Amanda Knox Appeal: Is Ann Coulter's Take On the Amanda Knox Case A Stunt Or Is She Simply Wrong Again

September 14, 2011- Ann Coulter is a lawyer, an author, and a political commentator, so you would figure that this woman would be well informed or at least cautious about what she spouts. Anyone who has read Coulter's books and read her commentaries should know that it seems like she could really give a rat's ass about offending anyone- but this time she was way off the map.

Her article of September 7th on the Amanda Knox case was simply unreal- even for her. Not only did she ramble off sheer speculation (because that is what she was quoting), the so-called Motivation report of the first trial which even this current appeals judge does not accept. Calling up things that simply stirred-the-pot, yet has no basis in recent reality. It makes one wonder what does this woman thinks she is doing besides trying to get her name involved in a big international murder case. I really don't know. I do know that she does not play it safe and is known for just speaking her mind- hey, that's fine, but don't you think you should know what you are talking about first- You know, kind of have a grip on the facts before you just start spouting off.

Listen honey- most of the things you have said about Amanda Knox are either speculation from the original trial (which intelligent people do not buy into) or misinformation spread by the prosecutor's office in Perugia. What are you going to do when Amanda is released later this month? Actually, I don't think you really care- one way or another. Political commentaries are one thing- fooling with people's lives is another.

Listen if you haven't got the time to do your own research into this case than I am sure you could hire someone to do it for you. That way you would not look like you do at this point. Was it simply for the publicity, or was it that you just bought into bad information? I really don't know. One thing is for sure- I am sure you remember from law school the definitions of the words: wrongful conviction, malicious prosecution, and most importantly- libel and slander.

Just my opinions of course- how would I know? Just like you.

Amanda Knox Appeal: Should Amanda Be Freed And Go Back To Seattle? Yes!

September 12, 2011-
I see that there is a new angle on the Amanda Knox case- a poll which asks if she should be allowed to go back to Seattle- this no doubt is a reflection on the lack of news while people wait for the verdict. The internet now is very slow on the Knox case. The simple answer to why is because most people now expect her to be released- that's right- no more war, no more debating, no more lies to fool people. This case and public opinion has completely come about- a 180 degree turn. Her detractors have all but disappeared.

Yes I checked- On the most notorious site against Amanda Knox, instead of drumming up fictions and applauding her conviction- now (as I checked) they argue about whether Amanda was wearing a bra or not in court. I was amazed- commenting on her wardrobe and if she was wearing a bra was the recent news on this pathetic site- yes you know who you are. These sites now are all but abandoned with nothing to talk about except foolishness.

Now recently a poll asks if Amanda Knox should be allowed to go free and back to Seattle. Well I think that is going to happen anyway regardless of the outcome of polls. Yet the fact is, no one can tell a free person where she can go and when this is all over-which it will be very soon- no one can libel a person who has been freed. So those who want to continue their rants on guilt should watch their tongues so as not to be sued. Yes I know that is what the Italian prosecutors like to do but when she is free- watch your tongue in the U S. Trash the police if you like here but do not libel the innocent. Laws are still laws.

The sad part of all of this and I mean beyond the false conviction, is that Amanda being the person she is, was so badly hurt by all of this. It was not the 4 years in prison as much as the public opinion against her in the beginning that hurt her. She could not bear to think that people thought her guilty of this crime. That is what bothered her more than anything. She was not perfect of course- who is- but could you or I have done better under the circumstances? I do not think so.  She is unusual yes, but that is what makes her appealing to the press and a target for the prosecution. She is photogenic and seemed an ideal target for the press, but now in a good way because there is nothing against her anymore.

When people look back on this case- what will they see? I do not think Amanda Knox will ever be in question- More like, Why did Mignini get to have his way in this case. Why did Rudy Guede  (the real killer) get off with only 16 years, and can they do anything to increase that?  Why do the Kerchers feel the way they do in spite of all the evidence- (Maresca?).  And is it not possible for the prosecution to just lay down arms in the face of all the facts- yes it is .

Understand this- Prosecutor Comodi did not say that Amanda might go free from any sense of compassion- she said it out of the menality that there was nothing left to win. All that was necessary was that there be a fair judge and jury, and that is what Amanda is getting this time- no mystery- just justice.

Amanda Knox Appeal: Even If Amanda Wins Her Appeal Will She Be Allowed To Leave Italy

September 9, 2011
As I was thinking that Amanda Knox would win her appeal and gain her freedom- it did cross my mind that maybe it would not be that simple- not in Italy- not concerning Amanda Knox. I really do hope this is a needless post, but considering what has happened to Amanda in Perugia Italy and considering who runs the show in that town- I get a really creepy feeling that something may go wrong even if she wins.

Consider for a moment that Amanda Knox wins her appeal. One would think people would be happy and she would take her time leaving and then fly home to Seattle and get on with her life. Right? Maybe. What if- and I hope I am just paranoid about this- the prosecution decides to get a little 'payback' for losing the appeal. Understand this- that once Amanda is outside that appeals court free- what is to stop Mignini and the police from preventing her from leaving Italy. Outside that courtroom Mignini runs the show. He walks around like he is the Duke of Lasagna and no one seems to be able to stop him or is afraid to even try. It's pathetic. Yet it is possible in reality that something else could happen.

You know I would like to blame this all on Candace Dempsey because she is the one who got me thinking. She stated in a blog of her's a couple days ago that the prosecution in Italy can also appeal her not guilty verdict in the appeals and that she should get out of Italy as fast as she can. Damn you Candace- it's all your fault : ) Seriously this was a good heads up on Candace's part and it should not be taken lightly.  That is very true. There is also a slander charge pending against Amanda and they could use that as an excuse to keep her in jail, even though she wins her appeal. And please people- don't tell me I am giving the prosecution ideas- If they are going to do something they already have it planned out.

So- what are the options to protect Amanda when she gets out? Yes, I am assuming that she will win her appeal. One would think of the U S State Dept but they have been pretty worthless so far as this case has gone and all they say is- You are subject to the laws of the country you are in- But they will mail letters to your family- that's nice.

In all honesty I really would be amazed if Mignini and company would actually dual with Amanda again but I know it is possible- Hey, these people do not like to lose and this is the most important case on an international scale they will ever deal with- and they lost? I do not trust these people.

The only person I trust in this case is Judge Pratillo Hellmann, but what can he do outside his courtroom. Hopefully he can protect Amanda after she is acquitted. This I do not know. I am not up on the separation of powers in Italy. If he can protect her- I hope that he does and sees that she leaves Italy safely.

To Amanda's family I say- get her the hell out of there as quickly as possible- It's no joke. Who can trust these prosecutors and the Perugia police- Sorry but considering what has happened- who would? Make plans ahead of time and get out of there- just in case.

Well, I  would rather be called paranoid then have Amanda back in jail on some coup by the prosecution. Better safe than sorry. Who can dispute that considering all that has happened.  This nightmare will be over when Amanda wins her appeal and is back home in Seattle safe. It's not my fault that I had to bring this up- Candace did it- but she was right.

Amanda Knox Appeal: Myths and Lies Of the Amanda Knox Case

September 9, 2011
There is an old saying that goes: "It's not what you believe, it's why you believe it". Somethings are opinions while others are hard facts. As concerns the Amanda Knox case- there is still a large amount of misinformation (incorrect information) floating around even after most of it has been proved to be nonsense, it's still believed by some as fact. The reason for this post is simply because I want to point out to people new to this that you have to separate fact from fiction in order to understand the Amanda Knox case.

I am not going to give opinions here- just the facts. And I am going to point out some misinformation in this case that has been proven false. Most of this misinformation is circulated by those who believe Knox is guilty. Whether they actually believe the nonsense they spread is another question, but my purpose here is only to point out the lies and why they are lies. It seems that there are quite a few people out there who are confused by conflicting information, and are becoming quite frustrated.

Q. A lot of people say Knox is innocent now, if so, why was she convicted at her original trial?
A. Knox was set up to take a fall before her trial even started. Leaked misinformation from the prosecutor's office was obtained by the media. Here are some examples of this- Knox was falsely told that she was HIV positive while in jail and was told to make a list of all her lovers. Once given that information it 'somehow' became public knowledge. After this was spread about, Knox was then told that a mistake had been made and no she was not HIV positive (pretty low tactic huh?). Her private diaries were leaked to the press. Also 'leaked' to the press were false stories about bleach receipts- giving the false impression that the crime scene had been cleaned by Amanda with bleach. NO BLEACH RECEIPTS EXIST. These type of things were fuel for the media at the time which the jury at the original trial was reading on a daily basis- Girl Gone Wild, Satanic Orgies, Sex Crazed Girl Charged With Murder, Crime Scene Cleaned With Bleach, and on and on. Much of the news at that time was not based on fact, but it didn't matter- the whole idea was to make Amanda Knox look as bad as possible and sway public opinion against her- and it worked.
By the time the original trial started she had already been raked over the coals with the minds of the jury full of those ridiculous headlines. At the trial itself the prosecution presented a witness Antonio Curatolo (a park bum) who testified that he saw Knox and Raffaele near the scene of the crime at about the time of the murder. Since Knox's alibi was that she and Raffaele were at his house on the night of the murder and did not leave- this made Knox look like a liar and went against her alibi. The prosecution also put forth their DNA evidence - presenting a kitchen knife that was taken by police from Raffaele's house. It stated in court that this knife had Knox's DNA on the handle and the victim's DNA on the blade. The prosecution also stated that Raffaele's DNA was found on the victim's bra-clasp. Also the prosecution put forth in court that Amanda and Raffaele had 'staged' a break-in to make it look like someone had broken into the house through a window.
These were the major points that led to Knox and Raffaele being convicted. The judge at the time would not allow a retest of the DNA and simply believed the DNA to be solid evidence based on the word of the prosecution. The 'staged break-in' was sheer speculation without proof but the judge bought it anyway. So it was the DNA, no alibi, trying to fool the police with a staged break-in, and of course she was made to look like she was lying about everything. Again these were the major points along with some circumstantial and some other speculative 'evidence'. The jury found Amanda and Raffaele guilty of murder and sentenced Amanda to 26 years and Raffaele to 25 years.
That was then- this is now- and at the recent appeals of their conviction the DNA evidence has been judged unreliable- no blood found on the knife- the knife was not cleaned with bleach, and that the bra-clasp was most probably contaminated. These were the conclusions of the independent DNA experts appointed by the judge of the appeals court. In short they found that the collection and testing of the DNA was unacceptable and should not have been used in court. The appeals court also heard the testimony of the park bum Curatolo (the one who made Knox look like a liar with a phony alibi) who had recently been jailed for dealing heroin- this time around he made a complete fool of himself and couldn't even get the correct day of the murder right in addition to admitting he was under the influence of heroin at the time.
So the appeal has so far been the flip-side to the original trial with no hard evidence remaining against Amanda or Raffaele.

