Amanda Knox murder conviction overturned

[Bosonic]

Source: MSNBC

PERUGIA, Italy — An appeals jury on Monday overturned the murder convictions of Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito in the killing of her roommate four years ago.

Earlier Monday, a tearful Knox told the jury that she did not kill her British roommate, pleading for the court to free her so she can return to the United States after four years behind bars.

Knox frequently paused for breath and fought back tears as she spoke in Italian to the eight members of the jury in a packed courtroom, but managed to maintain her composure during the 10-minute address.

"I'm not a promiscuous vamp. I'm not violent ... I have not killed, I have not raped, I was not there, I was not present," the 24-year-old American told a packed courtroom in Perugia.

Read more: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/44752948/ns/today-today_news/t/amanda-knoxmurder-conviction-overturned/#.TooS5nJuMY0

[muffin1]

1. Wonderful news!!

[harun]

2. Nice to hear.

[RebelOne]

3. That is great news! n/t

[closeupready]

4. I don't know if she participated or not, but there was reasonable doubt.

So this is the right outcome, at this point.

[maxsolomon]

33. what a vote of confidence.

there was zero actual evidence beyond her coerced confession. the cops told her she had AIDS and gave her list of partners to the tabloids. they destroyed BOTH of their hard drives and with it their alibis.

this is the right outcome "at this point", except for the guilty verdict 20K fine & time served on the defamation charge that the police badgered her into making - that needs to be answered with a suit against Mignini.

[closeupready]

38. At a minimum, she strikes me as a cold-hearted woman, in light of

her theatrics at the police station that night - cartwheels and splits.

That's not a crime, but does need explanation before I'd be willing to give her any 'vote of confidence.'

[maxsolomon]

40. it sounds like you know little of the sequence of events.

again, this is a girl from Seattle, who knows Yoga, and did some - to lower her levels of stress. this was interpreted as "cartwheels".

scandinaian reserve is part of the makeup of Seattle natives.

[closeupready]

Whatever. I am not going to hash this out with you. Peace.

nt

[maxsolomon]

48. whatever, indeed.

"cold-hearted" and "cartwheels" are not evidence.

[elias7]

67. unable... too... change... mind... when...confronted... contradictory.... evidence....

[Anto Giampietro]

71. Really?

It seems to me that you have an excuse for everything. Hypothetically speaking, simply to appease you. Yoga exercises would have been appropriate at the time? Am I to understand you correctly?

[maxsolomon]

77. Yes - Yoga was appropriate at the time. For her.

But it doesn't matter one way or the other, because it is not evidence.

And you understand me correctly, but I fail to see where "yoga, not cartwheels" is an excuse. I consider it an explanation.

[Scairp]

68. Right

Since you know her so well you know she's cold, and you were actually there in the police station at the time so you know the gymnastic story is accurate.:argh:

[Anto Giampietro]

72. Enlighten me.

How do you know the gymnastic story to be a blatant lie?

[Scairp]

75. Prove it's the truth

You believe everything you read? I've read all sorts of things about that interrogation. She was struck if she didn't give the answer they wanted. She wasn't fed for hours. She couldn't go to the bathroom. Why wasn't this interrogation recorded, given that the prosecutor has been convicted of illegal wiretapping? Obviously he knows how to turn on a recorder of some kind and could have recorded the entire thing. This case stank from the neck down from the very beginning and it's finally been righted. Everyone who believes in justice should be satisfied and also angry that is ever went so far, given they had the killer and actual evidence that he was there. As I keep saying, you people watch too much television.

[toopers]

5. Truth prevails!

[Bill USA]

6. Amanda Knox’ murder conviction overturned by Italian appeals court

Source: chicago sun times

PERUGIA, Italy — An Italian appeals today overturned the murder conviction of Amanda Knox in the 2007 killing of her British roommate, but found Knox guilty of defamation.

At the hearing Monday, Knox frequently paused for breath and fought back tears as she spoke in Italian to the eight members of the jury in a packed courtroom, but managed to maintain her composure during a 10-minute address.

“I’ve lost a friend in the worst, most brutal, most inexplicable way possible,” she said of the 2007 murder of Meredith Kercher, a 21-year-old Briton who shared an apartment with Knox when they were both students in Perugia. “I’m paying with my life for things that I didn’t do.”


Read more: http://www.suntimes.com/news/world/8007374-418/amanda-knox-murder-conviction-overturned-by-italian-appeals-court.html

[maxsolomon]

7. Reason prevails

Welcome back to the 21st Century, Italy.

