Amanda Knox: Sex-Game Murder Charge is "Pure Fantasy;" Italian Prosecutors Want Life Sentence

By: Ryan Smith
Topics: Daily Blotter

(AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

Photo: Amanda Knox Sept. 26, 2009.

PERUGIA, Italy (CBS/AP) The murder charges against Amanda Knox are "pure fantasy" according to the American student, who addressed an Italian court over the weekend.

Knox, along with two others, is accused in the fatal stabbing of her British roommate Meredith Kercher.

Italian prosecutors, in their closing arguments, said Knox and her Italian boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, should be convicted on charges of murder and sexual violence for the 2007 slaying.

(AP Photo/Stefano Medici)

Photo: British student Meredith Kercher.

They argued that the pair should be given life sentences for what prosecutors have called a drug-fueled sex game gone wrong.

Knox and Sollecito continue to mantain their innocence and have denied having a sexual relationship with Kercher. Another man, Rudy Hermann Guede, has already been convicted for his role in the murder.

Knox, who is from Seattle, took a deep breath when Prosecutor Giuliano Mignini requested life imprisonment, Italy's stiffest punishment.

(CBS)

Photo: Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito are shown Friday, Nov. 2, 2007, embracing outside the house where Kercher was found dead.

She then addressed the court, saying that the accusations against her are absolutely not true.

"Meredith was my friend, I didn't hate her," she said in Italian, fighting back tears.

The Briton's body, her throat slit, was found in a pool of blood on Nov. 2, 2007, in the apartment she shared with Knox in the central Italian town of Perugia.

(AP Photo/Stefano Medici)

Photo: Perugia, Italy house where Meredith Kercher was stabbed to death seen April 18, 2009.

Prosecutors argued that Knox resented her British roommate and killed her, together with Sollecito and Rudy Hermann Guede, of Ivory Coast, under "the fumes of drugs and possibly alcohol."

They said Knox hit Kercher's head against a wall, then tried to strangle her, as Sollecito held her and Guede sexually assaulted her.

Guede was sentenced to 30 years in prison last year for the killing after a fast-track trial he had requested.

(AP Photo/Italian Police)

Photo: Rudy Hermann Guede in an image provided by Italian Police in Perugia, central Italy.

He also denies wrongdoing and is appealing his conviction.

"The murder and the sexual violence were carried out for futile reasons," Mignini said. "Meredith will never come back."

He requested nine months of daytime solitary confinement for Knox and two months for Sollecito. A verdict by the eight-member jury is expected in early December.

Knox, 22, and Sollecito, 25, have been jailed for more than two years since being arrested shortly after the slaying.

According to prosecutors, a knife with a 6 1/2-inch blade, with Kercher's DNA on the blade and Knox's on the handle, was found at Sollecito's house.

Defense lawyers argue that the knife is too big to match Kercher's wounds and that the amount of what prosecutors say is Kercher's DNA is too low to be attributed with certainty.

Prosecutors also maintain Sollecito's DNA was found on the clasp of Kercher's bra, although his defense team contends that the evidence might have been inadvertently contaminated during the investigation.

During Saturday's hearing, prosecutors showed an animated video reconstructing what they say were the different phases of the murder, with cartoon characters representing the defendants and the victim.

Photos showing Kercher's wounds and bruises also were shown in the video. Knox kept her head down during the presentation, while Sollecito watched it intently.

In their closing arguments, prosecutors also reviewed technical data on the use of Sollecito's computer the night Kercher was slain. According to Knox, who took the stand last June, she spent the night of Nov. 1 with Sollecito at his home, watching a movie on his computer and smoking pot. Witnesses for the prosecution have argued that there was no sign of the defendant using his computer during the hours 21-year-old Kercher was stabbed to death.

Mignini also asked the court to convict the defendants on lesser charges, including staging a break-in and the theft of euro300 (US$444) in cash and Kercher's cell phones. He said Knox and Sollecito staged a burglary in the apartment by breaking a window in a bedroom in an attempt to sidetrack the investigation.