Now, as some people would point out, there were also other reasons she was convicted, but most of these 'other reasons' are not facts and some are outright lies, and yet others are of no consequence. Consider the following which some people still think are facts.

Crime scene cleaned with bleach bought by Amanda the next morning with bleach receipt to prove it.
False- There is no evidence that proves the scene was cleaned and there are no bleach receipts. The bleach myth is one example of the 'leaked' false information that circulated at the time of the original trial.

 It was proved during the original trial that Amanda and Raffaele staged a break-in to throw police off their trail.
False- There is no evidence that there was a 'staged break-in'. This is simply speculation without proof.

Here is one of my favorites- There was found at the crime scene mixed blood belonging to the victim and Amanda.
False- An outright lie, there was NO mixed blood found.

Bloody footprint on bath mat that belonged to Raffaele.
False- While there was a bloody footprint it did not belong to Raffaele.

There was found in the house mixed DNA of the victim and Amanda.
While this is true, it doesn't mean anything incriminating. Mixed DNA is a common occurrence of two or more people living in the same space and Amanda and Meredith (victim) lived in the same house and shared the same bathroom. Prosecutor Mignini presented this at the original trial like it was damning evidence when in fact it means nothing at all. Anyone who lives with someone else is going to have their DNA mixed with whoever they live with- This is a scientific/ forensic fact.

Amanda stole Meredith's money.
False- There never was any evidence pointing to that- and she was not convicted of that even at the original trial. Even the trial judge who convicted her of murder didn't think Amanda took the money.

Then there is Amanda's behavior after the murder- The cell phone fiasco- cartwheels- false confession, etc....All of which proves nothing. In short, the major issues as concerns the new appeals judge were the eye-witness Curatolo and the DNA evidence. That is all the judge wanted to go over because he knows the rest of it is foolishness, lies and speculation. So at this point- there is no eye witness and there is no credible DNA evidence either. There is nothing left to this case to prove guilt- Nothing. So when people try to tell you that even though there is no eye-witness or DNA anymore, but there is a lot of 'other stuff' that proves Amanda guilty- just say to them- Prove it!

 

Amanda Knox Appeal: Judge Hellmann Denies Prosecution's Request For Retest- All Looks Good For Knox

September 7, 2011- Judge Hellmann has just denied the prosecution's request for a second test of the DNA. This is great news for Knox supporters. The judge has set the next hearing for Sept 23rd for the closing of the appeal before the final verdict. It is a wonderful thing to see the flip-side of the original trial- which to me was a mockery of justice.

The original trial had turned my stomach and reminded me of the trial of Jeanne de Arc (Joan of Arc). No I am not comparing Saint Joan to Amanda, but that it was of similar circumstances- the verdict in advance of the evidence. A trial tainted and a rush to judgement. Thank God for a fair judge in this case. Hopefully the jury will see the truth and set Amanda and Raffaele free. I do believe that is what is going to happen. But unlike Comodi who thinks they will win and it is a shame- I think it is justice at last. And like I said before- the prosecution should get on their knees in church and beg God to forgive them for they have created evil rather than good by keeping innocents in prison for years.

I do believe that Amanda will go free now. No it is not official and I am getting ahead of things. But even prosecutor Comodi knows it is over- finally over. All that remains is it to be official and for Amanda and Raffaele to go free.

To Stephanie Kercher I say- the world feels your sorrow and knows that your sister's life was taken, but do not be mislead by what lawyers say- Amanda Knox did not kill your sister. The murderer is in jail and his name is Rudy Guede- You have your murderer but the shame of that is that he has only 16 years to do for the rape and murder of your sister. No longer hold your anger against Knox and Raffaele they are innocent of this. Hurting two innocent people for a crime they had nothing to do with will not bring  closure to this sadness. It troubles me that you think that justice will be done if Amanda stays in jail but do you not see that innocents can not pay the price for your sister's death? It was not that she was guilty one day but innocent the next- She was innocent to begin with. Your family has suffered a great loss and for that I am sorry as so many others feel as well. If you really want closure- open your heart and see that these two people who have been in prison for almost 4 years have also had their lives taken from them. Justice is at hand if Amanda and Raffaele go free. I hope you could accept this, if not, that only tells me that you do not know that facts of this case and should look beyond what your lawyer tells you. The truth is the truth- it is not always in the eye of the beholder- as if it were a matter of opinion. This appeals court was based on facts and in my way of thinking the innocent went down with the guilty. I mean no disrespect by saying these things to you- May you find peace, which is outside the scope of this trial. I hope your family finds insight into this, and does not hold the freedom of the defendants as murderers gone free but rather innocents released. Peace to you and your family.

Amanda Knox Appeal: Prosecutor Comodi Admits Knox & Sollecito Will Win Appeal

September 7, 2011- This morning the prosecution asked for a second review of the DNA and at this precise moment Judge Hellmann has not ruled on this but it is expected later today. The request is ridiculous of course but then again the prosecution is just about out of cards to play.

Earlier prosecutor Comodi seemed to think that Knox will win her appeal. I think reality finally caught up with her. She stated "There is an ill wind blowing in this case. The judge and his assistant are clearly against us. I can see Knox and Sollecito being freed which will be a shame as they are both involved." She then said that the prosecution will seek a second examination of the DNA. She then stated "I do not know if the judge will grant this or not, they are obviously against us." At this moment- the prosecution has indeed request the second test of the DNA but the court is still in session I believe at this moment.

The request seems to be a disparate attempt- a last ditch effort to keep Knox locked up. Personally, I think the innocent have suffered enough. A second test of the DNA would only mean another 3 months or more of Knox being in prison. And that is what "would be a shame". Whether Comodi really thinks Knox will win her appeal or if she is just trying to sway the court by saying the "court is against us"- I don't even want to guess. I do know one thing and that is that the prosecution has had more than enough time after 4 years to collect their imaginary evidence, and Knox and Sollecito should not remain in prison a day longer than is necessary to clear up this............. wrongful conviction.

Comodi can put it anyway she likes but the judge is not against her- he is simply no fool and realizes that the conviction of Amanda Knox was a huge mistake and is going with the evidence. In my opinion judge Hellmann has redeemed the world's faith in justice and a plus for the Italian justice system. The prosecution should get on their knees and ask God to forgive them- for keeping innocent people in prison this long.

The court is not done today so I will write another post when more is known.

Amanda Knox Appeal: September 5th, 2011 Court Appointed Expert Says, Anyone's DNA Could Be On There

September 5, 2011- The appeal for Amanda Knox kicked up again today in Perugia, picking up where it left off last July with the court appointed experts taking the stand. The big issue was still the DNA which the experts shot full of holes earlier this summer and continued to stand by. Despite the prosecution blowing a lot of smoke, Dr. Carla Vecchiotti came through the cross examination convincingly. As regards to the knife, Vecchiotti stated that the investigators/ Stefanoni, "evaluated a quantity of DNA that no one in the world would try to analyze". In regards to the bra-clasp she stated that small traces of at least 18 people including herself were on the clasp. "Anyone's DNA could be on there" she said, obviously referring to widespread contamination of the clasp.

Dr Stefanoni, who did the original testing for the prosecution, also testified today and defended the original investigation and collection and testing of DNA in direct opposition to the court appointed experts. Well now- who to believe. Actually, most people who know about DNA and what is called Low Copy Number DNA, already know the prosecution is on very thin ice. Personally I think the thing to remember about this clash over DNA is that the court appointed DNA experts have nothing to gain or loose by stating their case- they have nothing to do with the defense or prosecution and therefore their findings can be taken as being unbiased. Can the same be said for Stefanoni who works on the side of the prosecution?

The appeal hearings will continue through the week with the verdict expected by the end of the month.

Amanda Knox Appeal: Patrizia Stefanoni, Franceso Maresca, and Other Drama Coming September 5th

September 2, 2011- It's like the calm before the storm. Expect a lot of fireworks from the prosecution to try and side-track the the real issue coming Monday September 5th. The issue is still the DNA that the court appointed experts have basically blasted out of the water. And the prosecution and company is now hard pressed to get around this- And for good reason. The DNA has been called into question from the very beginning. For those of you not up on this- simply put- the original trial court refused to have an independent review of the DNA as requested by the defense. The appeals court DID allow it and it put the prosecution in a very tight corner. Why? Well at the original trial it was put forth that Amanda's DNA was on the handle of the knife and the victim's DNA was on the blade- Now that is very damning 'evidence'. Yet it turns out that after the court appointed independent experts tested that knife- there was no DNA of the victim to be found on the blade. They did find starch though- which kind of kills the idea that the knife was throughly cleaned.
Now Low Copy Number DNA- which is what was supposedly on the blade- is a very tiny amount. And we only have the prosecution's expert Patrizia Stefanoni's word that it was ever there to begin with. The court appointed experts found no DNA of the victim on the blade. What is really strange to me is that there was no blood on the blade but they did find starch- you know- as in pasta or potatoes.