[WilmywoodNCparalegal]

9. Why do you think we are not in the 21st century?

We don't have the death penalty and we have excellent health care and decent schools. And why is it still ok, even on DU, to disparage Italians as goombahs (whatever that means... never heard of that term in Italian... must be a NY/NJ dialect thing) or greasy guidos????

Sorry if I'm a bit hurt about this attitude that Italians are troglodytes... perhaps you've read rather poor translations of comments made by attorneys in the case?

[socialshockwave]

10. The Italian justice system is anti-West and corrupt.

They were just looking for an American scapegoat.

[WilmywoodNCparalegal]

12. Oh my god... I can't believe this crap is on DU

We are anti-west???? American scapegoat??? Raffaele Sollecito is Italian and from a well-to-do family. Rudy Guede is from the Ivory Coast.

There are hundreds of American expats living in Italy and plenty of bases... Ridiculous assertion.

[socialshockwave]

13. They couldn't find the real killer, so they used their muscle;

I mean the prosecutor trying to get convictions calling her a witch, and bringing up her having sex??? really?

So, just because Italian justice system is corrupt, I must hate Italians?

I don't.

"The two experts found that police conducting the investigation had made glaring errors in evidence-collecting and that below-standard testing and possible contamination raised doubts over the attribution of DNA traces, both on the blade and on the bra clasp, which was collected from the crime scene 46 days after the murder."

[toopers]

20. This has more to do with one corrupt prosecutor . . .

than it does the entire system. However, the system needs to continue making things right and throwing Mignini in jail, and prohibiting from practicing any type of law in Italy.

[socialshockwave]

21. Well, one corrupt prosecutor or judge kinda ruins it for everyone. n/t

[steaa]

25. Rudy Guede has been jailed for 16 years for the murder.

nft

[socialshockwave]

27. Is the evidence for Mr Guede's guilt as flimsy and false as

it was for this case?

[chowder66]

36. Rudy's dna was everywhere

The evidence against Rudy Guede:



Rudy admitted he was in the room.



Rudy's DNA was found all over the crime scene.



Rudy's DNA was found in and on Meredith's body.



Rudy's DNA along with Meredith’s blood, was found on Meredith's purse.



Rudy's excrement was found in the toilet.



Rudy's shoe prints, set in Meredith’s blood, were found in the bedroom and hallway.



Rudy's handprints, in Meredith’s blood, were found on a pillow case in Meredith's room and on her wall.



Rudy had a cut on his right hand that was still visible when he was arrested.



Rudy fled the country.

http://www.injusticeinperugia.org/Rudy.html

[toopers]

76. And Rudy committed another break-in . . .

using the exact same modus operandi as in the Kercher murder that the prosecution tried to say was staged (rock through the window to unlock the window).

[McCamy Taylor]

52. They had the real killer. He was in jail, convicted. They cut his sentence in half to get him to

finger Amanda.

[McCamy Taylor]

51. Naw, but your police are racists who targeted the Black guy, and when he turned out to be

innocent, they tried to claim that Amanda was the one who fingered him, appealing to the European belief that all Americans are racists.

But that's ok. We have racists police officers in the U.S. too.

[stockholmer]

14. what a foolish, ignorant comment, take this spew over to xenophobia.com

[ForgoTheConsequence]

18. Anti West?

You do realize that Italy is part of "the West" right? Some of the nonsense I read of here is unbelievable, from this statement you would think Italy was in Asia.

[socialshockwave]

19. Something's gotta be wrong with the justice system

when the prosecutor attempts to gain a conviction based on Ms. Knox's sexual activity, and trying to imply she is a "witch" or Satanist?

Grasping at straws.

[ForgoTheConsequence]

22. You're ridiculous.

You should look in your own backyard first. Ever hear of the West Memphis Three? They were railroaded based on the fact that they were "satanists" and listened to heavy metal.

[socialshockwave]

23. Well it's stupid in any case. Using someone's religious beliefs

to try to gain a conviction is wrong. Trying to PORTRAY someone as a Satanist to gain sympathy is -idiotic-.

[ForgoTheConsequence]

26. As are generalizations.

And accusing western countries of being "anti west".

[socialshockwave]

28. I apologize. I just get angry when I see injustice happening in

other countries.

[Anto Giampietro]

30. You don't have any idea what you're talking about and yet you're talking about it just the same.

Why is that?

[RaleighNCDUer]

41. No, one really bad fundamentalist prosecutor who thought he was

working for the Inquisition was looking for a scapegoat. His crap tainted everything. He took a fairly simple case and tried to make it a Satanist witch-finding - and it's not the first time he's tried prosecuting on his obsession with actualized evil (i.e. "the Devil made her do it").

