Amanda Knox murder trial begins today in Perugia, Italy

[lavenderdiva]

Has anyone else been following this murder trial, and the surrounding publicity? An American college student, Amanda Knox, and her Italian boyfriend, have been charged with committing the murder of her roommate, Meredith Kercher, in Perugia, Italy. I really don't know if I think she is guilty or innocent. I feel sorry for her family having to incur the immense expense of her defense there in Italy. Apparently, in Italian courts, the defendant has the right to actually speak out against any evidence the prosecutor is presenting, as he is presenting it. I think it would be hard for most college-aged kids to have the gumption to do so. Its an interesting case, and here is some background:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7828140.stm

http://www.newsweek.com/id/180004

Unfortunately, the prosecutor in this case, Giuliano Mignini, is the same one written about in 'The Monster of Florence', who was a corrupt guy, who would prosecute on the flimsiest of evidence, and believed that those murders were the result of a satanic sect purportedly operating in Perugia. I would hate to be in this poor girl's shoes-- whether she is guilty, and especially if she is not.

http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/world/Two-deny--murder-.4886659.jp
snip:
PIPE smoking chief prosecutor Giuliano Mignini is a well known figure in Perugia. But controversy still surrounds his role in the search for the 1970s killer the Monster of Florence. Mignini became convinced a satanic sect was behind for the strange deaths of 14 people.

Mignini has been a key exponent of the theory that Kercher's death was the result of a ritualistic sex game inspired by Japanese comics and Halloween movies.

http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/print.asp?entryID=140460

[DemBones DemBones]

1. Oh, no! Mignini IS the prosecutor! When I first

read about this case in LBN today, I thought "Perugia? Uh oh."

BTW, I am getting Douglas Preston's latest mystery, Blasphemy from Book of the Month Club this month so I'll let you know if it's as exciting as The Monster of Florence, which is actually the only true crime book I've ever read besides In Cold Blood.

[lavenderdiva]

3. maybe something weird IS going on in Perugia-

Its hard to believe that ALL these strange murders are happening/have happened in one little town! I listened to the parents of this girl give an interview on Good Morning America yesterday morning. To listen to them, they say that all the evidence that has been presented so far in the media and by the police, have been explained and are not able to be presented in court. After hearing their side, you would believe that they have the wrong person on trial. However, when you read news accounts of what was found, you do think she might have been involved. But, why on earth would she kill her roommate?

Let me know what you think of 'Blasphemy'; it sounds interesting! :hi:

[acmavm]

2. They're guilty as sin. Of unbelievable stupidity if nothing else. I know

something about marijuana and I KNOW that this is a reaaaalllll stretch:

<snip>

Both have admitted a fondness for marijuana - a drug they blamed for their inability to recall their movements on the night Meredith died.

<snip>

Good grief, sounds like something out of Reefer Madness.

[lavenderdiva]

4. I just have a whole lot of questions about this case

it doesn't make sense to me that they could murder someone and be so strung out on marijuana that they couldn't remember anything, OR conversely, be with it enough to clean up most of the evidence as well as they might have. I just don't get it. But I also don't get why they would have murdered this girl? And the guy that has already been convicted of this murder: why isn't he giving up more information about the involvement of the other 2 who are being tried?

There's a lot of mystery surrounding this case, IMO. I also don't think I would be as skeptical as I am about the case, were the prosecutor anybody else....

[acmavm]

5. I have a question myself.

Where did they get that weed.

[livetohike]

6. I say B.S. on their marijuana defense!

"Inability to recall their movements"??? Must be some powerful weed. Who on the jury is going to believe this?

[lavenderdiva]

7. any news on this case?

I know its been a long trial, but its gotten very little, if any, coverage here... anyone have any updates?

[raccoon]

8. That was on "48 hours mystery" or maybe it was "Dateline" some months ago. nt

[lavenderdiva]

9. Amanda Knox set to testify in her case tomorrow

http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/06/11/italy.amanda.knox.trial/index.html

They had a short article on her testimony tomorrow on Good Morning America this morning. Apparently, she will testify in Italian, to be sure that her testimony will be understood properly, i.e. if she were to testify in English, she was afraid of translation errors. I didn't know she was that proficient in Italian. I would be scared to death to testify on such an important matter, in a language that wasn't my own.

Her parents are sure that if she tells the truth and speaks honestly, she will be found innocent. I wouldn't be so sure about that. From what they were saying on GMA this morning, the Italian court system allows the jurors to go home for several days between witnesses, and there is no guarantee that they aren't reading news accounts of the trial. They aren't sequestered.

I also think that there have been some problems with one of the judges, in previous cases in Perugia. GMA said that there are 2 judges hearing this case, and that at the end, they will actually deliberate with the jurors to decide the case. Its a very different justice system.

[XanaDUer]

10. Is your avatar Norma Shearer?

I've always loved the original, "The Women".

[lavenderdiva]

11. sure is!

I LOVED her in 'The Women' too! I think she is just beautiful.... :hi: