And it wasn't because he gave a shit whether she was innocent.

Trump.

she was innocent, because of lack of evidence. (There was some FAKE evidence, including a coerced non-confession, put forward by an unethical prosecutor.)

In other words, the Court had the choice of a not-guilty verdict, or a positive verdict of innocence -- and that's what they unanimously decided on.

And it was the only verdict that could have made sense to anyone who examined all the evidence. All the physical evidence -- and there were dozens of pieces of it, blood and hair and fingerprint samples -- pointed to ONLY Rudy Guede, a friend of the men who lived in a downstairs apartment.

She was a 19 year old who was interrogated overnight without a lawyer, till she finally agreed with the prosecutor's story that she'd HEARD another man in the house with the victim. In reality she wasn't in the house that night at all (she was at her boyfriend's house) and she took back the non-confession (that the prosecutor insisted "put'" her in the house) within a few hours and said it wasn't true.

It kills me that this innocent person has to go through life with this shadow over her. That four years of false imprisonment in a foreign country wasn't enough. That some people will always condemn her in their minds.

No one in Seattle who has ever known her has one iota of doubt. All her teachers and the students in her high school never wavered in their support. I don't know her personally, but I know people who do. And to hear otherwise thoughtful people still expressing suspicions about her is so discouraging. It shows the dark side of human nature -- but not of Amanda's.

She deserves the benefit of everyone's doubt.

Even though the evidence against him included a photo of Nicole, her face beaten, that she had saved in a bank box in case he ever attacked her again.

Amanda was having no problems with Meredith. And she has NO criminal history, either before or afterwards. The worst things she ever did were to hold a loud party in Seattle and to smoke pot and have "illicit sex" in Italy.

Again, please give it up.

very closely, for years. It was appalling to see what was considered evidence in the first court. It was truly a witch hunt. For example, a cop who testified that he could "smell sex on her." Another cop said he knew she was guilty soon after the killing, when he saw her eating PIZZA in a RESTAURANT! Any innocent Italian girl would be home, he testified, crying her eyes out.

When have you ever heard testimony like that allowed in a US court? Never.

http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/news/the-neverending-nightmare-of-amanda-knox-20110627

And of course, there is the fact that another man has been convicted and is doing time for the same horrendous murder; a man the prosecutor says has no connection to Amanda Knox.

They were using the "guidance" of a psychic to "find" evidence. The prosecutor concocted a crime scenario that was right out of a twisted "Penthouse Letters" fantasy.

She was a rich American girl with a nonchalant air and a dismissive attitude, and that was the entire basis for the prosecution.

living in a very middle class home in a non-fancy suburb of Seattle. She was able to attend a Catholic high school on scholarship.

She probably did have a nonchalant air -- she couldn't conceive that anyone could imagine she was guilty, even when they were pressing her to falsely agree to a story putting her in the house where the victim was murdered.

One of the things that I found so inspiring was how her family came together -- including her divorced parents and second spouses, and Amanda's best friend. The prison allowed visits from family once a week, so they made sure someone was always there for her. The stepfather was a computer guy, so he had the most flexible job. He moved to the town where she was imprisoned. Amanda's best friend also ended up moving there. Her loved ones kept her sane over the four years in Italy -- and in the remaining years till she was finally exonerated.

If you scroll down a bit you can see her mom's house -- pretty typical for Seattle, with a 1 car garage. i don't know where this idea came about of her being wealthy.

http://www.amandaknox.com/blog/

Giuliano Mignini ...And before people make assumptions about her, they need to know him.

“He is known for his involvement as the prosecutor in the investigation of the death of Dr. Francesco Narducci, who was discovered drowned in 1985, which Mignini alleged was connected to the Monster of Florence case, resulting in the unsuccessful prosecution of a number of individuals.

In early 2002, Mignini had Narducci's body exhumed and examined. Mignini believed that the body was not decomposed enough to be Narducci's. A medical examination determined that the body was in fact Narducci's. Mignini then theorised that the body had been swapped twice.[10] Mignini alleged that Narducci had been involved in a secret society and killed to keep quiet and that his father, Ugo Narducci, a member of a masonic lodge, had masterminded the cover up.[14][15] Mignini's theory involved a complicated conspiracy of 20 people, including government officials and law enforcement officers. Mignini indicted 20 people and charged them with the concealment of Narducci's murder. The charges were eventually dismissed.[16] Narducci's family and colleagues believe that his death was a suicide.[14]

In April 2006 Mignini had Italian journalist Mario Spezi arrested for complicity in the homicides of the Monster of Florence case and interfering with an investigation. Spezi was held for 23 days, 5 without a lawyer.[17]
On 22 March 2013 the Third Circuit Court of Cassation (Supreme Court of Italy) ruled that the main case related to criminal conduct "did not exist", and that Francesco Narducci died by suicide.[18] In sustaining the lower court acquittals, the Court of Cassation also sent back for re-trial some of the parallel slander charges.”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giuliano_Mignini

“Mignini always included witch fear in his murder theory, and only reluctantly relinquished it. As late as October 2008, a year after the murder, he told a court that the murder “was premeditated and was in addition a ‘rite’ celebrated on the occasion of the night of Halloween. A sexual and sacrificial rite [that] in the intention of the organizers … should have occurred 24 hours earlier” — on Halloween itself — “but on account of a dinner at the house of horrors, organized by Meredith and Amanda’s Italian flatmates, it was postponed for one day.”

http://nypost.com/2011/10/02/how-occult-obsessed-prosecutor-turned-knox-trial-into-a-witch-hunt/

Amanda finally escaped from his clutches.

