New Testimony, New Hope for Amanda Knox

(CBS/ AP)  A convict has offered new testimony in the murder case of American student Amanda Knox, according to the lawyer for Knox's former boyfriend.

Knox and her former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito were convicted of killing Meredith Kercher, a 21-year Briton who was Knox's roommate. All were studying in Perugia, a small university town in central Italy.

Rudy Hermann Guede of the Ivory Coast was convicted in separate proceedings. All three have denied wrongdoing.

Mario Alessi, a convicted murderer who was held in the same ward of the Viterbo prison as Guede, volunteered new information and held talks in prison with Sollecito's defense team on Feb. 20, Sollecito's lawyer Luca Maori told The Associated Press.

Alessi passed on the information in a new videotaped interview with lawyers who are working to overturn the conviction of Sollecito and Amanda Knox, reports CBS News correspondent Richard Roth.

The newspaper Corriere della Sera and other Italian media reported that Alessi had said Guede told him that Knox and Sollecito were not at the crime scene the night of the murder and had nothing to do with it. They did not cite a source for their information and Maori declined to provide details.

Guede's lawyers told the AP their client never talked to Alessi about the case.

A lawyer for the family of Meredith Kercher dismissed the testimony as 'groundless,' reports Roth.

Knox and Sollecito are appealing their convictions.

Earlier this week, Knox's mother Edda Mellas told CBS "The Early Show" she was hopeful her daughter's lawyers can overturn the decision.

"I'm really encouraged," Mellas told The Early Show Friday. "Our lawyers are seeing huge amounts of things that they can fight."

More on Amanda Knox:
Amanda Knox's 3rd Christmas in Prison
Amanda Knox's Partner in Crime Speaks Out
Italy: Knox "Tranquil and Confident"
48 Hours: American Girl, Italian Murder
Italy: Knox Verdict Hasn't Hurt U.S. Ties

[maydoveaston]

Knox did NOT falsely accuse Lumumba. Police accused him & insisted to Knox they had proof. They harshly interrogated her until she made confused statements of imagined visions of herself & Lumumba present at the crime. She reaffirmed her innocence afterward but couldn?t help Lumumba. All she knew was she was innocent. Cops said they had proof against Lumumba. Even if she knew they were lying, it wouldn?t have mattered. They wouldn?t believe anything she said.
http://www.injusticeinperugia.org/
injustice in perugia . org

[joancj]

As I surf thru the web looking at Amanda Knox blogs, I find the same people making the same hysterical, overwrought comments relative to Amanda's guilt or innocence (& praising the efforts of Barbie Nadeau, their unofficial spokesperson and sensationalist tabloid "writer"). It's difficult for me to understand why defending Knox's conviction makes them all so joyful? Their comments are incredibly vicious and mean-spirited, and seem to take enormous delight in this young woman's tragic circumstances. Scary stuff, especially if coming from her fellow countrymen.

Amanda Knox and Raffale Solecito are innocent...period. As twrochelle above advises..."take a class in logic"...

[wrestler99]

i will be the last person to be joyful for seeing a young, sexy girl gettin 26 yrs miss joancj, BUT what u forget is that a young , pretty girl like amanda was slaughtered like an animal. unfortunatley the girl who are u sympathicizing is actually a canniving, 2 faced, complulsive liar and now a convicted murderer. U MAY OVERLLOK THE EVIDENCES IN THIS CASE, BUT UNDER ALL FAIRNESS THERE IS NO REASON TO BELIEVE THAT SOME 20 OR MORE JUDGES IN PERUGGIA, ITALY HAVE BEEN UNFAIR TO AMANDA OVER 2 YRS OF THEIR EXAMINATIOOF THIS CASE. I MUST SAY, AREN'T U BEING MEAN SPIRITED, INCREDIBLY VICIOUS AND TAKING DELIGHT IN THE TRAGIC CIRCUMSTANCES OF MEREDITH'S DEATH BY SUPPORTING A WOMAN WHO HAS BEEN LYING ABOUT HER HIDDEN GUILT FROM THE VERY INCEPTION OF THIS CASE?FELLOW COUNTRY MEN? SO U ARE READY TO GO AS FAR TO PROTECT AN AMERICAN FELLOW WOMAN EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE MURDERERS? NO ON DOUBT THE WORLD DESPISES AMERICANS AND REFER THEM AS THE MOST RACIST PEOPLE THIS PLANET HAS EVER SEEN

