Is Amanda Knox Being Punished for Being American?

I would tend to agree with the comments that Anti-American sentiment likely helped convict Amanda Knox and believe that the jury had already convicted her before the trial even began.

The two Italian co-defendants received as harsh or harsher sentances than she did. Doesn´t sound very anti-american to me.

Free Amanda anyone with common sence can see she not guilty

you can’t convict Solliceto w/o convicting Amanda – so it may very well be anti-American.

The only uinashamed nativist thing I have seen through this saga is the media’s unmitigated blindness. Most convictions are in large part cultural as are most here in the US. As pointed out aptly, the other two convicted are not Americans! Go figure!

Dear Lib (and other people on this site boasting only single brain-cells):
The knife in question matches the DNA of the victim PRECISELY. The handle–unluckily for Knox–matches her own DNA.
If you believed you got your info from CNN (which I doubt, as they respect the evidence) you were mistaken. Otherwise, get over it. Amanda Knox looks really good (as did her victim); however, her behavior was anything but.
AM

It’s not anti-American. She changed her story many times. First she said she heard the victim’s scream. Then, she said she wasn’t even there when the murder happened and claimed she was at her boyfriend’s apartment.
Later, the grocer owner testified seeing her buying a lot of bleaching products at 7.30 am which was the time she claimed she was with her boyfriend. At the very moment, her boyfriend googled “how to bleach out blood stain” ….coincidence, huh???
She accused an innocent man for the murder. Luckily, he had a solid alibi. She accused the police officer slapped a back of her head and later she admitted a false statement. She spited at the cop and did a cartwheel at the police station while her boyfriend being questions.
Tell me you will find someone innocent if her DNA was found on the murder weapon just like they did in the OJ Simpson case??? Guilty is the right verdict.

The police found no fingerprints from Amanda Knox in the entire apartment, despite the fact that she lived there. You know why? Because she and Sollecito wiped the whole place clean after they murdered Meredith. They also washed the knife with bleach and took it to Sollecito’s place. Nevertheless, there was still DNA from both Meredith and Amanda on it.

WOW, I am stun by this headlines, Italy and Italians love America and we send our men to the Afganistan war to support the US war, not ours.
Before bashing the Italian justice please take a look at yours, after all you let OJ free after he murder his wife and you as the biggest democratic country in the world, you still have and use the death penalty, talk about medieval justice.
PS; The American justice has send and killed innocent people as well.
Again the media in this country is showing to the rest of the world how ignorant and disrespectful this country is to other countries.
Unbelivable and sad at the same time.

Unfortunately, the ‘American press’ has successfully bought the simplified story spread by the hired PR firm, attempting to discredit the Italian justice system. Let’s hope there is some good honest investigative journalist out there who is doing the hours of homework to understand this complex case – and that he/she is able to get the press to look beyond the ‘poor little white American girl’ image which leads many to be outraged. Reading the details of the case will take much time, but then, it will be clear that there WAS justice served.
Let’s start with ‘Who cleaned the house with bleach?’, or ‘Why was there wash on the spin cycle in the cottage (including the victim’s clothes) when the police suddenly showed up (with the discarded cell phones of the victim found in a garden a 1/2 mile away) at the crime scene?’, and ‘why did a witness hear three sets of footsteps that evening, near the crime scene?’
To blame the verdict only on Anti-Americanism is ignorant, and is the kind of naive xenophobic view-point that our country needs to get over. Come on…don’t just assume we are correct. Bad things happen. Drugs don’t help. Memory is flexible, and parents will always support their child.
Our government should stay away from this mess! It will be embarrassing and add to any anti-American sentiments already in place. Have a bit of respect – AND self-respect.

Stupid comments about anti-Americanism, This is about an ethnocentric bias by those uncultured Americans who have not read the details of the trials ,and are oblivious of the bad record that the America justice system has in regards to minorities and people who cannot afford a good defense. Unfortunately this bias has again been shown in the comments since the poor victim, in this case, was a black British citizen, while Amanda is white middle class.

Amanda and Raffael admitted to smoking pot that night. Could it have been skunkweed and why weren’t they given a drug test by the police? Skunkweed can cause violent behavior, and it’s becoming more and more popular.

I have been a professional male model for over 10 years and I think this article is shameful. This just feeds into a sentiment that is too easily adopted by the unthinking masses – that America is flawless and other countries are out to get us. It’s absurd. The evidence was there, and she was convicted.

If she is so “not guilty” then why did she lie about where she was that night? And why did she lie to try to blame her employer for the murder?
If she were really innocent, she’s stick to her story and never waiver.

oh I see, now shes just a poor american girl punished for being american? what a lame excuse, maybe you should try finding some other people to blame for the murder just as she did. Surely the other two were convicted for being Italian and african.

