The highest court in Italy, theSupreme Court of Cassation, has officially overturned the murder convictionagainst both Amanda Knox, 27, and her former boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito forthe 2007 murder of Knox’s then roommate, Meredith Kirchner, 21. Knox, fromSeattle, Washington and Sollecito, from Italy, were both acquitted in 2011 onappeal. Knox returned to the United States after the appeal. In 2013, the pairwere retried and the acquittals were overturned. Knox was then sentenced to 28years in prison and Sollecito was sentenced to 25.
Knox told the NPR in an interview in2013 that the Supreme Court’s ruling was hanging over her and she stated, "It’sthis horrendous thing that just never ends.
I do not think that I will beconvicted because there justsimply is not that evidence. I just simply did not do it. I feel like I'mhaving to prove my innocence as opposed to have the prosecution prove myguilt." This case has had manychanges going from one direction to another since it began in 2007 afterKirchener’s murder.
This rulinghanded down today will be the final ruling in the case and will end theextensive legal battle that has ensued for several years. Knox and Sollecitohave maintained their innocence since day one. Knox was waiting for the verdictin her hometown of Seattle while Sollecito was in Italy during the courtproceedings after releasing his passport to the courts weeks ago.
During the initialtrial, the evidence showed that none of the blood, DNA or witnesses pointed toKnox or Sollecito. Another man, Rudy Guede, was extradited back to Italy from Germanyand was officially charged and convicted for the murder and is currentlyserving a 16 year prison sentence.
Arepresentative for the Knox family, David Marriott, told Reuters that theverdict was unexpected.
He stated, "I personally feel overjoyed that the truthwon out, that she is innocent.” Knox’s attorney, Carlo Della Vedova, wasoutside of the courthouse and stated, "It’s a victory of justice. This was amistake from the beginning."
The SupremeCourt of Cassation has ruled that they will not order another trial. Thisruling means that the judges have concluded that a conviction could absolutelynot be found through the evidence presented to the courts.
They have not justoverturned the convictions but they have completely annulled them and declinedto order another trial in the case. Their reasoning for the decision will beofficially released within 90 days.
