Amanda Knox. Guilty or not guilty?

[JamesHunt]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8394750.stm

American student Amanda Knox and her former boyfriend have been found guilty by an Italian court of the murder of British student Meredith Kercher.

Knox, 22, bowed her head and burst into tears as she was jailed for 26 years for murder and sexual violence.

Italian Raffaele Sollecito, 25, looked impassive as he was given 25 years.

[brickcitybrother]

All I can say is that innocent people do not implicate other innocent people. But I've seen alot of guilty people implicate anyone - even ole' mom - to get out of trouble. When she lied and said an innocent man was guilty ... what sympathy could I have. There are INNOCENT people in prison (and not all of them were framed by the police, so were framed by the truly guilty). To bad she won't get what she really deserves as Italian prisons are not as harsh as some.

[praetor]

guilty


Perugia, Italy (CNN) -- Family members of Meredith Kercher said Saturday that they were satisfied with the verdict that found American Amanda Knox and her Italian ex-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, guilty in the fatal knifing of their loved one.

"Ultimately we are pleased with the decision," said Lyle Kercher, Meredith's brother. "But it was not a moment of celebration. We are here because our sister was brutally murdered."

Knox was given a 26-year sentence; Sollecito was sentenced to 25 years Friday for the murder of Kercher. Both will appeal, attorneys said.

Arline Kercher, Meredith's mother, said she believes the two are guilty.

"You have to go with the evidence," she said.
Knox and Sollecito were charged with murder and sexual violence in Kercher's death in November 2007. Knox and Kercher, both studying abroad, were roommates. A third suspect was found guilty in a separate trial.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/12/05/...act/index.html

The two were convicted on all charges except theft and together must pay 5 million euros ($7.4 million) to the victim's family. In addition, Knox must pay 40,000 euros ($60,000) to a man whom she falsely accused of the killing.

The jury reached its verdict after deliberating nearly 11 hours on the 11 counts.

Prosecutors had asked for a sentence of life in prison. Italy does not have the death penalty.

Take a look at the evidence against Knox

The Kercher family made statements at a packed news conference in Perugia, their first public comments since the highly publicized convictions.

In a written statement Friday, Knox's parents said they were "extremely disappointed" with the verdict.

"While we always knew this was a possibility, we find it difficult to accept this verdict when we know that she is innocent, and that the prosecution has failed to explain why there is no evidence of Amanda in the room where Meredith was so horribly and tragically murdered," they said.

The victim's sister, Stephanie Kercher, talked about the grief her family experiences.

"Our lives have been on hold really. You can't really carry on as normal. You have to take each day as it comes," she said.

"Luckily, we have had support from a huge number of people -- close friends and family, and people all over the world. We can just hope that strength continues and do the best we can. It's not ever going to be the same without [Meredith]."

CNN's Richard Greene contributed to this report.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/12/05/...act/index.html

[praetor]

Added On December 5, 2009
Sitting in for CNN's Larry King, Jim Moray talks with Janet Huff, Amanda Knox's aunt about the guilty verdict.

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bes....knox.aunt.cnn

[Lobo]

I don't know much about this case but they were talking about it on cnn's headline news last night and the reporter they had covering it in Italy said that one of things that sunk her was admitting she was in the house when the murder happened (she heard the struggle and screams) and then changing her story and saying she wasn't there when it happened. That was the beginning of the end for her.

[arnie666]

You know there is a lesson to be learnt here. When in Rome do as the romans do. When you go to a foreign country you have to accept their laws and justice system as well as the cultural nature of that country.Too often people from the UK and the US have been caught short concerning this.

A combination of drug fueled sex orgies,knives contacts with druggies from the Ivory coast, and being in a rather moralist traditional country and certainly a small town mentality part of that country is a recipe for disaster. Knox thought she could live her life in the same way she did in the states.Whether she is guilty or not ,she is guilty of arrogance and stupidity.