Poor American treated unfairly??
Amercia treats the world in general unfairly including our own people. Because if ou are non-white and non christian..watch out. Amanada Knox is white and pretty and therefore receives pity. I am sorry for her family and friends who love her and can not imagine she could have murdered someone. But she has been found guilty. And there are other sides to people you never know. Her unfeeling actions in the aftermath of a hideous murder sent her down the road of high scrutiny.

Don’t have the messenger.
They did what they had to do.

I’m a male model and I think the PR people that were hired by the Knox family have done a tremendous job. They were able to get the masses to fall in line with their support for Amanda, however, I would have expected the American media to be a tad more upfront about all the evidence that exists against Amanda Knox.

I have been a professional male model most my adult life and a lot of people you speak to in the American legal system will tell you that TV shows like CSI have warped the minds of most Americans. All you have to do is tell them the DNA evidence is weak, and they all start foaming at the mouth about innocence. We, as Americans, are turning more and more into simpletons that can’t grasp anything beyond what the TV provides us. Juries just sit around waiting to hear about DNA, and if it isn’t presented CSI style, it’s not enough….such a sad commentary.

Who’s Amanda? Is she innocent? I can give you the first answer: Amanda is a sex addict, playing evil sex games, her boyfriends is a murderer. Is she innocent? remember: The murder was carried out since Amanda’s evil sex games were not as her plan. Please use your brain, don’t use publicity…

Forensics do not place Amanda Knox at the scene of the crime, period. To counter this the prosecution suggested that Knox bleached the crime scene, however, it is not possible for Knox to bleach ALL of her own DNA from the apartment, yet leave the DNA of Rudy Guede EVERYWHERE.
Also, the theories of Knox and Sollecito buying bleach the next day, the police having receipts for the purchase in their possession, or the bleach coming from Sollecito’s apartment were not used in court as THEY WERE MADE UP accusations fed to the media (before trial) that could not be used in court! If the prosecution had this evidence why didn’t they submit it during the trial? I find it very disturbing to say the least that the prosecution found it necessary to falsify information like that about this case.

Tim, I did read that synopsis; it was detailed.
They probably deleted it because of the simple fact that it was too long.
That’s been my experience with the newser.

As an American, I feel shameful for Amanda of practicing those evil sex games. I also feel shameful since we all just based on publicity from one side and forgot about the Death of an innocent student and the suffer of a family who lost their little girl. Talking about boycutt Italian products or don’t travel to Italy… Please put yourself on others shoes and learn more. Don’t be such a narrow minded that’s not American.

Anti-americanism is B.S
It seems to me that she is guilty.
Why on earth would she lie and frame other innocent human being (black)?
Yeah, she is guilty.

She was guilty of murder. Wake up, people.

I think the Italians got it right. I think Amanda put Guede on Meredith to rape her and put her in a tailspin so she would leave Perugia. (Meredith was in line for Amanda’s job at Patrick’s bar, and was also getting a lot of attention for her good looks.) Twenty-six years is a pretty light sentence for killing someone. I think the jury imposed the light sentence out of some doubt as to what really happened.

Reading comments from the “free Amanda” side, it is obvious most of these people do not have all the facts, nor do they wish to. When confronted with evidence that makes Amanda look bad, it is skipped or glossed over. The parents have made it their mission to harp on the Anti-American bias, when as it has been pointed out repeatedly that the two male partners in crime are from Italy. Sollecito’s father is a wealthy Italian doctor, his sister, Vanessa was a Lieutenant in the Carabinieri until she was fired after a wiretap proved she was trying to get politicians to have her brother’s case dismissed. Guede is described as a black drifter from the Ivory Coast, but he actually immigrated to Italy with his family when he was four.
Bashing the Italian legal system is going to backfire on Amanda’s supporters. I hope that after the various appeals have been exhausted, Amanda’s prison sentence is upgraded to life, not the 26 years she is serving currently. As others have pointed out, if Amanda had been found “not guilty”, her parents, Curtis Knox and Edda Mellas, would be on talk shows all over America, raving about Italy’s justice system, while also giving notice of their intention to sue for damages for the “false imprisonment” of their precious daughter. It would appear that Amanda’s parents have all given up their jobs and are living off donations from the Amanda Defense Fund, using donated airline points to travel overseas, etc. Rest assured that Amanda’s family has already solicited offers for books and a movie, but is is my hope that all proceeds are confiscated and given to the Kercher family….every penny.

I don’t know if she is guilty or innocent, no one here knows, and neither do her friends and family. We all hope it is not so, but none of us were there.
The defense’s role is to cast doubt wherever possible, same as here. The prosecutor’s role is to work for a conviction: just like here. Jurors fall asleep here, and witnesses also lie here. Expert witness on either side make up wonderful scenarios to bolster their side of the case: just like here.
There was forensic evidence linking her to the murder. Defense does not think it was enough: it was sufficient to convince a jury. Blame her defense team.
My 21 year old son was murdered by a boy who just turned 18. The Caldellis family spent over $1 million on defense, had private detectives harrassing witnesses. Jury spent about four hours deliberating after a 5 week trial. Their family is still in denial, even after appelate court upheld Murder 1 conviction.
The real victim in this case is Meredith Kercher. She wan’t doing anything wrong or illegal, yet she had her throat slit and was sexually abused. How many times is she listed in this thread? My condolences to her family and friends, who have not hired PR handlers, by the way.
Having been through a lengthy murder trial, don’t ever be under the illusion that our system is superior to anything else on the planet.
Saying her conviction is due to anti-Americanism is US marketing spin at its worst.