Knox also is being tried on charges of defamation for allegedly accusing Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, a Congolese man who owns a pub in Perugia where she worked, of being the killer. Because of her accusation, Lumumba was briefly jailed. He was later cleared and is seeking damages from Knox.

Defense lawyers will make their own closing arguments beginning late next week.

TELEVISION
48 Hours Mystery looked at the case in a recent episode.

MORE ON CRIMESIDER
November 20, 2009 - Amanda Knox Trial: Convicted Killer Fingers Knox for Meredith Kercher Murder
June 19, 2009 - Knox's Mom Says Daughter, Victim Got Along
June 15, 2009 - "Always A Crescendo:" Amanda Knox Talks About Murder Investigation On Stand
June 12, 2009 - Knox's Alibi: Sex, Drugs And Sleep
June 8, 2009 - Amanda Knox Set To Testify In Italian Murder Trial
June 5, 2009 - Victim's Family To Testify In Amanda Knox In Italian Murder Trial

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by TonydelBalzo June 21, 2010 5:37 PM EDT: However, Lucia Annunziata, an Italian expert on US affairs, said: "In the absence of certainties, Italian trials often resort to the theory that the guilty party is not someone who indisputably committed an evil act but someone who could have done so or wished to do so." This led to a reliance on psychological profiling, "which can be used or abused".; Reply to this comment


by dudedudley February 6, 2010 8:43 PM EST: by dudedudley February 6, 2010 8:38 PM EST
MEREDITH'S LAST CALL HOME
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,510057,00.html
During the dark, cold evening of Thursday, Nov. 1, 2007, the sun set at 05:05 PM. After dark Rudy Guede: a 20 year old, homeless man, a known burglar, drug dealer, set out to rape, rob and kill Meredith Kercher.
Guede is wearing a jacket and carrying with him a pocket knife with a 3 ½ inch locking blade, a pair of leather gloves, a thin plastic card and some condoms.
(NOTE; Guede thought using the condoms while raping Meredith, would prevent the police from identifying him as the rapist but he was wrong).

Guede had been watching the upstairs apartment occupied by four female college students: Amanda Knox, Meredith Kercher, Filomena Romanelli and Laura Mezzetti, for quiet some time. He made mental notes of their habits as he planed to rape, murder and rob Meredith Kercher.
Guede associated with the college boys occupying the downstairs apartment. From them he learned such things as: when the rent was due, how the girls spent their time and who likely not home at certain times. Guede knew Meredith would likely come home early as she normally does, and the other three girls who have boy friends, would normally spend the night with them, were not likely to come home until late, if at all. Guede learned the college boys would be away on a trip for several days.
On the night of the crime, the conditions were perfect for Guede to rape, murder and rob Meredith. Guede thought, I'm lucky it's not raining. Soon I'll have her my way, the dead way. I'll own that damn stuck up ***** that rejected me at the Halloween party. I'll **** her dead ass. Guede laughed as he thought of how he was going to kill her slow and the pain she would suffer as she slowly died. He decided on stabbing her in the throat.
GUEDE ARRIVES Thursday Nov. 1, 2007 (> 5:05 PM and < 9:30 PM). When Guede arrives outside the girl?s apartment after dark, he could see all the lights in the building were turned off and he reasons, likely nobody is home. Also he can tell by the cars missing from the parking lot, no one was there. Guede knocks on the girl's apartment entry door to see if Meredith might be napping. If Meredith answers the door he had planed to over power her and shove her into the apartment. No one answered the door. Rudy tried to open the door but it was locked as he expected.
LINK; My guess Guede arrived around 08:30 PM
Guede put on his gloves, picked up a large rock, then threw it at the window in Philomena?s room, however he missed the window and hit the shutter, which was standing open. On his second attempt the rock hit the window, shattering the glass in all directions.
Guede then hid while waiting to see if anybody heard the noise. No lights came on and no neighbors showed up to investigate the noise. The coast is clear. Then, Guede climbed in through the window into Filomena?s room, which is Guede's known method of operation. Guede?s jacket and his gloves prevent him from getting cuts.
(NOTE; Guede is a burglar and he entered many busted windows during his past. Recently he was caught burglarizing an office building, where he climbed in through a window 15 ft above the ground)
After entering the room Guede pulls the shutters closed to prevent people from seeing him and the busted window. Guede scatters Filomena?s clothing, belongings and broken glass about as he searches her room for herion. Guede remains hid in Filomena?s room, waiting for Meredith to come home.
(NOTE; The crime scene investigators failed to notice the glass under Meredith?s clothes. They didn?t realize at the time the glass on top of the clothes was going to be used as evidence against Amanda, in accusing her of throwing the rock through the window, as Guede, Amanda and Raffaele were leaving after the crime. In all my research about this case, I have not found a statement where the authorities officially stated there was no glass found under Meredith?s clothes)
MEREDITH ARRIVES HOME
Around ~08:50 PM Meredith arrives home.

