‘I did not kill, I did not rape, I wasn’t there’

AHEAD of yesterday’s verdict, Amanda Knox made a heartfelt plea for freedom.

She broke down while telling an appeal court, in near-perfect Italian and without notes, that she was innocent of the murder of British student Meredith Kercher:

“MEMBERS of the court. Many times people have said I am the person (who killed) but people don’t understand whom I am.

“The accusations are completely unjust. I am the same person I was four years ago. The only thing different is what I have suffered. I lost a friend, a girlfriend, in the most brutal way in the most unexplained manner possible.

“My trust in the police authorities was betrayed, I have had to dealt with unfair and unfounded charges. I have paid with my life for things that I did not commit. Four years ago I did not know what tragedy was. I have never faced so much anger before.

“How did we react when we found out Meredith had been killed? I did not believe it. How was it possible? Her bedroom was next to mine. She was killed in our home. If I had been there that night, I would have died. The only difference is, I was not there

“I trusted the police’s sense of duty and trust. I trusted them completely. I was betrayed on the night of November 5. I was manipulated. I am not who they say I am. I did not do the things attributed to me. I am not violent. I don’t have a lack of respect for life. And I did not kill. I did not rape. I did not steal. I wasn’t there at the crime scene at the time.

“I am not who they say I am — the perversion, the violence, the lack of respect for life. I did not do the things they said I did. I did not kill, I did not sexually assault, I did not steal.

“Meredith was killed and I have always wanted justice for her… I insist on the truth. I insist after four desperate years on our innocence … I want to go back home. I want to go back to my life. I don’t want to be punished. I don’t want my life and my future taken away for something I didn’t do, because I am innocent and Raffaele is innocent too.

“I had good relationships with everyone who lived in my flat. We all had good relationships. We helped each other. I shared my life, particularly with Meredith. We were friends. She was worried about me. She was very kind to me. I have never run away from the truth.

“I insist after four desperate years, that our innocence is true and needs to be recognised. I want to go back home. I want to go back to my life. I do not want to be punished. I don’t want my life and my future taken away from me for something that I didn’t do.

“I am innocent. We do not deserve this. We never did anything to deserve this. I have the upmost respect to this court and the care that it has shown.

“Thank you.” Raffaele Sollecito spoke with notes, sometimes rambling:

“I HAVE never, ever harmed anyone in my life. I have been in this nightmare and I have never ever woken from it.

“Every day I have been in prison I have felt dead… Even small things are of fundamental importance. Some comforting words — a hug. A show of affection, some tenderness. Somehow, for a moment you hope it will help you forget everything.

“I hope these problems will be overcome. Having to deal with them every day is difficult. Our families have all made huge sacrifices.

“Walking in a dark tunnel. The light at the end of the tunnel is very, very far away.

“The tenderness we have shown each other since that day belongs in the past. I know I represent the past, I hope there is a new future for Amanda and myself, which I think we deserve.

“Thank you.”