Another thing that I find quite disturbing is this:
“While in prison awaiting trial, Knox was told she was HIV positive and asked to give a list of names of her partners. This list of seven men was then used as evidence against her in court, evidence that she was wild and uncouth. Evidence that she was unconscionably manipulative, a man-eater who sleeps around and is incapable of understanding remorse. This kind of shaming would never stand in an American court, but in Italy it worked: the narrative the press had run with about her coquettish behavior seemed to be confirmed by this “long” list of partners. And of course, as it turns out, she was never HIV positive.”

Why doesn’t the knife with Amanda and Meredith’s DNA (read: not blood) match the bloody-knife outline on the sheets? And why wouldn’t they bleach clean that, too? How could that woman really hear three sets of footsteps (48 Hours Mystery on CBS did an experiment in the same building and a regular person clearly could not have heard three distinct sets)? And not sequestering a jury? In today’s media world this is beyond irresponsible, it’s insane.
And isn’t it strange that Guede always maintained Amanda was not there? And when Raffaele made his last statement to the jury, asking for his life back, did anybody else get the impression that he knew something? I felt like he had somebody in mind when he said he hoped the true perpetrator would come forward. Guede? Amanda?
I agree with a previous poster. I hope there is an extremely bright, diligent, and partial team of journalists thoroughly investigating this heinous crime and this suspect trial. But no matter what side you knee-jerk to, we all want to know what happened and we all want true justice for Meredith.

I am glad thatthe US girl in Italy got convicted. If she was in this country, she would have walked. And they keep saying the US has the best judicial system. What a joke. Let me get this straight, the US has as the worse education system, they have the worse health care system but they want us to believe that they have the best judicial system. What a joke.

Let’s not forget one very important fact. Sollecito still maintained he couldn’t remember if Amanda was even with him all night. If that’s not a blown alibi I don’t know what is. The two defendants can’t even agree what they did that night and they’re supposed to be each others alibi!

The reaction in America has been absolutely disgusting. The media is lying to you. I’ve watched and read a lot of reports coming out of the US since the verdict and they are lying to you!
They fail to mention Lumumba, or the bloody footprints, or the computer experts that showed their version of events that night to be a complete fabrication, or as I’ve said already, the fact that Sollecito isn’t even giving his co-accused an alibi when she says she was with him all night!
Italy is going mad about America’s reaction to the verdict – and so they should. ONLY IN AMERICA! Check out this article:

- DNA evidence on the knife
- Tried to blame it on another man by lying to police
- Danced her way into court (literally)
- Changed her story at every stage
- 2 out of the 3 were not American
If she wasnt an American I doubt this story would even be covered in the US. Italian courts have been established long before American was even discovered.
Guilty.

Here’s the most bizarre thing I’ve read yet!!
Knox has won a short story competition in prison. Her story was about a woman injured during a drugs-fuelled sex party!
Is there any end to this woman’s bizarre behaviour!

I have absolutely no doubt of her absolute innocence.
So WHAT if she was doing cartwheels at the police station?!? How mature were you at 18? Being innocent, (and naive) she had no idea she was about to be interrogated and was completely railroaded during what the police at first innocently said was to ask her a few follow up questions. Not berated in a 12 hour interrogation complete with leading questions from the interpreter. Did any of you actually watch the Knox statement of what happened?
Think about it, if she and Sollicito were the murderers, do you think they would be acting so flippant at the police station? No, they were acting that way because they naively thought that since they were innocent they weren’t in jeopardy of being accused. Tactless perhaps for acting as such in the wake of her roommates murder, but she was still in a state of emotional high experiencing the freedom of being in an exotic foreign land and the freedom that college; in love with a new boyfriend and experiencing the often clueless exuberance of youth.
But does that make her a murderer? No. I remember when I was 18 I was rather dense as well as to the proper ways to act in certain situations. But if I had murdered someone I sure as hell would NOT have been doing cartwheels at the police station. For those at least in their 30′s, do any of you remember how ‘clueless’ you were as well when you were an 18 year old finally living on your own in college? You might have legally been an adult, but maturity and worldly experience wise we were still in diapers.
And to all you haters, the ONLY DNA from Knox was NOT at the crime scene but found on a knife at her bf’s home. A knife that was demonstrated as NOT being the knife used on Kercher.
And if they both had wiped down the crime scene with bleach, as some hater here has claimed, then why was Guede’s DNA found everywhere? Do you claim they have supernatural powers that enabled them to discern and clean only THEIR DNA and not Guede’s after a drug fueled Satanic orgy that the fantasist prosecutor had claimed?
Get real haters.

