she was at Sollecito's apartment the night of the murder, then saying she was at home and that at one point had to cover her ears to drown out Kercher's screams. She had at one point fingered Lumumba as the killer.
13) Maresca said that during Friday's hearing, Knox went back to her initial version that she was not in the apartment.
14) Maresca confirmed that prosecutors had obtained a diary Knox had written while in custody. News reports Saturday said that in the diary, Knox hypothesizes that Sollecito could have killed Kercher, slipping out of his apartment while she slept.
15) On Saturday, Knox's parents, William Knox and Edda Mellas, visited their daughter in jail, but declined to speak to reporters outside.
16) Francesco Sollecito, Raffaele's father, also visited his son in jail and said Raffaele was "serene" despite the court setback. He said his son had asked him "What do they want from me?"
17) "We expected a different" outcome," the elder Sollecito told reporters.
Parents of American, Italian jailed in death of British student visit after court setback
(APW_ENG_20071201.0660)
1) The parents of American student Amanda Knox visited their daughter in jail in Italy Saturday -- a day after a court ruled she must remain in detention despite her proclamation of innocence in the death of her British flatmate.
2) During a closed court appearance Friday, Knox said she was not in her Perugia apartment the night Meredith Kercher was killed, but was rather at the home of her then-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito, said Kercher family attorney Francesco Maresca.
3) But during the hearing, prosecutors presented the court with an intercepted conversation Knox had with her parents while in jail, in which she appeared to indicate she was indeed in the apartment she shared with Kercher, Maresca said.
4) He confirmed Italian media reports citing the intercepts in which Knox was quoted as saying: "It's stupid. I can't say otherwise; I was there and I can't lie about that."
5) Calls to Knox's attorney, Luciano Ghirga, were not answered Saturday. The La Stampa daily quoted Ghirga as saying that the quote places Amanda in Sollecito's home, not her own.
6) Kercher, 21, was found dead Nov. 1 in the apartment she shared with Knox in the central Italian town of Perugia where both were studying. She had been sexually assaulted and died of a knife wound to the neck.
7) Knox, Sollecito, and an Ivory Coast native, Rudy Hermann Guede, have been detained in the slaying. On Friday, a court ruled that Knox and Sollecito must remain in detention.
8) Guede was arrested in Germany on an international arrest warrant issued by Italian authorities and is awaiting extradition to Italy.
9) Guede has acknowledged he was in Kercher's room the night she died, but said he didn't kill her and that an Italian who is trying to frame him did. DNA testing has confirmed that Guede had sex with Kercher the night of the slaying.
10) A fourth person, Diya "Patrick" Lumumba was released from jail for lack of evidence.
11) All four deny wrongdoing.
12) Knox has given contradictory stories to prosecutors, initially saying she was at Sollecito's apartment the night of the slaying, then saying she was at home and that at one point had to cover her ears to drown out Kercher's screams. She had at one point fingered Lumumba as the killer.
13) Maresca said that during Friday's hearing, Knox went back to her initial version that she was not in the apartment.
14) Maresca confirmed that prosecutors had obtained a diary Knox had written while in custody. News reports Saturday said that in the diary, Knox hypothesizes that Sollecito could have killed Kercher, slipping out of his apartment while she slept.
15) Sollecito has maintained he was at home the entire night of the slaying, working on his computer and watching a movie.
16) On Saturday, Knox's parents, William Knox and Edda Mellas, visited their daughter in jail, but declined to speak to reporters outside.
17) Francesco Sollecito, Raffaele's father, also visited his son in jail and said he found him "serene" despite the court setback. He said his son had asked him "What do they want from me?"
18) "We expected a different" outcome," the elder Sollecito told reporters.
2007-12-03
Suspect in slaying of UK student to be extradited to Italy
(APW_ENG_20071203.0466)
1) A key suspect in the slaying of a British university student in central Italy was cleared Monday for extradition from Germany.
2) Rudy Hermann Guede, a native of Ivory Coast, is wanted in connection with the sexual assault and fatal stabbing of 21-year-old Meredith Kercher, who was found dead in her Perugia apartment Nov. 2.
3) Guede was arrested in Germany after police caught him riding a tram without a ticket. Two other suspects, Kercher's American flatmate Amanda Marie Knox and Knox's then-boyfriend, Italian Raffaele Sollecito, remain jailed in Italy in connection with the case.
4) Prosecutors in the southwestern German city of Koblenz agreed Monday to turn him over to Italy.
5) "The extradition can take place as soon as Italian authorities agree to a date for the handover," prosecutor Norbert Weise said in a statement.
6) Italian authorities say DNA tests confirm Guede had sex with the victim on the night of the slaying.
Suspect in slaying of UK student to be extradited to Italy
(APW_ENG_20071203.0468)
1) A key suspect in the slaying of a British university student in central Italy was cleared Monday for extradition from Germany.
2) Rudy Hermann Guede, a native of Ivory Coast, is wanted in connection with the sexual assault and fatal stabbing of 21-year-old Meredith Kercher, who was found dead in her Perugia apartment Nov. 2.
3) Guede was arrested in Germany after police caught him riding a tram without a ticket. Two other suspects, Kercher's American flatmate Amanda Marie Knox and Knox's then-boyfriend, Italian Raffaele Sollecito, remain jailed in Italy in connection with the case.
4) Prosecutors in the southwestern German city of Koblenz agreed Monday to turn Guede over to Italy.
5) "The extradition can take place as soon as Italian authorities agree to a date for the handover," prosecutor Norbert Weise said in a statement.
6) Italian authorities say DNA tests confirm Guede had sex with the victim on the night of the slaying.
Suspect in slaying of UK student to be extradited to Italy
(APW_ENG_20071203.0520)
1) A key suspect in the slaying of a British university student in central Italy was cleared Monday for extradition from Germany.
2) Rudy Hermann Guede, a native of Ivory Coast, is wanted in connection with the sexual assault and fatal stabbing of 21-year-old Meredith Kercher, who was found dead in her Perugia apartment Nov. 2.
3) Guede was arrested in Germany after police caught him riding a tram without a ticket. Two other suspects, Kercher's American housemate Amanda Marie Knox and Knox's then-boyfriend, Italian Raffaele Sollecito, remain jailed in Italy in connection with the case.
4) Prosecutors in the southwestern German city of Koblenz agreed Monday to turn Guede over to Italy.
5) "The extradition can take place as soon as Italian authorities agree to a date for the handover," prosecutor Norbert Weise said in a statement.
6) Italian authorities say DNA tests confirm Guede had sex with the victim on the night of the slaying.
7) Guede's lawyer, Walter Biscotti, said Monday that he did not know when his client would be turned over to Italy.
8) Guede has admitted he was in Kercher's room the night she died, but said he didn't kill her and that an Italian who is trying to frame him did, Biscotti has said.
Suspect in slaying of UK student to be extradited to Italy
(APW_ENG_20071203.0526)
1) German authorities agreed Monday to extradite a key suspect in the slaying of a British university student to Italy.
2) Rudy Hermann Guede, a native of Ivory Coast, is wanted in connection with the sexual assault and fatal stabbing of 21-year-old Meredith Kercher, who was found dead in her Perugia apartment Nov. 2.
3) Guede was arrested in Germany after police caught him riding a tram without a ticket. Two other suspects, Kercher's American housemate Amanda Marie Knox and Knox's then-boyfriend, Italian Raffaele Sollecito, remain jailed in Italy in connection with the case.
4) Prosecutors in the southwestern German city of Koblenz agreed Monday to turn Guede over to Italy.
5) "The extradition can take place as soon as Italian authorities agree to a date for the handover," prosecutor Norbert Weise said in a statement.
6) Italian authorities say DNA tests confirm Guede had sex with the victim on the night of the slaying.
7) Guede's lawyer, Walter Biscotti, said Monday that he did not know when his client would be turned over to Italy.
8) Guede has admitted he was in Kercher's room the night she died, but said he didn't kill her and that an Italian who is trying to frame him did, Biscotti has said.
2007-12-04
Lawyers for pub owner ask Italy prosecutor to clear him of suspicion in Perugia sex slaying
(APW_ENG_20071204.0513)
1) Lawyers for a Perugia bar owner questioned in connection with the sex slaying of a British university student in central Italy asked a prosecutor Tuesday to clear him of suspicion.
2) Diya "Patrick" Lumumba was detained in the days after Meredith Kercher, 21, was found dead last month but was released from jail after two weeks for lack of evidence.
3) Authorities said Kercher died from knife wound to the neck while fighting off a sexual assault. Her body was found Nov. 2 in the Perugia apartment she shared with an American student, Amanda Knox.
4) The 20-year-old housemate, Knox's Italian then-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, and Rudy Hermann Guede, an Ivory Coast native, have been detained in the slaying. All deny wrongdoing. Guede, who was arrested in Germany, is to be extradited to Italy.
5) Knox initially named Lumumba, who is Congolese, as the killer. But Lumumba has maintained that he was at his pub -- not at the students' apartment -- on the night of the slaying. No physical evidence has emerged tying him to the crime and witnesses have placed him at his bar the night of Kercher's killing.
6) Lumumba, summoned again for questioning Tuesday, has "already clarified everything," said his lawyer, Carlo Pacelli.
Lawyers for pub owner ask Italy prosecutor to clear him of suspicion in Perugia sex slaying
(APW_ENG_20071204.0940)
1) Lawyers for a Perugia bar owner questioned in connection with the sex slaying of a British university student in central Italy asked a prosecutor Tuesday to clear him of suspicion.
2) Diya "Patrick" Lumumba was detained in the days after Meredith Kercher, 21, was found dead last month but was released from jail after two weeks for lack of evidence.
3) Authorities said Kercher died from knife wound to the neck while fighting off a sexual assault. Her body was found Nov. 2 in the Perugia apartment she shared with an American student, Amanda Knox.
4) The 20-year-old flatmate, Knox's Italian then-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, and Rudy Hermann Guede, an Ivory Coast native, have been detained in the slaying. All deny wrongdoing. Guede, who was arrested in Germany, is expected to be extradited to Italy on Thursday, his defense lawyer Walter Biscotti said.
5) Knox initially named Lumumba, who is Congolese, as the killer. But Lumumba has maintained that he was at his pub -- not at the students' apartment -- on the night of the slaying. No physical evidence has emerged tying him to the crime and witnesses have placed him at his bar the night of Kercher's killing.
6) Lumumba, summoned again for questioning Tuesday, has "already clarified everything," said his lawyer, Carlo Pacelli.
2007-12-05
Court describes U.S. suspect in Perugia sex slaying as ' cunning and self-assured '
(APW_ENG_20071205.0768)
1) A court in the Italian town of Perugia on Wednesday described an American jailed in connection with the sex slaying of her British roommate as cunning, theatrical and self-assured, a lawyer for the victim's family said.
2) In a 35-page explanation of its ruling last week to keep University of Washington student Amanda Knox behind bars during the probe into the killing of Meredith Kercher, 21, the three-judge panel described Knox as "self-assured and cunning" -- but also naive and with a tendency for theatrics, Kercher family attorney Francesco Maresca told The Associated Press in a telephone interview.
3) Kercher was found dead Nov. 2 in the Perugia apartment she shared with Knox. An autopsy found that she died from knife wound to the neck, apparently while trying to fight off a sexual assault.
4) Knox, 20, her then-boyfriend, Italian Raffaele Sollecito, and an Ivory Coast native, Rudy Hermann Guede, are being detained in connection with the slaying.
5) Last week, the panel ruled that Knox and Sollecito must remain jailed. Guede, who was arrested in Germany, is expected to be transferred to Italy on Thursday.
6) Maresca called the panel's explanation "a well-reasoned ruling that puts Amanda in the leading position in the murder."
7) The lawyer who had a copy of the panel's explanation said the judges had reasoned that Kercher was killed by someone she knew since there were no traces of a break-in.
8) "Amanda lived in that house; she was someone Meredith trusted," Maresca said.
Court explains why suspects in student ' s slaying should still be jailed
(APW_ENG_20071205.1147)
1) A court in the Italian university town of Perugia contends that a British student slain last month apparently was killed by someone she knew, because there were no signs of a break-in at her flat, Italian news agencies said Wednesday.
2) A three-judge panel made the assertion in 35-page explanation of its ruling last week upholding the Nov. 6 jailing of two suspects -- the victim's American flatmate and the American's former boyfriend.
3) The lack of break-in signs indicates that "the killer did not need to exercise any violence to enter, having used the keys or having been let in by the victim herself," the news agency ANSA quoted the document as saying.
4) The panel wrote that there was enough evidence to keep University of Washington student Amanda Knox and her Italian ex-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, behind bars during the investigation of the sex-slaying of Meredith Kercher, 21, who shared a rented flat with the American.
5) The written explanation of the ruling, which is required under Italian law, was deposited Wednesday in Perugia's court house.
6) Knox's lawyer did not answer repeated calls to his mobile phone, and aides at his office said he was not speaking to the media.
7) Kercher's body was found Nov. 2 in the Perugia apartment.
8) In addition to Knox, 20, and Sollecito, 23, Rudy Hermann Guede, an Ivory Coast national, is being held. Guede, who was arrested in Germany, is expected to be transferred to Italy on Thursday.
9) Another suspect, Congolese pub owner Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, has been released from jail but has not been formally cleared.
10) All suspects deny wrongdoing.
11) An autopsy found that Kercher died from knife wound to the neck, apparently while trying to fight off a sexual assault.
12) Guede has acknowledged he was in Kercher's room the night she died, but said he did not kill her and that an Italian who is trying to frame him did. It was not clear whom he meant. DNA testing has confirmed that Guede, 20, had sex with Kercher the night of the slaying.
13) On Wednesday, Guede's lawyers said they were seeking his release from custody. Judges are scheduled to hear defense arguments by Guede's lawyers on Dec. 14, lawyer Walter Biscotti said.
14) "He has gone through and (is) going through the toughest moment of his life," another lawyer for Guede, Nicodemo Gentile, told reporters in Perugia. Before he left Italy, Guede "strongly wanted to say something (about the slaying) but he had trouble; he did not know what to do and was afraid he was not going to be believed."
15) Guede is believed to have fled the country shortly after the slaying, authorities have said.
2007-12-06
Ivorian wanted in student slaying in Italy extradited by Germany
(APW_ENG_20071206.0629)
1) An Ivorian wanted in connection with the killing of a British student in Perugia has been extradited to Italy, a German prosecutor said Thursday.
2) Rudy Hermann Guede has denied involvement in the slaying of Meredith Kercher, 21, but has acknowledged being in her room the night she died. He was arrested in Germany on Nov. 20 and has been held in Koblenz.
3) Guede was transferred to a holding facility in Frankfurt on Wednesday and then handed over to Italian authorities, said Koblenz prosecutor Karl-Rudolf Winkler. He would not say specifically when the extradition took place.
4) He said any other questions would have to be answered by Italian authorities.
5) Kercher's body was discovered Nov. 2 in the Perugia apartment. An autopsy found she died from a knife wound to the neck, apparently while trying to fight off a sexual assault.
6) The victim's American roommate, Amanda Knox, 20, and Knox's Italian ex-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, 23, have been detained in the investigation into the killing.
7) Another suspect, Congolese pub owner Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, has been released from jail but has not been formally cleared.
Ivorian wanted in student slaying in Italy extradited by Germany
(APW_ENG_20071206.0700)
1) An Ivorian wanted in connection with the killing of a British student in Perugia has been extradited to Italy, a German prosecutor said Thursday.
2) Rudy Hermann Guede has denied involvement in the slaying of Meredith Kercher, 21, but has acknowledged being in her room the night she died. He was arrested in Germany on Nov. 20 and has been held in Koblenz.
3) Guede was transferred to a holding facility in Frankfurt on Wednesday and then handed over to Italian authorities, said Koblenz prosecutor Karl-Rudolf Winkler.
4) Airport officials in Rome confirmed that Guede arrived shortly before 1 p.m. aboard an Alitalia flight from Frankfurt. He was handed over to Italian police.
5) Kercher's body was discovered Nov. 2 in the Perugia apartment. An autopsy found she died from a knife wound to the neck, apparently while trying to fight off a sexual assault.
6) The victim's American roommate, Amanda Knox, 20, and Knox's Italian ex-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, 23, have been detained in the investigation into the killing.
7) Another suspect, Congolese pub owner Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, has been released from jail but has not been formally cleared.
2007-12-14
Slain British student Meredith Kercher is laid to rest in London
(APW_ENG_20071214.0887)
1) British student Meredith Kercher was laid to rest after a private funeral service in south London on Friday, nearly six weeks after she was slain in a sex attack in Perugia, Italy.
2) Several hundred mourners, including dozens of university friends, sang hymns in tribute to Kercher's life during the hour-long service that preceded the funeral at the packed Croydon Parish Church.
3) The service included an address by her brother Lyle, a poem read by her sister Stephanie, and a rendition of Kercher's favorite song, U2's "With Or Without You."
4) Among the floral tributes was a small bouquet with a card marked: "The City of Perugia."
5) Kercher, 21, was found dead with her throat cut in Perugia on Nov. 2. Her body was flown home nine days later, but her family was only given the go-ahead to bury her two weeks ago, when Italian police said they would not conduct a second autopsy.
6) Kercher was a Leeds University student who had traveled to Perugia in August to study at the city's University for Foreigners. She was assaulted and stabbed in the apartment she shared with her American flatmate, Amanda Marie Knox of Seattle in the U.S. state of Washington.
7) Knox has been detained along with two other people in connection with the death.
8) Gruesome tales of sex and drugs surrounding the slaying have surfaced, and lurid details of their private lives gleaned from social networking Web sites filled the British tabloids after her killing.
9) Dozens of members of the media, including camera crews from Italy and the United States, gathered outside the Anglican church to cover the service.
Slain British student Meredith Kercher is laid to rest in London
(APW_ENG_20071214.1035)
1) British student Meredith Kercher was laid to rest after a private funeral service in south London on Friday, nearly six weeks after she was slain in a sex attack in Perugia, Italy.
2) Several hundred mourners, including dozens of university friends, sang hymns in tribute to Kercher's life during the hour-long service that preceded the funeral at the packed Croydon Parish Church.
3) The service included an address by her brother Lyle, a poem read by her sister Stephanie, and a rendition of Kercher's favorite song, U2's "With Or Without You."
4) Among the floral tributes was a small bouquet with a card marked: "The City of Perugia."
5) Kercher, 21, was found dead with her throat cut in Perugia on Nov. 2. Her body was flown home nine days later, but her family was only given the go-ahead to bury her two weeks ago, when Italian police said they would not conduct a second autopsy.
6) Kercher was a Leeds University student who had traveled to Perugia in August to study at the city's University for Foreigners. She was assaulted and stabbed in the apartment she shared with her American flatmate, Amanda Marie Knox of Seattle in the U.S. state of Washington.
7) Knox has been detained along with her Italian then-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito, and Rudy Hermann Guede.
8) On Friday, a court in Perugia ordered Guede to remain in jail while the probe continued in Kercher's slaying. Guede, an Ivory Coast national who lives in Perugia, appeared before the court at a closed-door hearing but did not make any statements, according to defense lawyer Walter Biscotti.
9) DNA testing has confirmed that Guede had sex with Kercher the night of the slaying. The 20-year-old has acknowledged he was in Kercher's room the night she died, but said he did not kill her.
10) Biscotti said the judges did not give any reason for ordering Guede to stay jailed but are expected to do so in the coming days.
11) Gruesome tales of sex and drugs surrounding the slaying have surfaced, and lurid details of their private lives gleaned from social networking Web sites filled the British tabloids after her killing.
12) Dozens of members of the media, including camera crews from Italy and the United States, gathered outside the Anglican church to cover the service.
2007-12-17
American suspect in Perugia questioned for 6 hours by prosecutor
(APW_ENG_20071217.0898)
1) The jailed American suspect in the slaying of a British student stuck to her version that she was not involved, lawyers said Monday after the woman's latest questioning by prosecutors.
2) Amanda Knox "for six hours furnished her version of the facts, confirming what she has already said," defense lawyer Giancarlo Costa told reporters outside of Perugia prison, where the university student from Seattle has been jailed since Nov. 6.
3) Asked by a reporter if Knox, 20, had stuck to her contention that she wasn't in the house the night her flat mate, Meredith Kercher, was slain, another defense lawyer, Luciano Ghirga, replied, "I think so."
4) Kercher's body, half-naked on the floor of her bedroom and in a pool of blood under bedcovers, was discovered on Nov. 2. An autopsy showed that the 21-year-old woman, who was studying at Perugia University, had been stabbed in the neck and sexually assaulted.
5) Lawyers declined to say specifically what Knox said in her questioning Monday. But Costa indicated that she continued to deny any wrongdoing.
6) "There is an innocent person who is in jail," Costa said of his client in separate remarks to the Italian news agency ANSA.
7) Knox's boyfriend at the time of the slaying, Raffaele Sollecito, 23, is also jailed as a suspect, as is Rudy Hermann Guede, 20, an Ivory Coast national. Guede was recently returned to Italy after being arrested in Germany. His fingerprint was found in bloodstains on Kercher's pillow, and DNA testing found that he had sex with Kercher the night of her slaying.
8) Another suspect, Congolese pub owner Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, was released from jail but has not been formally cleared. Knox at one point told investigators that Lumumba was the killer.
9) All suspects deny any wrongdoing.
10) A judge has ruled that both Knox and Sollecito can be held in jail for as long as a year while the probe continues.
11) Knox's DNA has been found on the handle of a knife that prosecutors say might have been used in the slaying, while Kercher's DNA has been found on the blade.
American suspect in Perugia questioned for 6 hours by prosecutor
(APW_ENG_20071217.1019)
1) The jailed American suspect in the slaying of a British student continued to insist Monday that she was not involved, lawyers said. Investigators said she broke into tears under questioning by prosecutors.
2) Amanda Knox "for six hours gave her version of the facts, confirming what she has already said," defense lawyer Giancarlo Costa told reporters outside of Perugia prison, where the university student from Seattle has been jailed since Nov. 6.
3) Asked by a reporter if Knox, 20, had stuck to her contention that she wasn't in the house the night her flat mate, Meredith Kercher, was slain, another defense lawyer, Luciano Ghirga, replied, "I think so."
4) Kercher's body, half-naked on the floor of her bedroom under bedcovers, was discovered in a pool of blood Nov. 2. An autopsy showed that the 21-year-old woman, who was studying at Perugia University, had been stabbed in the neck and sexually assaulted.
5) Lawyers declined to say specifically what Knox said in her questioning Monday, but they indicated she continued to deny any wrongdoing.
6) When reporters asked if Knox had declared herself innocent, Ghirga replied, "Yes, certainly."
7) Knox's boyfriend at the time of the slaying, Raffaele Sollecito, 23, who is an Italian also studying in the Umbrian town of Perugia, is also jailed as a suspect.
8) A third jailed suspect is Rudy Hermann Guede, 20, an Ivory Coast national. Guede was recently returned to Italy after being arrested in Germany. His fingerprint was found in bloodstains on Kercher's pillow, and DNA testing found that he had sex with Kercher the night of her slaying.
9) Another suspect, Congolese pub owner Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, was released from jail but has not been formally cleared. Knox at one point told investigators that Lumumba was the killer.
10) All suspects deny any wrongdoing.
11) A judge has ruled that both Knox and Sollecito can be held in jail for as long as a year while the probe continues.
12) Knox's DNA has been found on the handle of a knife that prosecutors say might have been used in the slaying, while Kercher's DNA has been found on the blade.
13) Investigators said Knox started crying when she was asked why she had accused Lumumba of the slaying. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not allowed to give details of the probe while it is still under way.
14) Following a break after the tears, Knox declined to answer any more questions, the investigators said.
2008-01-09
Italian judge OKs examination of suspects ' and victim ' s computers in case of slain student
(APW_ENG_20080109.0749)
1) A judge has given the go-ahead to examine the computers of an American and an Italian suspect in the November slaying of a British student in the central Italian city of Perugia, a defense lawyer said Wednesday.
2) The judge has also said experts could examine the computer of the victim, Meredith Kercher, said attorney Marco Brusco. A hearing to appoint the experts will be held on Jan. 21, he said.
3) Brusco's client, Raffaele Sollecito, has been jailed for over two months along with his American girlfriend at the time, Amanda Marie Knox of Seattle, in connection with the slaying of the 21-year-old Kercher.
4) Kercher, a student from Leeds University in England and enrolled for a year of study in Perugia, was found dead Nov. 2 in the apartment she shared with Knox. She died from a stab wound to the neck, and prosecutors said she was killed resisting a sexual assault.
5) Knox, 20, and Sollecito, 23, were jailed Nov. 6 and a judge has ruled that both can be held for as long as a year while the investigation continues. They have not been formally charged, but the judge said there was sufficient evidence to keep them in custody.
6) Sollecito has said he was at his own Perugia apartment the night of the slaying, working at his computer, but does not remember if Knox spent the whole night with him. Both suspects have given confused recollections and conflicting statements and said they had smoked hashish that night, according to court documents.
7) Sollecito's defense has said that analyses on his computer show he had been logged on. Prosecutors say police have proven that the computer was connected to the Internet but without anybody accessing it overnight.
8) Knox, meanwhile, kept an online diary of her life in Italy on her MySpace.com social networking site.
9) Besides Knox and Sollecito, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede is also being held as a suspect in Perugia following his extradition from Germany. Another suspect, Congolese pub owner Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, was released from jail but has not been formally cleared.
10) All suspects deny wrongdoing.
2008-01-21
Italian suspect at hearing in slain student case in Perugia
(APW_ENG_20080121.0527)
1) An Italian suspect in the killing of a British student in the central Italian city of Perugia attended a hearing Monday called to appoint experts to examine his computer and those belonging to an American suspect and the victim.
2) Police escorted a handcuffed Raffaele Sollecito, 23, into Perugia's courthouse for the closed-door hearing.
3) Sollecito has been jailed for over two months along with Amanda Knox, his American girlfriend at the time of the killing, as suspects in the November slaying if 21-year-old Meredith Kercher.
4) Kercher, a student from Leeds University in England and enrolled for a year of study in Perugia, was found dead Nov. 2 in the apartment she shared with Knox. She died from a stab wound to the neck, and prosecutors said she was killed resisting a sexual assault.
5) Knox, 20, and Sollecito, were jailed Nov. 6 and a judge has ruled that both can be held for as long as a year while the investigation continues. They have not been formally charged, but the judge said there was sufficient evidence to keep them in custody.
6) On Monday, the judge was to appoint experts to examine Sollecito's computer, as well as those of Knox and Kercher, lawyers have said.
7) Sollecito has said he was at his own apartment in Perugia the night of the slaying, working at his computer. Sollecito's lawyers have said that analyses on his computer show he had been logged on. But prosecutors say police have proven only that the computer was connected to the Internet, but not accessed by anyone overnight.
8) Sollecito has said he does not remember if Knox spent the whole night with him. Both suspects have given confused recollections and conflicting statements and said they had smoked hashish that night, according to court documents.
9) Knox, meanwhile, kept an online diary of her life in Italy on her MySpace.com social networking site.
10) Besides Knox and Sollecito, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede is also being held as a suspect in Perugia following his extradition from Germany. Another suspect, Congolese pub owner Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, was released from jail but has not been formally cleared.
11) All suspects deny wrongdoing.
Italian suspect attends closed hearing in case of slain English student in Perugia
(APW_ENG_20080121.0837)
1) An Italian suspect in the killing of a British student attended a hearing Monday in central Italy, where a judge appointed an expert to examine his computer as well as those belonging to another American suspect and the victim.
2) A handcuffed Raffaele Sollecito, 23, was escorted into the courthouse in the central town of Perugia for the closed-door hearing, where he gave the password to his laptop, lawyer Marco Brusco said.
3) Sollecito and Amanda Knox, his American girlfriend at the time of the killing, have been in custody since their Nov. 6 arrest in the slaying four days earlier of 21-year-old Meredith Kercher.
4) The suspects have not been formally charged, but a judge said they could be held for up to a year while the case was being investigated. Knox did not attend the hearing on Monday.
5) Kercher, a student from Leeds University in England and enrolled for a year of study in Perugia, was found dead Nov. 2 in the apartment she shared with Knox. She died from a stab wound to the neck, and prosecutors said she was killed resisting a sexual assault.
6) Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede is also being held as a suspect in Perugia, following his extradition from Germany. Another suspect, Congolese pub owner Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, was released from jail but has not been formally cleared.
7) All suspects deny wrongdoing.
8) On Monday, the judge appointed an expert to examine the laptops of Sollecito, Knox and Kercher, Brusco said. The expert is expected to deliver the results within 70 days.
9) Sollecito has said he was at his own apartment in Perugia the night of the slaying, working at another computer. Sollecito's lawyers have said that analyses on his computer show he had been logged on. But prosecutors say police have proven only that the computer was connected to the Internet, but not accessed by anyone overnight.
10) Sollecito told the judge on Monday that he had not used his laptop since July, Brusco said.
11) Sollecito has said he did not remember if Knox spent the whole night with him. Both suspects have given confused recollections and conflicting statements and said they had smoked hashish that night, according to court documents.
2008-02-01
Parents of American woman jailed in Italian slaying defend her
(APW_ENG_20080201.0807)
1) The parents of an American student accused in a sensational Italian sex slaying said in an interview broadcast Friday that their daughter could never have done such a crime.
2) Amanda Knox tells her parents, "Why am I here when I didn't do anything?" her father, William Knox, said in the interview on ABC television's "Good Morning America." It was the parents' first extensive interview since the November slaying of Meredith Kercher.
3) Kercher, a 21-year-old British student, was found dead in the apartment she shared with Knox in the central Italian town of Perugia where both were studying. She had been sexually assaulted and died of a knife wound to the neck.
4) Amanda Knox, a University of Washington student from Seattle, was taken into custody along with two other people in connection with the death.
5) "She says she's tired a lot," her mother, Edda Mellas, told ABC. "Jail's not easy."
6) The parents said the coverage of the case, which has portrayed their 20-year-old daughter as a sexually adventurous woman, has been unfair. "One hundred eighty degrees opposite of anything we have ever known her to be," her father said. Asked if she could have committed a crime, he said: "Never. ... It's not her."
7) Further material from the interview was to be broadcast later Friday on the network's "20-20" program.
8) Knox and her then-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, 23, were jailed Nov. 6. A judge has ruled that both can be held for as long as a year while the investigation continues. The third person in custody is Rudy Hermann Guede, a student from Leeds University in England and a native of Ivory Coast.
Parents of American woman jailed in Italian slaying defend her
(APW_ENG_20080201.0873)
1) The parents of an American student accused in a sensational Italian sex slaying said in an interview broadcast Friday that their daughter could never have done such a crime.
2) Amanda Knox tells her parents, "Why am I here when I didn't do anything?" her father, William Knox, said in the interview on ABC television's "Good Morning America." It was the parents' first extensive interview since the November slaying of Meredith Kercher.
3) Kercher, a 21-year-old student from Leeds University in England, was found dead in the apartment she shared with Knox in the central Italian town of Perugia where both were studying. She had been sexually assaulted and died of a knife wound to the neck.
4) Amanda Knox, a University of Washington student from Seattle, was taken into custody along with two other people in connection with the death.
5) "She says she's tired a lot," her mother, Edda Mellas, told ABC. "Jail's not easy."
6) The parents said the coverage of the case, which has portrayed their 20-year-old daughter as a sexually adventurous woman, has been unfair. "One hundred eighty degrees opposite of anything we have ever known her to be," her father said. Asked if she could have committed a crime, he said: "Never. ... It's not her."
7) Further material from the interview was to be broadcast later Friday on the network's "20-20" program.
8) Knox and her then-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, 23, were jailed Nov. 6. A judge has ruled that both can be held for as long as a year while the investigation continues.
9) The third person in custody is Rudy Hermann Guede, a native of Ivory Coast. Another suspect, Congolese pub owner Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, was released from jail but has not been formally cleared.
10) Court documents allege that Knox has changed her account, including whether she was at home or at her boyfriend's the night of the slaying.
11) But her mother told ABC her story has stayed "absolutely consistent" except for the first interrogation, when she was "the most scared that she's ever been in her entire life" and without a lawyer or an interpreter.
12) ABC also interviewed Amanda Knox's sister, Deanna, who called her "the kindest person I know. She will do anything to make people happy and she cares about everyone else before herself."
Parents of American woman jailed in Italian slaying defend her
(APW_ENG_20080201.0944)
1) The parents of an American student accused in a sensational Italian sex slaying said in an interview broadcast Friday that their daughter could never have done such a crime.
2) Amanda Knox tells her parents, "Why am I here when I didn't do anything?" her father, William Knox, said in the interview on ABC television's "Good Morning America." It was the parents' first extensive interview since the November slaying of Meredith Kercher.
3) Kercher, a 21-year-old student from Leeds University in England, was found dead in the apartment she shared with Knox in the central Italian town of Perugia where both were studying. She had been sexually assaulted and died of a knife wound to the neck.
4) Amanda Knox, a University of Washington student from Seattle, was taken into custody along with two other people in connection with the death.
5) "She says she's tired a lot," her mother, Edda Mellas, told ABC. "Jail's not easy."
6) The parents said the coverage of the case, which has portrayed their 20-year-old daughter as a sexually adventurous woman, has been unfair. "One hundred eighty degrees opposite of anything we have ever known her to be," her father said. Asked if she could have committed a crime, he said: "Never. ... It's not her."
7) Further material from the interview was to be broadcast later Friday on the network's "20-20" program.
8) Knox and her then-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, 23, were jailed Nov. 6. A judge has ruled that both can be held for as long as a year while the investigation continues.
9) The third person in custody is Rudy Hermann Guede, a native of Ivory Coast. Another suspect, Congolese pub owner Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, was released from jail but has not been formally cleared.
10) Court documents allege that Knox has changed her account, including whether she was at home or at her boyfriend's the night of the slaying.
11) But her mother told ABC her story has stayed "absolutely consistent" except for the first interrogation, when she was "the most scared that she's ever been in her entire life" and without a lawyer or an interpreter.
12) Italian investigators said that an interpreter was present at all times during the questioning, while a lawyer was not needed because Knox was not a suspect at the time.
13) ABC also interviewed Amanda Knox's sister, Deanna, who called her "the kindest person I know. She will do anything to make people happy and she cares about everyone else before herself."
2008-02-16
Italian suspect in slaying of British student receives college degree in prison
(APW_ENG_20080216.0634)
1) An Italian suspect in the slaying of a British student received his university degree Saturday in a Perugia prison where he and his American former girlfriend have been held for three months.
2) Raffaele Sollecito was awarded a degree in computer sciences after defending his thesis on genetic programming before a panel of professors who came to the prison.
3) In November, Sollecito, 23, and Amanda Knox, 20, were jailed as suspects in the slaying of Meredith Kercher.
4) The body of 21-year-old Kercher, stabbed in the neck, was found Nov. 2 in her bedroom in the flat she shared with Knox in Perugia, a university town known for its study programs for foreigners.
5) Both Knox and Sollecito have proclaimed their innocence in the slaying.
6) Sollecito has told prosecutors he was at his own Perugia apartment working on his computer in the hours when investigators contend that Kercher was sexually assaulted and slain.
7) The suspects have not been formally charged, and a judge has said they could be held for up to a year during the probe.
8) Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede is also jailed as a suspect in Perugia, following his extradition from Germany. Another suspect, Congolese pub owner Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, was released from jail but has not been formally cleared. They, too, deny, any wrongdoing.
9) Sollecito's lawyers and father brought him a gray pinstripe suit and a fresh shirt for his appointment with the professors, Italian news reports said.
10) Getting his degree "was very important, a victory," father Francesco Sollecito told reporters. He said that his son has enrolled in Verona university for a higher degree in computer sciences and that the young man hopes to emerge "from this nightmare" soon.
2008-03-06
Court to rule in April on custody of suspects for slain student, faces inconclusive report
(APW_ENG_20080306.1043)
1) Judges ruling on whether three suspects, including an American, should continue to be held in the slaying of a British student must face a coroner's report stating it is impossible to determine whether the victim was raped.
2) Italy's highest court is expected to decide April 1 whether to keep Seattle University student Amanda Knox, her former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito, an Italian, and Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede in jail while the probe of the Nov. 1 slaying continues.
3) The victim was Meredith Kercher, a 21-year-old student from Leeds University in England, who was enrolled for a year of study in Perugia, in central Italy.
4) She was found dead -- half-naked in a pool of blood -- in the apartment she shared with Knox. She died from a stab wound to the neck.
5) Prosecutors have said she was killed resisting sexual assault. They are investigating the three people in jail on suspicion of murder and sexual violence.
6) But a report issued last month by coroner and prosecution consultant Luca Lalli said it cannot be determined if Kercher was raped.
7) "It cannot be said with certainty if there has been sexual violence or attempted sexual violence," Lalli said in the report, which was made available to The Associated Press. Though bruises found on Kercher suggest she had at least hurried intercourse, possibly against her will, the evidence is not enough "to remove all doubt," the report said.
8) Hair and other organic material were found under Kercher's nails, it said.
9) DNA testing has found that Guede, whose fingerprint was found in bloodstains on Kercher's pillow, had sex with Kercher the night she died. Guede, 21, has acknowledged being in the woman's room that night, but said he did not kill her -- and that an Italian who is trying to frame him did. It is not clear whom Guede accused.
10) The report, sent to prosecutors Feb. 13, said the murder weapon was only "generically compatible" with a knife found in Sollecito's apartment, which had Knox's DNA on the handle and Kercher's on the blade.
11) Knox, 20, and Sollecito, 23, have been jailed in Perugia since Nov. 6. Guede was arrested in Germany and later extradited to Italy. He is believed to have fled shortly after the slaying.
12) All three suspects deny wrongdoing.
13) Guede's defense lawyer, Nicodemo Gentile, said Thursday the report is "important, but partial" and that further tests were being carried out. He said he expected the court to rule in favor of his client's release.
14) Lawyers for Knox and Sollecito declined comment.
15) Requests to have the three suspects released have already been rejected by judges in Perugia. Those judges have said the three could be held for up to a year while the case is investigated. The suspects have not been formally charged.
16) Prosecutors declined comment on the report's findings, saying only that the charge of sexual assault still stands.
17) They said they expect to wrap up the investigation -- and possibly seek indictments -- before this summer. By law, they have up to two years to investigate.
18) The six-month probe has already suffered one setback. A fourth suspect, Congolese pub owner Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, was released for lack of evidence shortly after his arrest. However, he is still considered a suspect.
19) Knox at one point told investigators Lumumba was the killer.
20) Knox has given conflicting statements, first saying she was not home the night of the slaying and later telling prosecutors she was in the apartment and had to cover her ears to muffle Kercher's screams while Lumumba killed her.
21) Knox's parents said in a recent interview on ABC television that their daughter could never have committed such a crime. Her mother, Edda Mellas, said Knox's story has stayed "absolutely consistent" except for the one she told during her first interrogation, when she was "the most scared that she's ever been in her entire life."
22) According to prosecutors, a drop of Knox's blood found on a bathroom faucet places her at the apartment the night of the slaying or the morning after. A bloody footprint located near Kercher's body has been matched to Sollecito's shoes, placing him at the crime scene, as well.
23) Defense lawyers have maintained there is not enough evidence linking the knife to Kercher's wounds nor the shoes to the footprint, and that Sollecito was at his own apartment in Perugia, working at his computer.
24) Both Knox and Sollecito have explained confused recollections and conflicting statements by saying they had smoked hashish that night, according to court documents.
2008-03-31
Italy ' s court expected to rule Tuesday on custody of suspects in case of slain British student
(APW_ENG_20080331.0504)
1) Italy's highest court is expected to rule Tuesday on whether three suspects, including an American, should continue to be held in the slaying of a British student in central Italy.
2) Judges in Rome will hear arguments from defense lawyers requesting the release of Seattle University student Amanda Knox, her former Italian boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito and Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede.
3) The three are being held in connection with the death of Meredith Kercher, a 21-year-old student from Leeds University in England who was enrolled for a year of study in Perugia. She was found dead on Nov. 2, half-naked in a pool of blood in the apartment she shared with Knox. She died from a stab wound to the neck.
4) Prosecutors have said she was killed resisting sexual assault, and they are investigating the three suspects on suspicion of murder and sexual violence.
5) Knox, 20, and Sollecito, 24, have been jailed since Nov. 6. Guede, 21, was arrested in Germany and later extradited to Italy. He is believed to have fled shortly after the slaying.
6) All three suspects deny wrongdoing.
7) Judges in Perugia have already rejected defense requests to release the three. Lawyers have said they expect the justices of Italy's highest court, the Court of Cassation in Rome, to issue a decision on their appeal after Tuesday's closed hearing.
8) The Perugia judges have ruled that the three could be held for up to a year while the case is investigated. The suspects have not been formally charged.
Italy ' s court expected to rule Tuesday in case of slain British student
(APW_ENG_20080331.0634)
1) Italy's highest court is expected to rule Tuesday on whether three suspects, including an American, should continue to be held in the slaying of a British student in Italy.
2) Judges in Rome will hear arguments from defense lawyers requesting the release of University of Washington student Amanda Knox, her former Italian boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito and Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede.
3) The three are being held in connection with the death of Meredith Kercher, a 21-year-old student from Leeds University in England who was enrolled for a year of study in Perugia, which is 180 kilometers (112 miles) north of Rome. . She was found dead on Nov. 2, half-naked in a pool of blood in the apartment she shared with Knox. She died from a stab wound to the neck.
4) Prosecutors have said she was killed resisting sexual assault, and they are investigating the three suspects on suspicion of murder and sexual violence.
5) Knox, 20, and Sollecito, 24, have been jailed since Nov. 6. Guede, 21, was arrested in Germany and later extradited to Italy. He is believed to have fled shortly after the slaying.
6) All three suspects deny wrongdoing.
7) Judges in Perugia have already rejected defense requests to release the three. Lawyers have said they expect the justices of Italy's highest court, the Court of Cassation in Rome, to issue a decision on their appeal after Tuesday's closed hearing.
8) The Perugia judges have ruled that the three could be held for up to a year while the case is investigated. The suspects have not been formally charged.
2008-04-01
Italy ' s high court expected to rule in case of slain British student
(APW_ENG_20080401.0517)
1) Judges at Italy's top criminal court opened a hearing Tuesday to decide whether three suspects should continue to be held in connection with the slaying of a British student.
2) The five-judge panel was hearing arguments from defense lawyers requesting the release of American university student Amanda Knox; her Italian ex-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, and Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede.
3) The three are being held in connection with the death of Meredith Kercher, a 21-year-old student from Leeds University in England who was enrolled for a year of study in Perugia, 180 kilometers (about 110 miles) north of Rome.
4) Kercher was found dead last November, half-naked in a pool of blood in the apartment she shared with Knox. She died from a stab wound to the neck.
5) Prosecutors have said she was killed resisting sexual assault, and they are investigating the three suspects on suspicion of murder and sexual violence.
6) Knox, 20, and Sollecito, 24, have been jailed since Nov. 6. Guede, 21, was arrested in Germany and later extradited to Italy. He is believed to have fled shortly after the slaying.
7) All three deny wrongdoing.
8) The Court of Cassation in Rome will not examine evidence but focus only on whether proper procedures were followed during the investigation, defense lawyers said. They said the judges are expected to rule on their appeal after Tuesday's closed hearing.
9) Judges in Perugia have already rejected defense requests to release the three.
10) The Perugia judges have ruled that the three could be held for up to a year while the case is investigated. The suspects have not been formally charged.
Italy ' s high court expected to rule in case of slain British student
(APW_ENG_20080401.0775)
1) Judges at Italy's top criminal court opened a hearing Tuesday to decide whether three suspects should continue to be held in connection with the slaying of a British student.
2) The five-judge panel was hearing arguments from defense lawyers requesting the release of American university student Amanda Knox; her Italian ex-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito; and Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede.
3) The three are being held in connection with the death of Meredith Kercher, a 21-year-old student from Leeds University in England who was enrolled for a year of study in Perugia, 180 kilometers (about 110 miles) north of Rome.
4) Kercher was found dead last November, half-naked in a pool of blood in the apartment she shared with Knox. She died from a stab wound to the neck.
5) Prosecutors have said she was killed resisting sexual assault, and they are investigating the three suspects on suspicion of murder and sexual violence.
6) Knox, 20, and Sollecito, 24, have been jailed since Nov. 6. Guede, 21, was arrested in Germany and later extradited to Italy. He is believed to have fled shortly after the slaying.
7) All three deny wrongdoing.
8) The Court of Cassation in Rome will not examine evidence but focus only on whether proper procedures were followed during the investigation, defense lawyers said. They said the judges are expected to rule on their appeal after Tuesday's closed hearing.
9) "The Cassation will not rule on who is innocent or guilty," Knox lawyer Luciano Ghirga told reporters after making his case in front of the court. "We have reiterated that some formal procedures were not valid."
10) Ghirga did not elaborate. But Knox's defense has complained that a lawyer was not present in an early questioning session of the American student. Prosecutors have countered that a lawyer was not needed because Knox was not a suspect at the time.
11) The court's prosecutor called on the judges to reject the defense's appeal, lawyers said during a break in the proceedings.
12) Judges in Perugia have already rejected defense requests to release the three.
13) The Perugia judges have ruled that the three could be held for up to a year while the case is investigated. The suspects have not been formally charged.
Italian court rules American to remain in jail in the case of slain British student
(APW_ENG_20080401.1240)
1) An Italian news agency says that the country's top criminal court has ordered that three suspects in the slaying of a British student remain in jail.
2) The court in its ruling Tuesday has rejected a request by defense lawyers for the release of American university student Amanda Knox; her Italian ex-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito; and Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede.
Italian court rules 3 suspects to remain in jail in the case of slain British student
(APW_ENG_20080401.1336)
1) Italy's top criminal court on Tuesday ordered that three suspects in the slaying of a British student in Perugia remain in jail, a lawyer said.
2) The Court of Cassation rejected a request by defense lawyers for the release of American university student Amanda Knox; her Italian ex-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito; and Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede.
3) "All three requests have been rejected," said Marco Brusco, a lawyer for Sollecito.
4) The three are being held in connection with the death of Meredith Kercher, a 21-year-old student from Leeds University in England who was enrolled for a year of study in Perugia, 180 kilometers (about 110 miles) north of Rome.
5) Kercher was found dead in November in the apartment she shared with Knox. She died from a stab wound to the neck.
6) Prosecutors have said she was killed resisting sexual assault, and they are investigating the three suspects on suspicion of murder and sexual violence.
7) Knox, 20, and Sollecito, 24, have been jailed since Nov. 6. Guede, 21, was arrested in Germany on Nov. 20 and later extradited to Italy. He is believed to have fled shortly after the slaying.
8) All three deny wrongdoing.
9) The Court of Cassation in Rome did not examine evidence but focused only on whether proper procedures were followed during the investigation, defense lawyers said.
10) The court's prosecutor called on the judges to reject the defense's appeal, lawyers said during a break in the proceedings.
11) Judges in Perugia have already rejected defense requests to release the three.
12) The Perugia judges have ruled that the three could be held for up to a year while the case is investigated. The suspects have not been formally charged.
2008-04-15
Reports: New report says it ' s not clear if slain British student in Italy was raped
(APW_ENG_20080415.0988)
1) A report by court-appointed experts on the slaying of a British student in Italy concluded it cannot be determined if the victim was raped before she was killed, Italian media reported Tuesday.
2) The report found that 21-year-old Meredith Kercher had sex before she was slain in Perugia, central Italy, but "it is not possible to say whether it was consensual or not," the news agency ANSA reported.
3) The finding backs up a coroner's report in February that also said it could not establish if Kercher had been raped.
4) Three suspects are being held for the Nov. 1 slaying: American student Amanda Knox of Seattle, her former Italian boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito and Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede.
5) Kercher was found dead from a stab wound to the neck, lying half-naked in a pool of blood in the apartment she shared with Knox. Prosecutors have said she was killed resisting sexual assault and are investigating the three people in jail on suspicion of murder and sexual violence.
6) DNA testing has determined that Guede, whose fingerprint was found in bloodstains on Kercher's pillow, had sex with Kercher the night she died. Guede, 21, acknowledged being in the woman's room that night, but said he did not kill her.
7) The new report will be discussed in a hearing in Perugia on Saturday, and its findings may constitute evidence for a possible trial.
8) According to ANSA, the report says there was no chance of saving Kercher due to her injuries and that the murder weapon was "not incompatible" with a knife found in Sollecito's apartment. The knife had Knox's DNA on the handle and Kercher's on the blade.
9) Knox, 20, and Sollecito, 24, have been jailed since Nov. 6. Guede was arrested in Germany and later extradited to Italy. He is believed to have fled Perugia shortly after the slaying.
10) All three suspects deny wrongdoing.
2008-04-18
Family of slain British student in Italy for hearing, say they are satisfied with probe
(APW_ENG_20080418.1050)
1) Family members of a British student killed in Italy were in the central city of Perugia on Friday before a court hearing in the case, and said they were satisfied with the investigation.
2) The mother, brother and sister of Meredith Kercher said they were "happy with the progress made by the investigation" into the death of the 21-year-old student from Leeds University in England. She had been enrolled for a year of study in Perugia, 180 kilometers (about 110 miles) north of Rome, when she was found dead in November.
3) "Nothing can be done to bring Meredith back to life, but we can at least ensure that those responsible be brought to justice," the family said in a statement read to reporters at a Perugia hotel.
4) Three suspects are being held for the Nov. 1 slaying: American student Amanda Knox of Seattle, her former Italian boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito and Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede.
5) Kercher was found dead from a stab wound to the neck, lying half-naked in a pool of blood in the apartment she shared with Knox. Prosecutors have said she was killed resisting sexual assault and are investigating the three people in jail on suspicion of murder and sexual violence.
6) All three suspects deny wrongdoing. Judges have ruled that the three could be held for up to a year while the case is investigated. They have not been formally charged.
7) Kercher's family members met with prosecutor Giuliano Mignini earlier Friday. On Saturday, a court hearing will be held in Perugia to discuss evidence in the case before possible charges and a trial.
2008-04-21
Reports: Italian court cites danger of fleeing in denying release bid by suspects in slaying
(APW_ENG_20080421.0940)
1) The American student held as a suspect in the 2007 slaying of a young British woman has a "negative personality" and might flee Italy if released from jail, news reports quoted Italy's top criminal court as saying Monday.
2) The Court of Cassation was explaining its April 1 decision that Amanda Knox, a university student from Seattle, should remain in a Perugia jail while the probe continues into the stabbing death of 21-year-old Meredith Kercher, who lived with Knox in a rented house in the Umbrian university town of Perugia.
3) Italian courts must issue written explanations of their decisions, and the Italian news agencies Apcom and ANSA quoted from a ruling released on Monday which describes Knox as having a "negative personality," notes that she has "contradicted" herself on several occasions and contends she is at risk for flight because she is a foreigner.
4) The court was closed to the public Monday afternoon and a copy of the written could not immediately be obtained.
5) The explanation also cited a similar risk of flight for Knox's former boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, an Italian who was also denied release from jail in the April 1 ruling, saying he has a "fragile" character, Apcom reported.
6) Also kept in the Perugia jail by the April 1 ruling is Ivory Coast national Rudy Herrman Guede.
7) All three have denied any wrongdoing. Knox and Sollecito have explained their confused recollections and conflicting statements by saying they smoked hashish the night of the killing, according to court documents.
8) The three are being held as suspects in the probe of the slaying of Kercher, who was studying for the year in Perugia, a medieval town 180 kilometers (about 110 miles) north of Rome.
9) Knox, 20, and Sollecito, 24, have been jailed since Nov. 6, four days after the body was found, in a sea of blood, in the victim's bedroom. Guede, 21, was arrested in Germany on Nov. 20 and extradited to Italy. He is believed to have fled shortly after the slaying.
10) The Perugia judges have ruled that the three could be held for up to a year while the case is investigated. The suspects have not been formally charged.
2008-05-17
Italian judge rules that US student held in British student death is to remain in jail
(APW_ENG_20080517.0676)
1) An American student detained in Italy in connection with the slaying of a British woman must remain behind bars, an Italian judge ruled Saturday.
2) Amanda Knox is being held in Perugia, central Italy, in connection with the stabbing death of 21-year-old Meredith Kercher, her flatmate.
3) Luciano Ghirga, a lawyer for Knox, said he had sought to have the American placed under house arrest. But the judge in Perugia rejected the request, Ghirga said, without elaborating.
4) According to the ANSA news agency, the lawyers wanted Knox moved to a shelter operated by Catholic charity Caritas. They had hoped this would persuade the judge to release Knox from jail, ANSA said.
5) Kercher was found dead from a stab wound to the neck in the apartment she shared with Knox in Perugia, a university town. Prosecutors have said she was killed resisting a sexual assault.
6) Along with Knox, 20, two other suspects are being held for the Nov. 1 slaying: Knox's former Italian boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito and Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede.
7) The suspects deny wrongdoing.
2008-05-27
Lawyer: Congolese implicated in the killing of British student in Perugia no longer a suspect
(APW_ENG_20080527.0449)
1) A lawyer says that a Congolese pub owner who had been arrested and placed under investigation in the slaying of a British student in the Italian city of Perugia has been formally cleared.
2) Diya "Patrick" Lumumba was arrested and quickly released because of lack of evidence, but remained a suspect in the Nov. 1 stabbing death of 21-year-old Meredith Kercher.
3) Lumumba's lawyer, Carlo Pacelli, said Tuesday his client is no longer a suspect. News reports say a judge in Perugia made the ruling.
4) Lumumba had always denied wrongdoing. At one point, he had been accused of involvement by American student Amanda Knox, a housemate of Kercher's. Knox and two others, including Knox's ex-boyfriend, remain in custody.
2008-06-19
Italian prosecutors end investigation of British student slaying
(APW_ENG_20080619.0744)
1) Prosecutors said Thursday they have wrapped up the investigation into the slaying of a British student in central Italy last year, paving the way for possible indictments for three suspects held in the case.
2) American university student Amanda Knox, 20, her former boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, and Ivory Coast national Rudy Herrman Guede have been jailed since Nov. 6 in the death of Meredith Kercher, who lived with Knox in a rented house in the Umbrian university town of Perugia.
3) Kercher, a 21-year-old student from Leeds University in England, was found dead in a pool of blood in November in the apartment she shared with Knox. Prosecutors have said she was killed resisting sexual assault, and they were investigating the three suspects on suspicion of murder and sexual violence.
4) All three suspects have denied any wrongdoing.
5) Prosecutors said the defense has 20 days from Thursday to request further questioning or produce more documents before the prosecutors either seek indictments or drop the accusations.
6) Judges have ruled that the three could be held for up to a year while the investigation continued, saying there was sufficient evidence to keep them in custody.
7) Both Knox and Sollecito have given confused recollections and conflicting statements, saying they had smoked hashish the night of the slaying, according to court documents.
8) Sollecito has maintained he was at his own apartment in Perugia, working at his computer. He has said he does not remember if Knox spent the whole night with him.
9) Knox has insisted she was not at home during the slaying, although at one point in the investigation she has accused Congolese pub owner Diya "Patrick" Lumumba of killing Kercher. Lumumba was arrested in November and quickly released for lack of evidence. He was formally cleared last month.
10) Knox's DNA has been found on the handle of a knife that prosecutors say might have been used in the slaying, while Kercher's DNA has been found on the blade.
11) DNA testing has found that Guede, whose fingerprint was found in bloodstains on Kercher's pillow, had sex with Kercher the night she died. Guede, 21, has acknowledged being in the woman's room that night, but said he did not kill her -- and that an Italian who is trying to frame him did. It is not clear whom Guede accused.
12) Guede was arrested in Germany on Nov. 20 and later extradited to Italy. He is believed to have fled shortly after the slaying.
Investigation into Italy slaying of British university student concludes
(APW_ENG_20080619.0811)
1) Prosecutors said Thursday that an investigation into the slaying of a British student has concluded, paving the way for possible indictments of her American housemate and two other suspects.
2) Amanda Knox, 20, of Seattle; her former Italian boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito; and Rudy Hermann Guede, a citizen of Ivory Coast, have been jailed since Nov. 6 in connection with the death of Meredith Kercher, Knox's housemate.
3) Kercher, a 21-year-old student from Leeds University in England, was found dead in a pool of blood in the house in the Umbrian university town of Perugia that she shared with Knox. Prosecutors say she was killed resisting sexual assault, and were investigating the suspects on suspicion of murder and sexual violence.
4) All three suspects have denied any wrongdoing.
5) The defense now has 20 days to request further questioning or produce more documents before prosecutors either seek indictments or drop the accusations.
6) Both Knox, a student at the University of Washington, and Sollecito have given conflicting statements, saying they had smoked hashish the night of the slaying, according to court documents.
7) Sollecito has maintained that he was at his own apartment in Perugia, working at his computer. He has said he does not remember if Knox spent the whole night with him.
8) Knox has insisted she was not at home during the slaying, although at one point in the investigation, she accused a Congolese pub owner, Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, of killing Kercher. Lumumba was arrested in but quickly released for lack of evidence. He was formally cleared last month.
9) Knox's DNA has been found on the handle of a knife that prosecutors say might have been used in the slaying, while Kercher's DNA was found on the blade.
10) DNA testing has found that Guede, whose fingerprint was found in bloodstains on Kercher's pillow, had sex with Kercher the night she died. Guede, 21, has acknowledged being in the woman's room that night, but said he did not kill her -- and that an Italian who is trying to frame him did. It is not clear who Guede accused.
11) Guede was arrested in Germany and extradited to Italy. He is believed to have fled shortly after the slaying.
Investigation into Italy slaying of British university student concludes
(APW_ENG_20080619.1036)
1) Prosecutors said Thursday that they have wrapped up their investigation into the slaying of a British student, paving the way for possible indictments of her American housemate and two other suspects.
2) Amanda Knox, 20, of Seattle; her former Italian boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito; and Rudy Hermann Guede, a citizen of Ivory Coast, have been jailed since Nov. 6 in connection with the death of Meredith Kercher, Knox's housemate.
3) Kercher, a 21-year-old student from Leeds University in England, was found dead in a pool of blood in the house in the Umbrian university town of Perugia that she shared with Knox. Prosecutors say she was killed resisting sexual assault, and were investigating the suspects on suspicion of murder and sexual violence.
4) All three suspects have denied any wrongdoing.
5) The defense now has 20 days to request further questioning or produce more documents before prosecutors either seek indictments or drop the accusations.
6) In the court document that officially notified the defense that the investigation was over, prosecutors contend that the three suspects strangled and stabbed Kercher. They also contend in the document that Guede committed sexual violence on Kercher, with the help of Knox and Sollecito. Prosecutors also contend that Knox and Sollecito tried to make it appear that an attempted robbery had taken place in the house, the document said.
7) Both Knox, a student at the University of Washington, and Sollecito have given conflicting statements, saying they had smoked hashish the night of the slaying, according to other court documents.
8) Sollecito has maintained that he was at his own apartment in Perugia, working at his computer. He has said he does not remember if Knox spent the whole night with him.
9) Knox has insisted she was not at home during the slaying, although at one point in the investigation, she accused a Congolese pub owner, Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, of killing Kercher. Lumumba was arrested in but quickly released for lack of evidence. He was formally cleared last month.
10) Knox's DNA has been found on the handle of a knife that prosecutors say might have been used in the slaying, while Kercher's DNA was found on the blade.
11) DNA testing has found that Guede, whose fingerprint was found in bloodstains on Kercher's pillow, had sex with Kercher the night she died. Guede, 21, has acknowledged being in the woman's room that night, but said he did not kill her -- and that an Italian who is trying to frame him did. It is not clear who Guede accused.
12) Guede was arrested in Germany and extradited to Italy. He is believed to have fled shortly after the slaying.
Investigation into Italy slaying of British university student concludes
(APW_ENG_20080619.1218)
1) Prosecutors wrapped up their investigation Thursday into the slaying of a British student, paving the way for possible indictments of her American roommate and two other suspects.
2) Amanda Knox, 20, of Seattle; her former Italian boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito; and Ivory Coast citizen Rudy Hermann Guede have been jailed since Nov. 6 in connection with the death of Meredith Kercher.
3) Kercher, a 21-year-old student from Leeds University in England, was found dead in a pool of blood in house she shared with Knox in the Umbrian university town of Perugia.
4) Prosecutors say the three suspects strangled and stabbed Kercher, according to a court document officially notifying the defense that the investigation is over.
5) The document says Guede committed sexual violence on Kercher, with the help of Knox and Sollecito. It also says Knox and Sollecito tried to make it appear that an attempted robbery had taken place in the house.
6) All three suspects have denied any wrongdoing.
7) The defense now has 20 days to request further questioning or produce more documents before prosecutors either seek indictments or drop the accusations.
8) Both Knox, a student at the University of Washington, and Sollecito have given conflicting statements, saying they had smoked hashish the night of the slaying, according to other court documents.
9) Sollecito has said he was at his own apartment in Perugia, working at his computer. He said he does not remember if Knox spent the whole night with him.
10) Knox has insisted she was not at home during the slaying, although at one point in the investigation she accused a Congolese pub owner, Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, of killing Kercher. Lumumba was arrested but quickly released for lack of evidence. He was formally cleared last month.
11) Knox's DNA was found on the handle of a knife that prosecutors say might have been used in the slaying, while Kercher's DNA was found on the blade.
12) DNA testing has found that Guede, whose fingerprint was found in bloodstains on Kercher's pillow, had sex with Kercher the night she died. Guede, 21, has acknowledged being in the woman's room that night, but said he did not kill her -- and that an Italian who is trying to frame him did. It is not clear who Guede accused.
13) Guede was arrested in Germany and extradited to Italy. He is believed to have fled shortly after the slaying.
14) Knox's family said Thursday in an e-mailed statement that the prosecutor "has been wedded to the theory that Amanda and two others were responsible for Meredith's murder."
15) "We know our daughter is innocent, and we will continue to support her in every way possible," the statement said.
2008-07-11
Prosecutors request indictment for 3 suspects in slaying of British student in Italy
(APW_ENG_20080711.0682)
1) Prosecutors say they have requested murder indictments against an American student and two other suspects in the slaying of a British woman in Italy.
2) Prosecutors in Perugia requested Friday that Amanda Knox, 21, of Seattle; her former Italian boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito; and Ivory Coast citizen Rudy Hermann Guede be tried on murder charges in connection with the death of Meredith Kercher.
3) Kercher, a 21-year-old student from Leeds University in England, was found dead in November in a pool of blood in the house she shared with Knox in the university town of Perugia, in central Italy.
4) All three suspects have denied any wrongdoing.
Prosecutors request indictment for 3 suspects in slaying of British student in Italy
(APW_ENG_20080711.0702)
1) Prosecutors on Friday requested the indictments of an American and two other suspects on charges of murdering a British college student in Italy.
2) Prosecutors in Perugia requested that Amanda Knox, 21, of Seattle; her former Italian boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito; and Ivory Coast citizen Rudy Hermann Guede be tried in connection with the death of Meredith Kercher. The prosecutors spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity as required by their office.
3) Kercher, a 21-year-old student from Leeds University in England, was found dead in November from a stab wound to the neck in the house she shared with Knox in the university town of Perugia, in central Italy.
4) All three suspects have denied any wrongdoing.
5) Knox's lawyer, Luciano Ghirga, said the request had been expected and did not offer further comment.
6) A judge will now have to decide whether to grant the prosecutor's request and order the three to stand trial. A date for the hearing has not been set.
7) Knox and Sollecito have been jailed since November. Guede was arrested in Germany in November and extradited to Italy the following month.
8) Prosecutors say the three suspects strangled and stabbed Kercher, according to a court document that notified defense lawyers last month that the investigation was closed. The document said Guede engaged in sexual violence with Kercher, with the help of Knox and Sollecito.
Prosecutors request indictment for 3 suspects in slaying of British student in Italy
(APW_ENG_20080711.0788)
1) Prosecutors on Friday requested the indictments of an American and two other suspects on the charge of murdering a British college student in Italy.
2) Prosecutors in Perugia requested that Amanda Knox, 21, of Seattle; her former Italian boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito; and Ivory Coast citizen Rudy Hermann Guede be tried in connection with the death of Meredith Kercher. The prosecutors spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity as required by their office.
3) The requested indictment also would charge the three with sexual violence and stealing euro300 (US$475), two credit cards and two cell phones from Kercher.
4) A 21-year-old student from Leeds University in England, Kercher was found dead in November from a stab wound to the neck in the house she shared with Knox in the university town of Perugia, in central Italy.
5) All three suspects have denied any wrongdoing.
6) The slaying in the small town that attracts thousands of foreigner students and tourists every year drew attention in Italy for weeks and made headlines worldwide.
7) Knox's lawyer, Luciano Ghirga, said the requested indictments had been expected, and he did not offer further comment.
8) A judge will now have to decide whether to grant the prosecutor's request and order the three to stand trial. A date for the hearing has not been set, but defense lawyers said it was expected in mid-September.
9) "We think our client is innocent, but it would have been a dream to hope the prosecutor would drop the charges," said Sollecito's defense lawyer, Luca Maori.
10) Knox and Sollecito have been jailed since November. Guede was arrested in Germany in November and extradited to Italy the following month.
11) Prosecutors say the three suspects strangled and stabbed Kercher, according to a court document that notified defense lawyers last month that the investigation was closed. The document said Guede engaged in sexual violence with Kercher, with the help of Knox and Sollecito.
12) According to the prosecutors, Knox and Sollecito also tried to make it look like the apartment was burglarized to cover up the crime.
13) No details have emerged on possible motives.
14) Both Knox, a student at the University of Washington, and Sollecito have given conflicting statements, saying they had smoked hashish the night of the slaying, according to other court documents.
15) Sollecito has said he was at his own apartment in Perugia, working at his computer. He said he does not remember if Knox spent the whole night with him.
16) Knox has insisted she was not at home during the slaying. Her DNA was found on the handle of a knife that prosecutors say might have been used in the slaying, while Kercher's DNA was found on the blade.
17) DNA testing also has found that Guede, whose fingerprint was found in bloodstains on Kercher's pillow, had sex with Kercher the night she died, prosecutors say.
18) Guede, 21, has acknowledged being in the woman's room that night. But he denied having killed her and accused an unidentified Italian of trying to frame him.
2008-07-16
Hearing set for Sept. 16 on indictment request for American suspect in slaying in Italy
(APW_ENG_20080716.1003)
1) A date has been set for a court to decide whether an American and two other suspects in the slaying of a British college student in Italy must face trial, a lawyer for one of the suspects said Wednesday.
2) A judge is expected to rule at the Sept. 16 hearing on whether Amanda Knox, 21, of Seattle; her former Italian boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito; and Ivory Coast citizen Rudy Hermann Guede should be tried, Sollecito's lawyer Luca Maori said.
3) Prosecutors want to try the suspects for the slaying of Meredith Kercher, a 21-year-old student from Leeds University in England who was found dead in November from a stab wound to the neck in the house she shared with Knox in Perugia.
4) Prosecutors also requested the three suspects be tried on charges of sexual violence and stealing euro300 (US$475), two credit cards and two cell phones from Kercher.
5) All three suspects have denied any wrongdoing.
6) Knox and Sollecito have been jailed since November. Guede was arrested later in Germany and extradited to Italy in December.
2008-09-09
Suspect in slaying in Italy seeks separate trial
(APW_ENG_20080909.0593)
1) A lawyer for one of three suspects in the slaying of a British college student in Italy said Tuesday that he is seeking a separate trial for his client.
2) Valter Biscotti said Ivory Coast citizen Rudy Hermann Guede will formally ask a judge to be allowed a fast-track trial, should he be indicted. Such trials are shorter and often lead to shorter sentences.
3) A judge in Perugia is expected to rule on Sept. 16 whether Guede and fellow suspects Amanda Knox, 21, of Seattle, and her former Italian boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, should stand trial for the slaying of Meredith Kercher.
4) Kercher, a 21-year-old student from Leeds University in England, was found dead in November from a stab wound to the neck in the house she shared with Knox in Perugia.
5) Prosecutors also requested the three suspects be tried on charges of sexual violence and stealing euro300 (US$475), two credit cards and two cell phones from Kercher.
6) All three suspects have denied any wrongdoing.
7) Knox and Sollecito have been jailed since November. Guede was arrested later in Germany and extradited to Italy in December.
Suspect in slaying in Italy seeks separate trial
(APW_ENG_20080909.0786)
1) A lawyer for one of three suspects in the slaying of a British college student in Italy said Tuesday that he is seeking a separate trial for his client.
2) Valter Biscotti said Ivory Coast citizen Rudy Hermann Guede will formally ask a judge to be allowed a fast-track trial, should he be indicted. Such trials -- in which evidence is presented in document form and no witnesses testify -- are shorter and lead to lesser sentences if the suspect is found guilty.
3) A fast-track trial could be over in a few hearings, compared with months, if not years, for a regular trial, Biscotti said.
4) He also said he believed prosecutors did not have enough evidence to tie Guede to the crime.
5) A judge in Perugia is expected to rule on Sept. 16 whether Guede and fellow suspects Amanda Knox, 21, of Seattle, and her former Italian boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, should stand trial for the slaying of Meredith Kercher.
6) Kercher, a 21-year-old student from Leeds University in England, was found dead in November from a stab wound to the neck in the house she shared with Knox in Perugia.
7) Prosecutors also requested the three suspects be tried on charges of sexual violence and stealing euro300 (US$475), two credit cards and two cell phones from Kercher.
8) All three have denied any wrongdoing.
9) Knox and Sollecito have been jailed since November while Guede was arrested later in Germany and extradited to Italy in December.
10) Prosecutors maintain the three suspects strangled and stabbed Kercher. They say Guede engaged in sexual violence against her, with the help of Knox and Sollecito.
11) No possible motives have emerged.
12) DNA testing also has found that Guede, whose fingerprint was found in bloodstains on Kercher's pillow, had sex with Kercher the night she died, prosecutors say.
13) Guede, 21, has acknowledged being in the victim's room that night. But he denied having killed her and accused an unidentified Italian of trying to frame him.
14) Knox, a student at the University of Washington, and Sollecito have both given conflicting statements, saying they had smoked hashish the night of the slaying. Sollecito has said he was at his own apartment in Perugia, working at his computer. He said he does not remember if Knox spent the whole night with him.
15) Knox has insisted she was not at home during the slaying. Her DNA was found on the handle of a knife that prosecutors say might have been used in the slaying. Kercher's DNA was found on the blade.
2008-09-10
Italy: ex-suspect in student killing seeks damages
(APW_ENG_20080910.0796)
1) A lawyer for a Congolese pub owner who was briefly a suspect in the slaying of a British student in Italy says his client plans to seek damages for defamation from an American suspect.
2) Lawyer Carlo Pacelli said Wednesday that Diya "Patrick" Lumumba intends to join an eventual criminal trial in a move to claim damages from 21-year-old Amanda Knox, who accused him of involvement in the Nov. 1 stabbing death of 21-year-old Meredith Kercher.
3) Lumumba was held for two weeks as a suspect before his release for lack of evidence. He is no longer a suspect.
4) A judge in Perugia is expected to rule Tuesday on whether Knox, her former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito and Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede should stand trial for the slaying.
2008-09-15
Family of slain British student hopes for justice
(APW_ENG_20080915.0925)
1) The family of a British student slain in Perugia last year say they are relieved that the case is moving into a critical phase.
2) A closed-door preliminary hearing starts on Tuesday that will decide whether to indict three suspects in the death of Meredith Kercher, including American Amanda Knox. A decision is expected in a few weeks. All three suspects have denied wrongdoing.
3) Kercher's parents and sister read a statement to the press in Perugia on Monday.
4) The victim's sister Stephanie Kercher says she was "hoping that justice would soon be done for Meredith."
5) Kercher, a 21-year-old student from Leeds University in England, was found dead in November from a stab wound in the apartment she shared with Knox in Perugia.
Family of slain British student hopes for justice
(APW_ENG_20080915.1066)
1) The family of a British student slain in Italy last year said Monday they hoped justice would soon be done, as the proceedings move into a critical phase.
2) The parents and sister of Meredith Kercher appeared before the media in Perugia a day before the opening of a preliminary hearing that will decide whether three suspects should be indicted.
3) The three -- U.S. student Amanda Knox, her former Italian boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito and Ivory Coast citizen Rudy Hermann Guede -- deny wrongdoing. The judge is expected to issue his decision on the possible indictments in a few weeks.
4) "We've pleased that we've reached a new phase in the process, hoping that justice will soon be done for Meredith," said the victim's sister, Stephanie Kercher, her parents by her side.
5) Meredith Kercher, a 21-year-old student from Leeds University in England, was found dead in November from a stab wound to the neck in the house she shared with Knox in Perugia.
6) Prosecutors say the three suspects strangled and stabbed Kercher. They also say Guede engaged in sexual violence against her, with the help of Knox and Sollecito.
7) The prosecutors also requested the three be tried on charges of sexual violence and stealing euro300 (US$475), two credit cards and two cell phones from Kercher.
8) Knox and Sollecito have been jailed since November; Guede was arrested in Germany and extradited to Italy in December.
9) In their brief statement, the Kercher family described the victim as a caring woman who "loved everything about Italy." Affectionately calling her "Mez," Stephanie Kercher said her sister would never be forgotten.
10) "We're all struggling to understand why she was so cruelly taken from us and imagine how things would be if she were still here," she said.
11) No motives have emerged for the slaying in this university town in central Italy.
12) Knox, a 21-year-old student at the University of Washington, and Sollecito, 24, have given conflicting statements, saying they smoked hashish the night of the slaying. Sollecito has said he was at his own apartment in Perugia, working at his computer. He said he does not remember if Knox spent the whole night with him.
13) Knox has insisted she was not home during the slaying. Her DNA was found on the handle of a knife that prosecutors say might have been used in the killing; Kercher's DNA was found on the blade.
14) Guede, 21, has acknowledged being in the woman's room that night. But he denied having killed her and accused an unidentified Italian of trying to frame him.
Family of slain British student hopes for justice
(APW_ENG_20080915.1106)
1) The family of a British student slain in Italy last year said Monday they hoped justice would soon be done, as the proceedings move into a critical phase.
2) The parents and sister of Meredith Kercher appeared before the media in Perugia a day before the opening of a preliminary hearing that will decide whether three suspects should be indicted.
3) The three -- U.S. student Amanda Knox, her former Italian boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito and Ivory Coast citizen Rudy Hermann Guede -- deny wrongdoing. The judge is expected to issue his decision on the possible indictments in a few weeks.
4) "We've pleased that we've reached a new phase in the process, hoping that justice will soon be done for Meredith," said the victim's sister, Stephanie Kercher, her parents by her side.
5) Meredith Kercher, a 21-year-old student from Leeds University in England, was found dead in November from a stab wound to the neck in the house she shared with Knox in Perugia.
6) Prosecutors say the three suspects strangled and stabbed Kercher. They also say Guede engaged in sexual violence against her, with the help of Knox and Sollecito.
7) The prosecutors also requested the three be tried on charges of sexual violence and stealing euro300 (US$475), two credit cards and two cell phones from Kercher.
8) Knox and Sollecito have been jailed since November; Guede was arrested in Germany and extradited to Italy in December.
9) In their brief statement, the Kercher family described the victim as a caring woman who "loved everything about Italy." Affectionately calling her "Mez," Stephanie Kercher said her sister would never be forgotten.
10) "We're all struggling to understand why she was so cruelly taken from us and imagine how things would be if she were still here," she said.
11) No motives have emerged for the slaying in this university town in central Italy.
12) Knox, a 21-year-old student at the University of Washington, and Sollecito, 24, have given conflicting statements, saying they smoked hashish the night of the slaying. Sollecito has said he was at his own apartment in Perugia, working at his computer. He said he does not remember if Knox spent the whole night with him.
13) Knox has insisted she was not home during the slaying. Her DNA was found on the handle of a knife that prosecutors say might have been used in the killing; Kercher's DNA was found on the blade.
14) Guede, 21, has acknowledged being in the woman's room that night. But he denied having killed her and accused an unidentified Italian of trying to frame him.
15) Knox's father, Curt Knox, told Britain's ITV1 channel that his daughter had nothing to do with Kercher's death.
16) "To tell you the truth, I want her cleared of everything," Curt Knox said in the interview aired Monday. "She hasn't been a part of this at all."
17) He said he felt sympathy for the Kercher family.
18) "They get a telephone call that's the worse one you could ever have. We got a different one," he said.
2008-09-16
Italy to open hearing in case of slain UK student
(APW_ENG_20080916.0209)
1) An Italian judge will preside over a closed-door hearing Tuesday to decide whether three suspects will be charged in the slaying of a British college student last year.
2) The suspects -- U.S. student Amanda Knox, her former Italian boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito and Ivory Coast citizen Rudy Hermann Guede -- all deny wrongdoing.
3) Judge Paolo Micheli is not expected to rule on the possible indictments Tuesday, lawyers in the case said. It is expected to take weeks for the ruling.
4) Meredith Kercher, a 21-year-old student from Leeds University in England, was found dead in November from a stab wound to the neck in the house she shared with Knox in Perugia.
5) Prosecutors say the three strangled and stabbed Kercher. They also say Guede engaged in sexual violence against her, with the help of Knox and Sollecito.
6) Prosecutors are asking the court to charge the three with Kercher's death as well as counts of sexual violence and stealing euro300 (US$475), two credit cards and two cell phones from Kercher.
7) Kercher's family, in a statement Monday to the media on the eve of the hearing, said they hoped for justice.
8) "We've pleased that we've reached a new phase in the process, hoping that justice will soon be done for Meredith," said the victim's sister, Stephanie Kercher, her parents by her side.
9) They recalled the victim's "caring, loving nature, and laughter," and how she "loved everything about Italy."
10) Knox and Sollecito have been jailed since November while Guede was arrested in Germany and extradited to Italy in December.
11) No motives have emerged for the slaying, which shocked the small town in Umbria in central Italy.
12) Knox, a 21-year-old student at the University of Washington, and Sollecito, 24, have given conflicting statements, saying they had smoked hashish the night of the slaying. Sollecito has said he was at his own apartment in Perugia, working at his computer. He said he does not remember if Knox spent the whole night with him.
13) Knox has insisted she was not at home during the slaying. Her DNA was found on the handle of a knife that prosecutors say might have been used in the slaying, while Kercher's DNA was found on the blade.
14) Guede, 21, has acknowledged being in the woman's room that night. But he denied having killed her and accused an unidentified Italian of trying to frame him.
15) Guede is seeking a fast-track trial should he be indicted, his lawyers have said. Such a procedure, in which evidence is presented in document form and no witnesses testify, is quicker and leads to a lesser sentence if the suspect is found guilty.
Perugia hearing opens in UK student slaying
(APW_ENG_20080916.0462)
1) An American student suspected in the slaying of her British roommate arrived in court Tuesday for a hearing to help decide whether she, her former Italian boyfriend and an African man must face trial.
2) Defendants in Italy have the right to skip court hearings, but Amanda Knox, who is from Seattle, chose to attend the close-door proceedings in Perugia, a university town in central Italy.
3) Police escorted her to the courthouse from jail, where she has been held since shortly after the Nov. 1 stabbing death of 21-year-old Meredith Kercher. The two young women shared a rented house in Perugia.
4) Also coming to court was Ivory Coast citizen Rudy Hermann Guede, whose has acknowledged being in the victim's room, where the body, with a neck wound, was found in a pool of blood.
5) The third suspect, who was jailed the same day as Knox, is Italian student Raffaele Sollecito, who stayed in jail during the hearing.
6) All three suspects have denied any wrongdoing.
7) Kercher's parents and sister attended the hearing, where their lawyer was expected to formally press a claim for damages. In Italy, civil lawsuits can be attached to criminal trials.
8) Judge Paolo Micheli, who was conducting the hearing, was expected to rule on the prosecutors' indictment requests in several weeks, lawyers have said.
9) Kercher, a student from Leeds University in England, was stabbed in the neck. Prosecutors say the suspects strangled and stabbed her. They also have alleged Guede engaged in sexual violence against Kercher, with the help of Knox and Sollecito.
10) No motives for the slaying have emerged.
11) Prosecutors have asked the court to charge the three with Kercher's death as well as counts of sexual violence and stealing euro300 (US$475) in cash, two credit cards and two cell phones from Kercher.
12) Kercher's family said they hoped for justice.
13) "We're pleased that we've reached a new phase in the process, hoping that justice will soon be done for Meredith," the victim's sister, Stephanie Kercher told reporters on Monday, with her parents by her side. The family recalled their loved one's "caring, loving nature, and laughter," and how she "loved everything about Italy."
14) Guede was arrested in Germany and extradited to Italy in December.
15) Knox, a 21-year-old student at the University of Washington, and Sollecito, 24, have given conflicting statements about what happened the night of the slaying.
16) Sollecito has said he was at his own apartment in Perugia, working at his computer. He said he does not remember if Knox spent the whole night with him.
17) Knox has insisted she was not at home during the slaying. But her DNA was found on the handle of a knife that prosecutors say might have been used in the slaying, while Kercher's DNA was found on the blade.
18) Guede, 21, has denied killing Kercher and has accused an unidentified Italian of trying to frame him.
19) A fast-track trial, in which evidence is presented in document form and no witnesses testify, leads to a lesser sentence, if the suspect is found convicted.
20) Attending the hearing Tuesday was Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, a Congolese citizen who was originally jailed in the case. Lumumba said he was planning to seek defamation damages from Knox, who accused him of involvement.
21) Knox at one point told prosecutors she was in the apartment the night of the slaying and had to cover her ears to muffle Kercher's screams while Lumumba killed her, according to court documents.
22) Lumumba owns a pub in Perugia that is a popular hangout for students. He is no longer a suspect.
Perugia hearing opens in UK student slaying
(APW_ENG_20080916.0797)
1) An American student suspected in the slaying of her British roommate arrived in court Tuesday for a hearing to help decide whether she, her former Italian boyfriend and an African man must face trial.
2) Defendants in Italy have the right to skip court hearings, but Amanda Knox, who is from Seattle, chose to attend the close-door proceedings in Perugia, a university town in central Italy.
3) Police escorted her to the courthouse from jail, where she has been held since shortly after the Nov. 1 stabbing death of 21-year-old Meredith Kercher. The two young women shared a rented house in Perugia.
4) Also coming to court was Ivory Coast citizen Rudy Hermann Guede, whose has acknowledged being in the victim's room, where the body, with a neck wound, was found in a pool of blood.
5) The third suspect, who was jailed the same day as Knox, is Italian student Raffaele Sollecito, who stayed in jail during the hearing.
6) All three suspects have denied any wrongdoing.
7) Hours after the hearing began, it was still in progress, with no participants emerging from behind closed doors.
8) Kercher's parents and sister attended the hearing, where their lawyer formally pressed a request to attach a civil suit to any criminal proceedings. In Italy, civil lawsuits can be attached to criminal trials. In the Kerchers' case, it would allow the family to more closely monitor case, receiving information that normally would be reserved for only defense lawyers or prosecutors.
9) Judge Paolo Micheli, who was conducting the hearing, was expected to rule on the prosecutors' indictment requests in several weeks, lawyers have said.
10) Kercher, a student from Leeds University in England, was stabbed in the neck. Prosecutors say the suspects strangled and stabbed her. They also have alleged Guede engaged in sexual violence against Kercher, with the help of Knox and Sollecito.
11) No motives for the slaying have emerged.
12) Prosecutors have asked the court to charge the three with Kercher's death as well as counts of sexual violence and stealing euro300 (US$475) in cash, two credit cards and two cell phones from Kercher.
13) Kercher's family said they hoped for justice.
14) "We're pleased that we've reached a new phase in the process, hoping that justice will soon be done for Meredith," the victim's sister, Stephanie Kercher told reporters on Monday, with her parents by her side. The family recalled their loved one's "caring, loving nature, and laughter," and how she "loved everything about Italy."
15) Guede was arrested in Germany and extradited to Italy in December.
16) Knox, a 21-year-old student at the University of Washington, and Sollecito, 24, have given conflicting statements about what happened the night of the slaying.
17) Sollecito has said he was at his own apartment in Perugia, working at his computer. He said he does not remember if Knox spent the whole night with him.
18) Knox has insisted she was not at home during the slaying. But her DNA was found on the handle of a knife that prosecutors say might have been used in the slaying, while Kercher's DNA was found on the blade.
19) Guede, 21, has denied killing Kercher and has accused an unidentified Italian of trying to frame him.
20) A fast-track trial, during which evidence is presented in document form and no witnesses testify, leads to a lesser sentence, if the suspect is convicted.
21) Attending the hearing Tuesday was Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, a Congolese citizen who was originally jailed in the case. Lumumba's lawyer has requested to have a civil suit joined to any criminal proceedings against the three suspects. Lumumba has said he was planning to seek defamation damages from Knox, who accused him of involvement.
22) Knox at one point told prosecutors she was in the apartment the night of the slaying and had to cover her ears to muffle Kercher's screams while Lumumba killed her, according to court documents.
23) Lumumba owns a pub in Perugia that is a popular hangout for students. He is no longer a suspect.
US student appears in Italian court in murder case
(APW_ENG_20080916.1324)
1) An American student suspected of being involved in the slaying of her British roommate in Italy last year appeared with one other suspect Tuesday for their first hearing before a judge who is deciding whether they will be charged and stand trial.
2) Judge Paolo Michelli granted the request of African suspect Rudy Hermann Guede for a fast-track trial even before he was formally charged. A quick trial limits the number of witnesses and kinds of evidence that can be submitted to save time and, if he is convicted, carries a lighter sentence.
3) The judge made no decision on charging the two other suspects in the case, 21-year-old Amanda Knox of Seattle and her former Italian boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, who did not appear in court.
4) The case involving young foreign students in the small, normally peaceful university town of Perugia has attracted enormous international attention.
5) Meredith Kercher, a visiting student from Leeds University in England, was stabbed in the neck Nov. 1 in the apartment she shared with Knox and other university students in Perugia.
6) Prosecutors allege the suspects strangled and stabbed her. They accuse Guede of engaging in sexual violence against Kercher, with the help of Knox and Sollecito.
7) No motives have emerged and all three suspects deny the allegations.
8) Prosecutors have asked the court to charge the three with murder as well as counts of sexual violence and stealing $475 in cash, two credit cards and two cell phones from Kercher.
9) Police escorted Knox into court wearing a white blouse, jeans and no handcuffs. It was the first time she was in the presence of the victim's relatives, who attended the closed-door hearing. Knox's lawyer said there was no interaction with the family, who sat behind Knox out of her sight line
10) Knox gazed straight ahead and appeared calm as she was escorted past a group of journalists into the courtroom. She looked thinner after 10 months in jail since her Nov. 6 arrest.