Meredith had spent the evening with some friends, watching a movie and eating. Meredith and her friend, Sopie walked home together, and parted ways near Sopie's apartment before 09:00 PM.
While hiding in Filomena's room, Guede hears Meredith coming into the apartment. Guede watches her opening the door to her room. Meredith enters her room leaving her door standing open, then places a call to her mom.
(In my mind?s eye I can see Guede peeping out Filomena's door watching his prey, Meredith).; Reply to this comment


by dudedudley February 6, 2010 8:41 PM EST: "From the first medical examination of the corpse by the pathologist, Dr Luca Lalli, it has been established that the death occurred at 11pm at the earliest and at the latest one hour after with the scope of a time frame between 10pm and midnight on the day 1 November 2007".
"To this conclusion it can be added the supposition of a dinner eaten at 9pm, in reality the events show that the hour could certainly be predicted, according to what PURTON Sophie said on 2 November 2007, that at 9pm the dinner was already finished and that Meredith was already on her way home".
Meredith's friend Sophie said, during the evening of, Thursday, Nov. 1, they had finished eating dinner and Meredith was on her way home before 9pm.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1568860/Meredith-Kercher-murder-Judges-report.html

ATTACK (This was when the call to her mom was interrupted)
*08:56 PM Now in her room Meredith calls her Mom. Guede quietly crept to Meredith?s door then burst into her room. A neighbor hears Meredith?s horrifying scream. Guede grabs Meredith by her throat, he takes her cell phone from her hand, closes the cover "interrupting her call". She fights desperately, resulting in multiple bruises on her body. Guede forces her onto the bed. She continues to resist and during the turmoil, the pillow is knocked off the bed, onto the floor. She is still struggling desperately as they roll to the floor.
LINK; In evidence on Friday, Stefano Sisani, of the Perugia flying squad, revealed that a call to Kercher?s mother, Arline, in Coulsdon, Surrey, was made from her mobile at 8.56pm on the night of November 1.
(NOTE; "*" indicates time is from cell pohone records. The prosecution does not accept the interrupted phone call as the time of the attack, for the obvious purpose of convicting Amanda and Raffaele. The coroner believes Kercher died between 9 pm and 11 pm. Meredith's cell phone received a unanswered call at "*10:13 PM" from a cell tower which does not normally serve her apartment which indicates she was dead before ~10:00 PM. Meredith's cell phones were found about 1,200 ft. from Meredith's apartment and 100 ft from Guede's apartment)
LINK; computer experts testified last week that although his computer was on all night, no one had used it from 9:10 p.m. until 5:32 a.m. the next day. HOWEVER IN REALITY;
(NOTE; The crime lab inspected Rafaele's hard drive and determined Rafaele was active on his computer until 09:46 PM.
The information above came from the following link. The man that wrote this was there during the hearings).
LINK; http://perugia-shock.blogspot.com/search?updated-min=2008-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-08%3A00&updated-max=2009-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-08%3A00&max-results=50
(NOTE; The prosecution and judge refused to accept any of the above evidence that indicates Amanda and Raffaele are innocent.
The evidence above indicates Raffaele and Amanda would have to run 900 ft in 4 minutes to participate in Meredith's murder.
Are you getting the picture)?; Reply to this comment