Now in the United States DNA has to be enough to be retested- not so the case here in Italy. So we are on strange ground here- Personally I wouldn't take a prosecution's expert's word for anything in this case- but that's me. It can not be proven that it was ever there to begin with. And the court appointed experts say if it ever was there it was quite possibly the result of contamination and the same goes for the bra-clasp. And to compound the issue, the lab that tested the knife and bra-clasp was not even certified at that time to do that kind of testing.

One would think that in a case like this, with all the damning evidence against this 'disappeared' DNA, discredited prosecution witnesses, and no believable motive- that the prosecution would simply back off- say 'whoops' and go away. But that's not going to happen- unfortunately. This is an Italian drama- not an American one. Yet no one is going to be fooled at this point and like I have said- the world is watching. Stefanoni, Maresca, Mignini........bring it on. No one is buying this smoke and mirrors act anymore. It's a sad thing when people can not admit they made a mistake and are still playing with people's lives for the sake of their egos and their reputations.

Amanda Knox Appeal: Knox Appeal Starts Up Again September 5th

September 1, 2011- It's been a quiet summer for the Amanda Knox case, with the court starting back up this Monday, September 5th. I urge everyone to rally to the cause because this is the end of it. One way or another this case will close during the month of September with the anti-Knox factions still blowing smoke. Expect to see someone the with initials F. M. to give it everything he's got to try and lessen the impact of the recent Knox victories which blew away the so called 'eye-witness' and DNA fairy-tale. Do not expect the prosecution to throw in the towel on this. These people do not do this- they should but they don't. They will remain defiant and poker-faced until the very end.

This is not an American cause, just because she happens to be American. This is a cause for everyone who hates injustice. And injustice is what this girl has had to swallow for almost four years. It's all going to end soon- I would say sometime this month (September) it's going to be over. And yes I really do believe that it is going to end in her favor. The most important reason I think so is because the head judge in this case is Judge Hellmann who has been directing this appeal in a very fair and balanced manner.

During the first and original trial it was a nightmare with the appearance of justice but who the hell wrote the script for that one. The newspapers were having a field-day with the most ridiculous stories- well, that's what sells the newspapers. And the jury was buying it up and looking at Knox with contempt before the trial even got off the ground. And then of course there was the so-called 'motivation report', which explained the reasons the judge and jury came to their conclusions- The most ridiculous and speculating legal document I have ever read. Even though it was over 400 pages I had to read it twice to make sure I got it right. But that was then- and a lot has changed since then.

Some people lately have left comments that they asked not to have published and I have respected their wishes. Most have stated that they fear that Italy will not release Amanda and Raffaele regardless of the new evidence in their favor. To these and others who may wonder, I say, do not worry about this. I personally feel that this whole mistake will be corrected. The prosecution has no case- and the world is watching. My feeling is that the error in the conviction has been revealed and that all will go well. Other people think a 'middle of the road' type thing will happen where Amanda will just get a reduced sentence and will remain in prison for years. I do not think that will happen. She is clearly innocent at this point and nothing but her release will right the wrong that has been done. A middle-road verdict will not put an end to this.  All of Amanda's supporters- Please follow this to the end and show your support. And please Judge Hellmann- as we say in America, and elsewhere- Do the right thing.

Amanda Knox Appeal: Knox Will Win Appeal Despite Hate Sites Misinformation

I thought they had gone away- those sites which seemed to thrive off misleading people- those Amanda Knox haters who seem to wallow in her supposed guilt. At one time they were hard to avoid. They were trying hard to control public opinion, and would spout more misinformation on the Knox case then you were able to digest in one sitting- particularly if you did not know much about the case. And it is/was a complex case, but mainly because there were so many lies served-up to poison people's minds against Amanda Knox. It has always been a battle to separate the truth from the lies; Pressing one to study the case in depth in order to come to a clear conclusion as to her guilt or innocence.

Yet lately there has been a new offensive led by these old (and some new) sites which excel at bending the truth to fit their views. With the recent victories of Knox in court on the 'park bum eye-witness' and the DNA review by independent experts you would figure that they would simply shut up, and slip between the cracks- but like resistant roaches, when you spray them- they just get bigger. And just today I have read online three ridiculous articles of misinformation (that was long ago proved false) about bloody footprints and stolen money and cell phones, and staged break-ins, bleach receipts, etc.... Most  just can not accept the fact they were wrong, and some are just plain stupid and can't figure out the case anyway.....with a 'she looks guilty to me' mentality. See my post on these people "Why Some People Hate Amanda Knox and Her Supporters".

So, with the appeals case going so well for Amanda and Raffaele, why are these people still at it. One reason- and the most important reason- is that they are simply trying to confuse people who are new to the case by spouting misinformation and outright lies. In the end however, it won't matter. The judge in this case is after the truth and Judge Hellmann is just the man to overturn a wrongful conviction. He has shown from the start that he was after the truth by going after the two main reasons why Amanda Knox was convicted in the first place- the so-called eye witness and the DNA 'evidence', and both have taking a beating. The prosecution's case has completely fallen apart during this appeal and it just goes to show that Amanda Knox should never have been found guilty in the first place.

Amanda Knox will win her appeal Why? Because there is nothing to convict her. There is not, and never was a motive. There is nothing that ties her to the scene of the murder- no eye-witness, no DNA, no murder weapon- nothing. There is not even the despicable tabloids against her which had helped to convict her through 'character assassination' before the original trial. I can not help but admire this woman. She is not perfect- who is, but she has shown she can take a punch and has never lost her temper in all of this- despite all the injustice and humiliation she was forced to swallow. In a couple months it will all be over and she will at last be allowed to go free. After almost 4 years in prison- it's sad of course, but better late than never.

Amanda Knox Appeal: Should Knox Be Given House Arrest Rather Than Another Hot Summer In Prison?

July 1, 2011-  Perugia gets hot in the summer. So hot in fact the court usually shuts down for the season. In Capanne prison where Amanda Knox is being held the temp. can soar above 100 degrees F., something most people will never experience and would never want to. Since it has become clear that Knox is not guilty, would it not be more humane to place her under a 'house arrest' type situation until the end of her appeal rather than for her to spend another broiling summer in Capanne?

Is this possible? Yes, it is. It is not unusual for people convicted of crimes, including murder, to wait out their appeals outside prison walls in Italy. The Knox prosecutor Mignini himself is walking around completely free as he awaits his own appeal for abuse of his office and wire-tapping, for which he was convicted and sentenced to 18 months in prison. In actuality, this would be a humanitarian move on the part of the appeals court. After more than 3 years in prison and clearly innocent, I think Amanda Knox deserves an act of compassion. In Italy you are not considered guilty until you have lost all your appeals, and I think at this point in time, with no valid evidence against her, she deserves to wait for the outcome of her appeal in a more humane environment.

This would not be unreasonable. Nor would it be complex or a risky venture. She has no passport to leave the country, and since she is 'high profile' I don't think she can blend in with the crowd and find her way back to Seattle. Why would she even try- she is winning her appeal and will most likely be set free in October in any case. So why add insult to injury and prolong her time in prison for something she did not do.

It isn't difficult to place someone under house arrest- particularly if her people were paying the rent on a house- a house that would be monitored, and expenses paid for food and clothing by her own people. They could even put a monitor on her ankle so that she would not be able to leave the grounds without an alarm going off. She could even be put under the protection of the U S State Dept. with a few U S Marines for her protection- yes, I think it is time for the State Dept employees in Italy to take some long overdue responsibility as concerns Amanda- particularly now that it is very clear she is not guilty.

Can this happen? Yes. Will it happen? I have no idea. Perhaps if Amanda did not face another grueling summer in Capanne prison, and perhaps if she had not already done over 3 years for something she didn't do- than perhaps I wouldn't even be bringing up this idea of house arrest. But as it stands, I think this girl and her family have suffered more than enough, and the same goes for Raffaele and his family. Regardless of how much the idea would ruffle the feathers of the prosecution, I keep thinking, with everything Amanda and Raffaele have been through, when will it stop- how much is enough?

Amanda Knox Appeal: Big Victory For Knox On DNA Finishes Off Prosecution's Case

It's over, not officially of course, but it's over none the less. The prosecution's case against Amanda Knox has crashed as the court appointed DNA experts have turned in a 144 page report which completely destroys the the so-called 'evidence' against Knox. The DNA was the last foothold for the prosecution and they lost big-time on that one. The experts Carla Vecchiotti and Stefano Conti have stated that the DNA testing of the knife and bra clasp was "unreliable" and possibly the result of contamination. They further stated that the investigators/police handling of the evidence was not acceptable, and that the testing of the low copy number DNA did not meet minimum international standards. The DNA could not be retested because there was nothing to test so, as ordered by the court, the experts turned their attention to the collection of evidence and the DNA testing procedures.

For anyone wanting more information on the expert's report just google it- it's all over the news.