11) Knox's lawyer, Luciano Ghirga, said neither his client nor Guede addressed the court during the 8 1/2-hour session devoted primarily to technical matters.
12) "Amanda is as calm as she has ever been ever since I've known her," Ghirga said.
13) Guede has acknowledged being in the victim's room but has denied killing Kercher. He has accused an unidentified Italian of trying to frame him.
14) The judge granted a request by Guede's lawyer for a fast-track trial, which means any sentence would be two-thirds of that in a regular trial. Trials in Italy can last months, or even years.
15) A fast-track proceeding is closed to the public, unlike a full trial. It will be held before the same judge, who is likely to issue the verdict at the time he decides whether to indict Knox and Sollecito. The rulings are expected next month.
16) Knox, a student at the University of Washington, and Sollecito, 24, have given conflicting statements about what happened the night of the slaying.
17) Sollecito has said he was at his own apartment in Perugia, working at his computer. He said he does not remember if Knox spent the whole night with him.
18) Knox has said she spent the night at Sollecito's house and has changed her story with regard to whether she was in the apartment she shared with Kercher at the time of the killing. But her DNA was found on the handle of a knife that prosecutors say might have been used in the slaying, while Kercher's DNA was found on the blade.
19) Sollecito's lawyer, Giulia Bongiorno, said her client did not attend the session because it was devoted to technical matters, but he plans to attend future sessions. Defendants are not required to attend court sessions in Italy.
20) Kercher's family, who traveled from Britain for the hearing, said they hoped for justice.
21) "We're pleased that we've reached a new phase in the process, hoping that justice will soon be done for Meredith," the victim's sister, Stephanie Kercher, told reporters Monday with her parents by her side.
US student appears in Italian court in murder case
(APW_ENG_20080916.1404)
1) An American student suspected of being involved in the slaying of her British roommate in Italy last year appeared with one other suspect Tuesday for their first hearing before a judge who is deciding whether they will be charged and stand trial.
2) Judge Paolo Micheli made no immediate decision on the possible indictments of 21-year-old Amanda Knox of Seattle and her former Italian boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, who did not appear in court.
3) The judge did grant the request of a third suspect in the case, African Rudy Hermann Guede, for a fast-track trial. The quick trial limits the number of witnesses and evidence that can be submitted to save time and, if he is convicted, carries a lighter sentence.
4) The case involving young foreign students in the small, normally peaceful university town of Perugia has attracted enormous international attention.
5) Meredith Kercher, a visiting student from Leeds University in England, was stabbed in the neck Nov. 1 in the apartment she shared with Knox and other university students in Perugia.
6) Prosecutors allege the suspects strangled and stabbed her. They accuse Guede of engaging in sexual violence against Kercher, with the help of Knox and Sollecito.
7) No motives have emerged and all three suspects deny the allegations.
8) Prosecutors have asked the court to charge the three with murder as well as counts of sexual violence and stealing $475 in cash, two credit cards and two cell phones from Kercher.
9) Knox, wearing a white blouse, jeans and no handcuffs, was escorted by police into the courtroom. It was the first time she was in the presence of the victim's relatives, who attended the closed-door hearing. Knox's lawyer said there was no interaction with the family, who sat behind Knox out of her sight line.
10) Knox gazed straight ahead and appeared calm as she was escorted past a group of journalists into the courtroom. She looked thinner after 10 months in jail since her Nov. 6 arrest.
11) Knox's lawyer, Luciano Ghirga, said neither his client nor Guede addressed the court during the 8 1/2-hour session devoted primarily to technical matters.
12) "Amanda is as calm as she has ever been ever since I've known her," Ghirga said.
13) Guede has acknowledged being in the victim's room but has denied killing Kercher. He has accused an unidentified Italian of trying to frame him.
14) Under the fast-track procedure, any sentence would be two-thirds of that in a regular trial, if Guede is convicted. Trials in Italy can last months, or even years.
15) A fast-track proceeding is closed to the public, unlike a full trial. It will be held before the same judge, who is expected to issue the verdict at the time he decides whether to indict Knox and Sollecito. The rulings are expected next month.
16) Knox, a student at the University of Washington, and Sollecito, 24, have given conflicting statements about what happened the night of the slaying.
17) Sollecito has said he was at his own apartment in Perugia, working at his computer. He said he does not remember if Knox spent the whole night with him.
18) Knox has said she spent the night at Sollecito's house and has changed her story about whether she was in the apartment she shared with Kercher at the time of the killing. But her DNA was found on the handle of a knife that prosecutors say might have been used in the slaying, while Kercher's DNA was found on the blade.
19) Sollecito's lawyer, Giulia Bongiorno, said her client did not attend the session because it was devoted to technical matters, but added that he plans to attend future sessions. Defendants are not required to attend court sessions in Italy.
20) Kercher's family, who traveled from Britain for the hearing, said they hoped for justice.
21) "We're pleased that we've reached a new phase in the process, hoping that justice will soon be done for Meredith," the victim's sister, Stephanie Kercher, told reporters Monday with her parents by her side.
2008-09-26
Italy: 2nd hearing held in British student killing
(APW_ENG_20080926.0845)
1) Three suspects including an American student attended a second hearing in Italy on Friday in the case of a slain British student.
2) The proceedings will determine if 21-year-old Amanda Knox, of Seattle, and her former Italian boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, will face trial for the death of Meredith Kercher.
3) The hearings in the central city of Perugia also serve as a fast-track trial for Ivory Coast suspect Rudy Hermann Guede -- a move requested by his lawyers.
4) All three have denied killing Kercher. The student from Leeds University was stabbed in the neck Nov. 1 in the apartment she shared with Knox and other university students in Perugia.
5) Friday's hearing marked the first time the three suspects appeared together; Sollecito did not attend the opening session last week.
6) The three were led in one by one to the closed-doors hearing by prison guards. Guede was the only one wearing handcuffs.
7) Lawyers for the suspects said they planned to question a witness who claims to have seen the three together on the night of Kercher's death.
8) A verdict for Guede as well as rulings on whether Knox or Sollecito would be charged are expected next month.
American slay suspect attends hearing in Italy
(APW_ENG_20080926.1288)
1) An American student and her former Italian boyfriend suspected in the 2007 stabbing death of a young British woman saw each other for the first time in months Friday at a hearing to decide whether they will stand trial for the slaying.
2) Suspects Amanda Knox, 21, from Seattle, and Raffaele Sollecito have been jailed separately since shortly after the Nov. 1 slaying of Knox's flatmate, Meredith Kercher, whose body, stabbed in the neck, was found in a pool of blood in Kercher's bedroom.
3) The third suspect, Rudy Hermann Guede, of the Ivory Coast, also attended the hearing to decide on the prosecutors' request for charges and indictments.
4) All the suspects have denied wrongdoing.
5) Because Sollecito had skipped the opening hearing last week, Friday's session was the first time he and his ex-girlfriend have been in the same room since they were jailed. In Italy, defendants have the right to skip hearings or trials.
6) The hearings are closed to the media and public. A decision is expected in a few weeks, after more hearings.
7) Lawyers for the defendants described to reporters some details of Friday's nine-hour hearing.
8) One of Knox's lawyers, Luciano Ghirga, told reporters that she flashed Sollecito a "cordial, sober" smile.
9) "It was a kind of 'pleasure to see you' smile, nothing more," Ghirga said.
10) Defendants are not allowed to talk to each other during the hearings.
11) The court heard testimony from an Albanian man who had told prosecutors that he saw all three suspects together the night before the slaying in front of the rented house Knox, Kercher and other students shared.
12) Guede's lawyer, Valter Biscotti, told reporters that all three suspects asked during the hearing for permission to address the court. "They made very brief statements, along the lines of 'everything you heard today is false,'" Biscotti said.
13) The hearings in the central city of Perugia also serve as a fast-track trial for Guede -- a move requested by his lawyers. A quick trial limits the number of witnesses and kinds of evidence that can be submitted to save time and, if he is convicted, carries a lighter sentence.
2008-10-18
Reports: American in Perugia court: I ' m innocent
(APW_ENG_20081018.0357)
1) An American student suspected in last year's slaying of her British house mate proclaimed her innocence again Saturday during a hearing in Perugia to decide if she must face trial, Italian news reports said.
2) Amanda Knox said "buon giorno," Italian for good morning, then asked permission during the closed-door hearing to make a declaration in English, the Italian news agencies ANSA and Apcom reported from Perugia. In remarks that were translated into Italian, she told the court, "I am innocent," the reports said.
3) Sky TG24 TV, without citing sources, said Knox cried as she spoke, and contended she had been pressured by police during interrogations.
4) Lawyers for Knox and for other suspects were in the courtroom. Reached by cell phone, said they could not comment while the session was going on.
5) Italian TV showed a brief, partial view of Knox, a 21-year-old student from the University of Washington, as she given a microphone to address the court. Only her hands, busily gesticulating as she addressed the court, could be seen. There was no audio.
6) The session is the latest hearing to determine if Knox and her former Italian boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, should stand trial for the slaying of Meredith Kercher, whose body was found in her bedroom in a pool of blood. The killing took place last November in Perugia, a university town that attracts many foreigners.
7) A third suspect, Rudy Hermann Guede, from the Ivory Coast, is being tried, at his lawyers' request, in a fast-track trial attached to the same court proceedings.
8) All three suspects have repeatedly denied wrongdoing in Kercher's slaying.
9) Guede has acknowledged being in Kercher's room the night of the slaying. A fast track trial, in which fewer witnesses are called, can bring a shorter sentence.
10) Italian state radio said prosecutors were expected to wrap up arguments Monday and request an indictment of Knox and Sollecito and the conviction of Guede. Rulings are expected later this month.
11) Knox and Sollecito have been jailed as suspects since shortly after the slaying. Under Italian law, they can be jailed for as long as a year during the investigation.
12) Knox and Sollecito, 24, have given conflicting statements.
13) Sollecito has said he was at his own apartment in Perugia. He said he does not remember if Knox spent the whole night with him.
14) Knox has insisted she was not at home during the slaying. But one point, she also told prosecutors she was in the house the night of the slaying and covered her ears to muffle Kercher's screams while a Congolese man who owns a pub in the town killed Kercher. The Congolese man was initially jailed, but authorities released him, saying he was no longer a suspect.
Prosecutor seeks life term for Italy slay suspect
(APW_ENG_20081018.0401)
1) Prosecutors on Saturday sought conviction and life in prison for an Ivorian man accused in the slaying of a British student in Perugia, the defendant's lawyer said.
2) An American suspect in the case again proclaimed her innocence in the same hearing.
3) "It was expected" that prosecutors would seek a harsh penalty, said Valter Biscotti, a lawyer for Rudy Hermann Guede, the Ivorian accused in the case.
4) At his lawyers' request, a fast-track trial is being conducted for Guede. He has acknowledged being in the bedroom where Meredith Kercher's body, stabbed in the neck and lying in a pool of blood, was found in November 2007 in the house she rented with American student Amanda Knox, 21.
5) Fast-track trials can sometimes result in lighter penalties. But prosecutors asked the court Saturday to convict Guede and mete out Italy's stiffest punishment -- life imprisonment. Italy does not have the death penalty.
6) The case has received heavy publicity in Italy, in Britain, and in the United States, where Knox is a University of Washington student.
7) The court deciding Guede's fate is also hearing arguments to determine if Knox and her former boyfriend, Italian student Raffaele Sollecito, should stand trial for the slaying. A ruling on prosecutors' request for their indictment is expected toward the end of October.
8) All three suspects have repeatedly denied wrongdoing in the slaying, which took place in Perugia, a university town which a large foreign student population.
9) Knox again proclaimed her innocence in court Saturday.
10) She asked permission during the closed-door hearing to make a declaration in English, the Italian news agencies ANSA and Apcom reported from Perugia. In remarks that were translated into Italian, she told the court, "I am innocent," the reports said.
11) Sky TG24 TV, without citing sources, said Knox cried as she spoke and contended she had been pressured by police during interrogations.
12) Italian TV showed a brief, partial view of Knox as she given a microphone to address the court. Only her hands, busily gesticulating as she addressed the court, could be seen. There was no audio.
13) Knox and Sollecito have been jailed as suspects since shortly after the slaying. Under Italian law, they can be jailed for as long as a year during the investigation.
14) Knox and Sollecito, 24, have given conflicting statements.
15) Sollecito has said he was at his own apartment in Perugia. He said he does not remember if Knox spent the whole night with him.
16) Knox has insisted she was not at home during the slaying. But one point, she also told prosecutors she was in the house the night of the slaying and covered her ears to muffle Kercher's screams while a Congolese man who owns a pub in the town killed Kercher. The Congolese man was initially jailed, but authorities released him, saying he was no longer a suspect.
Prosecutor seeks life term for Italy slay suspect
(APW_ENG_20081018.0441)
1) Prosecutors on Saturday sought conviction and life in prison for an Ivorian man accused in the slaying of a British student in Perugia, the defendant's lawyer said.
2) An American suspect in the case again proclaimed her innocence in the same hearing.
3) "It was expected" that prosecutors would seek a harsh penalty, said Valter Biscotti, a lawyer for Rudy Hermann Guede, the Ivorian accused in the case.
4) At his lawyers' request, a fast-track trial is being conducted for Guede. He has acknowledged being in the bedroom where Meredith Kercher's body, stabbed in the neck and lying in a pool of blood, was found in November 2007 in the house she rented with American student Amanda Knox, 21.
5) Fast-track trials can sometimes result in lighter penalties. But prosecutors asked the court Saturday to convict Guede and mete out Italy's stiffest punishment -- life imprisonment. Italy does not have the death penalty.
6) "Amanda was disappointed" when the prosecutors pushed for the stiffest sentence, said Luciano Ghirga, one of the lawyers on Knox' defense team.
7) The case has received heavy publicity in Italy, in Britain, and in the United States, where Knox is a University of Washington student.
8) The court deciding Guede's fate is also hearing arguments to determine if Knox and her former boyfriend, Italian student Raffaele Sollecito, should stand trial for the slaying. A ruling on prosecutors' request for their indictment is expected for the end of October.
9) All three suspects have repeatedly denied wrongdoing in the slaying, which took place in Perugia, a university town with a large foreign student population.
10) Knox asked permission during the closed-door hearing to make a declaration in English. "She proclaimed her innocence, and got emotional when she recalled her interrogation by police in Perugia," Ghirga said in a telephone interview.
11) The lawyer denied Italian news reports that she wept while addressing the court, but said Knox was upset as she recounted "the pressure, the aggressiveness of the police who called her a liar."
12) Italian TV showed a brief, partial view of Knox as she given a microphone to address the court. Only her hands, busily gesticulating as she addressed the court, could be seen. There was no audio.
13) Knox and Sollecito have been jailed as suspects since shortly after the slaying. Under Italian law, they can be jailed for as long as a year during the investigation.
14) Knox and Sollecito, 24, have given conflicting statements.
15) Sollecito has said he was at his own apartment in Perugia. He said he does not remember if Knox spent the whole night with him.
16) Knox has insisted she was not at home during the slaying. But one point, she also told prosecutors she was in the house the night of the slaying and covered her ears to muffle Kercher's screams while a Congolese man who owns a pub in the town killed Kercher. The Congolese man was initially jailed, but authorities released him, saying he was no longer a suspect.
Prosecutor seeks life term for Italy slay suspect
(APW_ENG_20081018.0462)
1) Prosecutors on Saturday accused an American student of fatally stabbing her British house mate in a Satanic rite in Perugia last year and asked a court to convict and punish an alleged African accomplice with life imprisonment, defense lawyers said.
2) The American, Amanda Knox, 21, proclaimed her innocence at the closed-door hearing in the Umbrian university town and emotionally accused police of hitting her on the head and calling her a liar during an interrogation, defense lawyers said.
3) "It was expected" that prosecutors would seek a harsh penalty, said Valter Biscotti, a lawyer for Rudy Hermann Guede, the Ivorian accused in the case.
4) At his lawyers' request, a fast-track trial is being conducted for Guede. He has acknowledged being in the bedroom where Meredith Kercher's body, stabbed in the neck and lying in a pool of blood, was found in November 2007 in the house she rented with Knox.
5) Fast-track trials can sometimes result in lighter penalties. But prosecutors asked the court Saturday to convict Guede and mete out Italy's stiffest punishment -- life imprisonment. Italy does not have the death penalty.
6) The court deciding Guede's fate is also hearing arguments to determine if Knox and her former boyfriend, Italian student Raffaele Sollecito, should stand trial for the slaying. A ruling on prosecutors' request for their indictment is expected for the end of October.
7) All three suspects have repeatedly denied wrongdoing in the slaying, which took place in Perugia, a university town with a large foreign student population.
8) Prosecutors at Saturday's hearing "laid out a scenario like from some crime novel," Sollecito's lawyer, Luca Maori, said by telephone after a seven-hour hearing.
9) Prosecutors "alleged it was some kind of Satanic rite, with Amanda allegedly first touching Meredith with the point of a knife, then slitting her throat, while Sollecito held her by the shoulders, from behind, Guede held her by an arm" and tried to sexually penetrate the victim, Maori said.
10) One of Knox's lawyers, Carlo della Vedova, told reporters outside the courtroom that prosecutors had laid out "a presumed scenario" with no hard evidence that would justify a trial for his client.
11) Prosecutors could not immediately be reached by phone after the hearing.
12) Another member of Knox's defense team, Luciano Ghirga, described the American as being "disappointed" when the prosecutors pushed for the stiffest sentence for Guede.
13) The case has received heavy publicity in Italy, in Britain, and in the United States, where Knox is a University of Washington student.
14) Knox asked permission during the closed-door hearing to make a declaration in English. "She proclaimed her innocence, and got emotional when she recalled her interrogation by police in Perugia," Ghirga said in a telephone interview.
15) The lawyer denied Italian news reports that she wept while addressing the court, but said Knox was upset as she recounted "the pressure, the aggressiveness of the police who called her a liar."
16) Maori said Knox also accused the police of hitting her on the head during her questioning.
17) Italian TV showed a brief, partial view of Knox as she given a microphone to address the court. Only her hands, busily gesticulating as she addressed the court, could be seen. There was no audio.
18) Knox and Sollecito have been jailed as suspects since shortly after the slaying. Under Italian law, they can be jailed for as long as a year during the investigation.
19) Knox and Sollecito, 24, have given conflicting statements.
20) Sollecito has said he was at his own apartment in Perugia. He said he does not remember if Knox spent the whole night with him.
21) Knox has insisted she was not at home during the slaying. But one point, she also told prosecutors she was in the house the night of the slaying and covered her ears to muffle Kercher's screams while a Congolese man who owns a pub in the town killed Kercher. The Congolese man was initially jailed, but authorities released him, saying he was no longer a suspect.
Prosecutor seeks life term for Italy slay suspect
(APW_ENG_20081018.0514)
1) Prosecutors on Saturday accused an American student of fatally stabbing her British house mate in a Satanic rite in Perugia last year and asked a court to convict and punish an alleged African accomplice with life imprisonment, defense lawyers said.
2) The American, Amanda Knox, 21, proclaimed her innocence at the closed-door hearing in the Umbrian university town and emotionally accused police of hitting her on the head and calling her a liar during an interrogation, defense lawyers said.
3) "It was expected" that prosecutors would seek a harsh penalty, said Valter Biscotti, a lawyer for Rudy Hermann Guede, the Ivorian accused in the case.
4) At his lawyers' request, a fast-track trial is being conducted for Guede. He has acknowledged being in the bedroom where Meredith Kercher's body, stabbed in the neck and lying in a pool of blood, was found in November 2007 in the house she rented with Knox.
5) Fast-track trials can sometimes result in lighter penalties. But prosecutors asked the court Saturday to convict Guede and mete out Italy's stiffest punishment -- life imprisonment. Italy does not have the death penalty.
6) The court deciding Guede's fate is also hearing arguments to determine if Knox and her former boyfriend, Italian student Raffaele Sollecito, should stand trial for the slaying. A ruling on prosecutors' request for their indictment is expected for the end of October.
7) All three suspects have repeatedly denied wrongdoing in the slaying, which took place in Perugia, a university town with a large foreign student population.
8) Prosecutors at Saturday's hearing "laid out a scenario like from some crime novel," Sollecito's lawyer, Luca Maori, said by telephone after a seven-hour hearing.
9) Prosecutors "alleged it was some kind of Satanic rite, with Amanda allegedly first touching Meredith with the point of a knife, then slitting her throat, while Sollecito held her by the shoulders, from behind, Guede held her by an arm" and tried to sexually penetrate the victim, Maori said.
10) One of Knox's lawyers, Carlo della Vedova, told reporters outside the courtroom that prosecutors had laid out "a presumed scenario" with no hard evidence that would justify a trial for his client.
11) Prosecutor Giuliano Mignini, contacted by The AP, declined to elaborate on his allegations Saturday about the slaying nor comment on his request for life imprisonment for Guede.
12) Another member of Knox's defense team, Luciano Ghirga, described the American as being "disappointed" when the prosecutors pushed for the stiffest sentence for Guede.
13) The case has received heavy publicity in Italy, in Britain, and in the United States, where Knox is a University of Washington student.
14) Knox asked permission during the closed-door hearing to make a declaration in English. "She proclaimed her innocence, and got emotional when she recalled her interrogation by police in Perugia," Ghirga said in a telephone interview.
15) The lawyer denied Italian news reports that she wept while addressing the court, but said Knox was upset as she recounted "the pressure, the aggressiveness of the police who called her a liar."
16) Maori said Knox also accused the police of hitting her on the head during her questioning.
17) Italian TV showed a brief, partial view of Knox as she given a microphone to address the court. Only her hands, busily gesticulating as she addressed the court, could be seen. There was no audio.
18) Knox and Sollecito have been jailed as suspects since shortly after the slaying. Under Italian law, they can be jailed for as long as a year during the investigation.
19) Knox and Sollecito, 24, have given conflicting statements.
20) Sollecito has said he was at his own apartment in Perugia. He said he does not remember if Knox spent the whole night with him.
21) Knox has insisted she was not at home during the slaying. But one point, she also told prosecutors she was in the house the night of the slaying and covered her ears to muffle Kercher's screams while a Congolese man who owns a pub in the town killed Kercher. The Congolese man was initially jailed, but authorities released him, saying he was no longer a suspect.
2008-10-20
Family of Briton slain in Italy seeks damages
(APW_ENG_20081020.0881)
1) A lawyer representing the family of a British student slain in central Italy said Monday he is seeking a total of euro25 million (US$33 million) in damages from three suspects in the case.
2) Francesco Maresca said Monday he wants damages from American student Amanda Knox of Seattle, her Italian ex-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito and Ivorian citizen Rudy Hermann Guede. The three are suspected of fatally stabbing Meredith Kercher in the city of Perugia.
3) All three suspects deny killing her.
4) A court is hearing arguments on whether Knox and Sollecito should stand trial on murder charges. A ruling is expected by the end of October.
5) Guede is undergoing a fast-track trial at his request, and prosecutors asked the court to sentence him to life in prison for the November 2007 killing.
6) Italian law allows victims of a crime, or their family members, to attach a civil lawsuit to a criminal trial to seek damages. Maresca said the request was attached to Guede's trial but will be extended to Sollecito and Knox if the are indicted.
Seattle attorney helps in Amanda Knox case
(APW_ENG_20081020.1004)
1) An attorney volunteering as a spokeswoman for supporters of Amanda Knox, a University of Washington student jailed in an Italian murder case, said Monday that Knox has been treated unfairly by the courts and the media.
2) Knox, 21, of Seattle, is accused in the November 2007 stabbing death of her house mate in the Italian university town of Perugia. Knox says she's innocent, and her friends and family say she has been mistreated by the Italian legal system.
3) "At some point there has to be some truth put forward on her behalf," said Anne Bremner, a Seattle trial lawyer.
4) Bremner said there have been too many leaks in the case, and the tabloid media has been spreading false rumors.
5) Knox, her former boyfriend and a second man are accused in the death of British student Meredith Kercher.
6) An Italian court is conducting a fast-track trial for Rudy Hermann Guede, an Ivory Coast native charged in the case. He has acknowledged being in the bedroom where Kercher's body, stabbed in the neck and lying in a pool of blood, was found.
7) The same court also is hearing arguments on whether Knox and her former boyfriend, Italian student Raffaele Sollecito, should stand trial for the slaying. A ruling is expected by the end of October.
8) All three have denied wrongdoing.
9) Bremner said Knox's supporters know there is little they can do to influence the Italian legal system, but want to make sure Knox's portrayal in the courts and media is accurate.
10) "We have an American citizen going through the Italian justice system and the friends of Amanda want to insure that the process is fair," Bremner said.
11) "There's been all kinds of leaks in the case from the get-go that contained prejudicial and misleading information about Amanda," Bremner said. "There's never been another side shown about the evidence and how she's been treated."
12) The group she represents, called "Friends of Amanda," is unhappy with the length of Knox's detention, the legal basis for her detention, and information about the case that has been leaked to the media, Bremner said.
13) "There may be a need at some point for our government to respond," Bremner said.
Seattle attorney speaks in support of Amanda Knox
(APW_ENG_20081020.1131)
1) A Seattle attorney volunteering as a spokeswoman for supporters of Amanda Knox, a University of Washington student jailed in an Italian murder case, said Monday that Knox has been treated unfairly by the courts and the media.
2) Knox, 21, of Seattle, is accused in the November 2007 stabbing death of her house mate in the Italian university town of Perugia. Knox says she's innocent, and her friends say she has been mistreated by the Italian legal system.
3) "At some point there has to be some truth put forward on her behalf," said Anne Bremner, a Seattle trial lawyer.
4) Bremner said there have been too many leaks in the case, and the tabloid media has been spreading false rumors.
5) Knox, her former boyfriend and a second man are accused in the death of British student Meredith Kercher.
6) An Italian court is conducting a fast-track trial for Rudy Hermann Guede, an Ivory Coast native charged in the case. He has acknowledged being in the bedroom where Kercher's body, stabbed in the neck and lying in a pool of blood, was found.
7) The same court also is hearing arguments on whether Knox and her former boyfriend, Italian student Raffaele Sollecito, should stand trial for the slaying. A ruling is expected by the end of October.
8) All three have denied wrongdoing.
9) Bremner said Knox's supporters know there is little they can do to influence the Italian legal system, but want to make sure Knox's portrayal in the courts and media is accurate.
10) "We have an American citizen going through the Italian justice system and the friends of Amanda want to insure that the process is fair," Bremner said.
11) "There's been all kinds of leaks in the case from the get-go that contained prejudicial and misleading information about Amanda," Bremner said. "There's never been another side shown about the evidence and how she's been treated."
12) The group she represents, called "Friends of Amanda," is unhappy with the length of Knox's detention, the legal basis for her detention, and information about the case that has been leaked to the media, Bremner said.
13) "There may be a need at some point for our government to respond," Bremner said.
2008-10-21
US suspect lawyers argue case in court in Italy
(APW_ENG_20081021.0660)
1) Defense lawyers are asking that an American murder suspect in Italy not be ordered to stand trial.
2) Lawyers for Amanda Knox, of Seattle, appeared Tuesday before the judge who is deciding whether Knox must be tried for the November 2007 slaying of Meredith Kercher in the central Italian city of Perugia.
3) Italian Raffaele Sollecito and Ivorian citizen Rudy Hermann Guede are also suspects in the case. All three suspects deny wrongdoing. A ruling on whether the evidence requires that Knox and Sollecito stand trial is expected next week.
4) Guede is undergoing a fast-track trial at his request. Prosecutors are asking the court to sentence him to life in prison. The prosecutors argued last week that all three were involved and that Knox stabbed Kercher.
US suspect ' s lawyers in Italy criticize evidence
(APW_ENG_20081021.0809)
1) Lawyers for an American suspect said they asked a judge Tuesday not to order their client to stand trial in the slaying of a British student, claiming the evidence was insufficient and contradictory.
2) Attorneys representing Amanda Knox of Seattle made their case before a judge who has to decide whether the American should be indicted on murder charges in the slaying of her roommate, Meredith Kercher.
3) Two other suspects, Knox's ex-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito and Ivorian citizen Rudy Hermann Guede, have also been accused in the November 2007 slaying in Perugia, central Italy. All three deny wrongdoing.
4) A ruling on the indictment requests for Knox and Sollecito is expected next week, while Guede is undergoing a fast-track trial at his request. Prosecutors have asked the court to sentence him to life in prison.
5) "The evidence is not sufficient and partly contradictory," Knox lawyer Carlo Dalla Vedova said by telephone from Perugia. "We have requested that Knox not be indicted."
6) Prosecutors allege that Kercher died in a Satanic rite, with Knox first touching Kercher with the point of a knife, then slitting her throat, while Sollecito held her by the shoulders from behind and Guede tried to sexually assault her.
7) Kercher, a visiting student from Leeds University in England, was found half-naked on the floor of her blood-splattered bedroom, in the apartment she shared with Knox.
8) Prosecutors say Knox's DNA was found on the handle of a knife they claim may have been used in the slaying, while Kercher's DNA was found on the blade. The knife came from the kitchen of Sollecito's Perugia apartment.
9) Dalla Vedova said, according to defense experts, the DNA traces are "less than reliable" and may not be blood. He also said the blade was too big for the wound on Kercher's neck.
10) Dalla Vedova said the 21-year-old Knox attended the hearing Tuesday.
11) "She is worried, but also confident," he said, adding the proceedings will resume Friday, when defense lawyers for the other suspects are expected to make their case.
12) Knox's defense team also dismissed allegations by a Seattle lawyer representing a group of Knox supporters who contends the American has been treated unfairly by Italy's courts and media.
13) Lawyer Luciano Ghirga, who is defending Knox along with Dalla Vedova, said he did not know the American attorney, Anne Bremner, and added her allegations had no substance.
US suspect ' s lawyers in Italy criticize evidence
(APW_ENG_20081021.1071)
1) Lawyers for an American suspect said they asked a judge Tuesday not to order their client to stand trial in the slaying of a British student, claiming the evidence was insufficient and contradictory.
2) Attorneys representing Amanda Knox of Seattle made their case before a judge who has to decide whether the American should be indicted on murder charges in the slaying of her roommate, Meredith Kercher.
3) Two other suspects, Knox's ex-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito and Ivorian citizen Rudy Hermann Guede, have also been accused in the November 2007 slaying in Perugia, central Italy. All three deny wrongdoing.
4) A ruling on the indictment requests for Knox and Sollecito is expected next week, while Guede is undergoing a fast-track trial at his request. Prosecutors have asked the court to sentence him to life in prison.
5) "The evidence is not sufficient and partly contradictory," Knox lawyer Carlo Dalla Vedova said by telephone from Perugia. "We have requested that Knox not be indicted."
6) Prosecutors allege that Kercher died in a Satanic rite, with Knox first touching Kercher with the point of a knife, then slitting her throat, while Sollecito held her by the shoulders from behind and Guede tried to sexually assault her.
7) Kercher, a visiting student from Leeds University in England, was found half-naked on the floor of her blood-splattered bedroom, in the apartment she shared with Knox.
8) Prosecutors say Knox's DNA was found on the handle of a knife they claim may have been used in the slaying, while Kercher's DNA was found on the blade. The knife came from the kitchen of Sollecito's Perugia apartment.
9) Dalla Vedova said, according to defense experts, the DNA traces are "less than reliable" and may not be blood. He also said the blade was too big for the wound on Kercher's neck.
10) Dalla Vedova said the 21-year-old Knox attended the hearing Tuesday.
11) "She is worried, but also confident," he said, adding the proceedings will resume Friday, when defense lawyers for the other suspects are expected to make their case.
12) Knox's attorneys also distanced themselves from allegations by a Seattle lawyer representing a group of Knox supporters who contends the American has been treated unfairly by Italy's courts and media.
13) Lawyer Luciano Ghirga, who is defending Knox along with Dalla Vedova, said that he did not know the American attorney, Anne Bremner, and that she doesn't represent his client.
2008-10-24
Lawyer: Italy suspect in British slaying innocent
(APW_ENG_20081024.1092)
1) Lawyers for an Italian suspect in the stabbing death of a British student blamed the slaying on a burglar, insisting Friday their client should not be put on trial.
2) Lawyers representing Raffaele Sollecito made their case before a judge who has to decide whether the 24-year-old Italian should be indicted on murder charges in the slaying of Meredith Kercher.
3) Two other suspects -- American student Amanda Knox and Ivorian citizen Rudy Hermann Guede -- have also been accused in the November 2007 slaying in Perugia, central Italy. All three deny wrongdoing.
4) During the eight-hour court session Friday, Sollecito's attorneys used a multimedia presentation and a dummy to counter the evidence presented last week by the prosecutor in the case, said lawyer Marco Brusco. They insisted that Kercher, 21, was killed when she caught a burglar in the apartment.
5) "We believe it was an attempted burglary that ended badly," Brusco said.
6) The attorneys did not identify the alleged burglar during their arguments in court Friday, Brusco said. Later, he suggested that evidence pointed to Guede.
7) Kercher, a student from Leeds University in England, was found dead in her bedroom Nov. 2 from a stab wound to the neck.
8) A ruling on indictment requests for Knox and Sollecito is expected next week, while Guede is undergoing a fast-track trial at his request. Prosecutors have asked the court to sentence him to life in prison.
9) Sollecito has said he was at his own apartment in Perugia, working at his computer. He has said he does not remember if Knox -- his former girlfriend and Kercher's roommate-- spent the whole night with him.
10) Brusco said Sollecito's defense team proved Friday that "there was no party going on that night" at the apartment of Kercher and Knox.
11) Prosecutors allege that Kercher died during an erotic game, with Knox first touching Kercher with the point of a knife, then slitting her throat, while Sollecito held her by the shoulders from behind and Guede tried to sexually assault her.
12) Lawyers for Knox, a 21-year-old from Seattle, said earlier this week that evidence against the woman was insufficient and contradictory.
13) Guede, 21, has acknowledged being in Kercher's room but has denied killing her. His lawyer, Nicodemo Gentile, said the argument presented by Sollecito's defense was "fiction" not supported by evidence, according to the ANSA news agency.
14) Guede's lawyers were scheduled to make their arguments Saturday.
2008-10-25
Defendants trade blame in British student slaying
(APW_ENG_20081025.0478)
1) Lawyers for an Ivory Coast man on trial in the slaying of a British student tried to shift blame Saturday to the other two defendants in the case, suggesting that the American woman and her Italian boyfriend had tried to wash away the victim's blood.
2) Meredith Kercher, 21, was found stabbed in the neck in her bedroom in a rented house in the Umbrian university town of Perugia on the night of Nov. 1, 2007.
3) Prosecutors allege that Kercher died during what began as a sex game, with defendant Raffaele Sollecito holding her by the shoulders from behind while his then-girlfriend Amanda Knox of Seattle, one of Kercher's flatmates, touched her with the point of a knife and Rudy Hermann Guede of Ivory Coast tried to sexually assault her. Prosecutors allege that Knox then stabbed Kercher in the throat..
4) Sollecito's defense team argued in court Friday that Kercher was slain by an intruder during a burglary gone wrong and suggested outside court that Guede was the killer.
5) Guede has admitted being in the house, saying he was in the bathroom when Kercher was attacked and that he rushed into the bedroom to try to rescue her.
6) Guede's lawyer lawyer Valter Biscotti said Saturday that investigators had found traces of blood diluted with water in the house. He told reporters outside the closed-door hearing that Sollecito and Knox probably had tried to wash away evidence after carrying out the killing.
7) "Sollecito and Amanda went back to that house and probably carried out cleaning," Biscotti was quoted by the Italian news agency ANSA as saying.
8) Guede's request for a fast-track trial was granted and he has been on trial since last month.
9) A verdict in Guede's trial and rulings on requests for murder indictments of Knox and Sollecito are expected within a week.
10) Sollecito has said he was in his own apartment in Perugia the night of the slaying and doesn't remember if Knox spent part or all of that night with him.
11) Knox told investigators she was in the house when Kercher was killed, and covered her ears against the victim's screams. Later, Knox said she wasn't in the house and returned the next day.
12) Lawyer Nicodemo Gentile said the defense argued in the closed door hearing that Guede was the only suspect who stuck to his version of events.
Defendants trade blame in British student slaying
(APW_ENG_20081025.0479)
1) Lawyers for an Ivory Coast man on trial in the slaying of a British student tried to shift blame Saturday to the other two defendants in the case, suggesting that the American woman and her Italian boyfriend had tried to wash away the victim's blood.
2) Meredith Kercher, 21, was found stabbed in the neck in her bedroom in a rented house in the Umbrian university town of Perugia on the night of Nov. 1, 2007.
3) Prosecutors allege that Kercher died during what began as a sex game, with defendant Raffaele Sollecito holding her by the shoulders from behind while his then-girlfriend Amanda Knox of Seattle, one of Kercher's flatmates, touched her with the point of a knife and Rudy Hermann Guede of Ivory Coast tried to sexually assault her. Prosecutors allege that Knox then stabbed Kercher in the throat..
4) Sollecito's defense team argued in court Friday that Kercher was slain by an intruder during a burglary gone wrong and suggested outside court that Guede was the killer.
5) Guede has admitted being in the house, saying he was in the bathroom when Kercher was attacked and that he rushed into the bedroom to try to rescue her.
6) Guede's lawyer lawyer Valter Biscotti said Saturday that investigators had found traces of blood diluted with water in the house. He told reporters outside the closed-door hearing that Sollecito and Knox probably had tried to wash away evidence after carrying out the killing.
7) "Sollecito and Amanda went back to that house and probably carried out cleaning," Biscotti was quoted by the Italian news agency ANSA as saying.
8) Guede's request for a fast-track trial was granted and he has been on trial since last month.
9) A verdict in Guede's trial and rulings on requests for murder indictments of Knox and Sollecito are expected within a week.
10) Sollecito has said he was in his own apartment in Perugia the night of the slaying and doesn't remember if Knox spent part or all of that night with him.
11) Knox told investigators she was in the house when Kercher was killed, and covered her ears against the victim's screams. Later, Knox said she wasn't in the house and returned the next day.
12) Lawyer Nicodemo Gentile said the defense argued in the closed door hearing that Guede was the only suspect who stuck to his version of events.
2008-10-27
Decision nears in Italy in case of slain Briton
(APW_ENG_20081027.0939)
1) Prosecutors rejected claims Monday that police contaminated evidence used for its case and requested an American woman and her former Italian boyfriend stand trial for killing a British student.
2) The prosecution closed its arguments Monday at the courthouse in Perugia, central Italy, and a judge is expected to rule Tuesday whether Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito will go on trial for the killing.
3) Meredith Kercher, a 21-year-old student from Leeds University in England, was found dead in her bedroom Nov. 2 from a stab wound to the neck. Prosecutors say she was killed while an unwilling participant of a sex game.
4) They also asked that a third suspect, Rudy Hermann Guede of Ivory Coast, be sentenced to life. Guede is undergoing a fast-track trial at his request.
5) All suspects, who appeared in court Monday, deny wrongdoing.
6) Prosecutors claim that key evidence linking Sollecito to the death is from his DNA found on the victim's bra.
7) But Sollecito's defense argued in the closed-doors hearing that multiple DNA traces were found on the bra -- not just from one person -- suggesting the evidence was inadvertently contaminated by police. Lawyers said the traces were compatible with the DNA of fellow suspects Knox and Guede, as well as of other people.
8) "This is not a genetic trace belonging to one single person but it's a mix, a combination resulting from contamination, obviously involuntary, and therefore should not be admitted as evidence in court," one of Sollecito's lawyers, Giulia Bongiorno, said. She cited an examination by a defense team expert.
9) Prosecutor Manuela Comodi said during a break in the proceedings that "we gave a substantially different interpretation on the same elements" than the defense, including the bra.
Decision nears in Italy in case of slain Briton
(APW_ENG_20081027.1014)
1) Prosecutors rejected claims Monday that police contaminated evidence used for its case and requested that an American woman and her former Italian boyfriend stand trial for allegedly killing a British student.
2) The prosecution closed its arguments Monday at the courthouse in Perugia, central Italy, and a judge is expected to rule Tuesday whether Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito will be tried for the killing.
3) Meredith Kercher, a 21-year-old student from Leeds University in England, was found dead in her bedroom Nov. 2, 2007, from a stab wound to the neck. Prosecutors say she was killed while an unwilling participant of a sex game.
4) They also asked that a third suspect, Rudy Hermann Guede of Ivory Coast, be sentenced to life. Guede is undergoing a fast-track trial at his request.
5) All suspects, who appeared in court Monday, deny wrongdoing.
6) Prosecutors claim that key evidence linking Sollecito to the death is from his DNA found on the victim's bra.
7) But Sollecito's defense argued Monday in the closed-door hearing that multiple DNA traces were found on the bra -- not just from one person -- suggesting the evidence was inadvertently contaminated by police. Lawyers said the traces were compatible with the DNA of fellow suspects Knox and Guede, as well as of other people.
8) "This is not a genetic trace belonging to one single person, but it's a mix, a combination resulting from contamination, obviously involuntary, and therefore should not be admitted as evidence in court," one of Sollecito's lawyers, Giulia Bongiorno, said. She cited an examination by a defense team expert.
9) Prosecutor Manuela Comodi said during a break in the proceedings that "we gave a substantially different interpretation on the same elements" than the defense, including the bra.
10) Knox's lawyer Carlo Dalla Vedova told reporters after the hearing that his American client "has faith and can't wait for this nightmare to be over."
11) "She's been in jail for a year, and she doesn't even know why," he said. Italian law allows for suspects in serious crimes to be jailed before indictment, if they are considered a flight risk.
12) Prosecutors allege that Knox stabbed Kercher in the throat, while Sollecito and Guede held her down and Guede tried to sexually assault her.
2008-10-28
Decision expected in Italy in case of slain Briton
(APW_ENG_20081028.0413)
1) An Italian judge is expected to hand down a verdict Tuesday in the trial of a man accused of killing a British student a year ago.
2) The judge also began deliberations on whether an American woman, Amanda Knox of Seattle, and her former Italian boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, should stand trial. Both have been in custody for about a year. Neither has been formally charged.
3) Knox, 21, and Sollecito, 24, have been jailed for about a year since the slaying of Meredith Kercher in Perugia, in central Italy. Neither has been formally charged.
4) Prosecutors are seeking a life sentence for Rudy Hermann Guede of Ivory Coast, who is undergoing a fast-track trial at his request. The judge, Paolo Micheli, is expected to issue a verdict on Guede and a ruling on the indictment of the others on Tuesday afternoon.
5) Kercher was found dead from a stab wound Nov. 2. Prosecutors allege she was killed during a sex game.
6) All suspects deny wrongdoing. They were at the courthouse in Perugia on Tuesday.
7) Lawyers for Knox and Sollecito have also asked that their clients be granted house arrest in case they are ordered to stand trial.
Decision expected in Italy in case of slain Briton
(APW_ENG_20081028.0709)
1) An Italian judge began deliberations Tuesday on whether to hand down the first conviction in the 2007 slaying of a British student and indict an American woman and her former Italian boyfriend in the case.
2) Both decisions were expected later in the day.
3) Amanda Knox of Seattle, 21, and her former Italian boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito, 24, have been jailed for about a year since the slaying of Meredith Kercher in Perugia, central Italy. Neither has been formally charged.
4) A third suspect, Rudy Hermann Guede of Ivory Coast, is undergoing a fast-track trial at his request. Prosecutors are seeking a life sentence for him.
5) All of the suspects deny wrongdoing. They were in separate cells at the courthouse Tuesday awaiting the decision by Judge Paolo Micheli. Knox's lawyer Luciano Ghirga described his client as "tense and extremely worried."
6) Kercher, a 21-year-old student from Leeds University in England, was found dead Nov. 2 in the apartment she shared with Knox. She died from a stab wound to the neck.
7) Lawyers for Knox and Sollecito have also asked that their clients be granted house arrest in case they are ordered to stand trial. Ghirga proposed that the American, who is considered a flight risk, be held at a community for recovering drug addicts and young offenders run by a Catholic charity near Perugia.
8) Prosecutors allege that Kercher died during what began as a sex game, with Sollecito holding her by the shoulders from behind while Knox touched her with the point of a knife and Guede tried to sexually assault her. Prosecutors say Knox stabbed Kercher in the throat.
9) Guede has admitted being in the house, saying he was in the bathroom when Kercher was attacked and that he rushed into the bedroom to try to rescue her. Scared, he immediately fled the scene, he said.
10) Sollecito has said he was in his own apartment in Perugia and that he doesn't remember if Knox spent part or all of that night with him.
11) Knox initially told investigators she was in the house when Kercher was killed, and covered her ears against the victim's screams. Later, Knox said she wasn't in the house.
12) Prosecutors say Knox's DNA was found on the handle of a knife that might have been used in the slaying, while Kercher's DNA was found on the blade.
13) They say they found Sollecito's DNA on the victim's bra, although Sollecito's defense team says the bra bore multiple DNA traces and charge the evidence might have been inadvertently contaminated during the investigation.
Lawyer: 1 convicted, 2 indicted in Briton ' s murder
(APW_ENG_20081028.1256)
1) A lawyer says an Ivory Coast national has been convicted of murdering a British woman in central Italy, while an American student and her former Italian boyfriend will stand trial for the same crime.
2) Francesco Maresca, a lawyer for the victim's family, says a judge on Tuesday indicted Amanda Knox of Seattle and Raffaele Sollecito on charges of murder and sexual violence in the slaying of Meredith Kercher in Perugia last year. The trial will start Dec. 4.
3) A third suspect, Rudy Hermann Guede of Ivory Coast, was sentenced to 30 years in jail after his defense requested a fast-track trial.
4) All deny wrongdoing.
5) Kercher, a 21-year-old student from England, was found dead Nov. 2 in the apartment she shared with Knox. She died from a stab wound to the neck.
Italy: 1 convicted, 2 indicted in Briton ' s murder
(APW_ENG_20081028.1292)
1) An Ivory Coast national was convicted Tuesday of murdering a British woman in central Italy, while a judge ruled that an American student and her former Italian boyfriend must stand trial for the same crime, lawyers said.
2) The judge indicted Amanda Knox of Seattle and Raffaele Sollecito on charges of murder and sexual violence in the slaying of Meredith Kercher in Perugia last year, said Francesco Maresca, a lawyer for the victim's family. The trial will start Dec. 4.
3) A third suspect, Rudy Hermann Guede of Ivory Coast, was sentenced to 30 years in jail after his defense requested a fast-track trial, Maresca said. Prosecutors had asked for life in prison, but such a sentence is normally reduced to 30 years in a fast-track trial.
4) All suspects deny wrongdoing.
5) Kercher, a 21-year-old student from England, was found dead Nov. 2 in the apartment she shared with Knox. She died from a stab wound to the neck.
6) Judge Paolo Micheli emerged with a verdict after almost 12 of hours of deliberations. All the proceedings were held behind closed doors.
7) Lawyers for Knox and Sollecito, who were jailed shortly after the slaying, had asked that their clients be granted house arrest if indicted. Lawyers leaving the court house in Perugia said Micheli did not rule on the request and a decision is expected in the coming days.
8) Prosecutors allege that Kercher died during what began as a sex game, with Sollecito holding her by the shoulders from behind while Knox touched her with the point of a knife and Guede tried to sexually assault her. Prosecutors say Knox then fatally stabbed Kercher in the throat.
9) Guede has acknowledged being in the house, saying he was in the bathroom when Kercher was attacked and that he rushed into the bedroom to try to rescue her. Scared, he immediately fled the scene, he said.
10) Sollecito, 24, has said he was in his own apartment in Perugia and that he doesn't remember if Knox spent part or all of that night with him.
11) Knox, 21, initially told investigators she was in the house when Kercher was killed, and covered her ears against the victim's screams. Later, Knox said she wasn't in the house.
12) Prosecutors say Knox's DNA was found on the handle of a knife that might have been used in the slaying, while Kercher's DNA was found on the blade.
13) They say they found Sollecito's DNA on the victim's bra, although Sollecito's defense team says the bra bore multiple DNA traces and charge the evidence might have been inadvertently contaminated during the investigation.
Italy: 1 convicted, 2 indicted in Briton ' s murder
(APW_ENG_20081028.1327)
1) An Ivory Coast national was convicted Tuesday of murdering a British woman in central Italy, while a judge ruled that an American student and her former Italian boyfriend must stand trial for the same crime, lawyers said.
2) The judge indicted Amanda Knox of Seattle and Raffaele Sollecito on charges of murder and sexual violence in the slaying of Meredith Kercher in Perugia last year, said Francesco Maresca, a lawyer for the victim's family. The trial will start Dec. 4.
3) A third suspect, Rudy Hermann Guede of Ivory Coast, was sentenced to 30 years in jail after his defense requested a fast-track trial, Maresca said. Prosecutors had asked for life in prison, but such a sentence is normally reduced to 30 years in a fast-track trial.
4) All suspects deny wrongdoing.
5) Kercher, a 21-year-old student from England, was found dead Nov. 2 in the apartment she shared with Knox. She died from a stab wound to the neck.
6) Knox' lawyer Luciano Ghirga said the American "was quite disappointed" by the ruling. "She is ready to start again," Ghirga told reporters. "The (first) hearing is very close, we have to reorganize our defense line in time."
7) Judge Paolo Micheli emerged with a verdict after almost 12 of hours of deliberations. All the proceedings were held behind closed doors.
8) Lawyers for Knox and Sollecito, who were jailed shortly after the slaying, had asked that their clients be granted house arrest if indicted. Lawyers leaving the court house in Perugia said Micheli did not rule on the request and a decision is expected in the coming days.
9) Prosecutors allege that Kercher died during what began as a sex game, with Sollecito holding her by the shoulders from behind while Knox touched her with the point of a knife and Guede tried to sexually assault her. Prosecutors say Knox then fatally stabbed Kercher in the throat.
10) Guede has acknowledged being in the house, saying he was in the bathroom when Kercher was attacked and that he rushed into the bedroom to try to rescue her. Scared, he immediately fled the scene, he said.
11) Sollecito, 24, has said he was in his own apartment in Perugia and that he doesn't remember if Knox spent part or all of that night with him.
12) Knox, 21, initially told investigators she was in the house when Kercher was killed, and covered her ears against the victim's screams. Later, Knox said she wasn't in the house.
13) Prosecutors say Knox's DNA was found on the handle of a knife that might have been used in the slaying, while Kercher's DNA was found on the blade.
14) They say they found Sollecito's DNA on the victim's bra, although Sollecito's defense team says the bra bore multiple DNA traces and charge the evidence might have been inadvertently contaminated during the investigation.
Italy: 1 convicted, 2 indicted in Briton ' s murder
(APW_ENG_20081028.1406)
1) An Ivory Coast national was convicted Tuesday of murdering a British woman in central Italy, while a judge ruled that an American student and her former Italian boyfriend must stand trial for the same crime, lawyers said.
2) The judge indicted Amanda Knox of Seattle and Raffaele Sollecito on charges of murder and sexual violence in the slaying of Meredith Kercher in Perugia last year, said Francesco Maresca, a lawyer for the victim's family. The trial will start Dec. 4.
3) A third suspect, Rudy Hermann Guede of Ivory Coast, was sentenced to 30 years in jail on the same charges after his defense requested a fast-track trial, Maresca said. Prosecutors had asked for life in prison, but such a sentence is normally reduced to 30 years in a fast-track trial.
4) All suspects deny wrongdoing.
5) Kercher, a 21-year-old student from England, was found dead Nov. 2 in the apartment she shared with Knox. She died from a stab wound to the neck.
6) Knox lawyer Luciano Ghirga said the American "was quite disappointed" by the ruling. "She is ready to start again," Ghirga told reporters. "The (first) hearing is very close, we have to reorganize our defense line in time."
7) Judge Paolo Micheli emerged with a verdict after almost 12 of hours of deliberations. All the proceedings were held behind closed doors and the three suspects awaited the ruling in separate cells at the courthouse.
8) Also attending the hearing was Kercher's family, including her mother, father, two brothers and a sister.
9) "We are as pleased as we can be with the decision, at the end of the day we are here because our sister Meredith was murdered," brother Lyle Kercher said at a news conference.
10) The victim's other brother, John, said he was "overwhelmed" when the judge handed down a guilty verdict for Guede.
11) Lawyers for Knox and Sollecito, who were jailed shortly after the slaying, had asked that their clients be granted house arrest if indicted. Lawyers leaving the courthouse in Perugia said Micheli did not rule on the request and a decision is expected in the coming days.
12) Prosecutors allege that Kercher died during what began as a sex game, with Sollecito holding her by the shoulders from behind while Knox touched her with the point of a knife and Guede tried to sexually assault her. Prosecutors say Knox then fatally stabbed Kercher in the throat.
13) Guede has acknowledged being in the house, saying he was in the bathroom when Kercher was attacked and that he rushed into the bedroom to try to rescue her. Scared, he immediately fled the scene, he said.
14) Sollecito, 24, has said he was in his own apartment in Perugia and that he doesn't remember if Knox spent part or all of that night with him.
15) Knox, 21, initially told investigators she was in the house when Kercher was killed, and covered her ears against the victim's screams. Later, Knox said she wasn't in the house.
16) Prosecutors say Knox's DNA was found on the handle of a knife that might have been used in the slaying, while Kercher's DNA was found on the blade.
17) They say they found Sollecito's DNA on the victim's bra, although Sollecito's defense team says the bra bore multiple DNA traces and charge the evidence might have been inadvertently contaminated during the investigation.
2008-10-29
Italy: 1 convicted, 2 indicted in Briton ' s murder
(APW_ENG_20081029.0181)
1) A judge on Tuesday handed down the first verdict in the slaying of a British woman in central Italy, convicting an Ivory Coast national for murder and ordering an American student and her former Italian boyfriend to stand trial for the same crime.
2) A judge indicted Amanda Knox of Seattle and Raffaele Sollecito on charges of murder and sexual violence in the slaying of Meredith Kercher in Perugia last year, said Francesco Maresca, a lawyer for the victim's family. The trial will start Dec. 4.
3) A third suspect, Rudy Hermann Guede of Ivory Coast, was sentenced to 30 years in jail on the same charges after his defense requested a fast-track trial, Maresca said. Prosecutors had asked for life in prison, but such a sentence is normally reduced to 30 years in a fast-track trial.
4) All the suspects deny wrongdoing.
5) Kercher, a 21-year-old student from England, was found dead Nov. 2 in the apartment she shared with Knox. She died from a stab wound to the neck.
6) Knox's lawyer Luciano Ghirga said the American "was quite disappointed" by the ruling. "She is ready to start again," Ghirga told reporters. "The (first) hearing is very close, we have to reorganize our defense line in time."
7) If convicted, Knox and Sollecito could face life in prison.
8) Knox's divorced parents, Curt Knox and Edda Mellas, said in a statement that they were "extremely disappointed and surprised" by the judge's decision, "given the weakness of the evidence against" their daughter.
9) "We believe that she will eventually be proven innocent of all charges against her and we will support her in every way possible as we work toward her complete exoneration," the parents said.
10) Judge Paolo Micheli emerged with a verdict after almost 12 of hours of deliberations. All the proceedings were held behind closed doors and the three suspects awaited the ruling in separate cells at the courthouse.
11) Also attending the hearing was Kercher's family, including her mother, father, two brothers and a sister.
12) "We are as pleased as we can be with the decision, at the end of the day we are here because our sister Meredith was murdered," brother Lyle Kercher said at a news conference at a hotel in Perugia.
13) The victim's other brother, John, said he was "overwhelmed" when the judge handed down a guilty verdict for Guede.
14) Lawyers for Knox and Sollecito, who were jailed shortly after the slaying, had asked that their clients be granted house arrest if indicted. Lawyers leaving the courthouse in Perugia said Micheli did not rule on the request and a decision is expected in the coming days.
15) Prosecutors allege that Kercher died during what began as a sex game, with Sollecito holding her by the shoulders from behind while Knox touched her with the point of a knife and Guede tried to sexually assault her. Prosecutors say Knox then fatally stabbed Kercher in the throat.
16) Guede, 21, has acknowledged being in the house, saying he was in the bathroom when Kercher was attacked and that he rushed into the bedroom to try to rescue her. Scared, he immediately fled the scene, he said.
17) Lawyers for Guede said they planned to appeal the sentence. The Ivorian was also ordered to pay damages to Kercher's family.
18) Sollecito, 24, has said he was in his own apartment in Perugia and that he doesn't remember if Knox spent part or all of that night with him.
19) Knox, 21, initially told investigators she was in the house when Kercher was killed, and covered her ears against the victim's screams. Later, Knox said she wasn't in the house.
20) Prosecutors say Knox's DNA was found on the handle of a knife that might have been used in the slaying, while Kercher's DNA was found on the blade.
21) They say they found Sollecito's DNA on the victim's bra, although Sollecito's defense team says the bra bore multiple DNA traces and charge the evidence might have been inadvertently contaminated during the investigation.
Judge to rule if suspects can be freed from jail
(APW_ENG_20081029.0851)
1) A judge is considering whether an American student and her former boyfriend can be freed from jail while they await trial in the slaying of a British student in Italy.
2) Judge Paolo Micheli may rule later Wednesday on whether Amanda Knox and her ex-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito can be eligible for house arrest. Their trial begins in December.
3) Micheli has convicted Rudy Hermann Guede of Ivory Coast of murder in the Nov. 2 death of Meredith Kercher. Micheli sentenced him to 30 years in prison.
4) Kercher, 21, was stabbed in the neck in the apartment she shared with Knox in the university town of Perugia.
5) All three denied wrongdoing.
Italian judge mulls bail in student slaying case
(APW_ENG_20081029.0999)
1) An Italian judge is expected Wednesday to decide whether to allow an American student and her former boyfriend out of jail while they await trial in the slaying of a British student.
2) Judge Paolo Micheli is considering whether to grant house arrest to Amanda Knox of Seattle and her ex-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito.
3) The two were indicted for the slaying of 21-year-old British student Meredith Kercher, who was found dead Nov. 2, 2007, from a stab wound to her neck in the apartment she shared with Knox in the central Italian city of Perugia.
4) The two, both of whom have denied wrongdoing, are schedule to begin their trial Dec. 4.
5) The judge on Tuesday convicted a third suspect in the case -- Rudy Hermann Guede of Ivory Coast -- of murder, and sentenced him to 30 years in prison. He also had denied wrongdoing.
6) Defense lawyers have proposed that Knox, whom prosecutors consider a flight risk, be held at a community for recovering drug addicts and young offenders run by a Catholic charity near Perugia.
7) "We would take anything to get her out of prison," her father, Curt, told The Associated Press by telephone Wednesday, adding that going back to the United States does not seem "to be an option."
8) Knox and Sollecito have been detained for almost a year, Sollecito in the nearby city of Terni and Knox in Perugia.
Italian judge denies bail in student slaying case
(APW_ENG_20081029.1462)
1) A judge ruled Wednesday that an American and her Italian ex-boyfriend must remain in custody while awaiting trial in the killing of a British student in Italy, lawyers said.
2) Judge Paolo Micheli rejected defense lawyers' requests that Amanda Knox, a student from Seattle, and Raffaele Sollecito be held under house arrest until their trial starts Dec. 4.
3) The two were indicted for the slaying of 21-year-old Meredith Kercher, who was found dead Nov. 2, 2007, from a stab wound to her neck in the apartment she shared with Knox in the central Italian city of Perugia.
4) Both Knox and Sollecito have denied wrongdoing.
5) Defense lawyers had proposed that Knox, whom prosecutors consider a flight risk, be held at a community for recovering drug addicts and young offenders run by a Catholic charity near Perugia.
6) Francesco Maresca, a lawyer for Kercher's family, said the judge turned down the request in a 17-page ruling Wednesday, but he did not give the judge's reasoning.
7) "We would take anything to get her out of prison," Knox's father, Curt, told The Associated Press by telephone before the decision.
8) Knox and Sollecito have been detained for almost a year, Sollecito in the nearby city of Terni and Knox in Perugia.
9) On Tuesday the judge convicted a third suspect in the case -- Rudy Hermann Guede of Ivory Coast -- of murder, and sentenced him to 30 years in prison after a fast-track trial his defense had requested. He also had denied wrongdoing.
2008-11-25
Trial for US suspect in Italy delayed to January
(APW_ENG_20081125.0643)
1) The trial of an American woman accused in the slaying of her roommate in Italy has been postponed until January.
2) The trial had been scheduled to open next week. Lawyers said Tuesday a judge ordered a delay until Jan. 16 to give court officials more time to put together documentation.
3) Seattle student Amanda Knox and her former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito are on trial on charges of murder and sexual violence in the 2007 slaying of British student Meredith Kercher. The two deny wrongdoing.
4) Last month, a judge convicted Rudy Hermann Guede, of Ivory Coast, on the same charges and sentenced him to 30 years in prison.
5) Guede, who also denied any wrongdoing, was tried separately under a fast-track procedure.
2008-12-11
Knox appears in jailhouse movie
(APW_ENG_20081211.1001)
1) An American student accused of the slaying of her British roommate in Italy has appeared in a jailhouse movie, prison officials and the film's director said Thursday.
2) Seattle student Amanda Knox performed in the 55-minute movie called "L'Ultima Citta" (The Last City), which tells the story of 12 female inmates who take an imaginary journey through seven fantasy cities, said director Claudio Carini.
3) Officials canceled plans to show the film publicly because of fears it might impact on Knox's case.
4) The making of the film was part of a series of social reintegration initiatives for inmates at Capanne prison, near Perugia, that also included sporting and cultural events. Such projects are common in Italian prisons.
5) "Like all the others, she acted very well. She was very disciplined," Carini said in a telephone interview.
6) He said that Knox acted both in English and Italian and "had a lot of fun."
7) The movie, which Carini started shooting in September at the Capanne prison, includes excerpts from Shakespeare and Portuguese poet Fernando Pessoa. Carini declined to say how much the film cost.
8) Knox, 21, and her Italian former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito were indicted in October on charges of murder and sexual violence in the 2007 slaying of British student Meredith Kercher in Perugia in November 2007. The two deny wrongdoing.
9) A trial is scheduled to open Jan. 16.
10) The film had been slated to screen Dec. 14 at a Perugia film festival but prison officials and the local authorities who commissioned the movie put it on indefinite hold.
11) The idea for the project began in June 2007 -- months before Kercher's murder -- so Knox's participation in it is purely coincidental, regional official Damiano Stufara said in a statement. Carini has been involved in a number of previous film projects.
12) The director of the Capanne prison, Antonio Fullone, who has seen the movie, said Thursday that because of Knox's participation in the film, "We thought it most appropriate not to screen it at the festival."
13) Fullone said a decision on whether to make the movie public has not been made yet.
14) Knox's lawyers in Italy and a spokesman in Seattle representing Knox's family were not immediately available for comment. Lawyers for Kercher's family also could not immediately be reached.
15) Knox and Sollecito have been in custody for over a year. A third man, Ivorian Rudy Hermann Guede has been convicted on the same charges and sentenced to 30 years in prison. Guede had asked for a fast-track trial.
16) The case, and particularly Knox's alleged role, has made headlines in Italy, Britain and beyond in part because of the light it has shone on the seemingly privileged world of students spending a semester or year abroad studying.
2008-12-23
Knox ' s Christmas wish: warm socks, and freedom
(APW_ENG_20081223.0601)
1) Amanda Knox's Christmas wish list is simple: A sketch pad, some food, warm clothes -- and freedom.
2) The American student accused of killing her British roommate is preparing to spend her second Christmas in an Italian jail as she awaits trial for the 2007 killing of Meredith Kercher.
3) The 21-year-old Knox has been detained for over a year in the picturesque medieval city of Perugia on charges of murder and sexual violence. Her trial, and that of her former Italian boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito, is slated to open Jan. 16, over a month later than originally planned.
4) "She's disappointed, but seems to be holding up pretty well under the circumstances," Knox's family said in an e-mailed statement to The Associated Press.
5) Knox is planning to attend an in-jail Christmas Day Mass, the family said.
6) Even if visitors are not allowed to bring in wrapped presents, Knox's parents are trying to get her "warm sheets, slippers, cold weather underwear, wool socks and a sweater." They said she also asked for some food items and a sketch pad and wishes she was "out of prison."
7) Knox, a University of Washington student, was on an exchange program in Italy and sharing a flat with Kercher, a 21-year-old student from Leeds University in England, when Kercher was found dead in their apartment Nov. 2, 2007.
8) In the first conviction in the case, a judge in October sentenced Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede to 30 years in prison on murder and sexual violence charges. Guede underwent a fast-track trial at his request. Guede, Knox and Sollecito have denied wrongdoing.
9) Prosecutors allege that Kercher was killed during what began as a sex game, with Sollecito holding her by the shoulders from behind while Knox touched her with the point of a knife. They say Guede tried to sexually assault Kercher, and then Knox fatally stabbed her in the throat.
10) Prosecutors say Knox's DNA was found on the handle of a knife that might have been used in the slaying, while Kercher's DNA was found on the blade.
11) The case, and particularly Knox's alleged role, has made headlines in Italy and abroad in part for the light it has shone on the seemingly privileged world of students spending a semester or year abroad studying.
Amanda Knox spending 2nd Xmas in Italian jail
(APW_ENG_20081223.0729)
1) The family of an American student accused of killing her British roommate says she is heading into her second Christmas in jail disappointed at a trial delay but "holding up pretty well under the circumstances."
2) Amanda Knox, 21, has been detained for over a year in the picturesque medieval city of Perugia on charges of murder and sexual violence in the 2007 slaying of Meredith Kercher.
3) Her trial, and that of her former Italian boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito, is slated to open Jan. 16, over a month later than originally planned.
4) Knox is planning to attend an in-jail Christmas Day Mass, the family said in a recent statement emailed to The Associated Press.
5) Visitors are not allowed to bring in wrapped presents, but Knox's parents are trying to get her "warm sheets, slippers, cold weather underwear, wool socks and a sweater."
6) For their part, Kercher's family will be spending their second Christmas without Meredith. Kercher's parents and siblings have been following the legal proceedings in Perugia and were on hand when a third suspect, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede, was convicted in October.
7) Knox, a University of Washington student, was on an exchange program in Italy and sharing a flat with Kercher, a 21-year-old student from Leeds University in England, when Kercher was found dead in their apartment Nov. 2, 2007.
8) Guede was sentenced to 30 years in prison on murder and sexual violence charges. He underwent a fast-track trial at his request. Guede, Knox and Sollecito have denied wrongdoing.
9) Prosecutors allege that Kercher was killed during what began as a sex game, with Sollecito holding her by the shoulders from behind while Knox touched her with the point of a knife. They say Guede tried to sexually assault Kercher, and then Knox fatally stabbed her in the throat.
10) Prosecutors say Knox's DNA was found on the handle of a knife that might have been used in the slaying, while Kercher's DNA was found on the blade.
11) The case, and particularly Knox's alleged role, has made headlines in Italy and abroad in part for the light it has shone on the seemingly privileged world of students spending a semester or year abroad studying.
2009-01-15
Trial to open Friday for US suspect in Italy
(APW_ENG_20090115.0614)
1) The slaying of a 21-year-old British woman allegedly while fighting off a sexual attack shocked Italy and cast a dark cloud over the privileged world of young people studying abroad.
2) More than a year after the death of Meredith Kercher, her American roommate Amanda Knox and Knox's former Italian boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito go on trial Friday on charges of murder and sexual violence.
3) Knox, 21, from Seattle, and Sollecito, 24, will face an eight-member jury in a tiny courthouse in the picturesque medieval city of Perugia, 115 miles (185 kilometers) north of Rome.
4) Lawyers say they expect the two defendants -- who both proclaim their innocence -- to be in court, although their presence is not required under Italian law.
5) Kercher's family is seeking to have the proceedings closed to the public and the media to prevent sensitive evidence from being published, said their lawyer Francesco Maresca. According to Italian law, trials are normally open but can be held behind closed doors in sexual violence cases.
6) The presiding judge is expected to make a decision during Friday's hearing, Maresca said.
7) Both Knox and Sollecito were denied bail and have been detained for more than a year in Italy. They were indicted in October.
8) Also in October, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede was sentenced to 30 years in prison after being convicted on the same charges. Guede, who had also denied any wrongdoing, underwent a fast-track trial at his request.
9) Knox, a University of Washington student, was on an exchange program in Italy and sharing a flat with Kercher, an exchange student from Leeds University in England, when the Briton was found dead in their apartment Nov. 2, 2007.
10) Prosecutors allege that the woman was killed during what began as a sex game, with Sollecito holding her by the shoulders from behind while Knox touched her with the point of a knife. They say Guede tried to sexually assault Kercher, and then Knox fatally stabbed her in the throat.
11) Sollecito has maintained he was in his own apartment in Perugia and that he doesn't remember if Knox spent part or all of the night of the murder with him. Knox initially told investigators she was in the house when Kercher was killed and covered her ears against the victim's screams. Later, Knox said she wasn't in the house.
12) Prosecutors say Knox's DNA was found on the handle of a knife that might have been used in the slaying, while Kercher's DNA was found on the blade.
13) They also say they found Sollecito's DNA on the victim's bra, although his defense team says the garment bore multiple DNA traces and alleges the evidence might have been inadvertently contaminated during the investigation.
14) Italy does not have the death penalty and a conviction could bring a maximum sentence of life in prison.
15) Prosecutors have indicated the court intends to hold a maximum of two sessions of the trial each week. Lawyers say it could last a year.
2009-01-16
Trial opens Friday for US suspect in Italy
(APW_ENG_20090116.0320)
1) An American college student and her former Italian boyfriend go on trial Friday in this picturesque medieval city, accused of sexually assaulting and murdering a fellow student from Britain in a slaying that shocked Italy.
2) Dozens of journalists from Britain, Italy and the United States have converged on Perugia, 115 miles (185 kilometers) north of Rome, for the start of what is expected to be a lengthy trial.
3) Amanda Knox, 21, and her ex-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito, 24, are accused of murder and sexual violence in the 2007 slaying of Meredith Kercher, 21.
4) Lawyers say they expect the two defendants -- who both proclaim their innocence -- to appear before the eight-member jury in the tiny courthouse here, although their presence is not required under Italian law.
5) Kercher's family is seeking to have the proceedings closed to the public and the media to prevent sensitive evidence from being published, said their lawyer Francesco Maresca. According to Italian law, trials are normally open but can be held behind closed doors in sexual violence cases.
6) The presiding judge is expected to make a decision during Friday's hearing, Maresca said.
7) Both Knox and Sollecito were denied bail and have been detained for more than a year in Italy. They were indicted in October.
8) Also in October, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede was sentenced to 30 years in prison after being convicted on the same charges. Guede, who had also denied any wrongdoing, underwent a fast-track trial at his request.
9) Knox, a University of Washington student, was on an exchange program in Italy and sharing a flat with Kercher, an exchange student from Leeds University in England, when the Briton was found dead in their apartment Nov. 2, 2007.
10) Prosecutors allege that the woman was killed during what began as a sex game, with Sollecito holding her by the shoulders from behind while Knox touched her with the point of a knife. They say Guede tried to sexually assault Kercher, and then Knox fatally stabbed her in the throat.
11) Sollecito has maintained he was in his own apartment in Perugia and that he doesn't remember if Knox spent part or all of the night of the murder with him. Knox initially told investigators she was in the house when Kercher was killed and covered her ears against the victim's screams. Later, Knox said she wasn't in the house.
12) Prosecutors say Knox's DNA was found on the handle of a knife that might have been used in the slaying, while Kercher's DNA was found on the blade.
13) They also say they found Sollecito's DNA on the victim's bra, although his defense team says the garment bore multiple DNA traces and alleges the evidence might have been inadvertently contaminated during the investigation.
14) Italy does not have the death penalty and a conviction could bring a maximum sentence of life in prison.
15) Prosecutors have indicated the court intends to hold a maximum of two sessions of the trial each week. Lawyers say it could last a year.
Trial opens for US suspect in Italy slaying
(APW_ENG_20090116.0419)
1) The trial has opened of an American college student and her Italian former boyfriend accused of sexually assaulting and murdering her roommate in a slaying that shocked Italy.
2) Amanda Knox from Seattle and her ex-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito appeared Friday in front of an eight-member jury in the tiny courthouse in Perugia, central Italy.
3) The two were indicted in October for the slaying of 21-year-old British student Meredith Kercher, who was found stabbed to death in the apartment she shared with Knox in 2007.
4) Both defendants deny wrongdoing.
5) Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede, was sentenced to 30 years in prison last year after being convicted on the same charges.
Trial opens for US suspect in Italy slaying
(APW_ENG_20090116.0480)
1) An American college student and her Italian former boyfriend went on trial Friday accused of sexually assaulting and murdering her roommate in a slaying that shocked Italy.
2) Amanda Knox from Seattle and her ex-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito appeared in front of an eight-member jury in the tiny courthouse in Perugia, central Italy, for the first session of what is expected to be a long trial.
3) The defendants -- who both proclaim their innocence -- were indicted in October for the slaying of 21-year-old British student Meredith Kercher, who was found stabbed to death in 2007 in the apartment she shared with Knox in Perugia, a picturesque, medieval city 115 miles (185 kilometers) north of Rome.
4) Knox, 21, wearing jeans and a gray, hooded sweat shirt, smiled and chatted with an interpreter, while Sollecito, 24, wearing beige trousers and a bright green sweater, looked tense. The two were seated next to their lawyers and guarded by prison officers.
5) Kercher's family is seeking to have the proceedings closed to the public and the media to prevent the publication of sensitive evidence. According to Italian law, trials are normally open but can be held behind closed doors in sexual violence cases.
6) The presiding judge is expected to rule on the request and other procedural matters in Friday's hearing.
7) Both Knox and Sollecito, who are accused of murder and sexual assault, were denied bail and have been detained for more than a year in Italy.
8) A third suspect, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede, was sentenced to 30 years in prison last year after being convicted on the same charges. Guede, who had also denied wrongdoing, underwent a fast-track trial at his request.
9) Knox, a University of Washington student, was on an exchange program in Italy and sharing a Perugia flat with Kercher, an exchange student from Leeds University in England, when the Briton was found dead in their apartment Nov. 2, 2007.
10) Prosecutors allege that the woman was killed during what began as a sex game, with Sollecito holding her by the shoulders from behind while Knox touched her with the point of a knife. They say Guede tried to sexually assault Kercher, and then Knox fatally stabbed her in the throat.
11) Sollecito has maintained he was in his own apartment in Perugia and that he doesn't remember if Knox spent part or all the night of the murder with him. Knox initially told investigators she was in the house when Kercher was killed and covered her ears against the victim's screams. Later, Knox said she wasn't in the house.
12) Italy does not have the death penalty and a conviction could bring a maximum sentence of life in prison.
13) Prosecutors have indicated the court intends to hold a maximum of two sessions of the trial each week. Lawyers say it could last a year.
Trial opens for US suspect in Italy slaying
(APW_ENG_20090116.0534)
1) An American college student and her Italian former boyfriend went on trial Friday accused of sexually assaulting and murdering her roommate in a slaying that shocked Italy.
2) Amanda Knox from Seattle and her ex-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito appeared in front of an eight-member jury in the tiny courthouse in Perugia, central Italy, for the first session of what is expected to be a long trial.
3) The defendants -- who both proclaim their innocence -- were indicted in October for the slaying of 21-year-old British student Meredith Kercher, who was found stabbed to death in 2007 in the apartment she shared with Knox in Perugia, a picturesque, medieval city 115 miles (185 kilometers) north of Rome.
4) Knox, 21, wearing jeans and a gray, hooded sweat shirt, smiled and chatted with an interpreter, while Sollecito, 24, wearing beige trousers and a bright green sweater, looked tense. The two were seated next to their lawyers and guarded by prison officers.
5) A lawyer for Kercher's family sought to have the proceedings closed to the public and the media to prevent the publication of sensitive evidence, but the presiding judge ruled the trial would remain open, though some sessions could be held behind closed doors.
6) Both Knox and Sollecito, who are accused of murder and sexual assault, were denied bail and have been detained for more than a year in Italy.
7) A third suspect, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede, was sentenced to 30 years in prison last year after being convicted on the same charges. Guede, who had also denied wrongdoing, underwent a fast-track trial at his request.
8) Knox, a University of Washington student, was on an exchange program in Italy and sharing a Perugia flat with Kercher, an exchange student from Leeds University in England, when the Briton was found dead in their apartment Nov. 2, 2007.
9) Prosecutors allege that the woman was killed during what began as a sex game, with Sollecito holding her by the shoulders from behind while Knox touched her with the point of a knife. They say Guede tried to sexually assault Kercher, and then Knox fatally stabbed her in the throat.
10) Sollecito has maintained he was in his own apartment in Perugia and that he doesn't remember if Knox spent part or all the night of the murder with him. Knox initially told investigators she was in the house when Kercher was killed and covered her ears against the victim's screams. Later, Knox said she wasn't in the house.
11) Italy does not have the death penalty and a conviction could bring a maximum sentence of life in prison.
12) Prosecutors have indicated the court intends to hold a maximum of two sessions of the trial each week. Lawyers say it could last a year.
Trial opens for US suspect in Italy slaying
(APW_ENG_20090116.0722)
1) An American college student and her Italian former boyfriend went on trial Friday accused of sexually assaulting and murdering her roommate in a slaying that shocked Italy.
2) Amanda Knox from Seattle and her ex-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito appeared in front of an eight-member jury in the tiny courthouse in Perugia, central Italy, for the first session of what is expected to be a long trial.
3) The defendants -- who both proclaim their innocence -- were indicted in October for the slaying of 21-year-old British student Meredith Kercher, who was found stabbed to death in 2007 in the apartment she shared with Knox in Perugia, a picturesque, medieval city 115 miles (185 kilometers) north of Rome.
4) Knox, 21, wearing jeans and a gray, hooded sweat shirt, smiled and chatted with an interpreter, while Sollecito, 24, wearing beige trousers and a bright green sweater, looked tense. The two were seated next to their lawyers and guarded by prison officers.
5) A lawyer for Kercher's family sought to have the proceedings closed to the public and the media to prevent the publication of sensitive evidence. Presiding judge Giancarlo Massei barred cameras from filming the proceedings but ruled the trial would remain open, though some sessions could be held behind closed doors.
6) Among other procedural issues discussed, lawyers for Sollecito argued the arrest warrant for their client was invalid because he was not immediately allowed to speak to his attorney.
7) Massei adjourned the proceedings to consider the issue. Later in the afternoon the court was also expected to discuss the witness list.
8) Both Knox and Sollecito, who are accused of murder and sexual assault, were denied bail and have been detained for more than a year in Italy.
9) A third suspect, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede, was sentenced to 30 years in prison last year after being convicted on the same charges. Guede, who had also denied wrongdoing, underwent a fast-track trial at his request.
10) Knox, a University of Washington student, was on an exchange program in Italy and sharing a Perugia flat with Kercher, an exchange student from Leeds University in England, when the Briton was found dead in their apartment Nov. 2, 2007.
11) Prosecutors allege that the woman was killed during what began as a sex game, with Sollecito holding her by the shoulders from behind while Knox touched her with the point of a knife. They say Guede tried to sexually assault Kercher, and then Knox fatally stabbed her in the throat.
12) Sollecito has maintained he was in his own apartment in Perugia and that he doesn't remember if Knox spent part or all the night of the murder with him. Knox initially told investigators she was in the house when Kercher was killed and covered her ears against the victim's screams. Later, Knox said she wasn't in the house.
13) "Raffaele is absolutely not afraid of what can happen during this trial because he knows he's innocent," Sollecito lawyer Giulia Bongiorno told reporters during a break.
14) Italy does not have the death penalty and a conviction could bring a maximum sentence of life in prison.
15) Prosecutors have indicated the court intends to hold a maximum of two sessions of the trial each week. Lawyers say it could last a year.
Trial opens for US suspect in Italy slaying
(APW_ENG_20090116.0959)
1) An American college student and her Italian former boyfriend went on trial Friday charged with sexually assaulting and murdering her roommate in a slaying that shocked Italy.
2) Amanda Knox from Seattle and her ex-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito appeared in front of an eight-member jury in the tiny courthouse in Perugia, central Italy, for the first session of what is expected to be a long trial.
3) The defendants -- who both proclaim their innocence -- were indicted in October for the slaying of 21-year-old British student Meredith Kercher, who was found stabbed to death in 2007 in the apartment she shared with Knox in Perugia, a picturesque, medieval city 115 miles (185 kilometers) north of Rome.
4) Knox, 21, wearing jeans and a gray, hooded sweat shirt, appeared relaxed as she was escorted into the crowded courtroom. She smiled and chatted with an interpreter and guards during breaks in the proceedings. Sollecito, 24, wearing beige trousers and a bright green sweater, looked tense and remained mostly quiet. The two were seated next to their lawyers and guarded by prison officers.
5) A lawyer for Kercher's family sought to have the proceedings closed to the public and the media to prevent the publication of sensitive evidence. Presiding judge Giancarlo Massei barred cameras from filming the proceedings but ruled the trial would remain open, though some sessions could be held behind closed doors.
6) Both Knox and Sollecito, who are accused of murder and sexual assault, were denied bail and have been detained for more than a year in Italy.
7) Among other procedural issues discussed at the hearing, lawyers for Sollecito argued the arrest warrant for their client was invalid because he was not immediately allowed to speak to his attorney. The court dismissed the request.
8) The jury also heard arguments from the defense teams and the prosecution on what evidence and witnesses should be admitted. Massei adjourned the session, and the court was expected to rule on the issue later Friday.
9) Among the witnesses proposed by prosecutors is Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede, who has already been convicted of the same charges and was sentenced to 30 years in prison last year. Guede, who had also denied wrongdoing, underwent a fast-track trial at his request.
10) Knox's lawyers also asked the court to let the American testify.
11) "We want to prove that Amanda Knox was not in the house of the murder that night, but that she was with Raffaele Sollecito somewhere else," said lawyer Luciano Ghirga.
12) Knox, a University of Washington student, was on an exchange program in Italy and sharing a Perugia flat with Kercher, an exchange student from Leeds University in England, when the Briton was found dead in their apartment Nov. 2, 2007.
13) Prosecutors allege that the woman was killed during what began as a sex game, with Sollecito holding her by the shoulders from behind while Knox touched her with the point of a knife. They say Guede tried to sexually assault Kercher, and then Knox fatally stabbed her in the throat.
14) Sollecito has maintained he was in his own apartment in Perugia and that he doesn't remember if Knox spent part or all the night of the murder with him. Knox initially told investigators she was in the house when Kercher was killed and covered her ears against the victim's screams. Later, Knox said she wasn't in the house.
15) "Raffaele is absolutely not afraid of what can happen during this trial because he knows he's innocent," Sollecito lawyer Giulia Bongiorno told reporters during a break.
16) Italy does not have the death penalty and a conviction could bring a maximum sentence of life in prison.
17) Prosecutors have indicated the court intends to hold a maximum of two sessions of the trial each week. Lawyers say it could last a year.
Trial opens for US suspect in Italy slaying
(APW_ENG_20090116.1260)
1) A judge ruled Friday that the trial of an American student accused of killing her British roommate would remain open to the media despite concerns about the indignity of releasing sensitive details of an alleged sexual attack.
2) On the first day of the trial of Amanda Knox and her former Italian boyfriend, presiding Judge Giancarlo Massei rejected a request by the family of victim Meredith Kercher to have the proceedings closed to the public and the media.
3) Massei barred cameras from filming, but ruled the trial would remain open to print journalists -- although some sessions could be closed. The next session was scheduled for Feb. 6.
4) The ruling was one of several technical issues ironed out at the start of the trial of Knox, 21, from Seattle, and Raffaele Sollecito, 24.
5) Both are charged with murder and sexual violence in the slaying of Kercher, who was found stabbed to death Nov. 2, 2007 in the apartment she shared with Knox in Perugia, 115 miles (185 kilometers) north of Rome where both were exchange students.
6) Both Knox and Sollecito deny any wrongdoing.
7) Knox appeared relaxed during the hearing, smiling often and chatting with her interpreter and guards during breaks. Wearing jeans and a hooded sweat shirt over a striped shirt, she sat next to her lawyers -- not in the cages often used for defendants in Italian trials.
8) Sollecito, in beige trousers and a bright green sweater, looked tense and remained mostly quiet throughout the hearing. The two did not interact.
9) A third defendant, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede, was convicted last year of the same charges and was sentenced to 30 years in prison. Guede, who had also denied wrongdoing, underwent a fast-track trial at his request.
10) Prosecutors allege that Kercher was killed during what began as a sex game, with Sollecito holding her by the shoulders from behind while Knox touched her with the point of a knife. They say Guede tried to sexually assault Kercher, and then Knox fatally stabbed her in the throat.
11) "Justice has already been done with the conviction of the one person responsible, to 30-years in jail," Sollecito attorney Luca Maori told the court, referring to Guede.
12) Sollecito has maintained he was in his own apartment in Perugia and that he doesn't remember if Knox spent part or all the night of the murder with him. Knox initially told investigators she was in the house when Kercher was killed and covered her ears against the victim's screams. Later, Knox said she wasn't in the house.
13) Knox's attorney, lawyer Luciano Ghirga, said he wanted to prove that Knox was with Sollecito somewhere else at the time of Kercher's death.
14) "Amanda is determined and serene but she is facing a very delicate trial," Ghirga said. "It is a mixture of feelings but she is a very good girl, and we hope we can help her."
15) The court ruled that both Knox and Guede could testify; some 150 witnesses are expected and lawyers say the trial could last at least a year.
16) Another one of Sollecito's lawyers, Giulia Bongiorno, said her client and Knox were not longtime lovers looking for new sexual experiences, as suggested by prosecutors. She said the two were "little lovebirds" who were only "in the first week of their love story."
17) Both Knox and Sollecito were denied bail and have been detained for more than a year in Italy. Italy does not have the death penalty and a conviction could bring a maximum sentence of life in prison.
Trial opens for US suspect in Italy slaying
(APW_ENG_20090116.1414)
1) A judge ruled Friday that the trial of an American student accused of killing her British roommate would remain open to the media despite concerns about the indignity of releasing sensitive details of an alleged sexual attack.
2) On the first day of the trial of Amanda Knox and her former Italian boyfriend, presiding Judge Giancarlo Massei rejected a request by the family of victim Meredith Kercher to have the proceedings closed to the public and the media.
3) Massei barred cameras from filming, but ruled the trial would remain open to print journalists -- although some sessions could be closed. The next session was scheduled for Feb. 6.
4) The ruling was one of several technical issues ironed out at the start of the trial of Knox, 21, from Seattle, and Raffaele Sollecito, 24.
5) Both are charged with murder and sexual violence in the slaying of Kercher, who was found stabbed to death Nov. 2, 2007 in the apartment she shared with Knox in Perugia, 115 miles (185 kilometers) north of Rome where both were exchange students.
6) Both Knox and Sollecito deny any wrongdoing.
