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Italian Courts Face Growing Knox Backlash

Glacial pace, leaked evidence, 'anti-Americanism' draws fire

By Polly Davis Doig,  Newser Staff

Posted Dec 7, 2009 8:32 AM CST
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(Newser) – Amanda Knox has served just a few days as a murder convict, but she'll have another year under her belt before an appeal gets under way, and questions about the fairness of her trial continue to pour in, reports the Independent. The open flow of information between cops and journos, the lack of juror sequestration, and sketchy DNA evidence are all dark clouds gathering over Italy's much-maligned and glacial-paced justice system.

"If everything is splashed in the press, people, including jury members, can make up their mind before the trial has even started," says one legal expert. Maria Cantwell, Democratic senator from Knox's home state Washington, is voicing concern over anti-Americanism, and she wants a meeting with Hillary Clinton to discuss the issue. Knox's own family vows a fight. Says her sister: "We are not going to take what this jury convicted her with."

Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., has voiced concern over the fairness of Amanda Knox's trial and conviction in Italian court.
Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., has voiced concern over the fairness of Amanda Knox's trial and conviction in Italian court.   (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
Amanda Knox, right, is led to a vehicle after the guilty verdicts in the trial in Perugia, Italy on Friday, Dec. 4, 2009.
Amanda Knox, right, is led to a vehicle after the guilty verdicts in the trial in Perugia, Italy on Friday, Dec. 4, 2009.   (AP Photo/APTN)
British university student Meredith Kercher, who had enrolled for a year of study in Perugia and was found dead half-naked in a pool of blood in the apartment she shared with American student Amanda Knox.
British university student Meredith Kercher, who had enrolled for a year of study in Perugia and was found dead half-naked in a pool of blood in the apartment she shared with American student Amanda...   (AP Photo/Police, h.o.)
Amanda Knox is accompanied by a penitentiary police officer prior to a final hearing before the verdict, at the court in Perugia, Italy, Friday, Dec. 4, 2009.
Amanda Knox is accompanied by a penitentiary police officer prior to a final hearing before the verdict, at the court in Perugia, Italy, Friday, Dec. 4, 2009.   (AP Photo/Pier Paolo Cito)
Italian murder convict Raffaele Sollecito in court in Perugia, Italy, Friday, Dec. 4, 2009.
Italian murder convict Raffaele Sollecito in court in Perugia, Italy, Friday, Dec. 4, 2009.   (AP Photo/Pier Paolo Cito)
Amanda Knox turns around during a final hearing at the court in Perugia, Italy, Friday, Dec. 4, 2009.
Amanda Knox turns around during a final hearing at the court in Perugia, Italy, Friday, Dec. 4, 2009.   (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 28 comments
weeb35
Dec 13, 2009 5:00 AM CST
sounds like you hold a grudge.. your excused from further comments lmao
weeb35
Dec 13, 2009 4:59 AM CST
Excellent comment.. thank you..
kokuaguy
Dec 9, 2009 11:27 AM CST
Of course if the Italians had "a modern democracy" like ours, she could be facing the death penalty.

 
Hillary Clinton • justice system • Italy • appeal • murder trial • Perugia • Meredith Kercher • Amanda Knox • Raffaele Sollecito • Amanda Knox trial • Amanda Knox verdict • Maria Cantwell

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