Thursday,
October 30, 2008
Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito Finally Indicted in Karcher
Murder in
The
ANNOTICO Report
On
Tuesday, Amanda Knox, 21, of Seattle and Raffaele Sollecito
of Italy were indicted on charges of murder and sexual violence in the stabbing
death of Meredith Kercher of England, with the trial
to start on December 4. Italian law permits suspects with sufficient evidence
to be held up to a year in jail before having to release or indict them.
A
third suspect, Rudy Hermann Guede of the West African
nation of Ivory Coast, was sentenced to 30 years in prison after being
convicted on the same charges in a fast-track trial requested by his defense,
I
speculate that Guede will become a witness
against Knox and Sollecito, in return for a reduction
of sentence, and that Guede requested a fast track
trial expecting a guilty verdict, but having a lessor
degree of responsibility, and making himself available
for the case against his co conspirators.
American,
Ex-Italian Beau Indicted in
The judge
indicted Amanda Knox, 21, of Seattle and Raffaele Sollecito
of
A third suspect,
Rudy Hermann Guede of the West African nation of
Ivory Coast, was sentenced to 30 years in prison after being convicted on the
same charges in a fast-track trial requested by his defense, Maresca said. Prosecutors asked for life in jail.
Knox
Judge Paolo Micheli emerged with a verdict after almost 12 of hours of
deliberations. All the proceedings were held behind closed doors and the three
suspects awaited the ruling in separate cells at the courthouse.
Lawyers for Knox
and Sollecito, who were jailed shortly after the
slaying last Nov. 2, had asked that their clients be granted house arrest if
indicted. Lawyers leaving the courthouse said Micheli
did not rule on the request and a decision was expected in the coming days. If
convicted, Knox and Sollecito could face life in
prison.
Kercher
"We are as
pleased as we can be with the decision. At the end of the day, we are here
because our sister Meredith was murdered," brother
Lyle Kercher said at a news conference.
The victim
Knox
"We believe
that she will eventually be proven innocent of all charges against her and we
will support her in every way possible as we work toward her complete
exoneration," the parents said.
Kercher, a 21-year-old student
from
Prosecutors
allege Kercher died during what began as a sex game, with Sollecito holding her
by the shoulders from behind while Knox touched her with the point of a knife
and Guede tried to sexually assault her. Prosecutors
say Knox then fatally stabbed Kercher in the throat.
Guede, also 21, admitted being
in the house, but denied any part in the killing. He said that he was in the
bathroom when Kercher was attacked and that he rushed
into the bedroom to try to rescue her. He said he fled
Sollecito, 24, has said that he was
in his own apartment in
Knox initially
told investigators she was in the apartment when Kercher
was killed and covered her ears against the victim
Prosecutors say
Knox
They say they
found Sollecito
The
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