Meridith Kercher

Not an indication of guilt, but neither an indication of innocence. I think we can either say this is gross miscarriage of justice brought about by a inept Italian justice system, or this is someone who was able to have her case retried and the original verdict was upheld.

Which to choose? Anyway whatever you or I believe it won't make any difference. She won't be sent back to Italy and that's that.

Oh.

In my opinion she's a thoroughly unpleasant character who has taken advantage of her notoriety and played the 'victim' card expertly.

I don't know whether she murdered Meredith Kercher or not, neither do I know whether it's a gross miscarriage of justice...

It must be dreadful for Meredith K's family to have gone through the terrible way in which she was killed, as well as the messy way the guilty/not guilty/guilty verdicts have been made.
Whatever the rights and wrongs of the investigative and trial processes, I share Ana's view (31.01.14 22.58). It isn't often Ana and I find ourselves in agreement is it.
I watched AK interviewed yesterday, the interview was followed by interviews with MK's sister and brother. I was chilled watching AK, as my feeling was she was acting throughout, in contrast with MK's sister, who appeared genuine. I know, I know, this is simply my feeling. AK was very young when this murder took place, but her behaviour with RS in the aftermath of the murder was odd, and not something you'd expect of the average young people.

Yes, that's it exactly Ana

She will not return to Italy, she is an American

Does it still have to be confirmed by the Supreme Court?

Just because I hold a different view from someone does not warrant a personal attack surely?
Miscarriages of justice do occur, and some police everywhere will try to get the evidence to 'fit' the crime, not just in Italy.

AK's body language is still strange for someone who is innocent - no, jingls, before you comment on that, of course that should not condemn her. But odd, nontheless.
But I think they know the eyes of the world are on them and they have deliberated long and hard - and thoroughly in this case.
I just feel so sorry for Meredith's family that it has all dragged on for so long

I wonder how I would have behaved in the same circumstances and whether the way I behaved would not have been in accord with the view of innocence that other people who didn't know me had.

We can all wonder that, absent, but I bet the majority of us wouldn't have flung ourselves so readily into the media spotlight at every given opportunity.

Amanda Knox said she would have to be dragged kicking and screaming to Italy to face justice.
Not a good choice of words , given the brutality of the ENGLISH girl Meredith : raped suffocated and her throat cut !

Very

Ana I think the media started it. The Italian papers were almost immediately full of stuff about her sex life and other personal details. She was painted as a thoroughly nasty, selfish, wilful, sex-mad girl right from the start. It would take a very strong degree of self-control to stay silent and that might not have helped either. Wasn't there a case in Australia a while ago when a young man was murdered and the news media latched onto his girlfriend, who was also injured in the attack, I think, because she didn't display the right emotions about his death? Ergo, she was guilty of murder. Turned out, of course, that she wasn't.

We none of us have a clue as to what happened - but AK does not portray herself very well. We have been told on the news that she knows people in high places in Washington so will probably not be extradited.

As everyone has said - that poor poor family, losing their dear daughter and then having to go over all of this grim stuff again and again.

I am sure I would have been devastated not to mention frightened if my flatmate had been murdered. Don't think I would have been cavorting cartwheels. Perhaps she is different to me, but she looks as if she is acting (badly), most people would be trembling and shaken.

But that is by the by, the court has made its decision, America always applies the extradition treaty stringently, let'see what happens when it is one of theirs.

Ever since the Italians sent a group of scientists to prison because they failed to predict an earthquake I have little respect for their legal system.

You're right, absent. Thinking back, there was a great deal of salacious gossip being printed about her at the time, and she was very young. I don't think any of us can really know how we would have reacted ourselves, whether innocent or guilty.

I know I wouldn't have been doing cartwheels, because I've never been able to do them, but you'd have to develop some sort of coping strategy.

Women defendants are so often demonised in the press - is it only because women accused of violent crimes so rarely. I don't think so.

There seem to be more and more lately - why?

Are there? I can only think of Vicci Price (however she spells it) and Rebecca Brooks and the press are relatively restrained re RB. (one of their own?)
Also sub judice rules prevent a free for all during trials in this country. But in the Italian trial they could do their worst.

Sorry, not clear, I meant women being accused of violent crimes

I do think AK would have won more empathy if she had expressed more sadness and horror at the violent death of her flatmate. Her responses, as mediated by the press, still seem quite odd. But that in itself does not make her guilty maybe rather self-interested and thoughtless.

I am not sure if the truth will ever be known. This will be an added sadness for the Kercher family who will always have a question mark over the perpetrator of Meredith's death.

We do not hear what the convicted man says about any involvement of AK/RS.

Interesting to read today the letter AK sent to the court in which she states there was NO forensic evidence to link her or her boyfriend to the scene. She would not state that if it were not true surely?

There was forensic evidence. She has already been caught out on several lies so ....

Ah, only read her letter published today, in which she states there was none, but I also had thought there was forensic evidence submitted previously, getting confused. So more lies.

We can't know the truth - guilty/not guilty/guilty: it just seems like a witch hunt to me. I can see no benefit to the victim's family nor to Knox and her family if this carries on. And let's not lose sight of the fact Knox served 4 years in an Italian prison - that's about the length of time many manslaughter perpetrators serve.

They should have left well enough alone.

Well said Joan
Margaret74 - who are all these women accused of violent crime? Am I reading the wrong papers?