Amanda Knox Takes the Stand to Defend Herself, in Italian

PERUGIA, Italy, Feb. 13, 2009 — -- Seven young girlfriends of murder victim Meredith Kercher testified in a Perugia courtroom today that accused killer Amanda Knox had been been behaving strangely and, in their words, "inappropriately."

The young women, friends who had studied and spent time together in Perugia with Kercher, provided almost identical versions of what Kercher allegedly had told them about Knox in the few weeks that they lived together and what happened after Kercher was found dead.

U.S. student Amanda Knox, 21, and her co-defendant and former boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, 24, are accused of sexually assaulting and murdering Kercher. Both say they are innocent. A third man, Ivory Coast citizen Rudy Guede, was sentenced to 30 years in jail for the same crimes in October.

Both defendants were in court today for the fourth day of the trial. Amanda Knox listened, head tilted, attentively and seemingly impassive, to all the talk of her in court today.

Dressed simply in gray jeans, a white blouse and button-down navy blue sweater, she smiled at her lawyers and her father, sitting two rows behind her. She exchanged a brief smile with Sollecito, who seemed much more relaxed than he did at earlier hearings. Very little of the day's proceedings involved Sollecito.

For the first time, the testimony was in English, allowing her father, Curt Knox, to understand the proceedings. He listened closely, occasionally taking notes.

In repeated questioning by the prosecution, the first two witnesses, Robyn Carmel Butterworth and Amy Frost, portrayed Amanda Knox as an emotionally indifferent person with what they termed odd habits.

They referred to what British student Kercher had confided to them about Amanda Knox's behavior, some of it annoying and some of it simply perplexing. They also told the court what they observed about Amanda Knox at the police station after the murder.

"Kercher talked to me about their relationship," Butterworth said in English, as an interpreter translated into Italian for the court. She complained about Amanda Knox's bathroom habits, often a complaint between roommates, Butterworth said

Condoms and a Sex Toy

"Sometimes, the bathroom was not clean and the toilet not flushed," Butterworth said, "and Meredith didn't know what to tell Amanda, so she asked us for advice."

Another thing that Kercher had remarked upon with her friends, and which the witnesses were questioned repeatedly about, was Amanda Knox's putting an open toiletry bag in their shared bathroom that contained condoms and a sex toy.

"Meredith thought this was a bit strange," Butterworth testified. "It didn't upset her but she said it was strange."

During a break in the proceedings, Amanda Knox's lawyers said that she wanted to make a statement, something a defendant is allowed to do at any time in Italian courts.

Speaking unexpectedly in good Italian -- Amanda Knox's father has said her Italian has improved because she has spent so much time in prison -- Amanda Knox acknowledged she had a sex toy, but almost laughed it off.

"I wanted to briefly clarify this question of the vibrator," she said, unembarrassed. "It was a joke, a gift from a girlfriend of mine before I came to Italy. It is a small pink Rabbit."

Amanda Knox also used the occasion to profess her innocence once again. She told the court, "I also wanted to say that I am innocent and I am confident that everything will be sorted out. Thanks."

The tone was confident, almost cheerful.

The witnesses were also questioned at length about what Amanda Knox had said and how she'd behaved at the police station the evening after the murder.

People who knew Kercher who had been at the scene of the crime had been called to the police station for questioning and spent hours waiting to be interrogated on the evening of Nov. 2, 2007.

Asked about Amanda Knox's behavior at the police station, Butterworth said, "I found her behavior very strange. I found it difficult being around her. Everyone else was very upset, but she showed no emotion."

Amy Frost, another friend, said, "I cried. Robyn and Sophie cried. I remember seeing everyone cry except Amanda and Raffaele. I never saw them crying."

Kissing and Joking

When asked further about Amanda Knox and her boyfriend's behavior at the police station, Frost said, "It seemed to me really inappropriate. Most of the time they sat opposite each other. Amanda had her feet on his legs and she made faces, and they kissed."

Butterworth said, "They were kissing and joking, I think, because they were laughing. I remember Amanda sticking her tongue out at him."

Amanda Knox also said things at the police station that perplexed the others.

She said she was the first person to find the body. "She said, 'How do you think I feel, I found her,'" Butterworth said.

When another girl named Natalie Hayward said she hoped Kercher hadn't been in too much pain, Amanda Knox, according to Frost, responded brusquely, "What the f--- do you think? She f---ing bled to death."

After five other British girlfriends of the victim were questioned, their stories closely mirrored those of the first two witnesses.

After the hearing ended, Curt Knox said, "I guess my reaction to today's hearing is that there are a lot of opinions and a lot of perceptions and I am trying to figure out what evidence was presented."

Professing his daughter's innocence, he said, "Regarding the vibrator, what she was trying to show was that what was being portrayed about this vibrator was nothing more than a joke given to her by a friend before leaving for Europe."

"I think she was trying to let the jury know that she is not a promiscuous young lady," he told reporters before leaving.