Amanda Knox has unofficially won her appeal with the long awaited DNA report. There is now zero evidence against her, and all that is left is some expected fussing from the prosecution. People everywhere should now ask themselves how the wrongful conviction of Amanda Knox could have happened in the first place, and what should be done about it. Yet all of that is best left till after Amanda and Raffaele' are free. I think at this point in time, with Amanda being clearly innocent, the court should have her placed under 'house arrest' in Perugia, rather than continuing in prison, until the appeal is over. The same should go for Raffaele. And why not? They are at this point clearly innocent with nothing to merit a continued stay in prison. They have been locked up for over 3 and a half years and are clearly innocent- enough is enough. What I am suggesting is nothing special. Prosecutor Mignini himself is out walking around a free man while waiting for his own appeal after he was convicted of abusing his office and bugging the phones of journalists. I think it is time to show some compassion to these two victims of a crass rush to judgement from the original trial. Of course the prosecution could object to their release from prison but they could not do so for any rational reasons. Like I said, Mignini himself is out walking around, and I find him a much more dangerous person than Amanda Knox. Just an idea. In any case (unofficially of course) it's over- and the good guys win.

Amanda Knox Appeal: Knox Shocked and Saddened By Guede's Cowardice

June 27, 2011- It was a strange day in the Perugia court this morning- tense, emotional, but ultimately disappointing. For those who thought Rudy Guede would come clean about the murder...well....he didn't. For those who thought that Amanda's and Raffaele's defense teams would give Guede the business...well... they didn't. For those who thought Guede would be compelled one way or another to tell the truth... he wasn't.

Guede said he would not answer questions related to the murder and would only make a statement and read a letter regarding Mario Alessi's claim that he told him Amanda and Raffaele were innocent. He was not compelled to answer questions from the defense. While this may have been legally correct, it was also morally reprehensible. Particularly since he (actually prosecutor Mignini) slipped in that Amanda and Raffaele were responsible for the murder (without using those exact words). What did appear like a legal ploy was that Guede said he had trouble reading his own handwriting and Mignini read the letter for him. The letter basically stated that he (Guede) had never told Alessi anything about the murder and that in his opinion it was Amanda and Raffaele who were the murderers. Although Guede has changed his story several times about who was involved in the murder, he seems quite comfortable lately about Amanda and Raffaele getting the rap for it.

Perhaps the strangest and most surprising event of the day was that witnesses were called saying that Raffaele's lawyer Bongiomo offered a witness a large sum of money to cook up a story of someone else commiting the murder. While I am sure no one including the prosecution believes this foolishness, it certainly did get Bongiomo's blood up, and who could blame her. It seems that the prosecution is ready to play dirty now that they no longer have a case against Amanda and Raffaele. The witnesses saying this against Bongiomo were of course inmates who said they heard this from the 'witness' himself.  Was this some kind of message from the prosecution saying "See we can get inmates to say things too". Well this is really just too stupid to believe- Bongiomo is a highly respected lawyer and is a member of the Italian PM.

As far as Guede's comments and letter- well, what do you expect from a thief and murderer. He doesn't have a moral bone in his body. However Amanda and Raffaele were more than a little upset with his getting away with it. Amanda was on her feet to defend herself, but the judge told her she had to wait until Guede was finished. She did get to make a statement after Guede had left the courtroom and was just about shaking with emotion. Amanda told the court that Guede knew the truth and was lying, and that the only time Guede, Raffaele and herself had been together was in the courtroom. Apparently she had thought that Guede might come clean and tell the truth. Unfortunately, he didn't.

So after today- what has changed? Nothing. Amanda's innocence does not hinge on anything Guede says. It still comes down to evidence, and there isn't any. There is no evidence against Amanda or Raffaele. There is no motive. No witnesses. No prior violent histories. No trace of Amanda in the murder room. And the DNA put forth by the prosecution is a joke- and we'll see this on the 30th as the DNA experts turn in their reports. So now we look forward to the DNA experts and what they have to say on the 30th but some claim there will be leaks on the 29th. In any case this will be a major factor in this appeal- the DNA or lack of it. Today was just a lot of drama.

Amanda Knox Appeal: Another Day In Court With Testimony From Inmates

June 18, 2011- Amanda Knox appeared in the Perugia court this morning and heard testimony from several  prison inmates, including Mario Alessi. For those of you not up on this- Alessi testified that Rudy Guede told him in prison that Amanda and her former boyfriend were not involved in the murder of Amanda's British room-mate, for which she was convicted and sentenced to 26 years. In short, Alessi stated that Guede admitted to him that he (Guede) and another man were present but not Amanda or Raffaele. This testimony was backed up by several other inmate witnesses. The prosecution of course objected saying that the testimony of Alessi was not reliable and so on, but it really doesn't matter.

Amanda does not need this testimony in order to win her appeal. It doesn't matter if Alessi is lying or not- Yet I, personally believe he is telling the truth; The prosecution's case is finished- regardless of today's testimony pro or con (pun intended). There is nothing that will prevent Amanda Knox from winning her appeal. Why do I say this? Simply put- It's the head judge handling this appeal. Hellmann is not falling for any foolishness. He is calling everything that was so stupidly swallowed by a former court into question. He is re-examining everything that the prosecution had put forth as fact and the end result has been- the prosecution's case is pathetic. They have no motive and no evidence- Nothing.

Today I noticed a few blogs/ forums trying to downside the inmates testimony- that's fine. The point is, the testimony of these inmates was not needed, but they wanted to be heard, and if it made the prosecution pucker up just a little more than they have been lately- so much the better. The bottom line on all of this is- Amanda Knox is going to win this time around. All the lies and smoke and mirror acts are over. The prosecution's case is being exposed for what it is- pathetic. The only logical conclusion to this appeal trial is the release of Amanda Knox- and the sooner the better.

Amanda Knox Appeal: Release Is Just A Matter Of Time

The appeal of Amanda Knox is moving forward- slowly. There have been delays due to a slow release of documents held by the police/prosecution. The DNA experts appointed by the appeals court had to get the court to help them by asking for a 40 day extension on the deadline as certain information was never provided to them. On May 21, the court granted the extension and ordered the prosecution to hand over the missing documents to the DNA experts. It's just 'one more thing' in a slowly moving appeal which most people assumed would be over by the summer, but now looks like it will continue into the Fall. Hopefully, it will not take that long.

It is not the fault of the court or judges but rather the prosecution seems to be dragging it's feet by not turning over certain information in a timely manner- I wonder why. Also it must be remembered that the appeals court has chosen to go over a great deal of information and re-examine witnesses. This is of course all in Amanda's favor and is actually necessary in order to prove that there is no reliable evidence that supports a guilty verdict.

All of this is time consuming but necessary in order to prove to all that the conviction of Amanda Knox for the murder of her British room-mate was a mistake- a crass and costly mistake. What flimsy 'evidence' the prosecution had put forth at the original trial is quickly being exposed at the appeal for what it is- ridiculous. The 'eye-witness' pegging Amanda near the murder site and who was believed by the judge and jury at the original trial has now been properly exposed as a confused, heroin addicted, criminal, who could not even get his facts straight and was just about laughed out of court. The so-called DNA evidence against Knox will likewise take a fall when the court appointed experts turn in their report by the end of June. Simply put, the prosecution's case against Amanda Knox is crumbling fast, and it really is just a matter of time before she wins her appeal and is released.

Hopefully, Amanda will not have to spend another sweltering summer in Capanne prison waiting for her appeal to end. But even if she does spend this summer waiting, you can be sure it will be her last, before leaving Italy a free person.

Amanda Knox Appeal: Knox Addresses the Court In Perugia

May 21, 2011 - Amanda Knox addressed the Italian court earlier today at her appeal hearing saying "I have been in prison for three years now and I am innocent... It is very frustrating and it is mentally exhausting and I want the truth to be found." Becoming emotional Knox continued "I remember how I was young and how I did not understand anything and the most important thing is that I do not want to stay in prison unjustly for all my life."
The big news for the day seems to be that the judge will allow the testimony of 5 serving inmates who have written letters to the court stating that Knox is innocent. This testimony will be heard next month over a two day period.

As far as I am concerned Amanda should win her appeal easily, and the only question in my mind is not 'if' she is to be released but 'when'. The sooner Knox is released from prison the better. The injustice of this thing is just overwhelming. I think the appeal judges have done a wonderful job, leaving no stone unturned to get at the truth. And like that old saying goes "The truth will set you free".

Amanda Knox Appeal: Defending Amanda Can Be Dangerous

Fortunately, journalists and bloggers in the U S who defend Amanda Knox get little more than insulted with maybe a little name calling on the side by those disillusioned enough to think she's guilty. We in the U S are protected and empowered with 'freedom of speech' ....yet not everyone has it so good as we Americans. It seems that in Italy defending Amanda Knox can be a rather dangerous thing to do, well, at least in Perugia anyway. Seems the police and prosecutor in Perugia get more than a little cranky with people who disagree with them- particularly if it concerns Amanda Knox. Blogger Frank Sfarzo has had more than his share of trouble defending Amanda, but then, he actually lives in Perugia so he is therefore a highly visible target and easy prey for those cranky cops- a la Mignini. I have often wondered how he actually pulls off defending Amanda without serious harassment, considering his geographical location in Italy.

Well, as CBS has reported, Frank has been harassed big-time, including being beaten and arrested for his involvement with the Amanda Knox case. Kind of reminds me of prosecutor Mignini trying to put the screws to American author Douglas Preston for having an opinion not to Mignini's liking. Fortunately, Preston left Italy before it could get ugly, yet people like Sfarzo don't really have that option. Hopefully with all the recent news going round about how the Squadra Mobile police set up Frank Sfarzo, someone with power in Italy will do something about the harassment of journalists in Italy who defend Amanda Knox. Over here in the U S we have it easy compared with those in Perugia who live their lives looking over their shoulder.

