Italy’s Highest Court Overturns Amanda Knox & Ex-Boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito Murder Conviction in the 2007 Death of British Student Meredith Kercher

IT IS FINALLY OVER FOR AMANDA KNOX …

On Friday, Italy’s highest court overturned the murder conviction of Amanda Knox and her Italian ex-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, in the 2007 death of British student Meredith Kercher. As reported at the Gazzetta del Sud, Amanda Knox was ”relieved and grateful for the decision of the Italian Supreme Court”. Thus brings an end to the murder trials, acquittals, appeals, convictions and overturned convictions in the 2007 death of British student Meredith Kercher.

From her home in Seattle, Washington Knox, 27, said that she was “relieved and grateful for the decision of the Italian Supreme Court”. Speaking to reporters outside her mother’s home, Knox said she was thankful for the justice I’ve received and for the support I’ve had from everyone – from my family, from my friends, to strangers. “I am so grateful to have my life back”.

Time line of convictions and acquittals:

Dec. 4, 2009: the Italian court in Perugia found Amanda Knox guilty of murder, sexual assault and slander and sentenced her to 26 years in prison, including one year for slander. Sollecito was convicted of murder and sexual assault, and sentenced to 25 years.
Oct. 3, 2011: The court threw out the convictions of Knox and Sollecito, declaring them innocent of murder and freeing them immediately after nearly four years in prison. Knox’s slander conviction was upheld and the sentence was increased from one year to three years.
March 26, 2013: Italy’s highest court vacated the acquittal, ordering a new appeals trial in a scathing decision that attacked the Perugia appellate court’s logic and ordered the examination of evidence that had been omitted previously.
Jan. 30, 2014: The court reaffirmed the 2009 murder and sexual assault convictions against Knox and Sollecito. Knox’s sentence was increased to 28 1/2 years, including time for the slander conviction. Sollecito’s was confirmed at 25 years.
March 27, 2015: Italy’s highest court, the Court of Cassation, again overturned the murder conviction, ending the case.

Amanda Knox and her family makes statement:

Statement from Amanda Knox:

“I am tremendously relieved and grateful for the decision of the Supreme Court of Italy. The knowledge of my innocence has given me strength in the darkest times of this ordeal. And throughout this ordeal, I have received invaluable support from family, friends, and strangers. To them, I say: Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Your kindness has sustained me. I only wish that I could thank each and every one of you in person.”

Statement from Amanda Knox’s family:

“We want to express our profound gratitude to all of those who have supported Amanda and our family. Countless people – from world-renowned DNA experts, to former FBI agents, to everyday citizens committed to justice – have spoken about her innocence. We are thrilled with and grateful for today’s decision from the Supreme Court of Italy. And we are grateful beyond measure for all that so many of you have done for her.”