Ah, the CSI fans continue to respond w/ nonsense. Stick to watching television, you’re polluted minds are doing nobody any good in this debate.

We don’t know if Amanda slit the girl’s throat. Who testified to that?
Was there direct evidence that points to that conclusion?
It is my opinion that Amanda willingly participated in the murder by watching it take place. She allowed it to happen.
By calling her a passive participant, I by no means suggested that she was innocent.
Looking at the evidence that was presented in court, the Italian jury got it right. Amanda is guilty.
Somebody said we elected OBAMA, therefore, we are not racist. This really doesn’t have anything to do with this case.
Another writer then said something about BUSH. That doesn’t have anything to do with this case either.
Americans, for the most part, have nothing against Italy. They believed Amanda was innocent, and they became protective. That’s it.
So, Buone Feste!

I fully believe Knox is guilty, and I believe she got a fair trial.
I am somewhat surprised (although I shouldn’t be perhaps) at all of the misguided, sloppy sympathy she is getting in the American “mainstream” press.
It is both lame and sad, and even inanely provincial.
My sympathy lies with the Kercher family, nearly totally.
The very best to them.

America…!! Please boycott Italy… It makes visiting Italy a far more attractive prospect.

A unfair trial YES you need money to get a trial in italia no money no trial! solution do no ever go to that backward country nor by anything made in that old land.

A unfair trial YES you need money to get a trial in italia no money no trial! solution do no ever go to that backward country nor by anything made in that old land.

Ah, we shouldn’t forget about her “rape” story on Myspace that preceded the murder. The girl was “off” and when you combine that with the overwhelming evidence – it’s easy to see the right decision was made (hopefully).

when in a foreign county you are subject to thier laws. When in a foreign country one should abide by its rules. There also is something to be said for some decorum, sanity, and morality here. What is with the sex games, drinking, drugs, and almost occult-like weirdness? Even if Amanda didn’t kill the victim there was apparent involvement. Hence she was convicted and she be happy, frankly, that she will be serving time in a European jail. If she did the same crime in the US, say in Texas, she would be serving MUCH longer time and in much harsher conditions.
ps: I think she can still appeal to EU courts since EU has taken over much control over countries recently. So she shouldn’t complain.

I’m American, and I’m ashamed by the arrogance being shown here in the U.S. What an insult to the people of Italy to assume the court in Perugia was overpowered by tabloid coverage, and deliberated merely to show dislike. There are many Americans who are not part of this backlash. We think the court made the right decision; we believe Senator Cantwell spoke inappropriately; and we certainly don’t want Secretary Clinton to involve herself.
The American media did not cover this case well. Many people are responding to sound bytes, and have no familiarity with the transcripts of the trial. It is, of course, distressing (and perhaps impossible) for Amanda’s family to see their daughter in this light. I think they had counted on recovering financial losses with the book deals and appearances from a “not guilty” verdict. But now, their anger, and their natural need to be in denial, has, with the aid of their hired PR machine, swept along viewers and journalists alike, who do not know the entirety of the evidence.
There are plenty of Americans who are grateful to the Italian court for having the courage to do the right thing. Plenty of us believe Amanda is where she belongs; we may be less vocal because we see no wrong here that needs to be protested. I am sorry for the arrogance being shown in the U.S. It is not representative of us all.

I agree with those who have observed that the American media has bought the Knox family PR machine angle — hook, line, and sinker. When you read papers outside the U.S., details of evidence are reported that Americans are not getting.
How many journalists and legal news consultants in the American media have read the court transcripts? (In the original language?)
I suppose, in this time of economic hard times, news outlets know a money-making story. If they side with the sweet-faced American girl all alone overseas, and play on our sympathy, how… lucrative.
I’m a U.C. citizen, and I think the American news media should be placed on trial.

Amanda is a victim of media slander, plain and simple. The killer even said she was not there. Anyone, espaecialy a teenager, can be tricked into saying something she regrets after 14 hours of mind-bending torture.

Well said HBernton and Martin Blank.
Even one guest on US TV admittted as much, that if this had happened in the US they would have been convicted and even listed a very similar case.

Sorry to break this to you jim san diego but she accused Lumumba after three hours, not 14. She let him rot in jail knowing he was innocent. I believe I read recently as well, although correct me if I’m wrong that Edda Mellas knew he was innocent as well but did nothing to correct Amanda’s accusation. It was up to the police to prove he was innocent.
Some claim that it was a witch-hunt from the point they’d claimed it was case closed. Well, when they realised Lumumba was innocent they set him free. They weren’t trying to save face, they just didn’t have anything on him. They did on Amanda and Rafelle.

to signor angry. there was DNA evidence in the murder site for both men. the evidence from Amanda was in the knife found in her bf apartment which was never proven, beyond reasonable doubt to have been in the murder site. the bf had dna on the bra clasp of the murdered woman, found at the murder site. what is amanda guilty of, er, being stupid. now maybe she has some italian blood in her that made her stupid….

