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Knox's Family Has Spent $1M on Defense

Father 'mortgaged everything' for Italian murder trial

By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff

Posted Oct 9, 2009 1:22 PM CDT
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(Newser) – Amanda Knox’s trial has taken more than an emotional toll on her family—it’s all but bankrupted them. “Between Amanda’s mother and myself, we have spent over a million dollars so far,” her father tells ABC News. “We have literally mortgaged everything and used our retirement funds.” He’s also lost his job as a Macy’s executive and is looking for work.

Nor is the bill done accumulating. Though closing arguments may begin soon, the family plans to appeal if Knox is convicted, and the prosecution plans to appeal if she’s not. Knox’s family doesn’t know how it’ll continue paying for the lawyers, experts, and flights to Italy that would entail, but they say they’ll find a way. “We do what it takes,” says her father. “We are not leaving our daughter in a foreign prison.”

Curt Knox and Christine Mellas, father and aunt of US murder suspect Amanda Knox, before the start of a hearing in the Meredith Kercher murder trial, in Perugia, Italy, June 13, 2009.
Curt Knox and Christine Mellas, father and aunt of US murder suspect Amanda Knox, before the start of a hearing in the Meredith Kercher murder trial, in Perugia, Italy, June 13, 2009.   (AP Photo/Stefano Medici)
U.S. murder suspect Amanda Knox, seen, prior to the start of a hearing in the murder trial for Meredith Kercher in Perugia's courthouse, Italy, Friday, Oct. 9, 2009.
U.S. murder suspect Amanda Knox, seen, prior to the start of a hearing in the murder trial for Meredith Kercher in Perugia's courthouse, Italy, Friday, Oct. 9, 2009.   (AP Photo/Stefano Medici)
Carlo Della Vedova, left, the lawyer of Amanda Knox, is seen with an unidentified relative of the Knox family, on his way to a hearing in Perugia, Italy, June 5, 2009.
Carlo Della Vedova, left, the lawyer of Amanda Knox, is seen with an unidentified relative of the Knox family, on his way to a hearing in Perugia, Italy, June 5, 2009.   (AP Photo/Stefano Medici)
From left, defense lawyer Carlo Dalla Vedova, expert witness Carlo Caltagirone and Curt Knox, the father of U.S. murder suspect Amanda Knox, arrive for a hearing, Sept. 25, 2009.
From left, defense lawyer Carlo Dalla Vedova, expert witness Carlo Caltagirone and Curt Knox, the father of U.S. murder suspect Amanda Knox, arrive for a hearing, Sept. 25, 2009.   (AP Photo/Stefano Medici)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 7 comments
stuck-in-paris
Oct 12, 2009 5:21 AM CDT
I would hate to have my fate in the Italians hands, they are corrupt beyond imagination
weeb35
Oct 11, 2009 11:14 AM CDT
DNA... she lived in the same place of course they could fine her DNA every where... circumstance evidence is not enough to confict someone....She is innocent and being dragged down by the actual convicted murder
bewilderbeast
Oct 10, 2009 12:02 PM CDT
"says her father. “We are not leaving our daughter in a foreign prison.” I'd love to know what he thought of Guantanamo before this.

 
Italy • murder trial • legal fees • Meredith Kercher • Amanda Knox • Raffaele Sollecito • Edda Mellas • Curt Knox

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