Murder of Meredith Kercher

4:02pm UK, Friday May 22, 2009

Nick Pisa, in Perugia

DNA from Meredith Kercher murder suspect Amanda Knox was found on the handle of a kitchen knife and Miss Kercher's DNA was on the tip, a court has heard.


Amanda Knox, from Seattle, USA, arrives at court in Perugia, Italy

Knox and her former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito are on trial in Italy over the murder and sexual assault of Miss Kercher, 21, who was found semi-naked with her throat cut in the house she shared with Knox in Perugia.

The court has already heard from prosecutors Giuliano Mignini and Manuela Comodi who say she was killed after refusing to take part in a drug-fuelled sex game.

On Friday, forensic scientist Patrizia Stefanoni told the court how her team had recorded 460 biological traces at the crime scene.

Dr Stefanoni said DNA was detected on a black-handled kitchen knife recovered from Sollecito's flat - which the court has been told is compatible with the murder weapon.

She showed photographs of the knife and pointed out the areas of the handle where Knox's DNA was found, and the tip of the blade where Miss Kercher's was found.

Dr Stefanoni told the court that blood tests on the knife had proved negative, and in earlier hearings the judge and jury were told that the knife had been cleaned.

DNA from Knox and Miss Kercher was also found in blood stains found in the bidet of the bathroom, the sink and on a box of cotton wool buds, the court heard.

Dr Stefanoni said the bloodstains were "slightly pink as if the result of being washed".

The court heard how DNA from Sollecito was found on a metal clasp that had been cut away from Miss Kercher's bra and which was found at the scene.

A blood stain found in the bedroom of flatmate Laura Romanelli was also found to have DNA from Knox and Miss Kercher.

The prosecution claims a window was smashed in Ms Romanelli's bedroom to make the murder look like a bungled break-in.

Dr Stefanoni, is one of Italy's leading forensic experts and was part of the Disaster Investigations Team sent to the scene of the 2004 tsunami to identify victims.

She emphasised that her team used gloves, shoe covers, tweezers and evidence bags at all times - hitting back against defence claims of contamination.

During the court hearing, Knox, dressed in a purple top and beige trousers, listened intently and at times made notes while discussing the evidence with one of her lawyers.

The prosecution is due to finish its case at the end of the month and Knox is expected to give evidence sometime in June.

Miss Kercher, a Leeds University student from Coulsdon, Surrey, was in Perugia on a year-long exchange programme as part of her European Studies degree.

Under the complicated Italian legal system hearings are only taking place on Fridays and Saturdays as the prosecutors and trial judge Giancarlo Massei are involved in other hearings.

Sollecito's lawyer Giulia Bongiorno is also an MP, busy during the week, so the trial - which started in January - is not expected to finish until October at the earliest.

eddie wrote:4:02pm UK, Friday May 22, 2009

Nick Pisa, in Perugia

DNA from Meredith Kercher murder suspect Amanda Knox was found on the handle of a kitchen knife and Miss Kercher's DNA was on the tip, a court has heard.


Amanda Knox, from Seattle, USA, arrives at court in Perugia, Italy

Knox and her former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito are on trial in Italy over the murder and sexual assault of Miss Kercher, 21, who was found semi-naked with her throat cut in the house she shared with Knox in Perugia.

The court has already heard from prosecutors Giuliano Mignini and Manuela Comodi who say she was killed after refusing to take part in a drug-fuelled sex game.

On Friday, forensic scientist Patrizia Stefanoni told the court how her team had recorded 460 biological traces at the crime scene.

Dr Stefanoni said DNA was detected on a black-handled kitchen knife recovered from Sollecito's flat - which the court has been told is compatible with the murder weapon.

She showed photographs of the knife and pointed out the areas of the handle where Knox's DNA was found, and the tip of the blade where Miss Kercher's was found.

Dr Stefanoni told the court that blood tests on the knife had proved negative, and in earlier hearings the judge and jury were told that the knife had been cleaned.

DNA from Knox and Miss Kercher was also found in blood stains found in the bidet of the bathroom, the sink and on a box of cotton wool buds, the court heard.

Dr Stefanoni said the bloodstains were "slightly pink as if the result of being washed".

The court heard how DNA from Sollecito was found on a metal clasp that had been cut away from Miss Kercher's bra and which was found at the scene.

A blood stain found in the bedroom of flatmate Laura Romanelli was also found to have DNA from Knox and Miss Kercher.

The prosecution claims a window was smashed in Ms Romanelli's bedroom to make the murder look like a bungled break-in.

Dr Stefanoni, is one of Italy's leading forensic experts and was part of the Disaster Investigations Team sent to the scene of the 2004 tsunami to identify victims.

She emphasised that her team used gloves, shoe covers, tweezers and evidence bags at all times - hitting back against defence claims of contamination.

