British student murdered in Perugia, 3 suspects

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Tonia said:
Meredith Kercher murder trial court rejects evidence review opening way for earlier verdict

Denied: The Court of Assizes of Perugia rejected a review of evidence requested by the defense of Raffaele Sollecito and Amanda Knox

A judge last night rejected defence requests for an independent review of evidence in the Meredith Kercher murder case.
The decision means that a verdict in the trial will come by early December as an independent review could have taken up to a month delaying the decision.
Yesterday lawyers for Knox and Sollecito argued that the review should be held because of errors in the police investigation and the way evidence was collected.
Key to the case is a 30cm black handled kitchen knife on which DNA from Knox was found on the handle and that of Meredith on the blade.
Prosecutors say the knife, which was found in the kitchen of Sollecito's flat, is compatible with the murder weapon - which has never been found.
Knox's lawyer Carlo Della Vedova said that too many discrepancies had emerged in the examination of the knife by forensic scientists.
He pointed out that an official report was marked 'low copy number' with regard to the amount of DNA found on the knife.
He insisted that there had been evidence of contamination during the examination and he also asked for a review of a bloodied footprint found by Meredith which the court heard matched Knox's size.
Sollecito's lawyers had also asked for a review of a bloodied bra clasp found at the scene which had his DNA on it.

They pointed out that the clasp had been found during an initial police search in one point and then 'lost' for six weeks before being found else where in the room.
His lawyer Giulia Bongiorno said: 'The clasp was photographed and filmed in one part of the room.
'Then it was not seen again until 45 days later, a metre and half away from where it was last seen, under a carpet.
'We say this could have affected the test. We also say that from the footage we can see that so called single use gloves used by forensic officers were used more than once.'
Ms Bongiorno said that this as a result could have led to contamination and that another review was essential.
Prosecutor Giuliano Mignini had argued that: 'There is no need for a review as the evidence was gathered in a very professional way by qualified persons.'
Last night after a two hours consulting with the jury judge Giancarlo Massei ruled that he was rejecting the requests for a review.
He also set out a calendar for the summing up and sentence requests and said that he would retire to consider sentence and verdict on December 4.
In his ruling judge Massei said: 'The court has heard from several consultants who have brought several elements and which rule out the need for any further proof.'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/wor...edith-Kercher-murder-trial.html#ixzz0TXba1KRQ
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thank you for this update.. bold is mine.. doesn't sound good for Meredith
 
Meredith was the victim. She's dead. Suspect you meant Amanda?
 
I think she's innocent. The investigation, forensics, and "evidence" are questionable at best. (IMO) I don't think anyone should be criticizing her behavior. We don't know how we'd react in that situation. Some people joke around when faced with serious situations.
 
Anybody who think Miss Knox is innocent PLEASE look at all the evidence in this case. she clearly is 100% guilty.

hmmm..... funny she claims she is innocent but does NOTHING to help her "friend" Meredith. (does not sound like an innocent person to me).
 
Although most of the evidence is circumstancial... there is alot of it indeed.
 
I am very curious to see what the outcome will be. I have mixed feelings. I think Amanda was present when Meredith was murdered but I am not convinced she actually participated in killing Meredith. I have a feeling she will either be acquited or convicted of a lesser charge. I just don't know if the prosecution has proved beyond a reasonable doubt she was involved in murdering Meredith.

I have no doubt she was involved, it is just the level of involvement I am not 100% on. I am 100% certain I don't like the girl. I think she acts like a little spoiled brat who has shown no class or tact through-out this whole ordeal.
 
True, but even the DNA in this case is kind of iffy. Her behavior and the many lies is what shows her guilt imo. No need to lie at all if innocent. Raffaele has not said much either... except 'rubbish' as he called it.
 
Also, I'm not familiar with the Italian standards of proof like I am with the US.
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I am not either. Don't get me wrong I think there is a good chance she was involved in the actual murder of Meredith I am just not sure the prosecution can prove it beyond a resonable doubt. I am 100% sure she is involved in some way, knows what happened and was present and I certaintly think she should be punished to fullest extent.
 
At least they haven't tried (too much) to discredit the DNA evidence like they would here in the US. The lies and the partial cleanup with the fake break-in is what has probably sealed their fate. No reason to lie, no reason for Rudy to clean up footprints not his, no break-in at all.
 
iluvmua said:
Anybody who think Miss Knox is innocent PLEASE look at all the evidence in this case. she clearly is 100% guilty.

hmmm..... funny she claims she is innocent but does NOTHING to help her "friend" Meredith. (does not sound like an innocent person to me).
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I have looked at all the evidence. I've also looked out how the police there botched the evidence (IMO). I still stand by my beliefs that she's innocent. If she were being tried here in the USA, she'd be acquitted.
 
Circumstantial evidence is usually the best. DNA, for instance, is circumstantial evidence.
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I agree that circumstantial evidence is often the best, or at least the most compelling, but isn't DNA direct evidence? I've never heard it described as circumstantial, but rather vs. circumstantial. I thought DNA was direct since it is the most scientifically solid of all evidence.

I'm not disputing it. It's just my whole worldview has been altered, haha.
 
Is it possible that Amanda and Rafael stummbled on a murder scene and got the diabolically stupid idea to take advantage of the situation to frame a boss she was mad at? I can't see any other explaination except that they were both directly involved.
 
