Amanda Knox - Guilty or Innocent

[Rhodes]

Oh, say! can you see by the dawn's early light

What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming;

Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight,

O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?

And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,

Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there:

Oh, say! does that star-spangled banner yet wave

O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

 

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,

Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,

What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,

As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?

Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,

In fully glory reflected now shines in the stream:

'Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh, long may it wave

O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

 

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore

That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion

A home and a country should leave us no more?

Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution!

No refuge could save the hireling and slave

From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave:

And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave

O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

 

Oh, thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand

Between their loved home and the war's desolation!

Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n-rescued land

Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation!

Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,

And this be our motto: "In God is our trust":

And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave

O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Hookey - I think the above really sums up the never say die attitude of this particular case don't you!

[Loose]

Interesting article by american criminologist Dr Kenneth J Ryan from California State University:-

 

The convictions of Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito are under scrutiny once again amidst charges that Italian police botched the collection and processing of DNA evidence. Whereas, allegations that the police botched evidence collection are nothing new in criminal trials on either side of the Atlantic, it is important that the charges have been made in Italy. It’s a distinction that boils down to this: the Italian court system is vastly different from ours; therefore, how the court reacts to new evidence is not as predictable there as it is here.

 

Simply put, in the United States we have anadversarial court system in which prosecution and defense are expected to face off and play by the rules of court and the law. In Italy, an inquisitorial court system is in place (as is true throughout most of Europe). In an inquisitorial system, where the judicial mission is to seek truth, the judge (or judges) jointly occupies the positions of magistrate and chief investigator. But, in seeking the truth, the defendant is expected to cooperate with the investigative trial process. And that puts Amanda Knox in a rather awkward position as she faces charges of slander against the Italian police, after earlier falsely accusing an acquaintance of murdering roommate Meredith Kercher. Although lying to police might have made the defendant appear very clever to a Florida jury, it makes Knox look uncooperative in the eyes of the Italians. In Italy, being uncooperative is viewed as a sign of deception and, therefore, guilt.

 

Local thief Rudy Guede already has pleaded guilty to the rape and murder of Kercher, with plenty of evidence to support a conviction. Therefore, one must wonder aloud how it happens that Knox and Sollecito are even implicated. DNA evidence, is the Italian police response, although one might logically expect Knox’s DNA and that of boyfriend Sollecito to be found in Knox’s own residence. The Italian police would point out that Knox confessed to participating in Kercher’s murder. This is true, but she later retracted the confession saying that the Italian police abused and beat her into confessing. And that is what the slander trial is all about; nonsense, say the police. Once again, alleging police abuse puts the prosecution on the defensive in America and it may be perceived as a clever ploy in an Orlando courtroom; however, it forces the defense to prove the allegations in Italy. Once again, this is not a good position for someone already found culpable in falsely accusing an innocent man.

 

Several possibilities loom for Amanda Knox and not many are positive. Indeed, the court may find that the botched DNA evidence has tainted the criminal trial; therefore, the convictions of Knox and Sollecito are vacated. Or because the court is an investigative body as much as it is a trial court, it may decide that there is sufficient evidence without DNA evidence to uphold the convictions. Worse, now that the case is reopened, the sentences may be reviewed and prolonged by the Italian court to life imprisonment for either defendant. And finally, it is equally possible that Knox will be acquitted of murder but convicted for slander. And in Italy, slander is a criminal offense for which one can be imprisoned; back to square one, in other words.

 

Amanda Knox became ensnared in an Italian murder investigation whilst visions of the American criminal justice system danced in her head. Being clever in American law may have been her undoing in Italy.

 

 

So maybe Knox is not out of the woods quite yet.

 

[Rhodes]

I see that the Italian Police investigation has been described as 'Pink Pantherish' and the forensic work as 'shamelessly slipshod' following Amanda's Court appearance last week which will resume on 27 August, the verdict is expected to be on 15 September and an acquittal is fully expected:

 

http://blog.seattlepi.com/dempsey/2011/07/26/italians-cops-harass-scientists-in-amanda-knox-trial/

 

http://edition.cnn.com/video/#/video/showbiz/2011/07/27/sbt.amanda.knox.evidence.hln?iref=videosearch

[Big J R]

 

I see that the Italian Police investigation has been described as 'Pink Pantherish' and the forensic work as 'shamelessly slipshod' following Amanda's Court appearance last week which will resume on 27 August, the verdict is expected to be on 15 September and an acquittal is fully expected:

 

http://blog.seattlep...nda-knox-trial/

 

http://edition.cnn.c...ref=videosearch

 

 

So we can expect some Peter Sellers type jokes at the next court appearance ??