During the court hearing, Knox, dressed in a purple top and beige trousers, listened intently and at times made notes while discussing the evidence with one of her lawyers.

The prosecution is due to finish its case at the end of the month and Knox is expected to give evidence sometime in June.

Miss Kercher, a Leeds University student from Coulsdon, Surrey, was in Perugia on a year-long exchange programme as part of her European Studies degree.

Under the complicated Italian legal system hearings are only taking place on Fridays and Saturdays as the prosecutors and trial judge Giancarlo Massei are involved in other hearings.

Sollecito's lawyer Giulia Bongiorno is also an MP, busy during the week, so the trial - which started in January - is not expected to finish until October at the earliest.

This reads to me like the DNA evidence is pretty conclusive. She's another person I just get a gut feeling about....I think she's guilty personally.

Ambersuz wrote:Bloody hell! She is sounding more and more guilty each time I read about her!

We havent heard a thing back from Chris.....hmmm

Hmmm I was goint to ask what happened to him???

Meredith's Family To Recount Last Phone Calls

6:11am UK, Saturday June 06, 2009
The family of murdered exchange student Meredith Kercher will today relate the last phone calls to home shortly before her death.

John and Arline Kercher, with daughter Stephanie, will return to the court room in Perugia, Italy, to describe the life she led as a student in the Umbrian hilltop town.

Taking the stand, they will come face to face with the couple accused of killing Miss Kercher on November 2, 2007.

The 21-year-old, from Coulsdon, Surrey, was found dead in her bedroom in the cottage she shared with defendant Amanda Knox and others on her year abroad.

Her throat had been slit and her semi-naked body was partially covered by a duvet.

Knox, 21, from Seattle, and Italian Raffaele Sollecito, 25, are accused of killing the Leeds University student after she refused to participate in a sex game.

Yesterday the Kerchers attended court but no member of the family was called to give evidence.

Their lawyer, Francesco Maresca, said they found the ordeal emotional.

"Everything contributes to their remembering inevitably their daughter and sister," he told reporters gathered outside.

The Kerchers, who joined the trial as civil plaintiffs, are not expected to contribute new evidence.

Explaining their role in proceedings, Mr Maresca said: "They can illustrate the personality of a girl in her 20s, who was killed the way she was."

In Italy, civil lawsuits can be attached to criminal trials and enable the family to monitor the case more closely.

It also means relatives are privy to information which is normally reserved for prosecution and defence lawyers.

Knox and Sollecito, who have been behind bars for about 18 months, deny any wrongdoing.

Their full trial, which began in January, has been held in stages and could last until the end of the year.

A third person charged with the brutal murder, Ivory Coast national Rudy Guede, 22, was found guilty in October last year.

He was sentenced to 30 years in prison following a fast-track trial. His appeal hearing is set for November 18.

2:01pm UK, Saturday June 13, 2009

Amanda Knox was threatened with 30 years in jail if she continued to "lie" to police about what happened to Meredith Kercher, she has claimed.


Amanda Knox appears for Saturday's hearing



The 21-year-old American student told a packed court in Perugia, Italy, that she was also hit and abused by police as they interrogated her about the events surrounding the Briton's death.

She said: "The police officers interrogating me said they would put me in prison for 30 years for being a liar."

Miss Kercher, 21, from Coulsdon, Surrey, was found dead in her bedroom on November 2, 2007 in the house she lived in with Knox and others on her year abroad in the Umbrian town.

Her throat had been slit and her semi-naked body was partially covered by a duvet.

Prosecutors accuse Knox and her Italian former lover, Raffaele Sollecito, 25, of killing the Leeds University student after she refused to take part in a sex game.

Knox told police she had spent the night of the murder at Sollecito's apartment.

But, she said, they refused to believe her.



Knox smiles at her ex Raffaele Sollecito



Giving evidence on the second day of her testimony, she said: "Someone said (during the interrogation) 'You weren't at Raffaele's house.'

"I said I was there, but they told me I'd left his house.

"I said: 'No I didn't'. They said: 'We're not convinced. Are you sure you didn't leave his house?'

"They said I was lying and asked me who I'd gone to meet. I said I didn't leave.

"They said: 'Maybe you're confused. Try to remember. You've forgotten something. What have you forgotten? Remember! Remember! Remember!' Then a policeman hit me on the head.

"They said: 'Either you're a liar or you don't remember. Tell us the truth."'

She told the court that the aggressive questioning led her to implicate bar owner Patrick Lumumba in the killing - and that she had started to imagine that she had been with Mr Lumumba that night.

Mr Lumumba is claiming damages for defamation from Knox in a civil case running alongside the criminal trial.

The trial continues.