The really sad part of all this is that many Italian journalists have simply stopped reporting about the Amanda Knox case for fear of Mignini and company. Actually, there is really very little to report at present other than the prosecution's case against Knox is crumbling fast. Soon it will be over and Knox will at last go free. But will the abuse of journalists in Italy stop once the Amanda Knox case is over? Unfortunately I think the abuse will go on. Pressuring journalists in Italy did not start with the Amanda Knox case, and will probably continue as long as people like Mignini hold power. I do believe however, that it was the Amanda Knox case that put the light on the evil and corruption that exists in some areas of the Italian legal system- in Perugia in particular. In all fairness though, it is not the system itself but rather a few corrupt individuals in powerful positions who are at fault. Everyone knows who they are yet is anyone going to do anything about it? This is more than just an Italian problem when an innocent American girl has been sitting in prison for over three years. Yet it is because of this injustice that the world is now watching, and I think that makes some people in Italy damn uncomfortable.

Amanda Knox Appeal: Prosecution's Case Begins To Crumble

March 26, 2011- The prosecution's case against Amanda Knox began to crumble today as their star witness against Knox gave confused and contradictory testimony. Antonio Curatolo- a homeless drug addict aged 54- gave conflicting dates and appeared confused while giving testimony in Perugia earlier today. Amanda Knox' team were more than pleased with the results. It was Curatolo's testimony at the original trial that helped convict Amanda and her ex-boyfriend Raffaele in December 2009. This time around he simply 'blew it' and even contradicted himself on the stand.

The DNA will be the topic of importance next month as testimony from the two new experts are due May 21 and will no doubt be in Amanda's favor. Today I believe was the beginning of the end for the prosecution's case against Amanda Knox- which was never more than weak to begin with. I do not think it is too soon to say that Amanda will win her appeal and will be set free by early Summer. Unfortunately, the years she has spent in prison are gone forever, but at least the correction of this grave injustice is at hand- Better late than never.

Amanda Knox Lifetime Movie Is- Pathetic- Misleading

I am sorry to say that I watched the Lifetime movie "Amanda Knox: Murder On Trial In Italy" and came away with a feeling that someone was trying to pull a fast one with the intention of making Amanda Knox look guilty, when I know in fact she is innocent. The movie had more than a few parts that were pure fiction, and even the documentary that followed the movie seemed to be coming from a negative place. I got through the movie ok, but could not stay with the documentary for more than 20 minutes as it contained simply too much Mignini, and journalists Barbie and Nicky. All I can say is- anyone who wants to know the truth about this case should start digging around for more objective sources than this misleading movie on Knox. There is plenty of information available on this case and Amanda Knox. I think it is pathetic that such a bad movie was made out of such a profound subject.

Fiction aside, the real Amanda Knox is an innocent victim of a rush to judgement. Hopefully she will go free after her appeal is over and get on with her life. For someone who is innocent of this crime she has had enough sticks and stones thrown at her to last more than a Lifetime (pun intended). I am really surprised that Lifetime allowed the movie to go ahead- particularly since the movie has entire scenes that are pure fiction, and the case in the middle of appeal. If I were them I would be a little concerned about possible legal action coming from all sides. They just had to push it.

Amanda Knox Movie Is- Just A Movie

The new Lifetime film "Amanda Knox: Murder On Trial In Italy" will air Monday, February 21, despite efforts by Knox's lawyers to have the movie scrapped. It is unusual to have a movie on a murder when the appeals are still in progress- but Lifetime is going to wing it anyway, stating that the movie should have no effect on the appeals of Amanda Knox. Really?

Although the movie is suppose to be neutral and based on known facts, those involved in making the movie state that the judge's "Motivation Report" on the original trial was one of the so-called factual documents used. However, that particular document is known to be mostly speculation and to base some of the movie on a speculative document seems to counter what Lifetime has stated about the movie as being "based on a true story". To be safe I believe viewers should think of this movie as fact mixed with a good deal of speculation, and not let the movie guide them to judgement as to the innocence or guilt of Amanda Knox. For those already aware of this case looking for a new twist, the movie will disappoint. For those who know almost nothing of the case- the movie may grab their interest, and could inspire them to dig into the real facts of the case. A word of warning- This movie should not be used to try and make a judgement about Amanda's guilt or innocence- it's a movie, not a documentary.

I would advise all those who see the movie (who are new to this case) to do some research into the actual case. In the view of many - including myself- Amanda Knox is innocent of the murder and is a victim of a miscarriage of justice. This is a complex case, and one will need to do their homework in order to come up with a valid conclusion as to Amanda's innocence. As for the movie- well, it's just a movie. In my opinion, Lifetime should wait for the appeal to be over to air it, but it looks like they are going forward in spite of a great deal of protest. Hopefully the movie will not stray too far from the known facts- and if it does- another post will be forthcoming.

Amanda Knox Appeal: Dear Ms Panettiere, The Truth Is Already Known

It seems the only news of late on the Amanda Knox appeal is the opinions of Hayden Panettiere regarding  the the murder of Meredith Kercher.  Although she has stated that she has not come to a decision as to the guilt or innocence of Amanda Knox, she has also stated that "the truth may never be known". With all due respect to Ms Panettiere- the truth is already known by a great many people as to the innocence of Amanda Knox. This complex case demands a good deal of time in order to form an accurate/informed opinion. Mere discussion on the movie set with fellow actors is not going to produce much in the way of forming an opinion as to guilt or innocence. Nor are newspaper articles of much value since many of the early reports are flawed with misinformation.

This case hinges on flawed forensics as put forth by the prosecution. Until one studies the forensics in this case one can not possibly come up with an informed opinion. Now Ms Panettiere does state that she has no opinion as to Amanda's guilt but I think where she is completely wrong is her statement that "the truth may never be known". This case is complex, but it is not a profound mystery- as some seem to think. Once the DNA is re-evaluated by the new experts in Rome- Once the testimony of certain prosecution witnesses are discredited- Then I think this case will become less of a mystery, and the guilty verdicts of the original trial court will be revealed as a  huge mistake.

I am sure Ms Panettiere was just stating her opinion in an honest way as an actress whose role of Amanda Knox in the Lifetime movie gave her a natural curiosity about the innocence or guilt of the character. Yet the truth will be known. The mystery will be solved. The truth will prevail. And an injustice of huge proportions will be corrected. This appeal court will dig out the truth for all to see, but to many people already in the know on this case, who have studied the forensics, and have seen through the misinformation- the truth is already known.

Amanda Knox Appeal: Despite Victory Of DNA Review Needless Doubt Remains

December 20, 2010- Amanda Knox won a victory in her battle to have DNA evidence reviewed- the court granted that request, and then some. Still, of course, the prosecution put on a poker face and claimed it was nothing special and the verdict of guilty would still stand. Then, as if to upset the balance, anti-Knox factions countered that the Guede appeals documents would be available and even Guede himself might testify at the Knox/ Sollecito appeal trial. Is this particularly damaging to the Knox defense? More than a few think this is cause for worry about Amanda's chances- yet they are mistaken.  I should not be surprised at the continuation of lies and misinformation spread about as in the days when this case first caught public attention. I do have to point out that the 'smoke and mirror' days are over, yet some people are not getting the drift that times have changed. That Italy is not corrupt. That though a mistake has been made- justice is not beyond reach. Enter a man of principle- Judge Claudio Pratillo Hellmann- and justice is at hand.

It should be clear to all that this judge wants the truth, and was clearly not happy with this case as it stood. Thus he wants the DNA matter clarified, as it is clear from his words that at this point reasonable doubt exists. In referring to his decision to have the DNA re-examined he states: "conviction could only be secured against an accused if it was beyond all reasonable doubt.." And then he ordered that the suspect DNA would be re-examined by two DNA experts from Rome. He did this to "take away any reasonable doubt that may exist". In other words this judge believes at this point in time that reasonable doubt does exist. Therefore he is trying to get to the bottom of things that have for too long been allowed to remain in question. It is also clear that this judge believes that the original trial court was in error for not allowing the DNA to be subject to independent testing and he stated his opinion on this at the hearing of December 18th, Also there is to be a re-examination of the 'park bum' who got his facts wrong and stated the disco buses were running when in fact they were not running that night.

Of course this is a victory for Amanda but there is always that anti-Amanda faction who contends that now Amanda has to worry about Rudy Guede's appeal court papers that were allowed into her appeals trial. And that Rudy Guede may testify. To make short work of this one let me just say- How do you think that will hold up with the jury? He will of course say Amanda was there with Raffaele but when asked about his own part he will then say his usual lame story about sitting on the bowl listening to music as Meredith was being killed- a story no one has bought yet- and when he adds this lie to his lie about Amanda it will be clear to all that his words are worthless.

Yet in the meantime- all those pro and anti-Amanda sites are going full swirl. He said, she said, they did, they did not, and who knew? Going over all the evidence back and forth in order to make up their own minds about this case. After this is over 6 months from now there are going to be a lot of people going through 'Amanda Withdrawal' and will have to get their entertainment some place else.

To all those who stuck with Amanda & Raffaele through all of this and supported them in one way or another- each of you are a hero- Please continue to speak out until they are free.

To all those who thought or just wanted them guilty. To all those who just hated for the sake of hating and tried to make sure an innocent woman stayed in prison with a ruined life. May life kiss you back.

                                        
Victims: Meredith Kercher, Amanda Knox, Raffaele Sollecito and their families.
Heroes: Judge Claudio Pratillo Hellmann, Massimo Zanetti and the appeals jury.
Hall of Shame: Mignini and others too numerous to mention (you know who you are).
Truth Realized: "There are none so blind as those who 'will' not see".

Amanda Knox Appeal: Knox Gains Victory In Court Granting DNA Review

December 18, 2010  Perugia, Italy. Amanda Knox is one step closer to freedom as the appeals court granted a review of the crucial DNA evidence. The judges retired to deliberate if they would allow a review of the disputed DNA used to convict Knox last year. The prosecution and Kercher lawyer  Maresca argued against a review, stating the court had everything it needed- The judge however did not agree and stated the court would allow a review of the DNA evidence including the knife and bra clasp.