Amanda’s blood was mixed with Meredith’s blood in the bathroom, how does that not constitute Amanda’s DNA being present at the scene of the murder?

Follow the money. It is all about the prosecutor and the media who stood to profit from the conviction or at least the trial of Amanda Knox.
Any American who thinks she is guilty hopes they do not get arrested in Italy for a crime they did not commit.
Boycott Italy and all their products.

Monday, December 7, 2009
Been reading some of the comments on the web about Amanda Knox and it is apparent that not all Americans believe she is innocent. That makes me sad but at the same time I guess not so surprising since there are still to many out there who feel that we as a poulation are not poluting the atmosphere.
If you look at the evidence and look at the prosecutor you will see that she was rail roaded regardless of the reason. And the only crime she commited was that she did not act properly.
She was an admited pot smoker and she was in lust for her boyfriend so therefore, she must be guilty of something. The prosecutor is a witch hunter and would of had her burned at the stake if possible and all of you nay sayers out there wake up and get real Amanda for what ever reason was convicted wrongly and we should all band toghether to get her out to come home.
Posted by Truth Teller 5 at 1:53 PM
Labels: Amanda Knox

Great point Victoria….shamefully it is lost on most people.

I haven’t followed the case all that closely, but it seems to me that an awful lot of things are conveniently ignored in the press here. The bleaching, witness that saw her buying bleach at 7:30am, computer evidence, the victim’s DNA on the KNIFE at the BOYFRIEND’s house – you hardly hear anything about this. Did someone make that stuff up in these posts? If not, I’d like to know why we don’t hear anything about it. It’s just “anti American” this and that. A little more objectivity would be nice…

In one article after another about Amanda Knox, tons of circumstantial evidence is called “no evidence at all”. Are all these people born yesterday? Circumstantial evidence is absolutely normal basis of conviction is America all the time, nobody ever call it “absolutely no evidence” if it is about somebody like Scott Peterson.

She’s guilty.
No. It’s not anti-Americanism. And, I’m an American myself.
I am so sick of everyone hating our country (and people) and this certainly won’t make these opinions any better.

How can a lawyer (Bachrach) be so obtuse? She’s claiming that Amanda being an outside had no influence in Italy and that was her undoing. Well, Sollecito is a son of an affluent Italian with a powerful lawyer, and he did not escape conviction either! People, stop putting blinkers on your eyes.. Amanda’s guilty as sin!

I’m Canadian and say no question she was innocent and the black dude did it. Too bad that isnt end of story.

From what I have read about this trial, I would say that the verdict was influenced by the fact that Amanda is American. The press in Italy certainly painted Amanda as an evil person. The press sure did not help the situation by doing that.

IF she and her boyfriend were equally culpable as it pertains to the death of this woman, Amanda was given sentence + 1 year for being an American or a woman?
What they fail to mention is that her boyfriend was possibly dealing and distributing drugs, and got them both stoned that night leading up to this unfortunate incident. Say what you will, but something is desperately amiss in this case.
As one person was heard to state in the Italian court system “Our style of justice is not like American justice”. What the hey does that mean, you tell me?

I am still a little unclear about what evidence was presented in other news sources that wasn’t in the American media. I’ve been following this case for months, primarily from American sources, including television, newspaper, internet, and haven’t seen anything here that I haven’t heard before. The ONLY thing that was news to me as of today was Amanda being told that she had HIV while in jail in order to get a list of her sexual partners. In reality, she did not have HIV, but the number of partners was used against her in court. I confirmed this with a British news source because I was skeptical.
I’ve heard about every piece of evidence found at the scene mentioned here, the knife that they claimed was the weapon, as well as her mixed reports of the night, inappropriate behavior, computer evidence, cell phone evidence, I even heard about the bleach, which was later reported not to be true, and to my knowledge wasn’t presented in court.
So, please tell me what I am missing from American news sources or what I’m being “fed.” All this comment feed proves to me is that Anti-Americanism is alive and well. Most of these comments make me think that maybe Anti-Americanism WAS a factor, whereas I never thought that before. And also, please explain how calling Americans ignorant, racist, and arrogant shows that there is no way Anti-Americanism COULD have been a factor in the verdict.