Blog: Saturday Testimony In Amanda Knox Trial
Blog From Inside Amanda Knox Trial
Posted: 6:27 am PDT June 13, 2009
Updated: 6:41 am PDT June 13, 2009

PERUGIA, Italy -- CBS News Reporter Sabina Castelfranco blogs from inside courtroom during the murder trial of Amanda Knox. Times listed are Pacific.

3:57 a.m.: Amanda, in answer to prosecutor question, said she smoked a marijuana joint with her boyfriend the night Meredith Kercher was killed.

4:10 a.m.: Amanda providing very long answer about her time in the police station when she was questioned on the night 5. She reiterated aggressive behavior by police towards her which she says was a crescendo of hard questioning. She repeated they called her a stupid liar and that they would put her behind bars for 30 years if she didn't give straight answers. The police said she's left Raf's house the evening of the murder and she denied this. They also told her she was trying to protest someone and she denied this.

4:13 a.m.: Then they hit me, she said, and she mimicked how she was hit. She said I don’t know the name of the person who hit me but it was a police officer.

4:22 a.m.: Amanda said her questioning at the police station was aggressive. They suggested the answers she had to provide. Defense lawyer arguing with prosecutor in court. Judge had to intervene. Defense lawyer said prosecutor keeps interrupting Amanda's testimony with comments and that is unacceptable. Mignini, the prosecutor, says he's doing his job and defense lawyer is not letting him do his job.

4:35 a.m.: Prosecutor saying impossible to go on like this and defense lawyer (Dalla Vedova) saying manner of questioning and comments by prosecutor are suggestive

4:42 a.m.: For the police, I was either a liar or I could not remember. And then they kept saying to me you will go to prison, you are a stupid liar and you will go to prison for 30 years. I could not remember what they wanted me to remember and I was scared. I was confused.

4:50 a.m.: She's doing well again with Mignini's questioning. She's in control with some of the hard questions, like about her knowing there was a body in the cupboard with a foot sticking out. She's answering well.

Knox Dad: 'Legal Fees Are Bankrupting Us'

8:37am UK, Wednesday June 17, 2009

Nick Pisa in Perugia
Amanda Knox's father has revealed that he has mortgaged his house and blown everything he owns to defend his daughter.

Curt Knox told Italian TV that the family had spent more than £600k defending his daughter in the Meredith Kercher trial.

Mr Knox told talk show Matrix:''This is costing us a lot of money. We are approaching seven digits. We have mortgaged everything, our retirement has gone, everything has gone.

Father Curt Knox

"We will do all that it takes to get Amanda freed and we will worry about the finances later,'' he added, close to tears.

The Knox family have hired a PR consultant, two lawyers and paid for independent examinations of DNA evidence against their daughter.

But Mr Knox said the cost to prove her innocence is worth it. He pointed to the fact that Amanda had remained in Italy after the murder and not fled, unlike third defendant Rudy Guede.

He said: ''When this happened, we asked her if she wanted to come home but she said she wanted to stay and help the police catch the person responsible for this terrible crime.

''She only went to the police station that night to keep Raffaele company because she was scared to be on her own after what had happened.

"The next thing she knows is she is taken off to another room and interrogated.''

He added: ''That's why she has changed: she has lost all her trust in people of responsibility, such as the police, and now she trusts no one apart from her family."

Mr Knox also blamed the media for portraying her daughter as a ''dark angel'' and said: ''There has been so much media exposure and a lot of it has painted an inaccurate picture.

''She is just a regular college kid. She doesn't have a double personality.

"What happened at the beginning of this investigation was that a lot of things were taken from her web page and taken out of context to support the prosecution's theory."

It has also emerged that top crime author John Grisham may base his next book on Amanda Knox and Meredith Kercher.

He told Italian newspaper La Stampa: ''I would really like to write a book about this story.

"I am edging towards the possibility she (Amanda) is innocent, it's difficult for me to believe it could have been her even if there is evidence against her."

The trial continues on Friday when Knox's mother Edda Mella is due to give evidence.

"It has also emerged that top crime author John Grisham may base his next book on Amanda Knox and Meredith Kercher."

Ok, John Grisham is a great author and his books have been the inspiration to a couple of great films - but surely it's a little too soon for him to be considering this as a story outline?

eddie wrote:"It has also emerged that top crime author John Grisham may base his next book on Amanda Knox and Meredith Kercher."

Ok, John Grisham is a great author and his books have been the inspiration to a couple of great films - but surely it's a little too soon for him to be considering this as a story outline?

I read somewhere that Tom Cruise bought some book rights about the prosecutor because he was involved in some cult cases so maybe this is what Grisham may incorporate into his book too.

Jacqui67 wrote:

eddie wrote:"It has also emerged that top crime author John Grisham may base his next book on Amanda Knox and Meredith Kercher."

