A New Side Revealed of American College Student Detained in Italy

Dec. 14, 2007 — -- Speaking out together for the first time, four of Amanda Knox's closest friends from the University of Washington spoke to ABC News to answer the question on the minds of many around the world: Who is Amanda Knox?

As Knox, the American college student jailed in connection with the murder of her British roommate, awaits her legal fate in Italy, her friends Madison, Alex, Ben and Andrew say that they don't believe she's guilty and that they are looking forward to a day when they'll be able to visit their friend in Italy.

ABC News correspondent David Muir asked Knox's friends how they would describe her.

"She is bouncy, energetic, funny, rock climber, yoga," said Madison. "Best hugger in the world. I think we can all agree on that."

"Her world revolves around making people feel good," Andrew said, "and making people feel happy."

"She does a really good job of it too," said Alex.

As a student at the University of Washington, Amanda is gifted in several languages. She's majoring in creative writing and she's on the dean's list. When her friends last saw her, she was looking forward to her year abroad in Perugia, Italy.

"It was this amazing opportunity for just an incredible experience. To go into a country you've never lived in and just find a place to live. You find new friends," said Andrew.

According to her friends, Knox was having the time of her life in Perugia. But five weeks ago, "things changed," as Ben explained.

Knox's British roommate, Meredith Kercher, 21, was found murdered in their apartment with her throat slit. Four days later, Knox was detained. Questioned by police, Knox reportedly changed her stories, first confusedly claiming she may have been home that night, but now adamantly saying she was not.

Knox and her parents have maintained her innocence. In the beginning days of what her friends call a nightmare, Knox's mother, Edda Mellas, told reporters in Perugia, "She is doing as well as can be expected. She is sure as the investigation comes out it will show. It's gone from one tragedy to the next."

Since then, Knox's family has been advised by her attorneys to not speak to the media. But her closest friends felt it was time to speak out.

Now Know is spending her days in an Italian jail in Perugia. "She's alive. She is trying," said Alex. "She's Amanda," Madison said.

"She makes the best of every situation," said Ben.

Madison described how well Knox sings and explained that singing is helping her get through the ordeal.

"She has an amazing voice and she loves the Beatles," she said. "And we were told that when this first happened, and she was in jail, she would go outside and sing 'Let It Be' a lot."