by dudedudley February 6, 2010 8:38 PM EST

MEREDITH'S LAST CALL HOME
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,510057,00.html
During the dark, cold evening of Thursday, Nov. 1, 2007, the sun set at 05:05 PM. After dark Rudy Guede: a 20 year old, homeless man, a known burglar, drug dealer, set out to rape, rob and kill Meredith Kercher.
Guede is wearing a jacket and carrying with him a pocket knife with a 3 ½ inch locking blade, a pair of leather gloves, a thin plastic card and some condoms.
(NOTE; Guede thought using the condoms while raping Meredith, would prevent the police from identifying him as the rapist but he was wrong).

Guede had been watching the upstairs apartment occupied by four female college students: Amanda Knox, Meredith Kercher, Filomena Romanelli and Laura Mezzetti, for quiet some time. He made mental notes of their habits as he planed to rape, murder and rob Meredith Kercher.
Guede associated with the college boys occupying the downstairs apartment. From them he learned such things as: when the rent was due, how the girls spent their time and who likely not home at certain times. Guede knew Meredith would likely come home early as she normally does, and the other three girls who have boy friends, would normally spend the night with them, were not likely to come home until late, if at all. Guede learned the college boys would be away on a trip for several days.
On the night of the crime, the conditions were perfect for Guede to rape, murder and rob Meredith. Guede thought, I'm lucky it's not raining. Soon I'll have her my way, the dead way. I'll own that damn stuck up ***** that rejected me at the Halloween party. I'll **** her dead ass. Guede laughed as he thought of how he was going to kill her slow and the pain she would suffer as she slowly died. He decided on stabbing her in the throat.
GUEDE ARRIVES Thursday Nov. 1, 2007 (> 5:05 PM and < 9:30 PM). When Guede arrives outside the girl?s apartment after dark, he could see all the lights in the building were turned off and he reasons, likely nobody is home. Also he can tell by the cars missing from the parking lot, no one was there. Guede knocks on the girl's apartment entry door to see if Meredith might be napping. If Meredith answers the door he had planed to over power her and shove her into the apartment. No one answered the door. Rudy tried to open the door but it was locked as he expected.
LINK; My guess Guede arrived around 08:30 PM
Guede put on his gloves, picked up a large rock, then threw it at the window in Philomena?s room, however he missed the window and hit the shutter, which was standing open. On his second attempt the rock hit the window, shattering the glass in all directions.
Guede then hid while waiting to see if anybody heard the noise. No lights came on and no neighbors showed up to investigate the noise. The coast is clear. Then, Guede climbed in through the window into Filomena?s room, which is Guede's known method of operation. Guede?s jacket and his gloves prevent him from getting cuts.
(NOTE; Guede is a burglar and he entered many busted windows during his past. Recently he was caught burglarizing an office building, where he climbed in through a window 15 ft above the ground)
After entering the room Guede pulls the shutters closed to prevent people from seeing him and the busted window. Guede scatters Filomena?s clothing, belongings and broken glass about as he searches her room for herion. Guede remains hid in Filomena?s room, waiting for Meredith to come home.
(NOTE; The crime scene investigators failed to notice the glass under Meredith?s clothes. They didn?t realize at the time the glass on top of the clothes was going to be used as evidence against Amanda, in accusing her of throwing the rock through the window, as Guede, Amanda and Raffaele were leaving after the crime. In all my research about this case, I have not found a statement where the authorities officially stated there was no glass found under Meredith?s clothes)
MEREDITH ARRIVES HOME
Around ~08:50 PM Meredith arrives home.