Another cop said he knew she was guilty soon after the killing, when he saw her eating PIZZA in a RESTAURANT! Any innocent Italian girl would be home, he testified, crying her eyes out.

I'm amazed an intelligent, curious and open-minded person could possibly come to that conclusion.

It is frightening that she was convicted. The hysteria was unbelievable.

Actually, we saw a lot of the same type of hysteria during Hillary's campaign for president. Seriously, she had a 12 year career in elected and appointed office without any ethical allegations against her. She finishes up as the most popular politician in America, with poll numbers in the mid to high 60s. Then she runs for president and we suddenly learn that she was a criminal who rented out her office for personal gain--as proven by her ownership of an email server.

realizes that. Reading her blog, it's clear she's a very thoughtful and sensitive woman.

a satanic cult theory and called her "Luciferina." And he portrayed her as the temptress who induced two young men to commit murder.

The prosecutor pulled the nightmare of a scenario out of his ass because she was an attractive woman in a sexual relationship. There was no evidence to back up any of his sick theories and it's a shame that she had to go through such torture only to be proven innocent in the end.

Terrific point about how it wasn't Amanda's dark side that was exposed.

Seriously...don't people usually build up to being murderers? This woman had no prior criminal history. And people actually believed that she suddenly decided to kill someone? And that they teamed up with Rudy Guede within minutes of meeting him? The prosecution's ever-shifting theories were all mind-bogglingly absurd.

Your insight and personal connections certainly add to the facts here that an innocent girl was made to suffer under false pretenses. Your post said everything that needs to be said about this young woman. Thank you for posting this!

about being an exoneree? I thought it was really good -- and it reveals a lot about her character.

She's certainly a stronger person than I could ever hope to be...the piece was powerful, inspiring, and heartbreaking.

after she was freed. It was a logic class, and he said she was one of the top 1 or 2 students in it (based on her participation in class, anyway.) But he was mostly surprised by how petite she was.

I guess he hadn't been expecting that. She'd become larger-than-life, in all the years of being portrayed as a violent murderer. But in reality she was just a petite, thoughtful, young woman, trying to find some logic in the world.

How the media manipulated and blasted this poor girl! I remember watching Dateline that featured her story shortly after her exoneration. Even then, the writing and the commercial set ups to keep you watching portrayed her as manipulative and guilty, although the show ultimately revealed all the evidence and clearly showed she had done nothing wrong. I'm sure the producers of that show have no shame over their presentation because it got folks like me and my wife to watch, but I think it highlights the fact that, even when proven innocent, the media would rather make a story as salacious as possible, with no concern for the effect it may have on the accused. Like I said, for Amanda to put up with the mountains of shit she's had to endure, prison, the hate mail, the threats, and for her to come out of that a strong, intelligent, thoughtful person speaks to her character. I'm not sure I would have fared as well...

Bambi. That says something, I think.

Also, she writes that the chaplain, a Catholic priest, was a great support to her. She was and is an atheist, but he let her spend time with him regularly, and she found some peace in his office, playing the guitar.

I think everyone in there knew she wasn't a murderer. So the natural question is how many other innocent people did they know were locked up there, or was she that unusual?

Amanda's case seemed to be emblematic of a justice system that preferred conviction over justice, no matter the cost. Thank you for the story of the Catholic priest...as a Catholic myself, this speaks to me. Clearly he allowed her a safe space to express herself, even if she chose to be an atheist. I think, as you suggest, he recognized her innocence. If I had to guess, she wasn't the first innocent person falsely accused in that prison, and, I'd wager she won't be the last.

She attended a Catholic high school as a non-Catholic scholarship student. A year or two after graduation she was swept up into the Italian nightmare, and initially found guilty. Her former high school went to work in her defense, holding fundraisers and writing letters. The principal also put out a statement on her behalf. I was so proud of that school's response. They KNEW her, and they weren't afraid to show they believed in her.

And this was the contemptuous response from a Seattle newspaper columnist -- from someone NOT connected with the school, who found the school's actions to be offensive.

http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/preps-misguided-lesson/

Prep’s misguided lesson


A suggestion to Seattle Prep President Kent Hickey: Lose the “We.”

You can’t assume every family connected with your Jesuit school is convinced alumna Amanda Knox is worthy of the fundraising and letter-writing campaign that kicks off tonight at a Metro League basketball game.

SNIP

Why not raise money for a food bank? Why not write lawmakers about funding higher education?

SNIP

Hickey defended his support of Knox with calm and grace Monday. He stressed to me that any letters written or money donated would be voluntary.

“It’s really pretty simple,” he said. “She’s a graduate of Seattle Prep and is going through a very difficult time and we are going to try to do things to support her.”

