Amanda Knox To Be Released
An Italian appeals court has thrown out Amanda Knox’s murder conviction and ordered the young American freed after nearly four years in prison for the death of her British roommate.
Knox collapsed in tears after the verdict was read out Monday.
Her co-defendant, Raffaele Sollecito, also was cleared of killing 21-year-old Meredith Kercher in 2007.
The Kercher family looked on grimly as the verdict was read out by the judge after 11 hours of deliberations by the eight-member jury. Outside the courthouse, some of the hundreds of observers shouted “Shame, shame!”
Amanda Knox will be able to return to the United States from Italy after four years behind bars. She was sentenced to 26 years in prison two years ago for the murder of a fellow student who shared an apartment with her.
She told a jury considering her appeal today that she had nothing to do with the murder, and that the victim, Meredith Kercher, was a friend who was always nice to her.
Before the verdict was read, members of the victim’s family said the jury should decide based on the facts, rather than what they call the “media hype.” They said they’re afraid Kercher has been forgotten amid all of the focus on Knox.
