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Knox speaks of police 'threats' Lawyer challenges Knox testimony
(about 2 hours later)
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". An American student accused of killing her British housemate Meredith Kercher has spent a second day under intensive cross-examination at her murder trial.
Amanda Knox, from Seattle, is facing a tough cross-examination by prosecutors who say she killed her housemate in 2007 in what began as a sex game. Amanda Knox, 21, of Seattle, said she was threatened by police with 30 years in jail if she continued to "lie".
The 21-year-old says police pressured her to wrongly implicate an innocent man, a claim prosecutors are disputing. She allegedly killed her housemate in 2007 after a sex game went wrong. She and her then boyfriend, Italian Raffaele Sollecito, 24, deny murder.
She and her then boyfriend, Italian Raffaele Sollecito, 24, deny murder. Prosecution lawyers have repeatedly questioned her version of events.
However, Ms Knox's said they were happy her testimony had stood up to scrutiny.
Speaking in fluent Italian, the 21-year-old said police pressured her to wrongly implicate an innocent man - a claim prosecutors are disputing.
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 and bullied 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". She alleged that during hours of questioning, police said if she did not tell the truth, they would "throw me in jail for 30 years".
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.
Chief prosecutor Giuliano Mignini challenged her account but defence lawyers accused him of badgering the witness and asking leading questions. 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.
A third person, Rudy Guede, has already been jailed for 30 years for the killing.
Defence lawyers accused chief prosecutor Giuliano Mignini of badgering Ms Knox 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 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."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.
When questioned about yoga and stretching exercises she did at the police station, she said: "Everyone deals with tragedy in his own way. I'm always trying to feel less stress. I know I may appear spacy, but that's how I am."When questioned about yoga and stretching exercises she did at the police station, she said: "Everyone deals with tragedy in his own way. I'm always trying to feel less stress. I know I may appear spacy, but that's how I am."
Defence lawyer Carlo Dalla Vedova then asked Ms Knox about the knife which was discovered at Mr Sollecito's flat, but belonged to the American.Defence lawyer Carlo Dalla Vedova then asked Ms Knox about the knife which was discovered at Mr Sollecito's flat, but belonged to the American.
Meredith was my friend - I am so upset about what happened to her Amanda Knox
In a recorded phone conversation with her mother, Ms Knox said she became concerned after learning about it while in custody.In a recorded phone conversation with her mother, Ms Knox said she became concerned after learning about it while in custody.
"I was worried because for me it was impossible. I didn't know how it could be there," she said."I was worried because for me it was impossible. I didn't know how it could be there," she said.
'Strange situation'
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.
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.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.
Answering questions from Francesco Maresca, the Kercher family's lawyer, Knox said of her relationship with Sollecito: "I slept with Sollecito the first time I met him."Answering questions from Francesco Maresca, the Kercher family's lawyer, Knox said of her relationship with Sollecito: "I slept with Sollecito the first time I met him."
"We made lunch or dinner together nearly every day," she added."We made lunch or dinner together nearly every day," she added.
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. 'Slow death'
She told the court she returned home to find the door open and nobody answering when she called. Mr Maresca also questioned Ms Knox about her claim that Miss Kercher had suffered a slow death.
"I had a shower and on the way back to my room I saw blood on the floor. I thought: 'Hmm, strange'." Ms Knox replied that she based this on what she had heard from others and what she imagined must have happened to her housemate.
Another flatmate returned to the house to find her window broken, before they noticed Ms Kercher's door was locked, Ms Knox said. For a second time, Ms Knox, who had been on a student exchange from Seattle's University of Washington, described how she learned Miss Kercher had died.
"I felt strange, it was a strange situation," she added. "When I got home, I found it strange the door was open but I didn't know what to think," she said. "I called 'Is anybody there?"'
She went on to tell of the confusion and shock that followed. She said the room of another of her housemates, Filomena Romanelli, was in "chaos".
A third person, Rudy Guede, has been jailed for 30 years for the killing. "I saw clothes on the floor. I saw the window was broken. I wondered what had happened.
"Meredith's door was locked but this didn't alarm me. I was only alarmed when I called her and she didn't answer."
She added: "Meredith was my friend. I am so upset about what happened to her."
The trial continues.