Meredith had spent the evening with some friends, watching a movie and eating. Meredith and her friend, Sopie walked home together, and parted ways near Sopie's apartment before 09:00 PM.
While hiding in Filomena's room, Guede hears Meredith coming into the apartment. Guede watches her opening the door to her room. Meredith enters her room leaving her door standing open, then places a call to her mom.
(In my mind?s eye I can see Guede peeping out Filomena's door watching his prey, Meredith).

Reply to this comment


by dudedudley February 6, 2010 8:46 PM EST: This comment needs to be deleted. I had to post it twice to get " Meredith's Last Call Home" to come out in the right sequence.


by bann65 November 28, 2009 7:26 PM EST: What happened to all the comments on here? She did not kill that girl! Give it up aqlready, Italians. This goofy town and prosecutor will not let this go.; Reply to this comment


by AnnieDanny November 27, 2009 6:02 AM EST: I think the scenario put forward by the prosecution does seem very strange. They had a clear case against Guede, and I think it will stand up against appeal. But they don't seem to have much except an elaborate story about how Knox and Sollecito were involved. I'm also amazed at the amount of hatred against Amanda Knox in particular. I really get tired of all the venom that's spewed on the blogs and message boards (on many topics - not just this one.) The people who make such comments have far less information to go on than those who are participating in the jury and the court in Italy. We should let them decide, and respect the decision - whatever it is.; Reply to this comment


by dsnj1-2009 November 27, 2009 1:10 AM EST: Wow, after several years, she is no longer smiling and laughing every time she enters the courtroom. I am glad she finally realizes this is no laughing matter.; Reply to this comment


by newsworthy8 November 24, 2009 7:42 PM EST: This ***** is guilty..put her away; Reply to this comment


by island1953 November 24, 2009 7:12 PM EST: Every member of that jury, as well as anyone concerned about this case, should read the documentary entitled "The Monster of Florence" which chronicles the trials of various people at different times for being the mass murderer who the book is named for. The police mishandled evidence, planted evidence, picked up ordinary items in non-crime scene locations and called it evidence, and finally decided that the authors of the afore-mentioned book must be the murderer because they knew so much. I guess they don't understand investigative journalism in Italy. Oh, the prosecuting attorney for the "Monster of Florence" case? The same one prosecuting Amanda Knox, Prosecutor Giuliano Mignini.; Reply to this comment

by mcdanel_1771 November 24, 2009 12:23 PM EST

We aren't really privy to the testimony given, and the crime was not committed here. Italy is dealing with the brutal murder of a foreign exchange student. It is Italy's issue, and the nationalities of those involved should not predicate the outcome.

However, I will note that the African is in jail, leaving the American Girl and the Native Son.

Her demeanor has disturbed me from day one. Were I called for her jury I would have to excuse myself for prejudice.

Reply to this comment


by astrumpulvis November 24, 2009 10:51 PM EST: 'We aren't really privy to the testimony given...(etc).' and 'the nationalities of those involved...(etc).' I completely agree with you.

Amanda Knox does seem to me to possess a very unfortunate, unsympathetic, if not actually, rather disturbing manner in court. This may yet, count with some significance against her, with Judge/Judges and the Jury, as it already has done with much of the judgemental media. We should as onlookers however, always bear in mind that contrary to that old false saying, "the camera never lies", it does actually, and frequently so. Anyway, it can not help one's case, to smile too much in court, especially when one is charged with murder. In any case, a certain dignity should be observed. There will be plenty of time to smile, if one is cleared of all charges, and after all, a person has been horribly murdered, by somebody, present in court or not. Hopefully, ultimately, justice will be carried out, and the murderer/murderers gaoled for many years. Whether the "American and the Native Son" are convicted, and actually did commit the crime themselves? Well, as we all should be aware, the two do not necessarily equate with each other.