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Jurors Start Deliberations in Amanda Knox Trial in Italy Amanda Knox is Re-Convicted of Murder in Italy
(about 4 hours later)
FLORENCE, Italy — Jurors began deliberations on Thursday morning in the appellate trial of Amanda Knox and her former boyfriend, accused of fatally stabbing Meredith Kercher, who shared an apartment with Ms. Knox in the university town of Perugia, where all three were studying. FLORENCE, Italy — Amanda Knox and her former boyfriend were convicted for a second time on Thursday in the fatal stabbing of Meredith Kercher, who shared an apartment with Ms. Knox in the university town of Perugia where all three were studying.
The jury of two judges and six lay jurors are deciding in a highly polarizing case that has already gone through three levels of judgment and produced contradictory verdicts. Ms. Knox, 26, and her former boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, 29, were convicted of murder in a first trial and then acquitted by an appellate court in 2011. Italy’s highest court, the Court of Cassation, last year overturned the acquittal and sent the case back to the new appellate court in Florence. The highly polarizing case had already gone through three levels of judgment that produced contradictory verdicts. In their first trial, Ms. Knox, 26, and her former boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, 29, were convicted of murder; then they were acquitted by an appellate court. Italy’s highest court, the Court of Cassation, overturned the acquittal last year and sent the case back to a new appellate court in Florence, for retrial by a jury of two judges and six lay jurors; that jury gave its verdict Thursday after deliberating less than a day.
In his closing arguments to the court in November, the prosecutor, Alessandro Crini, asked for guilty verdicts, demanding a 26-year sentence for Mr. Sollecito and 30 years for Ms. Knox. The additional four years for Ms. Knox take into account a conviction for slander, which was upheld by Italy’s high court. Shortly after the killing on Nov. 1, 2007, Ms. Knox accused her Congolese-born boss of the crime. He was arrested but later released when his alibi was confirmed. In his closing arguments to the court in November, the prosecutor, Alessandro Crini, demanded a 26-year sentence for Mr. Sollecito and 30 years for Ms. Knox, whose related conviction for slander was upheld by Italy’s high court. Shortly after the killing on Nov. 1, 2007, Ms. Knox accused her Congolese-born boss of the crime; he was arrested, but later released when his alibi was confirmed.
A third man, Rudy Guede, born in the Ivory Coast but a resident of Perugia since he was a child, has been convicted of the crime in a separate trial and is serving a 16-year sentence. A third defendant, Rudy Guede, born in the Ivory Coast but a resident of Perugia since he was a child, was convicted in a separate trial and is serving a 16-year sentence in connection with the murder.
Mr. Sollecito was present in court on Thursday morning, and told reporters that he would be back for the verdict, which is expected later in the day. Mr. Sollecito was present in court on Thursday, but Ms. Knox was not. She chose to remain in her hometown, Seattle, where she has been living since the acquittal in 2011. She has said she was afraid to return to Italy and possibly be convicted again.
Ms. Knox has chosen to remain in her hometown, Seattle, to await the ruling, as is her right. She has lived in Seattle since her 2011 acquittal, and has said that she is afraid of returning to Italy and being convicted again. In the defense’s closing arguments on Thursday before the jury retired to deliberate, Ms. Knox’s two lawyers said the prosecution evidence was insubstantial and asked the jury to imagine a scenario in which Mr. Guede was the sole perpetrator of the crime. In the defense’s account, Mr. Guede broke into the house, was discovered by Ms. Kercher, 21, and inflicted the mortal blows after his alcohol-induced advances were rebuffed. “That is, for the defense, the most plausible conclusion,” said Carlo Dalla Vedova, one of Ms. Knox’s lawyers.
In closing arguments before the jury retired to deliberate on Thursday morning, Ms. Knox’s two lawyers appealed to the jurors to return a not-guilty verdict. Mr. Dalla Vedova said before the verdict that whatever the outcome, the case would probably be appealed again. Any request for Ms. Knox’s extradition would have to go through the Italian Justice Ministry and the United States State Department, he said.
Dismissing the prosecution evidence presented during the four-month trial as insubstantial, the defense asked the jury to imagine a scenario in which Mr. Guede was the sole perpetrator of the crime. In the defense’s account, Mr. Guede broke into the house, was discovered by Ms. Kercher, 21, and inflicted the mortal blows after his alcohol-induced advances were rebuffed. “That is, for the defense, the most plausible conclusion,” said Carlo Dalla Vedova, one of Ms. Knox’s lawyers.
In seeking a conviction, Mr. Crini last week asked that some form of precautionary measures be immediately taken for Ms. Knox and Mr. Sollecito in the event that they were found guilty. Such measures could range from incarceration to withholding a passport.
Mr. Dalla Vedova said that regardless of the verdict, the case would probably be appealed again. And if there is a conviction, any extradition request for Ms. Knox would have to go through the Italian Justice Ministry and the United States State Department, he said.
Ms. Kercher’s brother and sister were due in Florence on Thursday afternoon, and were expected to be present for the verdict, one of their lawyers said.
“This case has no winners or losers,” said Vieri Fabiani, a lawyer for the Kercher family. “It’s a tragedy that involves four young people and an act that was clearly not premeditated.”“This case has no winners or losers,” said Vieri Fabiani, a lawyer for the Kercher family. “It’s a tragedy that involves four young people and an act that was clearly not premeditated.”