That town in Italy probably had never seen a girl like Knox, no doubt sexed up even more by the media. The Police no doubt did judge her for her lifestyle. Finding condoms and a sextoy ,being a woman will not endear you to female Italian Police officers. Couple that with her framing an innocent man and changing her stories several times,and grinning in court as well as her family taking smiling holiday photos at the murder scene leaving aside the suspect DNA I think it didn't bode well for her.

Not sure of her guilt but she is fucking stupid. And people should remember the real victim in this,not some dumb Yank slut but a British girl called meridith who was sexually assaulted and had her throat cut.

[MDM23]

Well said mate.

[2009AD]

You know there is a lesson to be learnt here. When in Rome do as the romans do. When you go to a foreign country you have to accept their laws and justice system as well as the cultural nature of that country.Too often people from the UK and the US have been caught short concerning this.

A combination of drug fueled sex orgies,knives contacts with druggies from the Ivory coast, and being in a rather moralist traditional country and certainly a small town mentality part of that country is a recipe for disaster. Knox thought she could live her life in the same way she did in the states.Whether she is guilty or not ,she is guilty of arrogance and stupidity.

That town in Italy probably had never seen a girl like Knox, no doubt sexed up even more by the media. The Police no doubt did judge her for her lifestyle. Finding condoms and a sextoy ,being a woman will not endear you to female Italian Police officers. Couple that with her framing an innocent man and changing her stories several times,and grinning in court as well as her family taking smiling holiday photos at the murder scene leaving aside the suspect DNA I think it didn't bode well for her.

Not sure of her guilt but she is fucking stupid. And people should remember the real victim in this,not some dumb Yank slut but a British girl called meridith who was sexually assaulted and had her throat cut.

What the fuck are you babbling about? How's this for an idea: When in Rome, or wherever, DON'T MURDER. Knox could have done all the fucking, sucking and drugs she wanted to, it's when she took part in a murder that she crossed the line.

[Belial]

I don't know anything about the case, but she only got 26 years?
I'll bet she'll get out early on parole, too.
U Europeans are very limp-wristed about punishing murder.
I'm glad I don't live there.

[arnie666]

You know there is a lesson to be learnt here. When in Rome do as the romans do. When you go to a foreign country you have to accept their laws and justice system as well as the cultural nature of that country.Too often people from the UK and the US have been caught short concerning this.

A combination of drug fueled sex orgies,knives contacts with druggies from the Ivory coast, and being in a rather moralist traditional country and certainly a small town mentality part of that country is a recipe for disaster. Knox thought she could live her life in the same way she did in the states.Whether she is guilty or not ,she is guilty of arrogance and stupidity.

That town in Italy probably had never seen a girl like Knox, no doubt sexed up even more by the media. The Police no doubt did judge her for her lifestyle. Finding condoms and a sextoy ,being a woman will not endear you to female Italian Police officers. Couple that with her framing an innocent man and changing her stories several times,and grinning in court as well as her family taking smiling holiday photos at the murder scene leaving aside the suspect DNA I think it didn't bode well for her.

Not sure of her guilt but she is fucking stupid. And people should remember the real victim in this,not some dumb Yank slut but a British girl called meridith who was sexually assaulted and had her throat cut.

What the fuck are you babbling about? How's this for an idea: When in Rome, or wherever, DON'T MURDER. Knox could have done all the fucking, sucking and drugs she wanted to, it's when she took part in a murder that she crossed the line.

Oh yes, another individual with his arsehole where his mouth should be.

You really don't get it do you ,you dumb fuck. She tried to carry on her American existance in a foreign country ,which had a totally different legal system . If you want to do drugs, take part in sex romps with dodgy drug supplying african gentlemen . fuck about with knives while under the influence, writing silly rape fantasies on the net , don't come crying when it all goes pete tong, moaning about how 'inferior' Italian justice is compared to the good ol US.Remember OJ?


She's a fucking idiot, and you have just outed yourself as one too.