This is a great victory for the defense and for Amanda Knox. Without a review of the DNA evidence, Amanda's chances of winning her appeal was not good. With the judge's decision to allow a review of the DNA things are looking rather sunny at this moment for Amanda Knox. Perhaps this is the best Christmas present she could have received. She has everything to gain by this review- but no doubt the prosecution is rather gloomy at the news- too bad for them. Things Change. Merry Christmas Amanda.

Amanda Knox Appeal: Judges Will Lead This Case To Justice

Bad news for the prosecution. Bad news for lawsuit lawyers. Bad news for Barbie and Nicky and for every media source that took an anti-Amanda stance for the last 3 years. Bad news for anti-Amanda sites.

But good news for Amanda Knox. Good news for her family and supporters. And good news for those who were looking for true justice in this strange case.

Chris Mellas is not a liar. Reading what he said in the news about a judge stating there was only one certain fact in this case is supported by several Italian news sources. I am not referring to any weeping in the court- I have no info on that. What I am referring to is that the judges are obviously not happy with this case. It is probably well known by now that Mr Mellas had said - He was told that the judge said "...the only thing we know for certain is the fact that Meredith was murdered..." If that is not an exact quote it's pretty damn close. Now the anti-Amanda sites were obviously displeased with that and their comments ranged from Mr Mellas is a liar to- oh well the judge only meant that they would keep an open mind. Really? No dice on that.

In support of Mr Mellas- I quote from the Italian news source Libero-news. it: The exact Italian quote of Judge Massimo Zenetti as published from Libero "...di partire dall'unico fatto certo, ovvero l'omicidio stesso." Now this pertained to where the court would start from in the proceedings.  It has been speculated that the court may not choose to re-examine most of the evidence yet this quote in Italian makes it pretty clear that the the judges are not happy with the supposed facts of this case and state the only fact that is certain is the murder itself.
The English tranlation of the above Italian quote is "...to start from the only certain fact and that is the murder itself."

Now this does not mean they will not pay attention to the Massei report but it does strongly suggest that as far as the judges are concerned they are not taking any of the supposed facts at face value. I would therefore assume that they intend to almost pick this case up from scratch or at least hear major portions of it. The key phase here is the quote ...the only certain fact..."  Of course this is nothing but good news for the defense and Amanda Knox. She has nothing to fear from a re-examination of this case.

I am not trying to say 'case closed'- that reminds me too much of what the Italian police said on the arrest of Amanda Knox. What I am saying is Judges Claudio Pratillo Hellmann and Massimo Zanetti will no doubt do their best to find the truth in what has become one of the strangest criminal cases in modern history. May justice prevail for Meredith and Amanda- and that, is true justice.

Amanda Knox Pours Her Heart Out At Appeals Hearing

December 11, 2010- Amanda Knox made a heart rending statement at the start of today's hearing in Perugia. Knox who does not like contention rarely defended herself in the past, no doubt believing that justice was enough. But as she stated today, justice had clearly failed her. So today she poured her heart out to the court in a statement that lasted about 18 minutes. Speaking in Italian, she addressed a variety of issues- from her wrongful conviction to her sorrow for the members of Meredith's family. At times she was clearly overcome with emotion and wept, but forced herself to go on. One rather tasteless incident during Amanda's statement occurred when the Kercher lawyer left the courtroom, stating that he wasn't interested in what she had to say. No doubt a strategic move to try and upstage Knox and put a fly in the soup. It didn't matter. Anyone with any heart at all could see that this young woman was speaking from her gut; laying her soul bare.

This is a new time. Mignini's magic show of illusion is not on the agenda. That was then- this is now. And that goes for anyone who stands to profit from Amanda losing her appeal. All the lawsuits and the lawyer who leads them. To all the journalists who milked this case to sell the news at the expense of a young woman's life. To the corrupt prosecutor who could not contain his own fantasies at the expense of justice. To all those disillusioned souls who would rather believe a lie than the truth. You should be ashamed of yourselves.

As I said in the past I will place my trust in the appeals court to do the right thing based on the evidence. Hopefully the appeals court will examine all the evidence that is called into question. How could this court condemn Amanda with no evidence, with no motive, with flawed forensics. A woman who has never had a history of violence. The vast majority of the people who are aware of this case know that Amanda is innocent. And the world will be watching.

Amanda Knox told the truth this morning- she gave it from her heart. Among all the lies and misconceptions in this case- she told the truth- she was the light. But if that is not enough with all the evidence that proves her innocent of this crime, then I have only this quote from the Bible to offer:
         "And the light shined in the darkness, yet the darkness comprehended it not"

Amanda Knox December 11: Franceso Maresca Tries To Upstage Knox At Hearing

 December 11, 2010- As Amanda Knox started to make her statement to the court, Kercher lawyer Franceso Maresca walked out of the courtroom. According to 'Barbie of the Beast' he "stormed out", yet most other sources say he simply walked out- who to believe huh? When asked after the hearing why he had left the courtroom while Knox was addressing the court he said something along the lines of he didn't want to listen to what she had to say and that her statement was just to impress the court. Really? My opinion is that he was simply trying to upstage her by showing her disrespect, while also trying to send a subtle message to the judge and jury.

Now to those who are not in the know on who Mr Maresca is- he is not part of the prosecution team as such, but rather a lawyer who has more lawsuits pending against Amanda Knox than anyone on the planet. And these are all civil money lawsuits. But he can only win these lawsuits as long as Amanda stays convicted. The Kercher lawsuit is already over but money can not be collected from that if Amanda goes free on appeal. And the lawsuits of seven Perugia police officers  (of which Maresca represents) against Knox for slander will be much weaker if Amanda's conviction is overturned. Seems to me this guy stands to lose more than anyone if Amanda Knox goes free. You might say he has a stake in seeing Amanda kept in prison. So, what do you think- he doesn't want to see his lawsuits go down the drain? Or is he just a drama queen?

Amanda Knox Appeal Trial: Why Amanda Knox Will Win

I am sure more than a few people will think the title to this post is, well, overly optimistic, but to those people I would say- To think otherwise is being overly pessimistic. Besides, there are many different ways this appeal can go and yet it can still be considered a win for Amanda. I am however thinking that she will win the whole thing. Why? Because of a combination of facts, common sense, and some faith in the appeals court to do the right thing based on the evidence.

It is the job of the appeals court to judge the verdict of the original trial court. The verdict, and how that verdict was reached, and an important part of that is the judge's 'Motivation Report' on how the judge and jury came to their conclusions. Now I will say outright that anyone who thinks that the Massei Motivation report validly supports their guilty verdict has either not read the report, or they are simply a few bricks short of a full load- or an extreme case of denial is in motion. It is not the purpose of this post however to go over the motivation report and how it's cheese slipped off the cracker- that is the job of the appeals court. We are going to stick to reality here, and show how and why the original court came to the wrong conclusions.

Even when it happened, and that guilty verdict came down in Decemeber 2009, few people really understood what had happened. Most people who didn't know about 'low copy number DNA or luminol revealed footprints, simply read the newspapers to try and get a grasp on this case- and yes, the jurors sitting in on the case were allowed to read the news also. Problem was, most of the journalist didn't know what the hell those things were either so most of the news was filled with 'the prosecutor says' and 'the defense says' and how Amanda looked in court, how she smiled, inaccurate quotes from her diary, and that damn cartwheel. And the prosecutor Mignini had to have been amused by all of it. After all- most of the confusion was his doing.

Even before the trial started Mignini was hard at work leaking false information to the press- Phony bleach receipts, misquotes from Amanda's diary, overblown sexual references, giving Amanda's personal papers to the press for publication, phony witnesses, and on and on. All for the sole purpose of trying to make her look as bad as possible before the trial even got started. And it worked like a charm.

After the trial started the smoke and mirrors act continued to the point where it can be stated as fact that the prosecution mislead the court in much of it's presentation of the 'evidence'. In the end, what those jurors believed were signs of guilt, had very little to do with reality. As Mignini made his case on one half truth after another, with a lot of speculation to the point of absurdity at times, the jury seemed to be buying it. What they did not seem to care for was the arguments of the defense- with some of the jurors catnapping while the defense stated their side of things. The following are some of the things presented by the prosecution with the intent to mislead:

The bloody footprint on the bathroom mat was not Raffaele's as an examination of the print on the mat compared with prints of the feet of Raffaele and Rudy Guede show- the print appears much more like Guede's than Raffaele. The print was not a good piece of evidence to begin with as there was no DNA for a match and since it was just a partial print on a cloth surface it really was not what you would call damning evidence. Yet that did not stop Mignini from giving the court the impression it was Raffaele's, with no proof to back it up.

Next you have the so-called mixed DNA of Meredith and Amanda. Now I do believe that really sounded like incriminating evidence to the court but the reality is that there is absolutely nothing unusual about it. Anyone, and I mean anyone who shares a living space with another person is going to mix their DNA with the other person. Now a lot of this mixed DNA came from the bathroom but Meredith and Amanda shared that bathroom- both their DNA was all over the place in there and some of course would become mixed. Forensic experts know this is nothing- its a common occurrence when two people co-inhabit the same space. Yet to listen to Mignini in court on this issue (as with others) you would think he just discovered how to split the atom, when in fact he was only hoodwinking the jury.

And he continued along those lines to produce another illusion for the court- the footprints in the corridor of the flat. revealed with luminol (a substance that turns bright blue in the dark when in contact with iron- usually used to detect traces of blood). Now to listen to Mignini on this one you would get the impression that someone had been tracking Meredith's blood all over the place with their feet, and all the time subtly insinuating that it was Amanda. Now first off- in reality- no one tested the footprints for blood or if they did- it wasn't blood, and to top it off their was no DNA of Amanda found in the footprints. Of course Mignini didn't tell them that.