I am American (Italian American, among other things), and I find the whole thing horribly sad. We are not all so blind to turn our eyes on reality for the sake of brotherhood.
As far as the DNA evidence on Amanda, perhaps there could have been more, but there was quite enough to sentence her. I think her behavior, though, is what sealed the deal in terms of her guilt. My roomies and I my freshman year would squabble, but if anything had happened to them I would have been devastated. Saying you only knew them for a few months would not be a normal reason to be unmoved. If anything, you would be stricken you didn’t get to know them better, or have a better relationship, or what have you. I think that is the case for many people. And framing an innocent man–a black man no less–makes her look guilty 1) for framing an innocent, since only guilty tend to place the blame on others and lie, and 2) makes it obvious she thought she could just blame him since he was black. The U.S. justice system has been outrageously racist against people of color in the past, and it still is. But not all of us play the “pin the blame on the ethnic guy” game, for the record. My British friend says that there are “two halves” of America, the good half and the half that is rather unfortunate. Sadly, I think he’s frequently right.
In any event, I’m not sure if she literally is the one who killed Meredith knife-wise, but she was definitely involved in a direct way and I have no doubt she was there at the scene/came up with the idea.
I would like not to believe that she’s guilty, because it’s really awful. You don’t send a daughter off for the experience of her life so something in her snaps and she becomes a cold-blooded killer. Nor do you send her off so she is brutally killed. That said, unfortunately, what I wish I could believe is not the case. Amanda’s parents keep making everything look terrible, and they’re turning it into a criticism of the Italian Legal System. I think it’s very sad that they are unable to believe that their child could have done something like that. Of course, they are lucky to still have her. I don’t think in reverse, a British girl snapping and doing the same to an American student in the states, would be met with the same blase attitude some are expressing: particularly if it happened in a state where the death penalty is legal. And they should at least offer sympathy to the Kerchers, who have done nothing wrong in this whole scenario. Meredith’s mom said their family is the one serving the real sentence, and she is right.
R.I.P. Meredith, and I hope you are somewhere happy and hilly like Perugia, smiling like you always were in pictures in life.

The DNA strongly implicated Mr. Gande and, except for the piece of Mr. Solecitto’s DNA on the clasp…which was by all accounts badly mishandled… essentially exonerated Ms. Knox and Mr. Solecitto. The evidence found on the knife is simply too weak to be probative. Mr. Mignini has made this into a media circus in the same way Mr. Nifong made the Duke case a media circus, and only by the greatest stroke of luck did that case finally get wrested from Mr. Nifong’s moniacal grip and land in competent hands of Mr. Cooper. In this case, the DNA in the room of the poor murdered girl tells the tale. Everything else is distracting noise…most of which upon further investigation seems to be made up or totally twisted. I am still waiting for someone to explain how a murder of this nature could be accomplished without the perpetrators leaving lots of DNA behind (as did Mr. Gande). And NO I do not believe even the craftiest person could clean up only their own DNA at the murder scene. It’s absurd.

another thing that gets me is how do you explain her odd behavior showing no remorse for her roommate if something like that happened to my roommate i sure would not be acting like her and even if she wasn’t involved in the killing herself how does one know that she didn’t set these guys up to do it..I know that odd behavior dosen’t prove your guilty but with many cases it has turned out to be that people that acted that way did turn out to be guilty most of the time..

This case will die from our memories. I am sorry for Amanda’s family, but I am more sorry for Meredith’s family. Many Americans do not agree with the verdict, but the one thing all Americans agree on is that if Italy ever needs us to come to their rescue again, we will come over there and die on their soil so they may live in freedom. This comes from a veteran.

The U.S. media has been dramatically bias, since the announced verdict over the week-end. Anyone who has visited or been to Italy for a considerable time, knows what the real deal is. They don’t just pick someone off the streets or pull someone from their home without reasonable, probable cause. I really don’t think the Italian judicial system, the court in Perugia got it wrong. My point is, that just because she’s a U.S. citizen, residing in Italy that somehow she should be given some sort of immunity a carte-Blanche? The Italian justice system didn’t even give immunity to U.S. Department of State and U.S. government officials who were responsible for kidnapping an Egyptian Imam in Milan, in 2003 — they were just conducting their official duties and all were convicted with sentencing ranging up to 23 years. It’s more like the secret life of Ms. Knox gets out of hand leading to the murder of her British roommate. It may have been a classic case of passion and jealousy. On the contrary to many of the one-sided comments I’ve been reading, the Italian judicial system does not have biases against Black men, seemingly it was Ms. Knox who claimed it was the Congolese who committed the murder during a sadistic sex act going array. In fact, I trust the Italian courts and judicial system more than the U.S. judicial process, at least in Italy (or in any EU state), you will not have some overzealous prosecution seeking a death penalty “hanging over your head…”

I’m so sad because of what i see and i hear, the trail of Amanda Knox was unfair? maybe (in my opinion it was) but even the one of Chico Forti … but unfortunately for him, he is italian judged by an american court. He is innocent!!! where is the indignation for him? but of course no one knows about him because the press tells about Amanda(and this is fair) but not about him (and this is unfair).

