Looks like Arbor Heights resident Edda Mellas will have to spend a lot more time in Italy – her daughter Amanda Knox is now ordered to stand trial in the murder case that’s drawn international attention over the past year-plus. Here’s the latest, via the P-I.
This is very sad but it’s a sad and perplexing case. It has taken a long time to get to the point of saying that there is enough evidence to order them to stand trial. I read the third person has taken a quick trial and was convicted to 30 years in prison (there are no life sentences in Italy).
It reminds me of the whole OJ trial where you never really knew what had happened but clearly, clearly OJ had some grasp of what did. I feel that is the case here. I do believe Ms. Knox and her boyfriend have a pretty good idea of what happened. Did they participate? Who knows? Were they too high to understand (or even clearly remember) what happened? Given their differing stories, that may be the case.
It’s a cautionary story for parents. Know the laws of the country before you send your child to live there. Talk to your kids about what they post about themselves on You-Tube, Facebook, Twitter or MySpace. Information on Ms. Knox’s pages is going to be used against her in court. This is the kind of free-floating information in the web-based world that our children are growing up in that can really hurt them in the future. And whether you are talking about hurting future opportunities for a job or college or even, in this case, your freedom, it is worth pounding home to kids; be careful with what you put out there. It may come back to haunt you.
And you don’t think she had a hand in the killing? Looks pretty guilty to me. Only 1 person has stuck to their story the whole time and it’s not her.
As saddened mentions, this case has really opened my eyes to how the legal system works in different countries. I, apparently naively, always thought a country like Italy would have a similar system to ours. The idea that one can be held up to a year without filing formal charges never entered my mind. Perhaps it stems from the fact that European countries are so easily travelled between and it’s a way to keep people from leaving the jurisdiction, I don’t know, but I will certainly do more research before future travel. And completley agree on the Facebook/MySpace issue – I think we’re only beginning to see the effects.
Har-dee-har. The U.S. can’t and doesn’t hold foreigners for a year or more without charges?? Somebody hasn’t been watching the news….
Like most in Seattle, I immediately thought Ms. Knox had something to do with the murder. But what I came to learn that all the pieces of “evidence” I read were merely sensational media accounts more aimed at selling papers than seeing fairness and due process.
As Saddened points out only one person stuck to his story- Ms. Guede. His story however, in no way includes the presence of Amanda or her boyfriend. He is going up the river for 30 years and “sticks to his story” in which he neglects mentioning the other two suspects? He is a habitual home invader with a history of pulling knives on folks. He sold drugs to the occupants of the flat below Merideth and Amanda. There is no call history or texting between Guede with Amanda or her boyfriend. So did they just meet on the street and decide to carry out a sick sex game? I am not certain of many things in life but I am certain the Amanda and Rafaelle had nothing do with the murder of Merideth Kercher.
I’m really saddened that a family in England had their daughter brutally taken away from them, by someone or some people.
I think Knox’s boyfriend had a hand in the murder. I think they were drunk and the victim didn’t want to partcipate and he and the other dude got out of hand and Knox just stood there.
Italy has an effective criminal justice system, Although different from ours in many ways, Amanda will recieve a fair trial. Her story has changed several times and does not mirror those of the other accused. If convicted, She will be held accountable for her crime. Many in this country make a mockery of the justice system and manipulate the courts to their advantage and to the dismay of law abiding citizens. We might be able to learn something from Italy’s example.
Sorry, comment time is over.
| 8 COMMENTS