7) Knox appeared relaxed during the hearing, smiling often and chatting with her interpreter and guards during breaks. Wearing jeans and a hooded sweat shirt over a striped shirt, she sat next to her lawyers -- not in the cage often used for defendants in Italian trials.
8) Sollecito, in beige trousers and a bright green sweater, looked tense and remained mostly quiet throughout the hearing. The two did not interact.
9) A third defendant, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede, was convicted last year of the same charges and was sentenced to 30 years in prison. Guede, who had also denied wrongdoing, underwent a fast-track trial at his request.
10) Prosecutors allege that Kercher was killed during what began as a sex game, with Sollecito holding her by the shoulders from behind while Knox touched her with the point of a knife. They say Guede tried to sexually assault Kercher, and then Knox fatally stabbed her in the throat.
11) "Justice has already been done with the conviction of the one person responsible, to 30-years in jail," Sollecito attorney Luca Maori told the court, referring to Guede.
12) Sollecito has maintained he was in his own apartment in Perugia and that he doesn't remember if Knox spent part or all the night of the murder with him. Knox initially told investigators she was in the house when Kercher was killed and covered her ears against the victim's screams. Later, Knox said she wasn't in the house.
13) Knox's attorney, lawyer Luciano Ghirga, said he wanted to prove that Knox was with Sollecito somewhere else at the time of Kercher's death.
14) "Amanda is determined and serene but she is facing a very delicate trial," Ghirga said. "It is a mixture of feelings but she is a very good girl, and we hope we can help her."
15) Francesco Maresca, attorney for the Kercher family, told Sky TG24 he was satisfied with the court's decision to limit media access to the trial, saying it satisfied both the needs of journalists and the need for the "maximum protection of the memory of poor Meredith."
16) The court ruled that both Knox and Guede could testify; some 150 witnesses are expected and lawyers say the trial could last at least a year.
17) Another one of Sollecito's lawyers, Giulia Bongiorno, said her client and Knox were not longtime lovers looking for new sexual experiences, as suggested by prosecutors. She said the two were "little lovebirds" who were only "in the first week of their love story."
18) Both Knox and Sollecito were denied bail and have been detained for more than a year in Italy. Italy does not have the death penalty and a conviction could bring a maximum sentence of life in prison.
2009-01-26
Report: Italy judge gives Kercher ruling details
(APW_ENG_20090126.1260)
1) A judge has reportedly determined that a British student killed in Perugia was the victim of a plan by her assailants to satisfy their sexual instincts that then got out of control.
2) The ANSA news agency said the finding was contained in Judge Paolo Micheli's written explanation of his October ruling to convict one of the three suspects in the slaying of Meredith Kercher. Micheli sentenced Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede to 30 years in prison after he underwent a fast-track trial.
3) Two other people, American Amanda Knox and Italian Raffaele Sollecito, are on trial on the same charges of murder and sexual violence in Kercher's 2007 death.
4) In Italy, judges issue explanations of their decisions months after they are handed down.
Report: Italy judge gives Kercher ruling details
(APW_ENG_20090126.1273)
1) An Italian judge determined that a British student killed in Perugia was the victim of a plan by her assailants to "satisfy their sexual instincts" that then got out of control, a news agency reported Monday.
2) The ANSA news agency said the finding was contained in Judge Paolo Micheli's written explanation of his October ruling to convict one of the three suspects in the slaying of Meredith Kercher. In Italy, judges issue explanations of their decisions months after they are handed down.
3) Micheli sentenced Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede to 30 years in prison after he underwent a fast-track trial at his request.
4) Two other people, American Amanda Knox and Italian Raffaele Sollecito, are on trial on the same charges of murder and sexual violence in Kercher's 2007 death. All three have denied any wrongdoing.
5) Kercher was found stabbed to death Nov. 2, 2007 in the apartment she shared with Knox in Perugia, 115 miles (185 kilometers) north of Rome where both were exchange students.
6) In the decision, Micheli said Kercher was the victim of "an agreed-upon plan to satisfy sexual instincts" that got out of control, ANSA reported. Micheli said Guede participated "actively" in the assault but that there were others involved as well.
7) The ruling echoed the contention of prosecutors, who have said Kercher was killed in what began as a sex game.
8) Prosecutors allege that Sollecito held Kercher her by the shoulders from behind while Knox touched her with the point of a knife. They say Guede tried to sexually assault Kercher, and then Knox fatally stabbed her in the throat.
9) At the start of Knox and Sollecito's trial earlier this month, Sollecito's attorneys argued that justice had already been served with Guede's conviction. Attorneys for Knox and Sollecito say their clients were not in the apartment at the time of Kercher's slaying.
10) The next hearing in the case is scheduled for Feb. 6.
Report: Italy judge gives Kercher ruling details
(APW_ENG_20090126.1292)
1) An Italian judge wrote in a decision that a British student killed in Perugia was the victim of a plan by her assailants to "satisfy their sexual instincts" that then got out of control, a news agency reported Monday.
2) The ANSA news agency said the finding was contained in Judge Paolo Micheli's written explanation of his October ruling to convict one of the three suspects in the slaying of Meredith Kercher. In Italy, judges issue explanations of their decisions months after they are handed down.
3) It was not immediately possible for The Associated Press to obtain a copy of the ruling after business hours Monday.
4) Micheli sentenced Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede to 30 years in prison after he underwent a fast-track trial at his request.
5) Two other people, American Amanda Knox and Italian Raffaele Sollecito, are on trial on the same charges of murder and sexual violence in Kercher's 2007 death. All three have denied any wrongdoing.
6) Kercher was found stabbed to death Nov. 2, 2007 in the apartment she shared with Knox in Perugia, 115 miles (185 kilometers) north of Rome where both were exchange students.
7) In the decision, Micheli said Kercher was the victim of "an agreed-upon plan to satisfy sexual instincts" that got out of control, ANSA reported. Micheli said Guede participated "actively" in the assault but that there were others involved as well.
8) The ruling echoed the contention of prosecutors, who have said Kercher was killed in what began as a sex game.
9) Prosecutors allege that Sollecito held Kercher her by the shoulders from behind while Knox touched her with the point of a knife. They say Guede tried to sexually assault Kercher, and then Knox fatally stabbed her in the throat.
10) At the start of Knox and Sollecito's trial earlier this month, Sollecito's attorneys argued that justice had already been served with Guede's conviction. Attorneys for Knox and Sollecito say their clients were not in the apartment at the time of Kercher's slaying.
11) The next hearing in the case is scheduled for Feb. 6.
2009-02-06
First testimony heard in trial of US student
(APW_ENG_20090206.0414)
1) The first witnesses are scheduled to take the stand in the trial of an American student and her Italian former boyfriend accused of killing a British woman in central Italy.
2) Nine people, including police officers who were among the first to arrive at the crime scene, are scheduled to testify Friday in the trial of Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito.
3) Knox and Sollecito are charged with murder and sexual violence in the slaying of Meredith Kercher, who was found stabbed to death Nov. 2, 2007, in the apartment she shared with Knox in Perugia.
4) Knox and Sollecito deny any wrongdoing. They are expected to be in court.
5) Another hearing with more witnesses, including Knox's other roommate, is scheduled for Saturday.
First testimony heard in trial of US student
(APW_ENG_20090206.0578)
1) An Italian student on trial for the murder of a British woman in Italy told a court Friday that he is the victim of a judicial error.
2) Raffaele Sollecito got up and addressed the court in Perugia shortly before the first witnesses at the trial were to be heard.
3) Sollecito is on trial with Amanda Knox, a U.S. student who is his former girlfriend and the roommate of the victim, Meredith Kercher.
4) Knox and Sollecito are charged with murder and sexual violence in the slaying. Both have denied wrongdoing.
5) Kercher was found stabbed to death Nov. 2, 2007, in the apartment she shared with Knox in Perugia, central Italy.
6) "It all seems unreal, I've got nothing to do with it," Sollecito said. "I'm not a violent person and the thought of hurting somebody has never crossed my mind."
7) Sollecito said he hardly knew Kercher and that he had only just started dating Knox.
8) "I feel I am the victim of a judicial mistake," he said.
9) Nine people, including police officers who were among the first to arrive at the crime scene, are scheduled to testify Friday.
10) Knox, a University of Washington student from Seattle, was in court. She smiled at her father, Curt Knox, as she walked into the courtroom.
11) A third defendant in the case, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede, was convicted last year of the same charges and was sentenced to 30 years in prison. Guede, who had also denied wrongdoing, underwent a fast-track trial at his request.
Italian defendant denies killing British student
(APW_ENG_20090206.0971)
1) An Italian student on trial for the murder of a British woman in Italy told a court Friday that he is the victim of a judicial error.
2) Raffaele Sollecito addressed the court in Perugia shortly before the first witnesses testified about finding Meredith Kercher's bloodied body in her locked bedroom.
3) Sollecito is on trial along with Amanda Knox, a U.S. student who is his former girlfriend. They are charged with murder and sexual violence in Kercher's slaying.
4) Both have denied wrongdoing.
5) Kercher was found stabbed to death Nov. 2, 2007 in the apartment she shared with Knox in Perugia, central Italy where both girls were exchange students.
6) "It all seems unreal, I've got nothing to do with it," Sollecito told the court. "I'm not a violent person and the thought of hurting somebody has never crossed my mind."
7) Sollecito said he hardly knew Kercher and that he had only just started dating Knox.
8) "I feel I am the victim of a judicial mistake," he said.
9) In the first testimony of the trial, chief police inspector Michele Battistelli told the court that he was sent to the apartment where Kercher and Knox lived after receiving a report that Kercher's cell phone had been found nearby.
10) Friends who gathered at the apartment told police that it was suspicious that Kercher would part from the phone and that her bedroom door was locked, since she only locked it when she left for trips back home, Battistelli testified.
11) He said police decided to break down the door.
12) "There was quite a lot of blood," he said. "I saw (Kercher's) foot sticking out from the duvet, and given the color and the fact that she didn't move, I thought I'd call the emergency sanitary service."
13) Battistelli also said that Knox and Sollecito, whom he met at the crime scene, appeared "surprised, but calm."
14) Another police officer, Fabio Marzi, testified that Knox showed him small traces of blood in one of the apartment's bathrooms.
15) Sollecito addressed the court a second time to explain that he had remained close to Knox because she was "very shocked and cold."
16) "She was silent and was staring into space," he said.
17) Sollecito said he had tried to break into Kercher's room before police arrived since he also thought it suspicious that the door was locked.
18) Knox, a University of Washington student from Seattle, was in court. She smiled at her father, Curt Knox, as she police escorted her into the courtroom. They exchanged a few words from a distance during the breaks.
19) "She seems fine," Knox told The Associated Press during a pause in the proceedings. But shortly afterward, with tears in his eyes, he said "It's obviously a very stressful time for her."
20) A third defendant in the case, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede, was convicted last year of the same charges and was sentenced to 30 years in prison. Guede, who had also denied wrongdoing, underwent a fast-track trial at his request.
Italian defendant denies killing British student
(APW_ENG_20090206.1464)
1) An Italian student accused of sexual violence and murdering a British student told a court Friday that he was innocent and the victim of a terrible judicial mistake.
2) Raffaele Sollecito addressed the court in Perugia, central Italy, shortly before the first witnesses testified about finding Meredith Kercher's bloodied body in her locked bedroom.
3) Sollecito is on trial along with Amanda Knox, a U.S. student who is his former girlfriend. They are charged with murder and sexual violence in Kercher's slaying. Both have denied wrongdoing.
4) Kercher was found stabbed to death Nov. 2, 2007 in the apartment she shared with Knox in Perugia where they were both exchange students.
5) "It all seems unreal, I've got nothing to do with it," Sollecito told the court. "I'm not a violent person and the thought of hurting somebody has never crossed my mind."
6) Sollecito said he hardly knew Kercher and that he had only just started dating Knox.
7) "I feel I am the victim of a judicial mistake," he said.
8) In the first testimony of the trial, chief postal police inspector Michele Battistelli told the court that he was sent to the apartment where Kercher and Knox lived after receiving a report that Kercher's cell phone had been found nearby.
9) Friends who gathered at the apartment told police that it was suspicious that Kercher would part from the phone and that her bedroom door was locked, since she only locked it when she left for trips back home, Battistelli testified.
10) After the door was broken down, "There was quite a lot of blood," he said. "I saw (Kercher's) foot sticking out from the duvet, and given the color and the fact that she didn't move, I thought I'd call the emergency sanitary service."
11) Battistelli said he didn't actually enter the room since, as a postal police inspector, he didn't have any right to intervene. However, other witnesses testified Friday that he did enter the room and possibly touched the duvet.
12) The defense has argued that the crime scene was contaminated during the investigation. As a result of the conflicting testimony, the judge ordered the witnesses to take the stand again Saturday.
13) Battistelli also said that Knox and Sollecito, whom he met at the crime scene, appeared "surprised, but calm."
14) Sollecito responded, saying he had remained close to Knox because she was "very shocked and cold."
15) "She was silent and was staring into space," he said.
16) Knox, a University of Washington student from Seattle, was in court as was her father, Curt Knox. The two exchanged a few words from a distance during the breaks and hugged tightly at the end of the hearing. Knox was nearly in tears when she was taken out of the courtroom.
17) "She seems fine," Knox told The Associated Press. But shortly afterward, with tears in his eyes, he said "It's obviously a very stressful time for her."
18) "I told her to stay strong. I want her exonerated from everything," he said.
19) Francesco Maresca, who represents Kercher's family, said he was satisfied with the outcome of Friday's hearing.
20) On Saturday, Kercher's and Knox's roommate Filomena Romanelli and Giacomo Silenzi, an Italian man who used to date Kercher, were to take the stand.
21) A third defendant in the case, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede, was convicted last year of the same charges and was sentenced to 30 years in prison. Guede, who had also denied wrongdoing, underwent a fast-track trial at his request.
2009-02-07
Italian defendant denies killing British student
(APW_ENG_20090207.0029)
1) An Italian student accused of sexual violence and murdering a British student told a court that he was innocent and the victim of a terrible judicial mistake.
2) Raffaele Sollecito addressed the court Friday in Perugia, central Italy, shortly before the first witnesses testified about finding Meredith Kercher's bloodied body in her locked bedroom.
3) Sollecito is on trial along with Amanda Knox, a U.S. student who is his former girlfriend. They are charged with murder and sexual violence in Kercher's slaying. Both have denied wrongdoing.
4) Kercher was found stabbed to death Nov. 2, 2007 in the apartment she shared with Knox in Perugia where they were both exchange students.
5) "It all seems unreal, I've got nothing to do with it," Sollecito told the court. "I'm not a violent person and the thought of hurting somebody has never crossed my mind."
6) Sollecito said he hardly knew Kercher and that he had only just started dating Knox.
7) "I feel I am the victim of a judicial mistake," he said.
8) In the first testimony of the trial, chief postal police inspector Michele Battistelli told the court that he was sent to the apartment where Kercher and Knox lived after receiving a report that Kercher's cell phone had been found nearby.
9) Friends who gathered at the apartment told police that it was suspicious that Kercher would part from the phone and that her bedroom door was locked, since she only locked it when she left for trips back home, Battistelli testified.
10) After the door was broken down, "There was quite a lot of blood," he said. "I saw (Kercher's) foot sticking out from the duvet, and given the color and the fact that she didn't move, I thought I'd call the emergency sanitary service."
11) Battistelli said he didn't actually enter the room since, as a postal police inspector, he didn't have any right to intervene. However, other witnesses testified Friday that he did enter the room and possibly touched the duvet.
12) The defense has argued that the crime scene was contaminated during the investigation. As a result of the conflicting testimony, the judge ordered the witnesses to take the stand again Saturday.
13) Battistelli also said that Knox and Sollecito, whom he met at the crime scene, appeared "surprised, but calm."
14) Sollecito responded, saying he had remained close to Knox because she was "very shocked and cold."
15) "She was silent and was staring into space," he said.
16) Knox, a University of Washington student from Seattle, was in court as was her father, Curt Knox. The two exchanged a few words from a distance during the breaks and hugged tightly at the end of the hearing. Knox was nearly in tears when she was taken out of the courtroom.
17) "She seems fine," Knox told The Associated Press. But shortly afterward, with tears in his eyes, he said "It's obviously a very stressful time for her."
18) "I told her to stay strong. I want her exonerated from everything," he said.
19) Francesco Maresca, who represents Kercher's family, said he was satisfied with the outcome of Friday's hearing.
20) On Saturday, Kercher's and Knox's roommate Filomena Romanelli and Giacomo Silenzi, an Italian man who used to date Kercher, were to take the stand.
21) A third defendant in the case, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede, was convicted last year of the same charges and was sentenced to 30 years in prison. Guede, who had also denied wrongdoing, underwent a fast-track trial at his request.
Testimony resume in trial of US student
(APW_ENG_20090207.0240)
1) More witnesses are scheduled to take the stand in the trial of an American student and her Italian former boyfriend accused of killing a British woman in central Italy.
2) Four people, including an Italian man who used to date the victim, are testifying Saturday in the trial of Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito.
3) Both Knox and Sollecito are charged with murder and sexual violence in the slaying of Meredith Kercher, who was found stabbed to death Nov. 2, 2007, in the apartment she shared with Knox in Perugia.
4) Knox and Sollecito, who deny any wrongdoing, are expected to appear in court.
5) The first witnesses, including police officers who were among the first to arrive at the crime scene, testified Friday.
Roommate testifies in trial of US student in Italy
(APW_ENG_20090207.0383)
1) An American student and the British woman she is accused of killing were friendly at first but then drifted apart, their roommate testified Saturday.
2) Filomena Romanelli took the stand in the trial of Amanda Knox and Knox's Italian former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito, who are charged with murder and sexual violence in the killing of Meredith Kercher. Both deny wrongdoing.
3) Kercher was found stabbed to death Nov. 2, 2007, in the apartment she shared with Knox and Romanelli in Perugia, where the American and the Briton were exchange students.
4) In her testimony, Romanelli said Knox and Kercher were initially close, in part because they both spoke English.
5) "They had interests in common, at the beginning they surely had a good relationship, there was no reason not to get along," Romanelli said.
6) "It seemed like along the way they didn't really go separate ways, but they developed personal interests that they pursued individually," she said.
7) While Kercher was dedicated to her studies, Knox was someone with "quite a lot of interests," Romanelli said.
8) "She liked music, sports, yoga, languages," she said. "Sometimes she had unusual attitudes, like she would start doing yoga while we were speaking, or she would play guitar while we were watching TV."
9) Knox and Sollecito were in court Saturday, and appeared to follow proceedings closely.
10) Later Saturday, Giacomo Silenzi, an Italian man who used to date Kercher, was scheduled to take the stand.
11) A third defendant in the case, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede, was convicted last year of the same charges and was sentenced to 30 years in prison. Guede, who had also denied wrongdoing, underwent a fast-track trial at his request.
Roommate testifies in trial of US student in Italy
(APW_ENG_20090207.0449)
1) An American student and the British woman she is accused of killing were friendly at first but then drifted apart, their roommate testified Saturday.
2) Filomena Romanelli took the stand in the trial of Amanda Knox and Knox's Italian former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito, who are charged with murder and sexual violence in the killing of Meredith Kercher. Both deny wrongdoing.
3) Kercher was found stabbed to death Nov. 2, 2007, in the apartment she shared with Knox and Romanelli in Perugia, where the American and the Briton were exchange students.
4) In her testimony, Romanelli said Knox and Kercher were initially close, in part because they both spoke English.
5) "They had interests in common, at the beginning they surely had a good relationship, there was no reason not to get along," Romanelli said.
6) "It seemed like along the way they didn't really go separate ways, but they developed personal interests that they pursued individually," she said.
7) While Kercher was dedicated to her studies, Knox was someone with "quite a lot of interests," Romanelli said.
8) "She liked music, sports, yoga, languages," she said. "Sometimes she had unusual attitudes, like she would start doing yoga while we were speaking, or she would play guitar while we were watching TV."
9) Knox and Sollecito were in court Saturday, and appeared to follow proceedings closely.
10) On the day Kercher's body was found, Romanelli said she received a call from Knox in which the American said she had found the apartment's main door open and drops of blood in one of the bathrooms.
11) "She told me that there was something strange in the house," said Romanelli, who had been out of the house at the time. She said Knox had told her on the phone that she had taken a shower at the house and was leaving to fetch Sollecito.
12) Prosecutors allege that Kercher was killed during what began as a sex game, with Sollecito holding her by the shoulders from behind while Knox touched her with the point of a knife.
13) They say a third defendant in the case, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede, tried to sexually assault Kercher, and then Knox fatally stabbed her in the throat. Guede, who had also denied wrongdoing, was convicted last year and sentenced to 30 years in prison.
14) Sollecito has maintained he was in his own apartment in Perugia and that he doesn't remember if Knox spent part or all of the night of the murder with him. Knox initially told investigators she was in the house when Kercher was killed and covered her ears against the victim's screams. Later, Knox said she wasn't in the house.
15) Prosecutors say Knox's DNA was found on the handle of a knife that might have been used in the slaying, while Kercher's DNA was found on the blade. The knife was found at Sollecito's house.
16) During her testimony, Romanelli testified that the knife hadn't come from the apartment she shared with Knox and Kercher.
17) Giacomo Silenzi, an Italian man who used to date Kercher, had been expected to take the stand Saturday, but his testimony was delayed until next week. Hearings are scheduled for Friday and Saturday.
Roommate testifies in trial of US student in Italy
(APW_ENG_20090207.0635)
1) American student Amanda Knox and the British student she is accused of killing were friendly when they first met as foreign exchange students in Italy, but they then drifted apart, their roommate testified Saturday.
2) Knox is on trial with her Italian former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito for the murder and sexual assault of Meredith Kercher, who was found stabbed to death Nov. 2, 2007, in the apartment she shared with Knox and Filomena Romanelli in Perugia.
3) Romanelli testified for the first time in court Saturday, saying Knox and Kercher had been close initially, in part because they both spoke English.
4) "They had interests in common, at the beginning they surely had a good relationship, there was no reason not to get along," said Romanelli, who is Italian.
5) "Along the way, they didn't really go separate ways, but they developed personal interests that they pursued individually," she said.
6) While Kercher was dedicated to her studies, Knox was someone with "quite a lot of interests," Romanelli said. "She liked music, sports, yoga, languages. Sometimes she had unusual attitudes, like she would start doing yoga while we were speaking, or she would play guitar while we were watching TV."
7) On the day Kercher's body was found, Romanelli said, she received a call from Knox in which the American said she had found the apartment's main door open and drops of blood in one of the bathrooms.
8) "She told me that there was something strange in the house," but that she had taken a shower there and was leaving to meet Sollecito, Romanelli said.
9) Both Knox and Sollecito were in court Saturday and appeared to be listening attentively to Romanelli's testimony.
10) Prosecutors allege that Kercher was killed during what began as a sex game, with Sollecito holding her by the shoulders from behind while Knox touched her with the point of a knife. They say a third defendant in the case, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede, tried to sexually assault Kercher, and then Knox fatally stabbed her in the throat.
11) Guede, who had also denied wrongdoing, was convicted last year and sentenced to 30 years in prison.
12) Sollecito has maintained he was in his own apartment in Perugia and that he doesn't remember if Knox spent part or all of the night of the murder with him. Knox initially told investigators she was in the house when Kercher was killed and covered her ears against the victim's screams. Later, Knox said she wasn't in the house.
13) Prosecutors say Knox's DNA was found on the handle of a knife that might have been used in the slaying, while Kercher's DNA was found on the blade. The knife was found at Sollecito's house.
14) Romanelli testified that the knife had not come from the apartment she shared with Knox and Kercher.
15) After the session, Knox's father, Curt Knox, decried the sensationalism of the case, saying the media had "handled Amanda's character 180 degrees different than how she really is." He nevertheless said he believed she would get a fair trial.
16) "Things are beginning to point more and more to Amanda's innocence, and that's going to be proven," he told reporters.
17) The next hearings are scheduled for Feb. 13-14.
Roommate testifies in trial of US student in Italy
(APW_ENG_20090207.0828)
1) American student Amanda Knox and the British student she is accused of killing were friendly when they first met as foreign exchange students in Italy, but they then drifted apart, their roommate testified Saturday.
2) Knox is on trial with her Italian former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito for the murder and sexual assault of Meredith Kercher, who was found stabbed to death Nov. 2, 2007, in the apartment she shared with Knox and Filomena Romanelli in Perugia.
3) Romanelli testified for the first time in court Saturday, saying Knox and Kercher had been close initially, in part because they both spoke English.
4) "They had interests in common, at the beginning they surely had a good relationship, there was no reason not to get along," said Romanelli, who is Italian.
5) "Along the way, they didn't really go separate ways, but they developed personal interests that they pursued individually," she said.
6) While Kercher was dedicated to her studies, Knox was someone with "quite a lot of interests," Romanelli said. "She liked music, sports, yoga, languages. Sometimes she had unusual attitudes, like she would start doing yoga while we were speaking, or she would play guitar while we were watching TV."
7) On the day Kercher's body was found, Romanelli said, she received a call from Knox in which the American said she had found the apartment's main door open and drops of blood in one of the bathrooms.
8) "She told me that there was something strange in the house," but that she had taken a shower there and was leaving to meet Sollecito, Romanelli said.
9) Both Knox and Sollecito were in court Saturday and appeared to be listening attentively to Romanelli's testimony.
10) Prosecutors allege that Kercher was killed during what began as a sex game, with Sollecito holding her by the shoulders from behind while Knox touched her with the point of a knife. They say a third defendant in the case, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede, tried to sexually assault Kercher, and then Knox fatally stabbed her in the throat.
11) Guede, who had also denied wrongdoing, was convicted last year and sentenced to 30 years in prison.
12) Sollecito has maintained he was in his own apartment in Perugia and that he doesn't remember if Knox spent part or all of the night of the murder with him. Knox initially told investigators she was in the house when Kercher was killed and covered her ears against the victim's screams. Later, Knox said she wasn't in the house.
13) Prosecutors say Knox's DNA was found on the handle of a knife that might have been used in the slaying, while Kercher's DNA was found on the blade. The knife was found at Sollecito's house.
14) Romanelli testified that the knife had not come from the apartment she shared with Knox and Kercher.
15) After the session, Knox's father, Curt Knox, decried the sensationalism of the case, saying the media had "handled Amanda's character 180 degrees different than how she really is." He nevertheless said he believed she would get a fair trial.
16) "Things are beginning to point more and more to Amanda's innocence, and that's going to be proven," he told reporters.
17) In an interview with The CBS television program "The Early Show," Knox said evidence that the crime scene might have been contaminated would contribute to his daughter's acquittal.
18) "As evidence comes out, I believe that everything is going to work out," he said. "She's innocent and that will be proven and I believe that the Italian system will work that way."
19) The next hearings are scheduled for Feb. 13-14.
2009-02-13
Witness: No emotion by Italy student slay suspect
(APW_ENG_20090213.0524)
1) An American student charged with the murder of her British roommate showed no distress and was cuddling with her boyfriend hours after the slaying, a friend of the victim testified on Friday.
2) Robyn Carmel Butterworth told the packed courtroom in this Umbrian university town that she was among several students waiting to talk to officers in Perugia's police station shortly after Meredith Kercher's bloodied body was found.
3) Students Amanda Knox, from Seattle, and Raffaele Sollecito, an Italian who was her boyfriend at the time of the November 2007 slaying, are being tried on charges of murder and sexual violence.
4) Both Knox and Sollecito have denied any wrongdoing. They have been jailed since a few days after the slaying.
5) "`I found Amanda's behavior very strange and I found it quite difficult to be around her," Butterworth, who was called to the stand by the prosecution, told the court. "She had no emotion. Everybody was upset and she didn't seem to show any emotions."
6) Describing the group of friends at the police station, Butterworth added that: "'We were all crying. I didn't see her crying."
7) The witness said Knox and Sollecito were fooling around as they waited to see police.
8) "I remember Amanda sticking her tongue out at Raffaele," the British witness said, with her testimony in English being translated into Italian by a translator. "They were talking and joking, kissing and cuddling."
9) Kercher was found with a stab wound in the neck in a pool of blood under a comforter in her bedroom.
10) Butterworth also testified that Kercher had told her that she found it a "bit awkward" to be Knox's roommate. The witness said her friend had complained that Knox didn't always keep the bathroom clean. The victim also had confided that she was "uncomfortable" that Knox kept a bag of condoms and a vibrator in the bathroom they shared.
11) A third resident in Perugia, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede, was convicted last year of the same charges and sentenced to 30 years in prison. Guede, who had also denied wrongdoing, had requested and received a fast-track trial.
12) Prosecutors allege that Kercher was the reluctant object of a sex game by the three suspects that ended violently.
Witness: No emotion by Italy student slay suspect
(APW_ENG_20090213.0577)
1) An American student charged with the murder of her British roommate showed no distress and was cuddling with her boyfriend hours after the slaying, a friend of the victim testified on Friday.
2) Robyn Carmel Butterworth told the packed courtroom in this Umbrian university town that she was among several students waiting to talk to officers in Perugia's police station shortly after Meredith Kercher's bloodied body was found.
3) Students Amanda Knox, from Seattle, and Raffaele Sollecito, an Italian who was her boyfriend at the time of the November 2007 slaying, are being tried on charges of murder and sexual violence.
4) Both Knox and Sollecito have denied any wrongdoing. They have been jailed since a few days after the slaying.
5) "I found Amanda's behavior very strange and I found it quite difficult to be around her," Butterworth, who was called to the stand by the prosecution, told the court. "She had no emotion. Everybody was upset and she didn't seem to show any emotions."
6) Describing the group of friends at the police station, Butterworth added that: "We were all crying. I didn't see her crying."
7) The witness said Knox and Sollecito were fooling around as they waited to see police.
8) "I remember Amanda sticking her tongue out at Raffaele," the British witness said, with her testimony in English being translated into Italian by a translator. "They were talking and joking, kissing and cuddling."
9) Kercher was found with a stab wound in the neck in a pool of blood under a comforter in her bedroom.
10) Butterworth also testified that Kercher had told her that she found it a "bit awkward" to be Knox's roommate. The witness said her friend had complained that Knox didn't always keep the bathroom clean. The victim also had confided that she was "uncomfortable" that Knox kept a bag of condoms and a vibrator in the bathroom they shared.
11) A third resident in Perugia, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede, was convicted last year of the same charges and sentenced to 30 years in prison. Guede, who had also denied wrongdoing, had requested and received a fast-track trial.
12) Prosecutors allege that Kercher was the reluctant object of a sex game by the three suspects that ended violently.
13) Later during Friday's hearing, Knox asked the court if she could make a statement. Speaking in Italian, she told the judge "Good morning" and then proclaimed that she was "confident that everything will come out and that everything will work out."
Witness: No emotion by Italy student slay suspect
(APW_ENG_20090213.0864)
1) An American student charged with the murder of her British roommate showed no distress and was cuddling with her boyfriend hours after the slaying, friends of the victim testified on Friday.
2) Several British students who were friends with the victim, Meredith Kercher, during their stay in this central university town also talked about a problematic relationship between the victim, Meredith Kercher, and defendant Amanda Knox.
3) Knox, a 21-year old from Seattle, and Raffaele Sollecito, a 24-year-old Italian who was her boyfriend at the time of the November 2007 slaying, are being tried on charges of murder and sexual violence.
4) Robyn Carmel Butterworth told the packed courtroom that she was among several students waiting to talk to officers in Perugia's police station shortly after Kercher's bloodied body was found.
5) "I found Amanda's behavior very strange and I found it quite difficult to be around her," Butterworth, who was called to the stand by the prosecution, told the court. "She had no emotion. Everybody was upset and she didn't seem to show any emotions."
6) Describing the group of friends at the police station, Butterworth added that: "We were all crying. I didn't see her crying."
7) The witness said Knox and Sollecito were fooling around as they waited to see police.
8) "I remember Amanda sticking her tongue out at Raffaele," the British witness said, with her testimony in English being translated into Italian by a translator. "They were talking and joking, kissing and cuddling."
9) Witness Amy Frost, who was also at the police station, said Knox "made faces," such as crossing her eyes and sticking her tongue out. She was "giggling" and kissing Sollecito, said Frost.
10) Both Knox and Sollecito have denied any wrongdoing. They have been jailed since a few days after the slaying.
11) They both appeared in court, escorted by police.
12) The witnesses also testified as to how they learned of their friend's death and what the defendants were saying at the police station.
13) According to Butterworth, Knox said: "`How do you think I feel? I found her." She quoted Knox as saying Kercher was "in the closet covered by a blanket."'
14) Kercher was found with a stab wound in the neck in a pool of blood under a comforter in her bedroom.
15) The witnesses, some breaking into tears as they recalled their friend, testified that there was a complicated relation between Kercher and Knox. They said Kercher complained that Knox didn't always keep the bathroom clean and that Kercher was not comfortable with a bag of condoms and a vibrator kept by Knox in the bathroom they shared.
16) "Amanda was quite open about her sex life," said witness Sophie Purton.
17) Butterworth described the relationship as a "bit awkward."
18) "It wasn't always smooth," she said.
19) Knox, asking to make her first statement to the court since the beginning of the trial a month ago, did not comment on her relationship with Kercher. Speaking Italian and sounding confident, Knox said she wanted to clarify that the pink, rabbit-shaped vibrator she kept in the house was a "joke."
20) "It was a present from a friend before I came to Italy," she said.
21) She said she was confident that "everything will come out and that everything will work out."
22) Sollecito told the court in an earlier hearing that he was the victim of what he called a judicial mistake.
23) Prosecutors allege that Kercher was the reluctant object of a sex game by the three suspects that ended violently.
24) Sollecito has maintained he was in his own apartment in Perugia and that he doesn't remember if Knox spent part or all the night of the murder with him. Knox initially told investigators she was in the house when Kercher was killed and covered her ears against the victim's screams. Later, Knox said she wasn't in the house.
25) A third resident in Perugia, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede, was convicted last year of the same charges and sentenced to 30 years in prison. Guede, who had also denied wrongdoing, had requested and received a fast-track trial.
US suspect says she ' s innocent
(APW_ENG_20090213.1055)
1) Sounding confident and speaking fluent Italian, a U.S. student charged with murdering her British roommate told a court Friday that she was innocent and was sure the truth would come out.
2) Amanda Knox was making her first public statements since she was arrested in the slaying of Meredith Kercher. Knox addressed the court after an acquaintance testified that she had been indifferent in the hours immediately after Kercher was found dead Nov. 2, 2007.
3) "I am innocent," Knox told the court. "I'm confident that everything will come out and that everything will work out."
4) Knox, a 21-year old from Seattle, and Raffaele Sollecito, a 24-year-old Italian who was her boyfriend at the time of the slaying, are being tried on charges of murder and sexual violence. They deny wrongdoing.
5) Knox did not respond to assertions by witnesses that she showed no pain in the aftermath of Kercher's death, and she made no references to her relationship with the victim.
6) Instead, in a casual and almost amused tone, Knox said she wanted to explain the presence of a sex toy -- a pink rabbit-shaped vibrator -- in the Perugia house she shared with Kercher.
7) Witnesses said Kercher had expressed unease over a clear bag that Knox kept in the bathroom that contained condoms and a vibrator.
8) "It was a joke," Knox told the court. "It was a present from a friend before I came to Italy," she said, adding it was a pink-colored rabbit. She gestured with her hands to indicate the size of the toy, which the presiding judge, Giancarlo Massei, translated as about 10 centimeters (4 inches).
9) During the hearing Friday, witnesses said Knox showed no distress and was cuddling with Sollecito at the police station waiting to be questioned after Kercher's body was found.
10) "I found Amanda's behavior very strange and I found it quite difficult to be around her," said Robyn Carmel Butterworth, a prosecution witness who was a friend of the victim. "Everybody was upset and she didn't seem to show any emotions."
11) "We were all crying. I didn't see her crying," she added.
12) The witness said Knox and Sollecito were fooling around as they waited to see police.
13) "I remember Amanda sticking her tongue out at Raffaele," the British witness said, with her testimony in English being translated into Italian by a translator. "They were talking and joking, kissing and cuddling."
14) Amy Frost, another witness who was also at the police station, said Knox "made faces," such as crossing her eyes and sticking her tongue out. She was "giggling" and kissing Sollecito, said Frost.
15) "She didn't show any sadness. She wasn't crying. She seemed quite angry and a bit frustrated and sometimes happy," said another one, Natalie Hayward.
16) Both Knox and Sollecito have attended the court sessions, escorted by police. Sollecito told the court in an earlier hearing that he was the victim of what he called a judicial mistake.
17) The witnesses also testified as to how they learned of their friend's death and what Knox and Sollecito said at the police station.
18) According to Butterworth, Knox said: "How do you think I feel? I found her." She quoted Knox as saying Kercher was "in the closet covered by a blanket."'
19) At one point, Knox said that Kercher "(expletive) bled to death," according to Butterworth. Hayward also quoted Knox as saying Kercher would have "died slowly and in a lot of pain."
20) Kercher was found with a stab wound in the neck in a pool of blood under a comforter in her bedroom.
21) Friday's lineup of witnesses, British women who were friends with Kercher, also talked about a problematic relationship between Kercher and Knox. Some broke into tears as they recalled their friend.
22) Many of the witnesses said Kercher was frustrated because Knox didn't keep the bathroom clean.
23) Knox's father, Curt Knox, said Friday's hearing was largely based on people's "perceptions and opinions that can change."
24) "If this is the prosecution's case, there's not much there," he told The Associated Press during a pause of the hearing.
25) He said Amanda wanted to give the sense that the vibrator was a joke "as opposed to using it."
26) "I think she wanted to clear that out," he said.
27) Prosecutors allege that Kercher was the reluctant object of a sex game by the three suspects that ended violently.
28) Sollecito has maintained he was in his own apartment in Perugia and that he doesn't remember if Knox spent part or all the night of the murder with him. Knox initially told investigators she was in the house when Kercher was killed and covered her ears against the victim's screams. Later, Knox said she wasn't in the house.
29) A third resident in Perugia, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede, was convicted last year of the same charges and sentenced to 30 years in prison. Guede, who had also denied wrongdoing, had requested and received a fast-track trial.
30) The trial continues Saturday.
US suspect says she ' s innocent
(APW_ENG_20090213.1201)
1) Sounding confident and speaking fluent Italian, a U.S. student charged with murdering her British roommate told a court Friday she was innocent and was sure the truth would come out.
2) Amanda Knox was making her first public statements since she was arrested in the slaying of Meredith Kercher. Knox addressed the court after an acquaintance testified she had been indifferent in the hours after Kercher was found dead Nov. 2, 2007.
3) "I am innocent," Knox said. "I'm confident that everything will come out and that everything will work out."
4) Knox, a 21-year old from Seattle, and Raffaele Sollecito, a 24-year-old Italian who was her boyfriend at the time, are being tried on charges of murder and sexual violence. They deny wrongdoing.
5) Knox did not refer to assertions that she showed no pain following Kercher's death, and she made no references to her relationship with the victim.
6) Instead, in a casual, almost amused tone, Knox said she wanted to explain the presence of a sex toy -- a pink rabbit-shaped vibrator -- in the Perugia house she shared with Kercher.
7) Witnesses said Kercher had expressed unease over a bag Knox kept in the bathroom containing condoms and a vibrator.
8) "It was a joke," Knox told the court. "It was a present from a friend before I came to Italy," she said. She gestured with her hands to indicate the size of the toy, which the presiding judge, Giancarlo Massei, translated as about 10 centimeters (4 inches).
9) During the hearing, witnesses said Knox showed no distress and cuddled with Sollecito at the police station while waiting to be questioned after Kercher's body was found.
10) "I found Amanda's behavior very strange and I found it quite difficult to be around her," said Robyn Carmel Butterworth, a prosecution witness and a Briton who was a friend of the victim. "Everybody was upset and she didn't seem to show any emotions."
11) "We were all crying. I didn't see her crying," Butterworth added.
12) She said Knox and Sollecito fooled around as they waited.
13) "I remember Amanda sticking her tongue out at Raffaele," Butterworth said in English, her testimony translated for the court. "They were talking and joking, kissing and cuddling."
14) Amy Frost, another witness who was also at the police station, said Knox "made faces," such as crossing her eyes and sticking her tongue out. She was "giggling" and kissing Sollecito, said Frost.
15) "She didn't show any sadness. She wasn't crying. She seemed quite angry and a bit frustrated and sometimes happy," said another one, Natalie Hayward.
16) Both Knox and Sollecito have attended the court sessions escorted by police. Sollecito told the court in an earlier hearing that he was the victim of a judicial mistake.
17) The witnesses Friday testified about how they learned of Kercher's death and what Knox and Sollecito said at the police station.
18) According to Butterworth, Knox said: "How do you think I feel? I found her." She quoted Knox as saying Kercher was "in the closet covered by a blanket."'
19) At one point, Knox said that Kercher "(expletive) bled to death," according to Butterworth. Hayward also quoted Knox as saying Kercher would have "died slowly and in a lot of pain."
20) Kercher was found with a stab wound in the neck in a pool of blood under a comforter in her bedroom.
21) Friday's lineup of witnesses, British women who were friends with Kercher, also talked about a problematic relationship between Kercher and Knox. Some broke into tears as they recalled their friend.
22) Many of the witnesses said Kercher was frustrated because Knox didn't keep the bathroom clean.
23) Knox's father, Curt Knox, said Friday's hearing was largely based on people's "perceptions and opinions that can change."
24) "If this is the prosecution's case, there's not much there," he told The Associated Press during a pause of the hearing.
25) He said Knox had cried when she learned of Meredith's death, but that by the time she arrived at the police station she had spent hours figuring out her feelings.
26) "Everybody reacts differently when they are under extremely stressful situations," he said. "There is no right way to react."
27) He said that, in saying the vibrator was a joke, his daughter was "trying to let the jury know that she was not a promiscuous young lady." Prosecutors allege Kercher was the reluctant object of a sex game that ended violently.
28) Francesco Maresca, who represents Kercher's family, said Friday's testimony about Knox was consistent.
29) "All the girls confirmed ... that her behavior had been strange," he said.
30) Sollecito has maintained he was in his own apartment in Perugia and doesn't remember if Knox spent part or all the night of the murder with him. Knox initially told investigators she was in the house when Kercher was killed and covered her ears against the victim's screams. Later, Knox said she wasn't there.
31) A third resident in Perugia, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede, was convicted last year of the same charges and sentenced to 30 years in prison. Guede, who denied wrongdoing, had requested and received a fast-track trial.
32) The trial continues Saturday.
2009-02-15
Murder trial in Italy: US student had a scratch
(APW_ENG_20090215.0031)
1) An American student accused in the stabbing death of her British roommate had a scratch on her neck hours after the killing, a witness testified at the murder trial in Italy.
2) Prosecutors allege Meredith Kercher was the reluctant object of a sex game that ended violently on Nov. 1, 2007 when the British woman was fatally stabbed in the neck.
3) Laura Mezzetti, an Italian who shared an apartment with Kercher and defendant Amanda Knox, told the court on Saturday that he saw the scratch on Knox's neck, below her chin, the following day at the police station where they were waiting to be questioned but said she didn't point it out at the time because she thought investigators would notice themselves.
4) "I noticed it because it was known that Meredith had been killed by a wound to her neck," Mezzetti told the court. "I was afraid that Amanda, too, might have been wounded, I was worried and I looked at it really intensely."
5) Kercher's body had been found earlier that day in their apartment in Perugia, which was shared by a group of young women including Knox, Kercher, Mezetti and another Italian, who also has testified in the case.
6) Mezzetti said she observed Knox's scratch from a few yards (meters) away. She described the wound as "vertical, less than 1-centimeter (0.4 inches) thick," red in color and gestured that it was under her chin.
7) The prosecution had no comment on the new testimony, but after the hearing, Knox's lawyer and her father downplayed it.
8) Knox, a 21-year old from Seattle, and Raffaele Sollecito, a 24-year-old Italian who was her boyfriend at the time, are being tried on charges of murder and sexual violence. They deny wrongdoing.
9) Another man, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede, was convicted last year on the same charges and sentenced to 30 years in prison. Guede, who had also denied wrongdoing, had requested and received a fast-track trial.
10) Mezzetti said she did not see any scratch when she saw Knox on Oct. 31, 2007, during breakfast at the apartment, and that she did not see Knox again until two days later at the police station. She said the scratch was different from a love bite, which would be "purple and more round."
11) Mezzetti told police about the scratch in November, after failing to mention it in several previous interrogations. She said she thought everybody else would have noticed it.
12) Knox's lawyer, Luciano Ghirga, said the mark was insignificant. "This is a witness giving a medical assessment," he said.
13) The defendant's father, Curt Knox, told reporters that the doctor who gave his daughter a full-body medical examination after her Nov. 6, 2007, arrest "did not make a single note related to a scratch in the neck."
14) "There is no scratch," he said, adding it was "probably a hickey."
15) Appearing in court Saturday on Valentine's Day, Amanda sported a bright T-shirt with "All You Need Is Love" scrawled across the front in large pink letters. Her father said she is a fan of the Beatles.
16) Testifying for a second straight day, Knox said she was hurt by recent testimony from witnesses, including by her Italian roommates. Witnesses said Knox did not always leave the toilet clean, prompting Kercher and other roommates to complain.
17) "I'm sincerely disappointed," she said, speaking Italian. "This cleaning issue was vastly exaggerated. I have talked about it with the other girls, but there was never conflict."
18) Knox insisted that relations in the house were good.
19) Also heard Saturday were Giacomo Silenzi and Stefano Bonassi, two Italian students who lived below the Knox and Kercher's apartment. Silenzi had started dating Kercher a few weeks before her death.
20) The two said they knew Guede, and both testified that the Ivorian had taken an interest in Knox, asking if she was dating anybody.
21) Bonassi testified that in October 2007, he woke to see Guede, Knox and Kercher together in his apartment, along with Silenzi and others. The group had met up at a bar, Silenzi said. Guede then spent the night, apparently too drunk to move, the witnesses said.
22) "She knew of him, she had been introduced. But it's not like they were pals or anything," Curt Knox said of his daughter and Guede.
23) The trial continues Feb. 27.
2009-02-27
Investigators take stand in Italy murder trial
(APW_ENG_20090227.0736)
1) Italian investigators testified Friday in the murder trial of an American student and her former boyfriend, with one saying the American turned cartwheels in the police station after the killing.
2) A court in Perugia, in central Italy, heard testimony from detectives who inspected the apartment where 21-year-old Meredith Kercher, a Briton, was found stabbed to death on Nov. 2, 2007.
3) Kercher's roommate, University of Washington student Amanda Knox, and Knox's Italian former boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, are charged with murder and sexual violence. They were escorted into court Friday by police guards, and looked tense.
4) Domenico Giacinto Profazio, the former head of the Perugia flying squad, reconstructed the probe that led to the arrest of the two defendants as well as a third suspect, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede. Guede was sentenced to 30 years in jail last year in a fast-track trial he had requested. All three deny wrongdoing.
5) Profazio said Knox and Sollecito had a "strange attitude" when they were brought to the police station for questioning following the discovery of Kercher's body. He said that on one occasion Knox sat on Sollecito's lap.
6) "I told them it was not appropriate," Profazio said.
7) He also recalled other officers reporting that Knox was doing cartwheels and splits in the police station.
8) Profazio also listed DNA evidence that prosecutors say points to Knox and Sollecito.
9) Prosecutors say Knox's DNA was found on the handle of a knife that might have been used in the slaying, and the victim's DNA was found on the blade. The knife was found at Sollecito's house.
10) They also say they found Sollecito's DNA on the victim's bra, although his defense team says the bra bore multiple DNA traces and maintain the evidence might have been inadvertently contaminated during the investigation.
11) Prosecutors allege that Kercher was killed during what began as a sex game, with Sollecito holding her by the shoulders from behind while Knox touched her with the point of a knife. They say Guede tried to sexually assault Kercher and then Knox fatally stabbed her in the throat.
12) On Saturday, forensic officers are also scheduled to take the stand.
Investigators take stand in Italy murder trial
(APW_ENG_20090227.0885)
1) Italian investigators testified Friday in the murder trial of an American student and her former boyfriend, with one saying the American turned cartwheels in the police station after the killing.
2) A court in Perugia, in central Italy, heard testimony from detectives who inspected the apartment where 21-year-old Meredith Kercher, a Briton, was found stabbed to death on Nov. 2, 2007.
3) Kercher's roommate, University of Washington student Amanda Knox, and Knox's Italian former boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, are charged with murder and sexual violence. They were escorted into court Friday by police guards, and looked tense.
4) Domenico Giacinto Profazio, the former head of the Perugia flying squad, reconstructed the probe that led to the arrest of the two defendants as well as a third suspect, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede. Guede was convicted last year and sentenced to 30 years in prison. All three deny wrongdoing.
5) Profazio said Knox and Sollecito had a "strange attitude" when they were brought to the police station for questioning following the discovery of Kercher's body. He said that on one occasion Knox sat on Sollecito's lap.
6) "I told them it was not appropriate," Profazio said.
7) He also recalled other officers reporting that Knox was doing cartwheels and splits in the police station.
8) Profazio testified that records show Knox's and Sollecito's cell phones were switched off at around 8:30 p.m. on the night of the murder, making their whereabouts untraceable.
9) A second witness, police officer Marco Chiacchiera, said no record was found of a telephone call that Sollecito claims to have received on his apartment landline at 11 p.m.
10) Sollecito has maintained he was in his own apartment in Perugia and that he doesn't remember if Knox spent part or all the night with him. Knox initially told investigators she was in the house when Kercher was killed and covered her ears against the victim's screams. Later, she said she wasn't in the house.
11) Kercher's family lawyer, Francesco Maresca, called the cell phone detail "highly significant."
12) "The phones were always on, and were switched off exactly that night, from the evening to the next day," Maresca told reporters.
13) But Knox's father, who attended the hearing, said it was not unusual for his daughter to switch her phone off.
14) Cur Knox told reporters his daughter was coping with her detention.
15) "She is doing OK," he said. "She had her freedom taken away from her for 16 months. How you would feel if your freedom was taken away from you for 16 months?"
16) Profazio also listed DNA evidence that prosecutors say points to Knox and Sollecito.
17) Prosecutors say Knox's DNA was found on the handle of a knife that might have been used in the slaying, and the victim's DNA was found on the blade. The knife was found at Sollecito's house.
18) They also say they found Sollecito's DNA on the victim's bra, although his defense team says the bra bore multiple DNA traces and maintain the evidence might have been inadvertently contaminated during the investigation.
19) Prosecutors allege that Kercher was killed during what began as a sex game, with Sollecito holding her by the shoulders from behind while Knox touched her with the point of a knife. They say Guede tried to sexually assault Kercher and then Knox fatally stabbed her in the throat.
20) On Saturday, forensic officers are scheduled to take the stand.
2009-02-28
Testimony says American suspect turned cartwheels
(APW_ENG_20090228.0008)
1) A young American woman charged with murder in Italy turned cartwheels and sat on her boyfriend's lap in the police station after the killing of her apartment mate, Italian investigators testified at the trial.
2) The court in this central city heard testimony Friday from detectives who inspected the apartment where 21-year-old Meredith Kercher, a Briton, was found stabbed to death Nov. 2, 2007.
3) Kercher's roommate, University of Washington student Amanda Knox, and Knox's Italian former boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, are charged with murder and sexual violence. They have pleaded innocent and looked tense and somber when they were escorted into court by police guards.
4) Domenico Giacinto Profazio, the former head of the Perugia police detective squad, recounted the investigation that led to charges against the two defendants and a third suspect convicted in a separate trial last year. Rudy Hermann Guede of the Ivory Coast was sentenced to 30 years in prison.
5) Profazio said Knox and Sollecito had a "strange attitude" when they were taken to the police station for questioning following the discovery of Kercher's body. He said that on one occasion Knox sat on Sollecito's lap.
6) "I told them it was not appropriate," Profazio said.
7) He also recalled other officers reporting that Knox was doing cartwheels and splits in the station.
8) Prosecutors allege Kercher was killed during what began as a sex game, with Sollecito holding her by the shoulders from behind while Knox touched her with the point of a knife. They say Guede tried to sexually assault Kercher and then Knox fatally stabbed her in the throat.
9) Profazio testified that records show Knox's and Sollecito's cell phones were switched off at around 8:30 p.m. on the night of the slaying, making their whereabouts untraceable.
10) A second witness, police officer Marco Chiacchiera, said no record was found of a telephone call that Sollecito claims to have received on his apartment landline phone at 11 p.m.
11) Sollecito maintains he was in his own apartment and doesn't remember if Knox spent part or all of the night with him.
12) Knox initially told investigators she was in the house when Kercher was killed and covered her ears against the victim's screams. Later, she said she wasn't there.
13) Kercher's family lawyer, Francesco Maresca, called the cell phone detail "highly significant."
14) "The phones were always on, and were switched off exactly that night, from the evening to the next day," Maresca told reporters.
15) But Knox's father, who attended the hearing, said it was not unusual for his daughter to switch her phone off.
16) Curt Knox told reporters his daughter was coping with her detention.
17) "She is doing OK," he said. "She had her freedom taken away from her for 16 months. How would you feel if your freedom was taken away from you for 16 months?"
18) Knox also played down his daughter's purported bizarre behavior at the police station.
19) "It probably is a kid who's never been exposed to something as gruesome as this. Maybe it's her way of dealing with that," he said. "In a conversation with me she would stretch to her toes, you just get used to that."
20) He exchanged a tight, brief hug with his daughter before she was ushered out of the courtroom at the end of the session.
21) A third witness, Monica Napoleoni, who heads Perugia police's homicide squad, described the crime scene and Kercher's body, which was found semi-naked in her bedroom, partially covered by a duvet.
22) "Her eyes were opened. She has been massacred," Napoleoni said, adding that a blood-soaked bra was also found at her feet.
23) Napoleoni recalled feeling that Sollecito and Knox seemed "indifferent to everything" when they were at the police station for questioning. "They would make faces, kiss each other, while there was the body of a friend in those conditions," she said.
24) Napoleoni also denied allegations that police hit Knox during an interrogation. "We gave her drinks, chamomile tea, we took her to have breakfast at the cafeteria. Amanda was treated well," she said.
25) During Friday's testimony, DNA evidence that prosecutors say points to Knox and Sollecito was also listed.
26) Prosecutors say Knox's DNA was found on the handle of a knife that might have been used in the slaying, and the victim's DNA was found on the blade. The knife was found at Sollecito's house.
27) They say they found Sollecito's DNA on the clasp of the victim's bra, although his defense team says the bra bore multiple DNA traces and maintain the evidence might have been inadvertently contaminated during the investigation.
Italian trial: shoeprint found under victim ' s body
(APW_ENG_20090228.0494)
1) A woman's shoe print compatible with the shoe size of U.S. student Amanda Knox was found on a pillow under the body of her slain roommate, a detective told an Italian court Saturday.
2) Monica Napoleoni, who heads the homicide squad in the city of Perugia, testified that forensic experts determined the shoe's size ranged from 36 to 38 (U.S. size 6 to 7 1/2) and that Knox wears a 37 (6 1/2).
3) Francesco Maresca, a lawyer for the family of victim Meredith Kercher, told The Associated Press during a break in the trial session that the print has not been matched to any specific shoe yet. Outside the courtroom, Knox defense lawyers dismissed the testimony about the print as insignificant.
4) Knox and her Italian former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito are being tried for the murder of British student Kercher in this university town. Both deny any wrongdoing.
5) Prosecutors allege that Kercher was killed during what began as a sex game, with Sollecito holding her by the shoulders from behind while Knox touched her with the point of a knife. They say Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede tried to sexually assault Kercher and then Knox fatally stabbed her in the throat. Guede was convicted of murder in a separate trial last year and sentenced to 30 years in prison.
6) Sollecito stood up in court Saturday to claim that police had denied his requests to call his father and a lawyer the night he was questioned, a few days after 21-year-old Kercher was found stabbed to death in her bedroom in November 2007. He said police took off his shoes "without giving a reason" and "left me barefoot all night."
7) Knox also claimed she was treated badly while at police headquarters for questioning. Speaking Italian in a confident-sounding voice, she said it was only after she gave police statement that she was "treated like a person" and given food and drink.
8) Homicide squad officer Lorena Zugarini in court testimony denied that Knox was beaten or otherwise mistreated during questioning and said drinks were provided even before Knox started making statements.
9) Knox previously claimed she was hit on the head by police, a claim that authorities have vigorously denied.
10) Police could not immediately reached for comment on Sollecito's complaint.
11) In Italian trials, defendants sometimes make spontaneous declarations.
12) Also on Saturday, policewoman Rita Ficarra, testified that Knox grew "bothered and tired" by police questioning.
13) "I told her off, and I asked her: `Don't you realize we're talking about the murder of a friend of yours?"' Ficarra told the court.
14) Ficarra added that while other friends of Kercher appeared sad when they were taken to the police station, Knox was seen "jumping around," kissing Sollecito and staying close to him.
2009-03-04
Conviction in murder of actor in Harry Potter film
(APW_ENG_20090304.0808)
1) A London jury has convicted a man of murdering teenage actor Rob Knox, who had a small role in a soon-to-be released Harry Potter movie.
2) Karl Bishop, who was found guilty Wednesday, could face life in prison when sentenced for the stabbing death of 18-year-old Knox.
3) Prosecutors say Bishop killed Knox outside a bar in east London in May after Knox stepped in to protect his brother, who had been threatened by the 22-year-old.
4) Knox had just wrapped up filming on "Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince." The movie is the sixth in the Harry Potter series and is due out this summer.
5) Knox played the part of Marcus Belby, a minor character.
2009-03-05
Killer of teenage actor gets life in prison
(APW_ENG_20090305.0600)
1) A London man has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of "Harry Potter" actor Rob Knox.
2) A British judge handed down the life sentence Thursday, one day after a jury convicted Karl Bishop of murdering 18-year-old Rob Knox.
3) Prosecutors say Bishop killed Knox outside a bar in east London in May after Knox stepped in to protect his brother, who had been threatened by the 22-year-old.
4) Knox had just wrapped up filming on "Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince." The movie is the sixth in the Harry Potter series and is due out this summer.
5) Knox played the part of Marcus Belby, a minor character.
2009-03-13
Witness: suspect in Italy slaying carried knife
(APW_ENG_20090313.0587)
1) A police officer has testified that an Italian suspect was carrying a knife when he was taken to a police station in the hours that followed the stabbing death of a British student in Italy.
2) Daniele Moscatelli told a court in Perugia on Friday that defendant Raffaele Sollecito looked "confused and nervous" during the questioning and that he was carrying a "long" knife in his pocket. The knife is not believed to be the murder weapon.
3) Another police officer testified that American co-defendant Amanda Knox nervously walked up and down at the station and was hitting her head with her hands.
4) Sollecito and Knox are on trial on charges of murder and sexual violence for the 2007 slaying of 21-year-old Meredith Kercher. They deny wrongdoing.
Trial: Italian suspect had knife at police station
(APW_ENG_20090313.0690)
1) Police officers testifying at the trial of two suspects in the slaying of a British student in Italy said Friday that the Italian suspect carried a knife to the police station, while his American co-defendant looked nervous and repeatedly hit her head with her hands.
2) Police officer Daniele Moscatelli told a court in Perugia, central Italy, that Raffaele Sollecito looked "quite confused and nervous" during the questioning in the hours that followed the murder and was carrying a "long" knife in his pocket.
3) "He said he was a fan of arms and knives," Moscatelli said. The knife is not believed to be the weapon with which 21-year-old Meredith Kercher was stabbed to death in 2007.
4) Another police officer, Fabio D'Astolto, said during his testimony that at the police station, American suspect Amanda Knox "was nervously walking up and down the hallway bringing both hands to her head and hitting it," he said, mimicking the gesture.
5) Knox and Sollecito are on trial on charges of murder and sexual violence for the slaying of Kercher, who was found dead on Nov. 2, 2007, in the apartment she shared with Knox.
6) They have denied wrongdoing.
7) Prosecutors allege that Kercher was killed during what began as a sex game, with Sollecito holding her by the shoulders from behind while Knox touched her with the point of a knife. They say a third man, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede, tried to sexually assault Kercher and then Knox fatally stabbed her in the throat.
8) Guede was convicted of murder in a separate trial last year and sentenced to 30 years in prison.
9) Prosecutors say Knox's DNA was found on the handle of a knife found at Sollecito's house that might have been used in the slaying, and the victim's DNA was found on the blade.
10) Both defendants attended the hearing Friday, walking in the courtroom escorted by police.
11) Knox declined to answer questions called to her by reporters during a break in the proceedings, but her stepfather, Chris Mellas, said she is "doing OK."
12) Sollecito stood up in court to reiterate claims that police had denied his requests to call his father and a lawyer the night he was questioned, and that police took off his shoes leaving him barefoot even when he walked with investigators to his apartment for an inspection.
13) Knox has also claimed she was treated badly during police questioning. Police have denied mistreating or otherwise abusing the suspects.
Trial: Italian suspect had knife at police station
(APW_ENG_20090313.1104)
1) Police officers testifying at the trial of two suspects in the slaying of a British student in Italy said Friday that the Italian suspect carried a knife to the police station and that his American co-defendant looked nervous and repeatedly hit her head with her hands.
2) Police officer Daniele Moscatelli told a court in Perugia, central Italy, that Raffaele Sollecito looked "quite confused and nervous" during the questioning in the hours that followed the murder and was carrying a "long" knife in his pocket.
3) "He said he was a fan of arms and knives," Moscatelli said. The knife is not believed to be the weapon with which 21-year-old Meredith Kercher was stabbed to death in 2007.
4) Another police officer, Fabio D'Astolto, said during his testimony that, at the police station, American suspect Amanda Knox "was nervously walking up and down the hallway bringing both hands to her head and hitting it," he said, mimicking the gesture.
5) Knox and Sollecito are on trial on charges of murder and sexual violence for the slaying of Kercher, who was found dead on Nov. 2, 2007, in the apartment she shared with Knox.
6) They have denied wrongdoing.
7) Prosecutors allege that Kercher was killed during what began as a sex game, with Sollecito holding her by the shoulders from behind while Knox touched her with the point of a knife. They say a third man, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede, tried to sexually assault Kercher and then Knox fatally stabbed her in the throat.
8) Guede was convicted of murder in a separate trial last year and sentenced to 30 years in prison.
9) Prosecutors say Knox's DNA was on the handle of a knife found at Sollecito's house that might have been used in the slaying, and the victim's DNA was found on the blade.
10) Both defendants attended the hearing Friday, walking into the courtroom escorted by police. They exchanged smiles at the end of the hearing.
11) Knox declined to answer questions called out to her by reporters during a break in the hearing, but her stepfather, Chris Mellas, said she is "doing OK."
12) Interpreter Anna Donnino, who translated for Knox as she was being questioned by police, recalled that the American had told investigators she was in the apartment the night of the slaying and heard Kercher's screams and that Knox accused Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, a Congolese man who has a pub in Perugia, of being the murderer.
13) "She covered her ears with her hands and said 'It's him, it's him, he's bad,'" Donnino said. "It was as if a weight had been lifted from her."
14) Knox now maintains she was not at home during the slaying. Lumumba has been briefly jailed in the case, but he is no longer a suspect and is seeking defamation damages from Knox.
15) Later Friday, Sollecito stood up in court to reiterate claims that police denied his requests to call his father and a lawyer the night he was questioned.
16) Knox also stood up to insist again that she had been treated badly, saying she was called "a stupid liar" and that she was slapped on her head during police questioning.
17) Police have denied mistreating or otherwise abusing the suspects.
18) The next hearing was scheduled for Saturday.
Trial: Italian suspect had knife at police station
(APW_ENG_20090313.1222)
1) Police officers testifying at the trial of two suspects in the slaying of a British student in Italy said Friday that the Italian suspect carried a knife to the police station and that his American co-defendant looked nervous and repeatedly hit her head with her hands.
2) Police officer Daniele Moscatelli told a court in Perugia, central Italy, that Raffaele Sollecito looked "quite confused and nervous" during the questioning in the hours that followed the murder and was carrying a "long" knife in his pocket.
3) "He said he was a fan of arms and knives," Moscatelli said. The knife is not believed to be the weapon with which 21-year-old Meredith Kercher was stabbed to death in 2007.
4) Another police officer, Fabio D'Astolto, said during his testimony that, at the police station, American suspect Amanda Knox "was nervously walking up and down the hallway bringing both hands to her head and hitting it," he said, mimicking the gesture.
5) Knox and Sollecito are on trial on charges of murder and sexual violence for the slaying of Kercher, who was found dead on Nov. 2, 2007, in the apartment she shared with Knox.
6) They have denied wrongdoing.
7) Prosecutors allege that Kercher was killed during what began as a sex game, with Sollecito holding her by the shoulders from behind while Knox touched her with the point of a knife. They say a third man, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede, tried to sexually assault Kercher and then Knox fatally stabbed her in the throat.
8) Guede was convicted of murder in a separate trial last year and sentenced to 30 years in prison.
9) Prosecutors say Knox's DNA was on the handle of a knife found at Sollecito's house that might have been used in the slaying, and the victim's DNA was found on the blade.
10) Both defendants attended the hearing Friday, walking into the courtroom escorted by police. They exchanged smiles at the end of the hearing.
11) Knox declined to answer questions called out to her by reporters during a break in the hearing, but her stepfather, Chris Mellas, said she is "doing OK."
12) "I told her to take good notes" during the trial sessions to help defend herself, Mellas told reporters in the courtroom.
13) Interpreter Anna Donnino, who translated for Knox as she was being questioned by police, recalled that the American had told investigators she was in the apartment the night of the slaying and heard Kercher's screams and that Knox accused Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, a Congolese man who has a pub in Perugia, of being the murderer.
14) "She covered her ears with her hands and said 'It's him, it's him, he's bad,'" Donnino said. "It was as if a weight had been lifted from her."
15) Knox now maintains she was not at home during the slaying. Lumumba has been briefly jailed in the case, but he is no longer a suspect and is seeking defamation damages from Knox.
16) Later Friday, Sollecito stood up in court to reiterate claims that police denied his requests to call his father and a lawyer the night he was questioned.
17) Knox also stood up to insist again that she had been treated badly, saying she was called "a stupid liar" and that she was slapped on her head during police questioning.
18) Police have denied mistreating or otherwise abusing the suspects.
19) The next hearing was scheduled for Saturday.
2009-03-14
Witness: no proof for slay suspect alibi
(APW_ENG_20090314.0352)
1) A police officer dealt an apparent blow to the alibi of a young Italian man on trial for the murder of a British student when he testified Saturday that there was no sign of the defendant using his computer during the hours the woman was stabbed to death.
2) Tests on student Raffaele Sollecito's computer found that nobody had worked on it in some eight hours spanning the night when Meredith Kercher was stabbed to death in her bedroom, prosecution witness Marco Trotta told an Italian court.
3) Sollecito, 24, and Amanda Knox, his 21-year-old former American girlfriend, are on trial accused of murdering Kercher in 2007 in the Umbrian university town of Perugia. Both defendants deny any wrongdoing.
4) Sollecito has maintained he was at his own apartment the night of the murder, working on his computer.
5) Trotta showed the court videos detailing technical simulations his team carried out on Sollecito's computer, saying there was "no human interaction" between 9:10 p.m. Nov. 1, 2007, and 5:32 a.m. Nov. 2, 2007.
6) Kercher's body, stabbed in the neck and lying in a pool of blood in a bedroom of the apartment she shared with Knox, was found in the late morning of Nov. 2.
7) Based on the autopsy and accounts by Kercher's friends of when she ate dinner with them the night before, the woman is believed to have died between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. on Nov. 1, according to court documents.
8) Luca Maori, one of Sollecito's lawyers, said the defense will challenge the computer findings and insisted in remarks to reporters that his client "stayed at home" during that night.
9) Knox's Italian professor in Perugia, Antonella Negri, also told the court in Perugia Saturday that the US student wrote an essay in the form of a letter a few days after Kercher's death.
10) "She wrote a letter to her mother, describing her mood. She was worried and confused and she wanted her mother to travel to Perugia so she could distract herself and they could go shopping together," Negri told the court.
11) The professor described Knox as "a good student, intelligent and willing."
12) Knox, a University of Washington student, was on an exchange program in Italy and sharing a flat in a rented house with Kercher, a 21-year-old student from Leeds University in England.
13) Prosecutors allege that Kercher was killed during what began as a sex game, with Sollecito holding her by the shoulders from behind while Knox touched her with the point of a knife. They say a third man, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede, tried to sexually assault Kercher and then Knox fatally stabbed her in the throat.
14) Guede, who also denied any wrongdoing, was convicted of murder in a separate trial last year and sentenced to 30 years in prison.
15) Prosecutors say Knox's DNA was on the handle of a knife found at Sollecito's house that might have been used in the slaying, and the victim's DNA was found on the blade.
2009-03-16
Damages awarded to ex-Congolese suspect in Italy
(APW_ENG_20090316.0741)
1) A Congolese man held for two weeks in jail during Italy's investigation into the slaying of a British student has been awarded euro8,000 (about $10,500) in damages by the Italian state, his lawyer said Monday.
2) Diya "Patrick" Lumumba was detained after another suspect, American student Amanda Knox, implicated him in the November 2007 slaying of her British roommate Meredith Kercher in Perugia.
3) Knox and her former Italian boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, are now on trial for the murder, while Ivorian national Rudy Hermann Guede was convicted of murder last year in the case and was sentenced to 30 years in prison.
4) Lumumba, who has always denied wrongdoing, was released from jail on Nov. 20, 2007, for lack of evidence and has been cleared of any involvement.
5) He had sued the Italian state for euro516,000 (about $670,000). His lawyer said the damages awarded Monday by the court in Perugia were unsatisfactory and he would appeal.
6) "We consider this amount unfair for all the damage he's suffered," lawyer Carlo Pacelli said. "In a second his image as a man, as a father and husband has been completely destroyed."
7) The two suspects still on trial also deny wrongdoing.
8) Knox at one point told investigators she was home during the killing and had to cover her ears to drown out Kercher's screams while Lumumba killed her, according to court documents.
9) Separately, Lumumba is seeking defamation damages from Knox.
10) Knox once worked at a popular Perugia bar owned by Lumumba, which is now closed.
2009-03-20
New break-in at house of Briton slain in Italy
(APW_ENG_20090320.0432)
1) Italian court officials say intruders have for the second time in a month broken into a house where a British student was killed.
2) Lawyers and a judge discussed the break-in Friday during the trial of two people for the death of Meredith Kercher.
3) The break-in was noticed during a routine inspection Thursday, when police saw a window had been broken.
4) In February, intruders ransacked the house in Perugia and left four kitchen knives and some candles in various rooms. Local news reports said that this time the intruders did not leave anything behind but moved things around.
5) Kercher was found dead in 2007 in the house.
6) Her roommate, Amanda Knox, and Knox's former boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, are on trial for the murder.
New break-in at house of Briton slain in Italy
(APW_ENG_20090320.0532)
1) For the second time in a month, intruders have broken into a house where a British student was killed, Italian court officials said Friday.
2) Lawyers and a judge discussed the break-in as the trial resumed for two people accused in the 2007 death of Meredith Kercher.
3) The break-in was noticed during a routine inspection Thursday, when police realized that a window had been broken.
4) In February, intruders ransacked the house in Perugia and left four kitchen knives and some candles in various rooms. Local news reports said that this time the intruders didn't leave anything behind but moved things around.
5) Kercher was found dead Nov. 2, 2007, in the house.
6) Her roommate, U.S. student Amanda Knox, and Knox's former Italian boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, are on trial for the murder.
7) Another man, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede, was sentenced to 30 years in prison last year at a fast-track trial he had requested.
8) All three deny wrongdoing.
9) Friday's session was largely devoted to analyzing data recovered by police and telecoms experts from the cell phones of both the victim and the defendants.
10) Knox, a former University of Washington student, was on an exchange program in Italy and sharing a flat in a rented house with Kercher, a 21-year-old student from Leeds University in England.
11) Prosecutors allege that Kercher was stabbed to death during what began as a sex game.
Italy trial of slain Briton continues
(APW_ENG_20090320.0986)
1) The cell phones of two defendants in the murder of a British student killed in Italy remained inactive the night of the murder, witnesses testified Friday.
2) Investigators say having their cell phones turned off made their whereabouts untraceable. Defense lawyers contend that the cell phone data were inconclusive.
3) The session in the trial over the November 2007 stabbing death of Meredith Kercher was largely devoted to analyzing evidence recovered by police and telecoms experts from the cell phones of both the victim and the defendants.
4) The victim's roommate, U.S. student Amanda Knox, and her former Italian boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, are on trial for the murder. The two, in jail in Italy since shortly after the murder, deny wrongdoing.
5) Police inspector Letterio Latella, who analyzed the data, said Knox's and Sollecito's cell phones showed no activity on the night of the crime. His testimony confirmed previous witness accounts and provided details of the cell phones' traffic.
6) In lengthy testimony supported by PowerPoint slides, Latella said Sollecito's cell phone remained inactive between 8:42 p.m. of Nov. 1 and 6:02 a.m. of Nov. 2, when he received a text message from his father.
7) Latella suggested that the cell phone had been turned off because the text message had been sent the night before. He said there were no reported glitches in the network that night, and that other cell phones active in the area appeared to function properly.
8) Knox's cell phone was inactive between 8:35 p.m. of Nov. 1 and 12:07 p.m. of Nov. 2, according to Latella, who studied documents provided by the phone operators. At 12:07 p.m., Knox's called Kercher's British number.
9) Kercher, who was stabbed in the neck and lying in a pool of blood, was found in the apartment she shared with the American in the late morning of Nov. 2. Her two cell phones were discovered in a neighbor's garden.
10) Based on the autopsy and accounts by Kercher's friends of when she ate dinner with them that night, the 21-year-old woman is believed to have died between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. on Nov. 1, according to court documents.
11) Prosecutors allege that Kercher was stabbed to death during what began as a sex game. They have already won the conviction of a third person implicated in the case, Rudy Hermann Guede of the Ivory Coast. The man, who also denied wrongdoing, was sentenced to 30 years in prison at a separate trial last year.
12) Sollecito, 24, has maintained he was at his own apartment the night of the murder. He said he was working at his computer, though one witness testified recently that there was no sign of Sollecito using his computer during the hours Kercher was killed.
13) Knox, a 21-year-old former University of Washington student, has given conflicting accounts. Eventually, she said she wasn't home.
14) Phone records showed she exchanged text messages with the Congolese owner of a pub where she used to work part-time, Latella and other witnesses said.
15) The messages Knox sent at 8:35 p.m. to the man, Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, said: "Sure. See you later. Have a good night!" said Simone Tacconi of the telecommunications branch of Rome police. The message was written in Italian.
16) Lumumba was detained for two weeks in November 2007 after he was implicated by Knox. He has since been cleared and is seeking defamation damages from Knox.
17) On Thursday, police reported that intruders had broken into the house of the murder, the second time in a month.
18) The intrusion was noticed during a routine inspection Thursday, when police realized that a window had been broken.
19) In February, intruders ransacked the house in Perugia and left four kitchen knives and some candles in various rooms. This time the intruders didn't leave anything behind but moved things around, according to local reports.
20) Lawyers and court officials turned down a police request to putting metal bars on some windows in the house, which is still under police wraps.
Italy trial of slain Briton continues
(APW_ENG_20090320.1243)
1) The cell phones of two defendants on trial for the murder of a British student remained inactive the night of the killing in Italy, witnesses testified Friday.
2) Investigators said that, because the cell phones were turned off, it was impossible to trace the defendants' whereabouts when Meredith Kercher was killed by a stab wound to the neck in Perugia.
3) Defense lawyers contend that the cell phone data was inconclusive.
4) Friday's session in the trial of U.S. student Amanda Knox and her former Italian boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, was largely devoted to analyzing evidence recovered by police and telecoms experts from the cell phones of both the victim and the defendants.
5) Both Sollecito and Knox, who was Kercher's roommate in Perugia, have denied wrongdoing in the case. Both have said they were not at the Perugia home the evening of Nov. 1, 2007, when Kercher was killed, though Knox gave conflicting accounts during earlier police questioning.
6) Police inspector Letterio Latella, who analyzed the data, said the defendants' cell phones showed no activity on the night of the crime. He said Sollecito's cell phone was inactive between 8:42 p.m. of Nov. 1 and 6:02 a.m. of Nov. 2, when a text message sent the night before by his father popped up. The inspector said there were no reported glitches in the network that night.
7) The lack of phone activity for almost 10 hours was unusual, the investigator said, when compared with Sollecito's cell phone use over the previous month.
8) Knox's cell phone was inactive between 8:35 p.m. of Nov. 1 and 12:07 p.m. of Nov. 2, when a call was placed to Kercher's British number, Latella said, citing operator records.
9) Giulia Bongiorno, a lawyer for Sollecito, said communications companies' records were not conclusive, as they do did register attempted calls. She said Kercher's cell phone showed three attempted calls on Nov. 1 that were not detected by the companies' registries.
10) Kercher's body was found on the morning of Nov. 2 in the apartment she shared with Knox. Her two cell phones were discovered in a neighbor's garden.
11) The 21-year-old woman is believed to have died between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. on Nov. 1, based on the autopsy and the accounts of friends with whom she had eaten dinner that night, according to court documents.
12) Prosecutors allege that Kercher was killed during what had begun as a sex game. They have won the conviction of a third person in the case, Rudy Hermann Guede of the Ivory Coast, who denied wrongdoing during a separate trial last year but was sentenced to 30 years in prison.
13) Sollecito, 24, has said he was at his own apartment the night of the murder. He said he was working at his computer, though one witness testified there was no sign of Sollecito using his computer during the hours Kercher was killed.
14) Both Sollecito and Knox, a 21-year-old former University of Washington student, have been in jail in Italy since shortly after the murder.
15) Phone records show Knox exchanged text messages with the Congolese owner of a pub where she used to work part-time, witnesses said. She sent a message at 8:35 p.m. to the man, Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, saying: "Sure. See you later. Have a good night!" according to Simone Tacconi of the telecommunications branch of Rome police. The message was in Italian.
16) Lumumba was detained for two weeks in November 2007 after he was implicated by Knox. He has since been cleared and is seeking defamation damages from Knox.
17) On Thursday, police said intruders had broken into the house of the murder, the second time in a month. Police on a a routine inspection Thursday noticed a window had been broken.
18) In February, intruders ransacked the Perugia house and left four kitchen knives and some candles in various rooms. This time the intruders left nothing but moved things around, local media reported.
2009-03-21
Witness describes meeting suspect in Italy trial
(APW_ENG_20090321.0318)
1) The trial of two people for the murder of a British student has resumed in Perugia with a witness describing a meeting with the accused the day of the murder.
2) Five people were scheduled to take the stand Saturday at the trial of U.S. student Amanda Knox and her former Italian boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito. They are accused of killing Meredith Kercher, Knox's roommate, on Nov. 1, 2007. The woman's body was found Nov. 2.
3) Witness Jovana Popovic of Serbia said Sollecito had agreed to drive her to a bus station in Perugia the night of the murder. Popovic said she changed her plan and went to Sollecito's house at 8:40 p.m. to tell him she no longer needed to go.
4) Prosecutors believed Kercher died between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. on Nov. 1.
Witness contradicts accused in Italy murder trial
(APW_ENG_20090321.0429)
1) A U.S. student on trial for allegedly murdering her British roommate in Italy was recognized by a witness Saturday as a woman in a grocery store the early morning after the killing, although the defendant says she woke up at mid-morning that day.
2) That defendant, Amanda Knox, and her former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito are accused of killing Meredith Kercher, a 21-year-old British student who was found dead Nov. 2, 2007.
3) The prosecutors say that Kercher was killed the night before, between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m., at the apartment she shared with Knox after what had begun as a sex game.
4) The two defendants deny wrongdoing. Sollecito said he spent the night at his house, and that he does not remember whether Knox spent part of all of the night with him. Knox, after conflicting statements, eventually said she was not home. She has said she awoke at Sollecito's house at mid-morning.
5) Witness Marco Quintavalle said Saturday that a young woman entered his grocery store near Sollecito's house in Perugia at 7:45 a.m. on Nov. 2, 2007. He said the woman was waiting for him to open the store and that he and she exchanged glances when she entered.
6) "It really struck me, she had a very pale face and these light eyes," said Quintavalle. "I can still see the image in my head."
7) Asked by the presiding judge if that woman was present in the courtroom, Quintavalle said he was sure it was Amanda Knox.
8) "Now I'm sure," he said, looking at her. Knox did not appear to react.
9) Quintavalle, who said he was not at the cash register, said he was not sure whether Knox had bought anything that morning.
10) Quintavalle said he had seen Knox one or two times before at his store with Sollecito, who was a frequent customer. Quintavalle said he did not realize the woman who entered the store was Knox until he saw her face in newspaper articles and on TV days later.
11) Quintavalle volunteered this information to the prosecution a year later upon the suggestion of a reporter friend. He said Saturday that he had waited because he had "no enthusiasm about getting involved in this story."
12) Defense lawyers questioned the reliability of the witness. Carlo Dalla Vedova asked him if he could say how tall Sollecito is and what is the color of his eyes. He gave an indication on the height and said he wasn't sure about the eye color.
13) Chris Mellas, Knox's stepfather, said the trial had so far failed to show "any evidence that she's done anything, which is the truth."
14) "With each court session that passes she feels a little bit better," Mellas told The Associated Press before Quintavalle took the stand. Mellas has been coming to court and visiting Knox in jail.
15) In other testimony, Jovana Popovic of Serbia said Sollecito had agreed to drive her to a bus station in Perugia the night of the murder. They ended up not going as Popovic changed her plan. Popovic went to Sollecito's house at 8:40 p.m. to tell him she no longer needed to go, and Knox opened the door to take the message, the Serbian woman testified.
16) Another person implicated in the case, Rudy Hermann Guede of the Ivory Coast, was convicted and sentenced to 30 years in prison at a separate trial last year. He also denies wrongdoing.
Witness contradicts accused in Italy murder trial
(APW_ENG_20090321.0604)
1) A U.S. student on trial for allegedly murdering her British roommate in Italy was recognized by a witness Saturday as having been in a grocery store early on the morning after the killing.
2) The witness account contradicted testimony by defendant Amanda Knox, who said she woke up mid-morning the day after her roommate Meredith Kercher died from a stab wound to the neck.
3) Knox and her former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito are accused of killing the 21-year-old British student on the night of Nov. 1, 2007. Prosecutors say Kercher was killed between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. during what started as a sex game. Kercher's body was found the next morning in the Perugia house she shared with Knox.
4) The two defendants deny wrongdoing. Sollecito said he spent the night at his house, and does not remember if Knox spent all or part of it with him. Knox, after conflicting statements, eventually said she was at Sollecito's house and awoke mid-morning on Nov. 2, 2007.
5) Witness Marco Quintavalle said Saturday that a young woman he identified as Knox entered his grocery store near Sollecito's house in Perugia at 7:45 a.m. on Nov. 2. He said the woman was waiting for him to open the store, and that he and she exchanged glances when she entered.
6) "It really struck me, she had a very pale face and these light eyes," Quintavalle said. "I can still see the image in my head."
7) Asked by the judge if that woman was in the courtroom, Quintavalle said he was sure it was Knox.
8) "Now I'm sure," he said, looking at her. Knox did not appear to react.
9) Quintavalle said he was not at the cash register that morning, and so was not sure if Knox had bought anything. He said he had seen Knox one or two times before at his store with Sollecito, a frequent customer, and then recognized Knox' face in newspapers and on TV days after Kercher's killing.
10) Quintavalle, who gave prosecutors the information a year later upon the suggestion of a reporter friend, said Saturday he had waited because he had "no enthusiasm about getting involved in this story."
11) Defense lawyers questioned the reliability of the witness. Carlo Dalla Vedova asked him if he could say how tall Sollecito is and what color his eyes are. Quintavalle gave an indication on the height and said he was not sure about Sollecito's eye color.
12) Knox's stepfather, Chris Mellas, said the trial so far had failed to show "any evidence that she's done anything, which is the truth."
13) "With each court session that passes she feels a little bit better," Mellas told The Associated Press before Quintavalle took the stand. Mellas has been visiting Knox in jail.
14) Other testimony Saturday focused on whether Sollecito's apartment smelled of bleach. Prosecutors say police detected the odor of bleach when they went there on Nov. 6, 2007 -- the day both defendants were arrested.
15) Investigators allege the defendants might have used it to eliminate any possible trace on any item that might have been at the death scene.
16) A woman from Ecuador who used to be the cleaner in Sollecito's apartment told the court she never used bleach.
17) Rosa Natalia Guaman Fernandez De Calle said nothing seemed different in Sollecito's house when she last went there on Nov. 5, 2007, and was asked to clean "as usual." She said she didn't use or smell bleach that day, but could not be sure whether bleach was among the cleaning products in the house.
18) Prosecutors say it is significant that bleach was not used by the cleaning woman, but was smelled the day after by police.
19) A lawyer for Sollecito, Luca Maori, offered the opposing view. He noted that the woman did not smell the bleach even despite being in the house for two hours, suggesting police might have wrongly identified the odor.
20) Last year, a third defendant, Rudy Hermann Guede of the Ivory Coast, was convicted and sentenced to 30 years in prison at a separate trial. He also denies wrongdoing.
21) Police said this week that intruders apparently got into the house where Kercher and Knox lived. On Saturday, Italian media reported that a pillow and the mattress in Kercher's room had disappeared, apparently during the intrusion. Authorities did not immediately comment on the reports.
Witness contradicts accused in Italy murder trial
(APW_ENG_20090321.0665)
1) A grocer testified Saturday that an American student accused of killing her British roommate in Italy was in his store early on the morning after the death, contradicting the timeline she offered.
2) Defendant Amanda Knox has said she woke up mid-morning the day after her roommate Meredith Kercher died from a stab wound to the neck.
3) Knox and her former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito are accused of killing the 21-year-old British student on the night of Nov. 1, 2007. Prosecutors say Kercher was killed between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. during what started as a sex game. Kercher's body was found the next morning in the Perugia house she shared with Knox.
4) Other testimony Saturday focused on whether Sollecito's apartment smelled of bleach on Nov. 6, 2007, when police arrested the two defendants.
5) Both Knox and Sollecito deny wrongdoing in the case. Sollecito said he spent the night at his house, and does not remember if Knox spent all or part of it with him. Knox, after conflicting statements, eventually said she was at Sollecito's house and awoke mid-morning on Nov. 2, 2007.
6) Witness Marco Quintavalle said Saturday that a young woman he identified as Knox entered his grocery store near Sollecito's house in Perugia at 7:45 a.m. on Nov. 2. He said the woman was waiting for him to open the store, and that he and she exchanged glances when she entered.
