Amanda Knox's Parents Indicted for Libeling Police

The parents of U.S. student Amanda Knox, who is serving a prison sentence in Italy for murder, have been indicted for making false statements to a British newspaper in 2009. Curt Knox and Edda Mellas were charged with libeling five members of the Perugia flying squad, claiming that during police questioning, their daughter was physically and verbally abused, and not given an interpreter, food, and water. The parents' statements were deemed "contrary to the truth," and they are scheduled to go on trial in July.

Key Takeaways:

• Curt Knox and Edda Mellas, Amanda Knox's parents, were indicted for libeling five members of the Perugia flying squad.
• The charges stem from statements made to the Sunday Times in 2009, in which they claimed their daughter was physically and verbally abused during police questioning.
• The parents claimed Amanda Knox was not given an interpreter, food, and water during questioning, and was told that asking for a lawyer would lead to more problems.
• Amanda Knox and her former boyfriend, Raffaelle Sollecito, were convicted of murdering Knox's housemate, Meredith Kercher, a student at the University of Leeds in England.
• The crime scene was contaminated, and there were concerns about the integrity of the DNA evidence.
• The parents' statements were deemed "contrary to the truth," and they are scheduled to go on trial in July.
• Amanda Knox is still appealing her conviction and has been granted the opportunity to re-examine DNA evidence.

Statistics:

• Three people were convicted of Meredith Kercher's murder: Amanda Knox, Raffaelle Sollecito, and Rudy Guede.
• Amanda Knox is serving a prison sentence in Italy.
• The trial of Curt Knox and Edda Mellas is scheduled to begin in July.
• 2009 is the date when the parents made the statements to the Sunday Times.
• 15 is the number of days when the UPI reported the news.
• February is the month when the news was reported.

Sources:

• UPI (February 15)