Amanda Knox Family Denies She Approved of Trial

Dec. 12, 2009— -- The family of Amanda Knox denied reports today that she told an Italian member of parliament that her murder trial was "correct."

"It has been widely reported in the media that Amanda Knox recently told a visitor to La Capanne prison that she was satisfied with the results of her recent trial," the Knox family said in a statement released today. "Those reports, like much of what has been reported about Amanda and this case, are inaccurate."

Several news outlets, including ABC News, interviewed Walter Verini earlier this week after he visited Knox in prison, where she has begun a 26-year sentence. She was convicted on Saturday of murdering roommate Meredith Kercher in November 2007.

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The guilty verdict triggered a firestorm of criticism. Critics, including Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., have said the verdict was influenced by lurid media coverage and anti-Americanism.

The criticism has angered Italians.

Verini, a member of the Italian parliament, told ABC News that Knox was "apparently calm" when he met her in prison and that she was aware of the criticism over the trial and its verdict.

He quoted Knox as saying that her trial was "correct," and that she "still has faith in the Italian legal system."

The family statement said Knox never said anything like that to Verini.

"The actual conversation was extremely brief and contained only one mention of her trial. She was asked what she thought of the trial, and her response was that she thought her lawyers did an amazing job. That was the only reference to the trial, the Italian legal system or the events of the last two years," the Knox family said. "Amanda was actually devastated by the verdict and is looking forward to the appeal."

"It is unfortunate that how Amanda is portrayed, what she says and how she acts has been so consistently inaccurate over the last two years. Unfortunately, these inaccuracies, reported and repeated by the media, have resulted in a negative picture of who Amanda really is," the statement said.

Family of Amanda Knox thanks Sen. Maria Cantwell

The family said it wanted to "publically thank Sen. Maria Cantwell for her support of Amanda, support of the family, and her continued work on our behalf."

Verini also told ABC News this week that Knox was disappointed by the verdict.

"I thought I would be home for Christmas," Verini said Knox told him. "But instead, I have to wait."

Knox was convicted along with her former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito, 25, who was sentenced to 25 years in prison. A third person, Ivory Coast native Rudy Guede, previously was convicted of taking part in the murder and was sentenced to 30 years.

The family said an appeal of the verdict will be filed as early as possible.

The appeals process won't begin until March 5 when the trial judge releases his full opinion on the verdict and the sentence in the case. Knox's lawyers could file their appeal in June or July, with the first hearing possibly scheduled between September and October.

Luciano Ghirga, one of Knox's lawyers, said his research indicated that about one in three cases are reversed on appeal.

Appeals also can uphold the verdict, but reduce the prison sentence.

Knox's father, Curt Knox, has returned to Seattle where the family lives.

Her mother, Edda Mellas, intends to stay in Italy until just before Christmas to visit Knox in the twice a week visits allowed.

Mellas told ABC News that when Knox returned to prison after her conviction, she had been moved from a four-person cell to the new cell she now shares with just one other person. Her cellmate is a 53-year-old American woman named Laura.