7) "It really struck me, she had a very pale face and these light eyes," Quintavalle said. "I can still see the image in my head."
8) Asked by the presiding judge if that woman was in the courtroom, Quintavalle said he was sure it was Knox.
9) "Now I'm sure," he said, looking at her. Knox did not appear to react.
10) Quintavalle said he did not know if Knox bought anything because he was not at the cash register that morning. He said he had seen Knox one or two times before at his store with Sollecito, a frequent customer.
11) Defense lawyers questioned the reliability of the witness. Carlo Dalla Vedova asked him if he could say how tall Sollecito is and what color his eyes are. Quintavalle gave an indication on the height and said he was not sure about Sollecito's eye color.
12) Knox's stepfather, Chris Mellas, said the trial so far had failed to show "any evidence that she's done anything, which is the truth."
13) The court also heard Saturday from a woman who cleaned Sollecito's apartment, who answered questions about whether she used or detected bleach at the place.
14) Prosecutors say police detected the odor of bleach on Nov. 6, 2007 -- the day both defendants were arrested. Investigators allege the defendants might have used it to eliminate possible trace on any item that might have been at the death scene.
15) The Ecuadorean cleaner, Rosa Natalia Guaman Fernandez De Calle, said nothing seemed different in Sollecito's house when she last went there on Nov. 5, 2007, and was asked to clean "as usual." She said she never used bleach and did not smell it that day, but could not be sure if it was among the cleaning products in the house.
16) Prosecutors said it is significant bleach was not used by the cleaner, but was smelled by police.
17) A lawyer for Sollecito, Luca Maori, offered an opposing view, noting that the cleaner had not smelled bleach while in the house for two hours, suggesting police might have wrongly identified the odor.
18) A third defendant, Rudy Hermann Guede of the Ivory Coast, was convicted and sentenced to 30 years in prison at a separate trial last year. He also denies wrongdoing.
19) Police said this week that intruders got into the house where Kercher and Knox lived. On Saturday, Italian media reported that a pillow and the mattress in Kercher's room had disappeared, apparently during the intrusion. Officials did not comment on the reports.
2009-03-27
Witness at Italian trial: I heard woman scream
(APW_ENG_20090327.0545)
1) A witness at the Italian trial of two people accused of killing a British student says she heard a woman's scream that "made her skin crawl" on the night of the murder.
2) Nara Capezzali also testified Friday that shortly after the scream, she heard the steps of at least two people running. The witness imitated the scream for the court. Capezzali's apartment in Perugia overlooks the one where Meredith Kercher was slain in 2007.
3) Kercher's body was found in the bedroom of the flat she shared with U.S. student Amanda Knox. Knox and her former Italian boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito are being tried for the murder. Both defendants deny wrongdoing and looked relaxed in court.
Witness at Italian trial: I heard woman scream
(APW_ENG_20090327.0730)
1) A prosecution witness testified Friday she heard a woman's scream that "made her skin crawl" on the night a British student was killed in this university town.
2) She later said she wasn't sure of the date under cross-examination by lawyers for the American student and her Italian former boyfriend who are accused of stabbing 21-year-old Meredith Kercher in 2007.
3) Nara Capezzali, whose apartment in Perugia overlooks the one where Kercher was slain, also testified that shortly after the scream she heard the steps of at least two people running.
4) Defendants Amanda Knox, of Seattle, and former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito deny wrongdoing.
5) Capezzali made a screeching noise to imitate the scream she said she heard from her living room's window.
6) "It was a prolonged woman's scream," she said. "It was not normal, it made my skin crawl. Every time I walk near that window, I hear it again."
7) Capezzali testified that she heard the sound of running on a metal staircase near a parking lot as well as heard footsteps running through leaves and gravel. She said she looked out of the window but "did not see anything."
8) Kercher's body was found Nov. 2, 2007 in the bedroom of the flat she shared with Knox.
9) When defense lawyers pressed Capezzali, she began sounding confused and said she couldn't be sure of the date she heard the scream.
10) Knox and Sollecito were escorted into court Friday looking relaxed and smiling as they greeted their lawyers.
11) Prosecutors allege that Kercher was killed during what began as a sex game, with Sollecito holding her by the shoulders from behind while Knox touched her with the point of a knife. They say a third man, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede, tried to sexually assault Kercher and then Knox fatally stabbed her in the throat.
12) Guede was convicted of murder in a separate trial last year and sentenced to 30 years in prison.
13) More Perugia residents were expected to testify Friday about what they heard or saw the night of the murder.
Witness at Italian trial: I heard woman scream
(APW_ENG_20090327.1086)
1) A prosecution witness testified Friday she heard a woman's scream that "made her skin crawl" on the night a British student was killed in the Italian university town of Perugia.
2) Nara Capezzali -- whose apartment overlooks the one where 21-year-old Meredith Kercher was slain in 2007 -- also said she heard at least two people running shortly after the scream.
3) The witness said later under cross-examination that she wasn't sure of the date of the events.
4) She was testifying at the trial of Amanda Knox, of Seattle, and her former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito, who are accused of fatally stabbing Kercher. Both deny wrongdoing.
5) Kercher's body was found Nov. 2, 2007, with a stab wound to her neck in the home she shared with Knox. Prosecutors allege she was killed the night before during what began as a sex game.
6) In testimony Capezzali made a screeching noise to imitate the scream she said she heard from her living room window.
7) "It was a prolonged woman's scream," she said. "It was not normal, it made my skin crawl. Every time I walk near that window, I hear it again."
8) Capezzali said she heard the sound of running on a metal staircase near a parking lot, as well as through leaves and gravel. She said she looked out the window but "did not see anything."
9) When defense lawyers pressed Capezzali, she said she couldn't be sure of the date she heard the scream.
10) Knox and Sollecito appeared relaxed and smiling in court Friday as they greeted their lawyers. During a break in the proceedings, they smiled and gestured toward one another from a distance. On Thursday, Knox sent Sollecito a birthday card as he turned 25 behind bars, lawyers said.
11) More Perugia residents took the stand Friday, including the director of a local college where Sollecito stayed for two years until 2005.
12) "He was taciturn, introverted, reserved," Francesco Tavernese said. He said Sollecito "was into strange movies," such as horrors, and was once caught with a porn movie.
13) Carabinieri paramilitary police officer Antonio Galizia told the court that Sollecito was found with a small quantity of hashish in 2003 in southern Italy.
14) Sollecito's defense lawyer Luca Maori downplayed both testimonies as describing only "a person with a quiet temper and no problems."
15) Prosecutors allege Kercher was killed during a sex game, with Sollecito holding her by the shoulders from behind while Knox touched her with the point of a knife. They say a third man, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede, tried to sexually assault Kercher and then Knox fatally stabbed her in the throat.
16) Guede was convicted of murder in a separate trial last year and sentenced to 30 years in prison.
17) Knox and Sollecito have said they smoked hashish the night of the slaying. The Italian maintains he was at his own apartment in Perugia, watching a movie on his computer. He says he does not remember if Knox spent the whole night with him.
18) The American has insisted she was not at home during the slaying. Her DNA was found on the handle of a knife that prosecutors say might have been used in the killing, while Kercher's DNA was found on the blade. The knife was found at Sollecito's apartment.
19) Knox's mother, Edda Mellas, told reporters on Friday that she brought books, including some in German, flip-flops and CDs to her daughter, who was "doing OK."
20) Mellas is expected to take the stand at a later stage in the trial, which resumes Saturday.
2009-03-28
Witness: I saw suspects at time Briton was slain
(APW_ENG_20090328.0396)
1) A prosecution witness has testified he saw two suspects accused of killing a British woman in Italy in a basketball court near the site of the slaying at the time the victim is believed to have died.
2) Homeless Antonio Curatolo said Saturday that U.S. student Amanda Knox and her former Italian boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito were "chatting, at times animatedly," from about 9.30 p.m. to "shortly before midnight."
3) The witness said the basketball court is a few dozen meters (yards) away from the apartment where Meredith Kercher was killed in 2007.
4) The 21-year-old Kercher is believed to have died between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. on Nov. 1, 2007, based on the autopsy and the accounts of friends with whom she had eaten dinner that night, court documents say.
Witness: I saw suspects at time Briton was slain
(APW_ENG_20090328.0490)
1) A prosecution witness testified Saturday that he saw two suspects accused of killing a British woman in Italy on a basketball court near the site of the slaying at the time the victim is believed to have died.
2) Homeless Antonio Curatolo said Saturday that U.S. student Amanda Knox and her former Italian boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito were "chatting, at times animatedly," from about 9.30 p.m. to "shortly before midnight."
3) The witness told the court in Perugia that the basketball court is a few dozen meters (yards) away from the apartment where Meredith Kercher was killed in 2007.
4) The 21-year-old Kercher is believed to have died between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. on Nov. 1, 2007, based on the autopsy and the accounts of friends with whom she had eaten dinner that night, court documents say.
5) Knox and Sollecito are being tried on charges of murder and sexual violence. They deny wrongdoing.
6) Prosecutors allege that Kercher was killed during what began as a sex game, with Sollecito holding her by the shoulders from behind while Knox touched her with the point of a knife. They say a third man, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede, tried to sexually assault Kercher and then Knox fatally stabbed her in the throat.
7) Guede was convicted of murder in a separate trial last year and sentenced to 30 years in prison.
8) Sollecito, 25, has maintained he was at his own apartment the night of the murder, watching a movie on his computer, though one witness testified earlier in the trial there was no sign he used it during the hours Kercher was killed. The American has insisted she was not in her apartment during the slaying.
9) A second witness testified Saturday he saw Knox, Sollecito, Guede and Kercher walk out of the apartment that the Briton was sharing with Knox on Oct. 30, 2007, two days before the killing.
10) Fabio Gioffredi said he was "99 percent sure" he saw Guede. "They were all dressed in dark clothes, except for Amanda, who was wearing a red coat, with big buttons, 60s-style," Gioffredi said.
11) Later Saturday, Sollecito denied ever meeting Guede and told the court his defense will show evidence he was not with them that night.
Witness: US suspect brandished knife
(APW_ENG_20090328.0678)
1) An Albanian man told an Italian trial court in sometimes confusing testimony Saturday that an American student charged with the murder of her British roommate had waved a knife above her head outside of the apartment house.
2) Trying to understand what the witness was saying, Judge Giancarlo Massei often interrupted the sometimes mumbling Hekuran Kokomani, who recalled seeing U.S. student Amanda Knox, her former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito and Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede in front of the apartment house in the university town of Perugia where victim Meredith Kercher lived.
3) Kokomani, described by prosecutors as a key witness, could not specify if he saw the three together the night in November 2007 when Kercher was stabbed to death in her bedroom.
4) Occasionally speaking in Albanian through a translator, Kokomani said he was driving and then stopped in front of the building where he "bumped into a big black trash bag."
5) The "bag" turned out to be Knox and Sollecito, Kokomani said, identifying the suspects in court. He then said he punched Sollecito, while Knox threatened him with a knife.
6) "This girl pulled out a 40-centimeter (16-inch) knife from a green bag and brandished it, saying, 'Come here and I'll show you,'" Kokomani said, gesturing with his hands. He said Knox was holding the knife above her head with both hands, but was not pointing it at him.
7) Kokomani said Sollecito tried to reassure him, saying "she's a girl, she's not doing anything."
8) The Albanian testified with police officers standing behind him. He was arrested last month on drug charges.
9) At one point Kokomani testified that he "threw olives and a cell phone" at Knox after she showed him the knife and then maneuvered to drive away when he saw Guede.
10) The Ivorian told Kokomani that the knife had been used to cut a cake during a party in the young women's apartment, according to the Albanian.
11) Lawyers for Knox and Sollecito read statements Kokomani gave police during questioning that appeared inconsistent with his version in court.
12) Prosecutors allege that Kercher, whose body was found Nov. 2, 2007 in the apartment she shared with Knox, was killed during what began as a sex game. They say Sollecito held her by the shoulders from behind while Knox touched her with the point of a knife. They say Guede tried to sexually assault Kercher and then Knox fatally stabbed her in the throat.
13) Knox and Sollecito deny wrongdoing. Guede was convicted of murder in a separate trial last year and sentenced to 30 years in prison.
14) Knox laughed, shook her head and covered her face with her hands in what appeared to be disbelief when Kokomani testified that he saw her and Sollecito at a cafe with an unidentified American uncle of Knox, in summer 2007, when Knox and Sollecito had not yet met.
15) Knox's lawyer Luciano Ghirga dismissed Koromani's testimony as "unreliable." Prosecutors insisted he remains a key witness.
16) Also on Saturday, a witness told court that he saw Knox, Sollecito, Guede and Kercher walk out of the women's apartment on Oct. 30, 2007, two days before the killing.
17) Fabio Gioffredi said he was "99 percent sure" he saw Guede. "They were all dressed in dark clothes, except for Amanda, who was wearing a red coat, with big buttons, 60s-style," Gioffredi said.
18) Later Saturday, Sollecito denied ever meeting Guede.
19) Another prosecution witness, Antonio Curatolo, said he saw Knox and Sollecito "chatting, at times animatedly," on a basketball court near the apartment house from about 9:30 p.m. to shortly before midnight the night the Briton was killed.
20) The 21-year-old Kercher is believed to have died between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. on Nov. 1, 2007, based on the autopsy and the accounts of friends with whom she had eaten dinner that night, court documents say.
Witness: US suspect brandished knife
(APW_ENG_20090328.0707)
1) An Albanian man told an Italian trial court in sometimes confusing testimony Saturday that an American student charged with the murder of her British roommate had waved a knife at him outside their apartment house.
2) The presiding judge often interrupted Hekuran Kokomani asking him to speak up and be clearer, as the witness recalled seeing U.S. student Amanda Knox, her former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito and a suspect from the Ivory Coast in front of the apartment house in the university town of Perugia where the victim was killed.
3) Kokomani, described by prosecutors as a key witness, could not specify if he saw the three together the night in November 2007 when British student Meredith Kercher was stabbed to death in her bedroom.
4) Occasionally speaking in Albanian through a translator, and often mumbling, Kokomani said he was driving and then stopped in front of the building where he "bumped into a big black trash bag."
5) The "bag" turned out to be Knox and Sollecito, Kokomani said, identifying the suspects in court. He then said he punched Sollecito, while Knox threatened him with a knife.
6) "This girl pulled out a 40-centimeter (16-inch) knife from a green bag and brandished it, saying, 'Come here and I'll show you,'" Kokomani said, gesturing with his hands. He said Knox was holding the knife above her head with both hands, but was not pointing it at him.
7) Kokomani said Sollecito tried to reassure him, saying "she's a girl, she's not doing anything."
8) The Albanian testified with police officers standing behind him. He was arrested last month on drug charges.
9) At one point Kokomani testified that he "threw olives and a cell phone" at Knox after she showed him the knife and then maneuvered to drive away when he saw the Ivorian Rudy Hermann Guede.
10) Guede told Kokomani that the knife had been used to cut a cake during a party in the young women's apartment, according to the Albanian.
11) Lawyers for Knox and Sollecito read statements Kokomani gave police during questioning that appeared inconsistent with his version in court.
12) Prosecutors allege that Kercher, whose body was found Nov. 2, 2007 in the apartment she shared with Knox, was killed during what began as a sex game. They say Sollecito held her by the shoulders from behind while Knox touched her with the point of a knife. They say Guede tried to sexually assault Kercher and then Knox fatally stabbed her in the throat.
13) Knox and Sollecito deny wrongdoing. Guede was convicted of murder in a separate trial last year and sentenced to 30 years in prison.
14) Knox laughed, shook her head and covered her face with her hands in what appeared to be disbelief when Kokomani testified that he saw her and Sollecito at a cafe with an unidentified American uncle of Knox, in summer 2007, when Knox and Sollecito had not yet met.
15) Knox's lawyer Luciano Ghirga dismissed Koromani's testimony as "unreliable." Prosecutors insisted he remains a key witness.
16) Also on Saturday, a witness told court that he saw Knox, Sollecito, Guede and Kercher walk out of the women's apartment on Oct. 30, 2007, two days before the killing.
17) Fabio Gioffredi said he was "99 percent sure" he saw Guede. "They were all dressed in dark clothes, except for Amanda, who was wearing a red coat, with big buttons, 60s-style," Gioffredi said.
18) Later Saturday, Sollecito denied ever meeting Guede.
19) Another prosecution witness, Antonio Curatolo, said he saw Knox and Sollecito "chatting, at times animatedly," on a basketball court near the apartment house from about 9:30 p.m. to shortly before midnight the night the Briton was killed.
20) The 21-year-old Kercher is believed to have died between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. on Nov. 1, 2007, based on the autopsy and the accounts of friends with whom she had eaten dinner that night, court documents say.
Witness: US suspect brandished knife
(APW_ENG_20090328.0734)
1) An Albanian man told an Italian trial court in sometimes confusing testimony Saturday that an American student charged with the murder of her British roommate had brandished a knife outside their apartment house.
2) The presiding judge often interrupted Hekuran Kokomani asking him to speak up and be clearer, as the witness recalled seeing U.S. student Amanda Knox, her former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito and a suspect from the Ivory Coast in front of the apartment house in the university town of Perugia where the victim was killed.
3) Kokomani, described by prosecutors as a key witness, could not specify if he saw the three together the night in November 2007 when British student Meredith Kercher was stabbed to death in her bedroom.
4) Occasionally speaking in Albanian through a translator, and often mumbling, Kokomani said he was driving and then stopped in front of the building where he "bumped into a big black trash bag."
5) The "bag" turned out to be Knox and Sollecito, Kokomani said, identifying the suspects in court. He then said he punched Sollecito, while Knox threatened him with a knife.
6) "This girl pulled out a 40-centimeter (16-inch) knife from a green bag and brandished it, saying, 'Come here and I'll show you,'" Kokomani said, gesturing with his hands. He said Knox was holding the knife above her head with both hands, but was not pointing it at him.
7) Kokomani said Sollecito tried to reassure him, saying "she's a girl, she's not doing anything."
8) The Albanian testified with police officers standing behind him. He was arrested last month on drug charges.
9) At one point Kokomani testified that he "threw olives and a cell phone" at Knox after she showed him the knife and then maneuvered to drive away when he saw the Ivorian Rudy Hermann Guede.
10) Guede told Kokomani that the knife had been used to cut a cake during a party in the young women's apartment, according to the Albanian.
11) Lawyers for Knox and Sollecito read statements Kokomani gave police during questioning that appeared inconsistent with his version in court.
12) Prosecutors allege that Kercher, whose body was found Nov. 2, 2007 in the apartment she shared with Knox, was killed during what began as a sex game. They say Sollecito held her by the shoulders from behind while Knox touched her with the point of a knife. They say Guede tried to sexually assault Kercher and then Knox fatally stabbed her in the throat.
13) Knox and Sollecito deny wrongdoing. Guede was convicted of murder in a separate trial last year and sentenced to 30 years in prison.
14) Knox laughed, shook her head and covered her face with her hands in what appeared to be disbelief when Kokomani testified that he saw her and Sollecito at a cafe with an unidentified American uncle of Knox, in summer 2007, when Knox and Sollecito had not yet met.
15) Knox's lawyer Luciano Ghirga dismissed Koromani's testimony as "unreliable." Prosecutors insisted he remains a key witness.
16) Also on Saturday, a witness told court that he saw Knox, Sollecito, Guede and Kercher walk out of the women's apartment on Oct. 30, 2007, two days before the killing.
17) Fabio Gioffredi said he was "99 percent sure" he saw Guede. "They were all dressed in dark clothes, except for Amanda, who was wearing a red coat, with big buttons, 60s-style," Gioffredi said.
18) Later Saturday, Sollecito denied ever meeting Guede.
19) Another prosecution witness, Antonio Curatolo, said he saw Knox and Sollecito "chatting, at times animatedly," on a basketball court near the apartment house from about 9:30 p.m. to shortly before midnight the night the Briton was killed.
20) The 21-year-old Kercher is believed to have died between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. on Nov. 1, 2007, based on the autopsy and the accounts of friends with whom she had eaten dinner that night, court documents say.
2009-04-03
US suspect ' s court demeanor in the spotlight
(APW_ENG_20090403.0410)
1) She grins and chats and on Valentine's Day sported a T-shirt that read "All You Need Is Love." One of the first things she said in court was about a rabbit shaped sex toy.
2) Amanda Knox faces life in prison if convicted of killing Meredith Kercher, a British exchange student who was her roommate in picturesque Perugia in central Italy. However, her breezy behavior in hearings over the last three months has set tongues wagging in Italy and abroad.
3) Knox's family insists she has always been respectful in court and knows full well the weight of the charges against her.
4) The 21-year-old former University of Washington student is being tried with her ex-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito for the 2007 killing that mesmerized Italy with its tales of sex and drugs. Both deny wrongdoing.
5) Knox was in an exchange program in Perugia and sharing an apartment with Kercher, a 21-year-old student from Leeds University in England, when the Briton was found stabbed to death in the house on Nov. 2, 2007.
6) Prosecutors allege that Kercher was killed during what began as a sex game, with Sollecito holding her by the shoulders from behind while Knox touched her with the point of a knife.
7) They say a third man, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede, tried to sexually assault Kercher and then Knox fatally stabbed her in the throat. Guede was convicted of murder in a separate trial last year and sentenced to 30 years in prison.
8) The case, and particularly Knox's alleged role, has made headlines in Italy and abroad and media outlets still converge here for hearings held most Fridays and Saturdays.
9) Photo and TV coverage of the trial has focused on Knox's calm demeanor, her chats with the interpreter during breaks and in one case even her fashion sense, when she wore a bright T-shirt with "All You Need Is Love" scrawled in large pink letters on Valentine's Day.
10) In contrast, co-defendant Sollecito, 25, has appeared more tense and kept a lower-profile; he faces the cameras only when briefly waving to his family sitting in front of them.
11) Italian and European reports have buzzed with remarks.
12) "She is defiant and he, fearful," summarized Italy's respected daily Corriere della Sera the day after the opening hearing.
13) "The Foxy Knoxy show: Smiling murder suspect makes grand entrance as trial begins," read a title on the online version of Britain's Daily Mail, which also described Knox as walking "like a Hollywood diva sashaying along the red carpet."
14) Knox's behavior also raised eyebrows before the trial opened, with a witness recently testifying in court that the American turned cartwheels and did splits at the police station in the hours that followed the murder.
15) Other witnesses have told the court that Knox made faces at Sollecito at the police station, crossing her eyes and sticking her tongue out, while also giggling and kissing him.
16) "Her behavior has never been adequate, given the seriousness of what happened," lawyer Francesco Maresca, who represents Kercher's family, said Wednesday. "I criticize a superficial and inappropriate behavior. There's a girl who died brutally, we could use some respect."
17) However, criminologist Saverio Fortunato says Knox's apparently carefree behavior could be a psychological "reaction to the pain" of being involved in a murder case.
18) "It could be a sign of malaise and confusion," Fortunato said. "Facing the wounds of a trial can push you to adopt a certain behavior to fight off the fear, which can be interpreted from the outside as inappropriate."
19) In recent addresses to the court, Knox spoke in Italian and sounded confident, even in her first public statement when she casually explained the presence of a pink rabbit-shaped vibrator in her Perugia house, saying it was "a joke" and a present from a friend.
20) In a statement e-mailed to The Associated Press, Knox's family described the American as "generally a positive person," who tries to "see something positive in everybody and every situation."
21) "When she comes to the courtroom, she is generally happy to see familiar faces," the statement said. "The media seems more interested in what she's wearing or how she acts for brief moments ... than in the lack of evidence against her or her respectful, attentive manner during the court proceedings."
22) Indeed, both Knox and Sollecito sit quietly near their lawyers and follow proceedings intently, taking notes and referencing in Italian law books. Two prison guards are stationed behind them at all times.
23) The two defendants have largely ignored each other since the trial opened Jan. 16, but recently they exchanged smiles, whispers and gestured from a distance.
24) Prosecutors say Knox's DNA was on the handle of a knife found at Sollecito's house that might have been used in the slaying and the victim's DNA was found on the blade.
25) It's not clear how, if at all, Knox's behavior will influence the eight-member jury, which is expected to reach a verdict after the summer.
26) "Juries can be influenced by the media, but there is also the presiding judge," who as an expert should be able to see through a defendant's behavior in court, Fortunato said. "I don't think that the trial should revolve around this frivolity."
27) Yet Knox's attitude has made an impression on the public.
28) "She probably is not even aware of the seriousness of what has happened," said Valentina Discepoli, a 26-year-old law student in Perugia who has attended some of the hearings. "She could be guilty, but her behavior doesn't label her as such."
US suspect ' s court demeanor in the spotlight
(APW_ENG_20090403.0790)
1) She grins and chats. On Valentine's Day, she sported a T-shirt that read "All You Need Is Love." And one of the first things she said in court was about a rabbit shaped sex toy.
2) Amanda Knox faces life in prison if convicted of killing Meredith Kercher, a British exchange student who was her roommate in this picturesque university town. However, her breezy behavior in hearings over the last three months has set tongues wagging in Italy and abroad.
3) Knox's family insists she has always been respectful in court and knows full well the weight of the charges against her.
4) The 21-year-old former University of Washington student is being tried with her ex-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito for the 2007 killing that mesmerized Italy with its tales of sex and drugs. Both deny wrongdoing.
5) Knox was in an exchange program in Perugia and sharing an apartment with Kercher, a 21-year-old student from Leeds University in England, when the Briton was found stabbed to death in the house on Nov. 2, 2007.
6) Prosecutors allege that Kercher was killed during what began as a sex game, with Sollecito holding her by the shoulders from behind while Knox touched her with the point of a knife.
7) They say a third man, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede, tried to sexually assault Kercher and then Knox fatally stabbed her in the throat. Guede was convicted of murder in a separate trial last year and sentenced to 30 years in prison.
8) The case, and particularly Knox's alleged role, has made headlines in Italy and abroad and media outlets still converge here for hearings held most Fridays and Saturdays.
9) Photo and TV coverage of the trial has focused on Knox's calm demeanor, her chats with the interpreter during breaks and in one case even her fashion sense, when she wore a bright T-shirt with "All You Need Is Love" scrawled in large pink letters on Valentine's Day.
10) In contrast, co-defendant Sollecito, 25, has appeared more tense and kept a lower-profile; he faces the cameras only when briefly waving to his family sitting in front of them.
11) Italian and European reports have buzzed with remarks.
12) "She is defiant and he, fearful," summarized Italy's respected daily Corriere della Sera the day after the opening hearing.
13) "The Foxy Knoxy show: Smiling murder suspect makes grand entrance as trial begins," read a title on the online version of Britain's Daily Mail, which also described Knox as walking "like a Hollywood diva sashaying along the red carpet."
14) Knox's behavior also raised eyebrows before the trial opened, with a witness recently testifying in court that the American turned cartwheels and did splits at the police station in the hours that followed the murder.
15) Other witnesses have told the court that Knox made faces at Sollecito at the police station, crossing her eyes and sticking her tongue out, while also giggling and kissing him.
16) "Her behavior has never been adequate, given the seriousness of what happened," lawyer Francesco Maresca, who represents Kercher's family, said Wednesday. "I criticize a superficial and inappropriate behavior. There's a girl who died brutally, we could use some respect."
17) However, criminologist Saverio Fortunato says Knox's apparently carefree behavior could be a psychological "reaction to the pain" of being involved in a murder case.
18) "It could be a sign of malaise and confusion," Fortunato said. "Facing the wounds of a trial can push you to adopt a certain behavior to fight off the fear, which can be interpreted from the outside as inappropriate."
19) In recent addresses to the court, Knox spoke in Italian and sounded confident, even in her first public statement when she casually explained the presence of a pink rabbit-shaped vibrator in her Perugia house, saying it was "a joke" and a present from a friend.
20) In a statement e-mailed to The Associated Press, Knox's family described the American as "generally a positive person," who tries to "see something positive in everybody and every situation."
21) "When she comes to the courtroom, she is generally happy to see familiar faces," the statement said. "The media seems more interested in what she's wearing or how she acts for brief moments ... than in the lack of evidence against her or her respectful, attentive manner during the court proceedings."
22) Indeed, both Knox and Sollecito sit quietly near their lawyers and follow proceedings intently, taking notes and referencing in Italian law books. Two prison guards are stationed behind them at all times.
23) On Friday, coroner Luca Lalli confirmed his earlier findings by testifying that the Briton died from a stab wound to the neck. He said it cannot be determined if she was raped, though bruises and cuts on her face, neck, hands and legs suggest violence during intercourse.
24) Maresca said video footage of the autopsy was shown during the closed-doors session and Knox "looked away, while Sollecito occasionally looked up."
25) Knox's mother, Edda Mellas, said her daughter was "upset" and "just couldn't watch."
26) The two defendants have largely ignored each other since the trial opened Jan. 16, but recently they exchanged smiles, whispers and gestured from a distance.
27) Prosecutors say Knox's DNA was on the handle of a knife found at Sollecito's house that might have been used in the slaying and the victim's DNA was found on the blade.
28) It's not clear how, if at all, Knox's behavior will influence the eight-member jury, which is expected to reach a verdict after the summer.
29) "Juries can be influenced by the media, but there is also the presiding judge," who as an expert should be able to see through a defendant's behavior in court, Fortunato said. "I don't think that the trial should revolve around this frivolity."
US suspect ' s court demeanor in the spotlight
(APW_ENG_20090403.1063)
1) She grins and chats. On Valentine's Day, she sported a T-shirt that read "All You Need Is Love." And one of the first things she said in court was about a rabbit shaped sex toy.
2) Amanda Knox faces life in prison if convicted of killing Meredith Kercher, a British exchange student who was her roommate in this picturesque university town. However, her breezy behavior in hearings over the last three months has set tongues wagging in Italy and abroad.
3) Knox's family insists she has always been respectful in court and knows full well the weight of the charges against her.
4) The 21-year-old former University of Washington student is being tried with her ex-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito for the 2007 killing that mesmerized Italy with its tales of sex and drugs. Both deny wrongdoing.
5) Knox was in an exchange program in Perugia and sharing an apartment with Kercher, a 21-year-old student from Leeds University in England, when the Briton was found stabbed to death in the house on Nov. 2, 2007.
6) Prosecutors allege that Kercher was killed during what began as a sex game, with Sollecito holding her by the shoulders from behind while Knox touched her with the point of a knife.
7) They say a third man, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede, tried to sexually assault Kercher and then Knox fatally stabbed her in the throat. Guede was convicted of murder in a separate trial last year and sentenced to 30 years in prison.
8) The case, and particularly Knox's alleged role, has made headlines in Italy and abroad and media outlets still converge here for hearings held most Fridays and Saturdays.
9) Photo and TV coverage of the trial has focused on Knox's calm demeanor, her chats with the interpreter during breaks and in one case even her fashion sense, when she wore a bright T-shirt with "All You Need Is Love" scrawled in large pink letters on Valentine's Day.
10) In contrast, co-defendant Sollecito, 25, has appeared more tense and kept a lower-profile; he faces the cameras only when briefly waving to his family sitting in front of them.
11) Italian and European reports have buzzed with remarks.
12) "She is defiant and he, fearful," summarized Italy's respected daily Corriere della Sera the day after the opening hearing.
13) "The Foxy Knoxy show: Smiling murder suspect makes grand entrance as trial begins," read a title on the online version of Britain's Daily Mail, which also described Knox as walking "like a Hollywood diva sashaying along the red carpet."
14) Knox's behavior also raised eyebrows before the trial opened, with a witness recently testifying in court that the American turned cartwheels and did splits at the police station in the hours that followed the murder.
15) Other witnesses have told the court that Knox made faces at Sollecito at the police station, crossing her eyes and sticking her tongue out, while also giggling and kissing him.
16) "Her behavior has never been adequate, given the seriousness of what happened," lawyer Francesco Maresca, who represents Kercher's family, said Wednesday. "I criticize a superficial and inappropriate behavior. There's a girl who died brutally, we could use some respect."
17) However, criminologist Saverio Fortunato says Knox's apparently carefree behavior could be a psychological "reaction to the pain" of being involved in a murder case.
18) "It could be a sign of malaise and confusion," Fortunato said. "Facing the wounds of a trial can push you to adopt a certain behavior to fight off the fear, which can be interpreted from the outside as inappropriate."
19) In recent addresses to the court, Knox spoke in Italian and sounded confident, even in her first public statement when she casually explained the presence of a pink rabbit-shaped vibrator in her Perugia house, saying it was "a joke" and a present from a friend.
20) In a statement e-mailed to The Associated Press, Knox's family described the American as "generally a positive person," who tries to "see something positive in everybody and every situation."
21) "When she comes to the courtroom, she is generally happy to see familiar faces," the statement said. "The media seems more interested in what she's wearing or how she acts for brief moments ... than in the lack of evidence against her or her respectful, attentive manner during the court proceedings."
22) Indeed, both Knox and Sollecito sit quietly near their lawyers and follow proceedings intently, taking notes and referencing in Italian law books. Two prison guards are stationed behind them at all times.
23) On Friday, coroner Luca Lalli confirmed his earlier findings by testifying that the Briton died from a stab wound to the neck. He said it cannot be determined if she was raped, though bruises and cuts on her face, neck, hands and legs suggest violence during intercourse.
24) Maresca said photographs taken during the autopsy were shown during the closed-doors session and Knox "looked away, while Sollecito occasionally looked up."
25) Knox's mother, Edda Mellas, said her daughter was "upset" and "just couldn't watch."
26) Later Friday, local shop owner Carlo Maria Scotto di Rinaldi testified he saw Knox and Sollecito kissing and hugging in his lingerie shop the day after Kercher's body was found.
27) He said Knox bought "a top and a G-string" and the couple talked about having "hot sex" once they got home.
28) The two defendants have largely ignored each other since the trial opened Jan. 16, but recently they exchanged smiles, whispers and gestured from a distance.
29) Prosecutors say Knox's DNA was on the handle of a knife found at Sollecito's house that might have been used in the slaying and the victim's DNA was found on the blade.
30) It's not clear how, if at all, Knox's behavior will influence the eight-member jury, which is expected to reach a verdict after the summer.
31) "Juries can be influenced by the media, but there is also the presiding judge," who as an expert should be able to see through a defendant's behavior in court, Fortunato said. "I don't think that the trial should revolve around this frivolity."
2009-04-04
Convicted Ivorian in court for slain student trial
(APW_ENG_20090404.0262)
1) An Ivorian man convicted in the slaying of a British student in Italy has made a brief appearance at the trial of two other defendants but refused to answer questions.
2) Rudy Hermann Guede took the stand Saturday in the trial of U.S. student Amanda Knox and her former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito in Perugia.
3) Under Italian law, he had the right not to answer as he has been convicted.
4) Guede was sentenced to 30 years in prison in a fast-track trial last year for the 2007 murder of Meredith Kercher. Escorted by prison guards, he appeared tense and did not look at Knox and Sollecito.
5) Guede has acknowledged being in Kercher's apartment when the Briton was attacked. He said he tried to rescue her but got scared and fled.
6) Guede is appealing the conviction.
Expert: More than one attacker in Briton ' s slaying
(APW_ENG_20090404.0561)
1) A British student killed in central Italy was attacked by more than one person, a medical examiner testified Saturday in the trial of an American suspect and her former boyfriend.
2) Prosecution witness Vincenza Liviero took the stand behind closed doors in the trial of Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito in Perugia. They are being tried on charges of murder and sexual violence for the 2007 death of Meredith Kercher.
3) A third suspect, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede, was convicted on identical charges last year and sentenced to 30 years in prison.
4) "It was an action carried out by more than two hands, and there was sexual violence," Liviero told reporters at the end of the hearing.
5) Her testimony was closed to the public and media to comply with a request from Kercher's family to preserve the victim's memory.
6) "There were so many wounds, caused by a knife and caused by hands," Kercher's lawyer Francesco Maresca said. "The only way they could have been from one person is if that person had three or four hands."
7) A second witness, gynecologist and prosecution consultant Mauro Marchionni, also testified that the bruises on Kercher's body were not compatible with consensual sex, Maresca said.
8) Graphic images from the autopsy were shown during the hearing. Prosecutor Giuliano Mignini said Knox did not look at them and kept her head down. Sollecito glanced at them sporadically, he said.
9) On Friday, coroner Luca Lalli, who performed the autopsy, testified he couldn't say with certainty whether Kercher had been raped, though bruises and cuts on her face, neck, hands and legs suggested violence during intercourse. Lalli initially told the court he also believed Kercher had been assaulted by more than one person, but under cross-examination, he said he could not rule out a single attacker, Maresca said.
10) Knox, 21, was on an exchange program in Perugia and sharing an apartment with Kercher, a 21-year-old student from Leeds University in England, when the Briton was found stabbed to death in the house on Nov. 2, 2007.
11) Prosecutors allege that Kercher was killed during what began as a sex game, with Sollecito holding her by the shoulders from behind while Knox touched her with the point of a knife. Both deny wrongdoing. Prosecutors say Guede tried to sexually assault Kercher and then Knox fatally stabbed her in the throat.
12) Guede took the stand Saturday but refused to answer questions. Under Italian law, he had the right not to answer as he has been convicted.
13) Escorted by prison guards, he appeared tense and did not look at Knox and Sollecito.
14) Guede has acknowledged being in Kercher's apartment when the Briton was attacked. He said he tried to rescue her but got scared and fled. He is appealing the conviction.
15) Sollecito has maintained he was in his own apartment in Perugia and that he doesn't remember if Knox spent part or all of the night of the murder with him. Knox initially told investigators she was in the house when Kercher was killed and covered her ears against the victim's screams. Later, Knox said she wasn't in the house.
16) Prosecutors say Knox's DNA was found on the handle of a knife that might have been used in the slaying, while Kercher's DNA was found on the blade. The knife was found at Sollecito's house.
Expert: More than one attacker in Briton ' s slaying
(APW_ENG_20090404.0594)
1) A British student killed in Italy was attacked by more than one person, a medical examiner testified Saturday in the trial of an American suspect and her former boyfriend. A second witness said bruises found on the victim's body were not compatible with consensual sex.
2) Suspect Amanda Knox -- who has said she is innocent of charges of murder and sexual violence in the 2007 death of Meredith Kercher -- kept her head down as graphic images from Kercher's autopsy were shown in court, according to prosecutor Giuliano Mignini. Raffaele Sollecito, who also denies wrongdoing, glanced at the images sporadically, Mignini said.
3) A third suspect, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede, was found guilty of identical charges last year and was sentenced to 30 years in prison. He also took the stand Saturday, but refused to answer questions as was his right under Italian law since he has been convicted.
4) Prosecution witness Vincenza Liviero, a medical examiner, testified behind closed doors to comply with a request from Kercher's family to preserve the victim's memory.
5) "It was an action carried out by more than two hands, and there was sexual violence," Liviero told reporters at the end of the hearing.
6) "There were so many wounds, caused by a knife and caused by hands," Kercher's lawyer Francesco Maresca said. "The only way they could have been from one person is if that person had three or four hands."
7) Gynecologist and prosecution consultant Mauro Marchionni also testified that the bruises on Kercher's body suggested nonconsensual sex, Maresca said.
8) On Friday, coroner Luca Lalli, who performed the autopsy, testified he couldn't say with certainty whether Kercher had been raped, though bruises and cuts on her face, neck, hands and legs suggested violence during intercourse. Lalli initially told the court he also believed Kercher had been assaulted by more than one person, but under cross-examination, he said he could not rule out a single attacker, Maresca said.
9) Knox, 21, was on an exchange program in Perugia and sharing an apartment with Kercher, a 21-year-old student from Leeds University in England, when the Briton was found stabbed to death in the house on Nov. 2, 2007.
10) Prosecutors allege Kercher was killed during what began as a sex game, with Sollecito holding her by the shoulders from behind while Knox touched her with the point of a knife. Prosecutors say Guede tried to sexually assault Kercher and then Knox fatally stabbed her in the throat.
11) Guede, who is appealing his conviction, appeared tense on Saturday and did not look at Knox and Sollecito as he was escorted by prison guards into court. He has acknowledged being in Kercher's apartment when the Briton was attacked, but said he tried to rescue her before getting scared and fleeing the scene.
12) Sollecito has maintained he was in his own apartment in Perugia and does not remember if Knox spent part or all of the night of the murder with him. Knox initially told investigators she was in the house when Kercher was killed and covered her ears against the victim's screams. Later, Knox said she wasn't in the house.
13) Prosecutors say Knox's DNA was found on the handle of a knife that might have been used in the slaying, while Kercher's DNA was found on the blade. The knife was found at Sollecito's house.
2009-04-18
Italian court eyes crime scene in US student trial
(APW_ENG_20090418.0412)
1) The Italian court trying an American student and her former boyfriend for the murder of a British woman inspected the apartment house in Perugia on Saturday where the victim was stabbed to death in 2007.
2) American Amanda Knox, 21, and her former Italian boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, who was also studying in the university town in Umbria, are being tried for the slaying of Knox's roommate, Meredith Kercher. Both have denied all wrongdoing.
3) The body of 21-year-old Kercher, stabbed in the neck, was found in a pool of blood in her bedroom of the rented flat in November 2007.
4) The house inspection by the court was closed to journalists. Spectators, however, could see the judge, jurors, prosecutors and defense attorneys arrive and begin inspecting the exterior of the building, including a window in the rear that had been found broken by investigators when the body was discovered.
5) The court was also scheduled to visit the interior of the building.
6) Defendants in Italian trials have the right not to attend sessions. Knox and Sollecito attended Saturday morning's court session but did not come to the afternoon session at the crime scene.
7) Prosecutors have alleged that Kercher's attackers broke the window from inside in a clumsy attempt to fake a break-in.
8) The morning session in Perugia's courthouse, the first hearing since an Easter vacation break, was also closed to reporters.
9) Prosecutors allege the victim was killed during what began as a sex game, with Sollecito holding Kercher from behind while Knox touched her with the point of a knife. Prosecutors say a third person, Rudy Hermann Guede, tried to sexually assault Kercher and then Knox fatally stabbed her in the throat.
10) Guede, an Ivory Coast national, has been convicted of Kercher's murder in a separate, fast-track trial and sentenced to 30 years in prison. He, too, had denied wrongdoing.
11) Lawyers in the case said the morning session included testimony from a forensics doctor called by the prosecution. The Italian news agency ANSA quoted an attorney representing the victim's family as saying the expert witness testified there was probably an attempt to strangle Kercher before she was stabbed.
12) ANSA quoted Kercher family lawyer Francesco Maresca, as well as two defense attorneys, as giving conflicting interpretations of the doctor's testimony about whether the knife prosecutors say could be the murder weapon matched the victim's wounds.
Italian court eyes crime scene in US student trial
(APW_ENG_20090418.0598)
1) The Italian court trying an American student and her former boyfriend for the murder of a British woman inspected the apartment house in Perugia on Saturday where the victim was stabbed to death in 2007.
2) American Amanda Knox, 21, and her former Italian boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, who was also studying in the university town in Umbria, are being tried for the slaying of Knox's roommate, Meredith Kercher. Both have denied all wrongdoing.
3) The body of 21-year-old Kercher, stabbed in the neck, was found in a pool of blood in her bedroom of the rented flat in November 2007.
4) The house inspection by the court was closed to journalists. Spectators, however, could see the judge, jurors, prosecutors and defense attorneys arrive and begin inspecting the exterior of the building, including a window in the rear that had been found broken by investigators when the body was discovered.
5) After visiting the interior of the apartment, the judge and jury left without talking to reporters, but prosecutor Manuela Comodi told journalists afterward that the visit was important. "The court studied that interior and exterior of the house," and took note of the position of the bedroom window, Comodi said.
6) Prosecutors have alleged that Kercher's attackers broke the window from inside in a clumsy attempt to fake a break-in.
7) Defendants in Italian trials have the right not to attend sessions. Knox and Sollecito attended Saturday morning's court session but did not come to the afternoon session at the crime scene.
8) The morning session in Perugia's courthouse, the first hearing since an Easter vacation break, also was closed to reporters.
9) Prosecutors allege the victim was killed during what began as a sex game, with Sollecito holding Kercher from behind while Knox touched her with the point of a knife. Prosecutors say a third person, Rudy Hermann Guede, tried to sexually assault Kercher and then Knox fatally stabbed her in the throat.
10) Guede, an Ivory Coast national, has been convicted of Kercher's murder in a separate, fast-track trial and sentenced to 30 years in prison. He, too, had denied wrongdoing.
11) One of Sollecito's lawyers, Giulia Bongiorno, was quoted as describing the atmosphere inside the house as "ghostly." The Italian news agency ANSA also quoted her as saying that "there are still a lot of knives" in the apartment.
12) Knox's father, Curt Knox, remained outside the house during the inspection and later told reporters that beyond what was happening to his daughter in the case, what happened to Kercher was a true "tragedy," ANSA reported.
13) Lawyers in the case said the morning session included testimony from a forensics doctor called by the prosecution. The Italian news agency ANSA quoted an attorney representing the victim's family as saying the expert witness testified there was probably an attempt to strangle Kercher before she was stabbed.
14) ANSA quoted Kercher family lawyer Francesco Maresca, as well as two defense attorneys, as giving conflicting interpretations of the doctor's testimony about whether the knife that prosecutors say could be the murder weapon matched the victim's wounds.
2009-04-23
Italy court shown graphic video in student case
(APW_ENG_20090423.0779)
1) A court in central Italy has been shown graphic video footage of the crime scene where a British student was killed, prompting the American accused in her slaying to bury her face in her hands.
2) Amanda Knox quickly looked away and held her head down when images of Meredith Kercher's body were shown in court Thursday. Knox and her former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito are on trial in Perugia for the killing. Both deny wrongdoing.
3) Knox had been exchanging smiles and whispers with Sollecito from a distance, but she turned somber when a prosecution witness aired videos showing the blood-splattered room, Kercher's face and her foot sticking out from a duvet.
4) Kercher's body was found Nov. 2, 2007 in the apartment she shared with Knox.
US suspect sees video of alleged murder victim
(APW_ENG_20090423.0908)
1) An American defendant turned somber and buried her face in her hands Thursday when the blood-covered face of the British student she is accused of murdering was shown in video footage at her trial in central Italy.
2) Amanda Knox, 21, quickly looked away and held her head down when images of Meredith Kercher's body at the murder scene were shown in court.
3) Knox and her former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito are on trial in Perugia for murder. Both deny any wrongdoing.
4) The American student had been exchanging smiles and whispers with Sollecito, who sat some distance away, but her expression darkened when police official Claudio Cantagalli showed videos detailing the blood-splattered room, Kercher's face and her foot sticking out from a duvet. Sollecito, 25, kept on looking.
5) Kercher's body was found Nov. 2, 2007 in the apartment she shared with Knox. Prosecutors allege she was killed during what began as a sex game, with Sollecito holding her by the shoulders from behind while Knox touched her with the point of a knife.
6) Prosecutors have alleged that a third man, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede, tried to sexually assault Kercher and then Knox fatally stabbed her in the throat. Guede was convicted of the murder in a separate trial last year and sentenced to 30 years in prison.
7) Earlier this month, behind closed doors, the eight-member jury viewed graphic images from Kercher's autopsy. Prosecutor Giuliano Mignini said then that Knox kept her head down, while Sollecito glanced at the images occasionally.
8) Also on Thursday, the head of the forensic unit that intervened in the hours that followed the murder insisted that there was no sign of contamination of evidence collected at the crime scene.
9) Prosecutors say they found Sollecito's DNA on the clasp of the victim's bra, although his defense team says the bra bore multiple DNA traces and maintain the evidence might have been inadvertently contaminated during the investigation.
10) Official Alberto Intini, who did not take part in the two inspections that were carried out by the forensics, rejected defense lawyers' allegations.
11) "In this probe, we did not find any traces of anyone intervening," Intini testified, as he was shown photos from the murder scene that appeared to show that some objects, such as the doors of Kercher's clothes closet, were moved between the first inspection on Nov. 2 and the second more than a month later.
12) "DNA doesn't fly, like pollen or hair, or get thrown upon things here and there," Intini said. "Even if in theory contamination can never be ruled out, it is not easy for it to happen, and there must be direct contact."
13) The court lifted the confiscation order on the house where Kercher was killed, returning the apartment to the owners. The judge, jurors, prosecutors and defense attorneys inspected the location last week.
US suspect sees video of alleged murder victim
(APW_ENG_20090423.1282)
1) An American student turned somber and buried her face in her hands Thursday when the blood-covered face of the woman she is accused of murdering was shown in video footage at her trial in central Italy.
2) Amanda Knox, 21, quickly looked away and held her head down when images of Meredith Kercher's body at the murder scene were shown in court.
3) Knox and her former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito are on trial in Perugia for murder. Both deny any wrongdoing.
4) The American student had been exchanging smiles and whispers with Sollecito, who sat some distance away, but her expression darkened when police official Claudio Cantagalli showed videos detailing the blood-splattered room, Kercher's face and her foot sticking out from a duvet. Sollecito, 25, kept on looking.
5) The body of British student Kercher was found Nov. 2, 2007, in the apartment she shared with Knox. Prosecutors allege she was killed during what began as a sex game, with Sollecito holding her by the shoulders from behind while Knox touched her with the point of a knife.
6) Prosecutors have alleged that a third man, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede, tried to sexually assault Kercher and then Knox fatally stabbed her in the throat. Guede was convicted of the murder in a separate trial last year and sentenced to 30 years in prison.
7) Knox's father, Curt, who attended the hearing, said the video was "upsetting."
8) "She already went through the pain of losing her friend, and having to look at it again is not something you want to do," he told reporters at the end of the proceedings.
9) Earlier this month, behind closed doors, the eight-member jury viewed graphic images from Kercher's autopsy. Prosecutor Giuliano Mignini said then that Knox kept her head down, while Sollecito glanced at the images occasionally.
10) During other testimony on Thursday, forensic experts described how they documented and photographed bloody footprints, shoe prints and fingerprints found in the apartment.
11) The video footage and other photographs showed Kercher's bra on the bedroom floor near the body, a bloody hand print on the wall and bloodstains on the clothes closet and door handle. More bloodstains, as well as a footprint, were found in the adjoining bathroom and living room.
12) The experts on Thursday did not specify whether the evidence matched any of the suspects, but a hand print on Kercher's pillow has been already identified as Guede's.
13) According to prosecutors, DNA from Knox and Kercher was found on a knife that investigators believe may have been the weapon used in the slaying. The knife was found in Sollecito's home.
14) Also on Thursday, the head of the forensic unit that intervened in the hours that followed the murder insisted that there was no sign of contamination of evidence collected at the crime scene.
15) Prosecutors say they found Sollecito's DNA on the clasp of the victim's bra, although his defense team says the bra bore multiple DNA traces and maintain the evidence might have been inadvertently contaminated during the investigation.
16) Official Alberto Intini, who did not take part in the two inspections that were carried out by the forensics, rejected defense lawyers' allegations.
17) "In this probe, we did not find any traces of anyone intervening," Intini testified, as he was shown photos from the murder scene that appeared to show that some objects, such as the doors of Kercher's clothes closet, were moved between the first inspection on Nov. 2 and the second more than a month later.
18) "DNA doesn't fly, like pollen or hair, or get thrown upon things here and there," Intini said. "Even if in theory contamination can never be ruled out, it is not easy for it to happen, and there must be direct contact."
19) The court lifted the confiscation order on the house where Kercher was killed, returning the apartment to the owners. The judge, jurors, prosecutors and defense attorneys inspected the location last week.
2009-04-24
US suspect ' s father says she ' s anxious to testify
(APW_ENG_20090424.0746)
1) The father of an American suspect on trial in Italy for the slaying of her British roommate said Friday that his daughter is "getting anxious to testify."
2) Amanda Knox is on trial in Perugia, central Italy, with her former Italian boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito for the 2007 killing of Meredith Kercher. Both deny wrongdoing.
3) "She's hanging in there," Curt Knox said from Perugia in an interview on NBC's Today Show. "She's seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. She's getting anxious to testify and get her word in court that she's 100 percent innocent."
4) Knox's family members have attended every hearing since the trial started in January. They have adamantly defended the American in the media.
5) Knox, a 21-year-old from Seattle, was in an exchange program in Perugia and sharing an apartment with Kercher, a 21-year-old student from Leeds University in England, when the Briton was found stabbed to death in the house on Nov. 2, 2007. Prosecutors allege Kercher was killed during what began as a sex game.
6) Knox and Sollecito went on trial on charges of murder and sexual violence. If convicted, they could face life in prison.
7) It is not clear when Knox would take the stand in front of the eight-member jury. The trial may go on through the end of the year.
8) On Thursday, Knox buried her face in her hands when the blood-covered face of the woman she is accused of murdering was shown in video footage at the trial.
2009-05-08
Defendant helps in court in Italy slay trial
(APW_ENG_20090508.0976)
1) An Italian student on trial with his American ex-girlfriend for allegedly killing her British roommate helped prosecutors on Friday show a crime scene video in which police find potentially damaging evidence, Italian media said.
2) Raffaele Sollecito -- who earned a computer science degree while jailed in the investigation -- offered to help when prosecutors had difficulty using a computer to play the video in court, Italian state TV and the ANSA and Apcom news agencies reported from Perugia.
3) Sollecito and co-defendant Amanda Knox are accused in the 2007 murder of 21-year-old Meredith Kercher.
4) All three were studying at Perugia's university when Kercher's body was found with stab wounds in a pool of blood in her bedroom of the rented apartment she shared with Knox.
5) Prosecutors allege Kercher was stabbed during what began as a sex game.
6) Both Sollecito and Knox have denied all wrongdoing.
7) The video played Friday by prosecutors shows the Perugia police crime scene squad finding the clasp end of Kercher's bra. Prosecutors say Sollecito's DNA was found on the piece.
8) Sollecito used a defense team computer to help prosecutors show some of the video in court, the Italian news reports said.
9) Trial began in January for Knox, a 21-year-old from Seattle, and Sollecito, 24. If convicted, they could face life in prison. They are also accused of sexual violence.
10) A third person, Rudy Hermann Guede, a national of the Ivory Coast, was convicted of the murder in a separate trial.
Defendant helps in court in Italy slay trial
(APW_ENG_20090508.1264)
1) An Italian student on trial with his American ex-girlfriend for allegedly killing her British roommate helped prosecutors on Friday show a crime scene video in which police find potentially damaging evidence, Italian media said.
2) Raffaele Sollecito -- who earned a computer science degree while jailed in the investigation -- offered to help when prosecutors had difficulty using a computer to play the video in court, one of his lawyers, Giulia Bongiorno told state TV after the courtroom session ended in Perugia.
3) The defense has claimed that some evidence might have been contaminated by how it was gathered at the crime scene, and the defendants' lawyers are expected to later try to attack the gathering-methods later in the trial, when the defense calls its witnesses.
4) Sollecito and co-defendant Amanda Knox are accused in the 2007 murder of 21-year-old Meredith Kercher.
5) All three were studying at Perugia's university when Kercher's body was found with stab wounds in a pool of blood in her bedroom of the rented apartment she shared with Knox.
6) Prosecutors allege Kercher was stabbed during what began as a sex game.
7) Both Sollecito and Knox have denied all wrongdoing.
8) The video played Friday by prosecutors shows the Perugia police crime scene squad finding the clasp end of Kercher's bra. Prosecutors say Sollecito's DNA was found on the piece.
9) Sollecito used a defense team computer to help prosecutors show some of the video in court, the Italian news reports said.
10) Trial began in January for Knox, a 21-year-old from Seattle, and Sollecito, 24. If convicted, they could face life in prison. They are also accused of sexual violence.
11) A third person, Rudy Hermann Guede, a national of the Ivory Coast, was convicted of the murder in a separate trial.
12) Friday's session was largely taken up by testimony by various police scientific squad experts.
13) A fingerprint expert, Giuseppe Privitera, testified for the prosecution that 35 fingerprints and 13 palm prints were found and identified in the house where Kercher was slain, the Italian news agency ANSA reported.
14) Of these, five prints were Sollecito's, one was Knox's, 17 were the victim's, and most of the rest were of two Italian females students who also shared the house and of Meredith's boyfriend, the expert testified, ANSA said. One bloodied print, of a palm, was found on a pillow near the victim and was identified to be that of Guede, while four prints found in the victim's room were never identified, ANSA said the witness testified.
2009-05-09
Expert says print matched Italian in student slay
(APW_ENG_20090509.0390)
1) A footprint expert called by the prosecution testified on Saturday that a bloody footprint on a bathroom rug matched the Italian defendant in the 2007 slaying of a British university student, news reports said.
2) Lorenzo Rinaldi, who directs the identification section of Perugia's crime scene squad, told the court that the footprint on the bathroom rug appear to belong to Raffaele Sollecito, the ANSA news agency and Italian TV news reports said.
3) Sollecito, 24 and his former girlfriend, American student Amanda Knox, 21, are being tried for the slaying of Meredith Kercher, Knox's roommate.
4) Kercher's body was found, with stab wounds to the neck, in the victim's bedroom.
5) Both Sollecito and Knox deny all wrongdoing.
6) ANSA also reported that Rinaldi testified that two footprints found elsewhere in the rented house -- in a corridor and in a bedroom -- matched Knox.
7) In a separate trial, an Ivory Coast national, Rudy Hermann Guede, was convicted of the slaying.
8) Prosecutors allege Kercher was stabbed during what began as a sex game.
9) Trial began in January for Knox and Sollecito, who risk receiving Italy's stiffest punishment, life imprisonment, if convicted of murder. They are also accused of sexual violence.
Expert says print matched Italian in student death
(APW_ENG_20090509.0446)
1) A footprint expert called by the prosecution testified on Saturday that a bloody footprint on a bathroom rug matched the Italian defendant in the 2007 slaying of a British university student, news reports said.
2) Lorenzo Rinaldi, who directs the identification section of Perugia's crime scene squad, told the court that the footprint on the bathroom rug appears to belong to Raffaele Sollecito, the ANSA news agency and Italian TV news reports said. Rinaldi was also further quoted as saying a second footprint, in a corridor, was also attributed to Sollecito.
3) Sollecito, 24 and his former girlfriend, American student Amanda Knox, 21, are being tried for the slaying of Meredith Kercher, Knox's roommate.
4) Kercher's body was found, with stab wounds to the neck, in the victim's bedroom.
5) Both Sollecito and Knox deny all wrongdoing.
6) Sollecito, in a statement to the court, denied that the footprints were his, ANSA reported.
7) "Those prints of bare feet are absolutely not mine," ANSA quoted the Italian as saying.
8) "My consultants (experts) will testify and explain why" they contend they are not his prints, Sollecito told the court.
9) In Italy, defendants can ask the court to make declarations even if they aren't on the witness stand.
10) ANSA also reported that Rinaldi testified that two footprints found elsewhere in the rented house -- in a corridor and in a bedroom -- matched Knox.
11) In a separate trial, an Ivory Coast national, Rudy Hermann Guede, was convicted of the slaying.
12) Prosecutors allege Kercher was stabbed during what began as a sex game.
13) The trial began in January for Knox and Sollecito, who risk receiving Italy's stiffest punishment, life imprisonment, if convicted of murder. They are also accused of sexual violence.
2009-05-22
Reports: DNA expert in Italy trial of US suspect
(APW_ENG_20090522.0705)
1) Reports say a DNA expert is testifying for the prosecution in the trial of an American suspect accused of killing her roommate in Italy.
2) Police forensic expert Patrizia Stefanoni analyzed DNA found at the Perugia apartment where British student Meredith Kercher was fatally stabbed in 2007.
3) Amanda Knox and her former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito are on trial for murder. They deny wrongdoing.
4) Prosecutors say that Knox's DNA was found on the handle of a knife that might have been the murder weapon, while Kercher's DNA was found on the blade. The knife was found at Sollecito's house.
5) Prosecutors also say Sollecito's DNA was found on the clasp of the victim's bra. The defense says evidence might have been inadvertently contaminated.
Reports: DNA expert in Italy trial of US suspect
(APW_ENG_20090522.1179)
1) A police forensic expert testified Friday that a knife prosecutors say might have been used to slay a British student bore traces of the DNA of a U.S. co-defendant in the murder trial in Perugia, Italian news reports said.
2) Amanda Knox is being tried in a Perugia courtroom for the 2007 murder of roommate Meredith Kercher in their rented apartment in the Umbrian university town. Also on trial for Kercher's murder is Knox's former Italian boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito. All three were studying in Perugia.
3) Knox and Sollecito deny wrongdoing.
4) Defense lawyers challenged the findings of police forensic expert Patrizia Stefanoni, who testified for the prosecution for eight hours about DNA found at the apartment.
5) Prosecutors have alleged that Knox's DNA was found on the handle of a kitchen knife that might have been the murder weapon, while Kercher's DNA was found on the blade of the knife, found at Sollecito's house. Prosecutors also say Sollecito's DNA was found on the clasp of the victim's bra.
6) The Italian news agency ANSA quoted Stefanoni as testifying that traces of Knox's genetic code were found in a small scratch on the knife's handle, and that the point in which the genetic material was found indicates that the knife "was used to pierce and not to cut."
7) After Stefanoni testified, Knox's lawyer told reporters outside the courtroom that the and that the defense was considering asking the court to order DNA testing by an outside expert.
8) "Nothing has changed. Our positions are in clear contrast when it comes to the scientific findings," lawyer Luciano Ghirga said.
9) Sollecito's lawyer, Giulia Bongiorno, also challenged Stefanoni, reiterating defense contentions that the clasp was contaminated since it wasn't collected by forensic experts until several weeks after the slaying. She also said it was found some distance away in the room them when it was first noticed under a pillow in the bedroom where Kercher's body was found, with stab wounds to the neck.
10) Prosecutors allege Kercher was stabbed during what began as a sex game.
11) The trial began in January for Knox and Sollecito, who risk receiving Italy's stiffest punishment, life imprisonment, if convicted of murder. They are also accused of sexual violence.
12) In a separate trial, an Ivory Coast national, Rudy Hermann Guede, was convicted of the slaying.
2009-06-05
Family of slain Briton in Italy for trial
(APW_ENG_20090605.0588)
1) The family of a British student killed in Italy in 2007 has arrived in this central Italian town to testify at the trial of an American student and her Italian boyfriend who are charged with murder and sexual violence.
2) Meredith Kercher's mother and father filed past reporters at the Perugia courthouse Friday without comment. The victim's sister, Stephanie Kercher, only said she felt "anxious" going into the courthouse.
3) The 21-year-old Meredith Kercher was found stabbed to death in the house she rented in Perugia on Nov. 2, 2007. Her roommate, Amanda Knox, and Knox's former boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, are standing trial.
4) Prosecutors allege Kercher was killed during what began as a sex game. The defendants deny wrongdoing.
Family of slain Briton in Italy for trial
(APW_ENG_20090605.0741)
1) The family of a British student killed in Italy in 2007 arrived Friday to testify at the trial of an American student and her ex-boyfriend who are charged with murder and sexual violence.
2) Meredith Kercher's mother and father filed past reporters at the Perugia courthouse without comment. The victim's sister, Stephanie Kercher, only said she felt "anxious" going inside, where the family listened to testimony by a forensic expert.
3) The testimony, which included graphic images of Kercher's body, was ordered closed to the media out of respect for the victim.
4) Meredith Kercher, a 21-year-old student from Leeds University in England, was found stabbed to death on Nov. 2, 2007 in the house she rented in Perugia, central Italy. Her roommate, Amanda Knox, also 21, and Knox's former boyfriend, 25-year-old Raffaele Sollecito, are standing trial. They deny wrongdoing.
5) Prosecutors allege Kercher was killed during what began as a sex game.
6) Knox and Sollecito, jailed since shortly after the slaying, have given conflicting statements and said they smoked hashish the night of the murder.
7) Sollecito has said he was at his own apartment in Perugia, working at his computer. He said he doesn't remember if Knox spent the whole night with him or just part of it.
8) Knox has insisted she was not home during the slaying.
9) The two risk Italy's stiffest punishment, life imprisonment, if convicted of murder.
10) A third suspect, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede, was found guilty of identical charges last year and was sentenced to 30 years in prison. He was given a fast-track trial at his request.
11) His lawyer, Walter Biscotti, said Friday that Guede's appeal would start Nov. 18. Guede, 22, has acknowledged being in Kercher's room that night but denies having killed her. He has accused an unidentified Italian of trying to frame him.
12) The Kercher family has joined the trial as civil plaintiffs, and they will testify at the request of their lawyer.
13) In Italy, civil lawsuits can be attached to criminal trials. In the Kercher case, it allows the family to more closely monitor the case, receiving information that normally would be reserved for defense lawyers or prosecutors.
14) In a statement issued shortly before Knox and Sollecito were ordered to stand trial, the family said they hoped justice would be done. They described the victim as a caring woman who loved Italy.
Family of slain Briton in Italy for trial
(APW_ENG_20090605.0810)
1) The family of a British student killed in Italy in 2007 arrived Friday to testify at the trial of an American student and her ex-boyfriend who are charged with murder and sexual violence.
2) Meredith Kercher's mother and father filed past reporters at the Perugia courthouse without comment. The victim's sister, Stephanie Kercher, only said she felt "anxious" going inside, where the family listened to testimony by a forensic expert.
3) Shortly before their arrival, graphic images of Kercher's body had been shown to the court. Some of the testimony Friday was closed to the media and public out of respect for the victim.
4) Meredith Kercher, a 21-year-old student from Leeds University in England, was found stabbed to death on Nov. 2, 2007 in the house she rented in Perugia, central Italy. Her roommate, Amanda Knox, also 21, and Knox's former boyfriend, 25-year-old Raffaele Sollecito, are standing trial. They deny wrongdoing.
5) Prosecutors allege Kercher was killed during what began as a sex game.
6) Knox and Sollecito, jailed since shortly after the slaying, have given conflicting statements and said they smoked hashish the night of the murder.
7) Sollecito has said he was at his own apartment in Perugia, working at his computer. He said he doesn't remember if Knox spent the whole night with him or just part of it.
8) Knox has insisted she was not home during the slaying.
9) The two risk Italy's stiffest punishment, life imprisonment, if convicted of murder.
10) A third suspect, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede, was found guilty of identical charges last year and was sentenced to 30 years in prison. He was given a fast-track trial at his request.
11) His lawyer, Walter Biscotti, said Friday that Guede's appeal would start Nov. 18. Guede, 22, has acknowledged being in Kercher's room that night but denies having killed her. He has accused an unidentified Italian of trying to frame him.
12) The Kercher family has joined the trial as civil plaintiffs, and they will testify at the request of their lawyer, Francesco Maresca.
13) Maresca told reporters Friday the family wouldn't necessarily contribute any new evidence to the case but would "illustrate the personality of a girl in her 20s, who was killed the way she was."
14) "They were rather emotional, I think that's inevitable," Maresca said of the Kerchers' arrival in the courtroom. "Everything contributes to their remembering inevitably their daughter and sister."
15) In Italy, civil lawsuits can be attached to criminal trials. In the Kercher case, it allows the family to more closely monitor the case, receiving information that normally would be reserved for defense lawyers or prosecutors.
16) The Kercher family has occasionally traveled to Perugia to follow the case.
17) In a statement issued shortly before Knox and Sollecito were ordered to stand trial, the family said they hoped justice would be done. They described the victim as a caring woman who loved Italy.
Expert: suffocation main cause of Briton ' s death
(APW_ENG_20090605.1146)
1) A British student killed in Italy in 2007 died from suffocation caused by her murderers, showing a clear intent to kill, as well as from the stab wounds inflicted to her neck, a forensic expert told a court Friday.
2) As the expert took the stand, the family of victim Meredith Kercher arrived in this central Italian town to testify at the trial of an American student and her ex-boyfriend who are charged with murder and sexual violence.
3) Kercher, a 21-year-old student from Leeds University in England, was found stabbed to death on Nov. 2, 2007 in the house she rented in Perugia, where she was an exchange student.
4) Her roommate, Amanda Knox, also 21, and 25-year-old Raffaele Sollecito of Italy are standing trial. They deny wrongdoing.
5) Prosecutors allege the defendants strangled and stabbed Kercher in her neck. They say the woman was killed during what began as a sex game.
6) Forensic expert Gianaristide Norelli, a witness called by the Kercher family, said the main cause of Kercher's death was suffocation.
7) Court documents have said suffocation was caused by the hemorrhage following the neck wounds. But Norelli said suffocation was also aided "manually" by forcing the victim's mouth and nose shut and by strangling her.
8) This, Norelli argued, showed a clear intent to kill, while the neck wounds may have been inflicted with the intent to scare or threaten the victim. He said that Kercher's own movement may have inadvertently contributed to making the stab wounds deeper.
9) The wounds were compatible with a kitchen knife the prosecution says might have been the murder weapon, Norelli said. The knife, which was found at Sollecito's house, has a 17-centimeter (6.69-inch) blade.
10) Knox and Sollecito, jailed since shortly after the slaying, have given conflicting statements over their whereabouts the night of the murder.
11) Sollecito has said he was at his own apartment in Perugia, working at his computer. He said he doesn't remember if Knox spent the whole night with him or just part of it.
12) Knox initially said she was in the house during the slaying, then insisted she was not home.
13) The two risk Italy's stiffest punishment, life imprisonment, if convicted of murder.
14) Prosecutors say Knox's DNA was found on the handle of the kitchen knife, and Kercher's DNA was found on the blade. Francesca Torricelli, a DNA expert also called by the Kercher family, confirmed the findings of the prosecutors.
15) "I have no doubt" the traces are compatible, she told the court Friday.
16) Torricelli also confirmed the prosecutors' finding that DNA compatible with Sollecito's had been found on the clasp of Kercher's bra.
17) Sollecito's defense has challenged this, contending that the clasp was contaminated because it was not collected by forensic experts until several weeks after the slaying.
18) The Kercher family arrived in Perugia at midday and went straight to the courtroom.
19) Kercher's mother and father filed past reporters without comment. The victim's sister, Stephanie Kercher, only said she felt "anxious" going inside, where the family listened to some witnesses.
20) Shortly before their arrival, graphic images of Kercher's body had been shown to the court. Some of the testimony Friday was closed to the media and public out of respect for the victim.
21) The Kerchers have joined the trial as civil plaintiffs, and have occasionally been in Perugia. They will testify Saturday at the request of their lawyer, Francesco Maresca.
22) The family wouldn't necessarily contribute any new evidence to the case but would "illustrate the personality of a girl in her 20s," the lawyer told reporters. They came to Perugia "not out of hatred but to obtain justice."
23) "They were rather emotional, I think that's inevitable," Maresca said of the Kerchers' arrival in the courtroom. "Everything contributes to their remembering inevitably their daughter and sister."
24) In Italy, civil lawsuits can be attached to criminal trials. In the Kercher case, it allows the family to monitor the case more closely, receiving information that normally would be reserved for defense lawyers or prosecutors.
25) A third suspect in the case, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede, was found guilty of identical charges last year and sentenced to 30 years in prison. He was given a fast-track trial at his request.
26) Guede, 22, has acknowledged being in Kercher's room that night but denies having killed her. He has accused an unidentified Italian of trying to frame him. His appeal has been set to begin Nov. 18, attorney Walter Biscotti said.
2009-06-06
Family of slain Briton take stand at Italy trial
(APW_ENG_20090606.0235)
1) The mother of a British student killed in Italy in 2007 has said in court she will never get over the death of her daughter.
2) Arline Kercher says her daughter Meredith's death was "unbelievable, unreal, in many ways it still is."
3) Meredith Kercher was 21 years old when she was found dead in Perugia on Nov. 2, 2007.
4) Her American roommate, Amanda Knox, and Knox's former Italian boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, are standing trial on charges of murder and sexual violence.
5) Arline Kercher said in court on Saturday that the family "will never get over it."
6) She as well as Meredith's father and sister have joined the trial as civil plaintiffs at the request of their lawyer, Francesco Maresca.
Family of slain Briton take stand at Italy trial
(APW_ENG_20090606.0278)
1) The mother of a British student killed in Italy in 2007 said Saturday that she will never get over her daughter's brutal death, as she testified about the victim during the trial of two young people accused of the killing.
2) Meredith Kercher was 21 when she was found slain in Perugia on Nov. 2, 2007.
3) Prosecutors allege she died during what began as a sex game and are seeking conviction on murder charges of Amanda Knox, a U.S. student who was the victim's flatmate, and Knox's former boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, an Italian. The two deny wrongdoing.
4) "It was unbelievable, unreal, in many ways it still is," Arline Kercher said of her daughter's death, as she sighed deeply and fought back tears.
5) "It's not just the death, but the nature of it, the brutality of it, the violence," the 63-year-old woman said during her testimony in a Perugia courtroom.
6) "It was such a shock," she said. "We'll never get over it."
7) Knox looked on as the victim's relatives took the stand. Her lawyers chose to not cross-examine any of them.
8) Kercher was found in a pool of blood in the apartment she shared with Knox. Prosecutors said Sollecito was holding her by the shoulders from behind while Knox touched her with the point of a knife.
9) The two, jailed since November 2007, are charged with murder and sexual assault. If convicted, they could face life imprisonment, Italy's stiffest punishment.
10) Sollecito, 25, has said he was at his own apartment in Perugia, working at his computer. He said he does not remember if Knox spent the whole night with him or just part of it. As he left the courtroom after the Kerchers' testimony, he said, turning toward the cameras, "I expect justice, just like them."
11) Knox, a 21-year-old former University of Washington student, after giving conflicting statements, has insisted she was not home during the slaying.
12) Arline Kercher and the victim's sister, Stephanie, described the victim as a conscientious, studious woman who was excited to go to Italy and who worked hard at arranging her trip under the Erasmus student exchange program. They described how she loved the city's chocolate festival and how she rejoiced at her progress in the Italian language.
13) "She was so excited," Stephanie Kercher said. "She was really looking forward to her time here."
14) Relatives said that during their phone conversations with the victim she barely mentioned Knox.
15) The victim's father, John Kercher, said she complained about Knox's bathroom habits. She also expressed surprise that Knox had hooked up with a boyfriend shortly after her arrival, he said.
16) Kercher was also described as a physically strong person, who exercised and studied karate.
17) "She could have put out quite a fight," John Kercher said, responding to a prosecutor's question of his daughter would have defended herself if she could have.
18) The Kercher family has joined the criminal trial as civil plaintiffs.
19) In a statement released Friday, the family said they had come not "with hate but to have justice and to understand what exactly happened to Meredith."
20) A third suspect in the case, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede, was found guilty of murder and sexual violence and was sentenced to 30 years in prison. He was given a fast-track trial at his request, and his appeal is set to start in November.
21) Guede, 22, has acknowledged being in Kercher's room that night but denies having killed her.
Family of slain Briton take stand at Italy trial
(APW_ENG_20090606.0303)
1) The mother of a British student killed in Italy in 2007 said Saturday that she will never get over her daughter's brutal death, as she testified about the victim during the trial of two young people accused of the killing.
2) Meredith Kercher was 21 when she was found slain in Perugia on Nov. 2, 2007.
3) Prosecutors allege she died during what began as a sex game and are seeking conviction on murder charges of Amanda Knox, a U.S. student who was the victim's roommate, and Knox's former boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, an Italian. The two deny wrongdoing.
4) "It was unbelievable, unreal, in many ways it still is," Arline Kercher said of her daughter's death, as she sighed deeply and fought back tears. "I still look for her."
5) "It's not just the death, but the nature of it, the brutality of it, the violence and the great sorrow it's brought everyone," the 63-year-old woman said during her testimony in a Perugia courtroom.
6) "It was such a shock," she said. "We'll never get over it."
7) Knox looked on as the victim's relatives took the stand, and one of her lawyers, Luciano Ghirga, said afterward she was "very moved" as she listened to the Kerchers' testimony. Knox's lawyers chose not to cross-examine any of them.
8) The American is scheduled to testify as the trial resumes next week.
9) Kercher was found in a pool of blood in the apartment she shared with Knox. Prosecutors said Sollecito was holding her by the shoulders from behind while Knox touched her with the point of a knife.
10) The two, jailed since November 2007, are charged with murder and sexual assault. If convicted, they could face life imprisonment, Italy's stiffest punishment.
11) Sollecito, 25, has said he was at his own apartment in Perugia, working at his computer. He said he does not remember if Knox spent the whole night with him or just part of it. As he left the courtroom after the Kerchers' testimony, he said, turning toward the cameras, "I expect justice, just like them."
12) Knox, a 21-year-old former University of Washington student, after giving conflicting statements, has insisted she was not home during the slaying.
13) Arline Kercher and the victim's sister, Stephanie, described the victim as a conscientious, studious woman who was excited to go to Italy and who worked hard at arranging her trip under the Erasmus student exchange program. They described how she loved the city's chocolate festival and how she rejoiced at her progress in the Italian language.
14) "She was so excited," Stephanie Kercher said. "She was really looking forward to her time here."
15) Relatives recalled the last time they talked with the victim, and how she was planning to go back home for her mother's birthday later that month. They said that during their phone conversations with the victim over the period she was away, Kercher barely mentioned Knox.
16) The victim's father, John Kercher, said she complained about Knox's bathroom habits. She also expressed surprise that Knox had hooked up with a boyfriend shortly after her arrival, he said.
17) Kercher was also described as a physically strong person, who exercised and studied karate.
18) "She could have put out quite a fight," John Kercher said, responding to a prosecutor's question of his daughter would have defended herself if she could have.
19) The Kercher family has joined the criminal trial as civil plaintiffs.
20) In a statement released Friday, the family said they had come not "with hate but to have justice and to understand what exactly happened to Meredith."
21) A third suspect in the case, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede, was found guilty of murder and sexual violence and was sentenced to 30 years in prison. He was given a fast-track trial at his request, and his appeal is set to start in November.
22) Guede, 22, has acknowledged being in Kercher's room that night but denies having killed her.
2009-06-07
Family of slain Briton take stand at Italy trial
(APW_ENG_20090607.0023)
1) The mother of a British student killed in Italy in 2007 says she will never get over her daughter's brutal death, as she testified about the victim during the trial of two young people accused of the killing.
2) Meredith Kercher was 21 when she was found slain in Perugia on Nov. 2, 2007.
3) Prosecutors allege she died during what began as a sex game and are seeking conviction on murder charges of Amanda Knox, a U.S. student who was the victim's roommate, and Knox's former boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, an Italian. The two deny wrongdoing.
4) "It was unbelievable, unreal, in many ways it still is," Arline Kercher said Saturday of her daughter's death, as she sighed deeply and fought back tears. "I still look for her."
5) "It's not just the death, but the nature of it, the brutality of it, the violence and the great sorrow it's brought everyone," the 63-year-old woman said during her testimony in a Perugia courtroom.
6) "It was such a shock," she said. "We'll never get over it."
7) Knox looked on as the victim's relatives took the stand, and one of her lawyers, Luciano Ghirga, said afterward she was "very moved" as she listened to the Kerchers' testimony. Knox's lawyers chose not to cross-examine any of them.
8) The American is scheduled to testify as the trial resumes next week.
9) Kercher was found in a pool of blood in the apartment she shared with Knox. Prosecutors said Sollecito was holding her by the shoulders from behind while Knox touched her with the point of a knife.
10) The two, jailed since November 2007, are charged with murder and sexual assault. If convicted, they could face life imprisonment, Italy's stiffest punishment.
11) Sollecito, 25, has said he was at his own apartment in Perugia, working at his computer. He said he does not remember if Knox spent the whole night with him or just part of it. As he left the courtroom after the Kerchers' testimony, he said, turning toward the cameras, "I expect justice, just like them."
12) Knox, a 21-year-old former University of Washington student, after giving conflicting statements, has insisted she was not home during the slaying.
13) Arline Kercher and the victim's sister, Stephanie, described the victim as a conscientious, studious woman who was excited to go to Italy and who worked hard at arranging her trip under the Erasmus student exchange program. They described how she loved the city's chocolate festival and how she rejoiced at her progress in the Italian language.
14) "She was so excited," Stephanie Kercher said. "She was really looking forward to her time here."
15) Relatives recalled the last time they talked with the victim, and how she was planning to go back home for her mother's birthday later that month. They said that during their phone conversations with the victim over the period she was away, Kercher barely mentioned Knox.
16) The victim's father, John Kercher, said she complained about Knox's bathroom habits. She also expressed surprise that Knox had hooked up with a boyfriend shortly after her arrival, he said.
17) Kercher was also described as a physically strong person, who exercised and studied karate.
18) "She could have put out quite a fight," John Kercher said, responding to a prosecutor's question of his daughter would have defended herself if she could have.
19) The Kercher family has joined the criminal trial as civil plaintiffs.
20) In a statement released Friday, the family said they had come not "with hate but to have justice and to understand what exactly happened to Meredith."
21) A third suspect in the case, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede, was found guilty of murder and sexual violence and was sentenced to 30 years in prison. He was given a fast-track trial at his request, and his appeal is set to start in November.
22) Guede, 22, has acknowledged being in Kercher's room that night but denies having killed her.
2009-06-11
American to take the stand in Italy murder trial
(APW_ENG_20090611.0802)
1) An American accused in the 2007 killing of a British student in Italy is expected to defend herself from charges of murder and sexual assault when she takes the stand Friday.
2) Amanda Knox, an exchange student from Seattle, is on trial in the central Italian town of Perugia for the death of her roommate and fellow student, the 21-year-old Meredith Kercher.
3) Knox and co-defendant Raffaele Sollecito, her former Italian boyfriend, have always denied wrongdoing.
4) "She's a bit nervous about going on to the stand, but she's also quite confident in what she has to say and that the truth will come out during her testimony," the American's father, Kurt Knox, told CBS' "Early Show" on Thursday.
5) "She is going to be telling the truth and answering all of the questions, and hopefully the court will see that and see that she had nothing to do with this and that she's 100 percent innocent," Knox said, speaking from Perugia.
6) He said that during the testimony his daughter would be speaking Italian, which she mostly learned during the year and a half she has spent in jail.
7) Kercher was found in a pool of blood in the apartment she shared with Knox on Nov. 2, 2007. Prosecutors allege the defendants strangled and stabbed her neck and say the Briton was killed during what began as a sex game.
8) Kercher's wounds were compatible with a kitchen knife the prosecution says might have been the murder weapon. The knife was found at Sollecito's house and prosecutors say Knox's DNA was found on the handle and Kercher's was found on the blade.
9) Knox and Sollecito, jailed since shortly after the slaying, have given conflicting statements over their whereabouts the night of the murder.
10) Knox initially said she was at home and implicated the Congolese owner of a bar where she worked. The man was cleared after being detained for two weeks, and Knox has since insisted she was not at home during the slaying.
11) Sollecito has said he was at his own apartment in Perugia, working at his computer. He said he does not remember if Knox spent the whole night with him or just part of it.
12) The two risk Italy's stiffest punishment, life imprisonment, if convicted of murder.
13) A third suspect in the case, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede, was found guilty of murder and sexual violence and was sentenced to 30 years in prison. He was given a fast-track trial at his request, and his appeal is set to start in November. He too denies wrongdoing.
American to take the stand in Italy murder trial
(APW_ENG_20090611.1244)
1) An American suspect is expected to defend herself from charges of murder and sexual assault when she takes the stand Friday in the trial for the 2007 killing of a British student in Italy.
2) Amanda Knox, an exchange student from Seattle, is on trial in the central Italian town of Perugia for the death of her roommate, 21-year-old Meredith Kercher.
3) Knox and co-defendant Raffaele Sollecito, her former Italian boyfriend, have always denied wrongdoing.
4) "She's a bit nervous about going on to the stand, but she's also quite confident in what she has to say and that the truth will come out during her testimony," the American's father, Kurt Knox, told CBS' "Early Show" on Thursday.
5) "She is going to be telling the truth and answering all of the questions, and hopefully the court will see that and see that she had nothing to do with this and that she's 100 percent innocent," Knox said, speaking from Perugia.
6) He said that during the testimony his daughter would be speaking Italian, which she mostly learned during the year and a half she has spent in jail.
7) Kercher was found Nov. 2, 2007 in a pool of blood in the apartment she shared with Knox. Prosecutors allege the defendants strangled and stabbed her neck and say the Briton was killed during what began as a sex game.
8) Kercher's wounds were compatible with a kitchen knife the prosecution says might have been the murder weapon. The knife was found at Sollecito's house and prosecutors say Knox's DNA was found on the handle and Kercher's was found on the blade.
9) Knox and Sollecito, jailed since shortly after the slaying, have given conflicting statements over their whereabouts the night of the murder.
10) Knox initially said she was at home and implicated the Congolese owner of a bar where she worked. The man was cleared after being detained for two weeks, and Knox has since insisted she was not at home during the slaying.
11) Sollecito has said he was at his own apartment in Perugia, working at his computer. He said he does not remember if Knox spent the whole night with him or just part of it.
12) The two risk Italy's stiffest punishment, life imprisonment, if convicted of murder. The trial began in January and a verdict is expected after a summer break.
13) A third suspect in the case, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede, was found guilty of murder and sexual violence and was sentenced to 30 years in prison. He was given a fast-track trial at his request, and his appeal is set to start in November. He too denies wrongdoing.
American to take the stand in Italy murder trial
(APW_ENG_20090611.1316)
1) An American suspect is expected to defend herself from charges of murder and sexual assault when she takes the stand Friday in the trial for the 2007 killing of a British student in Italy.
2) Amanda Knox, an exchange student from Seattle, is on trial in the central Italian town of Perugia for the death of her roommate, 21-year-old Meredith Kercher.
3) Knox and co-defendant Raffaele Sollecito, her former Italian boyfriend, have always denied wrongdoing.
4) "She's a bit nervous about going on to the stand, but she's also quite confident in what she has to say and that the truth will come out during her testimony," the American's father, Curt Knox, told CBS' "Early Show" on Thursday.
5) "She is going to be telling the truth and answering all of the questions, and hopefully the court will see that and see that she had nothing to do with this and that she's 100 percent innocent," Knox said, speaking from Perugia.
6) He said that during the testimony his daughter would be speaking Italian, which she mostly learned during the year and a half she has spent in jail.
7) Knox lawyer Luciano Ghirga said Friday's questioning would be "long and hard" but would turn out to be in his client's favor.
8) "She has nothing to lose, and everything to gain," Ghirga said.
9) Kercher was found Nov. 2, 2007 in a pool of blood in the apartment she shared with Knox. Prosecutors allege the defendants strangled and stabbed her neck and say the Briton was killed during what began as a sex game.
10) Kercher's wounds were compatible with a kitchen knife the prosecution says might have been the murder weapon. The knife was found at Sollecito's house and prosecutors say Knox's DNA was found on the handle and Kercher's was found on the blade.
11) Knox and Sollecito, jailed since shortly after the slaying, have given conflicting statements over their whereabouts the night of the murder.