Ok, John Grisham is a great author and his books have been the inspiration to a couple of great films - but surely it's a little too soon for him to be considering this as a story outline?

I read somewhere that Tom Cruise bought some book rights about the prosecutor because he was involved in some cult cases so maybe this is what Grisham may incorporate into his book too.

Tom Cruise gets on my wick!

I think she was so 'high' she cant even remember where she was or what she was doing that night.

Also, why incriminate a man (bar owner), have him arrested and have his life investigated knowing that he had NOTHING to do with it.

An innocent person doesnt need to blame someone else, do they, after all, their innocent!

kitti wrote:I think she was so 'high' she cant even remember where she was or what she was doing that night.

Also, why incriminate a man (bar owner), have him arrested and have his life investigated knowing that he had NOTHING to do with it.

An innocent person doesnt need to blame someone else, do they, after all, their innocent!

She said that the police beat her and she was scared so she named him!

Actually I dont know what to believe but she could have left Italy when her mum asked her go back to the USA but she stayed....

Well...here I am. I have not logged onto here or anywhere else for that matter in quite some time. You get sick of seeing people say things like "my gut says she's guilty" or making assumptions of guilt based on "facts" which are not true, especially when they have been disproven in court. One thing I have seen a lot is "bloody footprints of Amanda...wow, she must be guilty!" This was one of those "facts" leaked by the prosecution. In court, they had to disclose that the luminol revealed prints in the hallway were in fact tested and the results were? "no biological material found". The prints simply show her walking from her room to the shower, and past Merediths door to another roommates bedroom.
The knife! What about the knife?! Well...
Amanda's DNA was found on the handle, and since she used it to make dinner, and she washed it? It is not surprizing.
As for the supposed DNA on the blade? Well...
The quantification of the material said to be found in a scratch on the blade was LESS THAN 10 cells worth. The equation used to quantify the material does not go any lower than 10 cells so thats the closest you can get to the actual measurement.
It was tested in a device that was also used to test hundreds of other items that contained Merediths blood. They have provided no log showing how the device was cleaned after each test, even though it was requested. Unlike any other lab, this is standard procedure. Worthy of note is that this lab has not passed the certification board of the EU. Even Albania's lab passed that test.
The procedures for testing the material were not followed. Policy states that the material in question must be tested twice to ensure veracity of the results, but the specimine was tested only once and destroyed in the process. Policy also states that regardless of the amount, it must be divided to test twice, yet it was not.
The accepted testing process was not followed either. There are safety mechanisms on the device, installed by the manufacturer, which keep the lab tech from amplifying past 120x because the machine is no longer considered accurate and can produce false positives during the matching phase. The lab tech removed the safety mechanisms and amplified the material to 500x. Even after said amplification, only after 187 iterations of the matching phase did it finally produce what the lab tech called a match.
By policy, the courts typically do not accept anything below a 50 RFU as even potentially a match, much less a definite match, because the strength is too low to count on it as being accurate, yet here it is, entered as evidence, by the prosecution, with most of the peaks ranging in the single digits and into the teens. One peak does register in the low 40's but that is the highest one. There is "background noise" that registers over 1500RFU on the same sample.
To show the bias within the court, when we asked, at the pre-trial, for an independent 3rd party analysis of the results as well as the process of testing, the judge produced the lab tech's supervisor to assess the process! You can guess what this person said...it was a glowing report for the tech and the lab. Later on we found out that the very same supervisor had been hired on as a private consultant to the prosecution which is flat out crooked in my book.
So basically, we are supposed to just accept the results, as is, even though they failed at every step to safeguard contamination and false positives? In any other court, even within Italy, this "evidence" would not be allowed.
The material should have been divided and tested in two different machines, in accordance to the manufactures set maximums. I can guarantee you that the 2nd machine would have shown zero potential match. Especially if it had not been used used to test anything of Meredith's prior.
Even if you cannot get past that, then there is the very tangible and proveable fact that the knife in question cannot have physically made all the knife wounds on the body. The blade in dimentionally incorrect for most of the wounds. It is too big to fit. The prosecution combatted this problem by saying that there must have been 2 knives involved. Whatever...
There is an outline imprint of a bloody knife on Meredith's sheet from her bed. That particular knife outline is both shorter and the blade is thinner. The prosecution was forced to say that a knife matching the dimensions of the outine would work perfectly for all the wounds.

What about Amanda pointing the finger at Patrick, her boss? Why would an innocent person do such a thing? Well, she was physically and mentally/verbally abused over night, without a lawyer, or an interpreter. Did she actually come out and say it was Patrick, spontaneously? No. They asked her if it was Patrick, and when she would say "no" they would hit her and call her a liar. After a while she just stopped saying no. It was her interrogators insistence of his involvement that got Patrick involved, of which the prosecutor was involved in the entire process, as both witness and participant.
This interrogation, as with all the other interrogations within this case, was recorded. Oddly enough, when asked by both the defense and the judge to produce the recording, the prosecution said it did not exist. All the other interrogations exist so why not this one? The most important one...the one they need to convict her.