[joancj]

As I surf thru the web looking at Amanda Knox blogs, I find the same people making the same hysterical, overwrought comments relative to Amanda's guilt or innocence (& praising the efforts of Barbie Nadeau, their unofficial spokesperson and sensationalist tabloid "writer"). It's difficult for me to understand why defending Knox's conviction makes them all so joyful? Their comments are incredibly vicious and mean-spirited, and seem to take enormous delight in this young woman's tragic circumstances. Scary stuff, especially if coming from her fellow countrymen.

Amanda Knox and Raffale Solecito are innocent...period. As twrochelle above advises..."take a class in logic"...

[dudedudley]

Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito have been wrongly convicted. Please visit the Injustice in Perugia website and read the three powerful new articles from Steve Moore. Steve is a veteran FBI agent who has 25 years of investigative experience. His experience includes the investigation and prosecution of violent crime, from murder to mass-murder and terrorism. Steve has researched the Meredith Kercher murder case extensively. Steve's expert opinion is one that comes from years of experience and one that must be respected when it comes to crimes of this nature. Please take the time to read Steve Moore's articles and learn the facts about this case from an expert that you can trust. http://www.injusticeinperugia.org

[wrestler99]

i think both u andsteve are livin in a fantasy world, she is truly convicted and will not win the appeaL. THANKS FOR UR BULLCRAP REFERNCE, I HAVE READ THIS CASE VERY WELL. SHE DID MURDER MERDITH. AND U OUGHT TO BE ASHAMED OF URSELF FOR SUPPORTING HER AND HER SCUM FAMILY

[maydoveaston]

Use some common sense and look at the real Amanda Knox vs. the myths and nonsense put out by the Italian authorities. They had no real evidence against her, so they slandered and vilified her in the press to create an atmosphere and assumption of guilt before the trial even started. Ignore the lies and look at the facts and you?ll see the evidence for a conviction just doesn?t exist.
At least be honest and look at her side of the story before you decide:
http://www.injusticeinperugia.org/
injustice in perugia . org

[wrestler99]

dO U THINK U HAVE COMMON SENSE? OR ACTUALLY BIASED SENSE? ALL EVIDENCES ARE PROVING HER INNOCENCE. HAVE U EVER USED UR COMMON SENSE THAT THERE WAS NO FINGERPRINT OF AMANDA KNOX IN THAT COTTAGE EXCEPT ON A GLASS? U KNOW THAT SHE LIVED THERE, RITE? PERHAPS U CAN FIGURE OUT WHY? SHE CLEANED THE COTTAGE WITH BLEACH , MAYBE ? EVER THINK ABOUT THIS MR WISE GUY?

[allysjill]

A bright young honor student with a reputation for kindness and honesty goes off to study in Italy and overnight turns into a vicious murderer and liar? I?m skeptical. Seems hard to believe without some real proof. I looked all over the net for proof and didn?t find it. Found lots of slurs and allegations but all of it shown to be untrue or reasonably refuted. I?m firmly convinced she is innocent. Now someone has collected the information and posted it here:
http://www.injusticeinperugia.org/
injustice in perugia . org

[wrestler99]

