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Amanda Knox

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Amanda Knox
Born (1987-07-09) July 9, 1987 (age 37)
NationalityAmerican
Known forbeing accused, convicted, and eventually cleared of the murder of Meredith Kercher; lying to police and being convicted for falsely accusing others in relation to the murder

Amanda Marie Knox (born July 9, 1987) is an American woman who was accused of the murder of Meredith Kercher in Perugia, Umbria, Italy. She served 4 years of a 26-year sentence before the murder conviction was overturned on October 3, 2011. Raffaele Sollecito, Knox's boyfriend at the time of the murder, was also accused of the murder and had his conviction overturned on appeal.[1][2][3][4] The jury upheld Knox's calunnia conviction for falsely implicating bar owner Patrick Lumumba. For this Knox was sentenced to three years in prison, which she had already served, and was ordered to pay Lumumba's court costs of about 22,000 euros.[5]

Early life

Knox was born in Seattle, Washington, to Edda Mellas, a math teacher, and Curt Knox, a vice president of finance at Macy's. The couple divorced when Knox was a toddler. Knox attended Seattle Preparatory School, from which she graduated in 2005. In 2005 she began studies at the University of Washington.[6]

Meredith Kercher murder case

Main article: Murder of Meredith Kercher

In 2007 Knox moved to Perugia, Italy, to study Italian, German, and creative writing at the University for Foreigners for one year.[7][6] She shared a house with a student from England, Meredith Kercher, as well as two Italian women.[6] In mid-October 2007 she began a romantic relationship with an Italian engineering student, Raffaele Sollecito, from Bari, Apulia, Italy.[6]

On November 1, 2007, Meredith Kercher was murdered in the apartment she shared with Knox. On November 6, 2007, Knox was arrested by the Italian police and, along with Sollecito, charged with the murder of Kercher. During the subsequent four year trial and appeal process she was held under cautionary detention (carcerazione preventiva) at the Capanne prison in Perugia. In 2009, Knox and Sollecito were convicted of sexual assault, murder and simulating a burglary under the first grade (primo grado) of the Italian Code of Criminal Procedure. However, according to Italian law, she was not considered guilty until convicted in the second grade (secondo grado).[8] During this appeal, which concluded on October 3, 2011, the original conviction was overturned, she was found innocent of the murder and she was released from prison.[9][10]

Knox was ordered to pay Patrick Lumumba, the man originally accused by Knox of murdering Kercher, €10,000 in restitution as a result of her conviction for calunnia and €40,000 as compensation for Lumumba's legal expenses he incurred to be represented at the first trial.[11][12] The decision was upheld by the appeals court and Knox was sentenced to three years imprisonment, and ordered to pay a further €22,000.[13][5]

In March 2010, Knox won a civil case against Fiorenza Sarzanini, author of a book about the Kercher case, Amanda e gli altri (Amanda and the Others), and her publisher for violation of her privacy and illegal publication of court documents. The book contained long excerpts from Knox's diary, as well as from witness interviews that were not in the public domain, and intimate details professing to be about Knox's sex life. Knox was awarded €40,000 in damages.[14]

Following an investigation into Knox's statements that she was slapped by police during questioning about the murder, another case for calunnia was opened against her on June 1, 2010 for falsely implicating police. Knox has claimed she was hit and put under pressure by police when she was questioned in the aftermath of Kercher's November 1, 2007, slaying. She said police repeatedly called her a "stupid liar". Police denied misconduct and filed charges saying Knox's comments were slanderous. [15] The trial was adjourned until November 15, 2011. According Italian Penal Code, for this crime she can be imprisoned from two to six years.