 

[Rhodes]

Here's an interesting Blog folks going into great day by day, diary style, detail on the case, I wonder what the originator will do once Amanda is released shortly as it seems to be his or hers lifes work at the moment to see her board that flight from Rome to Seattle:

 

http://www.dreaminginitalian.com/2011/08/06/amanda-knox-revisited/

[Rhodes]

Not long to wait now folks before she's home, lets face it could this angelic child from a good home really be capable of murder, honestly!:

 

[Rhodes]

A Youtube link with Amanda giving her own verbal version of the initial interrogation by the 'not fit for purpose' Italian legal system, it's laughable to think that she was even arrested let alone charged, found guilty and sent to prison for a murder she didn't commit:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_qaiMmfwk0

[Rhodes]

I see that even Rolling Stone magazine has got in on the act and published an excellent article about Amanda's innocence:

 

http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/news/the-neverending-nightmare-of-amanda-knox-20110627

[Rhodes]

An update on this amazingly detailed and fascinating Blog entitled 'Injustice In Perugia', it's exactly what it says on the tin:

 

http://www.injusticeinperugia.org/peopleinvolved.html

[Rhodes]

Another opportunity to see a shorter version of the revealing interview with Dr Greg Hampikian, the American DNA expert who says simply that 'truth comes from science':

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCJ8lnh8m_M&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL

[Rhodes]

An article highlighting what Amanda's devoted Mother Edda has been going through for the past three years and ten months and she clearly won't rest until her beloved and totally innocent daughter is on a flight from Rome back to Seattle:

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/01/world/europe/01italy.html?_r=3&pagewanted=1

[Rhodes]

An interesting article about Patrizia Stefanon, the beleagured Italian forensic scientist who led the investigation into the murder of Meredith Kercher, she really needs to lose her job as she has no idea at all:

 

http://blogs.seattleweekly.com/dailyweekly/2011/09/patrizia_stefanoni_amanda_knox.php

[Rhodes]

I see newspapers and Blog sites around the World are full of anticipation this week with Amanda's release from prison imminent, she could even be home by the end of this month, here are just a couple of examples:

 

http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20526358,00.html

 

http://www.blogher.com/will-amanda-knox-finally-get-justice-she-deserves?wrap=blogher-topics%2Fnews-politics%2Fcurrent-events&crumb=106919

[Rhodes]

An excellent article where Amanda's doting Father Curt is tearfully quoted as saying "prosecutors have no case left". I think that just about says it all and we await Amanda's release from the hell she has suffered for the past four years, lets hope she can somehow put it all behind her once back home in Seattle and resume her life as quickly as possible with family and friends help:

 

http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/europe/09/07/italy.knox.appeal/index.html?hpt=hp_bn3

[Rhodes]

September 23 is D Day folks when the Court's decision to throw out the ridiculous DNA evidence will be made and Amanda will then be free to fly home to Seattle, possibly even on September 24. Here is an interesting clip from Fox News which confirms she has one foot on the plane and should be home for Thanksgiving at the very latest:

 

[Horace]

I still believe that the best she can hope for is a retrial. Same applies to the forgotten Sollecito.

[Rhodes]

Horace - What makes you say that and why on earth would there be a retrial, I think Amanda will be acquitted on 23 September and allowed to get a lift or take a cab straight to Rome Airport for a flight to Seattle without bothering to go back to the prison to pick up her stuff, that can be sent on to her later. As you know the appeal has been a disaster for the beleaguered prosecution, the DNA sampling and testing was so amateurish that a scientist at a recent appeal session drew belly laughs trying to explain it in Court. Once Amanda walks free a lot of Italian people involved with their comical judicial system will be held to account and I'm sure a total reform of the entire Dickensian Italian criminal justice system will be called for to prevent a similar injustice ever happening again.

[Horace]

Horace - What makes you say that and why on earth would there be a retrial, I think Amanda will be acquitted on 23 September and allowed to get a lift or take a cab straight to Rome Airport for a flight to Seattle without bothering to go back to the prison to pick up her stuff, that can be sent on to her later. As you know the appeal has been a disaster for the beleaguered prosecution, the DNA sampling and testing was so amateurish that a scientist at a recent appeal session drew belly laughs trying to explain it in Court. Once Amanda walks free a lot of Italian people involved with their comical judicial system will be held to account and I'm sure a total reform of the entire Dickensian Italian criminal justice system will be called for to prevent a similar injustice ever happening again.

 

Who will be holding them to account? It's their system and they like it.

[Loose]

Poor old Cliffy.

[Rhodes]

Loosely - You've been quiet on this topic lately, welcome back, is that because you've come to realise Amanda Knox is innocent and will be as free as a bird on 23 September