So the verdict is apparently due in the Meredith Kercher murder trial today

[PortofinoRevisited]

BBC Link

The appeal after the overturned convictions. I hope this can all be brought to a close now.

[VivaLeBeaver]

sangria do people think the mystery benefactor is paying for the hotshot lawyer then? Because if not how is he paying for her? I'm guessing she won't come cheap.

If I was Amanda I'd be buying a house in Brazil or somewhere with no extradition treaty with Italy.

[Timetoask]

interesting interview with her
www.theguardian.com/world/video/2014/jan/30/amanda-knox-exclusive-video-interview-guilty-video

[howrudeforme]

Dranks and Banana - thanks for the update. Interesting. My mil over here (on a bloody extended stay and not for the first time grrr) is glued to the TV (we have Italian TV)

I think this is a case of modern justice - interested parties - people with money, benefactors (the father of Kercher not around and it appears because he doesn't have benefactors to help him to attend court abroad each time).

Very sad. But probably very common.

I remember the defence - a very powerful woman (in the organge man's party I think?) - I thought her presence very nasty on the night the two were let free - she appeared very happy that her actions had won her points in her political job rather than in the process of justice. Is that the person I'm thinking of?

[horsetowater]

Sollecito was in the Dominican Republic allegedly according to press because it has no extradition treaty with Italy. I consider that very sensible. I'm sure he will find his way back there somehow.

If I were either of them I would go straight into hiding. This is one of those cases where they are damned if they do, damned if they don't.

[horsetowater]

It might be that the Sollecito's hotshot defence is doing it pro bono. It's the kind of case that anyone with a concern for justice and the Italian justice system would take on.

It has been such a high profile case that I'm sure there are plenty of donations going to both Knox and Sollecito. I'm sure the Kercher's family will be getting some donations too and can afford flights to Italy but I can understand perfectly why they wouldn't want to go. It's really out of their hands now.

[PortofinoRevisited]

To me, the reason peoplle believe them to be guilty is because of the lies and misinformation in the press. It truly was trial by media and the prosecution oiled the wheels of that nicely. They had decided on the sex game wrong scenario before they even identified Rudi Guede, through a bloody palm print at the scene as I recall. He had form for breaking and entering.

There is NO evidence of AK/RS at the crime scene at all apart from the bra clasp which was knocking around in the dust for weeks. The "bloody" footprints in the hall weren't blood. There was no evidence of a clean up. The much talked of knife was shown not to be the murder weapon. The timelines - who called who when - were much disputed. The motive put forward makes no sense at all. I cannot comprehend how ANYONE could convict them.

[HowAboutNo]

It's rare that I don't have an opinion on such a high-profile case like this, but I just feel it's all so confusing now and I don't have a clue about what is true and what isn't.

I just feel very sad for Meredith and her family. I can't imagine what it must feel like to have to constantly be re-living it in attempt to get answers.

[froufroufox]

portofino- were you part of the investigative or legal team?

[Lioninthesun]

noidles trouble is that is the evidence - her DNA and blood and his footprint in the blood. I think anyone trying to say that the knife with her DNA and Meridiths found in his kitchen drawer when she had never even been to his apartment was a fluke or that the DNA all over the scene was ALL contaminated is clutching at straws. They have lied on several occasions, including when they called the police and where they were at the time. It is all far too suspicious to be anyone else, IMO. Even the conversation with her mum after she had been in prison was very telling. themurderofmeredithkercher.com/The_Evidence

If they can come up with great reasons why there was mixed DNA all over the place, why the murder weapon was in his flat, why they lied about where they had been and when they called the police, why she tried to frame her old boss and why they were apparently unconcerned that Merediths door was locked all the while they were in the house with her body apparently unconcerned even though blood was found in the bathroom and the front door wide open... It is just too much to explain away. Remember she is an honours student, not someone who wouldn't have put two and two together.

[PortofinoRevisited]

froufrou - of course not - but all the trial and appeal transcripts are available on the internet. This idea that the family/jury have some kind of "special knowledge" is rubbish.

[AngelaDaviesHair]

There was a lot of fuss in the US at the time of the original trial because of the PR campaign. People were suggesting that the State Department should 'intervene' somehow. Well, they didn't. There was no diplomatic pressure.

Similarly, I don't see US Att-Gen Eric Holder pausing form his punishing workload to go to bat for AK. Extradition may take time, but if Italy pursues it I think they'll get it.

And AK could not travel to any EU country because European arrest warrants mean she would be arrested and removed to Italy double quick.

[horsetowater]

I think this case has strong similarities with the McCann's, in the way the trial by media took place.

In the UK, the moment we have a crime scene, everything is sealed and recorded. In both of these cases you have inadequate local detectives faffing about and ruining evidence, then finding someone to blame almost at random.

The press then follow this up with a witch hunt. And it's always the women who are in focus. Why is that?

[horsetowater]

Who wrote that Mediawiki page?

[PortofinoRevisited]

Crime scene video of the bathroom. This does not relate at all to the images that were released to the press which were after a chemical had been applied.

[PortofinoRevisited]

Daily Mail report - for some reason the photos have been removed

[Lioninthesun]

Ys, but when you see photos and not a moving image with poor light settings, you can see the blood. Hers and Meridith's DNA was found mixed in the bidet. Which apparently she didn't even notice...

[Lioninthesun]

I think the only way we will find out the true story will be when they are on their deathbeds or if the other guy convicted speaks out although I imagine he has been paid very well to keep quiet

[PortofinoRevisited]

Which photos? Of course her DNA and Meredith's was in the bathroom. They used the bathroom daily.

[PortofinoRevisited]

Like the one on this web page?

[nostress]

I think a lot of Knox's behaviour show narcissistic traits... and I do think she is guilty... I have read the court reports (translated) and even if you ignore all DNA evidence there is still a strong case against her.

[PortofinoRevisited]

Which is?

[Lioninthesun]

themurderofmeredithkercher.com/The_Bathmat_Footprint

There were many pics of the tap, light switch, bidet and door as well as bathmat with clear dribbles of diluted blood. I have DD climbing on me now and can't see them, but they were on this site last week.

[Lioninthesun]

themurderofmeredithkercher.com/Other_DNA_Evidence#The_light_switch

[Mellowandfruitful]

It's increasingly unclear what the hell is going on in this case, but there's one thing I am sure of and that's that the Daily Mail's 'Foxy Knoxy' headline is an absolute disgrace. Disrespectful to Meredith Kercher, Amanda Knox, Raffaelle Sollecito and crime reporting in general. But, depressingly, they must have made the call that it pleases the readers.

[horsetowater]

if you ignore all DNA evidence there is still a strong case against her

Like what - that she's really a witch in league with beelzebub because she looked a bit shifty on the telly news?