Knox Family Pins Hope on Appeal Process
The Knox family made another in what will likely seem an endless series of pilgrimages to the Perugia prison Monday morning to lend comfort both to themselves, and to their daughter.
But, reports CBS News correspondent Allen Pizzey, they were told to come back later; the paperwork wasn't ready.
"There's a bunch of people that are going home and they would like to see her before they go home but it's not going to happen," Edda Mellas, mother of the American convict, told CBS News outside the jail.
"Like everyone else, she is devastated. She was really hopeful," Mellas told "Early Show" co-anchor Harry Smith of the verdict, speaking by phone after visiting her daughter during the weekend.
"We're all crushed, but she got a lot of loving support when she got back to the jail from inmates and guards, all very supportive of her. And then we got to see her, she got to see her family. We told her to have courage," added Mellas.
More on the Amanda Knox Trial:
48 Hours: American Girl, Italian Murder
Knox Family Wants U.S. Gov't Involved
Amanda Knox Visited in Prison by Family
Amanda Knox Found Guilty of Murder
Photo Essay: Verdict In Italy
Case Timeline
Amanda Knox: I am Not a Killer
Knox's Lawyer Cries in Court
The judge has 90 days to make public the reasons why the jury found Amanda Knox and her former boyfriend and co-accused Raffaele Sollecito guilty, and then the appeal process can begin.
Curt Knox, Amanda's father, described to Smith being able to embrace Knox in the jail's visiting room over the weekend, and the message that she and the rest of the family sought to deliver.
"You just want to let her know that there is always light at the end of the tunnel, and whisper in her ear that it's gonna be alright, this is gonna get fixed, we're gonna get you home, and you gotta stay strong and we're going to move forward from here."
Local newspapers trumpeted suggestions that Secretary of State Hilary Clinton may get involved. So far she has not, but the Senator from Knox's home state has jumped in feet first.
"Different jurisdictions can have different ways of proceeding in criminal cases but we want that to be the standard that there is a fair trial by an impartial jury," said Sen. Maria Cantwell.
In U.S. courts, appeals are based on legal technicalities. In Italy, the first appeal is in effect a re-trial; all the evidence can be re-examined and, most crucially, new evidence can be presented.
At this stage the best the Knox's can hope for is a speedier beginning to the appeal process. Any attempt to apply political pressure carries the risk of alienating both the Italian public, and Italy's judiciary branch.