Their system is no better or worse than ours - all systems are capable of being abused by unscrupulous people in the system.

[vets74]

60. Of course Italy is corrupt. Been to New York lately ??? Same difference.

Google < florence cioffi >.

Florence was killed in a DUI hit-and-run on Water Street in 2008.

The perp arranged a 16 day sentence, plus $350 fine.

New York City is at least as bad as Italy.

[Name removed]

73. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[toopers]

11. The original verdict was such a travesty . . .

Now maybe they will put Mignini in jail and he can sit with someone else he wrongly accused.

[plcdude]

15. I think

we can see some generalized sentiments here that are more ignorant than informed. After all we just executed Troy Davis when we should have opened an appeal on his behalf. I am probably taking a group of students to your wonderful country in May and have enjoyed my other visits in the past.

[sinkingfeeling]

16. Not all of us agree with those who still think America is somehow exceptional.

[Jim__]

24. According to the Urban doctionary, goombah comes from cumbà

Source:

Pronunciation: 'güm-"bä
Function: noun
Etymology: Italian dialect (Campania) cumbà, vocative form of cumbare respected older man, literally, godfather, from Medieval Latin compater

[Anto Giampietro]

74. Goombah is not spoken here in Italy.

Because Americans use it does not mean that it is spoken here. The word that you have found via http://www.urbandictionary.com is nothing less than a magnificent turd.

[maxsolomon]

35. Because I was emotional about this, and I'm in Seattle

The accusations of Satanism were MEDIEVAL, so I drew the comparison.

I don't really think Italians are troglodytes.

[Anto Giampietro]

29. We needed to stop and catch our breath before we were able to catch up to you.

:hi:

[nichomachus]

32. Americans can't welcome anyone to the 21st Century

When we're still in the 18th Century. Our legal system is among the worst in the developed world. Georgia just murdered an innocent man to feed the blood lust of its citizens. Our jury system is insane -- ignorant people making decisions based on their emotions and what they see on TV reality shows. People who can't follow more than two variables without a pencil and paper and a tutor are making life and death decisions. Police routinely lie. Prosecutors bring absurd charges. Pfft.

[maxsolomon]

39. Fair points.

Seattle feels like part of the 21st Century, even if Georgia does not.

[nichomachus]

58. Have you been on a jury lately

I have. The ignorance and inability to follow a simple line of reasoning was frightening. People were just making shit up -- "Well, I think that was really happened was . . . . " with absolutely nothing to back up the fairy tale that originated inside their head.

[Scairp]

69. I wouldn't say that

They have indicted some geologists for manslaughter for failing to adequately warn the public of an impending earthquake where people died. No, not even in the 20th century as yet.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=italian-earthquake-manslaughter-hearing

[Merlot]

8. Big sigh of relief!

There was SO much wrong with this.

I'm happy for her, and I'm assuming Raffelo as well.

[lynne]

17. Just watched it and so glad that she is headed home -

Between the bizarre motive assumptions, improperly handled evidence, DNA obviously pointing to another suspect, and an already convicted killer given a reduced sentence - this case bordered on the ridiculous. Looked like the Italian version of the O.J. case, just without the high-speed chase.

Wonderful that common sense and justice prevailed!

[1620rock]

31. Good news....(I think.)

[Blue_Tires]

34. I guess I'm not in much of a mood to celebrate...

I know it's been said before, but I know in my heart that if Troy Davis got this much unquestioned support from the media and general public, he would have been free years ago...Even to the very end, the media's "Yeah, he's almost certainly framed, BUT..." Snowed over the moutains of evidence proving his innocence...

[Safetykitten]

37. So...who did it?

[McCamy Taylor]

45. The career criminal who was with her that night, whose DNA was found all over her, who fled Italy,

who was brought back to Italy tried and convicted of murdering her. And the one whose sentence for the rape/murder was cut in half when he told prosecutors "Um...Amanda was there too" many months later.

They had the real killer all along. This case never should have gone to court. They targeted Amanda, because when the murder happened, the police blamed a Black man. They tortured Amanda overnight to get her to sign a statement that she did not understand so they would have probable cause to arrest the Black guy. When it turned out that his DNA did not match the DNA at the scene, he was released----and filed a civil suit over his false arrest. The cops tried to cover themselves by pinning to whole thing on Amanda, except, why would she lie to frame an innocent man---unless she was guilty? So they had to go after her to sustain the farce.