12) Knox initially said she was at home and implicated the Congolese owner of a bar where she worked. The man was cleared after being detained for two weeks, and Knox has since insisted she was not at home during the slaying.
13) Sollecito has said he was at his own apartment in Perugia, working at his computer. He said he does not remember if Knox spent the whole night with him or just part of it.
14) The two risk Italy's stiffest punishment, life imprisonment, if convicted of murder. The trial began in January and a verdict is expected after a summer break.
15) A third suspect in the case, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede, was found guilty of murder and sexual violence and was sentenced to 30 years in prison. He was given a fast-track trial at his request, and his appeal is set to start in November. He too denies wrongdoing.
2009-06-12
American takes the stand in Italy murder trial
(APW_ENG_20090612.0448)
1) An American student charged with murder and sexual assault has taken the stand in an Italian court in the 2007 killing of her flatmate.
2) Amanda Knox has given brief statements to the Perugia court during the trial, but Friday was the first time she took the witness stand.
3) Knox, an exchange student from Seattle, is on trial with her Italian former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito.
4) Prosecutors contend the two murdered 21-year-old Meredith Kercher during what began as a sex game. They deny wrongdoing.
5) Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede was found guilty of murder and sexual violence and was sentenced to 30 years in prison in a separate procedure. He, too, denies wrongdoing.
American takes stand in Italy murder trial
(APW_ENG_20090612.0461)
1) An American student accused of killing her British flatmate took the witness stand for the first time Friday, telling the Italian court that she occasionally used drugs at the time of the 2007 slaying.
2) "Every once in a while, with friends," she said, speaking English, in reply to a question from a lawyer. She said it was marijuana.
3) Knox and co-defendant Raffaele Sollecito have told police they had taken drugs the night that British student Meredith Kercher was killed. They said they could not remember events clearly because of that.
4) Knox smiled as she walked into the court in Perugia, central Italy, before her testimony. Dressed in a white shirt and white trousers, she had her hair pulled in a ponytail. She was called as a witness for civil plaintiffs and her own defense.
5) Prosecutors contend that Knox, an exchange student from Seattle, and Sollecito, her boyfriend at the time, murdered the 21-year-old Kercher during what began as a sex game. They deny wrongdoing.
6) Kercher was found Nov. 2, 2007, in a pool of blood in the apartment she shared with Knox.
7) Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede was found guilty of murder and sexual violence and was sentenced to 30 years in prison in a separate procedure.
American takes stand in Italy murder trial
(APW_ENG_20090612.0467)
1) An American student accused of killing her British flatmate took the witness stand for the first time Friday, telling the Italian court that she occasionally used drugs at the time of the 2007 slaying.
2) "Every once in a while, with friends," Amanda Knox said, speaking English, in reply to a question from a lawyer. She said it was marijuana.
3) Knox and co-defendant Raffaele Sollecito have told police they had taken drugs the night that British student Meredith Kercher was killed. They said they could not remember events clearly because of that.
4) Knox smiled as she walked into the court in Perugia, central Italy, before her testimony. Dressed in a white shirt and white trousers, she had her hair pulled in a ponytail. She was called as a witness for civil plaintiffs and her own defense.
5) Prosecutors contend that Knox, an exchange student from Seattle, and Sollecito, her boyfriend at the time, murdered the 21-year-old Kercher during what began as a sex game. They deny wrongdoing.
6) Kercher was found Nov. 2, 2007, in a pool of blood in the apartment she shared with Knox.
7) Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede was found guilty of murder and sexual violence and was sentenced to 30 years in prison in a separate procedure.
American takes stand in Italy murder trial
(APW_ENG_20090612.0519)
1) An American student accused of murdering her British roommate took the witness stand for the first time Friday, telling the court she was beaten by police and confused when she was questioned in the days after the killing.
2) Amanda Knox also repeated her position that she spent the night of the murder, in November 2007, at the house of her co-defendant and ex-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito in Perugia, central Italy.
3) "The declarations were taken against my will, so everything that I said was said in confusion and under pressure," Knox said.
4) "They called me a stupid liar; said I was trying to protect someone. I was not trying to protect anyone," she said. "I didn't know what to respond. They said I left Raffaele's home, which I denied, but they continued to call me `stupid liar'."
5) Police had repeatedly denied any misconduct during the night of the interrogation, or at any other point. Knox has claimed in the past that she was beaten.
6) She spoke in English, occasionally pausing to take a breath, her voice shaky at times.
7) Prosecutors contend that Knox, an exchange student from Seattle, and Sollecito murdered 21-year-old Meredith Kercher during what began as a sex game. They deny wrongdoing.
8) Sollecito has said he was at his own apartment, working at his computer. He said he does not remember if Knox spent the whole night with him or just part of it.
9) Kercher was found Nov. 2, 2007, in a pool of blood in the apartment she shared with Knox.
10) Knox smiled as she walked into the court before her testimony. She was dressed in a white shirt and white trousers and had her hair pulled into a ponytail. She was called as a witness in her own defense and in a civil case brought by a man she earlier accused of the killing.
11) Knox has said she was not at her house the night of the murder. But in an earlier statement to police she accused Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, a Congolese man who has a pub in Perugia, of being the murderer.
12) Lumumba was jailed briefly in the case, but he is no longer a suspect and is seeking defamation damages from Knox.
13) Knox was being questioned by Lumumba's lawyer.
14) She said that everyone was "yelling at me" and "saying they'd put me in prison for trying to protect someone."
15) At one point, Lumumba's lawyer asked whether police had beaten her so that she would say that Kercher had been raped before dying. Knox replied, "Yes."
16) Knox and Sollecito have been jailed since shortly after the slaying.
17) They could face Italy's stiffest punishment, life imprisonment, if convicted of murder. The trial began in January and a verdict is expected after a summer break.
18) A third suspect in the case, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede, was found guilty of murder and sexual violence and was sentenced to 30 years in prison. He was given a fast-track trial at his request, and his appeal is set to start in November. He, too, denies wrongdoing.
American takes stand in Italy murder trial
(APW_ENG_20090612.0591)
1) An American student accused of murdering her British roommate took the witness stand for the first time Friday, telling the court she was beaten by police and confused when she was questioned in the days after the killing.
2) Amanda Knox also repeated her position that she spent the night of the killing, in November 2007, at the house of her co-defendant and ex-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito in Perugia, central Italy. Prosecutors contend that Knox, an exchange student from Seattle, and Sollecito killed 21-year-old Meredith Kercher on Nov. 2, 2007 in the apartment she shared with Knox during what began as a sex game.
3) After the killing, she accused Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, a Congolese man who owns a pub in Perugia, of being the culprit. She was called to testify both in her own defense and in a civil case brought by Lumumba.
4) "The declarations were taken against my will, so everything that I said was said in confusion and under pressure," Knox said under questioning by Lumumba's lawyer.
5) "They called me a stupid liar; said I was trying to protect someone. I was not trying to protect anyone," she said. "I didn't know what to respond. They said I left Raffaele's home, which I denied, but they continued to call me `stupid liar.'"
6) Police had repeatedly denied any misconduct during the night of the interrogation, or at any other point. Knox has claimed in the past that she was beaten.
7) She spoke both in English and Italian, occasionally pausing to take a breath, her voice shaky at times.
8) Sollecito has said he was at his own apartment, working at his computer. He said he does not remember if Knox spent the whole night with him or just part of it.
9) Lumumba was jailed briefly in the case, but he is no longer a suspect and is seeking defamation damages from Knox.
10) Knox smiled as she walked into the court before her testimony. She was dressed in a white shirt and white trousers and had her hair pulled into a ponytail. She was called as a witness in her own defense and in a civil case brought by a man she earlier accused of the killing.
11) She said that everyone was "yelling at me" and "saying they'd put me in prison for trying to protect someone."
12) At one point, Lumumba's lawyer asked whether police had beaten her so that she would say that Kercher had been raped before dying. Knox replied, "Yes."
13) Knox's father, Curt Knox, said his daughter looked "confident in what she wants to say."
14) "She has nothing to hide," he told The Associated Press during a break. He said he hoped people could now see a "different Amanda," than how she has been portrayed by the media so far.
15) Knox and Sollecito have been jailed since shortly after the slaying.
16) They could face Italy's stiffest punishment, life imprisonment, if convicted of murder. The trial began in January and a verdict is expected after a summer break.
17) A third suspect in the case, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede, was found guilty of murder and sexual violence and was sentenced to 30 years in prison. He was given a fast-track trial at his request, and his appeal is set to start in November. He, too, denies wrongdoing.
18) The trial has been closed to cameras but the presiding judge exceptionally allowed them in to film for Knox's testimony -- only to ask them to leave in a few minutes for causing too much disruption. The cameras were then crammed in the press room, where proceedings were being shown on a screen.
American takes stand in Italy murder trial
(APW_ENG_20090612.0730)
1) An American student accused of murdering her British roommate took the witness stand for the first time Friday and said the last time she saw the victim was hours before the killing.
2) Amanda Knox also said that on the night of the murder, in November 2007, she smoked a marijuana joint, had sex with her boyfriend -- now her co-defendant -- at his house and then fell asleep.
3) Prosecutors contend that Knox, an exchange student from Seattle, and Raffaele Sollecito killed 21-year-old Meredith Kercher in the apartment she shared with Knox in Perugia, central Italy. Kercher's body was found there on Nov. 2, 2007, and legal experts said she was killed the night before.
4) "On Nov. 1, I told Raffaele that I wanted to watch a movie so we went to his place," Knox said. After dinner, they went upstairs to his room, she said.
5) "I sat on the bed, he sat at his desk, he prepared the joint and then we smoked it together," the 21-year-old woman said. "First we made love, then we fell asleep."
6) During her testimony, Knox alternated between English and Italian, occasionally pausing to take a breath, her voice shaky at times.
7) Knox said she last saw Kercher on the afternoon of Nov. 1. They talked about what they had done the night before -- a Halloween night out -- and Knox said Kercher still had a bit of her vampire makeup on.
8) Sollecito then arrived at the house; he and Knox had something to eat while Kercher was in her room, Knox told the court.
9) "She left her room, said 'bye,' walked out the door," Knox said, at this point speaking Italian. "That was the last time I saw her."
10) Sollecito, 25, has said he was at his own apartment the night of Nov. 1, working at his computer. He said he does not remember if Knox spent the whole night with him or just part of it. The two have said they could not remember events clearly because they had taken drugs.
11) Knox also repeated her accusations that she was beaten by police and confused when she was questioned in the days after the killing. Police have denied any misconduct.
12) After the killing, Knox accused Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, a Congolese man who owns a pub in Perugia, of being the culprit. Lumumba was jailed briefly in the case, but he is no longer a suspect and is seeking defamation damages from Knox.
13) Knox was called to testify both in her own defense and in a civil case brought by Lumumba.
14) "The declarations were taken against my will, so everything that I said was said in confusion and under pressure," Knox said under questioning by Lumumba's lawyer.
15) "They called me a stupid liar; said I was trying to protect someone. I was not trying to protect anyone," she said. "I didn't know what to respond. They said I left Raffaele's home, which I denied, but they continued to call me `stupid liar.'"
16) Knox smiled as she walked into the court before her testimony. She was dressed in a white shirt and white trousers and had her hair pulled into a ponytail.
17) Knox's father, Curt Knox, said his daughter looked "confident in what she wants to say."
18) "She has nothing to hide," he told The Associated Press during a break. He said he hoped people could now see a "different Amanda," -- different from the way she has been portrayed by the media so far.
19) Knox and Sollecito have been jailed since shortly after the slaying. They are both charged with murder and sexual violence.
20) They could face Italy's stiffest punishment, life imprisonment, if convicted of murder. The trial began in January and a verdict is expected after a summer break.
21) A third suspect in the case, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede, was found guilty of murder and sexual violence and was sentenced to 30 years in prison. He was given a fast-track trial at his request, and his appeal is set to start in November. He, too, denies wrongdoing.
22) The trial has been closed to cameras but the presiding judge, exceptionally, allowed them in to film for Knox's testimony -- only to ask them to leave in a few minutes for causing too much disruption. The cameras were then crammed in the press room, where proceedings were being shown on a screen.
American takes stand in Italy murder trial
(APW_ENG_20090612.0832)
1) An American student on trial in Italy for the murder of her British roommate testified Friday for the first time, her voice sometimes shaking, and said the last time she saw the victim was hours before the killing.
2) Alternating between English and Italian, 21-year-old Amanda Knox said that on the night of the murder, in November 2007, she smoked a marijuana joint, had sex with her boyfriend -- now her co-defendant -- at his house and then fell asleep.
3) Prosecutors contend that Knox, an exchange student from Seattle, and Raffaele Sollecito killed 21-year-old Meredith Kercher in the apartment she shared with Knox in Perugia, central Italy. Kercher's body was found there on Nov. 2, 2007, and legal experts said she was killed the night before.
4) "On Nov. 1, I told Raffaele that I wanted to watch a movie so we went to his place," Knox said. After dinner, they went upstairs to his room, she said.
5) "I sat on the bed, he sat at his desk, he prepared the joint and then we smoked it together," she said. "First we made love, then we fell asleep."
6) Knox occasionally paused to take a breath. But during most of her testimony she appeared calm and confident.
7) Knox said she last saw Kercher on the afternoon of Nov. 1. They talked about what they had done the night before -- a Halloween night out -- and Knox said Kercher still had a bit of her vampire makeup on.
8) Sollecito then arrived at the house; he and Knox had something to eat while Kercher was in her room, Knox told the court.
9) "She left her room, said 'bye,' walked out the door," Knox said, at this point speaking Italian. "That was the last time I saw her."
10) Sollecito, 25, has said he was at his own apartment the night of Nov. 1, working at his computer. He said he does not remember if Knox spent the whole night with him or just part of it. The two have said they could not remember events clearly because they had taken drugs.
11) Knox also repeated her accusations that she was beaten by police and confused when she was questioned in the days after the killing. Police have denied any misconduct.
12) After the killing, Knox accused Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, a Congolese man who owns a pub in Perugia, of being the culprit. Lumumba was jailed briefly in the case, but he is no longer a suspect and is seeking defamation damages from Knox.
13) Knox was called to testify both in her own defense and in a civil case brought by Lumumba.
14) "The declarations were taken against my will, so everything that I said was said in confusion and under pressure," Knox said under questioning by Lumumba's lawyer.
15) "They called me a stupid liar; said I was trying to protect someone. I was not trying to protect anyone," she said. "I didn't know what to respond. They said I left Raffaele's home, which I denied, but they continued to call me `stupid liar.'"
16) Knox smiled as she walked into the court before her testimony. She was dressed in a white shirt and white trousers and had her hair pulled into a ponytail.
17) Knox's father, Curt Knox, said his daughter looked "confident in what she wants to say."
18) "She has nothing to hide," he told The Associated Press during a break. He said he hoped people could now see a "different Amanda," -- different from the way she has been portrayed by the media so far.
19) Knox and Sollecito have been jailed since shortly after the slaying. They are both charged with murder and sexual violence.
20) They could face Italy's stiffest punishment, life imprisonment, if convicted of murder. The trial began in January and a verdict is expected after a summer break.
21) A third suspect in the case, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede, was found guilty of murder and sexual violence and was sentenced to 30 years in prison. He was given a fast-track trial at his request, and his appeal is set to start in November. He, too, denies wrongdoing.
22) The trial has been closed to cameras but the presiding judge, exceptionally, allowed them in to film for Knox's testimony -- only to ask them to leave a few minutes later for causing too much disruption. The cameras were then crammed in the press room, where proceedings were being shown on a screen.
American takes stand in Italy murder trial
(APW_ENG_20090612.0897)
1) An American student on trial in Italy for the murder of her British roommate testified Friday for the first time, her voice sometimes shaking, and said the last time she saw the victim was hours before the killing.
2) Alternating between English and Italian, 21-year-old Amanda Knox said that on the night of the murder, in November 2007, she smoked a marijuana joint, had sex with her boyfriend -- now her co-defendant -- at his house and then fell asleep.
3) Prosecutors contend that Knox, an exchange student from Seattle, and Raffaele Sollecito killed 21-year-old Meredith Kercher in the apartment she shared with Knox in Perugia, central Italy.
4) Kercher's body was found there in a pool of blood on Nov. 2, 2007, and legal experts said she had been killed the night before. Prosecutors said Sollecito was holding her by the shoulders from behind while Knox touched her with the point of a knife.
5) "On Nov. 1, I told Raffaele that I wanted to watch a movie so we went to his place," Knox said. After dinner, they went upstairs to his room, she said.
6) "I sat on the bed, he sat at his desk, he prepared the joint and then we smoked it together," she said. "First we made love, then we fell asleep."
7) Knox occasionally paused to take a breath and had a wound on her upper lip, which her family said was a cold sore caused by stress. However, during most of her testimony she appeared calm and confident.
8) Knox said she last saw Kercher on the afternoon of Nov. 1. They talked about what they had done the night before -- a Halloween night out -- and Knox said Kercher still had a bit of her vampire makeup on.
9) Sollecito then arrived at the house; he and Knox had something to eat while Kercher was in her room, Knox told the court.
10) "She left her room, said 'bye,' walked out the door," Knox said, at this point speaking Italian. "That was the last time I saw her."
11) Sollecito, 25, has said he was at his own apartment the night of Nov. 1, working at his computer. He said he does not remember if Knox spent the whole night with him or just part of it. The two have said they could not remember events clearly because they had taken drugs.
12) Knox also repeated her accusations that she was beaten by police and confused when she was questioned in the days after the killing. Police have denied any misconduct.
13) After the killing, Knox accused Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, a Congolese man who owns a pub in Perugia, of being the culprit. Lumumba was jailed briefly in the case, but he is no longer a suspect and is seeking defamation damages from Knox.
14) Knox was called to testify both in her own defense and in a civil case brought by Lumumba.
15) "The declarations were taken against my will, so everything that I said was said in confusion and under pressure," Knox said under questioning by Lumumba's lawyer.
16) "They called me a stupid liar; said I was trying to protect someone. I was not trying to protect anyone," she said. "I didn't know what to respond. They said I left Raffaele's home, which I denied, but they continued to call me 'stupid liar.'"
17) Knox smiled as she walked into the court before her testimony. She was dressed in a white shirt and white trousers and had her hair pulled into a ponytail.
18) Knox's father, Curt Knox, said his daughter looked "confident in what she wants to say."
19) "She has nothing to hide," he told The Associated Press during a break. He said he hoped people could now see a "different Amanda," -- different from the way she has been portrayed by the media so far.
20) Knox and Sollecito have been jailed since shortly after the slaying. They are both charged with murder and sexual violence.
21) They could face Italy's stiffest punishment, life imprisonment, if convicted of murder. The trial began in January and a verdict is expected after a summer break.
22) A third suspect in the case, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede, was found guilty of murder and sexual violence and was sentenced to 30 years in prison. He was given a fast-track trial at his request, and his appeal is set to start in November. He, too, denies wrongdoing.
23) The trial has been closed to cameras but the presiding judge, exceptionally, allowed them in to film for Knox's testimony -- only to ask them to leave a few minutes later for causing too much disruption. The cameras were then crammed in the press room, where proceedings were being shown on a screen.
Seattle student: I wasn ' t present at Italy killing
(APW_ENG_20090612.1018)
1) An American student accused of murdering her British roommate took the stand for the first time Friday, telling an Italian court in a quavering voice that she saw the victim hours before the killing, then went to her boyfriend's house for the night.
2) Prosecutors say 21-year-old Meredith Kercher was killed after returning home from an outing with friends on the evening of Nov. 1, 2007. They say she opened the door for her roommate, 21-year-old Amanda Knox of Seattle, and her Italian boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito.
3) Sometime later that night, prosecutors say, Kercher was killed in what began as a sex game, with Sollecito holding her by the shoulders from behind while Knox touched her with the point of a knife.
4) Kercher's body was found the next day in a pool of blood in the apartment she shared with Knox in Perugia, central Italy.
5) Alternating between English and Italian, Knox told the court that she last saw Kercher on the afternoon of Nov. 1. They talked about what they had done the night before -- a Halloween night out -- and Knox said Kercher still had a bit of her vampire makeup on.
6) Sollecito then arrived at the apartment and he and Knox had something to eat while Kercher was in her room, Knox told the court.
7) "She left her room, said 'bye,' walked out the door," Knox said, at this point speaking Italian. "That was the last time I saw her."
8) She told the court that she and Sollecito had gone to Sollecito's house, where they stayed until the next morning.
9) "I told Raffaele that I wanted to watch a movie so we went to his place," Knox said. After dinner, they went upstairs to his room, she said.
10) "I sat on the bed, he sat at his desk, he prepared the joint and then we smoked it together," she said. "First we made love, then we fell asleep."
11) Knox and Sollecito have been jailed since shortly after the slaying. They are both charged with murder and sexual violence.
12) They could face Italy's stiffest punishment, life imprisonment, if convicted of murder.
13) Knox occasionally paused to take a breath and had a blemish on her upper lip, which her family said was a cold sore caused by stress. However, during most of her testimony she appeared calm and confident.
14) Sollecito, 25, has said he was at his own apartment the entire night of Nov. 1, mainly working at his computer. He said he does not remember if Knox spent the whole night with him or just part of it. The two have said they could not remember events clearly because they had taken drugs.
15) Knox also repeated accusations that she was beaten by police and confused when she was questioned in the days after the killing. Police have denied any misconduct.
16) After the killing, Knox accused Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, a Congolese man who owns a pub in Perugia, of being the culprit. Lumumba was jailed briefly in the case, but he is no longer a suspect and is seeking defamation damages from Knox.
17) Knox was called to testify both in her own defense and in a civil case brought by Lumumba.
18) "The declarations were taken against my will, so everything that I said was said in confusion and under pressure," Knox said under questioning by Lumumba's lawyer.
19) "They called me a stupid liar; said I was trying to protect someone. I was not trying to protect anyone," she said. "I didn't know what to respond. They said I left Raffaele's home, which I denied, but they continued to call me 'stupid liar.'"
20) Knox smiled as she walked into the court before her testimony. She was dressed in a white shirt and white trousers and had her hair pulled into a ponytail.
21) Knox's father, Curt Knox, said his daughter looked "confident in what she wants to say."
22) "She has nothing to hide," he told The Associated Press during a break. He said he hoped people could now see a "different Amanda," -- different from the way she has been portrayed by the media so far.
23) The trial began in January and a verdict is expected after a summer break.
24) A third suspect in the case, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede, was found guilty of murder and sexual violence and was sentenced to 30 years in prison. He was given a fast-track trial at his request, and his appeal is set to start in November. He, too, denies wrongdoing.
25) The trial has been closed to cameras but the presiding judge, exceptionally, allowed them in to film for Knox's testimony -- only to ask them to leave a few minutes later for causing too much disruption. The cameras were then crammed in the press room, where proceedings were being shown on a screen.
2009-06-13
Knox faces prosecution questions in Italy trial
(APW_ENG_20090613.0200)
1) An American student accused in the 2007 killing of her British roommate in Italy has taken the stand for a second day.
2) Wearing jeans and a white blouse, Amanda Knox of Seattle is being crossed-examined by prosecutors.
3) She is on trial in the central town of Perugia together with ex-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito in the slaying of 21-year-old Meredith Kercher.
4) Knox took the stand for the first time Friday, saying she spent the night of the killing at Sollecito's apartment, in contrast with prosecutors, who say Kercher was killed in what began as a sex game.
5) Knox claimed police beat her into making a false statement and prosecutor Giuliano Mignini began Saturday's session by questioning her on the allegations.
American Knox cross-examined in murder trial
(APW_ENG_20090613.0255)
1) An American student charged with murdering her British roommate in 2007 told an Italian court Saturday that a "crescendo" of police pressure led her to finger an innocent man in the case.
2) Amanda Knox of Seattle, cross-examined by prosecutors on her second day in the witness stand, said a policewoman had hit her twice on the head during interrogation after 21-year-old Meredith Kercher was found dead.
3) Knox, 21, and Italian co-defendant Raffaele Sollecito, her ex-boyfriend, are accused of murder and sexual violence in the slaying of Kercher, who was found in a pool of blood Nov. 2, 2007 in the apartment she shared with the American in this central Italian town.
4) Knox had taken the stand for the first time Friday to answer questions from lawyers, saying she spent the night of the killing at Sollecito's apartment. Prosecutors believe Knox, Sollecito and a third suspect convicted in a separate trial went to Kercher's home the night of the murder and killed the Briton in what began as a sex game.
5) Knox also claimed police pressure caused her initially to accuse Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, a Congolese man who owns a pub in Perugia, of being the culprit. Lumumba was jailed briefly in the case, but was later cleared and is seeking defamation damages from Knox.
6) Police have denied any improper behavior, but Knox repeated her claim Saturday when questioned by lead prosecutor Giuliano Mignini.
7) "It was always a crescendo," she said recalling her early questioning sessions. "When I said I was with Raffaele all the time they told me I was a liar. I was scared, I thought: maybe they are right."
8) Knox answered questions confidently and in a steady voice, sitting at the witness stand with a prison guard behind her. Though she had an interpreter next to her, the American spoke in fluent Italian, which she mostly learned in the year and a half she has spent in jail.
9) Knox said that interrogators "wanted a name" and that a policewoman hit her twice on the head.
10) "Do you remember? Do you remember? And then boom! On the head," Knox said, mimicking the slap in court. "I went: mamma mia! And then again, another boom!"
11) It was that pressure that made her come up with Lumumba's name, she said.
12) "It didn't hurt, but it frightened me," she said.
13) Knox and Sollecito have been jailed since shortly after the slaying. Sollecito, 25, has said he was at his own apartment the entire night of Nov. 1, mainly working at his computer. He said he does not remember if Knox spent the whole night with him or just part of it. The two have said they could not remember events clearly because they had taken drugs.
14) Prosecutors say Kercher came home after an evening with friends on Nov. 1, and soon after opened the door to Knox, Sollecito and Rudy Hermann Guede, who was convicted of murder last year and sentenced to 30 years in prison. Guede, who denies wrongdoing, was given a fast-track trial at his request.
15) According to the prosecutors, Sollecito held Kercher by the shoulders from behind while Knox touched her with the point of a knife. They say Guede, an Ivory Coast national, tried to sexually assault Kercher and then Knox fatally stabbed her in the throat.
16) Prosecutors maintain a kitchen knife found at Sollecito's apartment is compatible with Kercher's wounds, and has the Briton's DNA on the blade and Knox's on the handle.
17) The trial began in January and a verdict is expected after a summer break. Knox and Sollecito could face Italy's stiffest punishment, life imprisonment, if convicted of murder.
US suspect says she saw slain woman as a friend
(APW_ENG_20090613.0568)
1) PERUGIA, Italy -- An American student who denies murdering her British roommate testified Saturday that she was shocked by the death of a woman she considered her friend, and said a "crescendo" of police pressure led her to accuse an innocent man.
2) Amanda Knox of Seattle had already told the court on Friday that she was not in the apartment she shared with Meredith Kercher on the night in 2007 when the British woman was slain.
3) Knox, 21, and Italian co-defendant Raffaele Sollecito, her ex-boyfriend, are accused of murder and sexual violence in the slaying of Kercher, who was found in a pool of blood Nov. 2, 2007 in the shared apartment in this central Italian town.
4) Knox took the stand for the first time Friday and said she spent the night of the killing at Sollecito's apartment. Prosecutors believe Knox, Sollecito and a third suspect convicted in a separate trial went to Kercher's home the night of the murder and killed the British woman in what began as a sex game.
5) Knox on Friday repeated accusations that she was beaten by police and confused when she was questioned in the days after the killing. Police have denied any misconduct.
6) She said it was the pressure that led her to accuse Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, a Congolese man who owns a pub in Perugia, of the killing. Lumumba was jailed briefly but was later cleared and is seeking defamation damages from Knox.
7) Police have denied any improper behavior, but Knox repeated her claim Saturday when questioned by lead prosecutor Giuliano Mignini.
8) "It was always a crescendo," she said recalling her early questioning sessions. "When I said I was with Raffaele all the time they told me I was a liar. I was scared, I thought: maybe they are right."
9) Knox said that interrogators "wanted a name" and that a policewoman hit her twice on the head.
10) "Do you remember? Do you remember? And then boom! On the head," Knox said, mimicking the slap in court. "I went: mamma mia! And then again, another boom!"
11) She said it was that pressure that made her come up with Lumumba's name and her initial story that she was at home during the murder and covered her ears against the victim's screams.
12) "It didn't hurt, but it frightened me," she said of the slaps.
13) When asked if she had suffered after Kercher's death, Knox said: "Yes. I was very shocked, I couldn't imagine something like that."
14) She said she considered Kercher "a friend." This contrasted with previous testimony by other witnesses that Kercher had complained about Knox's bathroom habits and had expressed surprise at her apparent promiscuity.
15) Knox said she felt sorrow over her roommate's death.
16) "I am very sorry for what happened, sometimes it seems to me it cannot be real," she said.
17) Knox answered questions confidently and in a steady voice for about five hours, sitting at the witness stand with a prison guard behind her. Though she had an interpreter next to her, the American spoke in fluent Italian, which she mostly learned in the year and a half she has spent in jail.
18) Prosecutor Mignini said he was satisfied with how Knox's testimony went, adding that he did not consider her credible.
19) Kercher family lawyer Francesco Maresca said the American was well prepared. "She answered quite satisfactorily, but didn't bring anything new," he said.
20) Later Saturday, Andrew Seliber, a friend of Knox and a fellow student at the University of Washington, also took the stand, called by the American's lawyers.
21) In Perugia, "she was having the happiest time of her life," Seliber said. "She worked three jobs responsibly so she had the money to come here."
22) Knox appeared moved when Seliber walked into the small, frescoed courtroom and she listened carefully to his testimony.
23) More of Knox's family members and friends are scheduled to take the stand in upcoming sessions. Her mother, Edda Mellas, will testify at the next hearing, Friday.
24) Knox and Sollecito have been jailed since shortly after the slaying. Sollecito, 25, has said he was at his own apartment the entire night of Nov. 1. He said he does not remember if Knox spent the whole night with him or just part of it. The two have said they could not remember events clearly because they had taken drugs.
25) Prosecutors allege Kercher came home after an evening with friends on Nov. 1, and soon after opened the door to Knox, Sollecito and Rudy Hermann Guede, who was convicted of murder last year and sentenced to 30 years in prison. Guede, who denies wrongdoing, was given a fast-track trial at his request.
26) According to the prosecutors, Sollecito held Kercher by the shoulders from behind while Knox touched her with the point of a knife. They say Guede, an Ivory Coast national, tried to sexually assault Kercher and then Knox fatally stabbed her in the throat.
27) Prosecutors maintain a kitchen knife found at Sollecito's apartment is compatible with Kercher's wounds, and has the Briton's DNA on the blade and Knox's on the handle.
28) The trial began in January and a verdict is expected after a summer break. Knox and Sollecito could face Italy's stiffest punishment, life imprisonment, if convicted of murder.
2009-06-14
US suspect says she saw slain woman as a friend
(APW_ENG_20090614.0026)
1) PERUGIA, Italy -- An American student who denies murdering her British roommate testified that she was shocked by the death of a woman she considered her friend, and said a "crescendo" of police pressure led her to accuse an innocent man.
2) Amanda Knox of Seattle had already told the court on Friday that she was not in the apartment she shared with Meredith Kercher on the night in 2007 when the British woman was slain.
3) Knox, 21, and Italian co-defendant Raffaele Sollecito, her ex-boyfriend, are accused of murder and sexual violence in the slaying of Kercher, who was found in a pool of blood Nov. 2, 2007 in the shared apartment in this central Italian town.
4) Knox took the stand for the first time Friday and said she spent the night of the killing at Sollecito's apartment. Prosecutors believe Knox, Sollecito and a third suspect convicted in a separate trial went to Kercher's home the night of the murder and killed the British woman in what began as a sex game.
5) On Friday, Knox repeated accusations that she was beaten by police and confused when she was questioned in the days after the killing. Police have denied any misconduct.
6) She said it was the pressure that led her to accuse Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, a Congolese man who owns a pub in Perugia, of the killing. Lumumba was jailed briefly but was later cleared and is seeking defamation damages from Knox.
7) Police have denied any improper behavior, but Knox repeated her claim Saturday when questioned by lead prosecutor Giuliano Mignini.
8) "It was always a crescendo," she said recalling her early questioning sessions. "When I said I was with Raffaele all the time they told me I was a liar. I was scared, I thought: maybe they are right."
9) Knox said that interrogators "wanted a name" and that a policewoman hit her twice on the head.
10) "Do you remember? Do you remember? And then boom! On the head," Knox said, mimicking the slap in court. "I went: mamma mia! And then again, another boom!"
11) She said it was that pressure that made her come up with Lumumba's name and her initial story that she was at home during the murder and covered her ears against the victim's screams.
12) "It didn't hurt, but it frightened me," she said of the slaps.
13) When asked if she had suffered after Kercher's death, Knox said: "Yes. I was very shocked, I couldn't imagine something like that."
14) She said she considered Kercher "a friend." This contrasted with previous testimony by other witnesses that Kercher had complained about Knox's bathroom habits and had expressed surprise at her apparent promiscuity.
15) Knox said she felt sorrow over her roommate's death.
16) "I am very sorry for what happened, sometimes it seems to me it cannot be real," she said.
17) Knox answered questions confidently and in a steady voice for about five hours, sitting at the witness stand with a prison guard behind her. Though she had an interpreter next to her, the American spoke in fluent Italian, which she mostly learned in the year and a half she has spent in jail.
18) Prosecutor Mignini said he was satisfied with how Knox's testimony went, adding that he did not consider her credible.
19) Kercher family lawyer Francesco Maresca said the American was well prepared. "She answered quite satisfactorily, but didn't bring anything new," he said.
20) Later Saturday, Andrew Seliber, a friend of Knox and a fellow student at the University of Washington, also took the stand, called by the American's lawyers.
21) In Perugia, "she was having the happiest time of her life," Seliber said. "She worked three jobs responsibly so she had the money to come here."
22) Knox appeared moved when Seliber walked into the small, frescoed courtroom and she listened carefully to his testimony.
23) More of Knox's family members and friends are scheduled to take the stand in upcoming sessions. Her mother, Edda Mellas, will testify at the next hearing, Friday.
24) Knox and Sollecito have been jailed since shortly after the slaying. Sollecito, 25, has said he was at his own apartment the entire night of Nov. 1. He said he does not remember if Knox spent the whole night with him or just part of it. The two have said they could not remember events clearly because they had taken drugs.
25) Prosecutors allege Kercher came home after an evening with friends on Nov. 1, and soon after opened the door to Knox, Sollecito and Rudy Hermann Guede, who was convicted of murder last year and sentenced to 30 years in prison. Guede, who denies wrongdoing, was given a fast-track trial at his request.
26) According to the prosecutors, Sollecito held Kercher by the shoulders from behind while Knox touched her with the point of a knife. They say Guede, an Ivory Coast national, tried to sexually assault Kercher and then Knox fatally stabbed her in the throat.
27) Prosecutors maintain a kitchen knife found at Sollecito's apartment is compatible with Kercher's wounds, and has the Briton's DNA on the blade and Knox's on the handle.
28) The trial began in January and a verdict is expected after a summer break. Knox and Sollecito could face Italy's stiffest punishment, life imprisonment, if convicted of murder.
2009-06-19
Trial: Father of Italian suspect testifies
(APW_ENG_20090619.0368)
1) The father of an Italian man accused of killing a British student in Italy says his son was never violent and would not "hurt a fly."
2) Raffaele Sollecito is on trial on charges of murder and sexual violence in the 2007 slaying of Meredith Kercher in Perugia. Sollecito's former girlfriend, U.S. student Amanda Knox, is a co-defendant on the same charges. Both deny wrongdoing.
3) Francesco Sollecito told the court Friday that his son is not violent. He said his son liked to carry "small knives" in his pockets, a habit he picked up when he was younger.
4) Kercher was stabbed in the neck. Police have testified that Sollecito carried a knife to the police station after the killing. The knife is not believed to be the murder weapon.
Trial: Parents of US and Italian suspects testify
(APW_ENG_20090619.0424)
1) The mother of an American student accused of killing her British roommate in Italy said Friday that her daughter and the victim "got along great."
2) Amanda Knox is on trial on charges of murder and sexual violence in the 2007 slaying of Meredith Kercher in Perugia, central Italy. Her mother, Edda Mellas, took the stand on Friday. She said there were no problems between her daughter and Kercher.
3) "They got along great," Mellas told the eight-member jury. "She told me about the fun things she and Meredith did," she said, without elaborating.
4) Last week, Knox testified she was shocked by the death of Kercher, whom she considered her friend. This contrasted with previous testimony by other witnesses that Kercher had complained about Knox's bathroom habits and had expressed surprise at her apparent promiscuity.
5) Knox is on trial together with her Italian former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito. Both deny wrongdoing.
6) Mellas also testified about three phone calls she received from Knox on Nov. 2, 2007, the morning Kercher's body was found in her bedroom.
7) "In her first call, she said she thought somebody was in the house," Mellas said.
8) Last week, Knox recalled going home that morning to find the front door open. She said she took a shower and saw blood in one of the apartment's bathrooms.
9) The second and third calls were made after Kercher's body was discovered, Mellas said.
10) "She was very upset, it was disturbing," Mellas said.
11) Also on Friday, Sollecito's father testified his son was never violent and would not "hurt a fly."
12) Francesco Sollecito also told the court that his son liked to carry "small knives" in his pockets, a habit he picked up when he was younger.
13) Kercher was stabbed in the neck.
14) Prosecutors say that a kitchen knife found at Sollecito's apartment is compatible with Kercher's wounds. The knife has the victim's DNA on the blade and Knox's on the handle.
15) Police have testified that Sollecito carried a different knife to the police station after the killing.
16) Prosecutors believe Knox, Sollecito and a third person already convicted in a separate trial went to Kercher's home the night of the murder and killed the British woman in what began as a sex game.
17) Sollecito, 25, has said he was at his own apartment the entire night of Nov. 1. He said he does not remember if Knox spent the whole night with him or just part of it.
18) Knox said she spent the night at Sollecito's apartment and went back to her place the following morning.
19) Both suspects have been jailed since shortly after the slaying.
20) The third person involved, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede, denied wrongdoing but was convicted of murder last year and sentenced to 30 years in prison.
Trial: Parents of US and Italian suspects testify
(APW_ENG_20090619.0597)
1) The mother of an American student accused of killing her British roommate in Italy said Friday that her daughter and the victim "got along great" and that her daughter never considered leaving Italy after the slaying.
2) Amanda Knox is on trial on charges of murder and sexual violence in the 2007 slaying of Meredith Kercher in Perugia, central Italy.
3) Her mother, Edda Mellas, took the stand for two hours on Friday, testifying that there were no problems between her daughter and Kercher.
4) "They got along great," Mellas told the eight-member jury, speaking in a soft, unemotional voice. "She told me about the fun things she and Meredith did," she said, without elaborating.
5) Last week, Knox testified she was shocked by the death of Kercher, whom she considered her friend. This contrasted with previous testimony by other witnesses that Kercher had complained about Knox's bathroom habits and had expressed surprise at her apparent promiscuity.
6) Knox is on trial together with her Italian former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito. Both deny wrongdoing.
7) Mellas also testified about three phone calls she received from Knox on Nov. 2, 2007, the morning Kercher's body was found in her bedroom.
8) "In her first call, she said she thought somebody was in the house," Mellas said.
9) Last week, Knox recalled going home that morning to find the front door open. She said she took a shower and saw blood in one of the apartment's bathrooms.
10) The second and third calls were made after Kercher's body was discovered, Mellas said.
11) "She was very upset, it was disturbing," Mellas said.
12) Speaking in English through an interpreter, Mellas, who works as a teacher in Seattle, testified Knox never thought of going back to the United States before she was arrested, shortly after the slaying.
13) "She insisted on staying here," to help authorities and continue her studies, Mellas said.
14) She and her daughter exchanged looks during the mother's testimony.
15) Knox's father, Curt Knox, told the CBS "Early Show" from Seattle that his ex-wife's testimony would strengthen his daughter's case. He said the telephone conversations would help understanding of "the shock that Amanda had after learning that a body was found and that being Meredith in her room."
16) Knox and Sollecito have been jailed for over a year and a half. They could face Italy's stiffest punishment, life imprisonment, if convicted of murder.
17) Also on Friday, Sollecito's father testified his son was never violent and would not "hurt a fly."
18) Francesco Sollecito also told the court that his son liked to carry "small knives" in his pockets, a habit he picked up when he was younger.
19) Kercher was stabbed in the neck.
20) Prosecutors say that a kitchen knife found at Sollecito's apartment is compatible with Kercher's wounds. The knife had the victim's DNA on the blade and Knox's on the handle.
21) Police have testified that Sollecito carried a different knife to the police station after the killing.
22) Prosecutors believe Knox, Sollecito and a third person already convicted in a separate trial went to Kercher's home the night of the murder and killed the British woman in what began as a sex game.
23) Sollecito, 25, has said he was at his own apartment the entire night of Nov. 1. He said he does not remember if Knox spent the whole night with him or just part of it.
24) Knox said she spent the night at Sollecito's apartment and went back to her place the following morning.
25) Both suspects have been jailed since shortly after the slaying.
26) The third person involved, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede, denied wrongdoing but was convicted of murder last year and sentenced to 30 years in prison.
Trial: Parents of US and Italian suspects testify
(APW_ENG_20090619.0799)
1) The mother of an American student accused of killing her British roommate in Italy said Friday that her daughter and the victim "got along great" and that her daughter never considered leaving Italy after the slaying.
2) Amanda Knox is on trial on charges of murder and sexual violence in the 2007 slaying of Meredith Kercher in Perugia, central Italy.
3) Her mother, Edda Mellas, took the stand for two hours on Friday, testifying that there were no problems between her daughter and Kercher.
4) "They got along great," Mellas told the eight-member jury, speaking in a soft, unemotional voice. "She told me about the fun things she and Meredith did," she said, without elaborating.
5) Last week, Knox testified she was shocked by the death of Kercher, whom she considered her friend. This contrasted with previous testimony by other witnesses that Kercher had complained about Knox's bathroom habits and had expressed surprise at her apparent promiscuity.
6) Knox is on trial together with her Italian former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito. Both deny wrongdoing.
7) Mellas also testified about three phone calls she received from Knox on Nov. 2, 2007, the morning Kercher's body was found in her bedroom.
8) "In her first call, she said she thought somebody was in the house," Mellas said.
9) Last week, Knox recalled going home that morning to find the front door open. She said she took a shower and saw blood in one of the apartment's bathrooms.
10) The second and third calls were made after Kercher's body was discovered, Mellas said.
11) "She was very upset, it was disturbing," Mellas said.
12) Lawyers and prosecutors contended in court that, according to conversations secretly recorded during a visit by Mellas to her jailed daughter, Mellas indicated that Knox had already spoken during her first call home about a foot having been seen in Kercher's bedroom -- before the body was discovered.
13) Kercher's body was found half naked, partially covered by a duvet, with a foot sticking out. Knox testified last week that she heard that "a foot" had been found in Kercher's bedroom when police broke in.
14) Mellas said Friday that the detail emerged during the second call and that she did not remember that part of the conversation in jail.
15) Speaking in English through an interpreter, Mellas, who works as a teacher in Seattle, testified Knox never thought of going back to the United States before she was arrested, shortly after the slaying.
16) "She insisted on staying here," to help authorities and continue her studies, Mellas said.
17) She and her daughter exchanged looks during the mother's testimony.
18) Knox's father, Curt Knox, told the CBS "Early Show" from Seattle that his ex-wife's testimony would strengthen his daughter's case. He said the telephone conversations would help understanding of "the shock that Amanda had after learning that a body was found and that being Meredith in her room."
19) Knox and Sollecito have been jailed for over a year and a half. They could face Italy's stiffest punishment, life imprisonment, if convicted of murder.
20) Also on Friday, Sollecito's father testified his son was never violent and would not "hurt a fly."
21) Francesco Sollecito also told the court that his son liked to carry "small knives" in his pockets, a habit he picked up when he was younger.
22) Kercher was stabbed in the neck.
23) Prosecutors say that a kitchen knife found at Sollecito's apartment is compatible with Kercher's wounds. The knife had the victim's DNA on the blade and Knox's on the handle.
24) Police have testified that Sollecito carried a different knife to the police station after the killing.
25) Prosecutors believe Knox, Sollecito and a third person already convicted in a separate trial went to Kercher's home the night of the murder and killed the British woman in what began as a sex game.
26) Sollecito, 25, has said he was at his own apartment the entire night of Nov. 1. He said he does not remember if Knox spent the whole night with him or just part of it.
27) Knox said she spent the night at Sollecito's apartment and went back to her place the following morning.
28) Both suspects have been jailed since shortly after the slaying.
29) The third person involved, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede, denied wrongdoing but was convicted of murder last year and sentenced to 30 years in prison.
Mother of US murder suspect testifies in Italy
(APW_ENG_20090619.0939)
1) The mother of an American student on trial for allegedly killing her British roommate testified Friday that her daughter was horrified at the discovery of the woman's body in their apartment in this medieval Italian city.
2) Edda Mellas insisted that her daughter, Amanda Knox, and the victim, Meredith Kercher, "got along great" despite testimony that the two women had their differences.
3) Knox and Italian co-defendant Raffaele Sollecito, her former boyfriend, are being tried on charges of murder and sexual violence in the 2007 killing in Perugia. Both deny wrongdoing.
4) Mellas took the stand for two hours on Friday, testifying that there were no problems between her daughter and Kercher.
5) "They got along great," Mellas told the eight-member jury, speaking in a soft, unemotional voice. "She told me about the fun things she and Meredith did," she said, without elaborating.
6) Last week, Knox testified she was shocked by the death of Kercher, whom she considered a friend. This contrasted with previous testimony by other witnesses that Kercher had complained about Knox's bathroom habits and had expressed surprise at her apparent promiscuity.
7) Mellas also testified about three phone calls she received from Knox on Nov. 2, 2007, the morning Kercher was found dead in her bedroom with stab wounds to the neck.
8) "In her first call, she said she thought somebody was in the house," Mellas said.
9) Last week, Knox recalled going home that morning to find the front door open. She said she took a shower and saw blood in one of the apartment's bathrooms.
10) The second and third calls were made after Kercher's body was discovered, Mellas said.
11) "She was very upset, it was disturbing," Mellas said.
12) Lawyers and prosecutors contended in court that, according to conversations secretly recorded during a visit by Mellas to her jailed daughter, Mellas indicated that Knox had already spoken during her first call home about a foot having been seen in Kercher's bedroom -- before the body was discovered.
13) Kercher's body was found half naked, partially covered by a duvet, with a foot sticking out. Knox testified last week that she heard that "a foot" had been found in Kercher's bedroom when police broke in.
14) Mellas said Friday that the detail emerged during the second call and that she did not remember that part of the conversation in jail.
15) Speaking in English through an interpreter, Mellas, who works as a teacher in Seattle, testified Knox never thought of going back to the United States before she was arrested, shortly after the slaying.
16) "She insisted on staying here," to help authorities and continue her studies, Mellas said.
17) Mellas and her daughter exchanged looks during the mother's testimony.
18) Knox's father, Curt Knox, told the CBS "Early Show" from Seattle that his ex-wife's testimony would strengthen his daughter's case. He said the telephone conversations would help understand "the shock that Amanda had after learning that a body was found."
19) Knox and Sollecito have been jailed for over a year and a half. They could face Italy's stiffest punishment, life imprisonment, if convicted of murder.
20) Also on Friday, Sollecito's father, Francesco, testified that his son was never violent and would not "hurt a fly."
21) Prosecutors say that a kitchen knife found at Sollecito's apartment is compatible with Kercher's wounds. The knife had the victim's DNA on the blade and Knox's on the handle.
22) Prosecutors believe Knox, Sollecito and a third person already convicted in a separate trial went to Kercher's home the night of the murder and killed the 21-year-old in what began as a sex game.
23) Sollecito, 25, has said he was at his own apartment the entire night of Nov. 1. He said he does not remember if Knox spent the whole night with him or just part of it.
24) Knox, 21, said she spent the night at Sollecito's apartment and returned home the following morning.
25) The third suspect, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede, also denied wrongdoing but was convicted of murder last year and sentenced to 30 years in prison.
2009-06-20
Mother of US murder suspect testifies in Italy
(APW_ENG_20090620.0026)
1) The mother of an American student on trial for allegedly killing her British roommate has testified that her daughter was horrified at the discovery of the woman's body in their apartment in this medieval Italian city.
2) Edda Mellas insisted Friday that her daughter, Amanda Knox, and the victim, Meredith Kercher, "got along great" despite testimony that the two women had their differences.
3) Knox and Italian co-defendant Raffaele Sollecito, her former boyfriend, are being tried on charges of murder and sexual violence in the 2007 killing in Perugia. Both deny wrongdoing.
4) Mellas took the stand for two hours on Friday, testifying that there were no problems between her daughter and Kercher.
5) "They got along great," Mellas told the eight-member jury, speaking in a soft, unemotional voice. "She told me about the fun things she and Meredith did," she said, without elaborating.
6) Last week, Knox testified she was shocked by the death of Kercher, whom she considered a friend. This contrasted with previous testimony by other witnesses that Kercher had complained about Knox's bathroom habits and had expressed surprise at her apparent promiscuity.
7) Mellas also testified about three phone calls she received from Knox on Nov. 2, 2007, the morning Kercher was found dead in her bedroom with stab wounds to the neck.
8) "In her first call, she said she thought somebody was in the house," Mellas said.
9) Last week, Knox recalled going home that morning to find the front door open. She said she took a shower and saw blood in one of the apartment's bathrooms.
10) The second and third calls were made after Kercher's body was discovered, Mellas said.
11) "She was very upset, it was disturbing," Mellas said.
12) Lawyers and prosecutors contended in court that, according to conversations secretly recorded during a visit by Mellas to her jailed daughter, Mellas indicated that Knox had already spoken during her first call home about a foot having been seen in Kercher's bedroom -- before the body was discovered.
13) Kercher's body was found half naked, partially covered by a duvet, with a foot sticking out. Knox testified last week that she heard that "a foot" had been found in Kercher's bedroom when police broke in.
14) Mellas said Friday that the detail emerged during the second call and that she did not remember that part of the conversation in jail.
15) Speaking in English through an interpreter, Mellas, who works as a teacher in Seattle, testified Knox never thought of going back to the United States before she was arrested, shortly after the slaying.
16) "She insisted on staying here," to help authorities and continue her studies, Mellas said.
17) Mellas and her daughter exchanged looks during the mother's testimony.
18) Knox's father, Curt Knox, told the CBS "Early Show" from Seattle that his ex-wife's testimony would strengthen his daughter's case. He said the telephone conversations would help understand "the shock that Amanda had after learning that a body was found."
19) Knox and Sollecito have been jailed for over a year and a half. They could face Italy's stiffest punishment, life imprisonment, if convicted of murder.
20) Also on Friday, Sollecito's father, Francesco, testified that his son was never violent and would not "hurt a fly."
21) Prosecutors say that a kitchen knife found at Sollecito's apartment is compatible with Kercher's wounds. The knife had the victim's DNA on the blade and Knox's on the handle.
22) Prosecutors believe Knox, Sollecito and a third person already convicted in a separate trial went to Kercher's home the night of the murder and killed the 21-year-old in what began as a sex game.
23) Sollecito, 25, has said he was at his own apartment the entire night of Nov. 1. He said he does not remember if Knox spent the whole night with him or just part of it.
24) Knox, 21, said she spent the night at Sollecito's apartment and returned home the following morning.
25) The third suspect, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede, also denied wrongdoing but was convicted of murder last year and sentenced to 30 years in prison.
Reports: Coroner testifies at Italian trial
(APW_ENG_20090620.0269)
1) A coroner told a jury Saturday that a stab wound to the neck of a British student slain in Italy was caused by a shorter knife than the one believed to be the murder weapon, news reports said.
2) Francesco Introna, taking the stand at the murder trial of U.S. student Amanda Knox and Italian co-defendant Raffaele Sollecito, also said that no more than a single attacker could have assaulted the victim on the night of the 2007 slaying, the ANSA news agency said.
3) Knox and her former boyfriend Sollecito are on trial in Perugia, central Italy, on charges of murder and sexual violence in the death of Knox's roommate Meredith Kercher. Both deny wrongdoing.
4) Introna, who was called to the stand by Sollecito's defense lawyers, testified that the cut on Kercher's neck was made with a knife with a 3-3 1/2-inch-long (8-9 centimeters long) blade, ANSA said.
5) Prosecutors say that a 6 1/2-inch (16.5 centimeters) knife found at Sollecito's house matched the victim's wounds and could be the murder weapon. They say the knife had Kercher's DNA on the blade and Knox's on the handle.
6) Prosecutors allege that Kercher was killed during what had begun as a sex game. Her body was found in the apartment she shared with Knox on Nov. 2, 2007.
7) A third person, Rudy Hermann Guede of the Ivory Coast, was convicted in a separate trial last year and sentenced to 30 years in prison. He denies wrongdoing and has appealed his conviction.
8) Introna said that the bedroom where Kercher was killed was too small and that it would be "physically impossible" that three people could have attacked her, ANSA said.
Reports: Coroner testifies at Italian trial
(APW_ENG_20090620.0379)
1) A coroner told a jury Saturday that a stab wound to the neck of a British student slain in Italy was caused by a shorter knife than the one believed to be the murder weapon, news reports said.
2) Francesco Introna, taking the stand at the murder trial of U.S. student Amanda Knox and Italian co-defendant Raffaele Sollecito, also said that no more than a single attacker could have assaulted the victim on the night of the 2007 slaying, the ANSA news agency said.
3) Knox and her former boyfriend Sollecito are on trial in Perugia, central Italy, on charges of murder and sexual violence in the death of Knox's roommate Meredith Kercher. Both deny wrongdoing.
4) Introna, who was called to the stand by Sollecito's defense lawyers, testified that the cut on Kercher's neck was made with a knife with a 3-3 1/2-inch-long (8-9 centimeters long) blade, ANSA said.
5) Prosecutors say that a 6 1/2-inch (16.5 centimeters) knife found at Sollecito's house matched the victim's wounds and could be the murder weapon. They say the knife had Kercher's DNA on the blade and Knox's on the handle.
6) Prosecutors allege that Kercher was killed during what had begun as a sex game. Her body was found in the apartment she shared with Knox on Nov. 2, 2007.
7) A third person, Rudy Hermann Guede of the Ivory Coast, was convicted in a separate trial last year and sentenced to 30 years in prison. He denies wrongdoing and has appealed his conviction.
8) Introna said that the bedroom where Kercher was killed was too small and that it would be "physically impossible" that three people could have attacked her, ANSA said. Helped by two assistants, he staged an attack to show how Kercher might have been assaulted from behind by only one person, ANSA said.
9) However, when cross-examined by prosecutors, Introna clarified he has never been to the house where Kercher was slain and used data collected by forensic experts to determine the size of the bedroom.
10) Prosecutors allege that Sollecito held Kercher by the shoulders from behind while Knox touched her with the point of a knife. Guede tried to sexually assault Kercher and then Knox fatally stabbed her in the throat, according to the prosecutors.
Reports: Coroner testifies at Italian trial
(APW_ENG_20090620.0428)
1) A coroner told a jury Saturday that a stab wound to the neck of a British student slain in Italy was caused by a shorter knife than the one believed to be the murder weapon, lawyers said.
2) Francesco Introna, taking the stand at the murder trial of U.S. student Amanda Knox and Italian co-defendant Raffaele Sollecito, also said that no more than a single attacker could have assaulted the victim on the night of the 2007 slaying.
3) Knox and her former boyfriend Sollecito are on trial in Perugia, central Italy, on charges of murder and sexual violence in the death of Knox's roommate Meredith Kercher. Both deny wrongdoing.
4) Introna, who was called to the stand by Sollecito's defense lawyers, testified that the cut on Kercher's neck was made with a knife with a 3-3 1/2-inch-long (8-9 centimeters long) blade, according to a lawyer representing the Kercher family, Francesco Maresca.
5) Prosecutors say that a 6 1/2-inch (16.5 centimeters) knife found at Sollecito's house matched the victim's wounds and could be the murder weapon. They say the knife had Kercher's DNA on the blade and Knox's on the handle.
6) Prosecutors allege that Kercher was killed during what had begun as a sex game. Her body was found in the apartment she shared with Knox on Nov. 2, 2007.
7) A third person, Rudy Hermann Guede of the Ivory Coast, was convicted in a separate trial last year and sentenced to 30 years in prison. He denies wrongdoing and has appealed his conviction.
8) Introna said that the bedroom where Kercher was killed was too small and that it would be "physically impossible" that three people could have attacked her, Maresca said. Helped by two assistants, he staged an attack to show how Kercher might have been assaulted from behind by only one person.
9) However, when cross-examined by prosecutors, Introna clarified he has never been to the house where Kercher was slain and used data collected by forensic experts to determine the size of the bedroom.
10) Maresca noted that when the court went to inspect the scene of the crime in April, six or seven people could fit into Kercher's bedroom.
11) Prosecutors allege that Sollecito held Kercher by the shoulders from behind while Knox touched her with the point of a knife. Guede tried to sexually assault Kercher and then Knox fatally stabbed her in the throat, according to the prosecutors.
Reports: Coroner testifies at Italian trial
(APW_ENG_20090620.0451)
1) A coroner told a jury Saturday that a stab wound to the neck of a British student slain in Italy was caused by a shorter knife than the one believed to be the murder weapon, news reports said.
2) Francesco Introna, taking the stand at the murder trial of U.S. student Amanda Knox and Italian co-defendant Raffaele Sollecito, also said that no more than a single attacker could have assaulted the victim on the night of the 2007 slaying, the ANSA news agency said.
3) Knox and her former boyfriend Sollecito are on trial in Perugia, central Italy, on charges of murder and sexual violence in the death of Knox's roommate Meredith Kercher. Both deny wrongdoing.
4) Introna, who was called to the stand by Sollecito's defense lawyers, testified that the cut on Kercher's neck was made with a knife with a 3-3 1/2-inch-long (8-9 centimeters long) blade, ANSA said.
5) Prosecutors say that a 6 1/2-inch (16.5 centimeters) knife found at Sollecito's house matched the victim's wounds and could be te mude wapn.Thy ayth kif hd erhe'sDN o te blae and Knox's on the handle.
6) Prosecutors allege that Kercher was killed during what had begun as a sex game. Her body was found in the apartment she shared with Knox on Nov. 2, 2007.
7) A third person, Rudy Hermann Guede of the Ivory Coast, was convicted in a separate trial last year and sentenced to 30 years in prison. He denies wrongdoing and has appealed his conviction.
8) Introna said that the bedroom where Kercher was killed was too small and that it would be "physically impossible" that three people could have attacked her, ANSA said. Helped by two assistants, he staged an attack to show how Kercher might have been assaulted from behind by only one person, ANSA said.
9) However, when cross-examined by prosecutors, Introna clarified he has never been to the house where Kercher was slain and used data collected by forensic experts to determine the size of the bedroom.
10) Prosecutors allege that Sollecito held Kercher by the shoulders from behind while Knox touched her with the point of a knife. Guede tried to sexually assault Kercher and then Knox fatally stabbed her in the throat, according to the prosecutors.
Reports: Coroner testifies at Italian trial
(APW_ENG_20090620.0454)
1) A coroner told a jury Saturday that a stab wound to the neck of a British student slain in Italy was caused by a shorter knife than the one believed to be the murder weapon, news reports said.
2) Francesco Introna, taking the stand at the murder trial of U.S. student Amanda Knox and Italian co-defendant Raffaele Sollecito, also sai tatnomoe ha asigl atake cul hveasaute hevitim o the night of the 2007 slaying, the ANSA news agency said.
3) Knox and her former boyfriend Sollecito are on trial in Perugia, central Italy, on charges of murder and sexual violence in the death of Knox's roommate Meredith Kercher. Both deny wrongdoing.
4) Introna, who was called to the stand by Sollecito's defense lawyers, testified that the cut on Kercher's neck was made with a knife with a 3-3 1/2-inch-long (8-9 centimeters long) blade, ANSA said.
5) Prosecutors say that a 6 1/2-inch (16.5 centimeters) knife found at Sollecito's house matched the victim's wounds and could be the murder weapon. They say the knife had Kercher's DNA on the blade and Knox's on the handle.
6) Prosecutors allege that Kercher was killed during what had begun as a sex game. Her body was found in the apartment she shared with Knox on Nov. 2, 2007.
7) A third person, Rudy Hermann Guede of the Ivory Coast, was convicted in a separate trial last year and sentenced to 30 years in prison. He denies wrongdoing and has appealed his conviction.
8) Introna said that the bedroom where Kercher was killed was too small and that it would be "physically impossible" that three people could have attacked her, ANSA said. Helped by two assistants, he staged an attack to show how Kercher might have been assaulted from behind by only one person, ANSA said.
9) However, when cross-examined by prosecutors, Introna clarified he has never been to the house where Kercher was slain and used data collected by forensic experts to determine the size of the bedroom.
10) Prosecutor alee ha Sllcio el Krcerbyth soudes frm ehndwhile Knx touched her with the point of a knife. Guede tried to sexually assault Kercher and then Knox fatally stabbed her in the throat, according to the prosecutors.
Reports: Coroner testifies at Italian trial
(APW_ENG_20090620.0532)
1) A coroner told a jury Saturday that a stab wound to the neck of a British student slain in Italy was caused by a shorter knife than the one believed to be the murder weapon, lawyers said.
2) Francesco Introna, taking the stand at the murder trial of U.S. student Amanda Knox and Italian co-defendant Raffaele Sollecito, also said that no more than a single attacker could have assaulted the victim on the night of the 2007 slaying.
3) Knox ad herfome byfied olectoar o tia i Pruia enral Ialy, on charges of murder and sexual violence in the death of Knox's roommate Meredith Kercher. Both deny wrongdoing.
4) Introna, who was called to the stand by Sollecito's defense lawyers, testified that the cut on Kercher's neck was made with a knife with a 3-3 1/2-inch-long (8-9 centimeters long) blade, according to a lawyer representing the Kercher family, Francesco Maresca.
5) Prosecutors say that a 6 1/2-inch (16.5 centimeters) knife found at Sollecito's house matched the victim's wounds and could be the murder weapon. They say the knife had Kercher's DNA on the blade and Knox's on the handle.
6) Prosecutors allege that Kercher was killed during what had begun as a sex game. Her body was found in the apartment she shared with Knox on Nov. 2, 2007.
7) A third person, Rudy Hermann Guede of the Ivory Coast, was convicted in a separate trial last year and sentenced to 30 years in prison. He denies wrongdoing and has appealed his conviction.
8) Introna said that the bedroom where Kercher was killed was too small and that it would be "physically impossible" that three people could have attacked her, Maresca said. Helped by two assistants, he staged an attack to show how Kercher might have been assaulted from behind by only one person.
9) However, when cross-examined by prosecutors, Introna clarified he has never been to the house where Kercher was slain and used data collected by forensic experts to determine the size of the bedroom.
10) Maresca noted that when the court went to inspect the scene of the crime in April, six or seve peope oud itino erhe's bdrom
11) Prseutrsaleg tat Solleito held Kercher by the shoulders from behind while Knox touched her with the point of a knife. Guede tried to sexually assault Kercher and then Knox fatally stabbed her in the throat, according to the prosecutors.
A Pot PG11,PR10, RG07 PG13,PR10, RG04 By MATA FALCONI
(APW_ENG_20090620.0536)
1) A coroner told a jury Saturday that a stab wound to the neck of a British student slain in Italy was caused by a shorter knife than the one believed to be the murder weapon, lawyers said.
2) Francesco Introna, taking the stand at the murder trial of U.S. student Amanda Knox and Italian co-defendant Raffaele Sollecito, also said that no more than a single attacker could have assaulted the victim on the night of the 2007 slaying.
3) Knox and her former boyfriend Sollecito are on trial in Perugia, central Italy, on charges of murder and sexual violence in the death of Knox's roommate Meredith Kercher. Both deny wrongdoing.
4) Introna, who was called to the stand by Sollecito's defense lawyers, testified that the cut on Kercher's neck was made with a knife with a 3-3 1/2-inch-long (8-9 centimeters long) blade, according to a lawyer representing the Kercher family, Francesco Maresca.
5) Prosecutors say that a 6 1/2-inch (16.5 centimeters) knife found at Sollecito's house matched the victim's wounds and could be the murder weapon. They say the knife had Kercher's DNA on the blade and Knox's on the handle.
6) Prosecutors allege that Kercher was killed during what had begun as a sex game. Her body was found in the apartment she shared with Knox on Nov. 2, 2007.
7) A third person, Rudy Hermann Guede of the Ivory Coast, was convicted in a separate trial last year and sentenced to 30 years in prison. He denies wrongdoing and has appealed his conviction.
8) Introna said that the bedroom whreKechr askile ws oo sal ad ha i wul b `phsially impssible" that three people could have attacked her, Maresca said. Helped by two assistants, he staged an attack to show how Kercher might have been assaulted from behind by only one person.
9) However, when cross-examined by prosecutors, Introna clarified he has never been to the house where Kercher was slain and used data collected by forensic experts to determine the size of the bedroom.
10) Maresca noted that when the court went to inspect the scene of the crime in April, six or seven people could fit into Kercher's bedroom.
11) Prosecutors allege that Sollecito held Kercher by the shoulders from behind while Knox touched her with the point of a knife. Guede tried to sexually assault Kercher and then Knox fatally stabbed her in the throat, according to the prosecutors.
2009-06-23
Kercher trial: Witness heard no screams
(APW_ENG_20090623.0586)
1) A witness at the trial of a U.S student accused of killing her British roommate testified Tuesday he didn't hear anyone scream or anything unusual the night of the murder despite being parked near the crime scene, news reports said.
2) Pasqualino Coletta took the stand at the trial of American student Amanda Knox and her former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito in Perugia, central Italy. Knox and Sollecito are charged with murder and sexual violence in the 2007 death of Knox's roommate Meredith Kercher. Both deny wrongdoing.
3) Coletta said his car broke down near the apartment where Kercher was killed on Nov. 1, 2007, forcing him to wait for help between 10:30 p.m. and 11 p.m., the ANSA news agency said.
4) Coletta said his attention "was not caught by anything in particular" during that time frame, ANSA reported.
5) The 21-year-old Kercher is believed to have died between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m., based on the autopsy and the accounts of friends with whom she had eaten dinner that night, court documents say. Her body was found in a pool of blood the next day.
6) Coletta also testified he did not hear anyone scream, ANSA said.
7) A prosecution witness, whose apartment overlooks the one where Kercher was slain, said in court last March that she heard a woman's scream on the night that Kercher died. However, Nara Capezzali later said that she wasn't sure of the date.
8) Another witness, Marco Marzan, who lived downstairs from Knox and Kercher, testified Tuesday that he didn't know about any problems between Kercher and her three roommates, including Knox.
9) Other witnesses previously testified that Kercher had complained about Knox's bathroom habits and had expressed surprise at her apparent promiscuity. In her first testimony, Knox said Kercher was a "friend" and she felt sad after her roommate's death.
10) Prosecutors allege that Kercher was killed during what had begun as a sex game. A third person, Rudy Hermann Guede of the Ivory Coast, was convicted in a separate trial last year and sentenced to 30 years in prison. He denies wrongdoing and has appealed his conviction.
2009-07-03
Kercher trial: no staged break-in
(APW_ENG_20090703.0105)
1) News reports say a police official and defense consultant has testified in the murder trial of a U.S. student in Italy that no break-in was staged in the apartment where a Briton was slain in 2007.
2) The testimony casts doubt on a key prosecution argument.
3) Prosecutors say Amanda Knox and co-defendant Raffaele Sollecito killed Knox's roommate, Meredith Kercher, and then broke one of the apartment's windows from the inside to stage a burglary. A stone was found in one of the bedrooms, with shattered glass on the floor.
4) The ANSA news agency said Francesco Pasquali testified Friday in Perugia, central Italy that the window was broken from the outside.
5) ANSA said Pasquali used a video to reconstruct how the stone was thrown. Knox and Sollecito deny wrongdoing.
2009-07-06
Witness: weapon and wound not compatible
(APW_ENG_20090706.0662)
1) An Italian news agency says a coroner and defense consultant has testified in the trial of American Amanda Knox that a knife believed to have been used in the slaying of a British student is "not compatible" with the victim's stab wound.
2) The ANSA news agency said Carlo Torre testified Monday in the trial of Knox and co-defendant Raffaele Sollecito for the 2007 death of Meredith Kercher in Perugia, central Italy. They deny wrongdoing.
3) Torre testified the neck wound was made with a knife with a 3-inch (8-centimeter) long blade, while prosecutors maintain a 6 1/2-inch (16.5 centimeters) knife found at Sollecito's home could be the murder weapon.
4) He also said there is no evidence that Kercher was assaulted by more than one person. Torre was called by Knox's defense.
Witness: weapon and wound not compatible
(APW_ENG_20090706.1162)
1) A coroner testified Monday in the trial of American Amanda Knox that a knife believed to have been used in the slaying of a British student is "not compatible" with the victim's stab wound, an Italian news report said.
2) Carlo Torre was giving evidence for the defense in the trial of Knox and co-defendant Raffaele Sollecito for the 2007 death of Meredith Kercher in Perugia, central Italy. They deny wrongdoing.
3) Torre told the court the neck wound was made with a knife with a 3-inch (8-centimeter) blade, while prosecutors maintain a 6 1/2-inch (16.5-centimeter) knife found at Sollecito's home could be the murder weapon, the Italian news agency ANSA reported.
4) He also said there is no evidence that Kercher, who shared a rented flat with Knox, had been assaulted by more than one person. One man has already been convicted of her murder.
5) Knox, who has been jailed since shortly after the slaying, will spend a second birthday in jail when she turns 22 on Thursday. Her mother, Edda Mellas, told reporters after Monday's session that Knox will be receiving many greeting cards as well as books and T-shirts for her birthday.
6) Mellas predicted it would be her daughter's last birthday behind bars. Knox's family has expressed confidence she will be acquitted.
2009-09-14
Murder trial of US student resumes in Italy
(APW_ENG_20090914.0331)
1) The trial of an American student accused of killing her British roommate in Italy has resumed, and a forensic expert will be taking the stand for the defense.
2) Amanda Knox and co-defendant Raffaele Sollecito were both in court Monday as their trial resumed after a nearly two-month summer break. Knox was wearing a red Beatles sweat shirt.
3) The expert is expected to challenge some of the evidence collected at the crime scene.
4) Knox and Sollecito, her former boyfriend, are charged with murder in the 2007 slaying of Meredith Kercher, with whom Knox shared a rented flat in the Italian city of Perugia.
5) Both deny wrongdoing.
6) Prosecutors allege that Kercher was killed during what began as a sex game.
Lawyers challenge DNA at murder trial in Italy
(APW_ENG_20090914.0426)
1) Lawyers for an American student and her former boyfriend challenged key DNA findings at an Italian murder trial Monday and demanded that indictments accusing the two of killing her former British roommate be tossed out.
2) Amanda Knox and co-defendant Raffaele Sollecito are being tried in the central Italian city of Perugia for the 2007 slaying of Meredith Kercher. The two, who were both in court as the trial resumed after a summer break, deny wrongdoing.
3) Defense lawyers for Knox and Sollecito say some documentation supporting the attribution of DNA samples that prosecutors say link the defendants to the case were not made available to the defense in a timely manner. They asked that the indictment be thrown out, saying their defense strategy was hindered by the lack of access to the documentation.
4) According to the prosecutors, Knox's DNA was found on the handle of a knife that might have been used in the slaying, while Kercher's DNA was found on the blade. The knife was found at Sollecito's apartment.
5) Knox's lawyer Carlo Dalla Vedova told the court Monday that they received no specifics as to how forensic experts decided that Kercher's DNA was on the knife's blade, thus limiting their ability to dispute that claim. He also said the DNA traces allegedly belonging to Kercher on the knife's blade were "too low" to be attributed with certainty.
6) "Since the beginning, we've always just discussed who the DNA belonged to, but no one has explained why and how the forensic experts reached that conclusion," Dalla Vedova said.
7) Italian prosecutors say forensics and DNA experts have followed procedures while submitting the results of DNA tests to the court.
8) Both defendants were escorted in court Monday by police guards. Knox smiled to lawyers and family members as she walked in.
9) Prosecutors allege that Kercher was killed during a sex game and that Knox fatally stabbed her in the throat.
10) A third person, Rudy Hermann Guede of the Ivory Coast, was convicted in a separate trial last year and sentenced to 30 years in prison. He denies wrongdoing and has appealed his conviction.
Judge rejects DNA challenge at Knox murder trial
(APW_ENG_20090914.0476)
1) An Italian court on Monday rejected defense lawyers' requests to throw out the murder indictments of an American student and her former boyfriend on trial for the slaying of her British roommate.
2) Lawyers for Amanda Knox and co-defendant Raffaele Sollecito, accused in the 2007 slaying of Meredith Kercher, had challenged key DNA findings in the case and asked the court to toss out the indictments. The indictments are partly based on DNA evidence.
3) Knox and Sollecito, who were both in court as the trial resumed after a summer break, deny wrongdoing.
4) Defense lawyers say some documentation supporting the attribution of DNA samples that prosecutors say link the defendants to the case were not made available to the defense in a timely manner.
5) But Presiding Judge Giancarlo Massei rejected the defense request and ruled that proceedings should go on. He argued that defense consultants were present when the DNA tests were carried out by forensic experts and said relevant documents had been made available a month and a half ago, suggesting that defense teams had enough time to review the DNA findings.
6) According to the prosecutors, Knox's DNA was found on the handle of a knife that might have been used in the slaying, while Kercher's DNA was found on the blade. The knife was found at Sollecito's apartment.
7) Knox's lawyer Carlo Dalla Vedova also argued Monday the DNA traces allegedly belonging to Kercher on the knife's blade were "too low" to be attributed with certainty.
8) Italian prosecutors say forensics and DNA experts have followed correct procedures while submitting the results of DNA tests to the court.
9) Both defendants were escorted in court Monday by police guards. Knox smiled to lawyers and family members as she walked in.
10) Prosecutors allege that Kercher was killed during a sex game and that Knox fatally stabbed her in the throat.
11) A third person, Rudy Hermann Guede of the Ivory Coast, was convicted in a separate trial last year and sentenced to 30 years in prison. He denies wrongdoing and has appealed his conviction.
Knox defense witness in Italy doubts DNA evidence
(APW_ENG_20090914.1027)
1) DNA evidence at the center of a murder trial in Italy of an American student accused of killing her roommate is unreliable, according to a forensic expert testifying for the defense Monday.
2) Adriano Tagliabracci took the stand in the trial of Amanda Knox and co-defendant Raffaele Sollecito, which resumed after a summer break, in Perugia, central Italy.
3) Knox and Sollecito are charged with murder and sexual violence in the 2007 slaying of Meredith Kercher, from Britain, who was stabbed in the throat in her bedroom in the house she shared with Knox. The defendants deny wrongdoing.
4) Tagliabracci, who was called by Sollecito's defense, contended that DNA traces allegedly belonging to Kercher found on a knife that might have been used in the slaying were "too low" to be attributed with certainty. The knife was analyzed by forensic police.
5) According to prosecutors, Knox's DNA was found on the knife's handle, while Kercher's DNA was found on the blade. The knife was found at Sollecito's apartment.
6) "It's a disputable element and it would have been better to stop the test. The traces are so low that any result would be open for discussion," Tagliabracci said.
7) Prosecutors also say they found Sollecito's DNA on the clasp of Kercher's bra, although his defense team contend that the evidence might have been inadvertently contaminated during the investigation -- an assertion Tagliabracci also made during his testimony.
8) Earlier Monday, the court rejected defense lawyers' requests to throw out Knox's and Sollecito's murder indictments that are partly based on DNA evidence.
9) Defense lawyers say some documentation supporting the attribution of DNA samples were not made available to the defense promptly.
10) Italian prosecutors say forensic and DNA experts have followed correct procedures while submitting the results of DNA tests to the court.
11) Presiding Judge Giancarlo Massei, rejecting the defense bid, ruled the trial should go on. He said that defense consultants were present when the DNA tests were carried out by forensic experts and that relevant documents had been made available a month and a half ago, suggesting that defense had enough time to review the findings.
12) Police guards escorted the defendants into the courtroom. Knox smiled to lawyers and family members as she walked in.
13) Proceedings were adjourned to Friday, when the knife that might have been used in the slaying will be shown in court. Prosecutors allege that Kercher was killed during a sex game and that Knox fatally stabbed her in the throat.
14) A third defendant in the case, Rudy Hermann Guede of the Ivory Coast, was convicted in a separate trial last year and sentenced to 30 years in prison. He denies wrongdoing and has appealed his conviction.
2009-09-18
Expert: bloody footprint not Italy defendant ' s
(APW_ENG_20090918.0183)
1) A bloody footprint found at the house where a British student was killed in Italy was wrongly attributed to one of the defendants in the case, a forensic expert testified at the murder trial Friday.
2) The footprint was found on a bathroom rug in the house in Perugia where Meredith Kercher was killed in November 2007. Prosecutors have attributed it to Raffaele Sollecito, an Italian who is on trial on murder charges with Amanda Knox, his girlfriend at the time.
3) Both defendants deny wrongdoing.
4) In his testimony, expert Francesco Vinci compared detailed pictures of the footprint on the rug with images of Sollecito's feet, arguing that the sizes and shapes "absolutely don't match."
5) "Differences, one by one, can be seen," said Vinci, who is a witness for Sollecito's defense.
6) According to Vinci, the footprint is "compatible" with the foot of a third man, Rudy Hermann Guede, who was convicted in a separate trial last year and sentenced to 30 years in prison.
7) Guede, of the Ivory Coast, denies wrongdoing and has appealed his conviction.
8) The expert said he took part in one of the crime scene investigations carried out by forensics at the house of the murder when the evidence was being collected.
9) Knox and Sollecito, who were both in court on Friday, face life sentences if convicted.
10) Prosecutors allege that Kercher was killed during what had begun as a sex game. Her body was found in her bedroom in the apartment she shared with Knox on Nov. 2, 2007.
Expert: bloody footprint not Italy defendant ' s
(APW_ENG_20090918.0526)
1) A bloody footprint found at the house where a British student was killed in Italy was wrongly attributed to one of the defendants in the case, a forensic expert for the defense testified at the murder trial Friday.
2) The footprint was found on a bathroom rug in the house in Perugia, central Italy, where Meredith Kercher was killed in November 2007. Prosecutors and police scientists have attributed the print to Raffaele Solicit, an Italian who is on trial on murder charges with American student Amanda Knob, his girlfriend at the time.
3) Both defendants deny wrongdoing.
4) In his testimony, expert Francesco Vinci compared detailed pictures of the footprint on the rug with images of Sollecito's feet, arguing that the sizes and shapes "absolutely don't match."
5) "Differences, one by one, can be seen," said Vinci, who was called by Sollecito's defense team.
6) The images showed what were described by Vinci as differences between the shape of toes and the ball of Sollecito's right foot and those of the bloody footprint.
7) Prosecutor Giuliano Mignini insisted during a break in the proceedings that such discrepancies could have an explanation.
8) "It could be that the foot's sole was not completely covered in blood," and the print could be the result of pressure from only part of his foot, the prosecutor said.
9) According to Vinci, the footprint was "compatible" with the foot of a third defendant, Rudy Hermann Guede, who was convicted in a separate trial last year and sentenced to 30 years in prison.
10) Guede, of the Ivory Coast, denies wrongdoing and has appealed his conviction.
11) The expert said he participated in one of the crime scene investigations by forensic experts at the murder scene.
12) Vinci said he also examined a blood trace left on Kercher's mattress sheet, which he said came from a knife with a 3 1/2-inch-long (9-centimeter-long) blade that was placed on the bed.
13) His contention contrasts with prosecutors' allegations that a 6 1/2-inch (16.5 centimeters) knife found at Sollecito's house matched the victim's wounds and might be the murder weapon.
14) Prosecutors say the knife had Kercher's DNA on the blade and Knox's on the handle, but defenses have argued that traces of the victim's DNA are too low to be attributed with certainty.
15) Knox and Sollecito could be sentenced to life imprisonment if convicted.
16) On Saturday, the knife that prosecutors say could be the murder weapon is expected to be shown in court.
17) Prosecutors allege that Kercher was killed during what had begun as a sex game. Her body was found in her bedroom in the apartment she shared with Knox on Nov. 2, 2007.
18) The house, which has been broken into by intruders in recent months, has been fixed up and is now available for rent, said Letizia Magnini, a lawyer representing the owner.
Expert: bloody footprint not Italy defendant ' s
(APW_ENG_20090918.0534)
1) A bloody footprint found at the house where a British student was killed in Italy was wrongly attributed to one of the defendants in the case, a forensic expert for the defense testified at the murder trial Friday.
2) The footprint was found on a bathroom rug in the house in Perugia, central Italy, where Meredith Kercher was killed in November 2007. Prosecutors and police scientists have attributed the print to Raffaele Solicit, an Italian who is on trial on murder charges with American student Amanda Knox, his girlfriend at the time.
3) Both defendants deny wrongdoing.
4) In his testimony, expert Francesco Vinci compared detailed pictures of the footprint on the rug with images of Sollecito's feet, arguing that the sizes and shapes "absolutely don't match."
5) "Differences, one by one, can be seen," said Vinci, who was called by Sollecito's defense team.
6) The images showed what were described by Vinci as differences between the shape of toes and the ball of Sollecito's right foot and those of the bloody footprint.
7) Prosecutor Giuliano Mignini insisted during a break in the proceedings that such discrepancies could have an explanation.
8) "It could be that the foot's sole was not completely covered in blood," and the print could be the result of pressure from only part of his foot, the prosecutor said.
9) According to Vinci, the footprint was "compatible" with the foot of a third defendant, Rudy Hermann Guede, who was convicted in a separate trial last year and sentenced to 30 years in prison.
10) Guede, of the Ivory Coast, denies wrongdoing and has appealed his conviction.
11) The expert said he participated in one of the crime scene investigations by forensic experts at the murder scene.
12) Vinci said he also examined a blood trace left on Kercher's mattress sheet, which he said came from a knife with a 3 1/2-inch-long (9-centimeter-long) blade that was placed on the bed.
13) His contention contrasts with prosecutors' allegations that a 6 1/2-inch (16.5 centimeters) knife found at Sollecito's house matched the victim's wounds and might be the murder weapon.
14) Prosecutors say the knife had Kercher's DNA on the blade and Knox's on the handle, but defense lawyers have argued that traces of the victim's DNA are too low to be attributed with certainty.
15) Knox and Sollecito could be sentenced to life imprisonment if convicted.
16) On Saturday, the knife that prosecutors say could be the murder weapon is expected to be shown in court.
17) Prosecutors allege that Kercher was killed during what had begun as a sex game. Her body was found in her bedroom in the apartment she shared with Knox on Nov. 2, 2007.
18) The house, which has been broken into by intruders in recent months, has been fixed up and is now available for rent, said Letizia Magnini, a lawyer representing the owner.
Expert: bloody footprint not Italy defendant ' s
(APW_ENG_20090918.0645)
1) A bloody footprint found at the house where a British student was killed in Italy was wrongly attributed to one of the defendants in the case, a forensic expert for the defense testified at the murder trial Friday.
2) The footprint was found on a bathroom rug in the house in Perugia, central Italy, where Meredith Kercher was killed in November 2007. Prosecutors and police scientists have attributed the print to Raffaele Sollecito, an Italian who is on trial on murder charges with American student Amanda Knox, his girlfriend at the time.
3) Both defendants deny wrongdoing.
4) In his testimony, expert Francesco Vinci compared detailed pictures of the footprint on the rug with images of Sollecito's feet, arguing that the sizes and shapes "absolutely don't match."
5) "Differences, one by one, can be seen," said Vinci, who was called by Sollecito's defense team.
6) The images showed what were described by Vinci as differences between the shape of toes and the ball of Sollecito's right foot and those of the bloody footprint.
7) Prosecutor Giuliano Mignini insisted during a break in the proceedings that such discrepancies could have an explanation.
8) "It could be that the foot's sole was not completely covered in blood," and the print could be the result of pressure from only part of his foot, the prosecutor said.
9) According to Vinci, the footprint was "compatible" with the foot of a third defendant, Rudy Hermann Guede, who was convicted in a separate trial last year and sentenced to 30 years in prison.
10) Guede, of the Ivory Coast, denies wrongdoing and has appealed his conviction.
11) The expert said he participated in one of the crime scene investigations by forensic experts at the murder scene.
12) Vinci said he also examined a blood trace left on Kercher's mattress sheet, which he said came from a knife with a 3 1/2-inch-long (9-centimeter-long) blade that was placed on the bed.
13) His contention contrasts with prosecutors' allegations that a 6 1/2-inch (16.5 centimeters) knife found at Sollecito's house matched the victim's wounds and might be the murder weapon.
14) Prosecutors say the knife had Kercher's DNA on the blade and Knox's on the handle, but defense lawyers have argued that traces of the victim's DNA are too low to be attributed with certainty.
15) Knox and Sollecito could be sentenced to life imprisonment if convicted.
16) On Saturday, the knife that prosecutors say could be the murder weapon is expected to be shown in court.
17) Prosecutors allege that Kercher was killed during what had begun as a sex game. Her body was found in her bedroom in the apartment she shared with Knox on Nov. 2, 2007.
18) The house, which has been broken into by intruders in recent months, has been fixed up and is now available for rent, said Letizia Magnini, a lawyer representing the owner.
2009-09-19
Knife shown at Italy murder trial
(APW_ENG_20090919.0081)
1) A knife that prosecutors say could have been used to kill a British woman in Italy was shown in court Saturday at the murder trial of her American roommate and an Italian co-defendant.
2) The knife, wrapped in plastic and kept in a white box, was shown to the eight-member jury in Perugia, in central Italy, during the trial of Amanda Knox and her former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito.
3) Knox and Sollecito watched as the knife was brought into court. The two are on trial on charges of murder and sexual violence for the 2007 death of Meredith Kercher. They deny wrongdoing.
4) The knife, handled by a court official wearing gloves and a face mask, was shown as three forensic experts were called by Sollecito's defense to discuss the alleged murder weapon and other evidence they had studied.
5) Prosecutors allege the knife with a 6 1/2-inch (16.5-centimeter) blade found at Sollecito's house could be the murder weapon. They say it had Kercher's DNA on the blade and Knox's on the handle -- a claim defense lawyers reject, saying the knife is too big to match Kercher's wounds and the amount of what prosecutors say is Kercher's DNA is too low to be attributed with certainty.