To show further bias among the judiciary, the first judge hearing this case damned Patrick for his lust of Meredith and his brutality in how he killed her. Then the judge went on to spin a story of how Patrick went about doing the deed along with Amanda and Raffaelle using absolutely zero fact to back the story up. Not one sentence in there past "meredith was killed" turned out to be factually correct. This story was furnished in the final judges report on why Amanda needed to stay locked up, in which she cited Amanda as a threat to the public, along with Patrick. Not until weeks later did they even think to check on Patrick's alibi, even though he said he had eye witnesses who could place him at his pub on the night of the crime. Instead they said that his cell phone told them where he was at, citing location triangulation from the cell towers, which turned out to be false. Imagine that...False evidence from the police. NIce eh?

If you look at this case from a birds eye view and just check out the basics, it does not add up to the prosecutions case against either Amanda or Raffaelle. Take the murder scene..the bedroom. There is no DNA of Amanda in there, anywhere. There is no sign of a clean up either. Not even the prosecution is pushing that theory because all you have to do is look at the video of the the room, which was recorded by the forensics unit, to see that there was no attempt to clean anything up. Since these are the court accepted facts, how was she to have participated in a sex orgy that turned into a rape, complete with drugs, without leaving a trace, or walking away with a trace on her? She had a full physical right after her interrogation and they found nothing. Not a scratch one. She did have a hickey on her neck, but that was from Raffaelle, and it was made before the murder took place. Besides, how many rape victims leave hickeys? Scratches, bites, bruises...yes, but she didn't have any of those. She also took a drug test. Pot was all it found. No alcohol. Yet the prosecution calls it a drunken, drug fuled, sex orgy. There was no alcohol or empty containers found on the premisis and how many times have you heard of people being driven to murder by the effects of pot? Driven to the fridge maybe but not to murder. So, again I ask, how can she have been in there, as the knife weilder as well as someone holding Meredith down, without leaving a trace, and without the crime scene being cleaned. Did she float the entire time, and use mental powers to do the deed? How is it possible to selectively clean anyways? Rudy, the guy that did kill her, in my opinion, left copious ammounts of himself all over in there. On her purse, in her purse, on her bra, in many areas of the body, which he should have not been in, on the walls, etc. DNA, foot prints, hand prints, finger prints, skin, hair, etc. How is it that someone is supposed to clean around all that but not disturb nor leave evidence of the cleaning? Especially when most DNA is not visible to the naked eye...

Next up, the bathroom shared by Amanda and Meredith. Nowhere in that bathroom is there Amanda's blood and Meredith's blood together. The press can't seem to get that one right.
In the bidet, Meredith's blood and Amanda's DNA was present...Amanda used the bidet and Rudy used it to wash is bloody feet off.
In and around the sink was found Meredith's blood, in very small quantities, but again, only Amanda's DNA, where it was found together, and none of it from blood. I challenge you to not find your own DNA in your own sink. Rudy again, likely just washing off his bloody hands.
A box of cotton swabs on the sink. Amanda's blood (very small amount) and Meredith's DNA. The box was shared by both, and Amanda was using the cotton balls to clean her newly perieced ears which had become infected. It is even stated in the physical that her ear piercing was infected still...but not injured in any way.
The footprint on the bathmat. Well the prosecution says that it is "compatable" to Raffaelle, but all it takes to see that it is not am match is to look at the footprints taken from Raffaelle and Rudy while in prison. Rudy's print matches much more closely than Raffaelles. The judge even chastised the police, who were presenting the findings in court as a match to Raffaelle, because they were not using scale marked photos to match them up, which is a nice way of accusing the police of changing the scale of the pictures displayed on a laptop to fit their purpose. When we present this point in court, we will use photos, to scale, with rulers, and the actual bath mat, to conclusively show that it matches Rudy and NOT Raffaelle. I think it should go without saying that we should not be the ones that have to do this, but what other choice do we have? The police and prosecution should be looking for the truth rather than trying to prove their theory and if this was the case, we would not be presenting this, because they would have. Be it maliciousness or ineptitude, it is still wrong.