In February 2011, Knox's parents, Curt Knox and Edda Mellas, were indicted on charges of criminal slander as a result of an interview published by The Sunday Times in 2009, in which they said their daughter "had not been given an interpreter, had not received food and water, and had been physically and verbally abused" by police officers after her arrest.[16] They sought to have the charges dismissed on the grounds that there was no intent.[17] On July 4, 2011, Judge Paolo Micheli resigned from the case, citing his involvement in the trial of Knox and Sollecito. Knox's parents' trial was adjourned until January 24, 2012.[16]

After Knox was found innocent of the murder, several media outlets reported that Kercher's family were suing her for $12 million. Kercher's family have stated that the reports are incorrect and that they do not believe anyone should profit from the murder.[18]

Life in prison

photograph
Knox was held at Capanne Prison in Perugia from 2007 to 2011

Knox spent almost four years in jail while she waited for her first trial and appealed the initial verdict. Soon after arriving in prison, following a blood test, Knox was mistakenly told she was HIV positive.[19][20] Officials prompted her to write a list of previous lovers, which they later leaked to the media.[21][22]

Knox has stated that during her time in prison she was sexually harassed and intimidated by prison officials.[23][24] Knox said that a high ranking prison administrator would take her to his office alone at night and make inappropriate statements to her which left her feeling terrified.[23] Furthermore, prison guards forced her to have unwanted sexual conversations.[25][26] ABC News reported that one male guard entered Knox's cell alone and made sexual remarks to her.[27][28]

While Knox was in prison, she met frequently a local lawmaker named Rocco Girlanda. He later published a book about his conversations with Knox while she was in prison.[29] Knox also befriended the members of a local Italian band which played at the prison three times while she was an inmate. She wrote a screenplay for one of their videos.[30]

Release

ANSA's news alert announcing Knox's conviction being overturned was made using the character size and style reserved for the most important events. According to Italy's national TV broadcaster, this last happened when Pope Benedict XVI was elected in 2005.[31]

photograph
Amanda Knox leaves the prison in Perugia on a car with Corrado Maria Daclon, secretary general of the Italy-USA Foundation

According to Corrado Maria Daclon, secretary general of the Italy-USA Foundation, who became a close friend of Knox's while she was in prison and managed Knox's departure from the penitentiary to the airport, when Knox returned to her former prison after her appeal, "[a]ll the prisoners, 500 or 600 of them, started to greet Amanda from the windows, like soccer stardom." She then said goodbye to her cellmate, other prisoners, and some of the guards. The next day she flew home to Seattle.[32][33] Upon her arrival, Knox gave a brief press conference in which she thanked those who supported her and her family.[34]

Knox wrote a letter to Corrado Maria Daclon the day after she was freed by prison, with her first words since she regaining freedom: "To hold my hand and offer support and respect throughout the obstacles and the controversy, there were Italians. There was the Italy-USA Foundation, and many others that shared my pain and that helped me survive, with hope. I am eternally grateful for their caring hospitality and their courageous commitment. To those that wrote me, that defended me, that stood by me, that prayed for me... I am forever grateful to you."[35]

Public image

Due to the allegations made against her, Knox became the focus of worldwide media coverage, especially in Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States. Supporters of Knox and certain members of the US media criticized Italian and British newspapers' coverage of the story as constituting character assassination and demonization.[36] According to author Candace Dempsey, the press reported a number of falsehoods and distortions in their articles about the case.[37] In order to address these perceived inaccuracies, Knox's family engaged the services of David Marriott of Gogerty Stark Marriott, a Seattle-based public relations firm.[38]

In June 2009, due to all her televised court hearings, an Italian television poll listed Amanda Knox as a bigger personality than Carla Bruni.[39]

Television film

Lifetime, an American television network, produced a television film about the case, titled Amanda Knox: Murder on Trial in Italy. It focuses on Knox, who is played by American actress Hayden Panettiere. Kercher is played by the British actress Amanda Fernando Stevens. The Kercher family condemned the film and described its images as "horrific and distressing".[40] Before the film was broadcast, lawyers for both Knox and Sollecito formally demanded that Lifetime abandon the production.[41][42]

