Amanda Knox convicted for defamation in ongoing Kercher case

An American woman stood before an Italian court yet again in the case of Meredith Kercher's murder and the defamation of bar owner Patrick Lumumba. She heard the verdict but will not go to prison. What is the reason for this decision?

The Meredith Kercher murder case has captured the media's attention once again. Thirty-six-year-old Amanda Knox returned to Italy for the first time in over 12 years, aiming to, as she said, "clearing my name once and for all of the false charges against me." Although it was determined that she did not take the life of her roommate in 2007, the spectre of defamation accusations still loomed over her.

As mentioned, Knox is not facing imprisonment because she already served four years in prison before her first acquittal (this included a three-year sentence for defamation). Nevertheless, the court's decision undoubtedly affected Knox, who cried during the verdict's reading.

Her lawyer, Carlo della Vedova, told the media that the woman is "bitter" about this turn of events and confirmed plans to appeal.

Knox asked the eight Italian judges and jurors to clear her of the defamation charge during the hearing. She explained that her accusations were due to "hours of manipulation by the police." She also emphasized that she was "very sorry" that she could not resist their pressure.

I didn’t know who the murderer was. I had no way to know. I never wanted to slander Patrick [Lumumba, the bar owner]; he was my friend - Knox confessed in court.

Lumumba's defence stated that Knox's accusations destroyed their client's life. After the trial, he became known as the "monster of Perugia." Her state of knowledge didn't matter in the case since her words damaged the bar owner's reputation. According to the court's verdict, Knox must cover the trial costs and compensate Lumumba. The amounts have not yet been specified.

This concludes another high-profile chapter in the case of 21-year-old student Meredith Kercher, for which Amanda Knox was initially accused. Due to a lack of evidence, Knox ultimately returned home and was acquitted, but the case still left a significant mark on her.

The case was so high-profile that it inspired several feature films and the 2016 Netflix documentary Amanda Knox. The documentaries focused heavily on the actions of the accused herself and emphasized how the high-profile trial and imprisonment affected the titular person.