Finally, we come to the only other hotly contested piece of evidence. The bra clasp with Raffaelles DNA on it, found in Meredith's room. It's location was recorded on the 2nd of November, the same day that the body of Meredith was found, as being located underneath her leg. It was a small fragment of her bra. The part with the hooks on it. The hooks were all bent out of shape and partially pulled away from the fabric. Likely it was yanked on, but was finally cut away with the knife. On the ends of one of the hooks was located a flake of dried skin. When that skin flake was tested, it revealed the owner to be Raffaelle. Sounds damning huh? Now, look into the scenario further...
The bra clasp was not collected on Nov 2nd. It remained in the room for over 6 weeks before being collected during which time over 100 entries by individuals were counted and the bra clasp traveled from one side of the room to the other and changed color from a nice clean white shade to a dirty brown one. The police had, by this point lost and forgotten about it, and likely stepped on it many times. To this, many people say, so what. Well, given the high volume of traffic this room recieved, and the fact that it traveled from one side to the other, and most importantly, Raffaelle had tried, without success, to break Meredith's door down because it was locked, can you not envision a scenario where the police might have tracked in a skin flake that shook loose from Raffaelle, while he was attempting to break the door down, and deposited it on the hook of the bra in on of 100 plus trips into the room, by merely stepping on it? It was firmly smudged onto the hook, not just lightly sitting on it... Oh yeah, there were 5 other DNA profiles found on the piece of fabric. None of which match the occupants of the house. Rudy's DNA was found on it as well, and contrary to the press, Amanda was not found on it at all. This was misreported. Raffaelles lawyer made a statement in court about the mixed DNA saying that if you combine all the peaks and you can selectively take anyones profile out of it...even Amanda, but thats not how it works, she was just taking a jab at the pseudo-science of mixed DNA analysis. Nowhere in the case file does it state that Amanda's profile was found on the bra clasp piece. How else do you explain it's travels and its color change? It was white and had no blood on it when it was initially found and video taped.

So, there you have it. The prosecution has already finished presenting it's case, and the above covers all that they hold against her and Raffaelle...which is not much.
The only other thing to consider is that the lead prosecutor in this case, Guiliano Mignini, is himself, along without other person, on trial for prosecutorial misconduct in another case, among other charges. In it, they highlight much of the same conduct as he has displayed in this case. On June 30th 2009 they will decide his fate and his sentence, if found guilty.

So you tell me if you see this case the same way after reading my post. If so, then I must ask myself why I am even here at all. And if that turns out to be so, just delete my account, because I am not interested in wasting my time on people who see guilt based upon things that are not true, or things that are not related to the case.
If one sticks to just the facts, you cannot possibly put these two kids in that room, killing Meredith, or even participating in some ancillary fashion. The facts and the timeline just do not allow for the possibility of it to take place.

-Chris

PS
This post is too long and it is too late for me to read through and fix spelling and capitalization errors, and my punctuation was never that good anyways to deal with it here. Sorry.

Yes, John Gresham is writing a book about this case. He is even going to move to Perugia in order to do so, according to the reports of his statement. He also went so far as to state that he felt Amanda was innocent.

Mr Mellas after reading your version of events it sure sounds like Amanda and Raffaele are innocent. I gotta say though that you cannot blame anyone for what the press report. If we only get one sided reports then thats all anyone has to go by so we are bound to have doubts.

When do you think the trial will be over?

Hi Chris!

Nice to see you here again and thanks so much for telling your side of the story!

As you know I've always thought Amanda was innocent and I must add that I shouldnt take the press at face value as they never get it right and often twist facts to suit themselves and to seel juicy news! However I must add that as you hadnt been here I thought it was going against Amanda so thanks for taking the time to come back and tell us whats been going on!

I know there is far more to this than you can say at this point but please come back and tell us whats going on if and when you can!

Please give my regards to Edda....I cant begin to imagine what she is going through but my thoughts are with her....and you of course! xx

Hang in there guys :Hug1:

I hope justice prevails for everyone involved.

There are a few sites on the net that do well with keeping track of the case.
http://www.friendsofamanda.org/ - consists of a group of judges, lawyers, and others who see this case for what it is. They have evidence, and court testimony posted, among other items.
and
http://perugia-shock.blogspot.com/ - consists of a local blogger/philosophy teacher who goes to every court function and speaks with everyone involved with the case, including the judge. He initially thought Amanda was guilty, but when he started digging into the accusations, he found a few things which basically made it impossible for Amanda and Raffaelle to be a participant to the crime.

For those who have Facebook accounts, go to facebook causes, then search for "Free Amanda Knox". This is ran by a friend of Amanda's. There are letters, written by Amanda, posted there, along with various other thing. Membership is at 1100 so far.

cmellas wrote:There are a few sites on the net that do well with keeping track of the case.
http://www.friendsofamanda.org/ - consists of a group of judges, lawyers, and others who see this case for what it is. They have evidence, and court testimony posted, among other items.
and
http://perugia-shock.blogspot.com/ - consists of a local blogger/philosophy teacher who goes to every court function and speaks with everyone involved with the case, including the judge. He initially thought Amanda was guilty, but when he started digging into the accusations, he found a few things which basically made it impossible for Amanda and Raffaelle to be a participant to the crime.

