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Court hearing for Kercher trio Court hearing for Kercher trio
(30 minutes later)
A hearing is taking place in Italy to decide whether three people accused of killing British student Meredith Kercher should face trial.A hearing is taking place in Italy to decide whether three people accused of killing British student Meredith Kercher should face trial.
Amanda Knox, Italian Raffaele Sollecito and Ivory Coast citizen Rudy Guede all deny sexual assault and murder. American Amanda Knox, Raffaele Sollecito and Ivory Coast citizen Rudy Guede deny sexual assault and murder.
Miss Kercher, 21, from Coulsdon, south London, was found semi-naked with her throat slit in the bedroom of her Perugia flat on 1 November.Miss Kercher, 21, from Coulsdon, south London, was found semi-naked with her throat slit in the bedroom of her Perugia flat on 1 November.
On Monday, the father of Miss Knox, who is from Seattle, said she was innocent. Mr Sollecito, an Italian, did not attend court, but the other two did.
Speaking before the pre-trial hearing in Perugia, Curt Knox told ITV's Tonight programme he hoped his daughter would be freed by the court. Separate trial
Mr Knox said: "To tell you the truth I want her cleared of everything because they need to know who she is. She hasn't been a part of this at all." Cleared suspect Diya "Patrick" Lumumba was present in court, and his lawyer said he would be joining the case as a "civil plaintiff".
Meredith's sister Stephanie pays tribute to Meredith ahead of the hearing He is suing Miss Knox for falsely implicating him in the murder.
The judge presiding over the hearing will decide if the trio will face a trial, although Kercher family lawyer Francesco Maresco said any ruling would be unlikely to be made until the end of October.The judge presiding over the hearing will decide if the trio will face a trial, although Kercher family lawyer Francesco Maresco said any ruling would be unlikely to be made until the end of October.
Miss Kercher's parents John and Arline are in court. Mr Guede plans to ask for a separate trial from Ms Knox and Mr Sollecito if he is indicted, as he fears them making a pact against him, his lawyer said last week.
Their daughter lived with Miss Knox and others on Via Della Pergola in Perugia. Meredith's sister Stephanie pays tribute to Meredith ahead of the hearing
Valter Biscotti said he would seek a fast-track trial, which is shorter and often leads to shorter sentences.
Miss Kercher's parents John and Arline, and sister Stephanie, were in the court.
They paid tribute to her on Monday in a statement read by Stephanie.
The family said: "Each time we arrive in Perugia, we wish we were here for a different reason."
She described her sister as a "a significant part of so many lives due to her caring, loving nature and laughter" and said the family was still struggling to understand why she was "so cruelly taken" from them.
She added: "We are pleased we have reached a new phase in the process, hoping that justice will soon be done for Meredith."
Miss Kercher lived with Miss Knox and others on Via Della Pergola in Perugia.
Miss Knox and Mr Sollecito have been in jail since November, while Mr Guede was arrested later in Germany and extradited to Italy in December.Miss Knox and Mr Sollecito have been in jail since November, while Mr Guede was arrested later in Germany and extradited to Italy in December.
Mr Sollecito was not in court for Tuesday's hearing.