6) In Saturday's session, forensic expert Mariano Cingolani cast some doubt on the knife's "compatibility" with a wound to Kercher's neck, which is not considered to be the fatal one.
7) "Many other knives in general are more compatible with that kind of wound," said Cingolani, who was appointed by a Perugia judge before indictments for Knox and Sollecito were handed down.
8) Cingolani said one of three cuts on the victim's neck would have been bigger if that knife had been used, given the wound's depth. However, the expert also cautioned that no firm conclusion could be drawn without knowing the position of Kercher's neck during the attack or the elasticity of her tissues.
9) According to Cingolani, whose team did not carry out an autopsy on Kercher's body but examined photos and videos of the procedure, the 21-year-old died of combined loss of blood and suffocation.
10) He said bruises on her neck suggest she might have been strangled and may have choked on her own blood.
11) Anna Aprile, another of the experts who testified Saturday, said Kercher's body showed evidence of sexual activity shortly before death. It could not be directly determined whether she was raped, but the fact that she was found in a pool of blood, with multiple wounds and bruises, suggests violence during intercourse, Aprile said.
12) Prosecutors allege Kercher was killed during what had begun as a sex game. Her body was found in her bedroom in the apartment she shared with Knox on Nov. 2, 2007.
2009-09-25
Defense witness testifies at Italy murder trial
(APW_ENG_20090925.0630)
1) A neurologist testifying Friday at the trial of an American student accused of killing her British roommate said stress could have caused the defendant to have false memories about the night of the killing, news reports said.
2) The expert was called by the defense team of Amanda Knox, who is on trial with her former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito for the 2007 slaying of Meredith Kercher, 21. They deny wrongdoing.
3) In the days after the slaying, Knox gave authorities conflicting statements, at one point saying she was in the house the night Kercher was killed there.
4) Neurologist Carlo Caltagirone told the court in the city of Perugia that Knox was under stress after long police questioning, which might have led to her confusion, the ANSA and Apcom news agencies reported.
5) "To be questioned for long hours in a foreign country without fully realizing the situation one is in ... can lead to a lot of stress," Caltagirone said, according to ANSA.
6) Knox initially accused Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, a Congolese man who owns a pub in Perugia where she worked, of being the killer. As a result of her accusations, Lumumba was briefly jailed. He was later cleared and is seeking defamation damages from Knox.
7) Knox, 22, of Seattle, Washington, has since maintained that she spent the night of the murder at Sollecito's house.
8) In June, the American testified in court that she was beaten by police and was confused when she was questioned. She said it was the pressure that led her to accuse Lumumba.
9) Police have denied any misconduct.
10) The trial began in January.
Defense witness testifies at Italy murder trial
(APW_ENG_20090925.0847)
1) A neurologist testified Friday at the trial of an American student accused of killing her British roommate that stress could have affected her memory during questioning, news reports and a lawyer said.
2) The expert was called by the defense team of Amanda Knox, who is on trial with her former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito for the 2007 slaying of Meredith Kercher, 21. They deny wrongdoing.
3) In the days after the slaying, Knox gave authorities conflicting statements, at one point saying she was in the house the night Kercher was stabbed to death in her bedroom.
4) Knox and Sollecito have said they smoked hashish the night of the killing.
5) Neurologist Carlo Caltagirone told the court in the city of Perugia that Knox was under stress after long police questioning, which might have confused her, said lawyer Francesco Maresca, who represents Kercher's family.
6) "To be questioned for long hours in a foreign country without fully realizing the situation one is in ... can lead to a lot of stress," Caltagirone was quoted as saying by the ANSA news agency.
7) Knox initially fingered as the killer Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, a Congolese man who owns a pub in Perugia where she worked. Because of her accusation, Lumumba was briefly jailed. He was later cleared and is seeking defamation damages from Knox.
8) Knox, 22, of Seattle, Washington, has since maintained that she spent the night of the murder at Sollecito's house elsewhere in Perugia.
9) In June, the American testified that she was beaten by police and confused when she was questioned. She said it was the pressure that led her to accuse Lumumba.
10) Police have denied any misconduct.
11) Lumumba, who was in court Friday, told reporters that Knox came up with his name to "sidetrack the investigation," according to ANSA.
12) A third defendant, Rudy Hermann Guede of Ivory Coast, was arrested and convicted in a separate trial last year. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison. He denies wrongdoing and has appealed his conviction.
13) Also on Friday, another defense witness, forensic expert Walter Patumi, testified that a knife that prosecutors say could be the murder weapon is not compatible with Kercher's wounds.
14) Prosecutors say the knife -- with a 6 1/2-inch (16.5-centimeter) blade -- had Kercher's DNA on the blade and Knox's on the handle. It was found at Sollecito's house.
15) Defense lawyers maintain the knife is too big to match Kercher's wounds and the amount of what prosecutors say is Kercher's DNA is too low to be attributed with certainty.
16) The trial began in January. Closing arguments are expected to begin in October, lawyers say.
17) The court also might request an independent review of the scientific evidence, delaying a decision.
2009-09-26
Italian jury hears last witnesses in Knox trial
(APW_ENG_20090926.0359)
1) The jury in the trial of an American college student and her former boyfriend accused of murdering her roommate has finished hearing evidence from witnesses.
2) Among the last to testify Saturday before the court in Perugia was a computer expert who appeared as a defense witness.
3) Amanda Knox is being tried along with Italian Raffaele Sollecito over the stabbing death of British student Meredith Kercher.
4) The defendants deny wrongdoing.
5) News reports quoted the expert as saying that while Sollecito was being questioned at police headquarters a few days after the slaying, someone used his home computer to read about the killing.
6) The trial resumes Oct 9. The court is expected to take up procedural matters before closing arguments begin. A verdict could come in a few weeks.
Italian jury hears last testimonies in Knox trial
(APW_ENG_20090926.0473)
1) A computer expert testified Saturday in the murder trial of an American student and her former Italian boyfriend that someone had used the young man's computer, which the defense said might have erased data that could prove his innocence.
2) Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito have denied killing Knox's British roommate Meredith Kercher in 2007, while Knox and Kercher were studying Italian in the northern city of Perugia.
3) Computer expert Antonio D'Ambrosio was among the last witnesses to give testimony Saturday in the trial before it resumes Oct. 9. Closing arguments are expected later in October, and a verdict could come within weeks.
4) D'Ambrosio testified that someone had used Sollecito's home computer twice on the night both defendants were being questioned by police about Kercher's killing, according to ANSA and other Italian news agencies. He said the computer was used to read ANSA's reports about the Nov. 1 slaying, the agencies reported.
5) The defense said this computer use had caused some data to be lost -- data that might prove Sollecito's alibi for the night, according to SKY TG24 TV. Sollecito, 25, has said he was home using his computer the night Kercher was slain.
6) Knox, 22, has said she smoked pot, had sex with Sollecito and fell asleep at his apartment on the night of the slaying. She said she did not return home until after her roommate was killed.
7) The defense did not say who might have used the computer while Sollecito and Knox were at the police station.
8) Also on Saturday, a geneticist gave testimony challenging DNA findings on a knife the prosecution says might have been used to fatally slash Kercher in the throat.
9) Kercher's body was found in her bedroom in Perugia on Nov. 2, 2007. She was 21 years old.
10) Prosecutors say Kercher was killed the night before during a sex game with Knox, Sollecito and a third man, Rudy Hermann Guede, who was convicted of the murder in a separate trial last year and sentenced to 30 years. According to the prosecutors, Sollecito held Kercher by the shoulders while Knox touched her with a knife. They say Guede tried to sexually assault Kercher and then Knox fatally stabbed her in the throat.
11) Guede, an Ivory Coast national, has said he is innocent and is appealing his conviction.
2009-11-20
Italian prosecutors wrap up in Knox murder trial
(APW_ENG_20091120.0395)
1) Italian prosecutors have begun their closing arguments in the trial of an American student accused of killing her British roommate.
2) Prosecutors are expected to outline evidence they have presented in the trial against Amanda Knox and her Italian ex-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito.
3) Knox and Sollecito are charged with murder and sexual violence in the 2007 killing of Meredith Kercher in Perugia. They deny wrongdoing. Both have been jailed for more than two years and were in court Friday.
4) The eight-member jury is expected to issue a verdict in early December.
5) Knox and Sollecito could face Italy's stiffest punishment, life imprisonment, if convicted of murder.
Italian prosecutors wrap up in Knox murder trial
(APW_ENG_20091120.0452)
1) Italian prosecutors began their closing arguments Friday in the trial of an American student accused of killing her British roommate more than two years ago.
2) Prosecutors outlined the evidence they have presented in the trial against Amanda Knox and her Italian ex-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito.
3) Knox and Sollecito are charged with murder and sexual violence in the 2007 killing of Meredith Kercher in the central Italian town of Perugia. They deny wrongdoing. Both have been jailed for more than two years and appeared to be tense as they sat in court Friday.
4) Prosecutor Giuliano Mignini reconstructed what he says happened the night of Nov. 1, 2007, when the 21-year-old Kercher was slain in the apartment she shared with Knox.
5) As he opened his remarks, Mignini focused on a key prosecution argument that Knox and Sollecito broke one of the apartment's windows from the inside to stage a burglary.
6) A stone was found in one of the bedrooms, and previous witnesses have said that shattered glass was found all over clothes lying on the floor, suggesting the glass was broken after the room was messed up.
7) "The key to the mystery is in that room," Mignini said, adding that it would be nearly impossible to climb that window and enter without hurting oneself and leaving blood traces on the shattered glass.
8) Also, he argued, that window was the most exposed of the apartment, making it an unlikely choice for a burglar. Nothing in the room with the broken glass, which belonged to one of Knox's and Kercher's roommates, was reported missing, Mignini noted.
9) Prosecutors were expected to formally make their sentencing requests to the eight-member jury Saturday, while a verdict is expected in early December. Knox and Sollecito could face Italy's stiffest punishment, life imprisonment, if convicted of murder.
10) A third man, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede, was sentenced to 30 years in prison last year for Kercher's murder in a fast-track trial he was granted at his request. He also denies wrongdoing and is appealing his conviction.
11) Prosecutors say Kercher was killed during what began as a sex game.
12) Defense lawyers for Knox and Sollecito are working on the theory that Guede was the sole attacker.
13) The 22-year-old Knox maintains she spent the night of the murder at Sollecito's house in Perugia. The 25-year-old Sollecito has said he was home working at his computer that night. He said he does not remember if Knox spent the whole night with him or just part of it.
Italian prosecutors: US student staged break-in
(APW_ENG_20091120.0622)
1) An American student and her Italian boyfriend staged a burglary in the apartment where they had just killed a British student in an attempt to sidetrack the investigation, prosecutors said Friday in closing arguments at their murder trial.
2) Lead prosecutor Giuliano Mignini said Amanda Knox of Seattle and her Italian ex-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito broke a window in a bedroom of the apartment that Knox shared with victim Meredith Kercher.
3) A stone was found in one of the bedrooms, and witnesses testified that shattered glass was found all over clothes lying on the floor, suggesting the window was broken after the room was messed up.
4) "The key to the mystery is in that room," Mignini said, adding that it would be nearly impossible to climb that window and enter without hurting oneself and leaving blood traces on the shattered glass.
5) Also, he argued, that window was the most exposed of the apartment, making it an unlikely choice for a burglar. Nothing in the room with the broken glass, which belonged to one of Knox's and Kercher's roommates, was reported missing, Mignini noted.
6) "All of this was done to channel suspicions on a stranger, and divert them from those who had the apartment keys," he said.
7) Knox and Sollecito are charged with murder and sexual violence in the 2007 killing of Knox's roommate Meredith Kercher in the central Italian town of Perugia. They deny wrongdoing.
8) Both have been jailed for more than two years and appeared to be tense as they sat in court Friday.
9) Prosecutors were expected to formally make their sentencing requests to the eight-member jury Saturday, while a verdict is expected in early December. Knox and Sollecito could face Italy's stiffest punishment, life imprisonment, if convicted of murder.
10) Mignini went on to reconstruct what he says happened the night of Nov. 1, 2007, when the 21-year-old Kercher was slain. He recalled previous testimony and mentioned phone records to draw a picture of Knox's and Sollecito's movements the night of the murder.
11) Prosecutors say Kercher was killed during what began as a sex game.
12) A third man, Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede, was sentenced to 30 years in prison last year for Kercher's murder in a fast-track trial he was granted at his request. He also denies wrongdoing and is appealing his conviction.
13) The 22-year-old Knox maintains she spent the night of the murder at Sollecito's house in Perugia. The 25-year-old Sollecito has said he was home working at his computer that night. He said he does not remember if Knox spent the whole night with him or just part of it.
14) Defense lawyers for Knox and Sollecito are working on the theory that Guede was the sole attacker.
Italian prosecutors: Knox hated murder victim
(APW_ENG_20091120.0780)
1) An American student accused of murdering her British roommate in Italy had a growing hatred for the victim and killed her in retaliation during a drug-fueled sex game, a prosecutor said Friday in closing arguments at her murder trial.
2) Lead prosecutor Giuliano Mignini argued that Amanda Knox, together with her ex-boyfriend and co-defendant Raffaele Sollecito and a third man convicted in a separate trial last year, killed Meredith Kercher under "the fumes of drugs and possibly alcohol" and then tried to cover up their crime by staging a burglary.
3) Knox, of Seattle, wanted to get back at Kercher for saying she was not clean and for calling her promiscuous, Mignini said.
4) "Amanda had the chance to retaliate against a girl who was serious and quiet," Mignini said. "She had harbored hatred for Meredith, and that was the time when it could explode. The time had come to take revenge on that smirky girl."
5) He said Knox, Sollecito and Ivory Coast citizen Rudy Hermann Guede met at the apartment where Kercher was killed on Nov. 1, 2007, shortly before the slaying, likely to settle some drug issues with Guede, who was known in Perugia for dealing drugs. He said Kercher and Knox started arguing and then the three brutally attacked the Briton.
6) Kercher's body was found in a pool of blood the next day, her throat slit.
7) Knox and Sollecito are charged with murder and sexual violence in the 2007 killing in the central Italian town of Perugia. They deny wrongdoing.
8) Guede was sentenced to 30 years in prison last year on the same charges in a fast-track trial he was granted at his request. He also denies wrongdoing and is appealing his conviction.
9) Mignini recalled previous testimony by Kercher's friends, in which the Briton expressed surprise and irritation at Knox's behavior. Knox has denied having major problems with Kercher and has said in the past she was shocked at the death of a woman she considered a friend.
10) Mignini also said that Knox and Sollecito staged a burglary in the apartment by breaking a window in a bedroom in an attempt to sidetrack the investigation.
11) A rock was found in one of the bedrooms, and witnesses testified that shattered glass was found all over clothes on the floor, suggesting the window was broken after the room was put into disarray.
12) "The key to the mystery is in that room," Mignini said. It would be nearly impossible to climb through the window without getting cut and leaving blood on the shattered glass.
13) Also, he argued, that window was the most exposed of the apartment, making it an unlikely choice for a burglar. Nothing in the room with the broken glass, which belonged to one of Knox's and Kercher's roommates, was reported missing, Mignini noted.
14) "All of this was done to channel suspicions on a stranger, and divert them from those who had the apartment keys," he said.
15) Knox and Sollecito have been jailed for more than two years and appeared tense as they sat in court Friday.
16) Prosecutors were expected to formally make their sentencing requests to the eight-member jury Saturday, while a verdict is expected in early December. Knox and Sollecito could face Italy's stiffest punishment, life imprisonment, if convicted of murder.
17) Among the evidence brought by the prosecutors is a knife with a 6 1/2-inch (16.5-centimeter) blade found at Sollecito's house that they say could be the murder weapon.
18) According to prosecutors, the knife had Kercher's DNA on the blade and Knox's on the handle -- a claim defense lawyers reject, saying the knife is too big to match Kercher's wounds and the amount of what prosecutors say is Kercher's DNA is too low to be attributed with certainty.
19) The 22-year-old Knox maintains she spent the night of the murder at Sollecito's house in Perugia. The 25-year-old Sollecito has said he was home working at his computer that night. He said he does not remember if Knox spent the whole night with him or just part of it.
20) Defense lawyers for Knox and Sollecito are working on the theory that Guede was the sole attacker.
Italian prosecutor: Knox hated murder victim
(APW_ENG_20091120.0950)
1) An American student accused of fatally stabbing her British roommate in Italy had a growing hatred for the victim and killed her in retaliation during a drug-fueled sex game, a prosecutor contended Friday in closing arguments at her murder trial.
2) Lead prosecutor Giuliano Mignini argued that Amanda Knox, together with her ex-boyfriend and co-defendant Raffaele Sollecito and a third man convicted in a separate trial last year, killed Meredith Kercher under "the fumes of drugs and possibly alcohol." Knox and Sollecito tried to cover up their crime by staging a burglary, he contended.
3) Knox, of Seattle, wanted to get back at Kercher for saying she was not clean and for calling her promiscuous, Mignini argued.
4) "Amanda had the chance to retaliate against a girl who was serious and quiet," Mignini said. "She had harbored hatred for Meredith, and that was the time when it could explode. The time had come to take revenge on that smug girl."
5) Knox, who has denied wrongdoing, appeared to be weeping as Mignini described the wounds on Kercher's body. Her lawyer, Luciano Ghirga, sitting next to her, at one point held her hand. Looking discouraged and keeping her head down, she was hugged and comforted by lawyers during breaks.
6) Mignini recalled previous testimony by Kercher's friends, in which the Briton reportedly expressed surprise and irritation at Knox's behavior. Knox has denied having major problems with Kercher and has said in the past she was shocked at the death of a woman she considered a friend.
7) Knox and Sollecito are charged with murder and sexual violence in the 2007 killing in the central Italian town of Perugia. Sollecito also maintains he is innocent.
8) Ivory Coast citizen Rudy Hermann Guede is appealing his conviction and 30-year sentence handed down after the fast-track trial he requested.
9) Mignini contended that Knox, Sollecito and Guede met at the apartment where Kercher was killed on Nov. 1, 2007, shortly before the slaying, likely to settle some drug issues with Guede, who was known in Perugia for dealing drugs. According to the prosecutor, Kercher and Knox started arguing and then the three brutally attacked the Briton.
10) Kercher's body, her throat slit, was found in a pool of blood the next day.
11) Occasionally raising his voice during his seven hour-long argument, Mignini described what he called "an unstoppable crescendo of frenzied violence," which began with Knox and Sollecito trying to take off Kercher's clothes and threatening her.
12) At one point, Knox hit Kercher's head against a wall, then tried to strangle her, as Sollecito held her and Guede sexually assaulted her, Mignini alleged.
13) "They realized that Meredith would not give up fighting and at that point, the match had to be brought to an end," he said.
14) Mignini said Knox used a knife to cut Kercher's throat, causing the deepest wound, while Sollecito used another knife to threaten her.
15) According to prosecutors, a knife with a 6 1/2-inch (16.5-centimeter) blade with Kercher's DNA on the blade and Knox's on the handle was found at Sollecito's house.
16) "That is the weapon with which Amanda inflicted the deadly blow," Mignini said. Defense lawyers argue that the knife is too big to match Kercher's wounds and the amount of what prosecutors say is Kercher's DNA is too low to be attributed with certainty.
17) Prosecutors also maintain Sollecito's DNA was found on the clasp of Kercher's bra, although his defense team contends that the evidence might have been inadvertently contaminated during the investigation.
18) Also on Friday, Mignini said that Knox and Sollecito staged a burglary in the apartment by breaking a window in a bedroom in an attempt to sidetrack the investigation.
19) A rock was found in a bedroom, and witnesses testified that shattered glass was found all over clothes on the floor, suggesting the window was broken after the room was put into disarray.
20) "The key to the mystery is in that room," Mignini said, adding that it would be nearly impossible to climb through the window without getting cut and leaving blood on the shattered glass.
21) Also, he argued, that window, the most exposed of the apartment, was an unlikely choice for a burglar. Nothing in the room with the broken glass, which belonged to a roommate of Knox and Kercher, was reported missing, Mignini noted.
22) "All of this was done to channel suspicions on a stranger, and divert them from those who had the apartment keys," he said.
23) Knox's defense lawyer Carlo Dalla Vedova said Mignini's reconstruction was "suggestive," but it failed to present solid evidence.
24) Prosecutors were expected to formally make their sentencing requests to the eight-member jury Saturday, while a verdict is expected in early December. They are expected to request life in prison -- Italy's stiffest punishment.
25) The 22-year-old Knox maintains she spent the night of the murder at Sollecito's house in Perugia. The 25-year-old Sollecito has said he was home working at his computer that night. He said he does not remember if Knox spent the whole night with him or just part of it.
26) Defense lawyers for Knox and Sollecito are working on the theory that Guede was the sole attacker.
2009-11-21
Sentence request for US woman in Italy murder case
(APW_ENG_20091121.0174)
1) Prosecutors are expected to request life in prison for an American student and her former boyfriend accused of killing a young British woman in Italy.
2) Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito are charged with murder and sexual violence in the 2007 slaying of Knox's roommate, Meredith Kercher, in Perugia. They deny wrongdoing.
3) Prosecutor Manuela Comodi on Saturday began detailing cell phone records of the victim and the suspects in her closing remarks. Prosecutors were expected to make the sentencing request later Saturday.
4) A verdict is expected in early December.
5) Prosecutors argued Friday that Kercher was killed during a drug-fueled sex game.
6) A third man, Rudy Hermann Guede, was sentenced to 30 years in prison for the killing. He is appealing his conviction.
Sentence request for US woman in Italy murder case
(APW_ENG_20091121.0194)
1) Prosecutors on Saturday were expected to request life in prison for an American student and her former boyfriend accused of killing a young British woman in Italy.
2) Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito are charged with murder and sexual violence in the 2007 slaying of Knox's roommate, Meredith Kercher, in Perugia. They deny wrongdoing.
3) In her closing remarks Saturday, prosecutor Manuela Comodi said evidence presented during the trial had shown that the defendants' cell phones were switched off the night of the crime, making their whereabouts impossible to trace.
4) Comodi also recalled testimony by expert witnesses who said Sollecito's computer had not been used during the hours Kercher was stabbed to death.
5) According to Knox, who took the stand last June, the two suspects went to Sollecito's place to watch a movie on his computer on Nov. 1 and spent the night there, smoking pot and having sex.
6) The Briton's body was found on the morning of Nov. 2 in the apartment she shared with Knox.
7) The 21-year-old woman is believed to have died between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. on Nov. 1, based on the autopsy and the accounts of friends with whom she had eaten dinner that night, according to court documents.
8) Prosecutors were expected to make the sentencing requests later Saturday. A verdict is expected in early December.
9) Prosecutors argued Friday that Kercher was killed during a drug-fueled sex game. They said Knox had a growing hatred for the victim and killed her, together with Sollecito and a third man, under "the fumes of drugs and possibly alcohol."
10) Rudy Hermann Guede from Ivory Coast was sentenced to 30 years in prison last year for the killing. He is appealing his conviction.
Life requested for US suspect in Italy murder case
(APW_ENG_20091121.0302)
1) Prosecutors have requested a life sentence for an American student and her former Italian boyfriend accused of killing a young British woman in Italy.
2) Prosecutor Giuliano Mignini on Saturday asked a jury in Perugia to convict Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito on charges of murder and sexual violence for their alleged role in the 2007 slaying of Meredith Kercher. They deny wrongdoing.
3) Knox took a deep breath when Mignini made his request. Life in prison is Italy's stiffest punishment.
4) Mignini argued that Knox, Sollecito and a third man who was convicted in a separate trial killed Kercher during a drug-induced sex game.
Life requested for US suspect in Italy murder case
(APW_ENG_20091121.0314)
1) Prosecutors requested life sentences Saturday for an American student and her former Italian boyfriend accused of killing a young British woman in Italy.
2) Prosecutor Giuliano Mignini asked a jury in Perugia to convict Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito on charges of murder and sexual violence for their alleged role in the 2007 slaying of Meredith Kercher. They deny wrongdoing.
3) Knox, who is from Seattle, took a deep breath when Mignini made his request. Life in prison is Italy's stiffest punishment.
4) She then addressed the court, saying that the accusations against her were "pure fantasy."
5) "Meredith was my friend, I didn't hate her," she said in Italian, fighting back tears.
6) Mignini argued that Knox, Sollecito and a third man who was convicted in a separate trial killed Kercher during a drug-induced sex game.
7) The Briton's body was found on the morning of Nov. 2, 2007, in the apartment she shared with Knox.
8) A verdict is expected in early December.
Life requested for US suspect in Italy murder case
(APW_ENG_20091121.0349)
1) Prosecutors on Saturday asked an Italian court to hand down life sentences to an American student and her ex-boyfriend for their alleged roles in the fatal stabbing of a young British woman during a drug-fueled sex game.
2) In their closing arguments, prosecutors said Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito should be convicted on charges of murder and sexual violence for the 2007 slaying of Meredith Kercher. They deny wrongdoing.
3) Knox, who is from Seattle, took a deep breath when Prosecutor Giuliano Mignini requested life imprisonment -- Italy's stiffest punishment. She then addressed the court, saying that the accusations against her were "pure fantasy."
4) "Meredith was my friend, I didn't hate her," she said in Italian, fighting back tears.
5) The Briton's body, her throat slit, was found in a pool of blood on Nov. 2, 2007, in the apartment she shared with Knox in the central Italian town of Perugia.
6) Prosecutors argued that Knox resented her British roommate and killer her together with Sollecito and Rudy Hermann Guede, of Ivory Coast, under "the fumes of drugs and possibly alcohol."
7) They said Knox hit Kercher's head against a wall, then tried to strangle her, as Sollecito held her and Guede sexually assaulted her.
8) Guede was sentenced to 30 years in prison last year for the killing after a fast-track trial he had requested. He also denies wrongdoing and is appealing his conviction.
9) "The murder and the sexual violence were carried out for futile reasons," Mignini said. "Meredith will never come back."
10) He requested nine months of daytime solitary confinement for Knox and two months for Sollecito. A verdict is expected in early December.
11) Mignini also asked the court to convict the defendants on lesser charges, including staging a break-in and the theft of ⁈S$444) and Kercher's cell phones. He said Knox and Sollecito staged a burglary in the apartment by breaking a window in a bedroom in an attempt to sidetrack the investigation.
12) The 22-year-old Knox maintains she spent the night of the murder at Sollecito's house in Perugia. The 25-year-old Sollecito has said he was home working at his computer that night. He said he does not remember if Knox spent the whole night with him or just part of it.
Life requested for US suspect in Italy murder case
(APW_ENG_20091121.0350)
1) Prosecutors on Saturday asked an Italian court to hand down life sentences to an American student and her ex-boyfriend for their alleged roles in the fatal stabbing of a young British woman during a drug-fueled sex game.
2) In their closing arguments, prosecutors said Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito should be convicted on charges of murder and sexual violence for the 2007 slaying of Meredith Kercher. They deny wrongdoing.
3) Knox, who is from Seattle, took a deep breath when Prosecutor Giuliano Mignini requested life imprisonment -- Italy's stiffest punishment. She then addressed the court, saying that the accusations against her were "pure fantasy."
4) "Meredith was my friend, I didn't hate her," she said in Italian, fighting back tears.
5) The Briton's body, her throat slit, was found in a pool of blood on Nov. 2, 2007, in the apartment she shared with Knox in the central Italian town of Perugia.
6) Prosecutors argued that Knox resented her British roommate and killer her together with Sollecito and Rudy Hermann Guede, of Ivory Coast, under "the fumes of drugs and possibly alcohol."
7) They said Knox hit Kercher's head against a wall, then tried to strangle her, as Sollecito held her and Guede sexually assaulted her.
8) Guede was sentenced to 30 years in prison last year for the killing after a fast-track trial he had requested. He also denies wrongdoing and is appealing his conviction.
9) "The murder and the sexual violence were carried out for futile reasons," Mignini said. "Meredith will never come back."
10) He requested nine months of daytime solitary confinement for Knox and two months for Sollecito. A verdict is expected in early December.
11) Mignini also asked the court to convict the defendants on lesser charges, including staging a break-in and the theft of euro300 (US$444) and Kercher's cell phones. He said Knox and Sollecito staged a burglary in the apartment by breaking a window in a bedroom in an attempt to sidetrack the investigation.
12) The 22-year-old Knox maintains she spent the night of the murder at Sollecito's house in Perugia. The 25-year-old Sollecito has said he was home working at his computer that night. He said he does not remember if Knox spent the whole night with him or just part of it.
Life requested for US suspect in Italy murder case
(APW_ENG_20091121.0405)
1) Prosecutors on Saturday asked an Italian court to hand down life sentences to an American student and her ex-boyfriend for their alleged roles in the fatal stabbing of a young British woman during a drug-fueled sex game.
2) In their closing arguments, prosecutors said Amanda Knox and Italian Raffaele Sollecito should be convicted on charges of murder and sexual violence for the 2007 slaying of Meredith Kercher. They deny wrongdoing.
3) Knox, who is from Seattle, took a deep breath when Prosecutor Giuliano Mignini requested life imprisonment -- Italy's stiffest punishment. She then addressed the court, saying that the accusations against her were "pure fantasy."
4) "Meredith was my friend, I didn't hate her," she said in Italian, fighting back tears.
5) The Briton's body, her throat slit, was found in a pool of blood on Nov. 2, 2007, in the apartment she shared with Knox in the central Italian town of Perugia.
6) Prosecutors argued that Knox resented her British roommate and killed her, together with Sollecito and Rudy Hermann Guede, of Ivory Coast, under "the fumes of drugs and possibly alcohol."
7) They said Knox hit Kercher's head against a wall, then tried to strangle her, as Sollecito held her and Guede sexually assaulted her.
8) Guede was sentenced to 30 years in prison last year for the killing after a fast-track trial he had requested. He also denies wrongdoing and is appealing his conviction.
9) "The murder and the sexual violence were carried out for futile reasons," Mignini said. "Meredith will never come back."
10) He requested nine months of daytime solitary confinement for Knox and two months for Sollecito. A verdict by the eight-member jury is expected in early December.
11) Knox, 22, and Sollecito, 25, have been jailed for more than two years since being arrested shortly after the slaying.
12) According to prosecutors, a knife with a 6 1/2-inch (16.5-centimeter) blade, with Kercher's DNA on the blade and Knox's on the handle, was found at Sollecito's house.
13) Defense lawyers argue that the knife is too big to match Kercher's wounds and that the amount of what prosecutors say is Kercher's DNA is too low to be attributed with certainty.
14) Prosecutors also maintain Sollecito's DNA was found on the clasp of Kercher's bra, although his defense team contends that the evidence might have been inadvertently contaminated during the investigation.
15) During Saturday's hearing, prosecutors showed an animated video reconstructing what they say were the different phases of the murder, with cartoon characters representing the defendants and the victim.
16) Photos showing Kercher's wounds and bruises also were shown in the video. Knox kept her head down during the presentation, while Sollecito watched it intently.
17) In their closing arguments, prosecutors also reviewed technical data on the use of Sollecito's computer the night Kercher was slain. According to Knox, who took the stand last June, she spent the night of Nov. 1 with Sollecito at his home, watching a movie on his computer and smoking pot. Witnesses for the prosecution have argued that there was no sign of the defendant using his computer during the hours 21-year-old Kercher was stabbed to death.
18) Mignini also asked the court to convict the defendants on lesser charges, including staging a break-in and the theft of ⁈S$444) in cash and Kercher's cell phones. He said Knox and Sollecito staged a burglary in the apartment by breaking a window in a bedroom in an attempt to sidetrack the investigation.
19) Knox also is being tried on charges of defamation for allegedly accusing Diya "Patrick" Lumumba -- a Congolese man who owns a pub in Perugia where she worked -- of being the killer. Because of her accusation, Lumumba was briefly jailed. He was later cleared and is seeking damages from Knox.
20) Defense lawyers will make their own closing arguments beginning late next week.
Life requested for US suspect in Italy murder case
(APW_ENG_20091121.0406)
1) Prosecutors on Saturday asked an Italian court to hand down life sentences to an American student and her ex-boyfriend for their alleged roles in the fatal stabbing of a young British woman during a drug-fueled sex game.
2) In their closing arguments, prosecutors said Amanda Knox and Italian Raffaele Sollecito should be convicted on charges of murder and sexual violence for the 2007 slaying of Meredith Kercher. They deny wrongdoing.
3) Knox, who is from Seattle, took a deep breath when Prosecutor Giuliano Mignini requested life imprisonment -- Italy's stiffest punishment. She then addressed the court, saying that the accusations against her were "pure fantasy."
4) "Meredith was my friend, I didn't hate her," she said in Italian, fighting back tears.
5) The Briton's body, her throat slit, was found in a pool of blood on Nov. 2, 2007, in the apartment she shared with Knox in the central Italian town of Perugia.
6) Prosecutors argued that Knox resented her British roommate and killed her, together with Sollecito and Rudy Hermann Guede, of Ivory Coast, under "the fumes of drugs and possibly alcohol."
7) They said Knox hit Kercher's head against a wall, then tried to strangle her, as Sollecito held her and Guede sexually assaulted her.
8) Guede was sentenced to 30 years in prison last year for the killing after a fast-track trial he had requested. He also denies wrongdoing and is appealing his conviction.
9) "The murder and the sexual violence were carried out for futile reasons," Mignini said. "Meredith will never come back."
10) He requested nine months of daytime solitary confinement for Knox and two months for Sollecito. A verdict by the eight-member jury is expected in early December.
11) Knox, 22, and Sollecito, 25, have been jailed for more than two years since being arrested shortly after the slaying.
12) According to prosecutors, a knife with a 6 1/2-inch (16.5-centimeter) blade, with Kercher's DNA on the blade and Knox's on the handle, was found at Sollecito's house.
13) Defense lawyers argue that the knife is too big to match Kercher's wounds and that the amount of what prosecutors say is Kercher's DNA is too low to be attributed with certainty.
14) Prosecutors also maintain Sollecito's DNA was found on the clasp of Kercher's bra, although his defense team contends that the evidence might have been inadvertently contaminated during the investigation.
15) During Saturday's hearing, prosecutors showed an animated video reconstructing what they say were the different phases of the murder, with cartoon characters representing the defendants and the victim.
16) Photos showing Kercher's wounds and bruises also were shown in the video. Knox kept her head down during the presentation, while Sollecito watched it intently.
17) In their closing arguments, prosecutors also reviewed technical data on the use of Sollecito's computer the night Kercher was slain. According to Knox, who took the stand last June, she spent the night of Nov. 1 with Sollecito at his home, watching a movie on his computer and smoking pot. Witnesses for the prosecution have argued that there was no sign of the defendant using his computer during the hours 21-year-old Kercher was stabbed to death.
18) Mignini also asked the court to convict the defendants on lesser charges, including staging a break-in and the theft of euro300 (US$444) in cash and Kercher's cell phones. He said Knox and Sollecito staged a burglary in the apartment by breaking a window in a bedroom in an attempt to sidetrack the investigation.
19) Knox also is being tried on charges of defamation for allegedly accusing Diya "Patrick" Lumumba -- a Congolese man who owns a pub in Perugia where she worked -- of being the killer. Because of her accusation, Lumumba was briefly jailed. He was later cleared and is seeking damages from Knox.
20) Defense lawyers will make their own closing arguments beginning late next week.
Life requested for US suspect in Italy murder case
(APW_ENG_20091121.0444)
1) Prosecutors on Saturday requested life in prison for an American student and her ex-boyfriend accused in the fatal stabbing of her British roommate during a drug-fueled sex game -- charges the U.S. woman dismissed as "pure fantasy."
2) In their closing arguments, the prosecutors said Amanda Knox and Italian Raffaele Sollecito should be convicted on charges of murder and sexual violence for the 2007 slaying of Meredith Kercher.
3) They deny wrongdoing.
4) Knox, who is from Seattle, took a deep breath when Prosecutor Giuliano Mignini requested life imprisonment -- Italy's stiffest punishment. She then addressed the court, saying that the accusations against her were "pure fantasy."
5) "Meredith was my friend, I didn't hate her," she said in Italian, fighting back tears.
6) The Briton's body, her throat slit, was found in a pool of blood on Nov. 2, 2007, in the apartment she shared with Knox in the central Italian town of Perugia.
7) Prosecutors argued that Knox resented her British roommate and killed her, together with Sollecito and Rudy Hermann Guede, of Ivory Coast, under "the fumes of drugs and possibly alcohol."
8) They said Knox hit Kercher's head against a wall, then tried to strangle her, as Sollecito held her and Guede sexually assaulted her.
9) Guede was sentenced to 30 years in prison last year for the killing after a fast-track trial he had requested. He also denies wrongdoing and is appealing his conviction.
10) "The murder and the sexual violence were carried out for futile reasons," Mignini said. "Meredith will never come back."
11) He requested nine months of daytime solitary confinement for Knox and two months for Sollecito. A verdict by the eight-member jury is expected in early December.
12) Knox, 22, and Sollecito, 25, have been jailed for more than two years since being arrested shortly after the slaying.
13) According to prosecutors, a knife with a 6 1/2-inch (16.5-centimeter) blade, with Kercher's DNA on the blade and Knox's on the handle, was found at Sollecito's house.
14) Defense lawyers argue that the knife is too big to match Kercher's wounds and that the amount of what prosecutors say is Kercher's DNA is too low to be attributed with certainty.
15) Prosecutors also maintain Sollecito's DNA was found on the clasp of Kercher's bra, although his defense team contends that the evidence might have been inadvertently contaminated during the investigation.
16) During Saturday's hearing, prosecutors showed an animated video reconstructing what they say were the different phases of the murder, with cartoon characters representing the defendants and the victim.
17) Photos showing Kercher's wounds and bruises also were shown in the video. Knox kept her head down during the presentation, while Sollecito watched it intently.
18) In their closing arguments, prosecutors also reviewed technical data on the use of Sollecito's computer the night Kercher was slain. According to Knox, who took the stand last June, she spent the night of Nov. 1 with Sollecito at his home, watching a movie on his computer and smoking pot. Witnesses for the prosecution have argued that there was no sign of the defendant using his computer during the hours 21-year-old Kercher was stabbed to death.
19) Mignini also asked the court to convict the defendants on lesser charges, including staging a break-in and the theft of ⁈S$444) in cash and Kercher's cell phones. He said Knox and Sollecito staged a burglary in the apartment by breaking a window in a bedroom in an attempt to sidetrack the investigation.
20) Knox also is being tried on charges of defamation for allegedly accusing Diya "Patrick" Lumumba -- a Congolese man who owns a pub in Perugia where she worked -- of being the killer. Because of her accusation, Lumumba was briefly jailed. He was later cleared and is seeking damages from Knox.
21) Defense lawyers will make their own closing arguments beginning late next week.
Life requested for US suspect in Italy murder case
(APW_ENG_20091121.0445)
1) Prosecutors on Saturday requested life in prison for an American student and her ex-boyfriend accused in the fatal stabbing of her British roommate during a drug-fueled sex game -- charges the U.S. woman dismissed as "pure fantasy."
2) In their closing arguments, the prosecutors said Amanda Knox and Italian Raffaele Sollecito should be convicted on charges of murder and sexual violence for the 2007 slaying of Meredith Kercher.
3) They deny wrongdoing.
4) Knox, who is from Seattle, took a deep breath when Prosecutor Giuliano Mignini requested life imprisonment -- Italy's stiffest punishment. She then addressed the court, saying that the accusations against her were "pure fantasy."
5) "Meredith was my friend, I didn't hate her," she said in Italian, fighting back tears.
6) The Briton's body, her throat slit, was found in a pool of blood on Nov. 2, 2007, in the apartment she shared with Knox in the central Italian town of Perugia.
7) Prosecutors argued that Knox resented her British roommate and killed her, together with Sollecito and Rudy Hermann Guede, of Ivory Coast, under "the fumes of drugs and possibly alcohol."
8) They said Knox hit Kercher's head against a wall, then tried to strangle her, as Sollecito held her and Guede sexually assaulted her.
9) Guede was sentenced to 30 years in prison last year for the killing after a fast-track trial he had requested. He also denies wrongdoing and is appealing his conviction.
10) "The murder and the sexual violence were carried out for futile reasons," Mignini said. "Meredith will never come back."
11) He requested nine months of daytime solitary confinement for Knox and two months for Sollecito. A verdict by the eight-member jury is expected in early December.
12) Knox, 22, and Sollecito, 25, have been jailed for more than two years since being arrested shortly after the slaying.
13) According to prosecutors, a knife with a 6 1/2-inch (16.5-centimeter) blade, with Kercher's DNA on the blade and Knox's on the handle, was found at Sollecito's house.
14) Defense lawyers argue that the knife is too big to match Kercher's wounds and that the amount of what prosecutors say is Kercher's DNA is too low to be attributed with certainty.
15) Prosecutors also maintain Sollecito's DNA was found on the clasp of Kercher's bra, although his defense team contends that the evidence might have been inadvertently contaminated during the investigation.
16) During Saturday's hearing, prosecutors showed an animated video reconstructing what they say were the different phases of the murder, with cartoon characters representing the defendants and the victim.
17) Photos showing Kercher's wounds and bruises also were shown in the video. Knox kept her head down during the presentation, while Sollecito watched it intently.
18) In their closing arguments, prosecutors also reviewed technical data on the use of Sollecito's computer the night Kercher was slain. According to Knox, who took the stand last June, she spent the night of Nov. 1 with Sollecito at his home, watching a movie on his computer and smoking pot. Witnesses for the prosecution have argued that there was no sign of the defendant using his computer during the hours 21-year-old Kercher was stabbed to death.
19) Mignini also asked the court to convict the defendants on lesser charges, including staging a break-in and the theft of euro300 (US$444) in cash and Kercher's cell phones. He said Knox and Sollecito staged a burglary in the apartment by breaking a window in a bedroom in an attempt to sidetrack the investigation.
20) Knox also is being tried on charges of defamation for allegedly accusing Diya "Patrick" Lumumba -- a Congolese man who owns a pub in Perugia where she worked -- of being the killer. Because of her accusation, Lumumba was briefly jailed. He was later cleared and is seeking damages from Knox.
21) Defense lawyers will make their own closing arguments beginning late next week.
2009-11-28
Knox ' s parents investigated for defamation
(APW_ENG_20091128.0291)
1) The parents of American student Amanda Knox are being investigated for alleged defamation for saying Italian police abused their daughter before arresting her in the 2007 slaying of her British roommate.
2) Curt Knox told AP Television News on Saturday that he and his ex-wife, Edda Mellas, received notice of the investigation on Friday as they arrived in Italy for the final week of hearings in their daughter's case.
3) He said he found the timing odd given that a verdict in the case is expected at the end of the week.
4) Italian news agency ANSA said Knox's parents were being investigated for alleged defamation stemming from an interview they gave Britain's Sunday Times in June 2008 in which the father alleged police had physically and verbally abused his daughter during questioning before she was arrested.
5) Police have denied harming Knox.
6) "We received some papers yesterday, it is true, we haven't see the file yet," Curt Knox said, declining to comment on the specific charges.
7) Both Curt Knox and Mellas said they thought the timing of the investigation was unusual.
8) "Well, it is odd that the timing is coming out now, five days before the end of the trial, and this is supposed to be something that happened over a year ago," Mellas said.
9) Knox, of Seattle, and Italian co-defendant Raffaele Sollecito are accused of murder and sexual violence in the 2007 death of Knox's roommate, Meredith Kercher, a university exchange student from Leeds.
10) Kercher's body was found in the apartment she shared with Knox in the central Italian city of Perugia on Nov. 2, 2007. Prosecutors believe the Briton was the victim of a drug-fueled sex game involving Knox, Sollecito and a third defendant, Rudy Hermann Guede of the Ivory Coast.
11) All three have denied wrongdoing.
12) Guede was convicted of the same charges in a fast-track trial last year and sentenced to 30 years in prison. He is appealing his conviction.
13) On Saturday, Sollecito's lawyers were giving their closing arguments in the case.
14) Prosecutors have requested life terms for Knox and Sollecito.
Knox ' s parents investigated for defamation
(APW_ENG_20091128.0469)
1) The parents of American student Amanda Knox are being investigated for alleged defamation for saying Italian police abused their daughter before arresting her in the 2007 slaying of her British roommate.
2) Curt Knox told AP Television News on Saturday that he and his ex-wife, Edda Mellas, received notice of the investigation Friday as they arrived in Italy for the final week of hearings in their daughter's case.
3) He said he found the timing odd, given that a verdict in the case is expected at the end of the week.
4) Italian news agency ANSA said Knox's parents were being investigated for alleged defamation stemming from an interview they gave Britain's Sunday Times in June 2008 in which the father alleged police had physically and verbally abused his daughter during questioning before she was arrested.
5) Police have denied harming Knox.
6) "We received some papers yesterday, it is true, we haven't see the file yet," Curt Knox said, declining to comment on the specific charges.
7) Both Curt Knox and Mellas said they thought the timing of the investigation was unusual.
8) "Well, it is odd that the timing is coming out now, five days before the end of the trial, and this is supposed to be something that happened over a year ago," Mellas said.
9) Knox, of Seattle, and Italian co-defendant Raffaele Sollecito are accused of murder and sexual violence in the 2007 death of Knox's roommate, Meredith Kercher, a university exchange student from Leeds.
10) Kercher's body was found in the apartment she shared with Knox in the central Italian city of Perugia on Nov. 2, 2007. Prosecutors believe the Briton was the victim of a drug-fueled sex game involving Knox, Sollecito and a third defendant, Rudy Hermann Guede of the Ivory Coast.
11) All three have denied wrongdoing.
12) Guede was convicted of the same charges in a fast-track trial last year and sentenced to 30 years in prison. He is appealing his conviction.
13) On Saturday, Sollecito lawyer Luca Maori spent six hours trying to refute the prosecutors' case in his closing arguments, saying only one person -- Guede -- was responsible for Kercher's death.
14) "The killer was one and only one," Maori said, adding that even if there were other footprints in the apartment it was logical since Knox and her other roommates lived there.
15) He said Sollecito was a "gentle, reserved, well-educated" young man who has been unjustly jailed for over two years for a crime he did not commit.
16) Sollecito's other attorney gives her closing arguments Monday, followed by closing arguments by Knox's lawyers.
17) A verdict is expected Friday or Saturday.
18) Prosecutors have requested life terms for Knox and Sollecito.
2009-11-30
Last defense for Knox ex-boyfriend in Italy trial
(APW_ENG_20091130.0382)
1) One of Italy's top criminal defense lawyers is making final arguments for the ex-boyfriend of American student Amanda Knox in the trial for the 2007 murder of a British student in Perugia.
2) Giulia Bongiorno told the court Monday that her Italian client, Raffaele Sollecito, wound up being wrongly accused of murder because of a bloody footprint at the scene.
3) Bongiorno won fame for successfully defending former Premier Giulio Andreotti against charges of aiding the Sicilian Mafia years ago.
4) Sollecito and Knox are accused of murdering Meredith Kercher in her bedroom in the rented house she shared with the Knox. They deny wrongdoing.
5) One man has already been convicted of Kercher's murder.
6) The court says a verdict is expected later this week.
Lawyer for ex-boyfriend calls Knox ' imprudent '
(APW_ENG_20091130.0611)
1) A lawyer for the former boyfriend of Amanda Knox painted the U.S. coed as naive, spontaneous and imprudent as she argued Monday that both Knox and her lover were innocent in the slaying of the American's British roommate.
2) Giulia Bongiorno, who is defending Knox's ex-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito of Italy, compared Knox to the film character Amelie in the 2001 French movie of the same title. That is the film Knox and Sollecito claim they were watching on video the night that Meredith Kercher was fatally stabbed in the throat in 2007, Bongiorno reminded the court in final arguments.
3) "Amanda, just like Amelie, has a lot of energy. She is naive ... (and) candid" like the French film character, Bongiorno told the court. "The approach of Amanda toward life is exactly the same of Amelie, spontaneous, immediate and imprudent."
4) Bongiorno, who won fame as a criminal lawyer when she successfully defended former Italian Premier Giulio Andreotti on charges of Mafia association a few years ago, argued that Sollecito, an Italian, wound up being wrongly accused of Kercher's murder because of a bloody footprint in the bedroom where the woman was slain.
5) Sollecito, 25, and Knox, 22, are accused of murder and sexual violence in the death of Kercher, who was found in her bedroom in the rented house she shared with the American from Seattle. Both defendants insist they are innocent.
6) Kercher was a 21-year-old university exchange student from Leeds. All three were students in Perugia, a university town in Umbria, in central Italy.
7) A verdict in the long-running trial is expected toward the end of this week. Prosecutors have argued for conviction and life imprisonment -- Italy's stiffest penalty -- for Knox and Sollecito.
8) "Raffaele was about to graduate, and was cultivating his dreams, but a footprint took those dreams away from him," Bongiorno said. She contended that analyses indicate that the print was made by a shoe of a different kind and size than the ones Sollecito wore.
9) Prosecutors have argued that the Kercher was the victim of a drug-fueled sex game involving Knox, Sollecito and a third defendant, Rudy Hermann Guede of the Ivory Coast.
10) Guede, 22, was convicted of the same charges in a fast-track trial last year and sentenced to 30 years in prison. He is appealing his conviction.
2009-12-04
Knox: I ' m no murderer
(APW_ENG_20091204.0170)
1) American student Amanda Knox tried one last time to convince the Italian court trying her for murder that she is not a killer, urging jurors not to brand her with "the mask of an assassin."
2) Knox spoke Thursday at the end of a trial that has exposed some of the most intimate details of her life, with prosecutors depicting her as a promiscuous and manipulative she-devil who brutally murdered her British roommate in Perugia, Meredith Kercher.
3) The trial, in which Knox's ex-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito figures as a co-defendant, is wrapping up after almost a year. Thursday's session was devoted to rebuttals by defense lawyers and the prosecution, and the eight members of the jury are expected to begin deliberations as early as Friday.
4) Standing up, her voice breaking as she fought back tears, the 22-year-old American told the court that she feels "vulnerable" and fears losing herself after two years in jail.
5) "I have written on a piece of paper ... that I was afraid of losing myself," she said, speaking Italian. "I am scared of being branded what I am not," she said. "I am scared of having the mask of an assassin forced onto me."
6) Knox and Sollecito, an Italian, are charged with murder and sexual assault in the 2007 slaying. Prosecutors are seeking life sentences, while both defendants are pleading innocent. Any verdict can be appealed by both parties.
7) Both Knox, a 22-year-old student from Seattle, and Sollecito, 25, have been jailed since shortly after the slaying.
8) The brutal murder has made headlines worldwide, bringing the lives of the defendants under the spotlight. Sordid details of sex and drugs have been dug by the media that have descended on this university town as much as discussed in court.
9) The jury, which includes two judges, is not sequestered.
10) During the trial, about a hundred witnesses have taken the stand in the frescoed rooms just steps away from the medieval fountain that is a symbol of the town: relatives of the victim described Kercher's love of Italy, her friends spoke of the last hours before she died, acquaintances described the relations between the two women.
11) Knox herself has taken the witness stand, giving a composed testimony months ago during which she called the victim a friend and offered her alibi, saying she spent the night at Sollecito's house where the two watched a video.
12) According to the prosecution, Kercher and Knox had different personalities -- the victim a serious student; the alleged murderer a promiscuous youth of dubious hygiene -- and had grown apart so much that Knox wanted to get back at her for being "smug."
13) The prosecutors contend that on the night of the murder, Nov. 1, 2007, Knox and Sollecito met at the apartment where Kercher and Knox lived. They say a fourth person was there, Rudy Hermann Guede, an Ivory Coast citizen who has been convicted in the murder and sentenced to 30 years in prison. Guede, who is appealing his conviction, maintains he was in the house the night of the murder but did not kill Kercher.
14) The prosecution says that Knox and Kercher started arguing and the three brutally attacked and sexually assaulted the Briton. They were acting, according to the prosecution, under "the fumes of drugs and possibly alcohol."
15) Kercher's body, her throat slit, was found in a pool of blood the next day at the apartment.
16) Francesco Maresca, a lawyer representing Kercher's family, argued in his rebuttals Thursday that the Briton was killed because she knew her murderers and would be a threat to them if she survived.
17) "Meredith died because after she was attacked, threatened, wounded, and after a violent sexual approach, they needed her to remain silent," he said.
18) Knox says Kercher was a friend whose death shocked her. Defense lawyers have described her as a smart, cheerful woman, at one point even comparing her to film character Amelie, the innocent and dreamy girl in the 2001 French movie of the same title. That is the film Knox and Sollecito say they were watching on his computer the night of the murder.
19) Sollecito, also addressing the court Thursday, insisted that no motive had emerged to explain his alleged role in the slaying. He disputed the prosecution's view that he was submissive toward Amanda and had been manipulated by her.
20) "Not having found a motive to explain why I would kill, they said I was a sort of dog on a leash," he said. "If Amanda had asked me to do something I didn't agree with, I would have said no. Let alone if she had asked me to do something as terrible as killing a girl."
21) DNA traces that the prosecutors have linked to the defendants have been disputed in court. The defense lawyers contend that traces are either two small to be attributed with certainty or that evidence may have been inadvertently contaminated.
22) The prosecution maintains that a a 6 1/2-inch (16.5-centimeter) knife they found at Sollecito's house could be the murder weapon. The knife has Kercher's DNA on the blade and Knox's on the handle, they say.
23) But defense lawyers argue that the knife is too big to match Kercher's wounds and that the amount of what prosecutors say is Kercher's DNA is too low to be attributed with certainty.
24) The defense has largely focused on the lack of evidence and what they say is the absence of a clear motive.
25) "We all are hopeful and we trust these judges and the jury to know that they are going to not put two innocent kids in jail for a crime that they didn't commit," Knox's mother, Edda Mellas, told reporters after the hearing.
26) Knox has given contradicting versions, saying at one point that she was home the night of the murder and had heard Kercher's screams and accusing a Congolese man of the killing. The man, Patrick Diya Lumumba, owns a pub in Perugia where Knox worked. He was jailed briefly but was later cleared and is seeking defamation damages from Knox.
27) Knox said police pressure led her to initially accuse an innocent man.
28) A verdict is expected Friday or Saturday, and Kercher's family is expected to be in court.
Italian jury begins deliberations in Knox trial
(APW_ENG_20091204.0388)
1) An Italian jury has begun deliberations in the yearlong trial of American student Amanda Knox, who is charged with murdering her British roommate.
2) The eight members of the jury, including two judges, sequestered themselves Friday in the courtroom of this Medieval city. A verdict can come any time, but it is not expected before Friday night, according to court officials.
3) Knox and her co-defendant, Raffaele Sollecito of Italy, are charged with murder and sexual assault in the 2007 slaying of Meredith Kercher. Knox and Sollecito were dating at the time.
4) The prosecutors are seeking a life sentence. Both defendants deny wrongdoing.
5) In an emotional statement to the court Thursday, Knox said she does not want the "mask of an assassin" forced on to her.
Key dates in Italy murder case
(APW_ENG_20091204.0421)
1) Crucial dates in the slaying of British student Meredith Kercher and the subsequent investigation involving U.S. student Amanda Knox, Italian Raffaele Sollecito and Ivorian citizen Rudy Hermann Guede.
2) -- Nov. 2, 2007. The body of 21-year-old Meredith Kercher is found in a pool of blood in the apartment she shared with Amanda Knox in Perugia, central Italy. Investigators say she died from a stab wound to the neck.
3) -- Nov. 6, 2007. Knox is arrested in connection with the slaying. Also arrested are Knox's then-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito of Italy; and the Congolese owner of a Perugia pub where Knox worked, Diya "Patrick" Lumumba.
4) -- Nov. 20, 2007. Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede is arrested in Germany after an international manhunt. He was wanted in Italy in connection to the slaying. Lumumba, who had been implicated by Knox's statements to the police in the aftermath of the killing, is released from jail for lack of evidence.
5) -- Nov. 21, 2007. Guede, awaiting extradition to Italy, tells German court that he was in Kercher's room but insists he is innocent.
6) -- Dec. 6, 2007. Guede is extradited from Germany. He is picked up by Italian authorities and jailed.
7) -- Dec. 14, 2007. Kercher is laid to rest after a private funeral service in south London.
8) -- Apr. 1, 2008. The Court of Cassation, Italy's top criminal court, rejects requests by defense lawyers for the release of Knox, Sollecito and Guede and orders them to remain in jail.
9) -- Sept. 9, 2008. Guede's lawyers ask for a fast-track trial. The procedure, in which evidence is presented in document form and no witnesses testify, is quicker and leads to lesser sentences if the suspect is found guilty.
10) -- Sept. 16, 2008. Knox appears in court at the opening of a preliminary hearing to determine whether she and the other two suspects must face trial. Sollecito is not in court. Guede, who attends the hearing, is granted the fast-track trial sought by his lawyers.
11) -- Oct. 28, 2008. Judge Paolo Micheli orders Knox and Sollecito to stand trial on charges of murder and sexual assault. The same judge also convicts Guede of murder and sexual assault and sentences him to 30 years in prison.
12) -- Jan. 16, 2009. Trial of Knox and Sollecito opens in Perugia before presiding Judge Giancarlo Massei.
13) -- June 6, 2009. Kercher's mother, Arline Kercher, tells court in emotional testimony that she will never get over her daughter's brutal death.
14) -- June 12, 2009. Knox takes the stand. She tells the court that she was shocked by Kercher's death, offers an alibi for the night of the murder and says police beat her into making a false statement in the case.
15) -- Nov. 18, 2009. Guede's appeals trial opens. Guede testifies that he heard Kercher arguing with Knox minutes before she was slain.
16) -- Nov 21, 2009. Prosecutor Giuliano Mignini requests life sentences for Knox and Sollecito. Knox addresses the court minutes later to say the accusations against her are "pure fantasy."
17) -- Dec. 4, 2009. Eight-member jury begins deliberations on verdict.
Italian jury begins deliberations in Knox trial
(APW_ENG_20091204.0458)
1) An Italian court began deliberations Friday in the yearlong trial of American student Amanda Knox, who is charged with murdering her British roommate.
2) The eight members of the jury, including two judges, sequestered themselves in the courtroom of this Medieval city. A verdict can come any time, but it is not expected before Friday night, according to court officials.
3) Knox and her co-defendant, Raffaele Sollecito of Italy, are charged with murder and sexual assault in the 2007 slaying of Meredith Kercher. The three were all studying in Perugia and Knox and Sollecito were dating at the time.
4) The prosecutors are seeking a life sentence for both, while both defendants deny wrongdoing. Any verdict can be appealed by both parties.
5) Just a day before the deliberations began, Knox made an emotional appeal, trying for the last time to convince the court that she is not a murderer.
6) Standing up, her voice breaking as she fought back tears, the 22-year-old American told the court that she feels "vulnerable" after two years in jail.
7) "I have written on a piece of paper ... that I was afraid of losing myself," she said, speaking Italian.
8) "I am scared of being branded what I am not," she said. "I am scared of having the mask of an assassin forced onto me."
9) Both Knox, who is from Seattle, and Sollecito, 25, have been jailed since shortly after the slaying. They were taken to their cells as they awaited the ruling.
10) The prosecutors contend on the night of the murder, Nov. 1, 2007, Knox and Sollecito met at the apartment where Kercher and Knox lived. They say a fourth person was there, Rudy Hermann Guede, an Ivory Coast citizen who has been convicted in the murder and sentenced to 30 years in prison. Guede, who is appealing his conviction, says he was in the house the night of the murder but did not kill Kercher.
11) The prosecution says Knox and Kercher started arguing and the three brutally attacked and sexually assaulted the Briton. They were acting, according to the prosecution, under "the fumes of drugs and possibly alcohol."
12) Kercher's body, her throat slit, was found in a pool of blood the next day at the apartment.
13) The prosecutors have described Knox as a manipulative, sexually promiscuous woman whose personality clashed with her roommate's. They say Knox had grown to hate Kercher and wanted to get back at her.
14) Knox says Kercher was a friend whose death shocked her. Defense lawyers have described the American as a smart and cheerful woman.
15) DNA traces that the prosecutors have linked to the defendants have been disputed in court. The defense lawyers contend that traces are either two small to be attributed with certainty or that evidence may have been inadvertently contaminated in the police investigation.
16) The prosecution maintains that a a 6 1/2-inch (16.5-centimeter) knife they found at Sollecito's house could be the murder weapon. The knife has Kercher's DNA on the blade and Knox's on the handle, they say. But defense lawyers argue that the knife is too big to match Kercher's wounds and that the amount of what prosecutors say is Kercher's DNA is too low to be attributed with certainty.
17) The defense has largely focused on the lack of evidence and what they say is the absence of a clear motive.
18) Knox has given contradicting versions, saying at one point that she was home the night of the murder and had heard Kercher's screams and accusing a Congolese man of the killing. The man, Patrick Diya Lumumba, owns a pub in Perugia where Knox worked. He was jailed briefly but was later cleared and is seeking defamation damages from Knox.
19) Knox said police pressure led her to initially accuse an innocent man.
20) Kercher's family is expected to be in court for the verdict.
Italian jury begins deliberations in Knox trial
(APW_ENG_20091204.0558)
1) An Italian court began deliberations Friday in the yearlong trial of American student Amanda Knox, who is charged with murdering her British roommate.
2) The eight members of the jury, including two judges, sequestered themselves in the courtroom of this Medieval city. A verdict can come any time, but it is not expected before Friday night, according to court officials.
3) Knox and her co-defendant, Raffaele Sollecito of Italy, are charged with murder and sexual assault in the 2007 slaying of Meredith Kercher. The three were all studying in Perugia and Knox and Sollecito were dating at the time.
4) The prosecutors are seeking a life sentence for both, including nine months of daytime solitary confinement for Knox and two months for Sollecito. Both defendants say they are innocent. Any verdict can be appealed by both parties.
5) Just a day before the deliberations began, Knox made an emotional appeal, trying for the last time to convince the court that she is not a murderer.
6) Standing up, her voice breaking as she fought back tears, the 22-year-old American told the court that she feels "vulnerable" after two years in jail.
7) "I have written on a piece of paper ... that I was afraid of losing myself," she said, speaking Italian.
8) "I am scared of being branded what I am not," she said. "I am scared of having the mask of an assassin forced onto me."
9) Both Knox, who is from Seattle, and Sollecito, 25, have been jailed since shortly after the slaying. They were taken to their cells as they awaited the ruling.
10) Italian law allows for suspects in serious crimes to be jailed even before indictment, if they are considered a flight risk among other reasons.
11) If convicted, Knox is likely to remain in jail, even though in Italy sentences are not served until all appeals are exhausted, a process that can take years. Under Italian law, in case of a guilty verdict, she can receive a lesser sentence than the one requested by the prosecutors.
12) If acquitted, Knox would go back to prison for some paperwork before leaving, her family said. They declined to give details on any travel plans to go back to the United States.
13) The prosecutors contend on the night of the murder, Nov. 1, 2007, Knox and Sollecito met at the apartment where Kercher and Knox lived. They say a fourth person was there, Rudy Hermann Guede, an Ivory Coast citizen who has been convicted in the murder and sentenced to 30 years in prison. Guede, who is appealing his conviction, says he was in the house the night of the murder but did not kill Kercher.
14) The prosecution says Knox and Kercher started arguing and the three brutally attacked and sexually assaulted the Briton. They were acting, according to the prosecution, under "the fumes of drugs and possibly alcohol."
15) Kercher's body, her throat slit, was found in a pool of blood the next day at the apartment.
16) The prosecutors have described Knox as a manipulative, sexually promiscuous woman whose personality clashed with her roommate's. They say Knox had grown to hate Kercher and wanted to get back at her.
17) Knox says Kercher was a friend whose death shocked her. Defense lawyers have described the American as a smart and cheerful woman.
18) DNA traces that the prosecutors have linked to the defendants have been disputed in court. The defense lawyers contend that traces are either two small to be attributed with certainty or that evidence may have been inadvertently contaminated in the police investigation.
19) The prosecution maintains that a a 6 1/2-inch (16.5-centimeter) knife they found at Sollecito's house could be the murder weapon. The knife has Kercher's DNA on the blade and Knox's on the handle, they say. But defense lawyers argue that the knife is too big to match Kercher's wounds and that the amount of what prosecutors say is Kercher's DNA is too low to be attributed with certainty.
20) The defense has largely focused on the lack of evidence and what they say is the absence of a clear motive.
21) Knox has given contradicting versions, saying at one point that she was home the night of the murder and had heard Kercher's screams and accusing a Congolese man of the killing. The man, Patrick Diya Lumumba, owns a pub in Perugia where Knox worked. He was jailed briefly but was later cleared and is seeking defamation damages from Knox.
22) Knox said police pressure led her to initially accuse an innocent man.
23) Knox and Sollecito are also being tried on lesser charges, including staging a break-in, carrying a knife, and the theft of about (EURO)300 ( or about $450) in cash and Kercher's cell phones and credit cards. Prosecutors say Knox and Sollecito broke a window in a bedroom to stage a burglary and sidetrack the investigation.
24) Kercher's family is expected to be in court for the verdict.
Italian jury begins deliberations in Knox trial
(APW_ENG_20091204.0559)
1) An Italian court began deliberations Friday in the yearlong trial of American student Amanda Knox, who is charged with murdering her British roommate.
2) The eight members of the jury, including two judges, sequestered themselves in the courtroom of this Medieval city. A verdict can come any time, but it is not expected before Friday night, according to court officials.
3) Knox and her co-defendant, Raffaele Sollecito of Italy, are charged with murder and sexual assault in the 2007 slaying of Meredith Kercher. The three were all studying in Perugia and Knox and Sollecito were dating at the time.
4) The prosecutors are seeking a life sentence for both, including nine months of daytime solitary confinement for Knox and two months for Sollecito. Both defendants say they are innocent. Any verdict can be appealed by both parties.
5) Just a day before the deliberations began, Knox made an emotional appeal, trying for the last time to convince the court that she is not a murderer.
6) Standing up, her voice breaking as she fought back tears, the 22-year-old American told the court that she feels "vulnerable" after two years in jail.
7) "I have written on a piece of paper ... that I was afraid of losing myself," she said, speaking Italian.
8) "I am scared of being branded what I am not," she said. "I am scared of having the mask of an assassin forced onto me."
9) Both Knox, who is from Seattle, and Sollecito, 25, have been jailed since shortly after the slaying. They were taken to their cells as they awaited the ruling.
10) Italian law allows for suspects in serious crimes to be jailed even before indictment, if they are considered a flight risk among other reasons.
11) If convicted, Knox is likely to remain in jail, even though in Italy sentences are not served until all appeals are exhausted, a process that can take years. Under Italian law, in case of a guilty verdict, she can receive a lesser sentence than the one requested by the prosecutors.
12) If acquitted, Knox would go back to prison for some paperwork before leaving, her family said. They declined to give details on any travel plans to go back to the United States.
13) The prosecutors contend on the night of the murder, Nov. 1, 2007, Knox and Sollecito met at the apartment where Kercher and Knox lived. They say a fourth person was there, Rudy Hermann Guede, an Ivory Coast citizen who has been convicted in the murder and sentenced to 30 years in prison. Guede, who is appealing his conviction, says he was in the house the night of the murder but did not kill Kercher.
14) The prosecution says Knox and Kercher started arguing and the three brutally attacked and sexually assaulted the Briton. They were acting, according to the prosecution, under "the fumes of drugs and possibly alcohol."
15) Kercher's body, her throat slit, was found in a pool of blood the next day at the apartment.
16) The prosecutors have described Knox as a manipulative, sexually promiscuous woman whose personality clashed with her roommate's. They say Knox had grown to hate Kercher and wanted to get back at her.
17) Knox says Kercher was a friend whose death shocked her. Defense lawyers have described the American as a smart and cheerful woman.
18) DNA traces that the prosecutors have linked to the defendants have been disputed in court. The defense lawyers contend that traces are either two small to be attributed with certainty or that evidence may have been inadvertently contaminated in the police investigation.
19) The prosecution maintains that a a 6 1/2-inch (16.5-centimeter) knife they found at Sollecito's house could be the murder weapon. The knife has Kercher's DNA on the blade and Knox's on the handle, they say. But defense lawyers argue that the knife is too big to match Kercher's wounds and that the amount of what prosecutors say is Kercher's DNA is too low to be attributed with certainty.
20) The defense has largely focused on the lack of evidence and what they say is the absence of a clear motive.
21) Knox has given contradicting versions, saying at one point that she was home the night of the murder and had heard Kercher's screams and accusing a Congolese man of the killing. The man, Patrick Diya Lumumba, owns a pub in Perugia where Knox worked. He was jailed briefly but was later cleared and is seeking defamation damages from Knox.
22) Knox said police pressure led her to initially accuse an innocent man.
23) Knox and Sollecito are also being tried on lesser charges, including staging a break-in, carrying a knife, and the theft of about euro300 ( or about $450) in cash and Kercher's cell phones and credit cards. Prosecutors say Knox and Sollecito broke a window in a bedroom to stage a burglary and sidetrack the investigation.
24) Kercher's family is expected to be in court for the verdict.
Italian jury begins deliberations in Knox trial
(APW_ENG_20091204.1156)
1) An Italian court began deliberations Friday in the yearlong trial of American student Amanda Knox, who is charged with murdering her British roommate.
2) The eight members of the jury, including two judges, sequestered themselves in the courtroom of this Medieval city. A verdict can come any time, but it is not expected before Friday night, according to court officials.
3) Knox and her co-defendant, Raffaele Sollecito of Italy, are charged with murder and sexual assault in the 2007 slaying of Meredith Kercher. The three were all studying in Perugia and Knox and Sollecito were dating at the time.
4) The prosecutors are seeking a life sentence for both, including nine months of daytime solitary confinement for Knox and two months for Sollecito. Both defendants say they are innocent. Any verdict can be appealed by both parties.
5) Just a day before the deliberations began, Knox made an emotional appeal, trying for the last time to convince the court that she is not a murderer.
6) Standing up, her voice breaking as she fought back tears, the 22-year-old American told the court that she feels "vulnerable" after two years in jail.
7) "I have written on a piece of paper ... that I was afraid of losing myself," she said, speaking Italian.
8) "I am scared of being branded what I am not," she said. "I am scared of having the mask of an assassin forced onto me."
9) Both Knox, who is from Seattle, and Sollecito, 25, have been jailed since shortly after the slaying. They were taken to their cells as they awaited the ruling.
10) "They've got two 20-old kids and they are going to be determining their life," Curt Knox, the defendant's father, said of the jurors while talking to reporters at the Perugia courthouse.
11) Knox's mother, Edda Mellas, said she is "extremely hopeful" and "confident that the judges and the jury are going to make the right decision."
12) The Kercher family, from Coulsdon, Surrey, in southern England, arrived in Perugia to be in the courtroom for the verdict.
13) Italian law allows for suspects in serious crimes to be jailed even before indictment, if they are considered a flight risk among other reasons.
14) If convicted, Knox is likely to remain in jail, even though in Italy sentences are not served until all appeals are exhausted, a process that can take years. Under Italian law, in case of a guilty verdict, she can receive a lesser sentence than the one requested by the prosecutors.
15) If acquitted, Knox would go back to prison for some paperwork before leaving, her family said. They declined to give details on any travel plans to go back to the United States.
16) The prosecutors contend on the night of the murder, Nov. 1, 2007, Knox and Sollecito met at the apartment where Kercher and Knox lived. They say a fourth person was there, Rudy Hermann Guede, an Ivory Coast citizen who has been convicted in the murder and sentenced to 30 years in prison. Guede, who is appealing his conviction, says he was in the house the night of the murder but did not kill Kercher.
17) The prosecution says Knox and Kercher started arguing and the three brutally attacked and sexually assaulted the Briton. They were acting, according to the prosecution, under "the fumes of drugs and possibly alcohol."
18) Kercher's body, her throat slit, was found in a pool of blood the next day at the apartment.
19) The prosecutors have described Knox as a manipulative, sexually promiscuous woman whose personality clashed with her roommate's. They say Knox had grown to hate Kercher and wanted to get back at her.
20) Knox says Kercher was a friend whose death shocked her. Defense lawyers have described the American as a smart and cheerful woman.
21) DNA traces that the prosecutors have linked to the defendants have been disputed in court. The defense lawyers contend that traces are either two small to be attributed with certainty or that evidence may have been inadvertently contaminated in the police investigation.
22) The prosecution maintains that a a 6 1/2-inch (16.5-centimeter) knife they found at Sollecito's house could be the murder weapon. The knife has Kercher's DNA on the blade and Knox's on the handle, they say. But defense lawyers argue that the knife is too big to match Kercher's wounds and that the amount of what prosecutors say is Kercher's DNA is too low to be attributed with certainty.
23) The defense has largely focused on the lack of evidence and what they say is the absence of a clear motive.
24) Knox has given contradicting versions, saying at one point that she was home the night of the murder and had heard Kercher's screams and accusing a Congolese man of the killing. The man, Patrick Diya Lumumba, owns a pub in Perugia where Knox worked. He was jailed briefly but was later cleared and is seeking defamation damages from Knox.
25) Knox said police pressure led her to initially accuse an innocent man.
26) Knox and Sollecito are also being tried on lesser charges, including staging a break-in, carrying a knife, and the theft of about (EURO)300 ( or about $450) in cash and Kercher's cell phones and credit cards. Prosecutors say Knox and Sollecito broke a window in a bedroom to stage a burglary and sidetrack the investigation.
Italian jury begins deliberations in Knox trial
(APW_ENG_20091204.1158)
1) An Italian court began deliberations Friday in the yearlong trial of American student Amanda Knox, who is charged with murdering her British roommate.
2) The eight members of the jury, including two judges, sequestered themselves in the courtroom of this Medieval city. A verdict can come any time, but it is not expected before Friday night, according to court officials.
3) Knox and her co-defendant, Raffaele Sollecito of Italy, are charged with murder and sexual assault in the 2007 slaying of Meredith Kercher. The three were all studying in Perugia and Knox and Sollecito were dating at the time.
4) The prosecutors are seeking a life sentence for both, including nine months of daytime solitary confinement for Knox and two months for Sollecito. Both defendants say they are innocent. Any verdict can be appealed by both parties.
5) Just a day before the deliberations began, Knox made an emotional appeal, trying for the last time to convince the court that she is not a murderer.
6) Standing up, her voice breaking as she fought back tears, the 22-year-old American told the court that she feels "vulnerable" after two years in jail.
7) "I have written on a piece of paper ... that I was afraid of losing myself," she said, speaking Italian.
8) "I am scared of being branded what I am not," she said. "I am scared of having the mask of an assassin forced onto me."
9) Both Knox, who is from Seattle, and Sollecito, 25, have been jailed since shortly after the slaying. They were taken to their cells as they awaited the ruling.
10) "They've got two 20-old kids and they are going to be determining their life," Curt Knox, the defendant's father, said of the jurors while talking to reporters at the Perugia courthouse.
11) Knox's mother, Edda Mellas, said she is "extremely hopeful" and "confident that the judges and the jury are going to make the right decision."
12) The Kercher family, from Coulsdon, Surrey, in southern England, arrived in Perugia to be in the courtroom for the verdict.
13) Italian law allows for suspects in serious crimes to be jailed even before indictment, if they are considered a flight risk among other reasons.
14) If convicted, Knox is likely to remain in jail, even though in Italy sentences are not served until all appeals are exhausted, a process that can take years. Under Italian law, in case of a guilty verdict, she can receive a lesser sentence than the one requested by the prosecutors.
15) If acquitted, Knox would go back to prison for some paperwork before leaving, her family said. They declined to give details on any travel plans to go back to the United States.
16) The prosecutors contend on the night of the murder, Nov. 1, 2007, Knox and Sollecito met at the apartment where Kercher and Knox lived. They say a fourth person was there, Rudy Hermann Guede, an Ivory Coast citizen who has been convicted in the murder and sentenced to 30 years in prison. Guede, who is appealing his conviction, says he was in the house the night of the murder but did not kill Kercher.
17) The prosecution says Knox and Kercher started arguing and the three brutally attacked and sexually assaulted the Briton. They were acting, according to the prosecution, under "the fumes of drugs and possibly alcohol."
18) Kercher's body, her throat slit, was found in a pool of blood the next day at the apartment.
19) The prosecutors have described Knox as a manipulative, sexually promiscuous woman whose personality clashed with her roommate's. They say Knox had grown to hate Kercher and wanted to get back at her.
20) Knox says Kercher was a friend whose death shocked her. Defense lawyers have described the American as a smart and cheerful woman.
21) DNA traces that the prosecutors have linked to the defendants have been disputed in court. The defense lawyers contend that traces are either two small to be attributed with certainty or that evidence may have been inadvertently contaminated in the police investigation.
22) The prosecution maintains that a a 6 1/2-inch (16.5-centimeter) knife they found at Sollecito's house could be the murder weapon. The knife has Kercher's DNA on the blade and Knox's on the handle, they say. But defense lawyers argue that the knife is too big to match Kercher's wounds and that the amount of what prosecutors say is Kercher's DNA is too low to be attributed with certainty.
23) The defense has largely focused on the lack of evidence and what they say is the absence of a clear motive.
24) Knox has given contradicting versions, saying at one point that she was home the night of the murder and had heard Kercher's screams and accusing a Congolese man of the killing. The man, Patrick Diya Lumumba, owns a pub in Perugia where Knox worked. He was jailed briefly but was later cleared and is seeking defamation damages from Knox.
25) Knox said police pressure led her to initially accuse an innocent man.
26) Knox and Sollecito are also being tried on lesser charges, including staging a break-in, carrying a knife, and the theft of about euro300 ( or about $450) in cash and Kercher's cell phones and credit cards. Prosecutors say Knox and Sollecito broke a window in a bedroom to stage a burglary and sidetrack the investigation.
Knox verdict in Italy to be announced shortly
(APW_ENG_20091204.1264)
1) An Italian court began deliberations Friday in the yearlong trial of American student Amanda Knox, who is charged with murdering her British roommate.
2) After around 11 hours of deliberations, court officials said that a verdict would be announced about midnight (2300 GMT, 6 p.m. EST) Friday.
3) The eight members of the jury, including two judges, sequestered themselves in the courtroom of the medieval city.
4) Knox and her co-defendant, Raffaele Sollecito of Italy, are charged with murder and sexual assault in the 2007 slaying of Meredith Kercher. The three were all studying in Perugia and Knox and Sollecito were dating at the time.
5) The prosecutors are seeking a life sentence for both, including nine months of daytime solitary confinement for Knox and two months for Sollecito. Both defendants say they are innocent. Any verdict can be appealed by both parties.
6) Just a day before the deliberations began, Knox made an emotional appeal, trying for the last time to convince the court that she is not a murderer.
7) Standing up, her voice breaking as she fought back tears, the 22-year-old American told the court that she feels "vulnerable" after two years in jail.
8) "I have written on a piece of paper ... that I was afraid of losing myself," she said, speaking Italian.
9) "I am scared of being branded what I am not," she said. "I am scared of having the mask of an assassin forced onto me."
10) Both Knox, who is from Seattle, and Sollecito, 25, have been jailed since shortly after the slaying. They were taken to their cells as they awaited the ruling.
11) "They've got two 20-old kids and they are going to be determining their life," Curt Knox, the defendant's father, said of the jurors while talking to reporters at the Perugia courthouse.
12) Knox's mother, Edda Mellas, said she is "extremely hopeful" and "confident that the judges and the jury are going to make the right decision."
13) The Kercher family, from Coulsdon, Surrey, in southern England, arrived in Perugia to be in the courtroom for the verdict.
14) Italian law allows for suspects in serious crimes to be jailed even before indictment, if they are considered a flight risk among other reasons.
15) If convicted, Knox is likely to remain in jail, even though in Italy sentences are not served until all appeals are exhausted, a process that can take years. Under Italian law, in case of a guilty verdict, she can receive a lesser sentence than the one requested by the prosecutors.
16) If acquitted, Knox would go back to prison for some paperwork before leaving, her family said. They declined to give details on any travel plans to go back to the United States.
17) The prosecutors contend on the night of the murder, Nov. 1, 2007, Knox and Sollecito met at the apartment where Kercher and Knox lived. They say a fourth person was there, Rudy Hermann Guede, an Ivory Coast citizen who has been convicted in the murder and sentenced to 30 years in prison. Guede, who is appealing his conviction, says he was in the house the night of the murder but did not kill Kercher.
18) The prosecution says Knox and Kercher started arguing and the three brutally attacked and sexually assaulted the Briton. They were acting, according to the prosecution, under "the fumes of drugs and possibly alcohol."
19) Kercher's body, her throat slit, was found in a pool of blood the next day at the apartment.
20) The prosecutors have described Knox as a manipulative, sexually promiscuous woman whose personality clashed with her roommate's. They say Knox had grown to hate Kercher and wanted to get back at her.
21) Knox says Kercher was a friend whose death shocked her. Defense lawyers have described the American as a smart and cheerful woman.
22) DNA traces that the prosecutors have linked to the defendants have been disputed in court. The defense lawyers contend that traces are either two small to be attributed with certainty or that evidence may have been inadvertently contaminated in the police investigation.
23) The prosecution maintains that a a 6 1/2-inch (16.5-centimeter) knife they found at Sollecito's house could be the murder weapon. The knife has Kercher's DNA on the blade and Knox's on the handle, they say. But defense lawyers argue that the knife is too big to match Kercher's wounds and that the amount of what prosecutors say is Kercher's DNA is too low to be attributed with certainty.
24) The defense has largely focused on the lack of evidence and what they say is the absence of a clear motive.
25) Knox has given contradicting versions, saying at one point that she was home the night of the murder and had heard Kercher's screams and accusing a Congolese man of the killing. The man, Patrick Diya Lumumba, owns a pub in Perugia where Knox worked. He was jailed briefly but was later cleared and is seeking defamation damages from Knox.
26) Knox said police pressure led her to initially accuse an innocent man.
27) Knox and Sollecito are also being tried on lesser charges, including staging a break-in, carrying a knife, and the theft of about (EURO)300 ( or about $450) in cash and Kercher's cell phones and credit cards. Prosecutors say Knox and Sollecito broke a window in a bedroom to stage a burglary and sidetrack the investigation.
US student ' s fate goes to jury in murder case
(APW_ENG_20091204.1333)
1) An Italian jury began deliberating Friday whether American college student Amanda Knox and her one-time Italian boyfriend are guilty of murdering her British roommate and should be sentenced to life in prison.
2) A verdict was expected around midnight (2300 GMT, 6 p.m. EST) in the yearlong trial, which drew intense media attention and largely focused on the personality of the 22-year-old student from Seattle and her life as an exchange student in Italy.
3) Knox and Raffaele Sollecito, 25, were charged with murder and sexual assault in the slaying of Meredith Kercher more than two years ago. All three were studying in Perugia in Italy's central Umbria region at the time.
4) Kercher's body was found in a pool of blood with her throat slit on Nov. 2, 2007, in the bedroom of the house she shared with Knox. Prosecutors contended the 21-year-old Leeds University student was murdered the previous night.
5) Prosecutors are seeking life sentences, including nine months of daytime solitary confinement for Knox and two months for Sollecito. Both have pleaded innocent. Under Italian law, if convicted, Knox could receive a lesser sentence than the one requested by prosecutors, and both prosecutors and defendants can appeal.
6) "They've got two 20-year-old kids and they are going to be determining their life," Curt Knox, the American defendant's father, told reporters at the courthouse.
7) The trial spanned more than 50 hearings and dozens of witnesses. Sollecito hired one of Italy's top criminal lawyers, who is also a member of parliament, and Knox has repeatedly addressed the court.
8) The day before deliberations began, the former University of Washington student made an emotional appeal in which she said she was not a murderer and didn't want to have "the mask of an assassin" forced onto her.
9) "I am scared of being branded what I am not," she told the jurors, speaking in near-perfect Italian.
10) The eight-member jury, including presiding Judge Giancarlo Massei and another judge, were sequestered in the courtroom of this medieval university town at midmorning Friday.
11) Knox's mother, Edda Mellas, said she was "extremely hopeful" and "confident that the judges and the jury are going to make the right decision."
12) The Kercher family, from Coulsdon, Surrey, in southern England, also were in Perugia for the verdict.
13) Prosecutors contend that on the night of the murder, Knox and Sollecito were at the apartment with Kercher and another man, Rudy Hermann Guede. Guede, an Ivory Coast citizen whose DNA was found on Kercher's body, was convicted in a separate trial and sentenced to 30 years in prison. Guede, who is appealing his conviction, admitted being in the house but insisted he didn't kill Kercher.
14) The prosecution says Knox and Kercher started arguing, and that Knox joined the two men in brutally attacking and sexually assaulting the Briton under "the fumes of drugs and possibly alcohol."
15) Prosecutors have depicted Knox as a promiscuous and manipulative she-devil whose personality clashed with her roommate's. They say Knox had grown to hate Kercher.
16) During the trial, the most intimate details of Knox's life were examined, from her lax hygiene -- allegedly a point of contention with Kercher -- to her sex life, even including a sex toy.
17) Knox said Kercher was a friend whose slaying shocked and saddened her.
18) Defense lawyers have described the American, who made the dean's list at the University of Washington, as a smart and cheerful woman, at one point even comparing her to film character Amelie, the innocent and dreamy girl in the 2001 French movie of the same title.
19) That is the film Knox and Sollecito say they were watching at his home on the night of the murder, where they say they smoked marijuana and had sex. Knox said she went home the next morning to find the door to the house open and Kercher dead.
20) The prosecution maintains that a 6 1/2-inch knife authorities found at Sollecito's house could be the murder weapon; they say Kercher's DNA was found on the blade and Knox's on the handle. However, defense lawyers argue the knife was too big to match Kercher's wounds and the amount of DNA collected was too small to determine with certainty whose it was.
21) The defense maintained there was not enough evidence for a conviction and no clear motive.
22) However, prosecutor Manuela Comodi said violent crimes can lack a motive. "We live at a time where violence is purposeless," she told the jury.
23) Knox gave contradictory versions of the night of the slaying, saying at one point she was home and had to cover her ears to block out Kercher's screams and accusing a Congolese man of the killing. The man, Patrick Diya Lumumba, owns a pub in Perugia where Knox worked. He was jailed briefly but was later cleared and is seeking defamation damages from Knox.
24) Knox later contended that police pressure led her to initially accuse an innocent man.
25) When deliberations began, Knox and Sollecito were escorted to the prison cells where they have spent the past two years. Italian law permits the jailing of suspects in serious crimes even before indictment in case of flight risk or the possibility of evidence tampering.
26) At home in Seattle, Knox's friends and family anxiously awaited the verdict. Knox's aunt, Janet Huff of West Seattle, told KING-TV she was holding onto her BlackBerry like it was a lifeline while awaiting news.
27) If convicted, Knox would likely be ordered to remain in jail, even though in Italy sentences are not served until all appeals are exhausted, a process that can take years.
28) If acquitted, Knox would be freed after paperwork is completed, her family said. They declined to give details on any travel plans.
