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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2009
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 ANALYSIS 
4

Knox Trial Is 'Poison' for All Involved

Fallout has ruined people's lives from Seattle to Perugia

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(Newser) – Amanda Knox may be the one on trial for the 2007 murder of Meredith Kercher, waiting it out in a sweltering Italian prison. But as Barbie Nadeau notes in Newsweek, Knox isn’t the only one suffering: “The Knox trial is poison,” Nadeau writes. “Nearly everyone it has touched so far has suffered irreparable psychological and financial harm.” That includes not only the grieving Knox family, but also attorneys, prison guards, bloggers, and a bar owner.

Among the parents, Kercher's mother needs heavy sedatives simply to cope, and Knox's divorced parents say they are in "six-figure debt." But the list goes on: The man first accused of killing Kercher had to shut down his bar, and lawyers of Knox co-defendant Rafaelle Sollecito have split up their practice. Kercher is "the real victim of this crime," her attorney says, but "it is also distressing that so many other people's lives have also been destroyed."

Amanda Knox listens to her lawyer at a hearing in the Meredith Kercher murder trial, in Perugia, Italy.
Amanda Knox listens to her lawyer at a hearing in the Meredith Kercher murder trial, in Perugia, Italy.   (AP Photo/Stefano Medici)
U.S. murder suspect Amanda Knox smiles prior to the start of a hearing in the Meredith Kercher murder trial.
U.S. murder suspect Amanda Knox smiles prior to the start of a hearing in the Meredith Kercher murder trial.   (AP Photo/Stefano Medici)
Edda Mellas, mother of US murder suspect Amanda Knox arrives for a hearing at Perugia's court room, Italy.
Edda Mellas, mother of US murder suspect Amanda Knox arrives for a hearing at Perugia's court room, Italy.   (AP Photo/Stefano Medici)
This photo shows 22-year-old British university student Meredith Kercher, who was found dead Friday, Nov. 2, 2007 with her throat slashed.
This photo shows 22-year-old British university student Meredith Kercher, who was found dead Friday, Nov. 2, 2007 with her throat slashed.   (AP Photo/Italian Police)
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The collateral damage from Kercher's tragic murder now spans from Seattle to London and Bari to Perugia.
- Barbie Nadeau, Newsweek

Knox is not a convict, and yet her life has fallen apart. Between the trial, the constant media blitz, and the expenses, the experience has essentially wrecked her adulthood.
- Barbie Nadeau, Newsweek

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4 comments
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cochiserocks
Sep 13, 09 6:12 AM CDT
Wow - that's an angle I never thought I'd see in a story about a brutal murder involving torture and rape. That the real victims are actually in the court room. Hmmmmm...... hello - anyone notice the dead person? nope, know why? They're DEAD! Reporting like this is sloppy, second rate and is just exchanging $$$'s for column inches. Undermines the profession as a whole and now I want that 5 minutes of my life back please. Reply
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matteo
Sep 13, 09 6:39 AM CDT
im reallly sorry for th knox family ...ya right !! Reply
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Reader71485694
Sep 13, 09 11:09 AM CDT
From all I've read, the prosecutor is mainly to blame. "Nutjob" does not really convey his state of mind. Beyond him is the whole Italian justice system. I don't think I'll be visiting Italy again. Reply
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emilywsussman.net
Sep 14, 09 1:13 AM CDT
Since when does THAT mean anything? The same thing could be said for the families of pretty much every convict sitting in prison in this country. Yeah. Reply
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