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Kercher murder trial set to begin | Kercher murder trial set to begin |
(about 2 hours later) | |
The trial of two people accused of murdering British student Meredith Kercher is due to begin in Italy. | The trial of two people accused of murdering British student Meredith Kercher is due to begin in Italy. |
American Amanda Knox, 21, and Italian Raffaele Sollecito, 24, have been in jail for more than a year accused of the killing in Perugia. | American Amanda Knox, 21, and Italian Raffaele Sollecito, 24, have been in jail for more than a year accused of the killing in Perugia. |
A judge will decide on Friday whether their trial should be held in private. | A judge will decide on Friday whether their trial should be held in private. |
Miss Kercher, from Coulsdon, south London, was found dead on November 2007. Rudy Hermann Guede, 21, has already been jailed for her murder. | Miss Kercher, from Coulsdon, south London, was found dead on November 2007. Rudy Hermann Guede, 21, has already been jailed for her murder. |
Prosecutors claim the Leeds University student was killed as part of a bungled sex game involving Mr Guede, her housemate Miss Knox, from Seattle, and the American's ex-boyfriend Mr Sollecito, from Bari in southern Italy. | |
She is not a victim, but the media has created a false picture of Amanda. Amanda Knox's lawyer | |
Miss Kercher had been studying in Perugia as part of a foreign exchange programme. | |
Mr Guede, who pleaded guilty to her murder in a "fast-track" trial last year, was jailed for 30 years. | |
More than 140 members of the press are said to have requested access to the current trial and Miss Knox's legal team are believed to favour an open hearing. | |
They are attempting to block the publication of a book about her written by an Italian journalist. | |
Miss Knox's lawyer, Luciano Ghirga, confirmed that Miss Knox was seeking 500,000 euros (£450,046) in compensation for damage allegedly already caused by the book and articles published in an Italian daily newspaper. | |
He said too much "sensitive information" about the sex life of the Seattle-born foreign exchange student has been published. | |
Mr Ghirga said of his client: "She is not a victim, but the media has created a false picture of Amanda. | |
"We still hope she will get a fair trial though." | |
The trial is expected to last for several months. | The trial is expected to last for several months. |