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Knox takes stand for second day Knox speaks of police 'threats'
(about 1 hour later)
An American woman accused of killing UK student Meredith Kercher in Italy is giving evidence for a second day. An American woman accused of killing UK student Meredith Kercher has told a court she was threatened with 30 years in jail if she continued to "lie".
Amanda Knox, from Seattle, is being cross-examined by prosecutors who say her housemate was killed in November 2007 in what began as a sex game. Amanda Knox, from Seattle, is being cross-examined by prosecutors who say she killed her housemate in November 2007 in what began as a sex game.
The 21-year-old says police pressured her to wrongly implicate an innocent man, a claim prosecutors are disputing.
She and her then boyfriend, Italian Raffaele Sollecito, 24, deny murder.She and her then boyfriend, Italian Raffaele Sollecito, 24, deny murder.
On Friday, the 21-year-old told a packed court she wrongly implicated an innocent man under pressure from police, who deny any misconduct. Ms Knox claimed police wanted her to name a suspect and beat and bullied her into making a false statement.
Ms Knox claimed police wanted her to name a suspect and beat her into making a false statement. On her second day giving evidence, she told the court how, during hours of questioning, police said if she did not tell the truth, they would "throw me in jail for 30 years".
Prosecutor Giuliano Mignini began Saturday's session by questioning her on the allegations.
INSIDE COURT Duncan Kennedy, in PerugiaINSIDE COURT Duncan Kennedy, in Perugia
It was a more casually dressed Amanda Knox who has taken the stand for a second day. She is wearing jeans and a white blouse.It was a more casually dressed Amanda Knox who has taken the stand for a second day. She is wearing jeans and a white blouse.
The questioning has been started by the prosecuting magistrate, Giuliano Mignini, a thick-set man who has been pressing the attacks against Amanda Knox for the past five months.The questioning has been started by the prosecuting magistrate, Giuliano Mignini, a thick-set man who has been pressing the attacks against Amanda Knox for the past five months.
Amanda Knox's supporters don't like Mr Mignini. They think he is not a fair prosecutor.Amanda Knox's supporters don't like Mr Mignini. They think he is not a fair prosecutor.
But he has certainly begun his cross examination with some direct questions and there've been some raised voices.But he has certainly begun his cross examination with some direct questions and there've been some raised voices.
He could yet question her about her whereabouts on the night Meredith Kercher died and the forensic evidence against her.He could yet question her about her whereabouts on the night Meredith Kercher died and the forensic evidence against her.
Amanda is again speaking in Italian, she wasn't happy with her translator yesterday and has decided her Italian is good enough to take on the lawyers.Amanda is again speaking in Italian, she wasn't happy with her translator yesterday and has decided her Italian is good enough to take on the lawyers.
Her father and her defence team say they felt she did well in the witness box yesterday. Today will be just as testing.Her father and her defence team say they felt she did well in the witness box yesterday. Today will be just as testing.
Ms Kercher, 21, of south London, was stabbed to death on 1 November 2007. Chief prosecutor Giuliano Mignini challenged her account but defence lawyers accused him of badgering the witness and asking leading questions.
When questioned about wrongly naming her part-time employer Patrick Lumumba as the killer to the police, she said she became so confused after "a steady crescendo... of 'I don't know,' 'you're a stupid liar', 'maybes', and 'imagines' that ... I was led to believe I had forgotten things".
"When I said 'Patrick' I actually started to imagine a kind of movie, images that could have explained the situation, Patrick's face, then (Perugia's) Grimana square, then my house on the night of the murder," she added.
Ms Kercher, 21, of Coulsdon, south London, was stabbed to death on 1 November 2007.
The Leeds University student's body was discovered in the bedroom of the house she shared with Ms Knox in the Umbrian university city of Perugia the following day. Her throat had been cut.The Leeds University student's body was discovered in the bedroom of the house she shared with Ms Knox in the Umbrian university city of Perugia the following day. Her throat had been cut.
Ms Knox claims she spent that night at Mr Sollecito's apartment where they ate dinner, smoked a marijuana joint and went to bed. Ms Knox claims she spent that night at Mr Sollecito's apartment where they ate dinner, smoked a marijuana joint, had sex and went to bed.
On Friday, Ms Knox, who had been on a student exchange from Seattle's University of Washington, described how events unfolded after Miss Kercher's death.On Friday, Ms Knox, who had been on a student exchange from Seattle's University of Washington, described how events unfolded after Miss Kercher's death.
She told the courtroom she returned home to find the door open and nobody answering when she called. She told the court she returned home to find the door open and nobody answering when she called.
"I had a shower and on the way back to my room I saw blood on the floor. I thought: 'Hmm, strange'.""I had a shower and on the way back to my room I saw blood on the floor. I thought: 'Hmm, strange'."
Another flatmate returned to the house to find her window broken, before they noticed Ms Kercher's door was locked, Ms Knox said.Another flatmate returned to the house to find her window broken, before they noticed Ms Kercher's door was locked, Ms Knox said.
"I felt strange, it was a strange situation," she added."I felt strange, it was a strange situation," she added.
She went on to tell of the confusion and shock that followed.She went on to tell of the confusion and shock that followed.
A third person, Rudy Guede, has been jailed for 30 years for the killing.A third person, Rudy Guede, has been jailed for 30 years for the killing.