Amanda Knox To Take Stand in Murder Trial

ROME, Italy, May 29, 2009— -- As the prosecution wrapped up its case with final witnesses today, the murder trial in Perugia, Italy, of American student Amanda Knox is finally shifting into another gear.

After four months in which witnesses have often portrayed Knox as a cold, calculating and bizarre young woman in what her father, Curt Knox, has called a "character assassination," the defense will finally have its chance to show the jury that Knox is innocent, and their star witness will be Knox herself. She is expected to take the stand for questioning June 12.

Knox, 21, an exchange student from Seattle, Wash., and her former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito, 25, are accused of sexually assaulting and murdering Knox's British roommate, Meredith Kercher, 21.

Kercher was found stabbed and strangled to death in her room in the house she shared with Knox and two other women on November 2, 2007. A third person, Rudy Guede, has already been convicted for his role in the murder last October.

"Amanda is anxious to testify in court," her father, Curt Knox, told ABC News. "She wants to be able to take the stand and truly get her side of the story out for everybody to hear the truth." Both defendants have already made 'spontaneous statements' in court (as allowed by Italian law) on occasions when they felt they needed to clarify something, or to profess their innocence, as both have done.

Offering to be questioned is another matter, however.

The prosecution did not ask to question Knox. The decision to take the stand was hers and that of her lawyers. Her co-defendant, Raffaele Sollecito, will not be questioned.

The first questions will come from her lawyers, but then Knox can be cross-questioned by the prosecution, lawyers for the civil plaintiffs (the Kerchers and Lumumba) and the judge, Giancarlo Massei.

She can choose to interrupt the questioning at any time, or choose to answer certain questions and not others, but if you take the stand it is supposed you plan to answer the questions. The only other time Knox has agreed to be questioned since her arrest – by prosecutor Giuliano Mignini in December 2007 – she broke down, according to court records, and refused to continue.