Amanda Knox argued with UK student Meredith Kercher before murder in Italy, court says

[webfact]

Amanda Knox argued with UK student Meredith Kercher before murder in Italy, court says

ROME: -- Amanda Knox and her Italian lover slayed British student Meredith Kercher after an argument spiralled out of control, an Italian court said on Tuesday.

US citizen Knox and her former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito - originally sentenced to 26 and 25 years in prison for killing Kercher - were acquitted on appeal in 2011 after four years behind bars, but then found guilty again in a shock about-turn by a Florence court in January.

Explaining its decision on Tuesday, the court said in its reasoning that there was DNA proof that three people were at the murder scene: Knox, Sollecito and a third person, Ivory Coast-born drifter Rudy Guede, who is the only person still in prison for the crime.

Kercher, who lived with Knox, was frequently irritated by her behaviour and when her Seattle-born housemate invited Guede into the apartment that night the situation escalated, the court said in the 337-page explanation, according to Italian media reports.

Knox disputed the court's findings, issuing a statement that said: "I was found innocent by the only court in Italy that retained independent forensic experts to review my case."

Full story: http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-world/knox-argued-with-kercher-before-murder-20140430-37gcx.html


-- The Age 2014-04-30

[webfact]

Amanda Knox 'delivered fatal blow to Meredith Kercher'

ROME: -- The Italian judges who reinstated the guilty verdict against Amanda Knox say she delivered the fatal knife blow to UK student Meredith Kercher.

Explaining their ruling, the judges said Knox and her Italian ex-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, killed Miss Kercher after a violent argument.

Knox and Sollecito were originally convicted of the murder in 2007.

They were acquitted on appeal in 2011, but that ruling was overturned in January.

Knox, who is currently in the US, was sentenced to 28 years and six months. Her former boyfriend received 25 years.

Both had pleaded not guilty.

Full story: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-27215680


-- BBC 2014-04-30

[Lammbock]

just don't go back to Italy and she will be fine .

[mdmayes]

Forever labeled a murderer. Unless she can appeal the appeal on an appeal of the murder conviction.

[Humberstone]

I doubt she's guilty, however if the Italians decide to extradite her then it will be very difficult for the US to deny the request on legal grounds.

[LomSak27]

To be fair I like the argument/fight "theory" better than the satanic sex cult killing theory the prosecutor used in the first trial. However as all the information that I was told back in that first trial turned out to be false, the Italians are in that fool me once, fool me twice situation. I just don't believe their bullpucky anymore.

[ameadi]

If you think to be fair maybe you know much more than the court issued!

[hard124get]

Just an opinion. GUILTY

[WoopyDoo]

If anyone thinks that the US will hand her over in an extradition, they are very much mistaken.... The US has the worst extradition record in the world between treaty countries.

They have the lowest ratio of extraditing US citizens versus other country citizens extradited into the US and that is not even counting their Guantanamo Bay extraditions... I believe that between the US and UK alone it is something like 12 to 1.

The US never plays ball over extraditions yet expects every extradition to be honoured when it is for their benefit.... double standards.

[TheFishman1]

Everybody has there thoughts on this subject.I don't believe half of what is printed in the newspaper or TV She guilty of trying to go to school and learn a language. Let it be

[Dogmatix]

Three trials have come up with such wildly differing versions of what actually happened. They seem to have been concocting stories that require a certain amount of imagination from various pieces of evidence that may or may not be reliable. Knox and Sollicito do seem to have been involved in some way but I don't think it is possible to establish exactly happened. It is neither possible to establish beyond reasonable doubt that they didn't do it, nor that they did, while their own alibis and explanations are implausible. The only facts that are certain are that Kercher is dead and that Guede was involved.

[Credo]

If anyone thinks that the US will hand her over in an extradition, they are very much mistaken.... The US has the worst extradition record in the world between treaty countries.

They have the lowest ratio of extraditing US citizens versus other country citizens extradited into the US and that is not even counting their Guantanamo Bay extraditions... I believe that between the US and UK alone it is something like 12 to 1.

The US never plays ball over extraditions yet expects every extradition to be honoured when it is for their benefit.... double standards.

Could you supply some sort of substantiation of this claim.

And do remember that the US does not subject itself to the International Court.

[Credo]

It should also be noted that usually for an extradition to occur, the crime has to be a crime in both countries (I believe there are some exceptions). In the case of Ms. Knox, she was found not guilty and a retrial would be considered double jeopardy. Under US law she cannot be tried for the same crime twice.

[BB1955]

My guess is she will never be forced to go back to Italy ... They just wasted time and money .......

[Carmine6]

just don't go back to Italy and she will be fine .

Isn't the entire EU off limits now? I have no clue at all, but can't imagine the EU doesn't share info for people convicted of murder. Otherwise, someone just could escape over any border, and travel with impunity.