A BRIGHT YOUNG HONOUR STUDENT KILLER WITH NOT KINDNESS BUT AN CRUELTY LIKE SADDAM HUSEIN. DO U KNOW WHAT A SOCIOPATHIS?, A COMPULSIVE LIAR, INELLIGENT WHO LIES AS IF TELLING TRUTH. IF U ARE NOT BIASED WHICH U OBVIOUSLY ARE THEN U WILL ARRIVE TO THIS VERY CONCLUSION: AMANDA KILLED MERDDITH ANDS SHE DESREVES TO BE IN THAT PRISON FOR 26 YRS

[RonLSiva]

Guede has since refuted his 'jail cell confession'. CBS News reported that while Guede was in jail in Perugia in 2007 and 2008, he told his Ivory Coast birth-father that he was with an unidentified male at the crime scene. He refused to name that person. That conversation was recorded and is part of Guede's Perugia case file. Check out more facts in this incredible story: 'Amanda Knox, Winner of Media Lottery'.

http://www.sciencespheres.com/2010/03/amanda-knox-winner-of-media-lottery_24.html

[wrestler99]

GUEDE REFUSED TO NAME THIS MAN, HAVE U EVER THOUGHT WHY WULD HE NOT NAME THIS PERSON FROM THE VERY BEGINING OF THE INVESTIGATION TO SAVE HIS HIMSELF FROM GOING TO THE JAIL? HAVE U EVER THOUGHT ABOUT THIS?

[GoodRN24]

There have been many articles printed over the past two years that are filled with misinformation. All of this is just noise. It's all a big distraction. Look past the distraction. Silence the noise. Look at the actual facts of this case. Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito have been wrongly convicted. Meredith and her family deserve justice. Imprisoning two innocent people will bring neither peace nor justice for Meredith Kercher. Discover the truth today. Visit: http://www.injusticeinperugia.org

[wrestler99]

MISINFORMATION, PERHAPS U ARE STILL SLEEPING AND DREAMING THATS WHY EVERYTHING SEEMS BLURR TO U. WAKE UP, SEE THE TRUTH, THE KILLER AMANDA KNOX IS PRETTY, SEXY BUT A TRUE SOCIOPATH WHO KNOWS HOW TO LIE AND ALSO BLAME SOMEONE ELSE. A CANNIVING, CRUEL MURDERER

[InjusticeinPerugia]

According to 427 page "motivation" document, the murder wasn't premeditated. With this theory, the judges needed a reason for Raffaele's kitchen knife to somehow make it over to Meredith's cottage so it could be used in the murder. The report states that Raffaele most likely suggested to Amanda that she should carry the knife in her purse for protection. How many women carry large bulky kitchen knives around in their purse for protection?

How about these safety suggestions? Do these sound reasonable?

1. Always walk in groups.

2. Avoid walking in secluded areas after dark.

3. Carry pepper spray.

4. Take a self defense course.

5. Carry large kitchen knife in purse.

Really? That's honestly how the knife made it's way over to the cottage? I think it sounds ridiculous. How about you?

[wrestler99]

U FORGOT, WHEN U HAVE SMOKED HASHISH ALL AFTERNOON AND DRANK PLUS POSSIBLY COCAINE THEN U WILL CARRY A DAGGER IN UR PURSE

[InjusticeinPerugia]

No credible evidence links Amanda Knox or Raffaele Sollecito to the murder of Meredith Kercher. There is not one fingerprint, not one footprint, not one shoe print, not one hair, not one fiber, no sweat, no saliva, no blood, and no DNA of any kind that puts Amanda or Raffaele in the room at the time of the murder. Why? Because they were NOT there.

Amanda and Raffaele were wrongly convicted. Please look past the media distortions and discover the truth. Visit: http://www.injusticeinperugia.org

[wrestler99]

YES NO FINGERPRINT INTHAT HOUSE OF AMANDA WHERE SHE LIVED! EXCEPT ON A DRINKING GLASS! DO U GET IT? A VERY THOROUGH BLEACH CLEANING EXCPT SHE FORGOT TO BLEACH THE GLASS