He said cura personalis or “care for the person” is the heart of Jesuit education.

“The words are meaningless unless they are lived,” he said, “even if (maybe especially if) living them out is difficult or unpopular. When we voice a commitment to cura personalis but then pick and choose to whom we should extend our care, then I would question our real commitment to this principle.”

https://www.seattlemet.com/articles/2010/11/8/seattle-prep-amanda-knox-1210

Why was this high school, so seemingly incongruous with what the world knew about Amanda Knox, sticking its neck out for her? The answer is as complex as the murder mystery itself.

SNIP

She wasn’t Catholic. And she didn’t dress like the other students, either. Whatever fashion prevailed for 14-year-old girls in 2001, when Amanda entered Prep, it’s doubtful it involved mismatched socks and jeans under skirts. “Amanda was not into wearing the right clothes and the right makeup,” Edda says. “She’s always been a free spirit. Very hippie. She was born in the wrong decade.”

And yet in other ways Amanda and Prep were a perfect match. The high school has a reputation for academic rigor, and Amanda, who’d read Beowulf by sixth grade, wanted a challenge. She applied and was not only accepted by Prep—which admits a limited number of non-Catholics—but won a scholarship to the school. The whole family rallied to make it work. Her grandmother, aunt, and stepfather took turns driving her to school. She often rode the Metro bus back to West Seattle at night.

SNIP

By the time she graduated from Prep in 2005—with a 3.9 grade point average—Knox was also known campuswide for being particularly kind and warmhearted. One of her close friends in the drama department was openly gay. In solidarity, Amanda helped him organize Seattle Prep’s first gay-straight alliance. Years later, her penchant for kindness and justice would come back around.

I have read a number of books and articles on the subject and I am convinced that she was innocent. This was nothing more than a brutal witch hunt by a misogynistic prosecutor who could not cope with his own legal impotence.

Let the poor woman live in peace for god's sake. Not you pnwmom, but to her persecutors.

...she is OBVIOUSLY innocent.

We know who the killer is. And he got a sweetheart deal because of the prosecution's determination to persecute Amanda and Raffaele.

IRIC, three different indivuals were tried, in succession, with being the murderer. The case is still unsolved, AFAIK.

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2009/jan/25/monster-florence-douglas-preston-mario-spezi

You need to do some research.

" i still think she is guilty..."

No doubt, your bias compels your to believe as much... regardless of the allegations irrelevance to the OP.

who were also proven no guilty. We see how his mind works in certain situations.

of the disparity.

Especially pointing to the Central Park case. Good for her. She understands what being falsely accused and convicted is all about. I am so glad she spoke out so eloquently about this.

I think, in the 90's. At the time he was investigating a murder and had charged 5 different, unconnected, people with the crime. And then later charged the authors of the book with the crime. When I read he was her prosecutor I couldn't believe it. What is wrong with the Italian judicial system that he was still practicing law?

And that's the same theory he brought to Amanda's first trial, when he called her "Luciferina."

There was also a documentary on tv about him. Boggles the mind. Given his history, I was more than convinced she was innocent. The entire trial was a travesty.

Let's not forget a name here; Meredith Kercher. A woman was murdered in their shared apartment, she had something to do with it, if not a direct hand. The typical "Pretty White Girl Syndrome" got her off the hook.

as the Hellman Court and the Court of Cassation both found. The Court of Cassation (the final court) had the choice between a not-guilty verdict and an innocent verdict -- and they found her innocent.

What got her "off the hook," among many other things, was that there was DNA of Rudy Guede's both inside and on the victim's body, and his fingerprints on the walls, and his hair in the room. Dozens of pieces of physical evidence connected Rudy Guede to the murder (a man with a recent history of burglarizing through open windows) and not a single piece of evidence in the room connected to Amanda.

And the High Court judges did not just say there wasn't enough evidence to convict Amanda and Rafaela -- which was an option. Instead, they definitely declared that neither of the two had committed the crime.

Your contribution is appreciated.

Sadder still are the victims and families who never even get a chance to have their day in court.

Rudy Hermann Guede was convicted.

Her father wrote a book about Ms Kercher.

I grieve for them. They should be outraged at the incompetence of the investigators who horrifically bungled the case. But all of the evidence brought against Ms Knox or Mr Sollecito has been debunked, and the thought that they never had a day in court is simply false.

And the guilty person, Rudy Guede, was convicted.

Amanda Knox had nothing to do with her murder. She "got off the hook" because saner eyes took a look at the evidence, saw how badly bungled the investigation was, and realized she (and Raffaele Sollecito) were innocent.

But she had nothing to do with it. Nope nope nope.

till the next morning, when she called Rafaele and they called the police.

has been debunked. She wasn't there at the time.

I'm sure the compensation was a help.

Do you have even the slightest knowledge of this case or are you just condemning her because of sensationalist headlines you have read?

We had her locked up for awhile, but she squirmed free.

Thanks for playing.

Hurray for Cute White Woman in Distress Syndrome

pay much attention to the evidence.

That's all.

right.

Maybe he hoped he'd get lucky on her release.