Italy-US relations ‘undamaged’ by Knox conviction

By Alessandra Rizzo, Rome

Tuesday, December 08, 2009

THE murder conviction of US student Amanda Knox has not damaged US-Italian relations, despite suggestions the verdict was tainted by anti-American sentiment and negligence by investigators, a top Italian diplomat said yesterday.

After a tense weekend, the diplomat sought to quell any speculation of a full-blown crisis, saying that no criticism had come from the US secretary of state.

"Who criticised?" said Franco Frattini, answering to reporters in Brussels. "Certainly not Hillary Clinton. Let’s not create confusion."

Clinton herself, speaking on Sunday, said she had not looked into the case but would meet with anybody who had concerns. She said she had not expressed concerns to the Italian government.

Knox was convicted over the weekend of sexually assaulting and murdering her British roommate, Meredith Kercher, and sentenced to 26 years in jail.

Her co-defendant in the trial and former boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito of Italy, was found guilty of the same charges and sentenced to 25 years in prison. All were studying in Perugia at the time of the 2007 slaying.

Knox and Sollecito have already been kept behind bars since shortly after the killing. They have maintained their innocence and plan to appeal.

The jury in Perugia has not issued the motivations and rationale for their ruling, but must do so within the next 90 days.

The verdict shocked the Knox family and other supporters of the 22-year-old from Seattle. They said evidence was scant and blamed the decision largely on the prosecutors’ character assassination of Knox.

Sen Maria Cantwell, a Democrat from Washington state, said in a statement that she had "serious questions about the Italian justice system and whether anti-Americanism tainted this trial". She didn’t mention that Knox’s co-defendant was an Italian.

She said that "other flaws in the Italian justice system on display in this case" included negligent handling of evidence and harsh treatment of Knox after her arrest, a charge the Italian police have denied.

Many noted that the jury, two judges and six civilians, had not been sequestered during the year-long trial, and could therefore be influenced by any unfavourable coverage of the woman.

This story appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Tuesday, December 08, 2009