[RobertLS]

^ They should let them out and put them in a movie.

It would make millions.

[medprof]

The silly girl couldn't keep her stories straight.

Short term memory loss? That hash-laced pot can be powerful. Of course it looks suspicious that Knox didn't keep her stories straight, but the evidence against her is...where?
First she says she was at her boyfriend's, then she was in the house hearing the screams...she looks guilty at this point, but then I say to myself, the motive is...what?

I don't buy for one second the whole drug-crazed attack, or some satanic ritual angle...smoking hash and pot wouldn't lead to a mental state that facilitates murdering someone in cold blood, or sexually attacking them. It would more likely chill you out a bit from whatever anger you had been feeling.

I read that one of the elements of the prosecution's case was Knox's lack of emotion after the discovery of the body but even that wasn't really sustained by any evidence.

Plus, her accusation against her boss (hmmm, blame the black guy defense?) really puts her in a bad light. Once she played that angle everything about her seems dicey. Couple that with the lies about the cell phones (which seems to have been constructed to create an alibi for her and the Italian boyfriend) any jury would consider her testimony to be untrustworthy. I agree that is very suspicious but there is something very important to remember: no evidence at all was produced to prove Knox had been in the room where Kercher's body was found. Not a single fingerprint or piece of forensic evidence was found in the room from either Knox or her boyfriend.
But Rudy Guede's fingerprints were all over Kercher's room. Maybe I do not have all the facts, I am new to this topic before today...how does the prosecution explain this?

..most Americans have a romantic fascination with Italy. It is a country glorified in US classrooms from an early age for it's history of art and architecture, its Roman roots, and its cultural leanings in food and leisure. I agree with this. I think it's wrong to suggest there is some kind of anti-Italian attitude in the USA. In classrooms, but also everywhere else in America, we have a love of Italy and all things Italian. A simply HUGE amount of Americans trace some ancestry back to Italy so you have a lot of ethnic Italian pride everywhere. A universally praised cuisine, high culture like opera, fashion, etc.
There are really more things in American media about Italy that are positive I think, than negative.
The cosa nostra thing is from a distant time...Americans today see Italy in terms of fashion, art, history, etc.

This case, however, does put the Italian judicial system in a very negative light. Mind you, that's not to say things about the American system are much better.

Italian boyfriend's white too, right? He's very pasty white, but I don't think very good looking at all. Just sayin'

^ Harsh. (And now an edited post.) I removed the F-bomb very soon after I posted it. The rest was basically asked for. And thanks for your moderation, but we have quite enough of that around here.

[Sipewrio]

...no evidence at all was produced to prove Knox had been in the room where Kercher's body was found. Not a single fingerprint or piece of forensic evidence was found in the room from either Knox or her boyfriend.

There is plenty of evidence. But one must decide if it is credible or not. I believe, as do most here, that the evidence is credible. From Newsweek:

"Even if Kercher had been murdered in Philadelphia instead of Perugia, in reality little would likely turn out differently. The evidence may even get more scrutiny in Italy. So far, 10 judges have reviewed the prosecution's case over the last year. All 10 have agreed that there is enough credible evidence to keep moving forward based solely on the merit of the forensics".

"Neither suspect has a credible alibi for the night of the murder, and both told a variety of lies about that night. No one has confessed to the murder, and Guede's testimony this weekend is not expected to shed any light on what really happened. Still, the prosecution maintains that it has enough to convict both Knox and Sollecito. Among the most damning evidence against Sollecito is his DNA on the metal clasp of the bra that was cut from Kercher after she died. Maresca also points out that credible witnesses have shattered Sollecito's alibi for the night of the murder. Sollecito says he was home that night working on his computer, but specialists have testified that his computer was dormant for an eight-hour period the night of Kercher's murder. Sollecito's attorneys contend that their client lied out of confusion and fear".

"Key forensic evidence against Knox includes her footprint in blood in the hallway outside Kercher's room. There are also mixed traces of Knox's DNA and Kercher's blood on the fixtures in the bathroom the girls shared. And a knife was found in Sollecito's apartment with Knox's DNA on the handle and what the prosecution believes is Kercher's DNA in a groove on the blade. None of these pieces have been thrown out of the 10,000-page dossier of evidence against the two. All will be presented to the jury for their consideration. Defense attorneys for Knox, who at one time admitted to being at home when the murder took place, dismiss the forensic evidence as unreliable."

http://www.newsweek.com/id/192370/page/2

Re: DNA... people forget that DNA evidence is a new science, not very long ago murder cases were put together without such evidence... the lies, the false alibis... accusing some one else... they would all be enough to add up to an involvement of this.

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[Gskdmidd]

Actually, don't most Americans think Italians are cosa nostra?

