Murder Charges Imminent For Amanda Knox?

Mother Tells CBS News In Exclusive Interview Daughter Is "Absolutely Innocent"

(CBS)  For the past nine months, 21-year-old Amanda Knox has been sitting in a jail in Italy. Officials believe the American coed and her boyfriend killed her roommate, and could charge Amanda sometime this week. But she maintains her innocence.

"She's absolutely innocent. She had nothing to do with that. She was not there that night," says Amanda's mom Edda Mellas, who spoke to 48 Hours Mystery correspondent Peter Van Sant in an exclusive interview.

Authorities in Perugia, Italy are recommending that Amanda be charged with murder and sexual assault of her roommate, Meredith Kercher.

"We all knew that the prosecutor was going to charge her and wasn't going to say, 'Oops, sorry,' and let you loose, 'cause they need to save face," Mellas tells Van Sant.

Mellas says that the months already spent in prison have taken their toll on her daughter. "This is a kid who trusted the world...who only saw or thought of good in the world and who was never afraid to be alone and would, you know, loved to go out and see things," Mellas says. "And now, I think she's afraid to be alone. I think she has a real fear of public officials, police, you know, a fear of prosecutors, a fear of the media."

And Mellas says Amanda has good reason to be fearful: her daughter has been convicted in the tabloid press in England and Italy.

Van Sant talked to Amanda's parents last February in Perugia for 48 Hours Mystery and pointed out some of the tabloid headlines from the British press: "'The Twisted World of Foxy Knoxy,' 'Foxy Knoxy Helped Girl's Killer.' 'Meredith Held Down By Friend.' 'The Dark Angel Of Seattle.' 'Orgy Of Death.' And, Amanda was a 'drugged up tart.'"

"You know, I have not read the British press because I knew that was out there and that is not my daughter and that's not, I mean, you know, some of that you can just toss because these people don't know her. They have never met her. It's horrible," Mellas reacted.

[mylady007]

So, what have we learned here? Don''t listen/watch CBS news. I am really unimpressed by US journalism. Can''t you do a better job, CBS?

Little Rock, AR

[Vierotchka]

This article conveniently omits the fact that she accurately described to her room-mates the murder scene and how Meredith died, in detail, although the door to Meredith''s room was locked and the police didn''t allow anyone to enter when they forced the door - so how could she possibly know all this if she hadn''t been present at the murder? In my opinion, Ciolino is deeply biased and not telling the truth.

[Vierotchka]

She should be grateful that she''s in an Italian prison - were she in an American prison, she would be far worse off than she is now. The prison in which she is held is like a holiday camp compared to American prisons.

[juliemd]

This article makes it sound like there''s no forensic evidence, but I have read that there''s fingerprints, blood, and other DNA evidence liking her and her boyfriend to the crime scene....

After googling "Amanda Knox Diary" and reading literally everything I could, I''m not convinced that she''s innocent.

I''m sure she''s sweating bullets being in an Italian jail, however, she sure doesn''t act like it. It''s almost as if she''s performing in a theatrical production.

[coronalu]

Edda Mellas, Amanda''s mom states that "She''s absolutely innocent. She had nothing to do with that. She was not there that night," well, this is very interesting since, GUESS WHAT, MOM? YOU WEREN''T THERE EITHER!!

[gheemaster38]

Mellas says that the months already spent in prison have taken their toll on her daughter. "This is a kid who trusted the world...who only saw or thought of good in the world and who was never afraid to be alone and would, you know, loved to go out and see things," Mellas says. "And now, I think she''s afraid to be alone. I think she has a real fear of public officials, police, you know, a fear of prosecutors, a fear of the media."

Even though she is in Italy and this may seem cruel, I have just this to say:

Welcome to the World of most Minorities.. and the poor in America..

[notopennshut]

Sure I feel sorry for the family, but of course every parent will declare their kid innocent! If you read what Amanda had recently wrote in her diary, you''d know that she is really NOT what her mother professes her to be. OK, so maybe she is sick, but a lot of these younger girls, when they are out of sight of family etc, turn into totally different personalities. She was into drugs and so on and who really knows what else she was into, even as her schoolmates claimed that she was a "good" person. They change, and with the wrong company, anything is possible. It is a strange case, but the truth may be that she was somewhat involved.