All countries tend to be a bit harsher on foreigners than on their own citizens but I see very little in this case that involves anti-American sentiment. Its more a case of typical Italian justice wherein facts and truth are hardly relevant and the trial consists largely of “judicial theater”. The only thing I found the least bit disconcerting is that the Kercher family actually seems to believe the prosecutor’s nonsensical statements. That in itself is frightening. None of the evidence would pass muster in either an American or an English court. Much of it wouldn’t even be admitted into evidence. For an Italian court, its par for the course. For anyone in a civilized country to believe her guilt seems strange. As for the Italians, I don’t think there is a belief in Amanda’s guilt. The Italian tabloids are not believed. The prosecutor is not really believed, its simply that he yelled louder and longer. He was the better actor!

I rarely post on websites but felt the need to here. First of I would like to state that I have never known the Italians to be prejudiced against Americans. That belief smacks of paranoia. Secondly, there is a recurring thread of “everybody hates us” by some of the American posters here. I can tell you as a british person that America as a political entity is not well respected nor appreciated by a lot of Europeans. I can also tell you that many Europeans have a pre-conceived notion of what we expect Americans to be like. However, the belief that the fact that she is American is some way influenced the verdict is to my mind completely false. The reason? Simply because they also found guilty a man from the Ivory Coast and (shock/horror) an ITALIAN CITIZEN! Do you really believe that they have singled out an American at the cost of 2 other individuals freedom?
In addition to the above I would like to speak to people like the woman on another website who said that Americans studying abroad should be called home. That is a xenophobic and ignorant belief system. Have you ever been outside of America? Yes, there are many dangerous places in the world…as there are in America. BUT many places (particularly places like Italy) are as safe if not safer. Your views do nothing to dissuade the world of their (perhaps) prejudiced notion that Americans have no clue of the world outside of their doorstep, think everyone is against them, think terrorists are behind every bush. This is a tragic case and issues of nationality should be removed when commenting on it. I am glad there is an appeal as it will give her another chance to prove her innocence but we must all bear in mind that NONE of us are privvy to the full information, unless we had been sitting in that courtroom.

Well, Americans were stupid enough to elect George Bush for a second term, so I am not at all surprized that they now want to hack on the Italian justice system and defend a murder, and disregard the innocent victim. America has some people with intelligence, but the majority seem to be ignorant, xenophobic people who listen to what the press here says as if it were absolute, unassaliable truth! They do not check the facts, nor do they seem to want to read what the European press, or any foreign press has to say for that matter. They do not have the intellectual capacity to be able to see two sides to an arguement! They are fodder for a future dictatorship. They read one bible or one news source and think they know how the universe works. What a bunch of idiots!

Amanda Knox was convicted because she and her boyfriend are guilty, It is nothing to do with being American, Her bizarre behaviour immediately after the murder alerted the police to her. DNA evidence and their bloody footprints plus the fact that she put the blame on an innocent man showed she had something to hide. Where are the tears for the poor victim Meredith Kercher – Amanda’s tears are only for herself

Another comment. The cottage wasn’t cleaned with bleach. The prosecution made this up in order to explain the lack of evidence (excuse me – no evidence) linking the two to the crime scene. In other words, what would normally provide doubt that she/he were involved with the crime was turned to make them look guilty. If they cleaned the entire cottage – why not the actual room where the murder occured and how would they only remove their DNA/fingerprints and not Rudy’s? Simply questions. There is a great deal of forensic evidence linking Rudy to this and, in my opinion, none linking Amanda or Rafaelle. Do some basic research (numerous DNA specialists have written on this and it is easily found on the internet)

You have to be joking -
” Because she’s American” as quoted by a journalist from Vanity Fair.
What part of the justice system are you missing.
There was evidence at the crime scene luminol showed Amanda Knoxs footprint was underneath Merediths body.
She lied consistantly. The time she was supposedley at her BF she was caught on CCTV camera returning to her apartment.
She said she was in bed until 10am the following day but was identfied as buying bleach at 7.45am.
Just which bit dont you get???
Guess the American system is far better – OJ for example – was he innocent??
And of course Casey Anthony , guess shes inocent too if we are judging by the same standards – no fingerprints/DNA /real motive??

Forgot to add:
For all the Americns whining on about trial by media..
2 words “Casey Anthony”

No, Amanda Knox is not being punished for being American…! According to Judy Bachrach, it seems, the rest of humanity is being punished for NOT being American…!!!

At least your American readers – (most of them) – seem to have their heads screwed on and are a credit to the USA. Unfortunately, the writer of this article and Judy Bacharach sound-off with reactionary and blindly xenophobic viewpoints that frankly disgrace their own country. Fortunately, I know far too many level headed Americans to judge them by such jingoistic twaddle as we see in the article above…!!!

One other point of note to remember is that this American slapper actually tried to implicate an innocent black man,resulting in him losing his business, perhaps Americans need to spear a thought for him and his family, and forget this so called angelic white girl who has crossed the line and taken a life. Although when you think of it this seems to define Americans.

