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Knox to face Meredith retrial

The most senior appeals court in Italy has ordered a retrial of Amanda Knox for the murder of Meredith Kercher, after overturning her acquittal.

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Six year saga of Meredith Kercher murder

Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito have been ordered to face retrial for the murder of British exchange student Meredith Kercher.

Meredith's body was found in her apartment in Perugia on November 2, 2007. Here are the key events in the six year saga:

  • November 6, 2007: Amanda Knox is arrested along with Raffaele Sollecito, and Diya "Patrick" Lumumba, the owner of a pub Knox occasionally worked. Lumumba released due to lack of evidence.
  • December 6, 2007: Ivory coast national Rudy Guede extradited from Germany and arrested upon arrival in Italy
  • October 28, 2008: Judge indicts Knox and Sollecito on murder and sexual assault charges. Guede convicted of murder and sexual assault and sentenced to 30 years
  • December 4, 2009: Knox and Sollecito found guilty of murder and sexual assualt, sentenced to 25 years.
  • November 24, 2010: Appeal trials for Knox and Sollecito open
  • June 29, 2011: Independent forensics report finds much of DNA evidence used in trial by prosecution is unreliable
  • October 3, 2011: Knox and Sollecito cleared of the murder of Meredith Kercher.

Meredith's sister 'hopes to find answers' from retrial

Speaking to ITV News from the family home in Coulsdon in south London, Meredith Kercher's sister Stephanie said:

We welcome the news in the sense that we hope to find the answers. We are never going to be happy about any outcome because we have still lost Meredith but we obviously support the decision and hope to get answers from it.

There are still so many unanswered questions, all we have ever wanted to do is do what we can for Meredith and to find out the truth of what happened that night.

Rudy Guede's conviction was on the basis that there was more than one person there so that is something that needs to be looked into.

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How extradition requests work between Italy & the US

  • The US and Italy brought an extradition treaty into force in 1984
  • It obliges each country to extradite anyone charged with or convicted of an extraditable offence by a jail sentence of more than one year
  • In this case, Italy must give the US specific documents to show they have "probable cause to believe" that Meredith Kercher was murdered, and Miss Knox committed the offence

Amanda Knox full statement after retrial decision

It was painful to receive the news that the Italian Supreme Court decided to send my case back for revision when the prosecution's theory of my involvement in Meredith's murder has been repeatedly revealed to be completely unfounded and unfair.

I believe that any questions as to my innocence must be examined by an objective investigation and a capable prosecution.

The prosecution responsible for the many discrepancies in their work must be made to answer for them, for Raffaele's sake, my sake, and most especially for the sake of Meredith's family.

Our hearts go out to them. No matter what happens, my family and I will face this continuing legal battle as we always have, confident in the truth and with our heads held high in the face of wrongful accusations and unreasonable adversity.

– Amanda Knox
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