List of documentaries on Amanda Knox

  • A Long Way From Home: CBS 48 Hours documentary, broadcast in April 2008 in the United States[43]
  • American Girl, Italian Nightmare: CBS 48 Hours documentary, broadcast in April 2009 in the United States,[44]
  • The Trial of Amanda Knox: NBC Dateline NBC documentary, broadcast on December 4, 2009 in the United States[45]
  • The Trials of Amanda Knox: The Learning Channel documentary, broadcast on March 24, 2010 in the United States[46]
  • Beyond the Headlines: Amanda Knox: Lifetime documentary, broadcast on February 21, 2011 in the United States[47]
  • Cold Blood: Life Behind Bars For Amanda Knox: Investigation Discovery Cold Blood documentary, broadcast on April 20, 2011 in the United States [48]
  • Murder Abroad: The Amanda Knox Story: CNN CNN Presents documentary, broadcast on May 8, 2011 in the United States[49][50]
  • Amanda Knox: The untold story, CBS 48 Hours documentary October 8, 2011 7:45 PM[51]

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References

  1. ^ "Live blog: Amanda Knox to go free after jury overturns murder conviction – This Just In – CNN.com Blogs". News.blogs.cnn.com. Retrieved October 3, 2011.
  2. ^ Rizzo, Alessandra. "News from The Associated Press". Hosted.ap.org. Retrieved October 3, 2011.
  3. ^ Squires, Nick (October 3, 2011). "Amanda Knox freed: tears of joy as four-year nightmare is over – Telegraph". The Daily Telegraph. London: TMG. ISSN 0307-1235. OCLC 49632006. Retrieved October 3, 2011.
  4. ^ "TEXT: Summary of Amanda Knox, Raffaele Sollecito Verdict". Foxnewsinsider.com. November 23, 2009. Retrieved October 6, 2011.
  5. ^ a b Iovane, Giorgia (October 3, 2011). "Amanda Knox e Raffaele Sollecito assolti per il delitto di Meredith: il video della sentenza". Televisionando. Retrieved October 13, 2011.
  6. ^ a b c d Oloffson, Kristi. "Amanda Knox, Convicted of Murder in Italy". Time. Retrieved October 11, 2011.
  7. ^ "Who was the real 'Foxy Knoxy'", Dan Bell, BBC News, December 4, 2009.
  8. ^ Vogt, Andrea: "The debate continues over Knox's guilt," SeattlePI.com, December 14, 2009, accessed October 17, 2011.
  9. ^ Povoledo, [1]Elisabetta: "Amanda Knox Freed After Appeal in Italian Court", The New York Times, October 3, 2011. Accessed October 13, 2011.
  10. ^ Pisani, Mario; et al.; Manuale di procedura penale. Bologna, Monduzzi Editore, 2006. ISBN 88-323-6109-4
  11. ^ Massei 2010, pp. 394, 395.
  12. ^ "Amanda Knox guilty of Meredith Kercher murder". BBC News. December 5, 2009.
  13. ^ "TEXT: Summary of Amanda Knox, Raffaele Sollecito Verdict". Foxnewsinsider.com. November 23, 2009. Retrieved October 6, 2011.
  14. ^ "Amanda Knox: Italian Civil Court Awards Knox $55,000 in Damages For Violation of Privacy". ABC News. March 22, 2010.
  15. ^ [http://www.seattlepi.com/local/420882_knox30.html?source=mypi "Did Amanda Knox slander police? Second trial set to start Tuesday", KOMO-TV staff, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, May 30, 2010; also see Dempsey 2010, p. 265.
  16. ^ a b Messia, Hada (July 4, 2011). "Amanda Knox Parents' Libel Judge Resigns". CNN.
  17. ^ "Amanda Knox's parents indicted, accused of libeling Italian police". CNN. February 16, 2011.
  18. ^ "Kercher family to sue Amanda Knox? No". SeattlePI. October 25, 2011.
  19. ^ "Amanda Knox Tricked into Believing She Had HIV to Extract Lovers List: New Details of Sexual Harassment in Prison". International Business Times. October 11, 2011. Retrieved October 23, 2011.
  20. ^ "The scapegoating of Amanda Knox". LA Times. October 4, 2011. Retrieved October 23, 2011.
  21. ^ "Amanda Knox Tricked into Believing She Had HIV to Extract Lovers List: New Details of Sexual Harassment in Prison". International Business Times. October 11, 2011. Retrieved October 23, 2011.