29) Knox and Sollecito also were tried on lesser charges, including staging a break-in, carrying a knife, and the theft of about $450 in cash and Kercher's cell phones and credit cards. Prosecutors say Knox and Sollecito broke a window in a bedroom to stage a burglary and sidetrack the investigation.
Knox convicted, sentenced to 26 years in Italy
(APW_ENG_20091204.1420)
1) A jury in Italy has convicted American college student Amanda Knox of murdering her British roommate and sentenced her to 26 years in prison.
2) Her Italian ex-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito was also convicted and sentenced to 25 years after midnight Saturday.
3) The 22-year-old Knox and 25-year-old Sollecito were charged with murder and sexual assault in the slaying of Meredith Kercher more than two years ago. All three were studying in Perugia in Italy's central Umbria region at the time.
Knox convicted, sentenced to 26 years in Italy
(APW_ENG_20091204.1423)
1) A jury in Italy convicted American college student Amanda Knox of murdering her British roommate and sentenced her to 26 years in prison shortly after midnight Saturday.
2) Her Italian ex-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito was also convicted and sentenced to 25 years.
3) The 22-year-old Knox and 25-year-old Sollecito were charged with murder and sexual assault in the slaying of Meredith Kercher more than two years ago. All three were studying in Perugia in Italy's central Umbria region at the time.
4) Kercher's body was found in a pool of blood with her throat slit on Nov. 2, 2007, in the bedroom of the house she shared with Knox. Prosecutors contended the 21-year-old Leeds University student was murdered the previous night.
5) Knox, who is from Seattle, and Sollecito, had been jailed since shortly after the slaying.
6) The prosecutors contend on the night of the murder, Knox and Sollecito met at the apartment where Kercher and Knox lived. They say a fourth person was there, Rudy Hermann Guede, an Ivory Coast citizen who has been convicted in the murder and sentenced to 30 years in prison. Guede, who is appealing his conviction, says he was in the house the night of the murder but did not kill Kercher.
Knox convicted, sentenced to 26 years in Italy
(APW_ENG_20091204.1430)
1) A jury in Italy convicted American college student Amanda Knox of murdering her British roommate and sentenced her to 26 years in prison shortly after midnight Saturday.
2) Her Italian ex-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito was also convicted and sentenced to 25 years.
3) As soon as the judge read the verdict after some 13 hours of deliberations, Knox began weeping and murmured, "No, no," then hugged one of her lawyers.
4) Minutes later, the 22-year-old Knox, who is from Seattle and the 25-year-old Sollecito, were put in police vans with sirens blaring and driven back to jail.
5) Prosecutors had sought life imprisonment, Italy's stiffest sentence. Courts often give less severe punishment than what prosecutors demand.
6) The American's father, Curt Knox, asked if he would fight on for his daughter, replied, with tears in his eyes: "Hell, yes."
7) "This is just wrong," her stepmother, Cassandra Knox, said, turning around immediately after hearing the verdict. Her family had insisted she was innocent and a victim of character assassination.
8) Knox and Sollecito were charged with murder and sexual assault in the slaying of Meredith Kercher more than two years ago. All three were studying in Perugia in Italy's central Umbria region at the time.
9) Kercher's body was found in a pool of blood with her throat slit on Nov. 2, 2007, in the bedroom of the house she shared with Knox. Prosecutors contended the 21-year-old Leeds University student was murdered the previous night.
10) Knox, who is from Seattle, and Sollecito, had been jailed since shortly after the slaying.
11) The prosecutors contend on the night of the murder, Knox and Sollecito met at the apartment where Kercher and Knox lived. They say a fourth person was there, Rudy Hermann Guede, an Ivory Coast citizen who has been convicted in the murder and sentenced to 30 years in prison. Guede, who is appealing his conviction, says he was in the house the night of the murder but did not kill Kercher.
Knox convicted, sentenced to 26 years in Italy
(APW_ENG_20091204.1437)
1) A jury in Italy convicted American college student Amanda Knox of murdering her British roommate and sentenced her to 26 years in prison shortly after midnight Saturday.
2) Her Italian ex-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito was also convicted and sentenced to 25 years.
3) As soon as the judge read the verdict after some 13 hours of deliberations, Knox began weeping and murmured, "No, no," then hugged one of her lawyers.
4) Minutes later, the 22-year-old Knox, who is from Seattle and the 25-year-old Sollecito, were put in police vans with sirens blaring and driven back to jail.
5) Prosecutors had sought life imprisonment, Italy's stiffest sentence. Courts often give less severe punishment than what prosecutors demand.
6) The American's father, Curt Knox, asked if he would fight on for his daughter, replied, with tears in his eyes: "Hell, yes."
7) "This is just wrong," her stepmother, Cassandra Knox, said, turning around immediately after hearing the verdict. Her family had insisted she was innocent and a victim of character assassination.
8) Knox and Sollecito were charged with murder and sexual assault in the slaying of Meredith Kercher more than two years ago. All three were studying in Perugia in Italy's central Umbria region at the time.
9) Kercher's body was found in a pool of blood with her throat slit on Nov. 2, 2007, in the bedroom of the house she shared with Knox. Prosecutors contended the 21-year-old Leeds University student was murdered the previous night.
10) Knox, who is from Seattle, and Sollecito, had been jailed since shortly after the slaying.
11) The prosecutors contend on the night of the murder, Knox and Sollecito met at the apartment where Kercher and Knox lived. They say a fourth person was there, Rudy Hermann Guede, an Ivory Coast citizen who has been convicted in the murder and sentenced to 30 years in prison. Guede, who is appealing his conviction, says he was in the house the night of the murder but did not kill Kercher.
12) The prosecution says Knox and Kercher started arguing, and that Knox joined the two men in brutally attacking and sexually assaulting the Briton under "the fumes of drugs and possibly alcohol."
13) Throughout the trial, prosecutors depicted Knox as a promiscuous and manipulative she-devil whose personality clashed with her roommate's. They say Knox had grown to hate Kercher.
14) During the trial, the most intimate details of Knox's life were examined, from her lax hygiene -- allegedly a point of contention with Kercher -- to her sex life, even including a sex toy.
15) Knox said Kercher was a friend whose slaying shocked and saddened her.
16) Defense lawyers have described the American, who made the dean's list at the University of Washington, as a smart and cheerful woman, at one point even comparing her to film character Amelie, the innocent and dreamy girl in the 2001 French movie of the same title.
17) That is the film Knox and Sollecito say they were watching at his home on the night of the murder, where they say they smoked marijuana and had sex. Knox said she went home the next morning to find the door to the house open and Kercher dead.
18) The prosecution maintains that a 6 1/2-inch knife authorities found at Sollecito's house could be the murder weapon; they say Kercher's DNA was found on the blade and Knox's on the handle. However, defense lawyers argue the knife was too big to match Kercher's wounds and the amount of DNA collected was too small to determine with certainty whose it was.
19) The defense maintained there was not enough evidence for a conviction and no clear motive.
20) However, prosecutor Manuela Comodi said violent crimes can lack a motive. "We live at a time where violence is purposeless," she told the jury.
21) Knox gave contradictory versions of the night of the slaying, saying at one point she was home and had to cover her ears to block out Kercher's screams and accusing a Congolese man of the killing. The man, Patrick Diya Lumumba, owns a pub in Perugia where Knox worked. He was jailed briefly but was later cleared and is seeking defamation damages from Knox.
22) Knox later contended that police pressure led her to initially accuse an innocent man.
2009-12-05
Knox convicted, sentenced to 26 years in Italy
(APW_ENG_20091205.0039)
1) American college student Amanda Knox was found guilty of murdering her British roommate and sentenced to 26 years in prison on Saturday after a year-long trial that gripped Italy and drew intense media attention.
2) Her Italian ex-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito was also convicted and sentenced to 25 years.
3) As soon as the judge read the verdict after some 13 hours of deliberations, Knox began weeping and murmured, "No, no," then hugged one of her lawyers.
4) Minutes later, the 22-year-old Knox, who is from Seattle and the 25-year-old Sollecito, were put in police vans with sirens blaring and driven back to jail.
5) Prosecutors had sought life imprisonment, Italy's stiffest sentence. Courts often give less severe punishment than what prosecutors demand.
6) The American's father, Curt Knox, asked if he would fight on for his daughter, replied, with tears in his eyes: "Hell, yes."
7) "This is just wrong," her stepmother, Cassandra Knox, said, turning around immediately after hearing the verdict. Her family had insisted she was innocent and a victim of character assassination.
8) Knox and Sollecito were charged with murder and sexual assault in the slaying of Meredith Kercher more than two years ago. All three were studying in Perugia in Italy's central Umbria region at the time.
9) Kercher's body was found in a pool of blood with her throat slit on Nov. 2, 2007, in the bedroom of the house she shared with Knox. Prosecutors contended the 21-year-old Leeds University student was murdered the previous night.
10) Knox and Sollecito had been jailed since shortly after the slaying.
11) Relatives and friends in Seattle clasped hands as they watched TV and waited for the verdict. Her uncle, Mick Huff, cried, "Oh God, no" when it was announced.
12) Other friends buried their faces in their hands and shook their heads.
13) "They didn't listen to the facts of the case," said Elisabeth Huff, Knox' grandmother. "All they did was listen to the media's lies."
14) Madison Paxton, Knox's friend from university, said: "They're convicting a made-up person," Paxton said. "They they're convicting 'foxy Knoxy.' That's not Amanda."
15) The prosecutors contend on the night of the murder, Knox and Sollecito met at the apartment where Kercher and Knox lived. They say a fourth person was there, Rudy Hermann Guede, an Ivory Coast citizen who has been convicted in the murder and sentenced to 30 years in prison. Guede, who is appealing his conviction, says he was in the house the night of the murder but did not kill Kercher.
16) The prosecution says Knox and Kercher started arguing, and that Knox joined the two men in brutally attacking and sexually assaulting the Briton under "the fumes of drugs and possibly alcohol."
17) Throughout the trial, prosecutors depicted Knox as a promiscuous and manipulative she-devil whose personality clashed with her roommate's. They say Knox had grown to hate Kercher.
18) During the trial, the most intimate details of Knox's life were examined, from her lax hygiene -- allegedly a point of contention with Kercher -- to her sex life, even including a sex toy.
19) Knox said Kercher was a friend whose slaying shocked and saddened her.
20) Defense lawyers have described the American, who made the dean's list at the University of Washington, as a smart and cheerful woman, at one point even comparing her to film character Amelie, the innocent and dreamy girl in the 2001 French movie of the same title.
21) That is the film Knox and Sollecito say they were watching at his home on the night of the murder, where they say they smoked marijuana and had sex. Knox said she went home the next morning to find the door to the house open and Kercher dead.
22) The prosecution maintains that a 6 1/2-inch knife authorities found at Sollecito's house could be the murder weapon; they say Kercher's DNA was found on the blade and Knox's on the handle. However, defense lawyers argue the knife was too big to match Kercher's wounds and the amount of DNA collected was too small to determine with certainty whose it was.
23) The defense maintained there was not enough evidence for a conviction and no clear motive.
24) However, prosecutor Manuela Comodi said violent crimes can lack a motive. "We live at a time where violence is purposeless," she told the jury.
25) Knox gave contradictory versions of the night of the slaying, saying at one point she was home and had to cover her ears to block out Kercher's screams and accusing a Congolese man of the killing. The man, Patrick Diya Lumumba, owns a pub in Perugia where Knox worked. He was jailed briefly but was later cleared and is seeking defamation damages from Knox.
26) Knox later contended that police pressure led her to initially accuse an innocent man.
Knox convicted, sentenced to 26 years in Italy
(APW_ENG_20091205.0052)
1) American college student Amanda Knox was found guilty of murdering her British roommate and sentenced to 26 years in prison early Saturday after a year-long trial that gripped Italy and drew intense media attention.
2) Her Italian ex-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito was also convicted and sentenced to 25 years. They were also convicted of sexual assault in the 2007 murder of Meredith Kercher, a 21-year-old student from England.
3) As soon as the judge read the verdict just after midnight following some 13 hours of deliberations, Knox began weeping and murmured, "No, no," then hugged one of her lawyers.
4) Minutes later, the 22-year-old Knox, who is from Seattle and the 25-year-old Sollecito, were put in police vans with sirens blaring and driven back to jail.
5) Prosecutors had sought life imprisonment, Italy's stiffest sentence. Courts often give less severe punishment than what prosecutors demand.
6) The American's father, Curt Knox, asked if he would fight on for his daughter, replied, with tears in his eyes: "Hell, yes."
7) "This is just wrong," her stepmother, Cassandra Knox, said, turning around immediately after hearing the verdict. Her family had insisted she was innocent and a victim of character assassination.
8) One of Knox's lawyers, Luciano Ghirga, was asked if she was desperate.
9) "Yes, I challenge anyone not to be," he replied.
10) A group of local youths who gathered outside the courthouse shouted insults and "assassin" at the Knox entourage as they walked in to hear the verdict.
11) Knox and Sollecito were charged with murder and sexual assault in the slaying of Kercher more than two years ago. All three were studying in Perugia in Italy's central Umbria region at the time.
12) Kercher's body was found in a pool of blood with her throat slit on Nov. 2, 2007, in the bedroom of the house she shared with Knox. Prosecutors contended the 21-year-old Leeds University student was murdered the previous night.
13) Kercher family lawyer Francesco Maresca called the verdict and sentence "satisfactory" for the family, but he acknowledged that the defendants' loved ones were also pained.
14) "There is deep suffering on all sides," Maresca said, adding that the victim's family planned to hold a news conference late on Saturday.
15) Knox and Sollecito had been jailed since shortly after the slaying.
16) Relatives and friends in Seattle clasped hands as they watched TV and waited for the verdict. Her uncle, Mick Huff, cried, "Oh God, no" when it was announced.
17) Other friends buried their faces in their hands and shook their heads.
18) "They didn't listen to the facts of the case," said Elisabeth Huff, Knox' grandmother. "All they did was listen to the media's lies."
19) Madison Paxton, Knox's friend from university, said: "They're convicting a made-up person," Paxton said. "They they're convicting 'foxy Knoxy.' That's not Amanda."
20) The prosecutors contend on the night of the murder, Knox and Sollecito met at the apartment where Kercher and Knox lived. They say a fourth person was there, Rudy Hermann Guede, an Ivory Coast citizen who has been convicted in the murder and sentenced to 30 years in prison. Guede, who is appealing his conviction, says he was in the house the night of the murder but did not kill Kercher.
21) The prosecution says Knox and Kercher started arguing, and that Knox joined the two men in brutally attacking and sexually assaulting the Briton under "the fumes of drugs and possibly alcohol."
22) Throughout the trial, prosecutors depicted Knox as a promiscuous and manipulative she-devil whose personality clashed with her roommate's. They say Knox had grown to hate Kercher.
23) During the trial, the most intimate details of Knox's life were examined, from her lax hygiene -- allegedly a point of contention with Kercher -- to her sex life, even including a sex toy.
24) Knox said Kercher was a friend whose slaying shocked and saddened her.
25) Defense lawyers have described the American, who made the dean's list at the University of Washington, as a smart and cheerful woman, at one point even comparing her to film character Amelie, the innocent and dreamy girl in the 2001 French movie of the same title.
26) That is the film Knox and Sollecito say they were watching at his home on the night of the murder, where they say they smoked marijuana and had sex. Knox said she went home the next morning to find the door to the house open and Kercher dead.
27) The prosecution maintains that a 6 1/2-inch knife authorities found at Sollecito's house could be the murder weapon; they say Kercher's DNA was found on the blade and Knox's on the handle. However, defense lawyers argue the knife was too big to match Kercher's wounds and the amount of DNA collected was too small to determine with certainty whose it was.
28) The defense maintained there was not enough evidence for a conviction and no clear motive.
29) However, prosecutor Manuela Comodi said violent crimes can lack a motive. "We live at a time where violence is purposeless," she told the jury.
30) Knox gave contradictory versions of the night of the slaying, saying at one point she was home and had to cover her ears to block out Kercher's screams and accusing a Congolese man of the killing. The man, Patrick Diya Lumumba, owns a pub in Perugia where Knox worked. He was jailed briefly but was later cleared and is seeking defamation damages from Knox.
31) Knox later contended that police pressure led her to initially accuse an innocent man.
Knox convicted, sentenced to 26 years in Italy
(APW_ENG_20091205.0069)
1) American college student Amanda Knox was found guilty of murdering her British roommate and sentenced to 26 years in prison early Saturday after a year-long trial that gripped Italy and drew intense media attention.
2) Her Italian ex-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito was also convicted and sentenced to 25 years. They were also found guilty of sexual assault in the 2007 murder of Meredith Kercher, a 21-year-old student from England.
3) Knox burst into tears and murmured, "No, no," after the judge read the verdict shortly after midnight following some 13 hours of deliberations. She then hugged one of her lawyers.
4) Minutes later, the 22-year-old Knox, who is from Seattle, and the 25-year-old Sollecito were put in police vans with sirens blaring and driven back to jail.
5) Prosecutors had sought life imprisonment, Italy's stiffest sentence. Courts can give less severe punishment than what prosecutors demand.
6) The American's father, Curt Knox, asked if he would fight on for his daughter, replied, with tears in his eyes: "Hell, yes."
7) "This is just wrong," her stepmother, Cassandra Knox, said, turning around immediately after hearing the verdict. Her family had insisted she was innocent and a victim of character assassination.
8) One of Knox's attorneys, Luciano Ghirga, was asked if she was distraught. "Yes, I challenge anyone not to be," he replied.
9) Kercher family lawyer Francesco Maresca called the verdict and sentence "satisfactory," but he acknowledged: "There is deep suffering on all sides."
10) A group of local youths who gathered outside the courthouse shouted insults and "assassin!" at the Knox family as they walked in to hear the verdict.
11) Throughout the trial, prosecutors depicted Knox as a promiscuous and manipulative she-devil whose personality clashed with her roommate's. They say Knox had grown to hate Kercher.
12) The most intimate details of Knox's life were examined, from her lax hygiene -- allegedly a point of contention with Kercher -- to her sex life, even including a sex toy.
13) Kercher's body was found in a pool of blood with her throat slit on Nov. 2, 2007, in the bedroom of the house she shared with Knox while the two were studying in the medieval town of Perugia in Italy's central Umbria region. Prosecutors said the Leeds University student was murdered the previous night.
14) In Seattle, relatives and friends clasped hands as they watched the verdict on TV. "Oh God, no," her uncle, Mick Huff, cried when it was announced.
15) Other friends buried their faces in their hands and shook their heads.
16) "They didn't listen to the facts of the case," said Elisabeth Huff, Knox' grandmother. "All they did was listen to the media's lies."
17) Madison Paxton, Knox's friend from the University of Washington, said: "They're convicting a made-up person ... "They they're convicting 'foxy Knoxy.' That's not Amanda."
18) Prosecutors argued that on the night of the murder, Knox and Sollecito met at the apartment where Kercher and Knox lived. They say a fourth person was there, Rudy Hermann Guede, an Ivory Coast citizen who has been convicted in the murder and sentenced to 30 years in prison. Guede, who is appealing his conviction, says he was in the house the night of the murder but did not kill Kercher.
19) The prosecution says Knox and Kercher started arguing, and that Knox joined the two men in brutally attacking and sexually assaulting the Briton under "the fumes of drugs and possibly alcohol."
20) Knox said Kercher was a friend whose slaying shocked and saddened her.
21) Defense lawyers described the American, who made the dean's list at the University of Washington, as a smart and cheerful woman, at one point even comparing her to film character Amelie, the innocent and dreamy girl in the 2001 French movie of the same title.
22) That is the film Knox and Sollecito said they were watching at his home on the night of the murder, where they say they smoked marijuana and had sex. Knox said she went home the next morning to find the door to the house open and Kercher dead.
23) The prosecution said a 6 1/2-inch knife authorities found at Sollecito's house had Kercher's DNA on the blade and Knox's on the handle. Defense lawyers said the knife was too big to match Kercher's wounds and the amount of DNA collected was too small to determine with certainty whose it was.
24) The defense maintained there was not enough evidence for a conviction and no clear motive.
25) However, prosecutor Manuela Comodi said violent crimes can lack a motive. "We live at a time where violence is purposeless," she told the jury.
26) Knox gave contradictory versions of the night of the slaying, saying at one point she was home and had to cover her ears to block out Kercher's screams and accusing a Congolese man of the killing. The man, Patrick Diya Lumumba, owns a pub in Perugia where Knox worked. He was jailed briefly but was later cleared and is seeking defamation damages from Knox.
27) Knox later contended that police pressure led her to initially accuse an innocent man.
Knox convicted, sentenced to 26 years in Italy
(APW_ENG_20091205.0113)
1) American college student Amanda Knox was found guilty of murdering her British roommate and sentenced to 26 years in prison early Saturday after a year-long trial that gripped Italy and drew intense media attention.
2) Her co-defendant, former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito, was convicted and sentenced to 25 years. The two also were found guilty of sexual assault in the 2007 murder of Meredith Kercher, a 21-year-old student from England.
3) "No, no," Knox said, bursting into tears and clinging to one of her lawyers as the judge read the verdict just after midnight following some 13 hours of deliberations.
4) Minutes later, the 22-year-old Knox, who is from Seattle, and the 25-year-old Sollecito were put in police vans with sirens blaring and driven back to jail.
5) Prosecutors had sought life imprisonment, Italy's stiffest sentence. Courts can give less severe punishment than what prosecutors demand.
6) The American's father, Curt Knox, asked if he would fight on for his daughter, replied, with tears in his eyes: "Hell, yes."
7) "This is just wrong," her stepmother, Cassandra Knox, said, turning around immediately after hearing the verdict. Her family had insisted she was innocent and a victim of character assassination.
8) The family said later in a statement they would appeal the ruling.
9) One of Knox's attorneys, Luciano Ghirga, was asked if she was distraught. "Yes, I challenge anyone not to be," he replied.
10) Silence fell on the packed and tense courtroom as the jurors walked in. Kercher's mother and sister cried at the verdict.
11) "The sentence is fair and satisfactory for the family," said their lawyer, Francesco Maresca. "It was a heartfelt sentence. There is deep suffering on all sides."
12) A juror, a woman, also looked like she was crying after the verdict.
13) A group of local youths who gathered outside the courthouse shouted insults and "assassin!" at the Knox family as they walked in to hear the verdict.
14) Throughout the trial, prosecutors depicted Knox as a promiscuous and manipulative she-devil whose personality clashed with her roommate's. They say Knox had grown to hate Kercher.
15) The most intimate details of Knox's life were examined, from her lax hygiene -- allegedly a point of contention with Kercher -- to her sex life, even including a sex toy.
16) "It appears clear to us that the attacks on Amanda's character in much of the media and by the prosecution had a significant impact on the judges and jurors and apparently overshadowed the lack of evidence in the prosecution's case against her," the statement said.
17) The eight-member jury was not sequestered during the trial.
18) Kercher's body was found in a pool of blood with her throat slit on Nov. 2, 2007, in the bedroom of the house she shared with Knox while the two were studying in the medieval town of Perugia in central Italy. Prosecutors said the Leeds University student was murdered the previous night.
19) In Seattle, relatives and friends clasped hands as they watched the verdict on TV. "Oh God, no," her uncle, Mick Huff, cried when it was announced.
20) Other friends buried their faces in their hands and shook their heads.
21) "They didn't listen to the facts of the case," said Elisabeth Huff, Knox' grandmother. "All they did was listen to the media's lies."
22) Madison Paxton, Knox's friend from the University of Washington, said: "They're convicting a made-up person ... "They they're convicting 'foxy Knoxy.' That's not Amanda."
23) Prosecutors argued that on the night of the murder, Knox and Sollecito met at the apartment where Kercher and Knox lived. They say a fourth person was there, Rudy Hermann Guede, an Ivory Coast citizen who has been convicted in the murder and sentenced to 30 years in prison. Guede, who is appealing his conviction, says he was in the house the night of the murder but did not kill Kercher.
24) The prosecution says Knox and Kercher started arguing, and that Knox joined the two men in brutally attacking and sexually assaulting the Briton under "the fumes of drugs and possibly alcohol."
25) Knox said Kercher was a friend whose slaying shocked and saddened her.
26) Defense lawyers described the American, who made the dean's list at the University of Washington, as a smart and cheerful woman, at one point even comparing her to film character Amelie, the innocent and dreamy girl in the 2001 French movie of the same title.
27) That is the film Knox and Sollecito said they were watching at his home on the night of the murder, where they say they smoked marijuana and had sex. Knox said she went home the next morning to find the door to the house open and Kercher dead.
28) The prosecution said a 6 1/2-inch (15.2-centimeter) knife authorities found at Sollecito's house had Kercher's DNA on the blade and Knox's on the handle. Defense lawyers said the knife was too big to match Kercher's wounds and the amount of DNA collected was too small to determine with certainty whose it was.
29) The defense maintained there was not enough evidence for a conviction and no clear motive.
30) However, prosecutor Manuela Comodi said violent crimes can lack a motive. "We live at a time where violence is purposeless," she told the jury.
31) The pair also was convicted of illegally carrying a weapon -- the knife -- and of staging a burglary at the house where the murder occurred by breaking a window, supposedly in an effort to sidetrack the investigation.
32) Knox also was convicted of defaming a man she had originally implicated in the case.
33) After the murder, Knox told investigators she was home and had to cover her ears to block out Kercher's screams. She accused a Congolese man, Patrick Diya Lumumba, of the killing. Lumumba, who owns a pub in Perugia where Knox worked, was jailed briefly but was later cleared. Knox said during the trial that police pressure led her to initially accuse an innocent man.
Victim ' s family: ' satisfied ' with Knox conviction
(APW_ENG_20091205.0291)
1) The family of a slain British woman say they are pleased with the murder conviction of American student Amanda Knox but there is no sense of celebration.
2) Meredith Kercher's relatives are making their first comments since a jury in Perugia, Italy, announced early Saturday that they had convicted Knox and sentenced her to 26 years in prison for the 2007 murder. The court also convicted Knox's former Italian boyfriend.
3) Kercher's brother, Lyle, said that while the family was satisfied with the verdict, "it's not a time for celebration" nor is it a "moment of triumph."
4) His 21-year-old sister was Knox's roommate while they studied in Perugia.
Victim ' s family: ' satisfied ' with Knox conviction
(APW_ENG_20091205.0293)
1) The family of a slain British woman said Saturday they were pleased with the murder conviction of American student Amanda Knox but said there was no sense of celebration.
2) Meredith Kercher's relatives made their first comments since a jury in Perugia, Italy, announced early Saturday that they had convicted Knox and sentenced her to 26 years in prison for the 2007 murder.
3) The court also convicted Knox's co-defendant and former boyfriend, Italian Raffaele Sollecito, and gave him a 25-year jail term.
4) "Ultimately we are pleased with the decision, pleased that we've got a decision, but it's not a time for celebration," Lyle Kercher, the victim's brother, said.
5) Kercher's sister, Stephanie, said the verdict "does bring a a little bit of justice, for us and for her."
6) "Life will never be the same without Mez," she said.
7) Kercher, 21, was Knox's roommate while they studied in Perugia.
8) Her body was found in a pool of blood with her throat slit on Nov. 2, 2007 at the apartment they shared. Prosecutors said the Leeds University student was murdered the previous night.
Victim ' s family: ' satisfied ' with Knox conviction
(APW_ENG_20091205.0338)
1) The family of a slain British woman said Saturday they were pleased with the murder conviction of American student Amanda Knox but said there was no sense of celebration.
2) Meredith Kercher's relatives made their first comments since a jury in Perugia, Italy, announced early Saturday that they had convicted Knox and sentenced her to 26 years in prison for the 2007 murder.
3) The court also convicted Knox's co-defendant and former boyfriend, Italian Raffaele Sollecito, and gave him a 25-year jail term. The two reportedly both were under suicide watch in separate prisons.
4) "Ultimately we are pleased with the decision, pleased that we've got a decision, but it's not a time for celebration," Lyle Kercher, the victim's brother, said.
5) Kercher's sister, Stephanie, said the verdict "does bring a a little bit of justice, for us and for her." But she added: "Life will never be the same without Mez."
6) Kercher, 21, was Knox's roommate while they studied in Perugia.
7) Her body was found in a pool of blood with her throat slit on Nov. 2, 2007, at the apartment they shared. Prosecutors said the Leeds University student was murdered the previous night.
8) After a yearlong trial and some 13 hours of deliberations, the jury read out the verdict in a packed courtroom shortly after midnight. Knox burst into tears and murmured "No, no," clinging to one of her lawyers.
9) Minutes later, the 22-year-old from Seattle was put in a police van with sirens blaring and driven back to her jail just outside Perugia.
10) She spent her first night in jail as a convicted woman under suicide watch, the ANSA news agency and other reports said. Sollecito, also kept under suicide watch -- which is common in such cases -- received the visit of one of his lawyers, ANSA said.
11) In Italy verdicts can be appealed by both sides. The prosecutors said they were satisfied with the ruling and would not seek to appeal, even though the court did not grant their request for life imprisonment. Prosecutor Manuela Comodi said that the verdict "recognizes the defendants are guilty of all the crimes they had been charged with."
12) Both the Knox family and lawyers for Sollecito have announced an appeal.
13) The American's father, Curt Knox, asked shortly after the verdict if he would fight on for his daughter, replied, with tears in his eyes: "Hell, yes."
14) Throughout the trial, prosecutors depicted Knox as a promiscuous and manipulative she-devil whose personality clashed with her roommate's. They say Knox had grown to hate Kercher.
15) "It appears clear to us that the attacks on Amanda's character in much of the media and by the prosecution had a significant impact on the judges and jurors and apparently overshadowed the lack of evidence in the prosecution's case against her," the Knox family said in a statement.
16) In Seattle, Madison Paxton, Knox's friend from the University of Washington, said: "They're convicting a made-up person ... "They they're convicting 'Foxy Knoxy.' That's not Amanda."
17) Prosecutors argued that on the night of the murder, Knox and Kercher started arguing, and that Knox joined Sollecito and Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede in brutally attacking and sexually assaulting the Briton under "the fumes of drugs and possibly alcohol."
18) Guede was convicted previously and sentenced to 30 years. He denies wrongdoing and is appealing.
19) Knox said Kercher was a friend whose slaying shocked and saddened her.
20) Defense lawyers maintained there was not enough evidence for a conviction and no clear motive. They disputed DNA traces that the prosecution linked to Knox and Sollecito as inconclusive, and in some cases said the evidence had been inadvertently contaminated.
21) The pair also was convicted of illegally carrying a weapon -- the knife -- and of staging a burglary at the house where the murder occurred by breaking a window, supposedly in an effort to sidetrack the investigation.
22) Knox also was convicted of defaming Congolese man, Patrick Diya Lumumba, whom she accused of the killing. Lumumba was jailed briefly but was later cleared. Knox said during the trial that police pressure led her to initially accuse an innocent man.
Victim ' s family: ' pleased ' with Knox conviction
(APW_ENG_20091205.0409)
1) The murder conviction of American student Amanda Knox brings a measure of justice for her slain roommate Meredith Kercher but is no cause for celebration, Kercher's family said Saturday.
2) In their first comments since Knox was convicted late Friday, the victim's relatives said that they are pleased with the 26-year sentence but it doesn't ease their pain.
3) "Meredith still leaves a big hole in our lives and her presence is missed everytime we meet up as a family," John Kercher Jr., one of her brothers, told a press conference.
4) The court also convicted Knox's co-defendant and former boyfriend, Italian Raffaele Sollecito, and gave him a 25-year jail term for the 2007 murder.
5) Knox spent her first night in jail as a convicted woman under strict surveillance, her defense lawyer Luciano Ghirga said. He denied reports that she had been put under suicide watch.
6) Ghirga, who spent an hour with Knox on Saturday morning, said she was "tired and disappointed."
7) "She couldn't sleep all night, she was comforted by other inmates and police officials," the lawyer said. "She's worried for her parents, too, but she is keeping the faith needed for the next steps."
8) Later, the woman's father, Curt Knox, also arrived at the Capanne prison to visit his daughter.
9) Both families had come to this central Italian town for the verdict.
10) "Ultimately we are pleased with the decision, pleased that we've got a decision, but it's not a time for celebration," brother Lyle Kercher said.
11) Kercher's sister, Stephanie, said the verdict "does bring a little bit of justice, for us and for her." But she added: "Life will never be the same without Mez."
12) Kercher, 21, was Knox's roommate while they studied in Perugia.
13) Her body was found in a pool of blood with her throat slit on Nov. 2, 2007, at the apartment they shared. Prosecutors said the Leeds University student was murdered the previous night.
14) After a yearlong trial and some 13 hours of deliberations, the jury read out the verdict in a packed, tension-filled courtroom. Knox burst into tears and murmured "No, no," clinging to one of her lawyers.
15) Minutes later, the 22-year-old from Seattle was put in a police van with sirens blaring and driven back to her jail just outside Perugia.
16) In Italy verdicts can be appealed by either side. Both the Knox family and lawyers for Sollecito have announced an appeal, which could take months to begin.
17) Curt Knox, asked shortly after the verdict if he would fight on for his daughter, replied, with tears in his eyes: "Hell, yes."
18) The prosecutors said they were satisfied with the ruling and would not seek to appeal, even though the court did not grant their request for life imprisonment. Prosecutor Manuela Comodi said that the verdict "recognizes the defendants are guilty of all the crimes they had been charged with."
19) As part of the verdict, Kercher's parents were awarded (EURO)1 million ($1.5 million) each in compensation, while (EURO)800,000 ($1,200,440) were granted to Kercher's two brothers and sister each, said the family's lawyer, Francesco Maresca. He said this was only an initial sum. Maresca asked for a total of (EURO)25 million ($38 million) from Knox, Sollecito and Guede, and he said this request would be discussed in a separate civil proceedings.
20) Kercher's family, however, stressed that they were not expecting to receive any money, but the high compensation was a symbol of the gravity of their crimes.
21) Throughout the trial, prosecutors depicted Knox as a promiscuous and manipulative she-devil whose personality clashed with her roommate's. They say Knox had grown to hate Kercher.
22) "It appears clear to us that the attacks on Amanda's character in much of the media and by the prosecution had a significant impact on the judges and jurors and apparently overshadowed the lack of evidence in the prosecution's case against her," the Knox family said in a statement.
23) In Seattle, Madison Paxton, Knox's friend from the University of Washington, said: "They're convicting a made-up person ... "They they're convicting 'Foxy Knoxy.' That's not Amanda."
24) Prosecutors argued that on the night of the murder, Knox and Kercher started arguing, and that Knox joined Sollecito and Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede in brutally attacking and sexually assaulting the Briton under "the fumes of drugs and possibly alcohol."
25) Guede was convicted previously and sentenced to 30 years. He denies wrongdoing and is appealing.
26) Knox said Kercher was a friend whose slaying shocked and saddened her.
27) Defense lawyers maintained there was not enough evidence for a conviction and no clear motive.
28) The pair also was convicted of illegally carrying a weapon -- the knife -- and of staging a burglary at the house where the murder occurred by breaking a window, supposedly in an effort to sidetrack the investigation.
29) Knox also was convicted of defaming a Congolese man whom she initially accused of the killing. He was jailed briefly but was later cleared. Knox said during the trial that police pressure led her to initially accuse an innocent man.
Victim ' s family: ' pleased ' with Knox conviction
(APW_ENG_20091205.0410)
1) The murder conviction of American student Amanda Knox brings a measure of justice for her slain roommate Meredith Kercher but is no cause for celebration, Kercher's family said Saturday.
2) In their first comments since Knox was convicted late Friday, the victim's relatives said that they are pleased with the 26-year sentence but it doesn't ease their pain.
3) "Meredith still leaves a big hole in our lives and her presence is missed everytime we meet up as a family," John Kercher Jr., one of her brothers, told a press conference.
4) The court also convicted Knox's co-defendant and former boyfriend, Italian Raffaele Sollecito, and gave him a 25-year jail term for the 2007 murder.
5) Knox spent her first night in jail as a convicted woman under strict surveillance, her defense lawyer Luciano Ghirga said. He denied reports that she had been put under suicide watch.
6) Ghirga, who spent an hour with Knox on Saturday morning, said she was "tired and disappointed."
7) "She couldn't sleep all night, she was comforted by other inmates and police officials," the lawyer said. "She's worried for her parents, too, but she is keeping the faith needed for the next steps."
8) Later, the woman's father, Curt Knox, also arrived at the Capanne prison to visit his daughter.
9) Both families had come to this central Italian town for the verdict.
10) "Ultimately we are pleased with the decision, pleased that we've got a decision, but it's not a time for celebration," brother Lyle Kercher said.
11) Kercher's sister, Stephanie, said the verdict "does bring a little bit of justice, for us and for her." But she added: "Life will never be the same without Mez."
12) Kercher, 21, was Knox's roommate while they studied in Perugia.
13) Her body was found in a pool of blood with her throat slit on Nov. 2, 2007, at the apartment they shared. Prosecutors said the Leeds University student was murdered the previous night.
14) After a yearlong trial and some 13 hours of deliberations, the jury read out the verdict in a packed, tension-filled courtroom. Knox burst into tears and murmured "No, no," clinging to one of her lawyers.
15) Minutes later, the 22-year-old from Seattle was put in a police van with sirens blaring and driven back to her jail just outside Perugia.
16) In Italy verdicts can be appealed by either side. Both the Knox family and lawyers for Sollecito have announced an appeal, which could take months to begin.
17) Curt Knox, asked shortly after the verdict if he would fight on for his daughter, replied, with tears in his eyes: "Hell, yes."
18) The prosecutors said they were satisfied with the ruling and would not seek to appeal, even though the court did not grant their request for life imprisonment. Prosecutor Manuela Comodi said that the verdict "recognizes the defendants are guilty of all the crimes they had been charged with."
19) As part of the verdict, Kercher's parents were awarded euro1 million ($1.5 million) each in compensation, while euro800,000 ($1,200,440) were granted to Kercher's two brothers and sister each, said the family's lawyer, Francesco Maresca. He said this was only an initial sum. Maresca asked for a total of euro25 million ($38 million) from Knox, Sollecito and Guede, and he said this request would be discussed in a separate civil proceedings.
20) Kercher's family, however, stressed that they were not expecting to receive any money, but the high compensation was a symbol of the gravity of their crimes.
21) Throughout the trial, prosecutors depicted Knox as a promiscuous and manipulative she-devil whose personality clashed with her roommate's. They say Knox had grown to hate Kercher.
22) "It appears clear to us that the attacks on Amanda's character in much of the media and by the prosecution had a significant impact on the judges and jurors and apparently overshadowed the lack of evidence in the prosecution's case against her," the Knox family said in a statement.
23) In Seattle, Madison Paxton, Knox's friend from the University of Washington, said: "They're convicting a made-up person ... "They they're convicting 'Foxy Knoxy.' That's not Amanda."
24) Prosecutors argued that on the night of the murder, Knox and Kercher started arguing, and that Knox joined Sollecito and Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede in brutally attacking and sexually assaulting the Briton under "the fumes of drugs and possibly alcohol."
25) Guede was convicted previously and sentenced to 30 years. He denies wrongdoing and is appealing.
26) Knox said Kercher was a friend whose slaying shocked and saddened her.
27) Defense lawyers maintained there was not enough evidence for a conviction and no clear motive.
28) The pair also was convicted of illegally carrying a weapon -- the knife -- and of staging a burglary at the house where the murder occurred by breaking a window, supposedly in an effort to sidetrack the investigation.
29) Knox also was convicted of defaming a Congolese man whom she initially accused of the killing. He was jailed briefly but was later cleared. Knox said during the trial that police pressure led her to initially accuse an innocent man.
Knox upset, tired; gets family visit in prison
(APW_ENG_20091205.0476)
1) Amanda Knox sought comfort from visiting family members Saturday on her first day in prison since being convicted of murdering her British roommate.
2) The family of victim Meredith Kercher said the verdict brought a measure of justice. However, they said, it was not a time to celebrate.
3) Knox, a college student from Seattle, was tired and upset following the midnight verdict and sentence of 26 years in prison, according to family members and a lawyer who saw her.
4) "Amanda like the rest is extremely disappointed, upset about the decision," Knox's mother, Edda Mellas, said after the visit to the prison just outside Perugia. "We told her that she's gonna get out of here. It's gonna take a little longer."
5) Knox and Kercher's families came to this central Italian town for the verdict, which was announced at around midnight after 13 hours of deliberations. The court also convicted Knox's co-defendant and former boyfriend, Italian Raffaele Sollecito, and gave him a 25-year jail term for the murder.
6) Knox and Sollecito are appealing the verdicts.
7) "She couldn't sleep all night," said lawyer Luciano Ghirga, who spent an hour with Knox at her jail just outside Perugia on Saturday morning. "She's worried for her parents, too, but she is keeping the faith needed for the next steps."
8) Ghirga said Knox was kept under strict surveillance. He denied reports that she had been put under suicide watch, which is the standard practice in such cases.
9) Kercher, 21, was Knox's roommate while they studied in Perugia.
10) Her body was found in a pool of blood with her throat slit on Nov. 2, 2007, at the apartment they shared. Prosecutors said the Leeds University student was murdered the previous night.
11) "Meredith still leaves a big hole in our lives and her presence is missed every time we meet up as a family," John Kercher Jr., one of her brothers, told a press conference in Perugia.
12) Kercher's sister, Stephanie, said the verdict "does bring a little bit of justice, for us and for her." But she added: "Life will never be the same without Mez."
13) The prosecutors said they were satisfied with the ruling and would not seek to appeal, even though the court did not grant their request for life imprisonment. Prosecutor Manuela Comodi said that the verdict "recognizes the defendants are guilty of all the crimes they had been charged with."
14) In an interview with ABC News in the hours that followed the verdict, Curt Knox said he was "stunned."
15) "I just looked at them; I looked at the jurors," he told ABC. He then said he thought to himself: "'How could you even do this with what was presented in the court of law?'"
16) Knox's families and her supporters have long sought to cast doubt on the Italian justice system, contending the prosecution's case largely rested on character assassination.
17) The prosecutors say on the night of the murder, Nov. 1, 2007, Knox and Sollecito met at the apartment where Kercher and Knox lived. They say a fourth person was there, Rudy Hermann Guede, an Ivory Coast citizen who has been convicted in the murder and sentenced to 30 years in prison. Guede, who is appealing his conviction, says he was in the house the night of the murder but did not kill Kercher.
18) The prosecution says Knox and Kercher started arguing and the three brutally attacked and sexually assaulted the Briton. They were acting, according to the prosecution, under "the fumes of drugs and possibly alcohol."
19) They presented DNA evidence they said was linked to Knox and Sollecito, though these claims were disputed by the defense.
20) "You have to agree with the verdict. You have to go with the evidence, there's nothing else," Arline Kercher, the victim's mother, said of the verdict.
21) As part of the ruling, Kercher's parents were awarded (EURO)1 million ($1.5 million) each in compensation, while (EURO)800,000 ($1,200,440) were granted to Kercher's two brothers and sister each, said the family's lawyer, Francesco Maresca. He said this was only an initial sum. Maresca asked for a total of (EURO)25 million ($38 million) from Knox, Sollecito and Guede, and he said this request would be discussed in a separate civil proceedings.
22) Kercher's family, however, stressed that they were not expecting to receive any money, but the high compensation was a symbol of the gravity of their crimes.
23) The pair also was convicted of illegally carrying a weapon -- the knife -- and of staging a burglary at the house where the murder occurred by breaking a window, supposedly in an effort to sidetrack the investigation.
24) Knox also was convicted of defaming a Congolese man whom she initially accused of the killing. He was jailed briefly but was later cleared. Knox said during the trial that police pressure led her to initially accuse an innocent man.
Knox upset, tired; gets family visit in prison
(APW_ENG_20091205.0477)
1) Amanda Knox sought comfort from visiting family members Saturday on her first day in prison since being convicted of murdering her British roommate.
2) The family of victim Meredith Kercher said the verdict brought a measure of justice. However, they said, it was not a time to celebrate.
3) Knox, a college student from Seattle, was tired and upset following the midnight verdict and sentence of 26 years in prison, according to family members and a lawyer who saw her.
4) "Amanda like the rest is extremely disappointed, upset about the decision," Knox's mother, Edda Mellas, said after the visit to the prison just outside Perugia. "We told her that she's gonna get out of here. It's gonna take a little longer."
5) Knox and Kercher's families came to this central Italian town for the verdict, which was announced at around midnight after 13 hours of deliberations. The court also convicted Knox's co-defendant and former boyfriend, Italian Raffaele Sollecito, and gave him a 25-year jail term for the murder.
6) Knox and Sollecito are appealing the verdicts.
7) "She couldn't sleep all night," said lawyer Luciano Ghirga, who spent an hour with Knox at her jail just outside Perugia on Saturday morning. "She's worried for her parents, too, but she is keeping the faith needed for the next steps."
8) Ghirga said Knox was kept under strict surveillance. He denied reports that she had been put under suicide watch, which is the standard practice in such cases.
9) Kercher, 21, was Knox's roommate while they studied in Perugia.
10) Her body was found in a pool of blood with her throat slit on Nov. 2, 2007, at the apartment they shared. Prosecutors said the Leeds University student was murdered the previous night.
11) "Meredith still leaves a big hole in our lives and her presence is missed every time we meet up as a family," John Kercher Jr., one of her brothers, told a press conference in Perugia.
12) Kercher's sister, Stephanie, said the verdict "does bring a little bit of justice, for us and for her." But she added: "Life will never be the same without Mez."
13) The prosecutors said they were satisfied with the ruling and would not seek to appeal, even though the court did not grant their request for life imprisonment. Prosecutor Manuela Comodi said that the verdict "recognizes the defendants are guilty of all the crimes they had been charged with."
14) In an interview with ABC News in the hours that followed the verdict, Curt Knox said he was "stunned."
15) "I just looked at them; I looked at the jurors," he told ABC. He then said he thought to himself: "'How could you even do this with what was presented in the court of law?'"
16) Knox's families and her supporters have long sought to cast doubt on the Italian justice system, contending the prosecution's case largely rested on character assassination.
17) The prosecutors say on the night of the murder, Nov. 1, 2007, Knox and Sollecito met at the apartment where Kercher and Knox lived. They say a fourth person was there, Rudy Hermann Guede, an Ivory Coast citizen who has been convicted in the murder and sentenced to 30 years in prison. Guede, who is appealing his conviction, says he was in the house the night of the murder but did not kill Kercher.
18) The prosecution says Knox and Kercher started arguing and the three brutally attacked and sexually assaulted the Briton. They were acting, according to the prosecution, under "the fumes of drugs and possibly alcohol."
19) They presented DNA evidence they said was linked to Knox and Sollecito, though these claims were disputed by the defense.
20) "You have to agree with the verdict. You have to go with the evidence, there's nothing else," Arline Kercher, the victim's mother, said of the verdict.
21) As part of the ruling, Kercher's parents were awarded euro1 million ($1.5 million) each in compensation, while euro800,000 ($1,200,440) were granted to Kercher's two brothers and sister each, said the family's lawyer, Francesco Maresca. He said this was only an initial sum. Maresca asked for a total of euro25 million ($38 million) from Knox, Sollecito and Guede, and he said this request would be discussed in a separate civil proceedings.
22) Kercher's family, however, stressed that they were not expecting to receive any money, but the high compensation was a symbol of the gravity of their crimes.
23) The pair also was convicted of illegally carrying a weapon -- the knife -- and of staging a burglary at the house where the murder occurred by breaking a window, supposedly in an effort to sidetrack the investigation.
24) Knox also was convicted of defaming a Congolese man whom she initially accused of the killing. He was jailed briefly but was later cleared. Knox said during the trial that police pressure led her to initially accuse an innocent man.
2009-12-06
Knox upset, tired; gets family visit in prison
(APW_ENG_20091206.0007)
1) Amanda Knox sought comfort from visiting family members on her first day in prison since being convicted of murdering her British roommate.
2) The family of victim Meredith Kercher said Saturday the verdict brought a measure of justice. However, they said, it was not a time to celebrate.
3) Knox, a college student from Seattle, was tired and upset following the midnight verdict and sentence of 26 years in prison, according to family members and a lawyer who saw her.
4) "Amanda like the rest is extremely disappointed, upset about the decision," Knox's mother, Edda Mellas, said after the visit to the prison just outside Perugia. "We told her that she's gonna get out of here. It's gonna take a little longer."
5) Knox and Kercher's families came to this central Italian town for the verdict, which was announced at around midnight after 13 hours of deliberations. The court also convicted Knox's co-defendant and former boyfriend, Italian Raffaele Sollecito, and gave him a 25-year jail term for the murder.
6) Knox and Sollecito are appealing the verdicts.
7) "She couldn't sleep all night," said lawyer Luciano Ghirga, who spent an hour with Knox at her jail just outside Perugia on Saturday morning. "She's worried for her parents, too, but she is keeping the faith needed for the next steps."
8) Ghirga said Knox was kept under strict surveillance. He denied reports that she had been put under suicide watch, which is the standard practice in such cases.
9) Kercher, 21, was Knox's roommate while they studied in Perugia.
10) Her body was found in a pool of blood with her throat slit on Nov. 2, 2007, at the apartment they shared. Prosecutors said the Leeds University student was murdered the previous night.
11) "Meredith still leaves a big hole in our lives and her presence is missed every time we meet up as a family," John Kercher Jr., one of her brothers, told a press conference in Perugia.
12) Kercher's sister, Stephanie, said the verdict "does bring a little bit of justice, for us and for her." But she added: "Life will never be the same without Mez."
13) The prosecutors said they were satisfied with the ruling and would not seek to appeal, even though the court did not grant their request for life imprisonment. Prosecutor Manuela Comodi said that the verdict "recognizes the defendants are guilty of all the crimes they had been charged with."
14) In an interview with ABC News in the hours that followed the verdict, Curt Knox said he was "stunned."
15) "I just looked at them; I looked at the jurors," he told ABC. He then said he thought to himself: "'How could you even do this with what was presented in the court of law?'"
16) Knox's families and her supporters have long sought to cast doubt on the Italian justice system, contending the prosecution's case largely rested on character assassination.
17) The prosecutors say on the night of the murder, Nov. 1, 2007, Knox and Sollecito met at the apartment where Kercher and Knox lived. They say a fourth person was there, Rudy Hermann Guede, an Ivory Coast citizen who has been convicted in the murder and sentenced to 30 years in prison. Guede, who is appealing his conviction, says he was in the house the night of the murder but did not kill Kercher.
18) The prosecution says Knox and Kercher started arguing and the three brutally attacked and sexually assaulted the Briton. They were acting, according to the prosecution, under "the fumes of drugs and possibly alcohol."
19) They presented DNA evidence they said was linked to Knox and Sollecito, though these claims were disputed by the defense.
20) "You have to agree with the verdict. You have to go with the evidence, there's nothing else," Arline Kercher, the victim's mother, said of the verdict.
21) As part of the ruling, Kercher's parents were awarded (EURO)1 million ($1.5 million) each in compensation, while (EURO)800,000 ($1,200,440) were granted to Kercher's two brothers and sister each, said the family's lawyer, Francesco Maresca. He said this was only an initial sum. Maresca asked for a total of (EURO)25 million ($38 million) from Knox, Sollecito and Guede, and he said this request would be discussed in a separate civil proceedings.
22) Kercher's family, however, stressed that they were not expecting to receive any money, but the high compensation was a symbol of the gravity of their crimes.
23) The pair also was convicted of illegally carrying a weapon -- the knife -- and of staging a burglary at the house where the murder occurred by breaking a window, supposedly in an effort to sidetrack the investigation.
24) Knox also was convicted of defaming a Congolese man whom she initially accused of the killing. He was jailed briefly but was later cleared. Knox said during the trial that police pressure led her to initially accuse an innocent man.
Knox upset, tired; gets family visit in prison
(APW_ENG_20091206.0008)
1) Amanda Knox sought comfort from visiting family members on her first day in prison since being convicted of murdering her British roommate.
2) The family of victim Meredith Kercher said Saturday the verdict brought a measure of justice. However, they said, it was not a time to celebrate.
3) Knox, a college student from Seattle, was tired and upset following the midnight verdict and sentence of 26 years in prison, according to family members and a lawyer who saw her.
4) "Amanda like the rest is extremely disappointed, upset about the decision," Knox's mother, Edda Mellas, said after the visit to the prison just outside Perugia. "We told her that she's gonna get out of here. It's gonna take a little longer."
5) Knox and Kercher's families came to this central Italian town for the verdict, which was announced at around midnight after 13 hours of deliberations. The court also convicted Knox's co-defendant and former boyfriend, Italian Raffaele Sollecito, and gave him a 25-year jail term for the murder.
6) Knox and Sollecito are appealing the verdicts.
7) "She couldn't sleep all night," said lawyer Luciano Ghirga, who spent an hour with Knox at her jail just outside Perugia on Saturday morning. "She's worried for her parents, too, but she is keeping the faith needed for the next steps."
8) Ghirga said Knox was kept under strict surveillance. He denied reports that she had been put under suicide watch, which is the standard practice in such cases.
9) Kercher, 21, was Knox's roommate while they studied in Perugia.
10) Her body was found in a pool of blood with her throat slit on Nov. 2, 2007, at the apartment they shared. Prosecutors said the Leeds University student was murdered the previous night.
11) "Meredith still leaves a big hole in our lives and her presence is missed every time we meet up as a family," John Kercher Jr., one of her brothers, told a press conference in Perugia.
12) Kercher's sister, Stephanie, said the verdict "does bring a little bit of justice, for us and for her." But she added: "Life will never be the same without Mez."
13) The prosecutors said they were satisfied with the ruling and would not seek to appeal, even though the court did not grant their request for life imprisonment. Prosecutor Manuela Comodi said that the verdict "recognizes the defendants are guilty of all the crimes they had been charged with."
14) In an interview with ABC News in the hours that followed the verdict, Curt Knox said he was "stunned."
15) "I just looked at them; I looked at the jurors," he told ABC. He then said he thought to himself: "'How could you even do this with what was presented in the court of law?'"
16) Knox's families and her supporters have long sought to cast doubt on the Italian justice system, contending the prosecution's case largely rested on character assassination.
17) The prosecutors say on the night of the murder, Nov. 1, 2007, Knox and Sollecito met at the apartment where Kercher and Knox lived. They say a fourth person was there, Rudy Hermann Guede, an Ivory Coast citizen who has been convicted in the murder and sentenced to 30 years in prison. Guede, who is appealing his conviction, says he was in the house the night of the murder but did not kill Kercher.
18) The prosecution says Knox and Kercher started arguing and the three brutally attacked and sexually assaulted the Briton. They were acting, according to the prosecution, under "the fumes of drugs and possibly alcohol."
19) They presented DNA evidence they said was linked to Knox and Sollecito, though these claims were disputed by the defense.
20) "You have to agree with the verdict. You have to go with the evidence, there's nothing else," Arline Kercher, the victim's mother, said of the verdict.
21) As part of the ruling, Kercher's parents were awarded euro1 million ($1.5 million) each in compensation, while euro800,000 ($1,200,440) were granted to Kercher's two brothers and sister each, said the family's lawyer, Francesco Maresca. He said this was only an initial sum. Maresca asked for a total of euro25 million ($38 million) from Knox, Sollecito and Guede, and he said this request would be discussed in a separate civil proceedings.
22) Kercher's family, however, stressed that they were not expecting to receive any money, but the high compensation was a symbol of the gravity of their crimes.
23) The pair also was convicted of illegally carrying a weapon -- the knife -- and of staging a burglary at the house where the murder occurred by breaking a window, supposedly in an effort to sidetrack the investigation.
24) Knox also was convicted of defaming a Congolese man whom she initially accused of the killing. He was jailed briefly but was later cleared. Knox said during the trial that police pressure led her to initially accuse an innocent man.
2009-12-07
Italy: No issues with US over Knox verdict
(APW_ENG_20091207.0616)
1) The murder conviction of U.S. student Amanda Knox in an Italian court has angered many Americans, amid suggestions that the verdict was tainted by anti-American sentiments and negligence by investigators. It has even stirred fears of possible diplomatic repercussions between the two allied nations.
2) After a tense weekend, the top Italian diplomat sought Monday to quell any speculation of a full-blown crisis, saying that no criticism had come from the U.S. secretary of state.
3) "Who criticized?" said Franco Frattini, answering to reporters in Brussels. "Certainly not Hillary Clinton. Let's not create confusion."
4) Clinton herself, speaking Sunday, said she had not looked into the case but would meet with anybody who had concerns. She said she had not expressed concerns to the Italian government.
5) Knox was convicted over the weekend of sexually assaulting and murdering her British roommate, Meredith Kercher, and sentenced to 26 years in jail.
6) Her co-defendant in the trial and former boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito of Italy, was found guilty of the same charges and sentenced to 25 years in prison. All were studying in Perugia at the time of the 2007 slaying.
7) Knox and Sollecito have already been kept behind bars since shortly after the killing. They have maintained their innocence and plan to appeal.
8) The jury in Perugia has not issued the motivations and rationale for their ruling, but must do so within the next 90 days.
9) The verdict shocked the Knox family and other supporters of the 22-year-old from Seattle. They said evidence was scant and blamed the decision largely on the prosecutors' character assassination of Knox.
10) Sen. Maria Cantwell, a Democrat from Washington state, said in a statement that she had "serious questions about the Italian justice system and whether anti-Americanism tainted this trial." She didn't mention that Knox's co-defendant was an Italian.
11) She said that "other flaws in the Italian justice system on display in this case" included negligent handling of evidence and harsh treatment of Knox after her arrest, a charge the Italian police have denied.
12) Many noted that the jury, two judges and six civilians, had not been sequestered during the yearlong trial, and could therefore be influenced by any unfavorable coverage of the woman.
13) Media coverage of the case has been intense since Kercher's body was found in a pool of blood on Nov. 2, 2007, in the apartment she shared with Knox.
14) Saturday's verdict was delivered in the middle of the night in a packed, tension-filled courtroom, with hundreds of cameras and photographers assembled outside the tribunal.
15) Knox has alternately been depicted as a cold-blooded she-devil or as a clean-faced innocent foreigner who fell victim of a poor justice system. Back in the United States, the coverage has been largely favorable to the American and critical of the Italian handling of the case.
16) Lawyers say that misunderstandings were at least partially due to differences between the U.S. and Italian justice systems.
17) For example, the Italian system gives the presiding judge a great deal of discretion over the use of circumstantial evidence, said a criminal lawyer, Manrico Collaza. But he noted that allowing the next level of appeal, as Italy does, to deal with the facts of the case -- and not be limited to issues of law -- acts as balance.
18) "Many defendants have been saved by it," Collaza said.
19) Massimo Consolini, an expert on international law, pointed out that criticism of the Italian judicial system has centered on the length of trials that has led to many cases of charges being dropped because of a statute of limitations.
20) "It's not that one doesn't get a fair trial," he said. It's about "how long it takes to get justice."
21) He said "the prospects are good" for Knox to win a change on appeal.
22) However, it will be months before the appeals can open, and even longer to complete. Depending on when that happens, Knox and Sollecito will have spent possibly around three years in jail by then. (Sollecito was moved to a new prison in Terni on Monday, said one of his attorneys, Luca Maori.)
23) Some in Italy were annoyed by criticism in the U.S. media and fired back.
24) Corriere della Sera, the country's leading newspaper, noted Monday that in America, "the passport is more important than an alibi."
25) "The (U.S.) administration cannot close Guantanamo, yet it finds the time to think about Perugia," the newspaper said.
26) Other cases in the past have stirred tension between the two countries, including the 2005 shooting death of an Italian intelligence officer in Iraq at the hands of a U.S. soldier.
27) In 1998, after a U.S. Marine jet sliced a ski gondola's cables in northern Italy killing 20 people, a U.S. military jury acquitted the pilot of manslaughter. (The pilot was later sentenced to six months in jail and was dismissed from the Marines for helping to destroy a videotape of the flight.)
28) More recently, an Italian court convicted in absentia 23 Americans -- most of them CIA agents -- on charges of kidnapping an Egyptian terror suspect.
Italy: No issues with US over Knox verdict
(APW_ENG_20091207.0679)
1) The murder conviction of U.S. student Amanda Knox has not damaged U.S.-Italian relations, despite suggestions the verdict was tainted by anti-American sentiment and negligence by investigators, a top Italian diplomat said Monday.
2) After a tense weekend, the diplomat sought to quell any speculation of a full-blown crisis, saying that no criticism had come from the U.S. secretary of state.
3) "Who criticized?" said Franco Frattini, answering to reporters in Brussels. "Certainly not Hillary Clinton. Let's not create confusion."
4) Clinton herself, speaking Sunday, said she had not looked into the case but would meet with anybody who had concerns. She said she had not expressed concerns to the Italian government.
5) Knox was convicted over the weekend of sexually assaulting and murdering her British roommate, Meredith Kercher, and sentenced to 26 years in jail.
6) Her co-defendant in the trial and former boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito of Italy, was found guilty of the same charges and sentenced to 25 years in prison. All were studying in Perugia at the time of the 2007 slaying.
7) Knox and Sollecito have already been kept behind bars since shortly after the killing. They have maintained their innocence and plan to appeal.
8) The jury in Perugia has not issued the motivations and rationale for their ruling, but must do so within the next 90 days.
9) The verdict shocked the Knox family and other supporters of the 22-year-old from Seattle. They said evidence was scant and blamed the decision largely on the prosecutors' character assassination of Knox.
10) Sen. Maria Cantwell, a Democrat from Washington state, said in a statement that she had "serious questions about the Italian justice system and whether anti-Americanism tainted this trial." She didn't mention that Knox's co-defendant was an Italian.
11) She said that "other flaws in the Italian justice system on display in this case" included negligent handling of evidence and harsh treatment of Knox after her arrest, a charge the Italian police have denied.
12) Many noted that the jury, two judges and six civilians, had not been sequestered during the yearlong trial, and could therefore be influenced by any unfavorable coverage of the woman.
13) Media coverage of the case has been intense since Kercher's body was found in a pool of blood on Nov. 2, 2007, in the apartment she shared with Knox.
14) Saturday's verdict was delivered in the middle of the night in a packed, tension-filled courtroom, with hundreds of cameras and photographers assembled outside the tribunal.
15) Knox has alternately been depicted as a cold-blooded she-devil or as a clean-faced innocent foreigner who fell victim of a poor justice system. Back in the United States, the coverage has been largely favorable to the American and critical of the Italian handling of the case.
16) Lawyers say that misunderstandings were at least partially due to differences between the U.S. and Italian justice systems.
17) For example, the Italian system gives the presiding judge a great deal of discretion over the use of circumstantial evidence, said a criminal lawyer, Manrico Collaza. But he noted that allowing the next level of appeal, as Italy does, to deal with the facts of the case -- and not be limited to issues of law -- acts as balance.
18) "Many defendants have been saved by it," Collaza said.
19) Massimo Consolini, an expert on international law, pointed out that criticism of the Italian judicial system has centered on the length of trials that has led to many cases of charges being dropped because of a statute of limitations.
20) "It's not that one doesn't get a fair trial," he said. It's about "how long it takes to get justice."
21) He said "the prospects are good" for Knox to win a change on appeal.
22) However, it will be months before the appeals can open, and even longer to complete. Depending on when that happens, Knox and Sollecito will have spent possibly around three years in jail by then. (Sollecito was moved to a new prison in Terni on Monday, said one of his attorneys, Luca Maori.)
23) Some in Italy were annoyed by criticism in the U.S. media and fired back.
24) Corriere della Sera, the country's leading newspaper, noted Monday that in America, "the passport is more important than an alibi."
25) "The (U.S.) administration cannot close Guantanamo, yet it finds the time to think about Perugia," the newspaper said.
26) Other cases in the past have stirred tension between the two countries, including the 2005 shooting death of an Italian intelligence officer in Iraq at the hands of a U.S. soldier.
27) In 1998, after a U.S. Marine jet sliced a ski gondola's cables in northern Italy killing 20 people, a U.S. military jury acquitted the pilot of manslaughter. (The pilot was later sentenced to six months in jail and was dismissed from the Marines for helping to destroy a videotape of the flight.)
28) More recently, an Italian court convicted in absentia 23 Americans -- most of them CIA agents -- on charges of kidnapping an Egyptian terror suspect.
Italy: No issues with US over Knox verdict
(APW_ENG_20091207.0886)
1) The murder conviction of U.S. student Amanda Knox has not damaged U.S.-Italian relations, despite suggestions the verdict was tainted by anti-American sentiment and negligence by investigators, a top Italian diplomat said Monday.
2) After a tense weekend, the diplomat sought to quell any speculation of a full-blown crisis, saying that no criticism had come from the U.S. secretary of state.
3) "Who criticized?" said Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini, answering to reporters in Brussels. "Certainly not Hillary Clinton. Let's not create confusion."
4) Clinton herself, speaking Sunday, said she had not looked into the case but would meet with anybody who had concerns. She said she had not expressed concerns to the Italian government.
5) Knox was convicted over the weekend of sexually assaulting and murdering her British roommate, Meredith Kercher, and sentenced to 26 years in jail.
6) Her co-defendant in the trial and former boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito of Italy, was found guilty of the same charges and sentenced to 25 years in prison. All were studying in Perugia at the time of the 2007 slaying.
7) Knox and Sollecito have already been kept behind bars since shortly after the killing. They have maintained their innocence and plan to appeal.
8) The jury in Perugia has not issued the motivations and rationale for their ruling, but must do so within the next 90 days.
9) The verdict shocked the Knox family and other supporters of the 22-year-old from Seattle. They said evidence was scant and blamed the decision largely on the prosecutors' character assassination of Knox.
10) Sen. Maria Cantwell, a Democrat from Washington state, said in a statement that she had "serious questions about the Italian justice system and whether anti-Americanism tainted this trial." She didn't mention that Knox's co-defendant was an Italian.
11) She said that "other flaws in the Italian justice system on display in this case" included negligent handling of evidence and harsh treatment of Knox after her arrest, a charge the Italian police have denied.
12) Many noted that the jury, two judges and six civilians, had not been sequestered during the yearlong trial, and could therefore be influenced by any unfavorable coverage of the woman.
13) Media coverage of the case has been intense since Kercher's body was found in a pool of blood on Nov. 2, 2007, in the apartment she shared with Knox.
14) Saturday's verdict was delivered in the middle of the night in a packed, tension-filled courtroom, with hundreds of cameras and photographers assembled outside the tribunal.
15) Knox has alternately been depicted as a cold-blooded "she-devil" or as a clean-faced innocent foreigner who fell victim of a poor justice system. Back in the United States, the coverage has been largely favorable to the American and critical of the Italian handling of the case.
16) Lawyers say that misunderstandings were at least partially due to differences between the U.S. and Italian justice systems.
17) For example, the Italian system gives the presiding judge a great deal of discretion over the use of circumstantial evidence, said a criminal lawyer, Manrico Collaza. But he noted that allowing the next level of appeal, as Italy does, to deal with the facts of the case -- and not be limited to issues of law -- acts as balance.
18) "Many defendants have been saved by it," Collaza said.
19) Massimo Consolini, an expert on international law, pointed out that criticism of the Italian judicial system has centered on the length of trials that has led to many cases of charges being dropped because of a statute of limitations.
20) "It's not that one doesn't get a fair trial," he said. It's about "how long it takes to get justice."
21) He said "the prospects are good" for Knox to win a change on appeal.
22) However, it will be months before the appeals can open, and even longer to complete. Depending on when that happens, Knox and Sollecito will have spent possibly around three years in jail by then. (Sollecito was moved to a new prison in Terni on Monday, said one of his attorneys, Luca Maori.)
23) Knox was "tranquil" when she was visited Monday by some family members, said one of her lawyers, Luciano Ghirga. She has asked for permission to work in the prison laundry, and also intends to continue her education by pursuing correspondence courses with the University of Washington, the lawyer told The Associated Press.
24) Some in Italy were annoyed by criticism in the U.S. media and fired back.
25) Corriere della Sera, the country's leading newspaper, noted Monday that in America, "the passport is more important than an alibi."
26) "The (U.S.) administration cannot close Guantanamo, yet it finds the time to think about Perugia," the newspaper said.
27) Other cases in the past have stirred tension between the two countries, including the 2005 shooting death of an Italian intelligence officer in Iraq at the hands of a U.S. soldier.
28) In 1998, after a U.S. Marine jet sliced a ski gondola's cables in northern Italy killing 20 people, a U.S. military jury acquitted the pilot of manslaughter. (The pilot was later sentenced to six months in jail and was dismissed from the Marines for helping to destroy a videotape of the flight.)
29) More recently, an Italian court convicted in absentia 23 Americans -- most of them CIA agents -- on charges of kidnapping an Egyptian terror suspect.
Italy: No issues with US over Knox verdict
(APW_ENG_20091207.0999)
1) The murder conviction of U.S. student Amanda Knox has not damaged U.S.-Italian relations, despite suggestions the verdict was tainted by anti-American sentiment, a top Italian diplomat said Monday.
2) After a tense weekend, the diplomat sought to quell speculation of a full-blown crisis, saying that no criticism had come from the U.S. secretary of state.
3) "Who criticized?" asked Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini, speaking to reporters in Brussels. "Certainly not Hillary Clinton. Let's not create confusion."
4) Clinton, speaking Sunday, said she had not looked into the case but would meet with anybody who had concerns.
5) In Washington, State Department spokesman Ian C. Kelly said Clinton was interested in the case and intended to speak with Sen. Maria Cantwell, a Democrat from Washington state, who has questioned the fairness of the trial.
6) Asked whether the State Department believed Knox had been treated fairly, Kelly said, "I don't have any indications to the contrary. I do know that our embassy in Rome was very closely involved in this. They visited Amanda Knox. They have monitored the trial."
7) He added: "We are not going to comment too much on an ongoing legal process."
8) Knox was convicted over the weekend of sexually assaulting and murdering her British roommate, Meredith Kercher, and sentenced to 26 years in jail.
9) Her co-defendant and former boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito of Italy, was found guilty of the same charges and sentenced to 25 years in prison. All were studying in Perugia at the time of the 2007 slaying.
10) Knox and Sollecito have been behind bars since shortly after the killing. They have maintained their innocence and plan to appeal.
11) The jury in Perugia must issue the rationale for its ruling within the next 90 days.
12) The verdict shocked the Knox family and other supporters of the 22-year-old from Seattle. They blamed the decision largely on what they called prosecutors' character assassination of Knox.
13) Sen. Cantwell said in a statement that she had "serious questions about the Italian justice system and whether anti-Americanism tainted this trial."
14) She said "other flaws in the Italian justice system on display in this case" included negligent handling of evidence and harsh treatment of Knox after her arrest, a charge Italian police have denied.
15) Many noted that the jury, two judges and six civilians, had not been sequestered during the yearlong trial, and could therefore be influenced by news coverage.
16) Media interest in the case has been intense since Kercher's body was found in a pool of blood Nov. 2, 2007, in the apartment she shared with Knox.
17) Saturday's verdict was delivered in the middle of the night in a packed courtroom, with hundreds of cameras and photographers assembled outside.
18) Knox has alternately been depicted as a cold-blooded "she-devil" or an innocent foreigner who fell victim of a poor justice system. In the United States, the coverage has been largely favorable to the American and critical of the Italian handling of the case.
19) Lawyers say misunderstandings were at least partially due to differences between the U.S. and Italian justice systems.
20) For example, the Italian system gives the presiding judge a great deal of discretion over the use of circumstantial evidence, said a criminal lawyer, Manrico Collaza. But he noted that allowing the next level of appeal, as Italy does, to deal with the facts of the case -- and not be limited to issues of law -- acts as a balance.
21) "Many defendants have been saved by it," Collaza said.
22) Massimo Consolini, an expert on international law, said criticism of the Italian judicial system has centered on the length of trials that has led to many charges being dropped because of a statute of limitations.
23) "It's not that one doesn't get a fair trial," he said. It's about "how long it takes to get justice."
24) He said "the prospects are good" for Knox to win a change on appeal.
25) It will be months before the appeals can begin, and even longer to complete them. Knox and Sollecito might well have spent three years in jail by then. Sollecito was moved to a new prison in Terni on Monday, said one of his attorneys, Luca Maori.
26) Knox was "tranquil" when she was visited Monday by some family members, said one of her lawyers, Luciano Ghirga. She has asked for permission to work in the prison laundry, and also intends to continue her education by pursuing correspondence courses with the University of Washington, the lawyer told The Associated Press.
27) Some in Italy were annoyed by criticism in the U.S. media and fired back.
28) Corriere della Sera, the country's leading newspaper, said Monday that in America, "the passport is more important than an alibi."
29) "The (U.S.) administration cannot close Guantanamo, yet it finds the time to think about Perugia," the newspaper said.
30) Other cases in the past have stirred tension between the two countries, including the 2005 shooting death of an Italian intelligence officer in Iraq at the hands of a U.S. soldier.
31) In 1998, after a U.S. Marine jet sliced a ski gondola's cables in northern Italy killing 20 people, a U.S. military jury acquitted the pilot of manslaughter. (The pilot was later sentenced to six months in jail and was dismissed from the Marines for helping to destroy a videotape of the flight.)
32) More recently, an Italian court convicted in absentia 23 Americans -- most of them CIA agents -- on charges of kidnapping an Egyptian terror suspect.
2009-12-09
Italy: Knox counting on appeal to clear her name
(APW_ENG_20091209.0355)
1) An Italian lawmaker who visited Amanda Knox in prison says the American student is counting on an appeals trial to regain her freedom, two years after she was arrested in the slaying of her British roommate.
2) An Italian jury in Perugia last week convicted Knox of murdering Meredith Kercher in the house they shared in that university town. Knox was sentenced to 26 years in prison.
3) Walter Verini, an opposition lawmaker in the Chamber of Deputies, spoke with Knox Tuesday as part of his monitoring of conditions in Italian prisons.
4) Corriere della Sera on Wednesday quoted Verini as saying Knox told him she still has faith in the Italian justice system, including the appeal her lawyers are preparing.
5) Verini couldn't immediately be reached for comment.
Italy: Knox counting on appeal to clear her name
(APW_ENG_20091209.0516)
1) Amanda Knox is counting on an appeals trial to regain her freedom after a court sentenced her to 26 years in prison for murdering her British roommate, an Italian lawmaker who visited the American student said Wednesday.
2) A jury in Perugia last week convicted Knox of murdering Meredith Kercher in the house they shared in that university town. Knox maintains she did not commit the crime.
3) Walter Verini, an opposition lawmaker in the Chamber of Deputies, spoke with Knox Tuesday as part of his monitoring of conditions in Italian prisons.
4) Verini said in a telephone interview from Perugia that the 22-year-old Knox still has faith in the Italian justice system, including the appeal her lawyers are preparing.
5) "She looked tranquil and confident that her arguments will be heard, sooner or later," Verini said. "Her eyes are the eyes of a young person who just got sentenced to 26 years, but also of someone who has not given up."
6) Verini said he spoke to Knox for only a few minutes as he visited the Capanne prison on the outskirts of Perugia.
7) He said Knox was writing when he arrived and welcomed him "with a kind smile."
8) Books were on Knox's bed in the cell she is sharing with a 53-year-old woman from New Orleans who is serving a four-year sentence for drug dealing, the lawmaker said.
9) Knox has asked for permission to work in the prison laundry, and she seems to have a good relationship with the other inmates, he said.
10) "She is able to socialize and I think she's treated well," Verini said, adding that he was not allowed to discuss details of the legal case with Knox.
11) The yearlong trial attracted intense media interest. After the verdict was announced following 13 hours of deliberations, Knox burst into tears. The jury also convicted Knox's co-defendant and former boyfriend, Italian Raffaele Sollecito, of murder and gave him a 25-year prison sentence.
12) It will be months before an appeals trial can begin.
13) Knox and Sollecito have been jailed since their arrest a few days after the Nov. 1, 2007 slaying of Kercher.
14) Knox has alternately been depicted as a cold-blooded "she-devil" or an innocent foreigner who fell victim of a much-criticized Italian justice system. In the United States, the coverage has been largely favorable to the American and critical of the Italian handling of the case.
15) The U.S. Embassy in Rome and Knox's lawyers said that a meeting with consular officials is scheduled for Friday. Embassy officials and the lawyers declined to say why the meeting was sought.
16) Sen. Maria Cantwell, a Democrat from Knox's home state of Washington, has questioned the fairness of the trial, while U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said she had not looked into the case but would meet with anybody who had concerns.
17) Italy's Foreign Minister Franco Frattini has said Knox's conviction has not damaged U.S.-Italian relations.
2009-12-13
AP visits Knox in jail; she says she ' s ' scared '
(APW_ENG_20091213.0278)
1) Amanda Knox told The Associated Press from her jail cell Sunday that she is scared but hopeful eight days after an Italian court sentenced her to 26 years in prison for the murder of her British roommate.
2) "I am scared because I don't know what is going on," the 22-year-old American student said during a 10-minute visit by two Italian lawmakers, prison officials and a pair of reporters in Capanne prison on the outskirts of Perugia.
3) Know has been jailed for two years since she was arrested a few days after the slaying of Meredith Kercher in the house the two students shared in this Umbrian university town.
4) "I am waiting and always hoping," Knox said, switching from English into Italian for the delegation. "I don't understand many things, but I have to accept them, things that for me don't always seem very fair."
5) Sitting on her bed in the 9-square-meter cell when the visitors arrived, the Washington State woman said "I was feeling horrendous" after the Dec. 5 verdict that she was guilty of murder and sexual assault.
6) "The guards helped me out. They held me all night," she said.
7) Her Italian ex-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, was convicted of the same charges and given a 25-year-sentence. After the verdict, he was transferred to another prison. Both insist they are innocent.
AP visits Knox in jail; she says she ' s ' scared '
(APW_ENG_20091213.0282)
1) Amanda Knox told The Associated Press from her jail cell Sunday that she is scared but hopeful eight days after an Italian court sentenced her to 26 years in prison for the murder of her British roommate.
2) "I am scared because I don't know what is going on," the 22-year-old American student said during a 10-minute visit by two Italian lawmakers, prison officials and a pair of reporters in Capanne prison on the outskirts of Perugia.
3) Knox has been jailed for two years since she was arrested a few days after the slaying of Meredith Kercher in the house the two students shared in this Umbrian university town.
4) "I am waiting and always hoping," Knox said, switching from English into Italian for the delegation. "I don't understand many things, but I have to accept them, things that for me don't always seem very fair."
5) Sitting on her bed in the 9-square-meter cell when the visitors arrived, the Washington State woman said "I was feeling horrendous" after the Dec. 5 verdict that she was guilty of murder and sexual assault.
6) "The guards helped me out. They held me all night," she said.
7) Her Italian ex-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, was convicted of the same charges and given a 25-year-sentence. After the verdict, he was transferred to another prison. Both insist they are innocent.
Amanda Knox tells AP in jail that she ' s scared
(APW_ENG_20091213.0294)
1) Amanda Knox told The Associated Press from her jail cell Sunday that she is scared but hopeful eight days after an Italian court sentenced her to 26 years in prison for the murder of her British roommate.
2) "I am scared because I don't know what is going on," the 22-year-old American student said during a 10-minute visit by two Italian lawmakers, prison officials and a pair of reporters in Capanne prison on the outskirts of Perugia.
3) Knox has been jailed for two years since she was arrested a few days after the slaying of Meredith Kercher in the house the two students shared in this Umbrian university town.
4) "I am waiting and always hoping," Knox said, switching from English into Italian for the delegation. "I don't understand many things, but I have to accept them, things that for me don't always seem very fair."
5) Sitting on her bed in the 9-square-meter cell when the visitors arrived, the Washington State woman said "I was feeling horrendous" after the Dec. 5 verdict that she was guilty of murder and sexual assault.
6) "The guards helped me out. They held me all night," she said.
7) Kercher's body was found in a pool of blood with her throat slit on Nov. 2, 2007, in the bedroom of the house she shared with Knox while the two were studying in the medieval town of Perugia in central Italy. Prosecutors said the Leeds University student was murdered the previous night.
8) Knox's Italian ex-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, was convicted of the same charges as her and given a 25-year-sentence. After the verdict, he was transferred to another prison. Both insist they are innocent.
9) In Italian jails, inmates can wear their own clothing, and Knox wore a gray-and-white-flecked turtleneck sweater, black legging pants, white socks and black slippers. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail.
10) The visitors, who included a reporter from the Italian news agency ANSA, were not allowed to ask Knox questions about the trial itself.
11) Instead Knox spoke about her affection for her family and her determination to continue her university studies, the reason why she came to Perugia in the first place a few months before the Nov. 2, 2007, slaying.
12) "I believe in my family. They are telling me to stay calm," Knox said. Her family, as well as a senator from her home state, Maria Cantwell, have spearheaded a vigorous campaign to convince Italian authorities she is innocent.
13) The visit was arranged by Fondazione Italia USA, which promotes close relations between the two countries, in an effort to heal any rift over accusations that Italy's justice system is unfair.
14) "My family is the most important thing for me. I also miss going to classes," she said. "I miss stimulating conversations."
15) She said she is in contact with her professors. "We are trying to work out how I can talk to them," she added, noting that while she can write letters from prison, e-mail access is forbidden.
16) Her cell includes two beds -- she shares it with another woman, who has been identified in news reports as a middle-aged American. For privacy reasons, Knox declined to talk about her cellmate.
17) The cell also includes a private bathroom with shower, toilet and bidet.
18) The visitors were not allowed to bring cameras or tape recorders.
19) Knox said she doesn't watch TV or read newspapers. But there are TV sets in the prison.
20) The prison was decked out for the holidays, with Christmas trees. During a short tour, the delegation saw a hairdressers, whose services inmates can use once a week. A ping-pong table is among the recreation facilities.
21) The American stood the entire time of the visit, which took place shortly before lunch time in the prison.
Amanda Knox tells AP in jail that she ' s scared
(APW_ENG_20091213.0326)
1) Amanda Knox told The Associated Press from her jail cell Sunday that she is scared but hopeful eight days after an Italian court sentenced her to 26 years in prison for the murder of her British roommate.
2) "I am scared because I don't know what is going on," the 22-year-old American student said during a 10-minute visit by two Italian lawmakers, prison officials and a pair of reporters in Capanne prison on the outskirts of Perugia.
3) Knox has been jailed for two years since she was arrested a few days after the slaying of Meredith Kercher in the house the two students shared in this Umbrian university town.
4) "I am waiting and always hoping," Knox said, switching from English into Italian for the delegation. "I don't understand many things, but I have to accept them, things that for me don't always seem very fair."
5) Sitting on her bed in the 9-square-meter (96.88-sq. feet) cell when the visitors arrived, the Washington State woman said "I was feeling horrendous" after the Dec. 5 verdict that she was guilty of murder and sexual assault.
6) "The guards helped me out. They held me all night," she said.
7) Kercher's body was found in a pool of blood with her throat slit on Nov. 2, 2007, in the bedroom of the house she shared with Knox while the two were studying in the medieval town of Perugia in central Italy. Prosecutors said the Leeds University student was murdered the previous night.
8) Knox's Italian ex-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, was convicted of the same charges as her and given a 25-year-sentence. After the verdict, he was transferred to another prison. Both insist they are innocent.
9) Defendants in Italian trials can appeal pursue appeals, and Knox's lawyers have expressed hope she will be acquitted in an appeals trial.
10) Knox looked relieved when one of her visitors, Italian parliamentary deputy Rocco Girlanda, recounted the unrelated case of a young man also convicted of murder at the first trial level but exonerated in the appeals trial.
11) In Italian jails, inmates can wear their own clothing, and Knox wore a gray-and-white-flecked turtleneck sweater, black legging pants, white socks and black slippers. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail.
12) The visitors, who included a reporter from the Italian news agency ANSA, were not allowed to ask Knox questions about the trial itself.
13) Instead Knox spoke about her affection for her family and her determination to continue her university studies, the reason why she came to Perugia in the first place a few months before the Nov. 2, 2007, slaying.
14) "I believe in my family. They are telling me to stay calm," Knox said. Her family, as well as a senator from her home state, Maria Cantwell, have spearheaded a vigorous campaign to convince Italian authorities she is innocent.
15) The visit was arranged by Fondazione Italia USA, which promotes close relations between the two countries, in an effort to heal any rift over accusations that Italy's justice system is unfair.
16) "My family is the most important thing for me. I also miss going to classes," she said. "I miss stimulating conversations."
17) She said she is in contact with her professors. "We are trying to work out how I can talk to them," she added, noting that while she can write letters from prison, e-mail access is forbidden.
18) Her cell includes two beds -- she shares it with another woman, who has been identified by other lawmakers in previous visits as a 53-year-old American woman from New Orleans who is serving a four-year sentence for a drug conviction. For privacy reasons, Knox declined to talk about her cellmate.
19) The cell also includes a private bathroom with shower, toilet and bidet.
20) The visitors were not allowed to bring cameras or tape recorders.
21) Knox said she doesn't watch TV or read newspapers. But there are TV sets in the prison.
22) The prison was decked out for the holidays, with Christmas trees. During a short tour, the delegation saw a hairdressers, whose services inmates can use once a week. A ping-pong table is among the recreation facilities.
23) The American stood the entire time of the visit, which took place shortly before lunch time in the prison.
Amanda Knox tells AP in jail that she ' s scared
(APW_ENG_20091213.0484)
1) Amanda Knox told The Associated Press from her jail cell Sunday that she is scared eight days after an Italian court sentenced her to 26 years in prison for the murder of her British roommate.
2) "I am scared because I don't know what is going on," the 22-year-old American student told an AP reporter during a 10-minute visit by two Italian lawmakers, prison officials and a pair of reporters in Capanne prison on the outskirts of Perugia.
3) Knox has been jailed for two years since she was arrested a few days after the slaying of Meredith Kercher in the house the two students shared in this Umbrian university town.
4) "I am waiting and always hoping," Knox said, switching from English into Italian for the delegation. "I don't understand many things, but I have to accept them, things that for me don't always seem very fair."
5) Sitting on her bed in the 9-square-meter (96.88-sq. feet) cell when the visitors arrived, the Washington State woman said "I was feeling horrendous" after the Dec. 5 verdict that she was guilty of murder and sexual assault.
6) "The guards helped me out. They held me all night," she said.
7) Kercher's body was found in a pool of blood with her throat slit on Nov. 2, 2007, in the bedroom of the house she shared with Knox while the two were studying in the medieval town of Perugia in central Italy. Prosecutors said the Leeds University student was murdered the previous night.
8) Knox's Italian ex-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, was convicted of the same charges as her and given a 25-year-sentence. After the verdict, he was transferred to another prison. Both insist they are innocent.
9) Defendants in Italian trials can appeal pursue appeals, and Knox's lawyers have expressed hope she will be acquitted in an appeals trial.
