Amanda Knox Freed After Italian Appeals Court Throws Out Murder Conviction

Amanda Knox, a 24-year-old American, was released from prison after an Italian appeals court acquitted her of the murder of her British roommate, Meredith Kercher, in 2007. The decision came after a lengthy trial and a court-ordered review of DNA evidence that cast serious doubts over the prosecution's case. Knox's co-defendant, Italian Raffaele Sollecito, was also cleared of the crime. While the court upheld Knox's conviction for slander, she was freed due to time served.

Key Takeaways:

• Amanda Knox, 24, was acquitted of murder after an Italian appeals court threw out her conviction in the 2007 killing of Meredith Kercher.
• The court-ordered review of DNA evidence cast serious doubts over the main DNA evidence linking Knox and her co-defendant, Raffaele Sollecito, to the crime.
• Knox and Sollecito were both cleared of murder, but Knox was convicted of slander for accusing bar owner Diya "Patrick" Lumumba of carrying out the killing.
• Knox was sentenced to three years for slander, to be served concurrently with her original 26-year prison sentence.
• Knox has been in prison since Nov. 6, 2007, and was released after the appeals court decision.
• Meredith Kercher's sister, Stephanie, lamented that her sister had been "nearly forgotten" by the public attention focused on Knox's case.
• Knox's lawyer stated that she was "thankful that Amanda's nightmare is over" and that she has been "suffering for four years for a crime she did not commit."
• Knox and Sollecito were both convicted of murdering Kercher in what the lower court said began as a drug-fueled sexual assault, with Knox sentenced to 26 years and Sollecito to 25.

Sources:

• The Associated Press (no date or author mentioned)
• Waterloo Region Record, 2011 (no author mentioned)