A romanticized notion nonetheless--the glorified mafias on the US continent have always been the Italian ones (no need to even bring in the cinematic references here, it's obvious). Even if the Chinese, Russian, and Mexican incarnations hold a true seat of power, Americans have long fascinated about the inner workings of the Italian household.

[pushokalex1]

Like I said, no evidence at all was produced to prove Knox had been in the room where Kercher's body was found. Not a single fingerprint or piece of forensic evidence was found in the room from either Knox or her boyfriend.

A post about hallways and bathroom fixtures doesn't dispute the fact.


Key forensic evidence against Knox includes her footprint in blood in the hallway outside Kercher's room. There are also mixed traces of Knox's DNA and Kercher's blood on the fixtures in the bathroom the girls shared. What? Do I have to address that? Like a shared bathroom wouldn't have DNA from Knox? What about the room where the body was actually found?
Yeah.

Nothing in the Newsweek article contradicts my statement. The bathroom and hallway? naturally they contain Knox's traces. She lived there.

[SHpuntik]

Of course it looks suspicious that Knox didn't keep her stories straight, but the evidence against her is...where?
First she says she was at her boyfriend's, then she was in the house hearing the screams...she looks guilty at this point, but then I say to myself, the motive is...what?

I don't buy for one second the whole drug-crazed attack, or some satanic ritual angle...smoking hash and pot wouldn't lead to a mental state that facilitates murdering someone in cold blood, or sexually attacking them. It would more likely chill you out a bit from whatever anger you had been feeling.

Anecdotally, and from personal experience, I'd agree. But what do you know about the extremes of human experience?

]...there is something very important to remember: no evidence at all was produced to prove Knox had been in the room where Kercher's body was found. Not a single fingerprint or piece of forensic evidence was found in the room from either Knox or her boyfriend.

But Rudy Guede's fingerprints were all over Kercher's room.

Conclusion?

I removed the F-bomb very soon after I posted it. The rest was basically asked for. And thanks for your moderation, but we have quite enough of that around here.

Sorry, I didn't mean to be the surrogate moderator. But I did see the f-bomb, and I did see it removed.


I regard both you and Fabrizio as my valuable friends, and I'd like to see y'all make up. Can you do that?

[Anakattawl]

Anecdotally, and from personal experience, I'd agree. But what do you know about the extremes of human experience? I just know the psychotropic effects of marijuana and hash tend to dull violent impulses. It doesn't make sense to me that these drugs would make the cause of the murder more understandable in any way.

Conclusion? How did they supposedly wipe the scene of their invisible traces but left the invisible DNA traces of Guede?

I regard both you and Fabrizio as my valuable friends, and I'd like to see y'all make up. Can you do that? Actually, I would hope so. Lots of things have been said, by both parties, but I am a peaceful person at heart.

[harriettvanders]

Uh... Midtown... I wrote the following: "There is plenty of evidence. But one must decide if it is credible or not. I believe, as do most here, that the evidence is credible." I mention nothing about the room.

Along with what is mentioned in that article, Knox's DNA was found on the knife, on a sponge, on a wash cloth etc. Room or not, IMHO that would at least link her to the murder. But note: from the beginning here I say: "IMHO".

I believe that KNox was at least involved in a cover-up which would make her an accomplice. A 25 year sentence for that is not out of the ordinary. The trail gets 2 appeals. And Italy is known for shortened sentances.

BTW: if she "had no motive for the killing".... what was her motive for blaming her boss?

Re: Drugs... for what it's worth the drugs of choice here are extasy and cocaine (because that's were the money is )... I doubt the hash story. If it were drugs it would be those 2.

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[Seasmillets]

^ A truly knowledgable drug accounting by an obvious aficionado. And probably true, since abstainers know nothing. Ever.

But what can you tell us about her innocence or guilt?

And what can you tell MidtownGuy to make up?

[Herimoisige]

LOL.

Extasy and cocaine for me? Never. Not in a million years. Good wine ...yes.

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IMHO Guilty.

But you know what? Honestly? Her behavior with the police and the in courtroom did her in. Her mother and sisters posing for a woman's magazine in front of the house where the murder happened. It just went on and on. Incredibly arrogant people with entitlement issues... I think it tipped the scales. I know... I know... it's not supposed to be that way... but clowning around under these circumstances is going to count for a lot over here.

"Italian courts are respectable institutions where rules of decorum are strictly followed. But Knox behaved boorishly throughout the trial, and the jury will have noticed. She enters the courtroom like a beauty queen, pandering to the cameras and sometimes answering journalists' questions with a coy smile. She also wore a "Let It Be" T shirt on Valentine's Day, and has been spotted passing around chocolates, winking at Sollecito, and laying her head down on the defense table. The Italian press has had a ball with Knox's courtroom antics (and those of her family). The jury is not sequestered, and the members are free to read about the case, which means they will certainly have been exposed to rampant criticism of her conduct."

This is a good article:

http://www.newsweek.com/id/216903

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