Italy/UK/US-murder

Amanda Knox and Italian ex-lover convicted of murder

Article published on the 2009-12-05 Latest update 2009-12-05 11:07 TU

American university student Amanda Knox arrives in court for her murder trial in Perugia, Italy
(Credit: Reuters)

Amanda Knox, an American university exchange student, was convicted by an Italian court early Saturday morning of sexually assaulting and murdering her British roommate Meredith Kercher. Knox, 22, was given 26 years for the brutal killing while her Italian ex-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, 25, was given 25 years.

When the lengthy verdict was read out after 12 hours of deliberation, Knox cried, "no, no.." and burst into tears, while Sollecito remained impassive.

Meredith Kercher was Knox's roommate in Perugia, Italy, where they were both exchange students in 2007. Kercher was found brutally murdered-- partially clothed with her throat cut-- in what the prosecution called a 'sex game gone wrong.'

Knox was allegedly angry that her roommate had criticised her promiscuity, and got her boyfriend of one week, Sollecito, and a young drifter, Ivorian Rudy Guede, to participate in the killing. Guede, now 22, was sentenced to 30 years in prison for the killing in a separate, fast-track trial. He is currently appealing.

Both Knox's and Sollecito's lawyers say that Guede was solely responsible for the killing.

But observers say the verdict was not clear-cut, and does not clear up exactly what happened that night in November. Prosecutors have not given a clear motive for the killing, according to some, while others believe the defense did not correctly dispute the forensic evidence. 

The trial was surrounded by a storm of controversy, as Knox had been branded as a young, fresh-scrubbed innocent, dubbed in the press as either 'Amelie of Seattle' [in reference to the French film Amelie] or a sexually promiscuous young woman.

Knox was convicted of murder, unlawful possession of a weapon, which was the kitchen knife used in the murder, and of staging a crime scene.

She was also found guilty of defamation. She had originally accused her former employer, Congolese bar owner Patrick Lumumba, of the murder, and was given an additional year in prison for this. Knox is also required to pay Lumumba 10,000 euros in damages and 40,000 euros in court costs.

Knox and Sollecito are required to pay each of Kercher's parents one million euros and 800,000 euros each to her three siblings. The Kercher family had asked for 25 million in damages.

Both convicts must also pay the owner of the cottage where Knox and Kercher lived 33,000 euros for loss of income.

Kercher's family was satisfied with the verdict, while Knox's family has vowed to appeal.