I followed the initial trial, and remember thinking she did it, and ironically there are quite a few similarities between Amanda Knox and Jodi Arias. her story did not make sense, it was full of holes, her foot print was in the blood. what really got me was that she stated she took a shower in the bathroom in the morning yet did not see the dead body and all the blood in the small bathroom.

Forensics proved that no bloody prints belonged to Knox and the prosecution offered no evidence that they did.

She did notice blood in the bathroom and said so.

She could not have seen the body because it was in the bedroom, behind a locked door!

The prosecution also claimed that luminol revealed Knox's bloody foot prints in the house. What they didn't say was that luminol reacts to many common things including some cleaning products and rust. They also didn't say that the foot prints were tested using the definitive test for blood and they all came back as negative for blood.

Although I'm beginning to sound like a cheerleader for Knox, I am not. I simply don't like to see unverified information, gossip, hearsay, and the contents of a universally acknowledged, illegally obtained statement that is inadmissible in court, being posted without offering factual rebuttal from knowledgable, first person sources, including actual trial transcripts. My mind is still open on this issue, but to date, I cannot find actual evidence or testimony that points to her involvement, let alone beyond a reasonable doubt.

Not only that, but the knife that was one of the key elements in the first conviction was retested and no DNA from the victim was found on it. I imagine you could test the knives in my kitchen and they would also pass.

I'm really curious what they used to convict her this time, since nothing I have read offers any evidence of her being there during the commission of the crime. If the appeal threw out the original conviction because there really wasn't any direct evindence that tied her to the crime, and now they have less evidence than before, what am I missing?

JR

Italian public opinion!

Looks like the judge made too many side comments - appeal is likely

this thing could last longer than most Italian govt.s do...

I find it sad and troubling that this has turned into a circus revolving around Amanda Knox, with just awful Police work and a court system that looks like a joke to the world.

I'm sure if you asked 100 people the name of the girl that Amanda Knox has been accused and recently found guilty again for the second time of murdering, maybe 5 - 10 people might know the answer.

This whole episode must be just devastating for the Kercher family.

Italian courts - ensuring kangaroos everywhere have a bad name.

I couldn't agree more with this sentiment.

Besides losing Meredith Kercher, the family has to live with the tragedy of the never-to-be-resolved matter of what actually happened. They were given a "slam dunk" case by the prosecution that was leaked to the press and first impressions are difficult to overcome. Unfortunately, that slam dunk proved to be an air ball when analyzed by rigorous, scientific testing of physical evidence and the elimination of inadmissible testimony.

The incompetency of the police investigation, evidence gathering, crime scene protection, and interrogation of suspects has been what these trials were about--not the tragedy that befell Meredith--and that is part of their pain. The inconsistency and capriciousness of the Italian court system is the prism through which the world has viewed the death of their daughter and that circus has further shifted the focus of concern away from Meredith to those whom they, the Kercher family, were led to believe were the guilty parties. From what I've been able to research, the family still clings to the elements of the inadmissible statement, its conflicts with later trial testimony, and the specious validity of the Italian forensic tests that have been shown to be incorrect. When this is all over, the Kercher family will never have peace of mind and, for them, Meredith will likely never rest in peace.

Truly tragic.

Exactly - you put this way better than I did.

One of the latest 'theories' going around is that her and her boyfriend set her up to be raped by that guy while they watched and got off on it. When she went ballistic and put up a serious fight she was killed. Knox and BF watched, did nothing and removed themselves till she was 'taken care of'.

but I also agree, this is truly a nightmare for the Kercher girls family and her brutal death is sickening...

I could not have stated this better myself. Just not enough admissible evidence to find her guilty beyond a reasonable doubt...period.

Its really doubtful but interesting as well.

Where'd you hear that?

JR

This case is a great example of the extremes people are willing to go, just to placate their initial inkling about what really happened that night. --Who cares if it destroys the lives of a young couple.... :-/

Most likely from the prosecution, via the blogosphere.

Seriously, anyone who has done some due diligence can see for themselves that the prosecution has fabricated at least three different scenarios to put Knox and Sollecito at the scene and give them a motive. Each and every one has been shown to be impossible to have occurred, and are unsupported by any witness testimony or physical evidence, yet they persist largely because they are now in the internet ether.

We need to understand here in the U.S. that the Italian justice system allows for conviction based on things other than evidence--it allows for conviction based on the "totality of the story" or, in other words, the impression one gets from the theory of how the crime was committed. It doesn't matter that every bit of prosecution theory and every witness account was destroyed by the defense. It doesn't matter if the defense provided solid, universally accepted evidence that the two could not have been present during the murder. What the Italian system allows is for all that to be weighed equally with the "impression" of who the suspects are, how they live their lives, and the "possibility" that any number of bizarre murder scenarios "could happen."

Look at the actual testimony. Look at the prosecution's evidence that was presented in court (not leaked to the press before and during the trials.) Look at the defense arguments presented in court. Look at the defense analyses of physical evidence. If this case was in the U.S., it would never reach the indictment stage and the prosecutor would likely be removed from his position and disbarred. But, this is Italy.

I actually read it somewhere - I'll try to find the link. Its a very disturbing trend in sexcapades...very hard core. Been explored on the college scene for several years...normally reserved for hard core greek parties. Just a slice below snuff films IMO.

Humans can be gross...

LJ - great points!

what if the two were setting up the killer to just rape for your their veiwing enjoyment and things got out of control. They split but didn't know really what happened until later on?

"What ifs" is what has been driving this fiasco from the beginning. Anyone can create a "what if" scenario, ad infinitum but, in the end, it has to be supported by evidence and the fact remains, there is no evidence whatsoever that either Knox or Sollecito were present during the murder. Period. This is the conclusion of the appeals court which declared them factually innocent after hearing evidence which destroyed the underpinnings of the prosecution.

The real answer to a "What if," begins with "Then you would find..." and requires resultant evidence to verify the "if." That does not exist in this case for the very reason every "what if" is premised on the two being present and leaving evidence of their presence and that does not exist.

Again, anyone who is serious as to why these "theories" keep popping up can Google, Giuliano Mignini , the prosecutor in the case. Do a bit reading and make a determination yourself (not you specifically, M.D., anyone in general.)

One thing is for certain - Italy has moved down my list of countries to visit. Amazing that a civilized, developed nation can have such a farce of a legal system.