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Kercher's murderer starts appeal Meredith's murderer starts appeal
(about 5 hours later)
A man jailed for 30 years for murdering the British exchange student Meredith Kercher in Italy has begun an appeal. A man jailed for 30 years for murdering British student Meredith Kercher in Italy has said he heard her arguing with another defendant before she died.
"Today we'll prove Rudy Guede's innocence," his lawyer, Valter Biscotti, said before the hearing in Perugia, the news agency AP reports. Starting his appeal, Rudy Guede, 22, told the court he had heard Ms Kercher and defendant Amanda Knox arguing about missing money and then a loud scream.
Meredith Kercher, 21, from Coulsdon, Surrey, was found dead in her bedroom two years ago. Her throat had been cut.Meredith Kercher, 21, from Coulsdon, Surrey, was found dead in her bedroom two years ago. Her throat had been cut.
The trial of two other people accused of her murder, Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito began in January. Ms Knox and Raffaele Sollecito deny murdering her, in a separate trial.
Guede, 22, who is originally from Ivory Coast, arrived at court handcuffed and wearing jeans and a grey sweater. Guede, who is originally from Ivory Coast and has always denied any wrongdoing, arrived at court handcuffed and wearing jeans and a grey sweater.
He has always denied wrongdoing. Appealing against his conviction, he told the court he had gone with Miss Kercher to the house where she was killed in Perugia, but had fallen ill and was in the bathroom when he heard a scream from her bedroom.
Sex game "I heard Meredith's and Amanda's voices, arguing about some money missing," he told the court. "I was listening to music and at one point a heard a very loud scream."
Guede says he was in the bathroom when Ms Kercher was attacked, and rushed into the bedroom to try to rescue her. I want to let the Kercher family know that I did not kill or rape their little daughter. I am not the one who took her life away from them Rudy Guede
He was convicted of murder and sexual violence in a fast-track trial last year. Guede said he had rushed into Miss Kercher's bedroom and saw an unidentified man who tried to attack him.
Ms Knox, 22, a US student, shared a flat in Perugia with Ms Kercher, a Leeds University student. He told the court that when he had retreated into the hallway, he heard the man say: "Let's go, there's a black man in the house."
Mr Sollecito, a 25-year-old Italian, is Ms Knox's former boyfriend. Guede said he had heard footsteps leaving the house and looked out of the window where he had seen a silhouette that he later identified as Miss Knox's.
Prosecutors say Ms Kercher was killed by all three after she refused to take part in a sex game. Guede said he had then gone to Miss Kercher, who was lying in a pool of blood after her throat had been slit, took her in his arms and tried to mop up the blood with towels, but panicked and left the house.
'Sex game'
He told the court: "Seeing Meredith in these terms was agonising.
"She tried to tell me something, but I couldn't understand her. I held her hand, I asked her what had happened... In that moment, I entered into a state of shock and fled.
"I want to let the Kercher family know that I did not kill or rape their little daughter. I am not the one who took her life away from them."
He added: "I don't know if I could have saved her. That's the only thing I can apologise for."
Guede was convicted of murder and sexual violence in a fast-track trial last year.
Rudy Guede is appealing against his conviction for murdering Ms KercherRudy Guede is appealing against his conviction for murdering Ms Kercher
'Miss her' Miss Knox, 22, a US student, shared a flat in Perugia with Miss Kercher, a Leeds University student.
Ms Knox, who is from Seattle, says she spent the night of the murder at Mr Sollecito's house elsewhere in the Umbrian town. Mr Sollecito, a 25-year-old Italian, is Miss Knox's former boyfriend.
Mr Sollecito says he was at home working on his computer that night and does not remember whether Ms Knox spent the whole night with him or just part of it. Prosecutors say Miss Kercher was killed by all three after she had refused to take part in a sex game.
Miss Knox, who is from Seattle, says she spent the night of the murder at Mr Sollecito's house elsewhere in the Umbrian town.
Mr Sollecito says he was at home working on his computer that night and does not remember whether Miss Knox spent the whole night with him or just part of it.
A verdict in their trial is expected next month.A verdict in their trial is expected next month.
The family of Ms Kercher have spoken of their wish for a conclusion to the long-running proceedings.
"The two years since Meredith's death have passed very quickly. But we still miss her more than ever," a statement released through Ms Kercher's family's lawyer earlier this month said.
"We can only hope now that a conclusion is reached in the next five weeks, so that we can finally dedicate ourselves to remember Meredith for the person that all of us knew and not as a victim or as a news item."