10) Knox looked relieved when one of her visitors, Italian parliamentary deputy Rocco Girlanda, recounted the unrelated case of a young man also convicted of murder at the first trial level but exonerated in the appeals trial.
11) In Italian jails, inmates can wear their own clothing, and Knox wore a gray-and-white-flecked turtleneck sweater, black legging pants, white socks and black slippers. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail.
12) The visitors, who included a reporter from the Italian news agency ANSA, were not allowed to ask Knox questions about the trial itself.
13) Instead Knox spoke about her affection for her family and her determination to continue her university studies, the reason why she came to Perugia in the first place a few months before the Nov. 2, 2007, slaying.
14) "I believe in my family. They are telling me to stay calm," Knox said. Her family, as well as a senator from her home state, Maria Cantwell, have spearheaded a vigorous campaign to convince Italian authorities she is innocent.
15) The visit was arranged by Fondazione Italia USA, which promotes close relations between the two countries, in an effort to heal any rift over accusations that Italy's justice system is unfair.
16) "My family is the most important thing for me. I also miss going to classes," she said. "I miss stimulating conversations."
17) She said she is in contact with her professors. "We are trying to work out how I can talk to them," she added, noting that while she can write letters from prison, e-mail access is forbidden.
18) Her cell includes two beds -- she shares it with another woman, who has been identified by other lawmakers in previous visits as a 53-year-old American woman from New Orleans who is serving a four-year sentence for a drug conviction. For privacy reasons, Knox declined to talk about her cellmate.
19) The cell also includes a private bathroom with shower, toilet and bidet.
20) The visitors were not allowed to bring cameras or tape recorders.
21) Knox said she doesn't watch TV or read newspapers. But there are TV sets in the prison.
22) The prison was decked out for the holidays, with Christmas trees. During a short tour, the delegation saw a hairdressers, whose services inmates can use once a week. A pingpong table is among the recreation facilities.
23) The American stood the entire time of the visit, which took place shortly before lunch time in the prison.
Jailed Amanda Knox tells AP that she ' s scared
(APW_ENG_20091213.0527)
1) Amanda Knox sounded casual, surprised even, by the simple question as it came through the door of her prison cell in English on Sunday: "How are you?"
2) "OK, thanks. How are you guys?" said the American student, who had been sentenced eight days earlier to 26 years in prison for the murder of her British roommate. But minutes later, Knox confided, in answer to a question from an Associated Press reporter in her cell: "I am scared because I don't know what is going on."
3) The 22-year-old, who is a cause celebre in the United States among those who contend she was wrongly convicted by the Perugia court, received a 10-minute visit inside the cell by two Italian lawmakers, prison officials and a pair of reporters in Capanne prison on the outskirts of Perugia.
4) Knox has been jailed for two years since she was arrested a few days after the slaying of Meredith Kercher in the house the two students shared in this medieval town.
5) Kercher's body was found in a pool of blood with her throat slit on Nov. 2, 2007, in the bedroom of the house in Perugia, a university town in Umbria, central Italy. Prosecutors said the Leeds University student was slain the previous night.
6) Three people, including Knox's Italian former boyfriend, have been convicted of sexual assault and murder.
7) "I am waiting and always hoping," Knox said, switching from English into Italian for the delegation. "I don't understand many things, but I have to accept them, things that for me don't always seem very fair."
8) Knox immediately came to the door of the 9-square-meter (nearly 100-sq.foot) two-bed cell when she heard the first words in English.
9) Toward the end of the visit, the woman from Washington state recalled her emotions on Dec. 5, when shortly after midnight the judge read out the verdict after a nearly yearlong trial: "I was feeling horrendous" upon being convicted.
10) "The guards helped me out. They held me all night," she said.
11) Knox's ex-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, who was given a 25-year-sentence, is now in another prison. Both insist they are innocent, as does a third defendant, Ivory Coast national Rudy Guede, who was convicted in a separate trial.
12) Defendants in Italian trials can pursue appeals, and Knox's lawyers have expressed hope she will be acquitted in an appeals trial.
13) Knox looked relieved when Italian parliamentary deputy Rocco Girlanda, in the delegation, recounted the unrelated case of a young man also convicted of murder at the first trial but exonerated during the appeal.
14) In Italian jails, inmates can wear their own clothing, and Knox wore a gray-and-white-flecked turtleneck sweater, black legging trousers, white socks and black slippers. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail.
15) The visitors, who included a reporter from the Italian news agency ANSA, were not allowed to ask Knox questions about the trial itself. No cameras or tape recorders were permitted.
16) Knox spoke about her affection for her family and her determination to continue her university studies, the reason she came to Perugia a few months before Kercher's slaying.
17) "I believe in my family. They are telling me to stay calm," Knox said. Her family, as well as a senator from her home state, Maria Cantwell, have spearheaded a vigorous campaign to convince Italian authorities she is innocent.
18) The visit was arranged by Fondazione Italia USA, which promotes close relations between the two countries, in an effort to heal any rift over accusations that Italy's justice system is unfair.
19) "My family is the most important thing for me. I also miss going to classes," she said. "I miss stimulating conversations."
20) She said she is in contact with her professors. "We are trying to work out how I can talk to them," she added, noting that while she can write letters from prison, e-mail access is forbidden.
21) Knox's cell mate, who has been identified by other lawmakers in previous visits as a 53-year-old American woman from New Orleans serving a four-year sentence for a drug conviction, wasn't present during the visit.
22) The cell includes a private bathroom with shower, toilet and bidet.
23) Shortly after her visitors left the cell, just before lunch time, Knox sat on her bed and was reading some handwritten papers. When she heard the delegation leaving the corridor, she looked up, waved and said, "Ciao."
24) TVs and newspapers are available, although Knox said she doesn't watch television or read the newspapers.
25) The prison was decked out for the holidays, with Christmas trees. During a short tour, the delegation saw a hairdresser, whose services inmates can use once a week.
26) A pingpong table is among the recreation facilities.
2009-12-22
Appeals verdict expected in Kercher murder
(APW_ENG_20091222.0538)
1) An Italian jury began deliberating Tuesday in the appeals trial of a man convicted of murdering a British student and sentenced to 30 years in jail.
2) Rudy Hermann Guede of Ivory Coast denies killing Meredith Kercher and has appealed his conviction. A verdict by the eight-member jury is expected later Tuesday.
3) Also convicted in the case, but in a separate trial, are Amanda Knox, the U.S. student who was the victim's roommate in Perugia, and Raffaele Sollecito, Knox's boyfriend at the time of the 2007 slaying.
4) Knox and Sollecito deny wrongdoing and are expected to appeal the their convictions. They were sentenced earlier this month to 26 and 25 years in prison, respectively.
5) Guede, who was arrested in Germany shortly after the killing, has admitted being at the scene of the crime the night of the murder, but said he did not kill Kercher.
6) His lawyers have requested that the verdict be overturned and he be acquitted.
7) According to the ANSA news agency, defense attorney Valter Biscotti likened Guede to Sam Sheppard, the U.S. doctor who was first convicted and later acquitted of killing his wife in 1954 and whose case inspired the movie and television series "The Fugitive."
8) Prosecutor Pietro Catalani asked the court Tuesday to uphold the guilty verdict.
Appeals court upholds conviction in Kercher murder
(APW_ENG_20091222.0721)
1) An Italian appeals court has upheld the guilty verdict for a man convicted of murdering a British student, but has cut his prison sentence to 16 years.
2) Lawyers said the eight-member jury emerged from more than four hours of deliberations Tuesday and upheld the conviction on charges of murder and sexual violence for Rudy Hermann Guede.
3) Guede, who is from Ivory Coast, denies killing Meredith Kercher and last year was sentenced to 30 years in a fast track trial he had requested.
4) Also convicted in the case, but in a separate trial, are Amanda Knox, the U.S. student who was the victim's roommate in Perugia, and Raffaele Sollecito, Knox's boyfriend at the time of the 2007 slaying. Both deny wrongdoing and plan to appeal their convictions.
Appeals court upholds conviction in Kercher murder
(APW_ENG_20091222.0766)
1) An Italian appeals court on Tuesday upheld the guilty verdict for a man convicted of murdering a British student, but cut his prison sentence to 16 years.
2) Lawyers said the eight-member jury emerged from more than four hours of deliberations and upheld the conviction on charges of murder and sexual violence for Rudy Hermann Guede.
3) Guede, who is from Ivory Coast, denies killing Meredith Kercher and last year was sentenced to 30 years in a fast track trial he had requested.
4) Also convicted in the case, but in a separate trial, are Amanda Knox, the U.S. student who was the victim's roommate in Perugia, and Raffaele Sollecito, Knox's boyfriend at the time of the 2007 slaying.
5) Knox and Sollecito deny wrongdoing and are expected to appeal their convictions. They were sentenced earlier this month to 26 and 25 years in prison, respectively.
6) Kercher, a Leeds University student, was found in a pool of blood with her throat slit on Nov. 2, 2007, in the bedroom of an apartment in the central Italian town. Prosecutors believe she was killed the night before in a drug-fueled sex game involving Guede, Knox and Sollecito.
7) Guede, who was arrested in Germany shortly after the killing, has admitted being at the scene of the crime the night of the murder, but said he did not kill Kercher.
8) Guede was in court Tuesday when the verdict was read and told reporters afterward: "I am not happy because I am innocent."
9) Kercher family lawyer Francesco Maresca said he was satisfied that Guede was found guilty but was "surprised" that the sentence was cut by almost half.
10) He said the ruling recognized some extenuating circumstances for Guede but it will be necessary to wait for the court's reasonings, expected within 90 days, to know more details. Both the prosecution and the defense could appeal the verdict to Italy's top criminal court.
11) Guede's lawyers had requested that the verdict be overturned and he be acquitted.
12) According to the ANSA news agency, defense attorney Valter Biscotti likened Guede to Sam Sheppard, the U.S. doctor who was first convicted and later acquitted of killing his wife in 1954 and whose case inspired the movie and television series "The Fugitive."
13) Prosecutor Pietro Catalani asked the court on Tuesday to uphold the guilty verdict.
2010-01-05
US lawyer joins Knox ' s Italian defense team
(APW_ENG_20100105.0949)
1) Amanda Knox's family says a U.S. lawyer with an international practice will work with their imprisoned daughter's Italian defense team to map strategy for the appeals process.
2) The family said in a statement Monday from Seattle that Theodore "Ted" Simon will bring international as well as criminal defense experience to the case.
3) Simon is based in Philadelphia. The defendant's father, Curt Knox, called Simon a "tremendous asset for Amanda" and her legal team.
4) Last month, a court in Perugia, Italy, convicted Knox and her former Italian boyfriend of murdering her British roommate, Meredith Kercher, in 2007. Knox received a 26-year prison sentence. Raffaele Sollecito was given 25 years.
5) The defendants say they are innocent.
2010-03-04
Reasons for Knox guilty verdict released in Italy
(APW_ENG_20100304.0911)
1) The judges who convicted Amanda Knox of murdering her British roommate in Italy say the American student and her co-defendant in the case acted without any planning or resentment against their victim.
2) The judges said Knox and co-defendant Raffaele Sollecito showed a "sort of repentance" when they covered the naked body of Meredith Kercher after the 2007 murder.
3) But the judges also say there were no holes or inconsistencies in the prosecution's case against the two.
4) The judges on Thursday released the reasons behind the Dec. 5 guilty verdict in Perugia.
5) The Seattle woman was sentenced to 26 years in jail, while Sollecito received a 25-year sentence. Both have insisted they are innocent.
Reasons of Knox guilty verdict released in Italy
(APW_ENG_20100304.1111)
1) The brutal murder of a British college student in Italy by American Amanda Knox and her former Italian boyfriend was not premeditated, the judges who convicted them said in a document released Thursday.
2) Instead, the killing occurred spontaneously after what began as a sexual assault on Meredith Kercher, a 21-year-old Briton, the judges said.
3) In fact, Knox -- Kercher's roommate -- and Raffaele Sollecito had felt no resentment toward the victim. After the murder, they showed a "sort of repentance" for their crime when they covered Kercher's naked dead body with a duvet.
4) The judges also said they found no holes or inconsistencies in the prosecution's case against Knox and Sollecito, largely supporting forensic evidence that had been disputed by defense lawyers. Therefore, the guilty murder verdict was a "necessary and strictly consequential outcome" of the trial, the document said.
5) Knox and Sollecito were convicted in December by a court in Perugia, the central Italian town where the slaying took place in 2007. The Seattle woman was sentenced to 26 years in jail, while Sollecito received a 25-year sentence. The two, who were dating at the time of the killing, have insisted they are innocent.
6) They remain in jail.
7) On Thursday, the judges released the reasons behind their ruling in a 427-page document that reconstructed the night of the murder and detailed evidence and testimony heard during the roughly year-long trial. Once the document -- required in Italian trials -- is released, defense lawyers can launch their planned appeals.
8) Kercher's body was found in a pool of blood on Nov. 2, 2007, in the apartment she shared with Knox. The judges said she was murdered the night before by Knox, Sollecito and another man, Rudy Hermann Guede, an Ivory Coast citizen who also has been convicted of murder in a separate trial. Guede sexually assaulted Kercher with the help of Sollecito and Knox, the document said.
9) The judges said the murder was carried out due to "merely random circumstances": Knox and Sollecito were free that evening, they "ran into" Guede in town and they "found themselves" at the house where Kercher happened to be alone.
10) "The murder therefore came to be carried out without any planning, without any animosity or rancorous feelings toward the victim," the document read.
11) But despite the lack of any premeditation, the document said, Knox and Sollecito assisted Guede's sexual desire for Kercher, becoming her brutal assailants together with the Ivorian man and ultimately killing the 21-year-old from England when she resisted the sexual approach.
12) The pair might have found Guede's sexual drive toward Kercher "exciting" or might have been under the influence of drugs, the document said.
13) Knox, now 22, has said that she and Sollecito, 25, smoked pot the night of the murder. However, she maintains she spent the night at Sollecito's house and was shocked and saddened to learn of her roommate's slaying the following morning.
14) David Marriott, a spokesman for the Knox family, said in an e-mailed statement to The Associated Press that "Amanda's lawyers are currently reviewing the over 400 pages of the motivations and will be discussing with the family as soon as their review is completed."
15) Luca Maori, one of Sollecito's lawyers, said he will reject the ruling "point by point," according to the ANSA news agency.
2010-03-05
Knox family to start appeal process in Italy
(APW_ENG_20100305.0655)
1) The family of Amanda Knox has asked lawyers to begin their appeal of the American's murder conviction in Italy after reviewing the court's motivation for the verdict.
2) The judges who convicted Knox and co-defendant Raffaele Sollecito in December issued the reasons behind the ruling this week.
3) They found no planning or animosity toward the victim, British student Meredith Kercher. They saw the killing as a result of accidental circumstances in what had started as a sexual assault by another man, Rudy Hermann Guede, an Ivorian also convicted for the 2007 murder.
4) Knox's family said in a statement Thursday night that "there is a lot of conjecture in these motivations," and that "there is a substantial basis for the appeal."
5) Knox was sentenced to 26 years, Sollecito to 25.
2010-03-11
Italy murder convict blames Knox and ex-boyfriend
(APW_ENG_20100311.1196)
1) A man convicted in the 2007 slaying of a British student has written a letter implicating his co-defendants and denying he had ever said they had nothing to do with the murder.
2) Rudy Hermann Guede sent the letter to Italian TV station Mediaset on Thursday.
3) In it, Guede spoke of the "horrible assassination" of Meredith Kercher by his two co-defendants, Raffaele Sollecito and Amanda Knox, according to Mediaset.
4) Knox and Sollecito were convicted last year of murdering Kercher in the Perugia apartment she and Knox shared. Guede was convicted in an earlier fast-track trial. All three deny wrongdoing and are appealing their convictions.
5) Over the weekend, one of Guede's prison-mates, Mario Alessi, claimed that Guede had told him that Knox and Sollecito weren't at the scene the night of the murder and had nothing to do with Kercher's death.
6) In his letter, Guede called Alessi a "sick mind" and said he had never confided anything to him.
7) Guede's lawyer, Nicodemo Gentile, confirmed the contents of the letter when reached Thursday by The Associated Press. He stressed that Guede, in referring to Knox and Sollecito's alleged involvement, was merely citing what the Perugia court had determined in convicting them.
2010-03-22
Italian court explains Brit student slaying ruling
(APW_ENG_20100322.1005)
1) An appeals court on Monday said it shaved 14 years off the sentence of an Ivorian man in the 2007 murder of a British student because he was the only one of the three defendants to apologize to her family, Italian news agencies reported.
2) Rudy Hermann Guede denied killing Meredith Kercher but said he should have done more to help her as she lay bleeding in her room in a Perugia flat she shared with Amanda Knox, the American student from Seattle who was also convicted of the slaying, Italian reports said.
3) The appeals court in December upheld Guede's conviction in an earlier trial for sexual assault and murder but cut his prison sentence to 16 years from 30. By law, Italian courts must give a written explanation of their rulings within a few months of the end of trial.
4) The ANSA and Apcom news agencies said the appeals court also said that while Guede sexually assaulted the woman, he wasn't the one who stabbed her. Prosecutors said Knox stabbed her roommate in the throat during a sex game involving the three defendants.
5) In a separate trial which ended late last year, Knox and her former Italian boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito were convicted three months ago of the murder. Knox received 26 years; Sollecito, 25. They deny wrongdoing, and are serving their sentences in Italian prisons while awaiting a possible appeals trial.
6) Guede "was fully involved not only for being the one who carried out the sexual violence, but also for having held firm the left hand of the victim while she was being fatally wounded," the ruling said, according to ANSA.
7) He also was the only one among the defendants to apologize to the victim's family, "even if it (the apology) was limited to failure to come to her rescue."
8) Guede testified during his individual, fast-track trial shortly after the slaying that he was in the bathroom in the house listening to music when the slaying took place.
9) In the days after the murder, Knox, a 21-year-old student at the University of Washington, and Sollecito, 24, gave conflicting statements, saying they smoked hashish the night of the slaying.
10) Sollecito has said he was at his own apartment in Perugia, working at his computer and didn't remember if Knox spent the whole night with him.
11) Knox has insisted she was not home during the slaying. Her DNA was found on the handle of a knife that prosecutors alleged might have been used in the killing; Kercher's DNA was found on the blade.
2010-06-01
Knox accused of slandering Italian police
(APW_ENG_20100601.0442)
1) Amanda Knox has appeared in court for the first time since her murder conviction to face slander charges for saying she was beaten during questioning over the death of her roommate.
2) The 22-year-old American sported a shorter haircut and a yellow T-shirt in Tuesday's preliminary hearing behind closed doors.
3) Knox has said she was beaten by police during questioning over the 2007 slaying of Meredith Kercher in Perugia. Police have denied misconduct and filed charges saying Knox's comments were slanderous.
4) Knox was sentenced to 26 years in jail. Her ex-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, was also convicted and sentenced to 25 years. A third person, Ivorian Rudy Hermann Guede, was sentenced to 16 years.
5) All are appealing.
Knox accused of slandering Italian police
(APW_ENG_20100601.0574)
1) Amanda Knox appeared in public Tuesday for the first time since her murder conviction, returning to court to face slander charges for saying she was beaten by police during questioning over the death of her roommate.
2) The 22-year-old American sported a shorter haircut and a yellow T-shirt at a preliminary hearing held behind closed doors in a Perugia courthouse. The brief appearance marked the first time she had been seen since December, when she was escorted out of the courtroom in tears moments after hearing the guilty verdict.
3) Knox has said she was beaten by police during questioning over the 2007 slaying of Meredith Kercher, the 21-year-old Briton who shared an apartment with Knox while studying in Perugia. Police have denied the misconduct and filed slander charges against her.
4) Tuesday's hearing was largely devoted to technicalities and quickly adjourned.
5) "Amanda is doing pretty good," Knox's stepfather, Chris Mellas, told reporters in Perugia, a hill town in central Italy. "She is looking forward actually to being able once again to put forward her side of the case and kind of defend herself."
6) Knox said in June 2009 testimony that she had been the subject of a "crescendo" of police pressure and that a policewoman hit her twice on the head. She said that behavior led her to accuse an innocent man -- the owner of a pub in Perugia where Knox worked -- who was arrested as a result of Knox's statements before being later cleared.
7) Knox's attorney, Luciano Ghirga, said Tuesday that any defendant should be granted the right to defend oneself in court without the risk of facing slander accusations.
8) Knox has been jailed since shortly after Kercher's body was found on Nov. 2, 2007, in the house the two students shared. After a yearlong trial, Knox was convicted of murder and sexual assault and sentenced to 26 years in jail.
9) Her ex-boyfriend and co-defendant at the trial, Raffaele Sollecito of Italy, was also convicted and sentenced to 25 years. A third person, Ivorian Rudy Hermann Guede, was convicted of murder in separate proceedings and sentenced to 16 years.
10) All three deny wrongdoing and are appealing.
2010-08-28
Amanda Knox tells lawmaker she wants to adopt
(APW_ENG_20100828.0160)
1) An American student convicted in Italy of murdering her British roommate has told an Italian lawmaker in a series of jailhouse conversations that she hopes to adopt children and be a writer when free.
2) Lawmaker Rocco Girlanda told The Associated Press on Saturday that he kept a diary of his frequent visits with Amanda Knox in her Perugia jail, material that formed the basis of a book being published in Italy and the U.S. later this fall.
3) Girlanda's "Take Me With You - Talks with Amanda Knox in Prison" also includes letters and poetry Knox sent to Girlanda, president of an Italian-U.S. foundation.
4) Knox, 23, is appealing her Dec. 5 conviction for murder and sexual assault in the 2007 death of Meredith Kercher. She was sentenced to 26 years in prison.
Amanda Knox tells lawmaker she wants to adopt
(APW_ENG_20100828.0169)
1) Amanda Knox, the American student convicted in Italy of murdering her British roommate, has told an Italian lawmaker in a series of jailhouse conversations that she hopes to adopt children and be a writer when free.
2) Lawmaker Rocco Girlanda told The Associated Press on Saturday that he kept a diary of his frequent visits with Knox in her Perugia jail, material that has formed the basis of a book being published in Italy and the U.S. later this fall.
3) Girlanda's "Take Me With You - Talks with Amanda Knox in Prison" also includes letters and poetry Knox sent to Girlanda, the president of a foundation that promotes ties between the two countries.
4) Knox, 23, was convicted Dec. 5 of murder and sexual assault in the 2007 death of her flatmate, British student Meredith Kercher. She was sentenced to 26 years in prison. Knox's former boyfriend and another man were also convicted; all three have maintained their innocence and are appealing.
5) Girlanda first met Knox around the time of her conviction, saying he wanted to get to know her in a bid to help offset the diplomatic fallout the explosive case had created. Over some 20 meetings in the ensuing months, he said, a friendship grew.
6) The two never discussed the case, he said. Rather, their jailhouse encounters focused on issues about Knox's life -- her childhood growing up in Seattle, her memories of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, her views on religion, spirituality, education, sports, marriage, culture and literature.
7) Those topics are all addressed in the book, as well as what he said was Knox's desire to be a writer, "her desire to adopt children, her love for Italy despite everything, the significance of friendship."
8) Girlanda stresses in the book that his conclusions are based solely on his discussions with Knox. He said he never spoke to her parents, friends or lawyers, who have depicted her as an innocent, albeit flighty girl who loved Italy and considered Kercher a friend.
9) "Everything grew from a desire to get to know an American girl, the same age as one of my daughters, who has found herself to be living in the most dramatic experience of her life," Girlanda writes in the book. "I think that after so many months, after so many meetings, I succeeded."
10) The 240-page book is being published first in Italy at the end of October and then in the U.S.; proceeds will go to Girlanda's foundation.
11) Kercher's body was found in a pool of blood with her throat slit on Nov. 2, 2007, in the bedroom of the house she shared with Knox while the two were on exchange programs in the medieval town of Perugia in central Italy.
12) Knox and her then-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, were arrested a few days later. After a yearlong trial, Sollecito was convicted alongside Knox and sentenced to 25 years in prison. A third man, Rudy Hermann Guede, an Ivory Coast citizen, was convicted in an earlier trial and sentenced to 30 years in prison.
13) Prosecutors say that on the night of the murder, Knox and Sollecito met at the apartment and that Guede was there. The prosecution said Knox and Kercher started arguing, and that Knox joined the two men in brutally attacking and sexually assaulting the Briton while under the influence of drugs.
14) The attorney for the Kercher family, Francesco Maresca, has said the sentences were fair and had satisfied the family.
15) Knox's appeal is set to begin Nov. 24.
2010-10-17
New book gives intimate portrait of convicted Knox
(APW_ENG_20101017.0230)
1) Amanda Knox, the American student convicted in Italy of murdering her British roommate, is quoted as saying in a new book that she'd rather not be famous for the slaying and that her days in jail feel like "limbo" -- suspended between her old life and her hopes for the future.
2) Knox talks about her aspirations to marry and adopt children, and her interests in writing and studying languages in a series of jailhouse conversations with an Italian lawmaker who visited her over the past year. The conversations serve as the basis for the book.
3) The 23-year-old Knox was convicted in December of murder and sexual assault in the 2007 death of her housemate, British student Meredith Kercher. She was sentenced to 26 years in prison by a court in Perugia, central Italy.
4) Knox's former boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito of Italy, was convicted alongside Knox and sentenced to 25 years in prison. A third man, Rudy Hermann Guede, an Ivory Coast citizen, was convicted in a separate, earlier trial and sentenced to 30 years in prison -- which was cut to 16 years on appeal.
5) All three have maintained their innocence.
6) The book "Take Me With You - Talks with Amanda Knox in Prison" by lawmaker Rocco Girlanda comes out Tuesday, about a month before Knox's appeal begins Nov. 24. A lawyer for the Kercher family called it "inappropriate" and unnecessary.
7) "We certainly don't feel there was a need for this book," Kercher family attorney Francesco Maresca said.
8) The book is one of many on a case that has fascinated audiences on both sides of the Atlantic. But unlike the others, it does not discuss Kercher's murder.
9) Knox is quoted as mentioning Kercher's name only once -- to say on the day of the discovery of "Meredith's case" she was supposed to go on a trip to a nearby town with Sollecito.
10) Instead, the book focuses on Knox's personality, her childhood in Seattle, her hopes for post-prison life. The conversations range from mundane topics -- movies and bike-riding -- to wider subjects -- literature and religion -- and even touch on the possibility of alien life in the universe.
11) The book is being published in Italian and as an e-book in English by Piemme, a publishing house within the Mondadori media empire. The Associated Press was given an advance copy exclusively among international media.
12) Knox says she would like to get married but "must also find the person," and would adopt children rather than giving birth because "there are a lot of kids in this world who have no one."
13) She speaks of the letters she received in jail, including marriage proposals.
14) "Everybody tells me, 'You're famous.' And I answer, 'I'm not Angelina Jolie!'" she is quoted as saying. "How ugly to be famous for this. I would have preferred to be (famous) for something I built, I achieved."
15) At another point, Knox says "being in here is like being in a limbo."
16) "You live a little bit between the memory of life the way it was before, your hopes for tomorrow -- and trying as hard as you can not to feel like you're in here," she says.
17) Girlanda says he kept diaries of the some 20 Italian-language conversations he has had with Knox since her conviction. Girlanda, who heads a foundation that promotes ties between Italy and the United States, said he started meeting with Knox in a bid to help offset the diplomatic fallout the explosive case had created.
18) The lawmaker said he was curious to know the person behind the public persona, and never talked to Knox's parents, friends or lawyers.
19) "I wanted to know Amanda, I wasn't interested in Amanda Knox," Girlanda told the AP. He insisted the girl he had come to know was different from the "sex, drugs and rock and roll" image depicted by some in the press.
20) Knox was described by the prosecution as a manipulative, cold-blooded she-devil who had grown apart from Kercher. Knox insisted she was friends with the victim and was shocked by her death.
21) The attorney for the Kercher family, Maresca, said he had not read the book but understood the author was trying to portray Knox as a profound, smart girl who as such could not possibly have been guilty.
22) But Maresca maintained that conversations which took place years after the crime aren't necessarily indicative of a person's true character.
23) "Three years of prison -- and three years in a life in general -- can change a person," Maresca said. "People can appear different from what they really are -- or can even genuinely have changed."
24) Kercher's body was found in a pool of blood with her throat slit on Nov. 2, 2007, in the bedroom of the house she shared with Knox while the two were exchange students in Perugia. Knox and Sollecito were arrested a few days later.
25) Prosecutors say on the night of the murder, Knox and Sollecito met at the apartment and Guede was also there. The prosecution said Knox and Kercher started arguing, and Knox joined the two men in brutally attacking and sexually assaulting the Briton while being under the influence of drugs.
26) Maresca has called the long prison sentences fair, saying they had satisfied Kercher's bereaved family.
2010-11-08
Amanda Knox indicted on slander charges
(APW_ENG_20101108.0454)
1) American student Amanda Knox has been indicted on slander charges for claiming she was beaten by police when questioned in 2007 about her roommate's slaying.
2) The judge made the decision after a closed-door hearing in Perugia on Monday.
3) Knox's lawyer said the 23-year-old told the judge that she never meant to slander anybody and she was just trying to defend herself.
4) She is serving a 26-year prison term after her conviction for the murder of British student Meredith Kercher.
Amanda Knox indicted on slander charges
(APW_ENG_20101108.0474)
1) An Italian judge on Monday ordered Amanda Knox to stand trial on slander charges for claiming she was beaten by police when questioned in 2007 about her roommate's slaying.
2) The 23-year-old American maintains she was just trying to defend herself and never meant any offense or to slander anybody, her lawyers said.
3) Knox had claimed she was beaten by police during questioning over the slaying of Meredith Kercher three years ago. Police have denied misconduct and filed charges saying Knox's comments were slanderous.
4) The judge issued the indictment ruling after a hearing behind closed-doors in Perugia.
5) Knox is serving a 26-year prison term after she was convicted of murder and sexual assault in December. She has denied murdering Kercher, a 21-year-old Briton, and her appeal is set to begin Nov. 24.
6) Curt Knox, Amanda Knox's father, told The Early Show on CBS on Monday that "this is going to be her chance once again to have that wrongful conviction overturned."
Amanda Knox indicted on slander charges
(APW_ENG_20101108.0523)
1) An Italian judge on Monday ordered Amanda Knox to stand trial on slander charges for claiming she was beaten by police when questioned in 2007 about her roommate's slaying.
2) The 23-year-old American maintains she was just trying to defend herself and never meant to offend or slander anybody, her lawyers said.
3) Knox had claimed she was beaten and put under pressure by police during questioning over the slaying of Meredith Kercher three years ago. She said police repeatedly called her a "stupid liar."
4) Police denied misconduct and filed charges saying Knox's comments were slanderous.
5) Judge Claudia Matteini issued the indictment ruling after a hearing behind closed-doors in Perugia at which Knox spoke. The judge scheduled the trial to begin on May 17.
6) Knox is serving a 26-year prison term after she was convicted of murder and sexual assault in December. She has denied murdering Kercher, a 21-year-old Briton, and her appeal is set to begin Nov. 24.
7) Curt Knox, Amanda Knox's father, told The Early Show on CBS on Monday that "this is going to be her chance once again to have that wrongful conviction overturned."
8) Lawyer Carlo Dalla Vedova described Knox as "very sad and worried" but also ready to face the appeals trial.
9) Knox's ex-boyfriend and co-defendant at her murder trial, Italian Raffaele Sollecito, was convicted and sentenced to 25 years. A third person, Ivorian Rudy Hermann Guede, was convicted of murder in separate proceedings and sentenced to 30 years in prison, which was cut to 16 years on appeal.
10) All have maintained their innocence.
Amanda Knox indicted on slander charges
(APW_ENG_20101108.0541)
1) An Italian judge on Monday ordered Amanda Knox to stand trial on slander charges for claiming she was beaten by police when questioned in 2007 about her roommate's slaying.
2) The 23-year-old American maintains she was just trying to defend herself and never meant to offend or slander anybody, her lawyers said.
3) Knox had claimed she was beaten and put under pressure by police during questioning over the slaying of Meredith Kercher three years ago. She said police repeatedly called her a "stupid liar."
4) Police denied misconduct and filed charges saying Knox's comments were slanderous.
5) Judge Claudia Matteini issued the indictment ruling after a hearing behind closed-doors in Perugia at which Knox spoke. The judge scheduled the trial to begin on May 17. If she is convicted, any prison sentence Knox received would be added to her current sentence.
6) Knox is serving a 26-year prison term after she was convicted of murder and sexual assault in December. She has denied murdering Kercher, a 21-year-old Briton, and her appeal is set to begin Nov. 24.
7) Curt Knox, Amanda Knox's father, told The Early Show on CBS on Monday that "this is going to be her chance once again to have that wrongful conviction overturned."
8) Lawyer Carlo Dalla Vedova described Knox as "very sad and worried" but also ready to face the appeals trial.
9) Knox's ex-boyfriend and co-defendant at her murder trial, Italian Raffaele Sollecito, was convicted and sentenced to 25 years. A third person, Ivorian Rudy Hermann Guede, was convicted of murder in separate proceedings and sentenced to 30 years in prison, which was cut to 16 years on appeal.
10) All have maintained their innocence.
2010-11-23
Knox has another chance as appeals opens in Italy
(APW_ENG_20101123.0501)
1) After three years in prison, Amanda Knox is returning to court for a second chance at freedom.
2) The American student's appeals trial opens here Wednesday, with lawyers hoping to use use new evidence to clear her in the killing of her British roommate.
3) It's a gamble: If her conviction is upheld, she could risk an even harsher sentence.
4) Lawyers for the 23-year-old Knox are seeking a full review of the case, and will try to introduce new witnesses. In December, Knox was convicted of sexually assaulting and murdering Meredith Kercher, and sentenced to 26 years in prison. She has always maintained her innocence.
5) The case captured the world's imagination and turned the photogenic Knox into a media sensation.
Knox has another chance as appeals opens in Italy
(APW_ENG_20101123.0525)
1) After three years in prison, Amanda Knox is returning to court for a second chance at freedom.
2) The American student's appeals trial opens Wednesday in this Medieval city, with lawyers hoping they can use new evidence to clear her in the killing of her British roommate.
3) There's a risk: If her conviction is upheld, she could face an even harsher sentence.
4) Lawyers for the 23-year-old Knox are seeking a full review of the case, and will try to introduce new witnesses. In December, Knox was convicted of sexually assaulting and murdering Meredith Kercher, and sentenced to 26 years in prison. She has always maintained her innocence.
5) The case captured the world's imagination and turned the photogenic Knox into a media sensation. She has been the subject of countless articles, several books and even a movie in which her character is played by TV star Hayden Panettiere.
6) It has also proved very divisive, with the U.S. media often depicting Knox as an innocent woman caught in a judicial inferno, while Italian and British newspapers have cast her as a sex-crazed liar.
7) The new trial, to be held in the same frescoed courtroom as the first one, will bring Knox back in the spotlight. Also on trial is Raffaele Sollecito, an Italian who was Knox's boyfriend at the time of the murder and has been convicted of the same charges and sentenced to 25 years in prison.
8) In the first trial, Knox mostly appeared confident and collected. She would nod and smile to the court upon entering the room and talk to her lawyers during breaks. On a Valentine's Day hearing, she sported a bright T-shirt with "All You Need Is Love" scrawled in large pink letters.
9) Now, her lawyers describe her as worn out.
10) "The long pre-emptive custody has broken down the young woman," Knox's lawyers said in a motion filed earlier this month as part of their appeal. Attorney Luciano Ghirga described Knox as "worried, tense" ahead of the appeal, and "exhausted by three years in prison."
11) Press reports have described Knox as being involved in prison activities, such as staging plays. An Italian lawmaker who has often visited her, Rocco Girlanda, has said she largely spends time reading books, studying languages and writing poems and fiction. In an interview with The Associated Press last month, Girlanda said Knox had appeared to have matured as a result of her "difficult life" in prison.
12) Knox has been behind bars in Perugia since Nov. 6, 2007, four days after Kercher's body was found in a pool of blood, her throat slit, in the apartment Knox and Kercher shared as exchange students in Perugia. Forensic experts said Kercher was killed on the night on Nov. 1.
13) Prosecutors, who had sought a life sentence in the first trial, have also appealed the ruling, as they can in Italy.
14) "There is an appeal both from the defendants and the prosecutor, so it is a situation where potentially there could be also an increase of penalty," said Chiara Magrini, a legal expert and professor at John Cabot University. "This is a situation where everything could happen."
15) The opening hearing Wednesday is expected to be quick and devoted to procedural matters, lawyers said. Both defendants are expected to attend. The case is then to be adjourned, likely to Dec. 11.
16) The defense lawyers for Knox and Sollecito are seeking a full review of the forensic evidence, including disputed DNA evidence that was found on a knife allegedly used in the murder and on the clasp of Kercher's bra. The defense maintains that DNA traces were inconclusive, and also contended they may have been contaminated when analyzed.
17) Whether Presiding Judge Claudio Pratillo Hellman will accept these requests will be closely watched as a possible indication of how he will handle the trial. As in the first trial, the verdict is up to the judge a fellow magistrate and a jury of six.
18) If the court does admit new evidence and witnesses, then "the logical conclusion seems to be that they are not happy -- I am not saying with the decision, but with the evidence that was collected in the first trial," Magrini said.
19) The decision is not expected to be made on Wednesday but at later hearings.
20) In their appeal motion, Knox's lawyers were sharply critical of the verdict, maintaining it was based on mere hypotheses and saying that "the motive, a fundamental aspect of a serious crime, is basically absent."
21) They denounced an "obscene media campaign" against their client, accused police of focusing their investigation into the slaying on the assumption that Knox was guilty, and said the court made the same mistake.
22) "The verdict is constructed almost as if to find the evidence to support a theory" they wrote in the motion.
23) During the first trial, the prosecutors failed to provide a "smoking gun," and also lacked a motive.
24) Prosecutors did present circumstantial evidence and forensic evidence linking both Knox and Sollecito to the crime, and the court in their verdict supported this evidence against the defense's claims. They described Knox as a manipulative, promiscuous woman whose personality clashed with Kercher's.
25) In their December ruling, the judges said they found no inconsistencies in the prosecution's case. The killing was carried out without planning or animosity, but still it was the result of a brutal sexual assault, the court said in a document that was released in March and summed up the reasoning behind the verdict.
26) According to the court's reconstruction of the night of the murder, Knox and Sollecito were at the house with a fourth person, Rudy Hermann Guede, an Ivory Coast citizen who has also been convicted of murder in separate proceedings. Guede's presence at the house was likely the result of a casual encounter, the court said.
27) According to the document, Knox and Sollecito assisted Guede's sexual desire for Kercher, becoming her brutal assailants together with the Ivorian man and ultimately killing the 21-year-old when she resisted the sexual approach. The pair might have found Guede's sexual drive toward Kercher "exciting" or might have been under the influence of drugs, the document said.
28) This largely aligns with the prosecution's case, which argued that once at the house, Knox and Kercher started arguing and the three brutally attacked and sexually assaulted the Briton, under "the fumes of drugs and possibly alcohol."
29) Knox's defense argued that the American spent the night at Sollecito's house, watching a movie, smoking pot and having sex. Knox said she went home the next morning to find the door to the house open and Kercher dead.
30) The defense has maintained Knox was not the she-devil depicted by the prosecution, but an innocent woman who had just started dating Sollecito and was hardly looking for an extreme sexual experience. Knox said she was friends with Kercher, and that her death shocked her.
31) Knox's behavior in the aftermath of the killing came under scrutiny.
32) Knox gave contradicting statements to police, originally saying she was in the house the night of the murder and accusing a Congolese man -- in whose Perugia bar she worked -- of being the murderer. She said at one point that she had covered her ears to drown out Kercher's screams as she was being murdered. The Congolese man was jailed but later cleared. Knox was convicted of defaming him, though she maintains that police pressure led her to initially accuse an innocent man.
33) For that claim, Knox has recently been indicted on charges she slandered police in separate proceedings. If she is convicted in that trial, which begins in May, any prison sentence Knox receives would be added to her current sentence.
34) The 26-year-old Sollecito, who reportedly won an engineering degree in prison recently, has also maintained his innocence. One if his lawyers, Luca Maori, said he is "hopeful but apprehensive." Guede, the Ivorian, has also denied killing Kercher, though he has admitted being in the house the night of the murder. His sentence to 30 years in prison was cut to 16 years on appeals.
Key dates in Knox case
(APW_ENG_20101123.0594)
1) Key dates in case of American student Amanda Knox, convicted in slaying of British roommate Meredith Kercher.
2) -- Nov. 2, 2007: Body of Kercher, 21, found in Perugia apartment. Investigators say she was killed the night before.
3) -- Nov. 6, 2007: Knox arrested with then-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito, and Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, Congolese owner of pub where Knox worked.
4) -- Nov. 20, 2007: Lumumba, implicated by Knox statements to police released from jail for lack of evidence. Ivory Coast national Rudy Hermann Guede arrested in Germany.
5) -- Dec. 6, 2007: Guede extradited from Germany and jailed upon arrival in Italy.
6) -- Dec. 14, 2007: Kercher laid to rest after London funeral.
7) -- April 1, 2008: Italy's top criminal court rejects requests by lawyers for release of Knox, Sollecito and Guede.
8) -- Sept. 16, 2008: Knox appears in court for preliminary hearing to determine whether she and other two suspects must stand trial. Guede granted fast-track trial.
9) -- Oct. 28, 2008: Judge indicts Knox and Sollecito on murder and sexual assault charges. Guede convicted of murder and sexual assault; sentenced to 30 years in prison.
10) -- Jan. 16, 2009: Trial of Knox and Sollecito opens in Perugia.
11) -- June 12, 2009: Knox takes stand; tells court she was shocked by Kercher's death, offers alibi, says police beat her into making false statement.
12) -- Nov. 18, 2009: Guede appeals trial opens. He testifies he heard Kercher arguing with Knox minutes before the slaying.
13) -- Dec. 4, 2009: Court finds Knox guilty of murder and sexual assault; sentences her to 26 years in prison. Sollecito convicted of same charges and sentenced to 25 years.
14) -- Dec. 22, 2009: Appeals court upholds Guede conviction but cuts sentence to 16 years.
15) -- Nov. 8, 2010: Judge orders Knox to stand trial on slander charges for claiming police beating.
16) -- Nov. 24, 2010: Appeals trial for Knox and Sollecito scheduled to open in Perugia.
2010-11-24
Knox has another chance as appeals opens in Italy
(APW_ENG_20101124.0249)
1) Amanda Knox is back in court as her appeals trials opens in Italy, about a year after the American student was convicted of killing her British roommate.
2) Wearing a blue sweater, Knox was escorted by a policewoman Wednesday into the same Perugia courtroom where the first trial was held. The 23-year-old was convicted in December of sexually assaulting and murdering Meredith Kercher, and sentenced to 26 years in prison.
3) Also attending was Raffaele Sollecito, an Italian who was Knox's boyfriend at the time of the murder. He has been convicted of the same charges and sentenced to 25 years in prison.
4) Both have always maintained their innocence.
5) The hearing is expected to be brief and largely devoted to procedural matters.
Convicted killer Knox ' s appeal case opens in Italy
(APW_ENG_20101124.0257)
1) Amanda Knox returned to court in Italy on Wednesday for the start of her appeals trial, about a year after the American student was convicted of killing her British roommate in a case that drew global attention.
2) Knox was escorted by a policewoman into the same Perugia courtroom where the first trial was held. The 23-year-old was convicted in December of sexually assaulting and murdering Meredith Kercher, and sentenced to 26 years in prison.
3) Also attending was Raffaele Sollecito, an Italian who was Knox's boyfriend at the time of the murder. He has been convicted of the same charges and sentenced to 25 years in prison.
4) Both have always maintained their innocence.
5) The hearing was expected to be brief and largely devoted to procedural matters.
6) Luciano Ghirga, a lawyer for Knox, said on the eve of the appeal that the American's confidence had been low in recent days, but was now eager for the appeals trial to get going, so that "at least she knows what lies ahead."
7) The defense is seeking a full review of the case, hoping to introduce new witnesses and ultimately win an acquittal. The prosecutors have also appealed, as they can Italy, as the ruling fell short of their demand for life in prison.
8) "We want an acquittal, the prosecution demands a life sentence: It's an intense, harsh and violent legal clash," Ghirga told The Associated Press in an interview Tuesday evening.
9) Knox and Sollecito have been behind bars in Perugia since Nov. 6, 2007, four days after Kercher's body was found in a pool of blood, her throat slit, in the apartment Knox and Kercher shared as exchange students in Perugia. Forensic experts said Kercher was killed when a sex game turned violent.
Amanda Knox makes brief court appearance in Italy
(APW_ENG_20101124.0264)
1) Amanda Knox briefly returned to court in Italy on Wednesday for the start of her appeals trial, about a year after the American student was convicted of killing her British roommate in a case that drew global attention.
2) The hearing, devoted mainly to procedural matters, lasted 15 minutes and the case was adjourned until Dec. 11.
3) Knox was escorted by a policewoman into the same Perugia courtroom where the first trial was held. The 23-year-old was convicted in December of sexually assaulting and murdering Meredith Kercher, and sentenced to 26 years in prison.
4) Also attending was Raffaele Sollecito, an Italian who was Knox's boyfriend at the time of the murder. He has been convicted of the same charges and sentenced to 25 years in prison.
5) Both have always maintained their innocence.
6) Luciano Ghirga, a lawyer for Knox, said on the eve of the appeal that the American's confidence had been low in recent days, but was now eager for the appeals trial to get going, so that "at least she knows what lies ahead."
7) The defense is seeking a full review of the case, hoping to introduce new witnesses and ultimately win an acquittal. The prosecutors have also appealed, as they can Italy, as the ruling fell short of their demand for life in prison.
8) "We want an acquittal, the prosecution demands a life sentence: It's an intense, harsh and violent legal clash," Ghirga told The Associated Press in an interview Tuesday evening.
9) Knox and Sollecito have been behind bars in Perugia since Nov. 6, 2007, four days after Kercher's body was found in a pool of blood, her throat slit, in the apartment Knox and Kercher shared as exchange students in Perugia. Forensic experts said Kercher was killed when a sex game turned violent.
Amanda Knox makes brief court appearance in Italy
(APW_ENG_20101124.0417)
1) Amanda Knox returned to court Wednesday for a brief hearing that marked the opening of an appeals trial for the American student convicted last year of murdering her British roommate.
2) The hearing lasted only 15 minutes, as the presiding judge agreed to adjourn the case until Dec. 11, when the jury will hear a summary of the first trial and the requests for appeal.
3) The 23-year-old Knox returned to the same frescoed courtroom where in December she burst into tears as she was handed the conviction for sexually assaulting and murdering Meredith Kercher, and a 26-year prison term.
4) Escorted by a policewoman, a crowd of cameramen and photographers awaiting her, Knox walked across the courtroom and took her usual seat at a desk between her two lawyers. A policeman stood guard behind her.
5) Also attending was her co-defendant and former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito, who has been convicted of the same charges and sentenced to 25 years in prison. Both have maintained their innocence.
6) It was the first time since the two former lovers had seen each other since the December verdict. Lawyers said they exchanged a brief greeting and few words.
7) They were arrested on Nov. 6, 2007, a few days after Kercher's body was found, stab wounds to her neck and a pool of blood around it, in the apartment she and Knox shared as exchange students in Perugia. Forensic evidence said Kercher was killed the night of Nov. 1.
8) Knox appeared thinner and gaunt during the brief hearing, in stark contrast to the confident, often smiling image she had projected during most of the first trial. Lawyers say she's worn out by three years in prison.
9) "She is tense, exhausted, and has lost weight," Luciano Ghirga, one of her attorneys, said after the hearing. However, Ghirga has also said that she has been eager to get another chance at freedom with the appeal.
10) "People are starting to learn exactly what this case is really about -- which is an issue of wrong conviction," Knox's stepfather, Chris Mellas, told reporters. "She is innocent, as is Raffaele, and people are starting to figure that out."
11) The defense is seeking a full review of the case, including on disputed DNA evidence that was found on a knife allegedly used in the murder and on the clasp of Kercher's bra. The defense maintains that DNA traces were inconclusive, and also contended they may have been contaminated when analyzed.
12) The prosecutors have also appealed, as they can Italy, as the ruling fell short of their demand for life in prison.
13) "We want an acquittal, the prosecution demands a life sentence: It's an intense, harsh and violent legal clash," Ghirga told The Associated Press in an interview on the eve of the hearing.
14) According to the court's reconstruction of the night of the murder, Knox and Sollecito were at the house along with a fourth person, Rudy Hermann Guede, an Ivory Coast citizen who has also been convicted of murder in separate proceedings.
15) The court found that Knox and Sollecito helped out in Guede's sexual quest for Kercher, before assaulting her brutally together with Guede and ultimately killing her when she resisted. The pair might have found Guede's sexual drive toward Kercher "exciting" or might have been under the influence of drugs, the court said in a document that summed up its reasoning behind the verdict.
16) Guede has also denied killing Kercher. His sentence to 30 years in prison was cut to 16 years on appeal.
17) Knox's defense argued that she spent the night at Sollecito's house, watching a movie, smoking pot and having sex.
18) The case has drawn large media attention, and the courtroom Wednesday was packed with journalists, cameramen and photographers. As was the case in the previous trial, Presiding Judge Claudio Pratillo Hellman ruled that cameras would only be allowed to film the defendants' entrances.
19) The Kercher family did not attend the hearing, but sent a letter to the mayor of Perugia, who has decided to create a scholarship in Kercher's name.
20) "Meredith loved Perugia and had made many friends here," the victim's father, John Kercher, said in the letter. "She would be proud and happy of what you are doing in her name."
Amanda Knox makes brief court appearance in Italy
(APW_ENG_20101124.0734)
1) After three years in prison, a gaunt-looking Amanda Knox returned to an Italian court Wednesday for a hearing that marked the opening of an appeals trial for the American student convicted of murdering her British roommate.
2) The hearing lasted only 15 minutes, as the presiding judge agreed to adjourn the case until Dec. 11, when the jury will hear a summary of the first trial and possibly preliminary requests for new evidence and witnesses from the defense.
3) Knox returned to the same frescoed courtroom where in December she burst into tears as she was convicted of sexually assaulting and murdering Meredith Kercher and given a 26-year prison term.
4) On Wednesday, the 23-year-old from Seattle, Washington, was escorted by a policewoman -- and awaited by a crowd of cameramen and photographers -- as she walked across the courtroom and took her usual seat at a desk between her two lawyers. A policeman stood guard behind her.
5) Wearing a simple light blue hooded sweater, Knox appeared pale and thinner during the brief hearing, in stark contrast to the confident, often smiling image she had projected during most of the first trial. Lawyers said she's been worn out by three years in prison.
6) "She is tense, exhausted, and has lost weight," Luciano Ghirga, one of her attorneys, said after the hearing.
7) Her mother Edda Mellas, who was not in court, said on NBC's "Today" that the family, when visiting, has about 10 minutes to talk to her and "she always tries to put on a brave face." But, Mellas said, the family knows the sentence is taking its toll.
8) "She's just down. She's worried," the woman said. "To be innocent and to be locked up is horrific."
9) Also attending the hearing in Perugia, a city in central Italy, was her co-defendant and former boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito. He has been convicted of the same charges and sentenced to 25 years in prison. Both have maintained their innocence.
10) It was the first time since the two former lovers had seen each other since the December verdict. Lawyers said they exchanged a brief greeting and few words.
11) They were arrested on Nov. 6, 2007, a few days after Kercher's body was found, stab wounds to her neck and a pool of blood around it, in the apartment she and Knox shared as exchange students in Perugia. Forensic evidence said Kercher was killed the night of Nov. 1.
12) The defense is seeking a full review of the case, including disputed DNA evidence that was found on a knife allegedly used in the murder and on the clasp of Kercher's bra. The defense maintains that DNA traces were inconclusive, and also contends they may have been contaminated when analyzed. They also note that no clear motive was established.
13) "There's no motive. There's no physical evidence. There's nothing to connect Amanda to this crime," Edda Mellas said, speaking on ABC'S "Good Morning America."
14) The prosecutors also have appealed, as they can in Italy, since the ruling fell short of their demand for life in prison.
15) "We want an acquittal, the prosecution demands a life sentence:
16) It's an intense, harsh and violent legal clash," Ghirga said in an interview on the eve of the hearing.
17) Ghirga said that, despite recently being low on confidence, Knox has been eager to get another chance at freedom with the appeal.
18) "People are starting to learn exactly what this case is really about -- which is an issue of wrong conviction," Knox's stepfather, Chris Mellas, told reporters in Perugia. "She is innocent, as is Raffaele, and people are starting to figure that out."
19) According to the court's reconstruction of the night of the murder, Knox and Sollecito were at the house along with a fourth person, Rudy Hermann Guede, an Ivory Coast citizen who also has been convicted of murder in separate proceedings.
20) The court found that Knox and Sollecito helped out with Guede's sexual quest for Kercher, before assaulting her brutally together with Guede and ultimately killing her when she resisted. The pair might have found Guede's sexual drive toward Kercher "exciting" or might have been under the influence of drugs, the court said in a document summing up its reasoning in the verdict.
21) Guede also has denied killing Kercher. His sentence to 30 years in prison was cut to 16 years on appeal.
22) Knox's defense argued that she spent the night at Sollecito's house, watching a movie, smoking pot and having sex.
23) The case has drawn large media attention, and the courtroom was packed on Wednesday with journalists, cameramen and photographers. As in the previous trial, Presiding Judge Claudio Pratillo Hellman ruled that cameras would only be allowed to film the defendants' entrances.
24) The Kercher family did not attend the hearing, but sent a letter to the mayor of Perugia, who has decided to create a scholarship in Kercher's name.
25) "Meredith loved Perugia and had made many friends here," the victim's father, John Kercher, said in the letter. "She would be proud and happy of what you are doing in her name."
2010-11-25
Amanda Knox makes brief court appearance in Italy
(APW_ENG_20101125.0010)
1) After three years in prison, a gaunt-looking Amanda Knox has returned to an Italian court for a hearing that marked the opening of an appeals trial for the American student convicted of murdering her British roommate.
2) The hearing Wednesday lasted only 15 minutes, as the presiding judge agreed to adjourn the case until Dec. 11, when the jury will hear a summary of the first trial and possibly preliminary requests for new evidence and witnesses from the defense.
3) Knox returned to the same frescoed courtroom where in December she burst into tears as she was convicted of sexually assaulting and murdering Meredith Kercher and given a 26-year prison term.
4) On Wednesday, the 23-year-old from Seattle, Washington, was escorted by a policewoman -- and awaited by a crowd of cameramen and photographers -- as she walked across the courtroom and took her usual seat at a desk between her two lawyers. A policeman stood guard behind her.
5) Wearing a simple light blue hooded sweater, Knox appeared pale and thinner during the brief hearing, in stark contrast to the confident, often smiling image she had projected during most of the first trial. Lawyers said she's been worn out by three years in prison.
6) "She is tense, exhausted, and has lost weight," Luciano Ghirga, one of her attorneys, said after the hearing.
7) Her mother Edda Mellas, who was not in court, said on NBC's "Today" that the family, when visiting, has about 10 minutes to talk to her and "she always tries to put on a brave face." But, Mellas said, the family knows the sentence is taking its toll.
8) "She's just down. She's worried," the woman said. "To be innocent and to be locked up is horrific."
9) Also attending the hearing in Perugia, a city in central Italy, was her co-defendant and former boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito. He has been convicted of the same charges and sentenced to 25 years in prison. Both have maintained their innocence.
10) It was the first time since the two former lovers had seen each other since the December verdict. Lawyers said they exchanged a brief greeting and few words.
11) They were arrested on Nov. 6, 2007, a few days after Kercher's body was found, stab wounds to her neck and a pool of blood around it, in the apartment she and Knox shared as exchange students in Perugia. Forensic evidence said Kercher was killed the night of Nov. 1.
12) The defense is seeking a full review of the case, including disputed DNA evidence that was found on a knife allegedly used in the murder and on the clasp of Kercher's bra. The defense maintains that DNA traces were inconclusive, and also contends they may have been contaminated when analyzed. They also note that no clear motive was established.
13) "There's no motive. There's no physical evidence. There's nothing to connect Amanda to this crime," Edda Mellas said, speaking on ABC'S "Good Morning America."
14) The prosecutors also have appealed, as they can in Italy, since the ruling fell short of their demand for life in prison.
15) "We want an acquittal, the prosecution demands a life sentence:
16) It's an intense, harsh and violent legal clash," Ghirga said in an interview on the eve of the hearing.
17) Ghirga said that, despite recently being low on confidence, Knox has been eager to get another chance at freedom with the appeal.
18) "People are starting to learn exactly what this case is really about -- which is an issue of wrong conviction," Knox's stepfather, Chris Mellas, told reporters in Perugia. "She is innocent, as is Raffaele, and people are starting to figure that out."
19) According to the court's reconstruction of the night of the murder, Knox and Sollecito were at the house along with a fourth person, Rudy Hermann Guede, an Ivory Coast citizen who also has been convicted of murder in separate proceedings.
20) The court found that Knox and Sollecito helped out with Guede's sexual quest for Kercher, before assaulting her brutally together with Guede and ultimately killing her when she resisted. The pair might have found Guede's sexual drive toward Kercher "exciting" or might have been under the influence of drugs, the court said in a document summing up its reasoning in the verdict.
21) Guede also has denied killing Kercher. His sentence to 30 years in prison was cut to 16 years on appeal.
22) Knox's defense argued that she spent the night at Sollecito's house, watching a movie, smoking pot and having sex.
23) The case has drawn large media attention, and the courtroom was packed on Wednesday with journalists, cameramen and photographers. As in the previous trial, Presiding Judge Claudio Pratillo Hellman ruled that cameras would only be allowed to film the defendants' entrances.
24) The Kercher family did not attend the hearing, but sent a letter to the mayor of Perugia, who has decided to create a scholarship in Kercher's name.
25) "Meredith loved Perugia and had made many friends here," the victim's father, John Kercher, said in the letter. "She would be proud and happy of what you are doing in her name."
2010-12-11
Knox makes emotional address in Italy appeal
(APW_ENG_20101211.0180)
1) The American student convicted of murdering her British roommate in Italy in 2007 has said she is the innocent victim of an "enormous mistake."
2) Amanda Knox said Saturday in an emotional address to an appeals court that her life had been "broken" by three years in jail. She insists she is not the "dangerous, diabolical" person described by the prosecution.
3) Knox was convicted last year of sexually assaulting and murdering Meredith Kercher, and sentenced to 26 years in prison. She denies wrongdoing.
4) Knox was in tears as she said she thinks of Kercher as a dear friend she is "grateful and honored" to have met.
5) Also on trial is Raffaele Sollecito, Knox's ex-boyfriend, who was sentenced to 25 years.
Knox makes emotional address in Italy appeal
(APW_ENG_20101211.0232)
1) Convicted murderer Amanda Knox broke into tears as she made an emotional address to an appeals court in Italy, saying Saturday she is the innocent victim of an "enormous mistake" and that her life had been "broken" by three years in jail.
2) In a powerful 20-minute address to the court, the 23-year-old American reached out to the family of Meredith Kercher, the British girl she was convicted of killing and sexually assaulting in 2007 when they were roommates on a student exchange program in Perugia.
3) Knox denied being the "dangerous, diabolical, uncaring, violent" person described by the prosecution.
4) Last year, Knox was convicted and sentenced to 26 years in prison. Also convicted of the same charges was Raffaele Sollecito, an Italian who is Knox's ex-boyfriend. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison. Both deny wrongdoing, and have appealed the verdict.
5) The appeals trial formally opened last month but that hearing was immediately adjourned. With Saturday's hearing, the new proceedings got into full swing.
6) "I am innocent. Raffaele is innocent. We did not kill Meredith," said Knox, speaking Italian, and her voice breaking. "It doesn't' do justice to Meredith and her loved ones to take our lives from us."
7) Silence fell on the courtroom as Knox started speaking, with her step-father Chris Mellas and her university friend Madison Paxton in attendance. Paxton, who was crying during her friend's speech, said later she had never been "so proud of anybody in my life."
8) Knox has addressed the court in the previous trial but never for as long or as passionately. She said she regretted not being able to fully speak her mind before, saying that words don't come easily to her and that she has a difficult time standing up for herself.
9) In the United States, the coverage of the case has been largely favorable to the American and critical of the Italian handling of the case. Some raised doubts over the investigation and the collecting of forensic evidence allegedly linking Knox and Sollecito to the crime.
10) "I stand here more scared than ever, not because I am or I have ever been afraid of the truth," she said, "but because the truth has not been recognized."
11) She was in tears as she said she thinks of Kercher as a dear friend she is "grateful and honored" to have met.
12) In the previous trial, Knox had described Kercher as a friend whose death had shocked her. On Saturday, she also turned her thoughts to the victim's family.
13) "I'm very sorry Meredith is no longer living," a tearful Knox said. "I too have little sisters and the idea of their suffering, their loss, terrifies me."
14) "What you are going through, and what Meredith was subjected to, is incomprehensible and unacceptable," she said.
15) The victim's father, John Kercher, wrote a piece in Britain's Daily Mail lamenting the fact that "since that act of horrific violence, Knox, it seems, has been accorded the status of a minor celebrity."
16) Kercher wrote that Knox's parents "have never expressed their condolences to our family for our grievous loss."
17) "There has been no letter of sympathy; no word of regret," he wrote. "Instead, I have watched them repeatedly reiterate the mantra of their daughter's innocence."
18) Knox said it took her time to come to terms with her new life, saying "I was in prison, my photo was everywhere." She lamented what she said were "insidious, unjust, mean" reports of her private life. While the American press has largely been sympathetic to Knox, reports in Britain and Italy have often described her as a devious, manipulative woman.
19) "I can never get used to this broken life," she said. "I still don't know how to face all this, except than to be myself."
20) In their December ruling, the court said that on the night of the murder, Knox and Sollecito were at the house with a fourth person, Rudy Hermann Guede, an Ivory Coast citizen who has also been convicted of murder in separate proceedings. Knox and Sollecito assisted Guede's sexual desire for Kercher, becoming her brutal assailants together with the Ivorian man and ultimately killing the 21-year-old when she resisted the sexual approach.
21) "How is it possible that I should have jumped at the opportunity to hurt my friend, be violent as if it were the natural thing to do?" Knox asked the court.
22) At the appeals trial, the defense lawyers for Knox and Sollecito are seeking a full review on the forensic evidence, including on disputed DNA evidence that was found on a knife allegedly used in the murder, and on the clasp of Kercher's bra.
23) The defense maintains that DNA traces were inconclusive, and also challenged that they may have been contaminated when they were analyzed. They also want new testimony to be heard.
24) The court is expected to rule on these requests at the next hearing, Dec. 18.
25) The prosecutors, who had sought life sentences, are also appealing the ruling, as they can in Italy.
Knox makes emotional address in Italy appeal
(APW_ENG_20101211.0317)
1) Convicted murderer Amanda Knox broke into tears Saturday as she made an emotional address to an appeals court in Italy, saying she was the innocent victim of an "enormous mistake" and that her life had been "broken" by three years in jail.
2) In her address to the court, the 23-year-old American reached out for the first time to the family of Meredith Kercher, the British girl she was convicted of killing and sexually assaulting in 2007 when they were roommates on a student exchange program in Perugia.
3) Knox denied being the "dangerous, diabolical, jealous, uncaring, violent" person described by the prosecution.
4) Last year, Knox was convicted and sentenced to 26 years in prison. Also convicted of the same charges was Raffaele Sollecito, an Italian who is Knox's former boyfriend. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison. Both deny wrongdoing, and have appealed the verdict.
5) The appeals trial formally opened last month but that hearing was immediately adjourned. With Saturday's hearing, the new proceedings got into full swing.
6) "I am innocent. Raffaele is innocent. We did not kill Meredith," Knox said during her 20-minute address, speaking Italian, and her voice breaking. "It doesn't' do justice to Meredith and her loved ones to take our lives from us."
7) Silence fell on the courtroom as Knox started speaking, with her stepfather Chris Mellas and her university friend Madison Paxton in attendance. Paxton, who was crying during her friend's speech, said later she had never been "so proud of anybody in my life."
8) Knox had addressed the court in the previous trial but never for as long or as passionately. She said she regretted not being able to fully speak her mind before, saying that words don't come easily to her and that she has a difficult time standing up for herself.
9) In the United States, the coverage of the case has been largely favorable to the American and critical of the Italian handling of the case. Some raised doubts over the investigation and the collecting of forensic evidence allegedly linking Knox and Sollecito to the crime.
10) "I stand here more scared than ever, not because I am or I have ever been afraid of the truth," she said, "but because the truth has not been recognized."
11) She was in tears as she said she thinks of Kercher as a dear friend she is "grateful and honored" to have met.
12) In the previous trial, Knox had described Kercher as a friend whose death had shocked her. On Saturday, she turned her thoughts to the victim's family.
13) "I'm very sorry Meredith is no longer living," a tearful Knox said. "I too have little sisters and the idea of their suffering, their loss, terrifies me."
14) "What you are going through, and what Meredith was subjected to, is incomprehensible and unacceptable," she said. "You are not alone as you remember her. ... My heart is shattered for all of you."
15) Kercher's family did not attend. Their lawyer, Francesco Maresca, left the courtroom as Knox spoke, saying later that he "didn't want to have to listen to these statements, which came too late, are inappropriate, devoid of any significance and only intended (to impress) the appeals court."
16) The victim's father, John Kercher, recently wrote a piece in Britain's Daily Mail lamenting the fact that "since that act of horrific violence, Knox, it seems, has been accorded the status of a minor celebrity."
17) Kercher wrote that Knox's parents "have never expressed their condolences to our family for our grievous loss."
18) "There has been no letter of sympathy; no word of regret," he wrote. "Instead, I have watched them repeatedly reiterate the mantra of their daughter's innocence."
19) Knox said her initial incarceration was expecially difficult.
20) "I was in prison, my photo was everywhere." She lamented what she said were "insidious, unjust, mean" reports about her private life. While the American press has largely been sympathetic to Knox, reports in Britain and Italy have often described her as a devious, manipulative woman.
21) "I can never get used to this broken life," she said. "I still don't know how to face all this, except than to be myself."
22) Knox has been behind bars since November 2007, a few days after Kercher's body, her throat slit, was found in the apartment she and Knox shared.
23) Knox had discussed the possibilty of addressing the court with her stepfather and friend visiting her in prison, they said.
24) "It's always very stressful for her to speak in court, it's difficult," Mellas told The Associated Press. "But she needed to express her position." Paxton said Knox was "scared" about her address because she's "out of her comfort zone" and doesn't like being in the spotlight.
25) In its December ruling, the court said that on the night of the murder Knox and Sollecito were at the house with a fourth person, Rudy Hermann Guede, an Ivory Coast citizen who has also been convicted of murder in separate proceedings. The court said Knox and Sollecito assisted Guede's sexual desire for Kercher, becoming her brutal assailants together with the Ivorian man and ultimately killing the 21-year-old when she resisted the sexual approach.
26) "How is it possible that I should have jumped at the opportunity to hurt my friend?" Knox asked the court Saturday. "That girl is not me."
27) At the appeals trial, the defense lawyers for Knox and Sollecito are seeking a full review on the forensic evidence, including disputed DNA evidence that was found on a knife allegedly used in the murder and on the clasp of Kercher's bra.
28) The defense maintains the DNA traces were inconclusive, and asserted that they may have been contaminated when they were analyzed. They also want new testimony to be heard.
29) The court is expected to rule on these requests at the next hearing, Dec. 18.
30) The prosecutors, who had sought life sentences, are also appealing the ruling, as they can in Italy.
2010-12-16
Italy: court upholds man ' s conviction in Knox case
(APW_ENG_20101216.0776)
1) Italy's highest criminal court on Thursday upheld the conviction and 16-year prison sentence of a young man from the Ivory Coast for the 2007 murder of a British student.
2) Meredith Kercher's body, stabbed in the neck and lying in a pool of blood, was found in the room of a flat she shared with American student Amanda Knox of Seattle, who was convicted in a separate trial of the murder and sentenced to 26 years.
3) Knox's appeals trial recently began in Perugia, a town in Umbria famed for its university with a large population of foreign students.
4) Co-defendant in that appeals trial is her former boyfriend, Italian Raffaele Sollecito, who was sentenced in 25 years in prison for the murder in the lower level criminal court.
5) Rudy Hermann Guede of Ivory Coast, Knox and Sollecito have each denied killing Kercher.
6) A lawyer for the Kercher family, who attended the Cassation's session, expressed "satisfaction for closing the case" against Guede.
7) At Knox's last appearance last week, at her appeals trial, the American broke down in tears while making an emotional speech to the court. She called herself the innocent victim of an "enormous" mistake and denied being the "dangerous, diabolical, jealous, uncaring, violent" person described by the prosecution. She declared that Sollecito was also wrongly convicted.
8) At the appeals trial, defense lawyers for Knox and Sollecito are seeking a full review on the forensic evidence, including disputed DNA evidence that was found on a knife allegedly used in the murder and on the clasp of Kercher's bra.
2010-12-18
Knox trial resumes in Italy
(APW_ENG_20101218.0150)
1) American student Amanda Knox appeals murder trial has resumed in this central Italian city, with the court expected to issue a key decision on whether to allow a review of the case's evidence and new witnesses.
2) Defense lawyers are seeking a full independent review of forensic evidence, including contentious DNA evidence, and new witnesses. A rejection would be seen as dealing a blow to their hopes of overturning the guilty verdict.
3) Knox, the 23-year-old from Seattle, was convicted last year of sexually assaulting and murdering her British roommate, Meredith Kercher, and sentenced to 26 years in prison. Her co-defendant and ex-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, was convicted and sentenced to 25 years.
4) Knox's mother, Edda Mellas, was in court Saturday.
Knox trial resumes in Italy
(APW_ENG_20101218.0165)
1) The appeals murder trial of American student Amanda Knox resumed Saturday in this central Italian city, with the court expected to issue a key decision on whether to allow a review of the case's evidence and new witnesses.
2) Defense lawyers are seeking a full independent review of forensic evidence, including on contentious DNA evidence that was found on a knife allegedly used in the murder, and new witnesses. A rejection would be seen as dealing a blow to their hopes of overturning the guilty verdict.
3) Knox was convicted last year of sexually assaulting and murdering her British roommate, Meredith Kercher, and sentenced to 26 years in prison. Her co-defendant and ex-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito of Italy, was convicted of the same charges and sentenced to 25 years.
4) Both deny wrongdoing in the 2007 slaying.
5) The defense maintains that DNA traces presented at the original trial were inconclusive, and also challenged that they may have been contaminated when they were analyzed.
6) Prosecutor Giancarlo Costagliola said a review would be "useless" and that "this court has all the elements to be able to come to a decision."
7) Knox, a 23-year-old from Seattle, was hunched and pale as she was escorted into the courtroom. Her mother, Edda Mellas, was in court and said she would stay to spend Christmas with her daughter.
8) The hearing was held just two days after Italy's highest criminal court upheld the conviction and 16-year-prison sentence of the third person charged with the murder, Rudy Hermann Guede of the Ivory Coast. Guede has admitted being at the house the night of the murder but denies killing Kercher.
9) He has been tried separately.
Knox trial resumes in Italy
(APW_ENG_20101218.0285)
1) An Italian court hearing the appeals murder trial of Amanda Knox was deliberating Saturday whether to allow new witnesses and an independent review of evidence -- a crucial decision for the defense of the American student convicted of killing her British roommate.
2) Defense lawyers are seeking a full, independent review of forensic evidence, including of contentious DNA evidence found on a knife allegedly used in the murder, as well as introduction of new witnesses. The prosecution insists the review is not necessary.
3) It is the first significant test for Knox's defense. A rejection would be seen as dealing a blow to their hopes of overturning the conviction.
4) Knox was convicted last year of sexually assaulting and murdering Meredith Kercher, and sentenced to 26 years in prison. Her co-defendant and ex-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito of Italy, was convicted of the same charges and sentenced to 25 years.
5) Both deny wrongdoing in the 2007 slaying.
6) The defense maintains that DNA traces presented at the first trial were inconclusive and also contends they might have been contaminated when they were analyzed. They are disputing DNA traces found on the knife and on the clasp of Kercher's bra.
7) "If they don't do the review, we'll be disappointed obviously," said Edda Mellas, Knox's mother. But, she added, "we won't throw in the towel."
8) Prosecutor Giancarlo Costagliola insisted that a review would be "useless" and that "this court has all the elements to be able to come to a decision." A lawyer for the Kercher family, Francesco Maresca, also opposed the bid for an evidence review, telling the court that Knox's and Sollecito's defense teams want to have "endless judgments."
9) Knox, a 23-year-old from Seattle, was hunched and pale as she was escorted into the courtroom.
10) She has been behind bars in Perugia since Nov. 6, 2007, four days after Kercher's body was found in a pool of blood, her throat slit, in the apartment Knox and Kercher shared as exchange students in Perugia.
11) Mellas said the case has been taking a toll on her daughter.
12) ""We assumed there would be no way (she would get convicted)," she said. "It's scary to think it might happen again."
13) Saturday's hearing was held two days after Italy's highest criminal court upheld the conviction and 16-year-prison sentence of the third person charged with the murder, Rudy Hermann Guede of the Ivory Coast. Guede has admitted being at the house the night of the murder but denies killing Kercher.
14) He was tried separately.
15) The high court's ruling, which cannot be appealed, is significant because it states that Guede took part in the slaying but did not act alone, prosecutors and lawyers said.
Italian court OKs evidence review for Knox
(APW_ENG_20101218.0367)
1) An Italian court says it will allow independent review of crucial DNA evidence in Amanda Knox's appeals trial on her murder conviction.
2) The ruling Saturday evening by the appellate court in Perugia is an important victory in the defense strategy to try to overturn a lower court conviction of Knox and 26-year prison sentence for the 2007 slaying of her British roommate, Meredith Kercher. The lower court trial had rejected a similar defense move for an outside check of DNA found on the victim's bra clasp and on a knife the prosecution alleged was used in the fatal stabbing.
Italian court OKs evidence review for Knox
(APW_ENG_20101218.0371)
1) An Italian court ruled Saturday that it will allow an independent review of crucial DNA evidence in Amanda Knox's appeals trial on her murder conviction.
2) The ruling by the appellate court in Perugia is an important victory in the defense strategy to try to overturn a lower court conviction of the American and a 26-year prison sentence for the 2007 slaying of her British roommate, Meredith Kercher.
3) The lower court trial had rejected a similar defense move for an outside check of DNA found on the victim's bra clasp and on a knife the prosecution alleged was used in the fatal stabbing.
4) Knox was convicted last year of sexually assaulting and murdering Meredith Kercher, and sentenced to 26 years in prison. Her co-defendant and ex-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito of Italy, was convicted of the same charges and sentenced to 25 years. Both deny wrongdoing.
5) The defense maintains that DNA traces presented at the first trial were inconclusive and also contends they might have been contaminated when they were analyzed. They are disputing DNA traces found on the knife and on the clasp of Kercher's bra.
Italian court OKs evidence review for Knox
(APW_ENG_20101218.0372)
1) An Italian court ruled Saturday that it will allow an independent review of crucial DNA evidence in Amanda Knox's appeals trial on her murder conviction.
2) The ruling by the appellate court in Perugia is an important victory in the defense strategy to try to overturn a lower court conviction of the American and a 26-year prison sentence for the 2007 slaying of her British roommate, Meredith Kercher.
3) The lower court trial had rejected a similar defense move for an outside check of DNA found on the victim's bra clasp and on a knife the prosecution alleged was used in the fatal stabbing.
4) Knox was convicted last year of sexually assaulting and murdering Meredith Kercher, and sentenced to 26 years in prison. Her co-defendant and ex-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito of Italy, was convicted of the same charges and sentenced to 25 years. Both deny wrongdoing.
5) The defense maintains that DNA traces presented at the first trial were inconclusive and also contends they might have been contaminated when they were analyzed. They are disputing DNA traces found on the knife and on the clasp of Kercher's bra.
6) Knox, a 23-year-old from Seattle, was hunched and pale as she was escorted into the courtroom.
7) She has been behind bars in Perugia since Nov. 6, 2007, four days after Kercher's body was found in a pool of blood, her throat slit, in the apartment Knox and Kercher shared as exchange students in Perugia.
8) Edda Mellas, Knox's mother, said the case has been taking a toll on her daughter.
9) ""We assumed there would be no way (she would get convicted)," she said. "It's scary to think it might happen again."
10) Saturday's hearing was held two days after Italy's highest criminal court upheld the conviction and 16-year-prison sentence of the third person charged with the murder, Rudy Hermann Guede of the Ivory Coast. Guede has admitted being at the house the night of the murder but denies killing Kercher.
11) He was tried separately.
12) The high court's ruling, which cannot be appealed, is significant because it states that Guede took part in the slaying but did not act alone, prosecutors and lawyers said.
Italian court OKs evidence review for Knox
(APW_ENG_20101218.0380)
1) Amanda Knox won an important victory in her appeals trial of her murder conviction in Italy on Saturday, when a court ruled that it will allow an independent review of crucial DNA evidence.
2) The lower court trial, which convicted the American student last year and sentenced her to 26 years in Italian prison, had rejected a similar defense request for an outside review of DNA found on the victim's bra clasp and on a knife the prosecution alleged was used to stab Meredith Kercher.
3) Knox was convicted of sexually assaulting and murdering Kercher. The co-defendant in the appeals trial is her ex-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, an Italian who was convicted of the same charges and sentenced to 25 years.
4) Prosecutors maintain that Sollecito's DNA was found on the bra clasp and that Knox's DNA was found on the knife. The defense maintains that DNA traces presented at the first trial were inconclusive and also contends they might have been contaminated when they were analyzed.
5) Knox's mother, Edda Mellas, burst into tears of joy in the courtroom in the university town of Perugia when the appeals court announced its decision. "Finally a little bit of good news," Mellas said, as Knox's family members hugged defense team lawyers.
6) The court selected two experts from Rome's Sapienza University to review the evidence. The experts will be formally given the task at the trial's next session on Jan. 15.
7) The request for the review was the first significant test for Knox's defense. A rejection could have dealt a severe blow to their hopes of overturning the conviction.
8) Prosecutor Giancarlo Costagliola had opposed the review request as "useless," asserting that "this court has all the elements to be able to come to a decision." A lawyer for the Kercher family, Francesco Maresca, also opposed the evidence review.
9) Knox, a 23-year-old from Seattle, was hunched and pale as she was escorted into the courtroom earlier in the morning.
10) She has been behind bars in Perugia since Nov. 6, 2007, four days after Kercher's body was found in a pool of blood, her throat slit, in the apartment Knox and Kercher shared as exchange students in Perugia.
11) Saturday's hearing was held two days after Italy's highest criminal court upheld the conviction and 16-year-prison sentence of the third person charged with the murder, Rudy Hermann Guede of the Ivory Coast. Guede has admitted being at the house the night of the murder but denies killing Kercher. He was tried separately.
12) The high court's ruling, which cannot be appealed, is significant because it states that Guede took part in the slaying but did not act alone, prosecutors and lawyers said.
Italian court OKs evidence review for Knox
(APW_ENG_20101218.0496)
1) Amanda Knox won an important victory in her appeals trial of her murder conviction in Italy on Saturday, when a court ruled that it will allow an independent review of crucial DNA evidence after defense claims that samples were inconclusive and possibly contaminated.
2) The lower court trial, which convicted the American student a year ago and sentenced her to 26 years in Italian prison, had rejected a similar defense request for an outside review of DNA found on the bra clasp of the victim, her British roommate Meredith Kercher, and on a knife the prosecution alleged was used in the fatal stabbing attack.
3) Kercher's body was found in a pool of blood on Nov. 2, 2007, her throat slit the apartment she shared with Knox. Forensic experts said she was killed the night before.
4) Knox burst into tears, in a sign of a release of tension, said her stepfather Chris Mellas. "She's a happy mess," he said, smiling.
5) She was convicted of sexually assaulting and murdering Kercher in the rented house they shared in the university town of Perugia, where both were studying. The co-defendant in the appeals trial is her ex-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, an Italian who was convicted of the same charges and sentenced to 25 years. Both deny any wrongdoing.
6) Prosecutors maintain that Sollecito's DNA was found on the bra clasp and that Knox's DNA was found on the knife's handle and Kercher's DNA on the blade. The defense maintains that DNA traces presented at the first trial were inconclusive and also contends they might have been contaminated when they were analyzed.
7) The court handed the defense another victory. It will allow several witnesses the defense hopes will refute testimony that placed Knox and Sollecito near the house on the night of Nov. 1, 2007, when Meredith was killed.
8) Knox's mother, Edda Mellas, burst into tears of joy in the courtroom when the appeals court announced its decision. "Finally a little bit of good news," Mellas said, as Knox's family members hugged defense team lawyers.
9) Judge Claudio Pratillo Hellman said after 90 minutes of deliberations that the DNA evidence review was needed "to remove any reasonable doubt."
10) He said two independent experts, from Rome's Sapienza university, would either make new analyses of the DNA traces found, or if that isn't possible, would review the analyses that had been carried out by previous forensic experts and assess whether they are reliable.
11) DNA evidence was crucial in the first trial, where a clear motive did not emerge for the brutal killing.
12) "Finally, the trial can begin," said Luca Maori, an attorney for Sollecito. "After three years, we have scored our first important victory."
13) A Knox defense attorney, Luciano Ghirga, called the ruling Saturday "a significant step" and "a victory not for one side, but for the truth."
14) The experts will be formally assigned the task of the review at the trial's next session, on Jan. 15.
15) The court said it might decide at a later stage to allow other witnesses sought by the defense.
16) The court rejected several of the defense requests, including for new tests on Sollecito's computer related to the young man's alibi for the night of the slaying.
17) Francesco Maresca, a lawyer for the Kercher family who had opposed the review, said that "if the court has any remaining doubts, it does well to try to remove them."
18) "And now we'll see what these experts will conclude," he told reporters at the end of the hearing.
19) The review will take at least 30 days, and with new witnesses being heard, the trial is expected to go until next spring.
20) In seeking the new witnesses, the defense is seeking to refute testimony in the first trial from Antonio Curatolo, a homeless man who said he had seen Knox and Sollecito chatting on a basketball court near the apartment house the night Kercher was killed.
21) The defense insists his testimony was unreliable and hopes the new witnesses, who operate buses and discos in the area, will prove him wrong.
22) Prosecutors also appealed the lower court's verdict in hopes of winning stiffer sentences.
23) Saturday's hearing was held two days after Italy's highest criminal court upheld the conviction and 16-year-prison sentence of the third person charged with the murder, Rudy Hermann Guede of the Ivory Coast. Guede has admitted being at the house the night of the murder but denies killing Kercher.
24) He was tried separately. The high court's ruling, which cannot be appealed, is significant because it states that Guede took part in the slaying but did not act alone, prosecutors and lawyers said.
Italian court OKs evidence review for Knox
(APW_ENG_20101218.0544)
1) Amanda Knox won an important victory in her appeals trial of her murder conviction in Italy on Saturday, when a court ruled that it will allow an independent review of crucial DNA evidence after defense claims that samples were inconclusive and possibly contaminated.
2) The lower court trial, which convicted the American student a year ago and sentenced her to 26 years in Italian prison, had rejected a similar defense request for an outside review of DNA found on the bra clasp of the victim, her British roommate Meredith Kercher, and on a knife the prosecution alleged was used in the fatal stabbing attack.
3) Kercher's body was found in a pool of blood on Nov. 2, 2007, her throat slit in the apartment she shared with Knox. Forensic experts said she was killed the night before.
4) Knox burst into tears, in a sign of a release of tension, said her stepfather Chris Mellas. "She's a happy mess," he said, smiling.
5) She was convicted of sexually assaulting and murdering Kercher in the rented house they shared in the university town of Perugia, where both were studying. The co-defendant in the appeals trial is her ex-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, an Italian who was convicted of the same charges and sentenced to 25 years. Both deny any wrongdoing.
6) Prosecutors maintain that Sollecito's DNA was found on the bra clasp and that Knox's DNA was found on the knife's handle and Kercher's DNA on the blade. The defense maintains that DNA traces presented at the first trial were inconclusive and also contends they might have been contaminated when they were analyzed.
7) The court handed the defense another victory. It will allow several witnesses the defense hopes will refute testimony that placed Knox and Sollecito near the house on the night Kercher was killed.
8) Knox's mother, Edda Mellas, burst into tears of joy in the courtroom when the appeals court announced its decision. "Finally a little bit of good news," Mellas said, as Knox's family members hugged defense team lawyers.
9) Judge Claudio Pratillo Hellman said after 90 minutes of deliberations that the DNA evidence review was needed "to remove any reasonable doubt."
10) He said two independent experts, from Rome's Sapienza university, would either make new analyses of the DNA traces found, or if that isn't possible, would review the analyses that had been carried out by previous forensic experts and assess whether they are reliable.
11) DNA evidence was crucial in the first trial, where a clear motive did not emerge for the brutal killing.
12) "Finally, the trial can begin," said Luca Maori, an attorney for Sollecito. "After three years, we have scored our first important victory."
13) A Knox defense attorney, Luciano Ghirga, called the ruling Saturday "a significant step" and "a victory not for one side, but for the truth."
14) The experts will be formally assigned the task of the review at the trial's next session, on Jan. 15.
15) The court said it might decide at a later stage to allow other witnesses sought by the defense.
16) The court rejected several of the defense requests, including for new tests on Sollecito's computer related to the young man's alibi for the night of the slaying.
17) Francesco Maresca, a lawyer for the Kercher family who had opposed the review, said that "if the court has any remaining doubts, it does well to try to remove them."
18) "And now we'll see what these experts will conclude," he told reporters at the end of the hearing.
19) The review will take at least 30 days, and with new witnesses being heard, the trial is expected to go until next spring.
20) In seeking the new witnesses, the defense is seeking to refute testimony in the first trial from Antonio Curatolo, a homeless man who said he had seen Knox and Sollecito chatting on a basketball court near the apartment house the night Kercher was killed.
21) The defense insists his testimony was unreliable and hopes the new witnesses, who operate buses and discos in the area, will prove him wrong.
22) Prosecutors also appealed the lower court's verdict in hopes of winning stiffer sentences.
23) Saturday's hearing was held two days after Italy's highest criminal court upheld the conviction and 16-year-prison sentence of the third person charged with the murder, Rudy Hermann Guede of the Ivory Coast. Guede has admitted being at the house the night of the murder but denies killing Kercher.
24) He was tried separately. The high court's ruling, which cannot be appealed, is significant because it states that Guede took part in the slaying but did not act alone, prosecutors and lawyers said.