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| Amanda Knox Is Re-Convicted of Murder in Italy | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| 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. | 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 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. | 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, 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. | 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 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. | 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, 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. | 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. |
| 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 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| “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.” |