RETIRED ARMY, the samw way that italian army is fighting 2 wars started from the USA, please remember that many European country donate men and woman to fight the war that the USA started because they were lied from Bush about what again?
Still today the world does not know why we are in Iraq or Afganistan, oops sorry we are there to secure OIL and nothing else.
The US government together with Ms Clinton knw all along about this case, they had an American official who work for the US Embassy EVERYDAY in the court.
Amanda is guilty, period, we have many Italians citizen in US jail who are waiting for a trial, let’s not judge the Italians when we have our own ( US) system broken.
Ciao

David,
Not all Americans think she is not guilty, I am American and think she was given a lengthy and fair trial. As for our “Blame the Black guy rule”, yep we have it and it works which is why young Amanda Knox thought she could get away with cold-blooded murder. Her parents also thought they could go to Italy and bully the system into letting their daughter go free. It is really not their fault, they are simply White American’s who are unaccustomed to being held accountable for their actions.

No forensic evidence actually links Amanda Knox to the murder scene. DNA, footprint and handprint evidence links Rudy Guede (who is from the Ivory Coast) to the crime scene and victim. Rudy Guede is the sole rapist and murderer of Meredith Kercher and he’s now in prison where he belongs.

why is everyone only writing about DNA as if that was the only evidence in the case? are people in seattle all kind of dimwits? seriously, there is more to a case than bleach – nobody has said they bleached the rooms they say they bought bleach the next morning (fyi: they lied about where they were that morning) and others speculated about why they would buy bleach. seattle i mourn the loss of your brains.
sincerely, Guy in Portland!

There’s no big backlash in America over this case.
I wish they would stop reporting that.
Italy did a great job with this case.
To hold Italy at fault is ridiculous.
I hope Hillary stays out of it. Looks like she’s not too eager to get involved. Good.

AMANDA KNOX & RAFFAELE SOLLECITO ARE BOTH INNOCENT.
I prayed continually for Amanda & Raffaele & was shown that she is completely innocent of charges. She & Raffaele were both unjustly accused of this crime.
All you have to do to get the truth is to PRAY to God for the right answer & He will give it to you. Never judge people off the top of your head & by your own instinct. Never rely on your own feelings, use only God’s wisdom & ask for the truth. God does not bless people who are evil like the prosecutor & all the ones who accused her of murder & they will reap what they sowed in the end.
A lot of the comments that people are giving are off the top of their head & their own feelings. Our feelings don’t count. The truth is the only thing that counts. She will be freed from that prison, because God will see to it that she is freed.

Mussolini, sorry.

Sen. Cantwell, the Friends of Amanda, Amanda’s Parents, ABC news, and the PR firm have collectively done an excellent job repeating that Amanda has to be innocent because there’s no DNA linking her to Meredith’s room.
Maybe her DNA vanished from the room at the same time all but two of her fingerprints disappeared from the enitr house!
A wipedown? A clean up?
Not that anyone wants to quote Ann Coulter, but she raises the best point about Amanda’s stories.
Why focus on all of the the stories she told?
Only one is important: If Amanda was “confused” because she got “roughed up” (i.e. swatted in the back of the head) and as a result of the confusion named an innocent man, then how come it took two weeks to become “un confused” about the innocent guy she fingered?
Her parents insult people’s intelligence when they expect us to believe that Amanda got coerced into naming someone. Usually, when people get “roughed up” for as long as the Knox camp alleges they usually break down and confess they did it themselves. They don’t implicate innocent people and wreck their lives.
Like a lot of convicted murderers, now that she’s serving her sentence she’s willing to go with just one story.

The initial attack probably took place in the hall where luminol revealed large regions of cleaned up blood– hence lack of Amanda’s hair and DNA in Meredith’s room does not point to Amanda’s innocence. The American media did not report the evidence and so many Americans think this psychopath is innocent. I can’t wait to hear the confirmable details that Guede must have revealed which convinced the appeals court that he participated in the sexual assualt but was not the murderer.

The evidence against Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito is overwhelming.
Amanda Knox’s DNA was found on:
1. On the double DNA knife and a number of independent forensic experts – Dr. Patrizia Stefanoni, Dr. Renato Biondo and Professor Francesca Torricelli – categorically stated that Meredith’s DNA was on the blade.
2. Mixed with Meredith’s blood on the ledge of the basin.
3. Mixed with Meredith’s blood on the bidet.
4. Mixed with Meredith blood on a box of Q Tip cotton swabs.
5. Mixed with Meredith’s blood in the hallway.
6. Mixed with Meredith’s blood on the floor of Filomena’s room, where the break-in was staged.
7. On Meredith’s bra according to Dr. Stefanoni AND Raffaele Sollecito’s forensic expert, Professor Vinci.
Amanda Knox’s footprints were found set in Meredith’s blood in two places in the hallway of the new wing of the cottage. One print was exiting her own room, and one print was outside Meredith’s room, facing into the room. These bloody footprints were only revealed under luminol.