For those who have Facebook accounts, go to facebook causes, then search for "Free Amanda Knox". This is ran by a friend of Amanda's. There are letters, written by Amanda, posted there, along with various other thing. Membership is at 1100 so far.

Thanks Chris...I'll go check those out!

'Meredith Wounds Not From Sollecito Knife'

A forensics expert says wounds found on murdered Meredith Kercher's neck were incompatible with a knife found by police.

Professor Carlo Torre has been involved in numerous Italian trials and has carried out 5,000 post mortems.

He gave evidence on behalf of Amanda Knox as the case against her and her former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito continued.

They are charged with the murder and sexual assault of Meredith, 21, who was found semi-naked with her throat cut in the house she shared with Knox.

Prosecutors have already told the court in Perugia, Italy, that she was killed after refusing to take part in a drug-fuelled orgy.

Professor Torre used two knives and a mannequin head to demonstrate how, in his opinion, the wounds on Meredith's throat were not compatible with a 30cm kitchen knife found by police in Raffaele Sollecito's flat.

The trial has already heard how DNA from Meredith was found on the blade of the knife, while DNA from Knox was found on the handle.

Defence lawyers say the traces are insufficient and cannot be seen as conclusive.

The media and public were asked to leave court as graphic photographs of Meredith's body were shown.

Professor Torre said: ''Examining the blade that the police found, and the wounds sustained by the victim, it is clear that they are incompatible.

''It is my opinion that the blade that caused the wounds to the victim's neck was much shorter, probably around 8cm, and that it was no more than a centimetre wide."

Professor Torre added that there was also evidence of strangulation as the hyoid bone, a small bone in the neck, had been broken.

As Professor Torre gave evidence Knox listened intently while a few feet behind her mother, Edda Mellas, made notes.

Last October Ivory Coast drifter Rudy Guede, 21, was found guilty of the murder and sexual assault of Meredith, and sentenced to 30 years in jail.

Defence lawyers for Raffaele Sollecito have insisted that only one person was responsible for the murder and that he has ''already been found guilty and sentenced.''

Professor Torre, who has examined crime scene footage and autopsy video, told the court that there were "no elements or traces to suggest anyone else was involved".

Meredith, from Coulsdon, Surrey, was a Leeds University student and was in Perugia as part of her European Studies degree.

She had only been in Italy for two months when she was murdered.

The trial has been sitting only on Fridays and Saturdays since January, as Judge Giancarlo Massei and prosecutors Giuliano Mignini and Manuela Comodi are involved in other trials, a common practice in the Italian legal system.

A verdict is not expected until the autumn, and the case will take a two-month summer break from the middle of July.

Court rejects Amanda Knox's bid to overturn Meredith Kercher charges
Published: 4:15PM BST 14 Sep 2009

A court in Italy has rejected an application by defence lawyers to throw out the murder trial of American student Amanda Knox, who is accused of stabbing to death her British flatmate, Meredith Kercher.


Amanda Knox is escorted by a penitentiary police officer as she arrives for the hearing in Perugia


Lawyers for Miss Knox and her Italian ex-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, had argued that the entire trial should be annulled because they were not given proper access to DNA evidence obtained by the prosecution.

They challenged key DNA findings in the drawn-out trial, which resumed after a two month break over the summer in which Miss Knox, 22, and Mr Sollecito, 26, remained behind bars.

Judge Giancarlo Massei rejected the request and ruled that proceedings should go ahead.

He said members of the defence team were present when the DNA tests were carried out by forensic experts, adding that relevant documents had been made available a month and a half ago, giving the defence enough time to review the evidence.

Miss Knox and Mr Sollecito deny any part in the killing of Miss Kercher, 21, of Coulsden, Surrey, in a hillside cottage in Perugia, Umbria, in November 2007.

Prosecutors claim they killed the Leeds University student during a sex game which turned violent and then interfered with the crime scene to make it look as though a violent burglary had taken place.

They say that Miss Knox’s DNA was found on the handle of a knife that they insist was used in the murder, while Miss Kercher's DNA was found on the blade.

But the defence says that the knife, which was found in Mr Sollecito's flat in Perugia, is not the murder weapon because it does not match the stab wounds on Miss Kercher’s neck.

Miss Knox's lawyer, Carlo Dalla Vedova, argued on Monday that the DNA traces allegedly belonging to Miss Kercher were "too low" to be attributed with certainty.

Both defendants were escorted into court by uniformed police guards.

Miss Knox, who was wearing a red sweatshirt with a Beatles logo, smiled to lawyers and family members as she walked in.