  22. ^ "The scapegoating of Amanda Knox". LA Times. October 4, 2011. Retrieved October 23, 2011.
  23. ^ a b "Amanda Knox: I was sexually harassed in prison". CBS News. October 7, 2011. Retrieved October 23, 2011.
  24. ^ Burleigh 2011, pp. 284–285.
  25. ^ "Amanda Knox Tricked into Believing She Had HIV to Extract Lovers List: New Details of Sexual Harassment in Prison". International Business Times. October 11, 2011. Retrieved October 23, 2011.
  26. ^ Burleigh 2011, pp. 284–285.
  27. ^ "Amanda Knox Tricked into Believing She Had HIV to Extract Lovers List: New Details of Sexual Harassment in Prison". International Business Times. October 11, 2011. Retrieved October 23, 2011.
  28. ^ Burleigh 2011, pp. 284–285.
  29. ^ "Amanda Knox heading home after acquittal". News 24. October 4, 2011. Retrieved October 23, 2011.
  30. ^ "Breathless and pale Amanda Knox arrives in court to hear whether she'll be freed or sent to jail for a quarter of a century". Daily Mail. October 3, 2011. Retrieved October 23, 2011.
  31. ^ Winter, Michael (October 3, 2011). "Amanda Knox freed after murder conviction overturned". USA Today. Retrieved October 13, 2011.
  32. ^ Natanson, Phoebe (October 4, 2011). "Amanda Knox Got Wild Farewell From Inmates". ABC News. Retrieved October 13, 2011.
  33. ^ "Cleared on appeal, Amanda Knox returns home to Seattle". Canada.com. October 4, 2011. Retrieved 13, October, 2011. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  34. ^ "Amanda Knox: I'm overwhelmed right now". ABC News/AP. October 4, 2011. Retrieved October 18, 2011.
  35. ^ "Amanda Knox's handwritten letter to supporters in Italy". King5. October 4, 2011. Retrieved October 31, 2011.
  36. ^ Sherwell, Philip and Harrison, David. "Amanda Knox: 'Foxy Knoxy' was an innocent abroad, say US supporters", The Sunday Telegraph, December 5, 2009.
  37. ^ Dempsey, Candace (2010): Murder in Italy: The Shocking Slaying of a British Student, the Accused American Girl, and an International Scandal, Penguin Group; New York. ISBN 9780425230831. Chapter 17
  38. ^ "'No smoking gun' evidence in Kercher case". BBC News. December 5, 2009.
  39. ^ "An Innocent Abroad - Opinionator Blog - NYTimes.com" NYTies.com, Timothy Egan, June 2009, webpage: opin-abr.
  40. ^ "Meredith Kercher's father attacks US film of her murder". BBC News. February 4, 2011. Retrieved February 6, 2011.
  41. ^ "Amanda Knox lawyers seek to stop Lifetime film". Apnews.myway.com. February 5, 2011. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  42. ^ "Film su Amanda, i legali di Sollecito: Lo ritirino o chiederemo il risarcimento". February 5, 2011. Retrieved February 6, 2011.
  43. ^ "A Long Way From Home". cbsnews.com. April 10, 2008.
  44. ^ "American girl, Italian nightmare". cbsnews.com. April 8, 2008. Retrieved October 15, 2011.
  45. ^ "The Trial of Amanda Knox". msnbc.msn.com. December 4, 2009.
  46. ^ "The Trials of Amanda Knox". investigation.discovery.com. March 25, 2010.
  47. ^ "Amanda Knox TV Movie Draws Ire from Victim's Dad". cbsnews.com. February 4, 2011.
  48. ^ "Cold Blood: Life Behind Bars For Amanda Knox". investigation.discovery.com. April 18, 2011.
  49. ^ "'Murder Abroad: The Amanda Knox Story' – CNN's Drew Griffin Reports". cnnpressroom.blogs.cnn.com. April 28, 2011. Retrieved October 15, 2011.
  50. ^ "CNN Presents: Murder Abroad, The Amanda Knox Story". transcripts.cnn.com. Retrieved October 15, 2011.
  51. ^ ""48 Hours" reveals Amanda Knox's untold story". cbsnews.com. October 8 , 2011. Retrieved October 18, 2011. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
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