This is a case of police injustice that just kept piling shit upon shit.

[Safetykitten]

47. So who is this guy? Link to the info? That's amazing.

[McCamy Taylor]

54. Wiki has all the info and links on this case. The killer is named Guede. He gets out in 12 years.

Except with good time, I am betting he gets out in 6 years---all for fingering an innocent woman.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Meredith_Kercher

[Safetykitten]

56. Thanks!

[joshcryer]

65. Thanks for that very short and sweet overview, I didn't want to dig deep in to this case.

[RaleighNCDUer]

49. The guy whose DNA was all over the crime scene and who fled

the country (and who got his sentence reduced from 30 years to 16 year for his testimony against Knox and Sollecito).

Rudy Guede.

[Are_grits_groceries]

42. Knox murder conviction overturned

Source: MSNBC

Knox murder conviction overturned
4:44 PM ET, Mon, October 3, 2011
NBC, msnbc.com and news services
PERUGIA, Italy - An appeals court jury on Monday overturned the murder convictions of Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito in the killing of her roommate Meredith Kercher four years ago.

Knox, 24, collapsed in tears after the jury declared that the evidence against the two was not reliable. Both she and her ex-boyfriend were then taken back to prison where they were to be formally freed.

The Kercher family looked on grimly as the verdict was read out by the judge after 11 hours of deliberations by the eight-member jury.
<.snip>

Read more: Www.msnbc.com

---

I hope she gets the he'll out of Dodge!

[slackmaster]

43. That's wonderful news!

:kick:

[MineralMan]

44. You're a couple of hours late with this "breaking" news,

I'm afraid. Scroll down the Latest Page.

[McCamy Taylor]

46. Four years too late, but better than never. They already had the real criminal. Witchhunt is right.

[Are_grits_groceries]

50. Please read the book

"The Monster of Florence" about the Italians trying to catch a vicious serial killer. Mignini was the prosecutor in this matter and his shenanigans would be over the top in any justice system. He was censored for his role in this case.

I am not holding our system up as the true beacon of justice. I am pointing out what Mignini is like and what happens if you are caught in his surreal version of investigating and judging. Any time you are at the mercy of a prosecutor or judge like this in any country, gawd help you.

When I read that he was handling Knox's case, I knew there wouldn't be a fair trial whether she did it or not. He is a jackass and corrupt in any system or language.

[Scairp]

70. "Il Mostro"

Yep, read about it. What a cluster-fuck that one was.

[rollin74]

53. excellent!

[McCamy Taylor]

55. And the real killer, Guede, will be back on the streets soon. To kill again. Because he cut a del

and got his sentence slashed to 16 years by fingering an innocent woman.

[pitohui]

61. these kind of deals make me sick

i'm glad amanda is finally free, i'm extremely sick of these "deals" where the actual killers benefit from spewing shit all over the innocent ...

it happens in america too, just doesn't get as much publicity because it's usually a black kid who ends up being victimized by this kind of bullshit

we've all heard of cases where the kid who happened to be in the car got a harsher or the same sentence as the guy who actually shot someone...

some of these prosecutors cannot have any soul or conscience whatsoever, i'm confident that they never for a minute REALLY believed she had anything to do w. the crime, none of the "evidence" they presented or the story they told made one minute's worth of sense

the prosecutors in nyc who invented the big lie of "wilding" in the central park rape, all that time and all those years...they KNEW they were lying and they had invented the story, they just didn't know that one day the rapist would confess and their lie would come out

the abuse of power of some of these prosecutors is sickening and i'm sad to see it happens all the world round

[McCamy Taylor]

57. British press aided the witch hunt. Today's Guardian calls her a MPD.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/oct/03/amanda-knox-days-imprisonment?newsfeed=true

[T_i_B]

63. Oh it gets better

Check out what the ultra right wing Daily Mail did!

http://paidcontent.org/article/419-daily-mail-jumps-the-gun-on-knox-verdict-with-embarrassing-results/

[vets74]

59. Hey, Amanda ! Comes to New York, honey. Occupy Wall Street would love to see you !!

[MikeW]

62. good

Maybe the keystone cops in Italy can ask the FBI in Quantico to hold a class on how to

collect, handle and process DNA evidence.

[Odin2005]

64. YAY!!!

[bernynhel]

66. Of COURSE Amanda didn't kill her roomate.....

OF COURSE Dr Murray didn't kill Michael (his biggest MEAL TICKET????? Come ON!). Conclusion: The prosecutors and Nancy Graces of the world are A**HOLES!