Then you have Mignini selling them the story about the murder weapon which was not the murder weapon. It was a large kitchen knife taken from Raffaele's home where the knife was in with the rest of the knives and silverware. It has been dubbed the "double DNA knife" (drama huh?). It was found to have Amanda's DNA on the handle and an extremely small amount of Meredith's DNA on the blade. Now that indeed sounds incriminating except that- as was stating in court- the knife was too big to match the wounds on Meredith. Also the knife was tested for blood- and none was found, but, a tiny amount of Meredith's DNA was found on the blade (so they say) but this was not found under normal testing. When tested for DNA the machine registered "Too Low" so the machine was altered and altered until finally it came up with something the prosecution states is Meredith's DNA. However, as most forensic experts will tell you- the amount of DNA of Meredith's found was so tiny an amount that is was probably the result of contamination- due to the lab not being qualified to do this kind of testing, contamination is almost a given- yet they did it anyway. Now Amanda's DNA on the handle is no mystery at all as she was living at Raffaele's house on and off and had touched all the silverware and knifes there when cooking and doing the dishes. Yet the court did not seem to wonder about the fact there was no blood found on the knife that was suppose to have been use to stab Meredith. Yet a knife that was not compatible with the wounds inflicted- go figure.

It is not the purpose of this post to go over every piece of evidence, but hopefully the appeals court will. My purpose was to show that a lot of what was believed true, is in fact not true, and even today there are more than a few people who are not aware that a lot of the myths of this case have been proven false. After the appeals court reviews the evidence I think Amanda is going to win the whole thing- finally. There won't be a magic act this time- just the truth backed up with facts, or in the case of Mignini's presentation and the motivation report- the lack of facts.

With an evaluation of the original trial court and the 'evidence' used to convict, the court of appeals is not going to be falling for any Mignini type tactics "Fool me once- shame on you. Fool me twice-shame on me". Think about it, this is not the kind of case that can hold up under close examination- it's going to fall and fall hard. And the world will be watching.

 I have not of course mentioned anything about the fact there was no motive, no history of violence for Amanda, the weak testimony of the prosecution's witnesses, the wrong time of death, etc... because most of those things are generally undisputed. I tried to present the common myths of the case. Not that this post will stop a certain group who hate Amanda from believing what they want. I still expect to see some of these people on the comment board yelling "Oh yeah, what about the fact that Amanda tracked Meredith's blood all over the house?" Some lies never die.

The Amanda Knox Appeal: She's Good To Go

There has not been much news about Amanda Knox in the last week or so, and considering the start of her appeal begins very soon- it's kind of eerie; It's like the calm before the storm, and I think a storm is coming. No matter what your angle is on this case, take my word for it- it's going to get wild. And that does not mean anything bad like Amanda losing the appeal. What I mean is- regardless of the outcome there is going to be a huge news blitz. People are either going to be wild with joy or they will be wild with anger. If her trial was big- her appeal is bigger.

There are a great many more people aware of this case now than last year. The world is watching, and the vast majority are hoping for Amanda to go free. It is no longer stylish to go on Amanda bashing. Amanda has emerged from all the bad press and foxy knoxy foolishness, an intelligent and brave young woman whose innocence is clear to any rational thinking person.

This case is no longer a mystery that hinges on the fantasies of a corrupt prosecutor. This case has been examined by some of the best legal minds in the world- including experts in criminal investigation and forensics. As if in one voice they say- this is a wrongful conviction and needs to be remedied. Yet will it be?

Amanda has a very strong case for appeal yet there are some people who doubt the court in Perugia will do the right thing. I have heard a lot of this type of thing and some of it coming from Italians. They say things like: The Americans have angered the Italian judicial system and they will therefore not let Amanda go. Really? I personally find that hard to believe. Wouldn't that be saying the same thing as justice will be denied due to personal reasons? Is that not saying that justice hinges not on guilt or innocence but rather hinges on if the Americans watch what they say and don't upset Italians? Really? With the world watching? I would personally have to see that to believe it. Cases like this do not get swept under the rug. The world will assess how the appeal goes and on what grounds the appeals court reaches it's decision. Personally I am counting on Judge Claudio Pratillo Hellmann to uphold justice and defend the principle. I am hopeful that he will do the right thing. I am personally very optimistic about this appeal for the simple reason that Amanda Knox is clearly innocent and deserves for her wrongful conviction to be corrected. This is not a replay of her original trial which was based on fantasy.

And yes, that world famous magician Mignini will be assisting the prosecution. Should anyone be worried about that? Does anyone think Mignini's smoke and mirrors act with a good dose of misinformation and sheer speculation is going to win the day for injustice again? I don't think so.  I think even God is looking down on Mignini and saying "Hey, saw you in church Sunday-I can't believe you think you're on my team". Just my opinion of course. Besides- the Lord is probably busy making a long list of the crimes inflicted against Amanda Knox.

This appeals will be based on the truth, and the majority of people know what the truth is regarding Amanda. Why should she have to wait another year or two in prison for the case to go to the Italian Supreme Court. Justice can be at hand right now and set an innocent woman free. She has a very, very strong case to have her wrongful conviction overturned. How big and what kind of storm is coming is anyone's guess. If it is a quick shower with the sun coming out and showing a rainbow; Or if the sky goes black with lightening that shakes the earth. We'll see.

The appeal starts on the 24th. Everything will be ready with the usual huge media turnout. Amanda's defense team is geared up and ready as will be the thousand's of Knox supporters around the world- waiting for justice to finally show it's face. It's all good to go- and so is Amanda.  Pax (peace).

Amanda Knox Can Win Her Appeal: Things Change

The wind has changed direction in the Amanda Knox case. That old expression always holds  true- Things   change. Particularly over time and when people step back and see the forrest and not the trees; When passions cool and one begins to view things objectively, Or as simply as I can put it in reference to Amanda Knox- that was then and this is now. Everything has changed- and for the better.

Only a year ago with all those nasty false headlines claiming Amanda Knox was an 'out of control psycho' and many people thought Amanda was doomed because of all the negative hype. Yet- things change. With time and reason people eventually come around to a valid cause. And Amanda is more than a valid cause- to some people she is a hero- a reluctant hero. All Amanda wants is to go home to Seattle a free person and cleared of this murder charge. Still many people- even her close supporters were not optimistic about Amanda being freed on appeal. Or to state it better, they were cautiously optimistic. That of course is completely understandable. It seemed a nightmare where reality did not hold- or as some people would put it- 'the court in Perugia is blind' and they will never let her go- or Italy is corrupted and Amanda is doomed- Things change- Now there are many reasons to hope that Amanda will win on her first appeal.

It's an amazing thing to see- this complete turnaround. The case did not go away over time- it got bigger. Many people who thought Amanda guilty now have second thoughts. Positive books have been written about her including one by PM Rocco Girlanda- a politician in Italy who has stated he believes Amanda is innocent of the murder. People coming forward such as ex FBI agent Steve Moore stating his opinion that Amanda is completely innocent based on his research. And more and more people are becoming aware of the case and are concerned about Amanda. Also there is one huge plus, as I see it, the judges being switched from a civil judge with little experience in criminal cases to the new judge Claudio Pratillo Hellmann- a man who is a defender of justice and is not afraid to overturn a high profile wrongful conviction such as Amanda's, and has done so in the past. Also the great many experts in the field of criminal investigation and forensics have stated there is nothing against Amanda to prove her guilt- with some saying outright that it is impossible for Amanda to have committed this crime. Even in the UK the Guardian in the last couple days has written an article questioning Amanda's conviction- It's all coming around to where it should be, But then there is Amanda and her family-

Even though Amanda is aware of the change in public opinion, she is not at peace. She has trouble sleeping and is very worried about the outcome of her appeal. She wants her life back so badly she is afraid to hope. She keeps this to herself and suffers privately yet puts on a brave face for others. She does not want her family to worry though I think they are very aware of what is going on. Imagine- a guilty person learns to resign themselves to their lot- they deserve all the days in prison they get and they know it. Yet for an innocent person in prison, it is a nightmare magnified. A surreal experience where nothing makes much sense and life seems lost- so sometimes perhaps it is better not to hope at all.

So to all the supporters of Amanda Knox, and to all of those who sympathize with her plight. To all of the members of her family Curt, Edda, Chris and Deanna and all the other members of her family- Let's look for a win and get it the hell over with- so you can all finally relax on this and Amanda will be free, and that is as it should be. It's easy to doubt, particularly since so much has gone wrong, but remember what it says in the Bible "learn to read the signs of the times". The wind on this has changed course- so let's dare to hope. I'm not an optimist by nature and like everyone else I have my doubts, but I do know one thing for certain- Things change.

Amanda Knox Indicted For Slander- Trial In May

Amanda Knox attended the slander hearing on Monday morning and was indicted to stand trial on May 17, 2011. Judge Claudia Matteini found that there was enough evidence to try Amanda on the slander charge- The evidence she was referring to is simply the fact that Amanda had said the police treated her badly with a cuff on the back of the head during her questioning by police in November 2007. Amanda had said this in her own defense at her trial for murder last year- and that's all the evidence there is. In Italy, that's all it takes. It is against the law to speak against the police in Italy- so it's another trial for Amanda in May

 The photo above was taken Monday morning  before the hearing. She wore a green sweater with her short cropped hair combed behind her ears. As can be seen from the photo she looked tired and depressed. After the hearing  her lawyer said she was "very sad" It was reported that at one point during the hearing Amanda broke down in tears. At the hearing Amanda said to the court "If they would have taped (the questioning) like they were suppose to, I wouldn't be in this mess".