[rotary]

A female OJ Simpson

[Jingthing]

She won't be extradited. Most Americans think she's innocent. If I were her I probably wouldn't even travel to Canada. She's safe now at home.

[Sheryl]

The "new" motive is certainly more plausible than the original but the fact that the prosecution keeps changing their theory does not inspire confidence....

[Jingthing]

To those who have followed this case, is the Italian justice system like a Fellini-esque circus, or what?

[stevecm]

To those who have followed this case, is the Italian justice system like a Fellini-esque circus, or what?

yup for sure. i think she is guilty as sin, but the typical rock show means they fluffed it.

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[personchester]

I doubt she's guilty, however if the Italians decide to extradite her then it will be very difficult for the US to deny the request on legal grounds.

What knowledge have you got to state > I doubt she's guilty < ... it is not sensible, unless you were present around the house at the time of the murder.

The correct reply is ... she might or might not be guilty.

[personchester]

My guess is she will never be forced to go back to Italy ... They just wasted time and money .......

The Italian court might request her return, but the US authority might, or might not accept the fact that she should be sent back to Italy because there were three court results about this murder case.

The first court result was guilty and she was sent into prison, the second court result proved her not guilty and she was relieved out of prison and allowed to return home, but the recent third court case result has proved her guilty again.

In view of the court cases it is difficult to know weather she is guilty or not guilty.

[personchester]

It should also be noted that usually for an extradition to occur, the crime has to be a crime in both countries (I believe there are some exceptions). In the case of Ms. Knox, she was found not guilty and a retrial would be considered double jeopardy. Under US law she cannot be tried for the same crime twice.

There were three court cases ...

The first court case found her guilty, and she was sent to prison.

The second court case found her not guilty, and she was set free and allowed to return home.

The recent third court case found her however guilty again.

As a result of the three court cases she is found two times guilty, and one time not guilty, due to this the US might not allow her extradition to Italy.

[Baerboxer]

To those who have followed this case, is the Italian justice system like a Fellini-esque circus, or what?

All countries have their own peculiarities when it comes to their justice and law enforcement systems.

The Italian is well known for being, well, this case demonstrates it nicely.

However, the victim and her family deserve justice. The American government should fully honor any extradition treaty they have with Italy.

I followed this case, and the trials. To ignore requests for extradition, or even decline, would, in my opinion, not be in the interests of justice.

[Jingthing]

Tough cannolli. The chances that the USA will extradite this young woman are basically BUPKIS.

[neverdie]

Tough cannolli. The chances that the USA will extradite this young woman are basically BUPKIS.

You are most likely right JT. The USA pursues people to just about every rabbit warren on the earth and expects every other country to respects it's extradition requests but most like

it won't return the same, in this case.

We will probably never know the truth about the matter, which is extremely sad for the victims family, as it would appear from western media reports (for what it's worth) the police investigation and subsequent court cases were a bit of a circus really. Who knows where the truth lies?

[Humberstone]

It is just my opinion based on what I've read. That's all!

Regarding the double jeopardy issue, it's moot whether the US could turn an extradition request down using this as justification.

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[personchester]

Tough cannolli. The chances that the USA will extradite this young woman are basically BUPKIS.

We cannot really forecast the US reaction of an Italian extradition request, but it was after all a shocking murder case and that are important legal matters for both US and Italy.

But it is difficult to know the extradition outcome, due to the fact that the legal decisions of the three Italian court cases were as follows ...

>1st. court result - guilty, .. 2nd.court result - not guilty, ... 3rd.court result - guilty again <

Before deciding to extradite or not, the US authority will of course ask advice from their official legal department.

[Credo]

Tough cannolli. The chances that the USA will extradite this young woman are basically BUPKIS.

You are most likely right JT. The USA pursues people to just about every rabbit warren on the earth and expects every other country to respects it's extradition requests but most like

it won't return the same, in this case.

We will probably never know the truth about the matter, which is extremely sad for the victims family, as it would appear from western media reports (for what it's worth) the police investigation and subsequent court cases were a bit of a circus really. Who knows where the truth lies?

Your cynicism has been noted. This girl was tried by the Courts of Italy. She was released and she returned home. Now they want her back. The Italians had their chance.

The case will be reviewed carefully by the relevant departments.

If the Italians make a good case, it could happen, but I doubt it. As a general rule, the US is a country that is not too tolerant of murderers.

The problem is, how many times do they want to try her?

[Jingthing]

If they had a smoking gun, they would have shown that long ago. So short of a smoking gun which isn't coming, their mistake releasing her. It's too late. Yes there is politics in this too. I don't pretend to understand the Italian politics of it, but on the American side Ms. Knox has massive support. Not so much confidence she is innocent, more like the Italian handling of this case can't be trusted. A decision to extradite her would cause a major stink at home. I think a stink much bigger than pissing off the Italians.

Edited May 4, 2014 by Jingthing