The third person accused of the murder, Ivory Coast born immigrant Rudy Guede, 22, was convicted in a separate trial last October and sentenced to 30 years in prison.

He also denies any wrongdoing and has appealed his conviction.

Defence lawyers are expected to conclude their evidence by early next month.

I've been following this case from the start and would like to thank Chris for giving us the 'other side' to the story. It's definately opposite to what most of the press are reporting.

The latest from Sky News today..
http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Meredith-Kercher-Murder-Trial-Shown-Kitchen-Knife-Used-In-Killing-At-Court-In-Perugia-Italy/Article/200909315384600?lpos=World_News_Top_Stories_Header_1&lid=ARTICLE_15384600_Meredith_Kercher_Murder_Trial_Shown_Kitchen_Knife_Used_In_Killing_At_Court_In_Perugia%2C_Italy

'Revenge Was Motive' In Meredith's Murder
9:03pm UK, Friday November 20, 2009
Nick Pisa, in Perugia

Murder suspect Amanda Knox "coveted hatred" for Meredith Kercher and "killed her to take revenge", a prosecutor has told an Italian court.
The American woman, 22, and her 25-year-old former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito are accused of murdering Kercher after she refused to take part in a brutal sex game.

The body of the British student, 21, was found with her throat cut in a bedroom of the house in Perugia she shared with Knox and two Italian women in November 2007.

Summing up the case, prosecutor Giuliano Mignini said on the night of the murder, Knox and Sollecito arrived at the house with Rudy Guede.

Guede has already been sentenced to 30 years for Meredith's murder and sexual assault.

"Meredith and Amanda began to argue over money, Meredith was also upset that Amanda had brought another man (Guede) back to the house," he said.

"They argued about this ugly habit of hers and the three who had arrived were also under the influence of drugs and alcohol."
Mr Mignini added: "Meredith was far too serious a girl for her, Amanda didn't like her, she didn't like her friends because they were critical of her hygiene and habits.

"Amanda coveted hatred for Meredith and that night the time had come for her to take revenge."

Outlining the horrific violence Meredith suffered before she died, Mr Mignini told the court: "Amanda grabbed her by the hair and hit her head on the floor.

"Rudy finished what he did (sex) and Sollecito was threatening her with his knife.

"Amanda also had a knife and held it to the left side of Meredith's throat and as the crescendo of violence grew inflicted the deepest cut. Meredith did not want to submit herself to the sexual violence."

As the lawyer spoke, Knox appeared to be in discomfort and took several deep breaths, her lawyer held her hand reassuringly and squeezed it several times as a female prison guard behind her stooped down and asked twice if she was OK.

The court also heard that Knox "dominated" her relationship with computer studies graduate Sollecito, who in turn was "dependent on her".
Mr Mignini said this could be seen in TV footage from the time of the murder in the way Sollecito was "following on behind her, often kissing and cuddling her".

Both are accused of smashing a window in Meredith's bedroom to make the death look like the result of a botched burglary.

Mr Mignini told the Italian court: "The key to this mystery is in the room where the supposed break-in took place.

"This break-in is the nail of Knox and Sollecito's defence - but it was all simulated.

"It would have been manna from heaven for them if blood or other genetic evidence had been found on the broken glass or window frame, but nothing was found.

"This hypothetical thief then did something quite remarkable - he didn't take anything of value. No jewellery was missing, computers were left at the scene as well as designer bangs and clothes.

"A 'very strange break-in' was, in fact, how the first police officer who arrived at the house described it - they could not believe that nothing of value was taken."
Mr Mignini also pointed out how fragments of glass had been found on top of clothes scattered on the bedroom floor.

This, he said, was also unusual for a break-in, especially if the wardrobe had been ransacked after the window was broken.

In his summing up, Mr Mignini also referred to the evidence from Meredith's British friends, who had described the tense relationship between her and Knox because she "did not flush the toilet and was unhygienic".

He added that Knox and Sollecito's defence had been trying to blame Guede.

Earlier this week Guede, 22, appealed his conviction and, as reporting restrictions do not exist in Italy, he claimed in court he had seen "Knox's silhouette" leaving the murder scene after he found Meredith's body.

The summing up is expected to last until Saturday when Mr Mignini and his fellow prosecutor Manuela Comodi will ask judge Giancarlo Massei to jail the pair for life.

Meredith, a Leeds University student, from Coulsdon, Surrey, was in Perugia as part of her European Studies degree and had only been in Italy for two months before her death.

Both Knox and Sollecito deny the accusations against them and insist they were at his house on the night of the murder.

In the coming weeks, Knox and Sollecito's legal teams will present their summing up before the the judge retires with the jury on December 4.

"when we asked" ????

What the fcks going on here?

The stench of racism - very familiar I might add - is thick in the air.