The clinchers for me in this case were the signs of an obvious cleanup having been done by Amanda and her boyfriend (I believe one room of the house was completely devoid of Amanda's fingerprints - an idiotic move on her part since she lived in the house), the obvious, blatant lying/framing of Lumumba, and the sociopathic behavior by Amanda (not seeming to give a wit that her roommate was murdered/doing cartwheels in the police station, etc).

The motive? By all accounts Meredith was a lovely girl with a loving family, a boyfriend who loved her, plenty of close girlfriends, and a level of authenticity and kindness that drew all those who met her to admire her. Amanda is insecure, seems to have made no close girlfriends in Italy, and derived her self-esteem from her casual relationships with men. In other words, jealousy, pure and simple. Meredith had something Amanda will never have: an inner warmth, and utter unself-consciousness that made her a joy to be around. I also find it telling that the Kercher family clearly seems to think Amanda is guilty.

I seriously doubt the Italian LE would go out of their way to railroad an innocent American girl if they did not have serious evidence/reasons pointing to her guilt. They saw her story not adding up from day one, and circumstantial and physical evidence points in the direction of Amanda and Rafaele, in addition to Guede. I'm confident Meredith will get the justice she deserves. Anyone know when a verdict is expected?
 
Mia said:
The clinchers for me in this case were the signs of an obvious cleanup having been done by Amanda and her boyfriend (I believe one room of the house was completely devoid of Amanda's fingerprints - an idiotic move on her part since she lived in the house), the obvious, blatant lying/framing of Lumumba, and the sociopathic behavior by Amanda (not seeming to give a wit that her roommate was murdered/doing cartwheels in the police station, etc).

The motive? By all accounts Meredith was a lovely girl with a loving family, a boyfriend who loved her, plenty of close girlfriends, and a level of authenticity and kindness that drew all those who met her to admire her. Amanda is insecure, seems to have made no close girlfriends in Italy, and derived her self-esteem from her casual relationships with men. In other words, jealousy, pure and simple. Meredith had something Amanda will never have: an inner warmth, and utter unself-consciousness that made her a joy to be around. I also find it telling that the Kercher family clearly seems to think Amanda is guilty.

I seriously doubt the Italian LE would go out of their way to railroad an innocent American girl if they did not have serious evidence/reasons pointing to her guilt. They saw her story not adding up from day one, and circumstantial and physical evidence points in the direction of Amanda and Rafaele, in addition to Guede. I'm confident Meredith will get the justice she deserves. Anyone know when a verdict is expected?
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I agree with that and a blogger in Seattle took the Seattle newspapers to task for their blind support of Amanda.

http://www.zimbio.com/Amanda+Knox/articles/68/Cartwheels+No+Cartwheels+Judge

I edited the quoted part of the article because it had no paragraphs making it difficult to read.

The exchange came as Inspector Ficarra, of the city’s Flying Squad, described 21-year-old Knox’s bizarre behaviour after her arrest following the killing in 2007. “I was in the elevator and when I got to the floor where the Flying Squad department is the door opened and I saw Amanda doing floor exercises,” he said. “She was doing the splits, cartwheels and arching herself backwards, pressing her hands on the floor. I said to her, ‘What on earth are you doing? Is this the right way to behave?'

From the UK’s Independent: Chief Inspector Monica Napoleoni told the court where the pair are on trial for murder how, at the police station as they waited to be first questioned, Mr Sollecito and Ms Knox “appeared completely indifferent to everything, lying down, kissing, pulling faces and writing each other notes. They were talking to each in low voices the whole time – it was impossible that they were behaving like this when there was a dead body in their house. It seemed strange to everybody”. Ms Knox had also “turned cartwheels and done the splits,” she said.

From the UK’s Daily Telegraph: Ms Napoleoni recalled thinking that Miss Knox and her boyfriend seemed “indifferent to everything” when they were called to a police station in Perugia for questioning on Nov 5, 2007. It was there that the American turned cartwheels and did the splits.

And the last word, as always, from the London Times: Ms Napoleoni said she and other officers had seen Ms Knox “doing cartwheels and the splits” while Mr Sollecito was being questioned and she was waiting her turn. Ms Napoleoni said she found this “very strange”. She said Ms Knox and Mr Sollecito “had a bizarre attitude throughout - they were laughing, kissing and pulling faces at each other.
 
missyjane77 said:
I have looked at all the evidence. I've also looked out how the police there botched the evidence (IMO). I still stand by my beliefs that she's innocent. If she were being tried here in the USA, she'd be acquitted.
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What part or parts are you describing as 'botched'?
 
I wish this case were tried in a US court for a variety of reasons. Guilty or not, the accused deserves a fair trial. The victim's deserve a fair trial too. A show trial or sham trial is worthless. At least in the US you have to convince the jury of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, and also the crime has to have happened as it is described. In this case, while Knox might very well be guilty of SOMETHING... I don't necessarily buy the prosecution's version of the events. What evidence there is in the case is muddled and contradictory. There is so much in the news that has never been presented in court, and with no one sequestered, its hard to know what the Jury will actually go with. The prosecution has several versions of what happened... sex game, Knox was angry at the victim, etc. Some evidence is there... some doesn't fit like the so called murder weapon not matching the knife wounds on the body. The case just needs a more thorough court to handle it all and in a timely manner.
 
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