The indictment came as no surprise to Amanda's family. Amanda's stepfather, Chris Mellas said to reporters "...we didn't expect much different from this lineup..." and stated that they would try and have the trial moved to Florence. Amanda's mother Edda was saddened by the indictment but not surprised. The entire family is looking forward to Amanda's appeal beginning November 24th, and indeed there does appear to be some hope there as a new judge has been appointed to hear the case, and is said to be a fair man.

As to the coming slander trial- I don't have a good feeling about it- almost like the deck is stacked. Amanda is put in the position to 'prove' she was treated badly by the police. Now how does one do that? One should not have to- This is the flip-side to American justice, where a charge like this does not even exist. It is simply a matter of a dozen Italian cops on one side and Amanda on the other. Can they prove they didn't treat her badly? They do not have to- not in Italy. Can Amanda prove they did get rough with her? How can she do that? She was alone in that room with all those police. It simply comes down to Amanda's word against the police. And how do you think that is going to come out?

Still, there is one excellent reason why this slander case should be thrown out of court, and the point was made by Amanda herself when she said "If they would have taped like they were suppose to, I wouldn't be in this mess". And that was probably the most profound and meaningful thing said in that courtroom Monday morning. The police did not tape the questioning of a murder suspect and she was a murder suspect at some point during that night, and yet the police did not tape it in breech of Italian law. And if they did tape it- they erased it. On those grounds alone this case should never see the inside of a courtroom. No one should have to guess what happened in that room- it should have been taped- it is mandatory to do so under Italian law. This is not a matter of opinion- that is the only fact that stands out in this slander case. Hopefully, come May 17th, the case will be thrown out of court, and hopefully her murder conviction already overturned on appeal coming in a few weeks. No one likes the smell of this slander charge which has prosecutor Mignini written all over it. Hopefully justice will come around and throw Amanda a bone- but I wouldn't take that to the bank- not in Perugia.

Amanda Knox Case- A Sinister Drawing? Analyze This

OMG, did you see that drawing by Amanda Knox? Really scary isn't it? I mean all those bright colors and I think you can even see a bone in the arm. Well does it or does it not prove that there is a dark side to Amanda?

Seems like the girl can't even change the way she parts her hair without some newspaper/tabloid trying to analyze it and make something "sinister" out of it. Yes I am referring to a certain news publication from the UK that obtained a drawing by Amanda Knox and claimed to have had it analyzed by some shrink and guess what- Yep, you guessed it- it just about proves, so it appears, she is guilty. As was stated the use of the bright colors of red and yellow suggests something sinister and seems to point to Amanda having a dark side, according to this 'person'. Geez, was that a self portrait of her or was she drawing someone else?

Personally I thought it was quite interesting and nicely done- I wasn't the least bit frightened- maybe that's just me. This is an ongoing thing with some in the UK, who can not seem to get past the "Foxy Knoxy" stage. I don't really think it takes much gumption to belittle a drawing from a girl in prison- after all, she was convicted right? So it seems in line to say that her drawings reveal her true nature. A 'sinister' person with a 'dark' side. Want to bet I can't find ten other shrinks to say the opposite?

I think we all get the point here- Did you really think that you could sink Knox with that 'self revealing' drawing? Or were you just trying to poison the waters for her upcoming appeal? Either way, I thought it a rather limp effort- my opinion only of course. That 'dark side' contention was so lame anyone with an IQ higher than Boo Radley can see right through it. Next time you want to kick a person when they are down to sell a story- make it a little more believable. However, if you really want to analyze something- provided you understand sign language- analyze this!

Amanda Knox Appeal: What Does It Take To Free Amanda Knox?

If you were looking for a quick solution- there are none. If you thought the U S military would break that girl out of jail- you were wrong. If you think there is a political solution- that would be a last resort- and only if enough people raised enough hell to push the U S State Department into action. So what then does it take to free Amanda Knox?

The simple answer is her Appeal which starts this November 24th, but there are a lot of question marks surrounding that. One would figure that an innocent woman would have her conviction overturned on appeal in Italy. It is reported that one third of appeals are successful in Italy. And if you are truly innocent than why wouldn't that be a sure thing in the Amanda Knox case? The simple answer is that this case is so complex and has the endorsement of so many judges who have been involved with stating Amanda is guilty. So many twists and turns and misinformation produced by the prosecution- who wants to say "we were wrong". But isn't that what the Italian appeals court is for? To judge if the original sentencing court was in error? Short answer is- yes. However, this is not an average case. This is a very high profile case that has the attention of a great many people in many countries. It is also a high pressure case with people's reputations riding on if Amanda Knox wins her appeal or not.

But- all of this should not be a factor- ideally. The main thing Amanda's appeal has to deal with is the judge's motivation report from the original sentencing court, which gives the reasons for it's guilty verdict. Anyone who has read that report should know it is not that difficult to prove it is full of errors and speculation. It is not difficult to prove that there was little to no evidence, and certainly 'reasonable doubt' is screaming to be heard. So considering all of this- What does it take to free Amanda Knox?

The answer is an appeals court that will put justice ahead of personal gain or saving face. An appeals court that will do the right thing based on the evidence and not who's reputation is at stake. An appeals court that is able to tell the truth from speculation and willing to apply the principle of justice. Then and only then will Amanda Knox go free. And what would the world then think if that happened? I think it would show that Italy is a place where justice is the prime consideration- regardless. I think the Italian justice system would come out looking like a hero. That they are big enough to overturn a wrongful conviction. That one corrupt prosecutor does not represent or influence the Italian judicial system, and by doing the right thing gain the respect and admiration of the world. No one asks that the appeals court free a guilty person, but rather, give an innocent woman back her life.
The evidence in this case demands no less than the freedom of Amanda Knox.

Amanda Knox Case- Key Interview With the Devil's Advocate Mazinni

The following is a piece of fiction regarding one to the main characters in the Amanda Knox case. He was kind enough to spare some of his valuable time and help us get a better understanding of the behind the scenes tactics that led to the Knox conviction.

Interviewer: Mr Mazinni, thank you for being with us today.

Mazinni: No problem.

Interviewer: Besides the evidence presented at court, what was it about Amanda Knox that led you to believe she was a valid suspect in the murder case?

Mazinni: Oh there were many things. She was behaving strangely, I guess from smoking the plants. But there were other things beside. You know she do a wheel right here in the police station.

Interviewer: A wheel?

Mazinni: Si

Interviewer: Oh you mean the famous cartwheel

Mazinni: Yes

Interviewer: Well that has been explained as a yoga exercise to reduce stress.

Mazinni: Do not believe it. Many experience police here and they know a wheel when they see one.

Interviewer: Mr Mazinni, do you know what yoga is?

Mazinni: No, but that is not important. That was something that was made up to try and confuse us. It was a wheel I tell you.

Interviewer: Ok fine. Let me ask you this sir. It has been reported that a picture of Amanda Knox was placed on what is called the Wall of Shame in Rome, before she was even charged and evidence gathered.

Mazinni: Yes that is true. But I didn't put it there. You know sometimes you can not wait for all the little evidence to show up so you have to use your brain. That's why we are here. And do not forget, she do a wheel, like I told you.

Interviewer: Yes I remember.

Mazinni: I am late. I have time for only one more question.

Interviewer: Alright sir, let me ask you this- This case seems to have brought a lot of criticism from the United States directed at the legal system here in Italy and at you in particular. How do you feel about that?

Mazinni: Well you know I do not pay much attention to what the American news say. And now you have all the- how you say- blogs, where everyone is writing things. And one of the worst is this Saint Michael. I find out that is not even his real name. He made it up. All he says is lies so do not believe a word of it. He is a son of a bitch, and I gonna sue him too.
Now I must really go for certain.

Interviewer: Thank you for your time Mr Mazinni, it's been............ unbelievable.

AMANDA KNOX: SLANDER, APPEALS, AND THE GAUNTLET OF PRESSURE

No one saw Amanda Knox this Friday morning in Perugia- no one with a camera that is. The hearing was off limits to reporters. Some saw a closed prison van pull up at a side door that was blocked by police, and others saw several vans pull into an underground entrance to the courthouse, but they didn't see Amanda.

Inside the courtroom the hearing lasted less than an hour and then she was whisked away back to Capanne prison. The reporters got a few scraps of information from the inside after the hearing, most notably from her lawyers, but there was nothing much of news except that a new date of November 8 was set for arguments to be heard- and the way she looked.

The word from inside was that she looked "drawn and pale" and looks to have gained weight. One of her lawyers, Luciano Ghirga said "She has hardened herself, she has become more unhappy and less serene". While her lawyers are trying to get her through the slander circus her appeal awaits a short distance ahead on November 24th. One or the other would be enough but the two together appears to be taking it's toll on Amanda's health. Photographs taken of her last June show her in short cropped hair and looking tense with light circles under her eyes just beginning to show. And of course the pressure continues with the slander issue continued on Nov 8th and her appeal later that month.

It must be a roller-coaster of emotions as important court dates come and go, and then continued with no certain closure in sight. She has held up well in the past under pressure but lately things seem to be wearing her down. Another of her lawyers Maria del Grosso said recently: "She is very down. I've told her to be tough. It won't help to fall apart now". Perhaps the best thing for Amanda at this point in time would be to try and stay focused on what is really important- such as her appeal on Novemeber 24. The slander case is not of prime importance compared to the appeal- but it is in fact just one more thing to set one's nerves on edge. Almost a form of harassment designed to keep the pressure on. It's like running a gauntlet where the whips are replaced with tension, fear, doubt, and loneliness; Like a bad dream where you can't wake-up.

At the same time as the Italian legal machine moves slowly along, one has to wonder as concerns Amanda, an innocent young woman, how much can she take- how much is enough?